Daily Devotional, Year 2 – JUNE 22 (Love Is Not A Pick-n-Choose Buffet, Part 3: “Heart Purification!”)

By admin On January 26th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – JUNE 22

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Love Is Not A Pick-n-Choose Buffet,

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Part 3:

“Heart Purification!”

To read Part 1, click here…February 27th (Love Is Not A Pick-N-Choose Buffet)

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**In the first installment of this, Love Is Not A Pick-N-Choose Buffet (click here) devotional, today’s Christianity was compared to an all-you-can-eat buffet…**

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…a smorgasbord of biblical truths in which many churchgoers attempt to pick-n-choose what they like or do not like from the Gospel.

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**In other words, there are many who simply want a Christianity made only of the softer aspects of the gospel, such as “being kind to others”.**

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This would be akin to going to an all-you-can-eat buffet and loading up on dessert and refusing everything else!

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Forain – The Buffet – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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“PURIFY YOUR HEARTS!”

James 4:8

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Now in yesterday’s devotional (click here), our commission to be a royal priesthood was showcased.

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But today’s devotional will highlight the great commission to purify our hearts.

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The Bible doesn’t slight this important aspect of the Gospel.

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As a matter of fact, this is the greatest work of the Christian’s life!

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To purify our heart is the greatest desire and the supreme accomplishment in a true Believer’s life!

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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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PAUL’S GREATEST DESIRE

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Listen to Paul’s testimony…

…”Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss

for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:

for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,

and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection,

and the fellowship of His sufferings,

being made conformable unto His death;”

Philippians 3:8, 10

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Here is one of the most powerful statements in the Bible! It encapsulates the greatest commission given to humanity, and more specifically, to the individual Christian.

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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain

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PURIFIED AS CHRIST IS PURE

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Now listen to the Apostle, John… “And every man that hath this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He (Christ) is pure.” 1st John 3:3

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And so, we have two similar statements, one by Paul and one by John.

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And both of these present the chief desire of every true worshipper of God: to purify the heart and be changed into the image of Jesus Christ.

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John The Apostle – by Alonzo Cano 1635-1637 – wikipedia – public domain

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“GOD…WORKS WITHIN”

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“For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

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But how is this greatest of all commissions from God to be accomplished? How can a man, woman, or child become changed into the likeness of Jesus?

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Obviously, this is a supernatural work!

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But God reveals that He is behind the scenes working in a Believer’s heart…

…”Being confident of this very thing,

that He which hath begun a good work in you

will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Philippians 1:6

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US Navy – Chaplain Lt. Jason Gregory reads Bible on weather deck – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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THE HARVEST WITHIN

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Thus, it is God who works in us to bring about this change of heart.

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Oh yes, when we were first saved, God planted His seed within us. But that seed must grow.

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So then, we must become the husbandmen (farmers) who are responsible to make sure that seed will grow and become a fruit-bearing tree of life within our heart!

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The water of grace of His Spirit…

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…the fertile and weed-free soil of a humble and purified heart…

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…the sunlight of the daily Word of God…

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…these are the elements which cause that seed to grow and prosper within us.

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Harvest Seed (altered picture) – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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COMPONENTS OF HEART PURIFICATION

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Yes, and what are the various components of that message?

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To study and contemplate God’s Word.

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To separate from all ungodly associations and corrupt influences.

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To cheerfully suffer God’s many chastisements. (See Psalm 118:18 for example, click here to read)

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To become holy in all conduct, even as Christ is holy.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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GOOD NEWS! TIME STILL!

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Now of course, these things do not have to be! God has given us just enough time to turn away from these sins, and begin to truly seek after His godliness…

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Listen… “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 arises to shake terribly the earth.”

Isaiah 2:20, 21

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Yes, in these last moments of time, God’s people (on an individual basis) will cast away (in heart, not literally) our worldly desires and tinsel-like trinkets, and flee from the wrath to come, hiding ourselves within God’s soul-saving Word.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TO READ PART 4, CLICK HERE…

JUNE 23 (Love Is Not A Pick-n-Choose Buffet, Part 4: God’s Chastisement!)

David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to embrace all the Bible and not just pick-n-choose what I like. Help me to seek after all the qualities and virtues of Jesus and not just some…

Marine Praying – Wikimedia – USMC Public Domain

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

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ARK SEEN IN HEAVEN

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“And the temple of God was opened in heaven…”

Revelation 11:19

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The above verse from Revelation, speaks of God’s Temple in Heaven being opened.

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**But this great constellation, the Sagittarius Constellation is actually the constellation of the Ark of the Covenant.**

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So, these two events go hand in hand simultaneously.

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The Ark Constellation, as sketched into this Wikipedia star-chart, is a representation of the heavenly Ark, as God begins to open up the spiritual concepts of that true Ark to our minds.

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Star-chart from Wikipedia (this Website has taken the liberty to sketch in this Ark Constellation)

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TOMORROW…