Daily Devotional, Year 2 – JUNE 14 (What Will I Trade For My Soul?)
By admin On January 26th, 2021.
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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – JUNE 14
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What Will I Trade For My Soul?
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“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36
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Deal with the Devil – Teufelspakt Faust Mephisto, Julius_Nisle – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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There was a popular weekly TV show back in the 1960’s, which featured a different little story each week.
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One particular week featured a story of a man who made a contract with the Devil, trading his soul for some form of present earthly riches or pleasures. And of course, by the end of the show, it came time for the man to forfeit his soul.
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Deal with the Devil – Teufelspakt Faust Mephisto, Julius_Nisle – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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FAME AND FORTUNE
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And then there was a very well-known pop music artist who liked to brag that he made a deal with the Devil, in order for him to gain fame and fortune as a pop singer.
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And this same theme has been written of, down through the centuries. These two engravings (the one above and this one to the right) depict that theme.
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Deal with the Devil – Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain
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DO I NEED TO SIGN A CONTRACT?
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Now is there any truth to this? Can a person indeed sell his or her soul to the Devil? What does the Bible say about this?
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Listen… “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36
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Now in this above verse, God frames the question in greatly exaggerated terms: to sell one’s soul to gain the whole world! After all, nobody has ever literally gained the whole world, have they?
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Actually, when you think about it, there was one individual who actually did gain the whole world: Lucifer! The Bible calls him, “the god of this world” 2nd Corinthians 4:4
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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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HOW PRECIOUS IS THE SOUL!
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And so, the Lord is proclaiming that: “Everlasting life is worth more than the whole world!”
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The soul is a person’s most valuable possession! Because each of us only live a few decades on this earth, and then we return back to the dust.
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So why in the world would anyone trade away the incredible gift of everlasting life for a few decades of selfish pleasure? It just doesn’t make sense, does it?
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And yet, the vast majority of earth’s inhabitants do exactly that! And they don’t even have to sign a contract with the Devil!
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Still Life With A Skull & Hour-glass – Wikipedia – Public Domain.
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“BY USING, I ACCEPT THE TERMS”
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Think of it in computer terminology. When you want to use some on-line computer APP, you don’t even need to sign a contract. No, but it tells you, “by simply using this program, you have automatically accepted the terms of the contract.”
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And so it is with the Devil. By merely living for his Kingdom of Selfishness (this world), a man, woman, or child automatically has accepted the wages of sin and selfishness: “Eternal Death!”
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It’s that simple!
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Child and Computer – TV – cropped – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Share-alike License
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GO AHEAD! ATTEND CHURCH!
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And the Devil doesn’t care if you attend church each week!
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Naw! He’s actually happy for you to attend church!
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Just as long as you keep living for the world, you have automatically accepted the terms of his contract: you have traded away your soul!
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Evangelist Preaching – Church – Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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MUCH LESS THAN THE WHOLE WORLD!
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And most everyone is willing to trade away his or her soul for much less than the whole world!
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And so, what am I willing to trade away my soul for?
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Oh, perhaps just a good high-definition TV and a six-pack of beer. Maybe that’s all I require to trade away the incredible gift of everlasting life!
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Or perhaps a nice recreational vehicle and a tank of gasoline and a long stretch of highway to some interesting place to visit.
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Or maybe I am just wanting to trade my soul for a nice smooth little life in the country, raising a couple of children.
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Or maybe I want some impressive high-powered career, and an enviable lifestyle.
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Or maybe I’ll shoot for the stars, and attempt to gain fame and fortune like that pop-singer mentioned at the start of this article. You know, the one who claims he made a deal with the Devil.
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Or perhaps a daily cuisine of fast foods and tasty drinks is all I need! Or maybe some other fleshly delights!
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Well, you get the point. Most people only require a relatively little “piece of the pie”, as they say, to trade away their soul.
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Berlin neukoelln – TV satellite dishes – CROPPED IMAGE –Â Wikimedia – C.C. Share-alike License
A RETIRED COUPLE – NARA – Wikimedia – Public Domain
John Constable – The Hay Wain Cottage – Wikipedia – US public domain
Howard Hughes piloting Spruce Goose – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.
