Daily Devotional, Year 2 – DECEMBER 16 (Almost All Is Vanity! Part 4: “Our Purposes vs. God’s Purpose!”)

By admin On February 9th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – DECEMBER 16

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Almost All Is Vanity!

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Part 4:

“Our Purposes vs. God’s Purpose!” 

To read Part 1, click here…“April 22nd (All Is Meaningless!)”

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.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dore_Solomon_Proverbs.png

“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2.

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After years of seeking for the things of the world, Solomon was finally brought back to his spiritual senses, in which he at last concluded about life… “all is vanity.” Yes, Solomon finally realized the ugly truth about this life, that indeed, “All is vanity!”

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But God worked through all Solomon’s ambitious projects and accomplishments, so as to teach Solomon the great truth, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity (meaningless)!”

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Dore – Solomon – Proverbs – Wikipedia – Public domain (2)

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SOLOMON’S GLORY

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:'The_Visit_of_the_Queen_of_Sheba_to_King_Solomon',_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_Edward_Poynter,_1890,_Art_Gallery_of_New_South_Wales.jpg.

Yes, Solomon had built a golden empire, far more glorious than any other kingdom before or since!

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He built magnificent houses, and an incredible temple! He made beautiful gardens with pools. He had men-singers and maid-singers, and many servants. He no doubt built lavish houses for his 1,000 wives. He was young and strong and handsome. And his wisdom exceeded the wisdom of all other men who have lived, before and since!

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And yet, God worked through all this, so as to teach Solomon (and us), that, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity (meaningless)!”

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The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon’, by Edward Poynter, 1890, Art Gallery of New South Wales US public domain

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JUST CASTLES MADE OF SAND

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But even though Solomon was finally taught the lesson that, “All is vanity!”, just how does this apply to us today? What does, “All is vanity!”, have to do with me?

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You see, when Solomon says, “All is vanity!”, God is trying to convey to us that, “All” means, “All”!

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Yes, everything in this doomed world is meaningless! Because it will all become, as one songster sang, “Dust in the wind!”

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And so, it is inevitable that all the kings’ castles will eventually come tumbling down! They are all just castles made of sand!

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Sand castle, Cannon Beach – by Curt Smith – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License.

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MAYBE NOT ALL IS VANITY?

.Christian Race In Todays World courtesy www.signsofheaven.org share-alike lcense

But God, in His infinite mercy and love, works through all the meaningless endeavors of Man, to use as a teaching moment.

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Oh yes, God is allowing all these things as a lesson-book for all who dwell in His heavens and earth.

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But God also works through the individual lives of Believers too, that we might also learn the lessons of life, which will make us more like His beloved Son!

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Christian Race In Todays World courtesy www.signsofheaven.org share-alike license

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GOD WORKS THROUGH OUR ENDEAVORS

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And so, God allows Christians to build our little lives, and strive for our goals. But while we are intensely focused on our earthly endeavors, God’s purpose is much higher. His great desire is to teach us to learn more and more about Him, that we may become more and more like Him!

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And so, we may desire to acquire a new home, or a new car, or a new career, or marry a spouse, or have children, or enjoy social gatherings, or tend to our garden, or build some humanitarian ministry, or whatever other plans, and goals, and endeavors, and enjoyments we seek after. And these are our great focus. We look at all these things from an earthly perspective.

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Wood-framed house – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

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TO INSTILL HEAVENLY VIRTUES IN US

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But God works through these earthly pursuits, and uses them to teach us the lessonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Munch_Det_Syke_Barn_1896.jpg we need to learn.

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Oh yes, in His tender mercy, He may allow us to enjoy these things.

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But He works all these things together for our eternal welfare…

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Listen to Romans 8:28…“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

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Here is revealed that God uses all things for our eternal good. He even works through our illnesses, to teach us faith and patience, and to instill within us, a deep sympathy for others who are likewise suffering.

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Munch – Det Syke Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-06831.jpgSO WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING?

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And so, how should we respond to all this? How can we order our lives in such a way, as to gain the greatest heavenly profit?

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To fill our hearts and minds with the knowledge and heavenly wisdom found in God’s Word, is the greatest work that we can accomplish! And those who are wise, will endeavor to rearrange and simplify their lives, so as to allow the maximum time and energy for continuous communion with God!

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEADS!”

Luke 21:28

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Listen to Jesus, as He instructed His followers…“No man can serve two mastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Starry_Night_at_La_Silla.jpg: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?…But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:24, 25, 33  

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These above Words of Life are seldom heeded by professed Christians now living in this decadent, cornucopian super-society!

