DAILY DEVOTIONAL, YEAR 1: NOVEMBER 16th (Look For The Light, Part 3: “Judging Others”)
By admin On February 8th, 2021.
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DAILY DEVOTIONAL, YEAR 1: NOVEMBER 16th
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Look For The Light,
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Part 3:
“Judging Others”
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In Part 1 of this topic (click here to read, it was discussed about how there are many different lifestyles and philosophies which appear to be pathways to happiness.
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Yes, the Devil is so much like that spider who weaves his web, in hopes of catching simple-minded insects, who believe they are entering a tunnel which leads to a desired haven.
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Yes, God has created this amazing scenario to illustrate just how we can be fooled like that little fly, by that optical illusion which the spider (Satan) weaves for us!
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And though it looks like a nice pathway to travel through, it really only leads to his (or her) destruction!
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SpiderWeb – wikipedia – public domain
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Therefore, beware O Christian!
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This world is the Devil’s spider-web!
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And that web has many silken cords!
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A WORLD OF MANY DANGERS!
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Yes, there are so many things that “the god of this world” has set in place, in order to trap the simple-hearted and unlearned among God’s people.
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The Bible says… “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” Hosea 4:6.
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And in today’s very busy world, it is easy to get so involved in seeking after the pleasures and pursuits of life, that we do not pray nor contemplate the Bible through our day.
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And that’s all Satan needs, in order to get a foothold into the life of a Christian!
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And there is one great big part of this world-wide spider web that so many of us fly right into!
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Exclamation Mark – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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FINGER-POINTING!
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And the trap to be discussed today is one which involves judging others.
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You see, the Devil loves to have his kingdom filled with all sorts of inequalities. Isn’t it true?
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Yes, there are many unequal things in this modern-day world which can be criticized.
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It’s true! Satan loves to raise up people who are easy and fun to hate! From world leaders, to renowned evangelists, to a neighbor down the street, or even a family member!
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And it is so easy to get caught up in finger-pointing and criticizing and gossip!
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ABC-Good Morning America – wikipedia – share-alike license
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MANY FINGER-POINTING PROGRAMS!
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Just think how many radio and television shows are dedicated to criticizing others!
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Yes, in this high-tech world, a person can literally choose to watch or listen to any one of hundreds of critical television, radio, or Internet programs designed to criticize, mock or listen to malicious gossip about people, both small and great!
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But the Bible clearly warns us… “Speak not evil one of another, brethren….but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” James 4:11, 12.
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Yes, the Devil knows how much God hates our proud judging!
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And so Satan purposely creates a society conducive to doing just that!
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Announcer with microphone – svg – Wikimedia – Public-Domain
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“BUT I’M JUST DOING A PUBLIC SERVICE!”
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Well one very big problem is that such criticism and condemnation may just bring God’s condemnation on me!
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Listen to Paul… “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Romans 2:1
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What I do not realize is that the very same sins which I see in others, also exist in my own heart!
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Listen again… “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9.
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So, my heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things! That’s a pretty bad indictment, wouldn’t you say? But it’s true! Whatever sins I may see in others, are also lying down deep in my own heart! “…for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Romans 2:1
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Finger pointing – wikimedia – public domain
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THE TONGUE: EXTENSION OF THE HEART
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Yes, in my own heart, there exists a world of evil! And my tongue is merely an extension of that evil!
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Listen again… “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of Hell.” James 3:6.
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WOW! What an indictment! My tongue is a world of iniquity, set on fire of Hell!
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MOCKING & SCORNING OTHERS!
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Well, there are so many Bible passages which reveal the wickedness involved in judging and condemning and gossiping about others.
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But sufficed to say, the Devil has purposely created this evil world-system, in hopes of catching Christians in one way or another.
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And it is no accident that there are so many persons who are “lightning rods”, so to speak, for criticism! Yes, this world is filled with those who are magnets for scorning and mockery!
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Just walk through any big-box store and look at all the “fat” people! Or the “foolish”! Or the odd! Or the “lazy”! Or the “stupid”! Or the “selfish”! Or the “proud”! Or the “rich”! Or the “poor”!
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Fat People – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license
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SATAN STEALS OUR PERFECT PEACE
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One great problem with listening to Satan’s whisperings, is that this is how this “Accuser of our Brethren” gains access into our hearts and minds. And once we allow him access, he often begins to torment us with all sorts of “evil surmisings” about the motives of others. (Revelation 12:10 & 1st Timothy 6:4)
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We must remember the Wise Man’s advice…
“Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.
Put away from thee a froward mouth,
and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on,
and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet,
and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:
remove thy foot from evil.”
Proverbs 4:24-27
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Yes, to guard the avenues to the soul, not allowing Satan any access, is our first and foremost duty!
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TURN THE EAR FROM THE HEARING OF EVIL
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Therefore, the Christian needs to constantly be studying, contemplating, and praying for Bible-wisdom to escape this great spider-web of sin called “judging another”!
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Oh yes, there is a time to warn people of a false teacher.
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And yes, we need to reveal the sins that the Church seems to be ignorantly committing!
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But even here we really need to be careful to never judge the heart of that erring individual.
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But we certainly need to avoid listening to all those critical TV, radio, and Internet programs that make a career out of finger-pointing.
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That would be the very first step in overcoming this very captivating sin!
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ABOVE PICTURE: television & the image of Satan
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THE GOOD NEWS!
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And the really Good News is this: if I overcome this great sin of proud finger-
pointing, God has a wonderful promise…
“If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke,
the putting forth of the finger (finger-pointing),
and speaking vanity…
And the LORD shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought,
and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water,
whose waters fail not.”
Isaiah 58:9, 11.
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And just as this passage promises, if we put away all of our finger-pointing, and return to the Lord, in sorrow and repentance, God will lift us up and restore us to His favor,
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David’s sorrow – wikigallery – public domain
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TO READ PART 4, JUST CLICK HERE…
JULY 22 (Look For The Light At The End of the Tunnel! Part 4: “The World-Wide-Web”)
Internet Sign – I Cawi2001 for Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Steer me away from all the critical programs, lest I catch that critical spirit…
Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… JANUARY 16 (How a Joke Killed! Part 4: Mocking Others! Not Good!), or you can also read… “September 30th (How To Spot The Biggest Sinner!)”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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WINTER CONSTELLATIONS LOCATION
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The sketch to the right shows this constellation group as they are seen in early winter, as they rise in the eastern skies. The Woman is in the north. The Dragon and Orion are farther south from the Woman.
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WINTER CONSTELLATIONS-SEEN IN FALL: This sketch to the right is how this constellation group appears in the eastern sky in fall. This is the four primary constellations of the Winter Constellations. They can be seen in this position, in the late fall above the eastern horizon. The Woman of Revelation 12 is commonly called Ursa Major or The Big Dipper and appears in the north. Orion the Soldier is the at the bottom is to the south of the Woman. The The Dragon of Revelation Constellation’s mouth isThe Hyades Cluster, and the tip of his tail is Pleiades, and his Wave of Water is primarily the Auriga constellation. The Glorious Horse Constellation head is of Perseus Constellation and his rear end is Cassiopeia Constellation.
(Editor’s note: It is impossible to make this chart accurate, and visually correct, because the dome effect of the sky makes these constellations look different than they appear when placed on flat paper.)
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READ MORE…
Site Overview
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TOMORROW:
November 17th (Nature’s Witnesses, Part 12: “The Health of Creation!”)
Fruit Stall in Barcelona Market by Daderot – Wikipedia share-alike license
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS IS STUDY #318 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…
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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain
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Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names, details, and tags, etc.. Most Images cropped & reduced in size.