Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 18 (Our Minimum Daily Requirements!)

By admin On January 23rd, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 18

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Our Minimum Daily Requirements!

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“(God) Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament;

not of the letter,

but of the spirit:

for the letter killeth,

but the spirit giveth life.”

2nd Corinthians 3:6

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Have you had your minimum daily requirements today?

.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vitamin_Display.JPG

Do you even know what they are? Well, don’t feel bad! Most of us don’t know them either!

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The fact is, the medical community has determined just what are the M.D.R. (Minimum Daily Requirements) and this has all been done as a result of the invention of vitamin pills!

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Yes, the vitamin pill industry has developed all the pills necessary for our good health, as long as we take our Minimum Daily Requirements.

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Vitamin Display – by Mark Buckawichi – for Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain

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THE “HOLISTIC” APPROACH

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Of course, if a person is desiring to obtain maximum health, then common sense dictates the “holistic” approach.

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And, “What is the “holistic” approach?”, you ask.

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Simply put, the “holistic” (or “whole-istic”) approach is a total health regimen: daily exercise, proper healthy diet, pure water, ample sunlight, fresh air, proper rest, self control, and whatever else may be beneficial for health.

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But the problem with this holistic approach to health is, most people would rather just take a few pills! It’s much easier to simply try to take some pills, thinking that’s the way to get our Minimum Daily Requirements!

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Fruit Stall in Barcelona Market by Daderot – cropped image – Wikipedia share-alike license

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SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT

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Now quite often, the everyday things of the world tend to have a wisdom about them, which translates into spiritual wisdom.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:South-American_butterfly.jpg

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In other words, we can make a spiritual analogy to our Salvation, by looking at people, places, and things of the world!

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Listen to this description of Solomon…

“And Solomon’s wisdom…was wiser than all men…

And he spake of trees…he spake also of beasts,

and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon…”

1st Kings 4:30, 32-34

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Yes, all nature reveals wisdom.

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And so, this idea of Minimum Daily Requirements, and a holistic health regimen likewise seems to have a spiritual application to Salvation!

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South American Butterfly – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License

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TEN LITTLE RULES?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tissot_Moses_and_the_Ten_Commandments.jpg

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For instance, the children of Israel were given the Ten Commandments by Moses.

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Oh yes, they were also given many other laws as well.

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And they began to look at these laws as a type of Minimum Daily Requirements for spiritual health.

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In other words, they thought that by merely keeping this little short list of rules, that they could please God. 

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Tissot – Moses and the Ten Commandments – Wikipedia – US Public Dom.

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A LIFE OF LOVE!

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But when Jesus came to this world, He sat them down and lovingly taught them the deeper meaning to those laws.

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For example, Jesus revealed that…

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,

and with all thy soul,

and with all thy mind,

and with all thy strength:

this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this,

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

There is none other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:31

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And so, when the people heard these “whole-istic” concepts, they eventually began to despise Jesus. They merely wanted that little “laundry-list” of rules!

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That way, they thought by merely doing their Minimum Daily Requirements of rule-keeping, that would allow them to continue to pursue the selfish cares and pleasures of the world, just like the person who imagines that by simply taking a pill, this will allow him or her to continue on with their same old unhealthy lifestyle.

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The Exhortation to the Apostles 1886-94 – by James Tissot – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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THE RICH YOUNG RULER

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The account of the Rich Young Ruler who came to Jesus desiring to know, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoffman-ChristAndTheRichYoungRuler.jpg“what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” To this Jesus answered… “Keep the commandments.”

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But then, Jesus went further, by telling this rich young man…

“If you wilt be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor,

and you shall have treasure in Heaven: and come and follow Me.

But when the young man heard that saying,

he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”

Matthew 19:16-21, 22

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And so, this young man turned away from Jesus. To give up the things of this world was more than he was willing to do! He merely desired to keep the Minimum Daily Requirements for Salvation.

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But Jesus presented the true way of Salvation, which is nothing less than forsaking this present world in heart, and following Jesus on an upward pathway which leads to Heaven: a holistic lifestyle of spirituality!