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Oh, that we Christians might look up and lift up our heads, to re-fix our gaze upon Heaven, and upon Heaven’s Jesus! Oh, that we Christians might put away our earthly idols, and become like Paul, or John, or Peter, 100% focused upon the kingdom of God!

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Starry Night at La Silla – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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TO THE MOLES AND BATS!

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Well, the very Good News is, that God is about to help us to do just that!

.Constellation- Woman of Revelation 12 flees to the mountains Mark 13:14

Listen to Isaiah, speaking of the very day which we are now in…“In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” 

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Yes, God is, even now, beginning to shake this earth terribly, and God’s people are now beginning to cast away our idols, and flee to the clefts of the ragged rocks (God’s Word), “for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty!”

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ABOVE DRAWING: Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12. (not a star-chart, but a concept picture)

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sand_castle,_Cannon_Beach.jpg.

TO READ PART 5, GO HERE… 

April 15 (Almost All Is Vanity! Part 5: “Castles of Sand!”)

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anna_Blunden_-_%22For_Only_One_Short_Hour%22_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to fully comprehend what Solomon is saying to us today! Help me to keep my eyes looking ever-upward, so that the things of earth will grow strangely dim…

Prayer – Anna Blunden – For Only One Short Hour – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Flower of the Field Constellation: Part 2-”All is Vanity”” or you can also read… “The Flower of Heaven Constellation”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

.Orion Constellation at Eagle Ridge

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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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“THE GLORY OF MAN,http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WiltedRose.JPG

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AS THE FLOWER…

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FALLS AWAY”…

1st Peter 1:25

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WiltedRose wikimedia public domain

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FLOWER OF THE FIELD IN HEAVEN

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This is perhaps one of the most amazing constellations that God has created. It truly looks like a flower, and appears to be blowing in the direction of westward. But as autumn draws near, this constellation appears to bow itself down, just like the flowers of Earth bow down, at the summer’s end.

Two Turtledoves-Flower of the Field- Cross/Scepter Constellations

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And these are not merely obscure stars. These are among the biggest and brightest stars in the night heavens.

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The Two Turtle-Doves Constellation is also known as Sagittarius .

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The Flower of the Field is also known as Scorpio .

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But there is another obvious aspect to this constellation group. Notice that the birds are flying in the same direction as the flower is bending; it is as if the east wind is blowing these heavenly messengers. “The wind blows where it desires, and you hear the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8. So here is another incredible Bible concept, written in the heavens! And God has spoken of these signs! Listen… “For ever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in (the) heaven(s).” Psalm 119:89

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THE ZODIAC CONSTELLATION NAMES

By the way, it is not the purpose of www.theheavensdeclare.net to give any validity to the Zodiac or any pagan deities. But the common names of many constellations must be given, solely for the purpose of locating them on star-charts.

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WHY IS THIS FLOWER POINTING UPWARD?

flower of the field constellation (fixed)

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To the right is a star-chart from Wikipedia. The editor of this site has sketched in the Flower of the Field Constellation on this constellation commonly referred to as the Scorpio Constellation (plus a few other close-by bright stars). Do you see the long blade of grass growing from the base of the Flower of the Field? This is made of the two highest stars of the Lupus Constellation, and the two lowest stars of the Libra Constellation. As this sketch shows, the flower appears to be pointing to Arcturus and the Revelation 12 Woman (shown in sketch below). Arcturus represents Jesus, as He leads His sons (and daughters) on a spiritual journey up a heavenward pathway, as is written… “Canst you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?” Job 38:32.

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ABOVE STAR-CHART: Flower of the Field Constellation commonly known as Scorpio – seen in spring through summer (Flower drawn in over Wikipedia star-chart)

 

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

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Flower of the Field Constellation” or you can also read… “Flower of the Field Constellation, Part 3: “Signs of the World’s End””

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www.lavistachurchofchrist.orghttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shoppers_on_Dundas,_near_Yonge.jpgTOMORROW:

DECEMBER 17 (Planet Earth: Devil’s Island, Part 3: Which ‘Normal’ Will You Choose?)

Shoppers in Toronto – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

Jesus Teaching Luke 4:31-32 – Jesus talks about Heaven – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain

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EXCERPTS FROM THE OPEN FORUM QUESTION/ANSWER RADIO TALK-SHOW…

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This Open Forum #1 is a small 30 minute sampling of the late Harold Camping’s nearly 50 year long series of 90 minute nightly talk shows…

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons lic.

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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.

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