James Brown Wax – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
Crab cakes, sweet potato french fries, cole slaw, tartar sauce, Cola – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
Deal with the Devil – Teufelspakt Faust Mephisto, Julius_Nisle – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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“TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE”
Hebrews 3:7, 15
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One very happy aspect to all this, is the very Good News that it is still the day of redemption! Yes, if anyone can hear the words of this little daily devotional, there is still time to get out of a contract with the Devil!
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But how do I get out of my contract with, “the god of this world”?
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Simple! All one needs to do, is to become a follower of Jesus! Jesus says to you and to me… “go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.” Matthew 19:21
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Yes, following Jesus! That’s the only way to break your contract with the Devil!
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Deal with the Devil – Teufelspakt Faust Mephisto, Julius_Nisle – Wikimedia – Public Domain
Rich Young Ruler – Hoffman – Wikimedia Commons – US Public-Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Give me the desire to separate myself from the world, as far as possible. Let me use the world, but not abuse the world. Give me wisdom to know the difference…
Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven), or you can also read this shorter article… “January 10th (Why Doesn’t My Christianity Work?)”
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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“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
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THE NARROW WAY: THE PILGRIM’S PATHWAY
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That world
-shaking allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, picked up the theme of the Narrow Gate. The hero of the story was Christian, a man who was warned to flee from the City of Destruction (the world), and to embark on a journey to the Heavenly City. And along the way, Christian encountered many adventures and dangers. This first of its kind allegorical book absolutely rocked the western world, and became perhaps the first million seller book (along with the Bible).
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But God has also given this same Narrow Way parable in the night heavens! Incredible? Yes, incredible…and amazing too! And though these two stars can hardly be considered a constellation, but when sitting next to the two stars which comprise the Broad Gate, well, it makes a powerful statement, for the people of God.
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So please come along on this journey and find out just why this pathway graces the night heavens, and perhaps you might find yourself embarking on your own pilgrimage up that very same Narrow pathway.
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John Bunyan – Wikipedia – Public Domain
Pilgrim’s Progress Enters The Wicket Gate – Wikipedia – public domain
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LOCATION
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This most amazing phenomenon is seen throughout the winter. Although it can be observed most of the winter, it is seen best when it is the western part of the sky, at winter’s end (The end of winter being the final scene of this heavenly Gospel story). Orion , the Dragon, and the Glorious White Horse are beginning to descend into the western horizon (sketch to right is Winter Constellations descending into western horizon. This can actually be seen as early as December, in the pre-dawn hours).
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And at this point it is apparent that the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation is veering toward the two bright stars, known as Castor and Pollux (sketch to below left). But the Wide Gate Stars are composed of the two brightest stars of the Auriga Constellation, known as the star, Capella, and the star, Menkalinan. The two stars, Castor and Pollux, make up the concept of the Orion’s Narrow Gate Stars.
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This can even be observed into June in the western sky (for a short time just after dark). While a dark night is best for seeing the Woman Constellation, the 4 stars which comprise the Narrow Gate/Wide Gate Stars can be seen even under mediocre conditions. It begins with the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation (AKA Ursa Major) going towards these two doors.
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The sketch to left shows, the two doors are each composed of two bright stars. The two bright stars that comprise the Narrow Gate are the two brightest stars of the Orion the Reaper’s sickle. The two stars that comprise the ‘Wide Gate’ Stars are the two brightest stars of the wave of water that comes out of the Dragon Constellation’s mouth (for explanation of “Wave of Water”, just click here). The stars that make up the ‘Narrow Gate’ are about half the width of the Wide Gate (see sketch to right).
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(For more information on Orion’s sickle, just click here,“Orion The Reaper”.)
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Editor’s note: These sketches on this page are merely sketches. The stars are not in their exact place. However, they are close enough to find them in the night sky. But as with most stars, it takes persistence to finally locate them.
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)
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TOMORROW…
JUNE 15 (Rollie-Pollie Bug Christians! Part 3: How To Dwell In Love)
Rollie-Pollie Doodle-Bug – Slater rolled up – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License
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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 #529 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain
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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing details & tags, and all other necessary information on any particular photo. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.