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Rich Young Ruler – Hoffman – Wikimedia Commons – US Public-Domain.

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WE’RE NO DIFFERENT TODAY!

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Now many today look upon these, “poor deluded people”, in the Old Testament, and pride ourselves that, “I am glad that I’m not like them!”

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But the fact is, Jesus reveals to us that these Old Testament stories, “are for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1st Corinthians 10:11.

 

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Yes, all those Old and New Testament accounts were actually given for us today!

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And they reveal what’s in our own hearts in this very day we now live!

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Yes, when we really examine ourselves, it most likely will be revealed that we too attempt to do our Minimum Daily Requirements as well. 

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OUR MINIMUM DAILY REQUIREMENTS

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And so, many church-attendees try to formulate a little laundry-list of rules: to attend church each week, to partake of communion, to do a 15-minute Bible study each morning, to stay away from tobacco, cussing, “bad” movies, and various other religious/moralistic duties.

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We are just like that Rich Young Ruler! We merely desire to do our Minimum Daily Requirements.

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That way, we can continue to pursue the pleasures, the pastimes, and the proud aspirations and attainments of this selfish world!

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SALVATION: A GIFT OF GRACE!

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Now just what is the remedy for all this?

http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_198722/William-Brassey-Hole/The-sorrow-of-king-David

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Well, the remedy is the grace of God! In other words, true Salvation is the gift of God.

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And yet, God commands that we plead for Salvation…

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses,

know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?

whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God…

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:

let your laughter be turned to mourning,

and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and He shall lift you up.”

James 4:4, 9, 10

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Yes, there needs to be a thorough repentance from our world-loving ways: because, loving the things of this selfish world is an abomination to God, as the above passage reveals!

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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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A LIFE OF SIMPLICITY & JOY!

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But the Good News to all this is, that forsaking this world and following Jesus is a life of joy and simplicity!http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Braet_von_%C3%9Cberfeldt_woman_with_bible_1866.jpg

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Oh yes, we must still work and provide for our family’s comfort and needs and contentment.

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But more and more, we will see the world through the eyes of Jesus. And the thoughts of our heart will be focused on His Word and prayer! It will be as Paul said… “It is no longer I that live, but Christ that now liveth in me!”

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And the “holistic” life that I live by grace, will be manifest in my “holiness” to the Lord! 

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Braet von Überfeldt – Woman with Bible – 1866 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rezando.jpg

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me a new heart which desires to become an entirely new creation! Keep me back from falling into a mere religion of trying to do the minimum. But mold me and make me into Thy Likeness…

Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…NOVEMBER 20TH (2nd Corinthians, Chapter 3: Shifting The Centerpiece Of The Bible), or you can also read… “February 27th (Love Is Not A Pick-N-Choose Buffet)“

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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“And there appeared a great wonder (“sign”) in Heaven;

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a woman clothed with the sun,

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and the moon under her feet,

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and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:”

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Revelation 12:1

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer Constellations w/ark (aka: Sagittarius) & Revelation 12 Woman (aka: Ursa Major, including The Big Dipper) – www.theheavensdeclare.net

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If you were to go out on a dark and starry night in the summer months, and lift up your head, you might just see this constellation group. Looking at this sketch, do you see this woman as she tries to take hold of that crown?

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Well, this is a heavenly fulfillment of the above Bible verse (“And there appeared a great wonder (or “sign”) in Heaven; a woman…and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:” Revelation 12:1).

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And this woman is known as the Revelation 12 Woman, and that crown is known as the Revelation 12 Crown. You can see this constellation group in the summer months by looking in the western skies.

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The 12-Star Crown Constellation of Revelation 12”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martin,_John_-_Satan_presiding_at_the_Infernal_Council_-_1824.JPG

“APRIL 19 (To Die Is Gain!?! Part 2: “Love Not The World!”)”

Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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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 STUDY #473 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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Harold Camping Jeremiah Series #473 – YouTube

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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

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