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Click credit links below each pic, for licensing names/details/tags/etc.. Most pics cropped/reduced in size

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – MARCH 22

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The City of Morality, Part 3: “Raising Children” CONTINUED

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In John Bunyan’s earth-shaking tale, Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character, Christian, was on his way to the Celestial City, to get that great Burden off his back (the burden of sin).

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But on the way, he met a fellow named Worldly Wiseman, who informed Christian that such an arduous journey was not necessary. He told Christian that all he needed was to go to the Village of Morality. 

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Christian in Pilgrim’s_Progress – Wikimedia – pub dom.

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WORLDLY WISEMAN 

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And so, Christian was duped and deceived by Worldly Wiseman into going to the Village of Morality, instead of continuing on his way to the Celestial City. There Christian could simply live a life of morality (including church-going).

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And in so-doing, Christian could live in “peace and safety”, and in a look-alike lifestyle, very similar to true Christianity, yet without having to battle daily against sin, Satan, and self! Just living a moral life was all he needed!

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Worly Wiseman in Pilgrim’s Progress – Wikimedia – Pub Dom.

 

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THE VILLAGE IS NOW A HUGE CITY!

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And so it is today. Only this village called “Morality” is now a full-grown metropolis!

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Yes, a great portion of today’s world and today’s Christendom has become just that, the City of Morality!

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And there are many Christians who, like Bunyan’s pilgrim, have been duped by that old deceiver, Worldly Wiseman!

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New York Times Square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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IMITATING THE WORLD

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Now in yesterday’s devotional (click here), it was brought to light how Satan deceives church-goers into thinking that all the moralism and humanitarianism in today’s world, is the evidence that the world is a pretty good place (except for the bad people, of course!)

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And so, as a result, the majority of church-goers tend to emulate how the world does things, instead of living by faith in God’s pure Word of truth!

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Handshake icon – GREEN-BLUE – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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WORLDLY UPBRINGING

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And many Christian parents are bringing up their children to be hybrid personalities: partly Christian, but also very worldly!

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And then, when the children grow up, the parents are heart-broken to see their young adult children turn away from Christianity! But when the vast majority of Christian children attend public schooling, what other results can we expect?

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Oh yes, quite often, the children turn out to be very moral, and successful worldlings! And the children may even attend church each week. But there is no true Holy fire burning within!

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Children’s Street basketball during a church fair – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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CIRCUS-DRIVEN PARENTING

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Well, there could be volumes written about child-rearing, and there already are volumes which have been written!

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And there is no shortage of advice on the many techniques and little helpful hints which parents are counseled to implement in raising their children.

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Some of these methods include various fun activities to engage the children in, various disciplinary methods to apply, sundry psychological sophistry, and countless other ways to win the victory in successfully raising our children.

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And even some of these techniques make child-rearing like going to the circus, because of all the fun activities and entertainment lavished on the children and parishioners!

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Barnum & Bailey clowns and geese – Wikipedia – Public Dom.

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WHAT DOES GOD SAY?

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But it might be well for parents to simply read and take to heart what the Bible says about raising children…

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Listen… “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9

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What this is really saying, is that we are to live the kind of life which reflects Jesus.

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And the Believer’s godly life will do its own preaching!

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Yes, the virtues of honesty and quietness, and patience, and love, and sympathy, etc., will speak louder than mere words will ever speak!

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Family Worship – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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SECURING GOD’S BLESSINGS

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But the only real hope for us and our children is for God to shower His blessing upon us!

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And to allow God to purify our heart and transform our life is the only genuine way to secure those wonderful blessings!

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listen… “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments…Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body…” Deuteronomy 28:1, 4

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Here is revealed God’s promise for our children! 

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And to follow Jesus as one of His disciples, continuing on the upward, heavenly pathway is what true obedience is all about!

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Morning Prayers – Ebenezer Newman – Downard – 1860 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“HEAVENLY ZION AWAITS…JUST BEYOND THAT RIVER!”

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And for those who persevere on that upward pilgrimage, they will one day soon, cross that River Jordan, into the blessed Promised Land, and literally enter into that Heavenly Beulah Land.

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And it will be such a joy to walk side-by-side with our children as we enter into those everlasting gates of glory!

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Family Portrait – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

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“Dear Lord, Keep me from going to a moralistic, itching-ears gospel. Chastise me, so that I continue to fight the Good Fight of overcoming sin and self…

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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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The ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation

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SECOND MOUNTAIN…CHOICE “B”…

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“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9

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Now there are two mountains in this constellation group. One mountain is symbolic of Zion, but also of the Mount of Blessing. So what is the second mountain? It is the mount of cursing…the law. Scripture refers to the law as the, “ministration of death and condemnation” 2nd Corinthians 3:7, 9. The law is that which shows the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Listen to Romans… “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified…for by the law is the kABOVE PICTURE – Fall Constellations – Valley of Decision Constellationnowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20.

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This reminds us of those two mountains: Gerzim and Ebal…the Mount of Blessing and the Mount of Cursing. 

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Fall Constellations – Valley of Decision & O Destroying Mtn. Constellations – signsofheaven.org – Not for commercial profit use!

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MOUNT OF CURSING: AN IMPOSSIBLE CLIMB…

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Notice that the Mount of Blessing begins rather steep…but then begins to become less steep as you ascend. But the Mount of Cursing begins a rather gentle slope but gets impossibly steep the higher you ascend. This is exactly like the law. At first it looks like just ten little rules to follow. But just try to keep those ten little rules! For instance, just try to keep the first commandment. At first it seems simple. But before long, one begins to realize that his or her life is literally teeming with idols: perhaps a car, or a TV show, or a certain foods, or money, or shopping, recreation, career, sports, or… whatever! We all have idols that we don’t even realize are idols! These are what Scripture calls “Mammon”. And this law against idolatry, is just the first commandment!

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READ MORE…

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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation” 

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