Daily Devotional, Year 2 – May 5 (Ants: Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing!)

By admin On January 24th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – May 5

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Ants: Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing!

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leaf_Cutter_Ants_-_Butterflyworld_(7766667614).jpg

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When you were a child, did you ever stamp your foot upon the pathway of busy ants? 

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Well, as you may remember, they simply continued on with their mission, didn’t they?

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They merely went around your foot, and kept laboring on their appointed work of gathering food…

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Listen… “Go to the ant…consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 6:6-8

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Leaf Cutter Ants – Butterflyworld – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Share-alike License

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NATURE’S WISDOM

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

Yes, the ants are a very focused and determined little community!

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They have their “marching orders”, and nothing seems to deter them from accomplishing their appointed mission.

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Worker ant carrying leaf – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“THE EARTH…SHALL TEACH THEE”

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Worker_ant_carrying_leaf.jpgWell, of course, all nature has been created, not only to be interesting, amazing, beautiful, but instructive as well!

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And ants are no exception!

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

Listen to Job… “But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knows not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:7-10

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Here in the Book of Job is revealed that all of nature testifies of our Creator.

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

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ANTS: OUR LITTLE INSTRUCTORS

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

Yes, all of nature has been created to be our teacher in all matters of true wisdom regarding good and evil.

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

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And so, the Bible commends these little metaphors of industry, known as the ant. The Bible even refers to them as, “people”!

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Listen… “The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;” Proverbs 30:25

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Worker ant carrying leaf – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:At_a_loss.svg

So, just what lesson can we learn from observing these little teachers? How can we relate this all to the Gospel?

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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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KEEP THE MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING!

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

Perhaps the greatest lesson to be learned from the ant is that they always seem to, “keep the main thing, the main thing”!http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/Pictures/The%20Early%20Church%20Artwork/target8.html

 

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But the question to be answered is, “Just what is the main thing?”

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Well, listen to Paul’s testimony… “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 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,” Philippians 3:7, 8

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And from this above statement, Paul obviously considered the knowledge of Christ Jesus above every other consideration or endeavor of his life!

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

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“THAT I MAY KNOW HIM”

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

But listen as Paul continues on in this same passage… “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:10-12

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Yes, Paul realized that above all other considerations in life, the main thing in Christianity is to keep one’s thoughts upon Jesus, through the knowledge of Him, through His Word! To “know Him” and to be conformed to Him was Paul’s great desire!

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St Paul Preaching in Athens (Raphael, 1515) – Wikipedia US – public domain

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INTO HIS LIKENESS

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

And Paul lays out a wonderful encouragement in 2nd Corinthians… “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2nd Corinthians 3:18

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

Here is perhaps, the greatest encouragement found in all of Scripture, concerning how we might become changed into the Image of Jesus!  

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By beholding Jesus, through the contemplation of His Word, we will become imperceptibly changed into His wonderful likeness!

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What could be a happier and more wonderful promise than this?

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Transfiguration – Bloch – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain

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SATAN WILL DIVERT

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

But alas, the Devil well understands that this is, “the main thing”!

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And he will attempt to divert the naïve Christian from hiding the Word of Christ in our hearts!

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And he will go to any lengths to derail the Christian from filling his or her heart and mind with the wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One!

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ABOVE PICTURE: All Roads Lead To Rome (Except One) Public Domain www.signsofheaven.org

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MANY DIVERSIONS 

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

Think of it this way…

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

We Christians are like the industrious little ant, doing our diligence to complete the task before us: busily gathering the Bread of Life, and becoming changed into His glorious likeness.

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And Satan is like the giant person, who stamps his foot in front of our pathway, hoping to stop us from accomplishing our mission!

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And Satan will throw across our pathway, just about anything he possibly can, in attempt to divert us from, “keeping the main thing, the main thing!”

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Christian and Apollyon – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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DANGEROUS DETOURS

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

Yes, you name it!

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Whatever he thinks will divert us: whether it is some busy-busy ambitious career, or some selfish pleasure, or hearing all the day’s political wranglings, or some time-https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MUTCD_CW20-2.svgconsuming hobby, or social club, or an all-consuming romance with some marginal Christian, or inordinate music listening, or any combination of various earthly endeavors.

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And if all else fails, Satan will even try to divert us, by getting us sidetracked into some Christian mission, or humanitarian project, or perhaps some study of science, history, or health books, Creation and prophecy seminars!

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Anything to keep us from, “keeping the main thing, the main thing!”

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Yes, the one thing that Satan hates above all else, is to see a person studying the Bible, in attempt to hide its “great and precious promises” into our heart!

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Detour Sign – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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FAR TOO BUSY!

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

Oh yes, the Christian, like everyone else, has everyday duties, which must be performed.

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But Satan will attempt to get our minds so absorbed in our everyday duties, that we leave Christ behind…

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

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Listen… “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that Day (of the Lord) come upon you unawares.” Luke 21:34

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This above verse warns against allowing even the cares of life to take precedence over our, “keeping the main thing, the main thing!”

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Multitask – Wikimedia – C.C. Share-alike License

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PAUL ONLY WANTS TO WIN PRIZE

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

And so, the next time you or I see these busy little “people”, the ants, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PaulT.jpgdoing their diligence to accomplish their appointed work, let’s remember that God has given us the same commission as Paul had… “Brethren…this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13, 14

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Paul knew what the main thing was, and he kept it as the main thing!

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Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – public domain

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

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to keep on the right track. Show me where I’m weak, and help me to shore up the wall of God’s protection….

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…““Vanity Fair” & The False Prophet”, or you can also read this shorter article… November 15th (Alice-in-Wonderland Christianity) 

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

.picture - soldiers of the cross - armor up!

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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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.winter four constellations

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“Dan shall be a serpent by the way,

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an adder in the path,

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that biteth the horse heels,

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so that his rider shall fall backward”

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Genesis 49:17.

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THE HOLY GHOST RIDER CONSTELLATION

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This newest Signs Of Heaven Constellation (Fall, 2013) is by far the faintest of constellations, but is a very incredible and awesome one in a number of ways (which this article will explain).

.Holy-Ghost-Rider in the Western night-sky

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It is primarily comprised of the Camelopardalis Constellation (head and upper back), plus about 5 stars from the Cassiopeia Constellation (his leg), plus some random stars. It appears as an outline of a rider. Only the back of his head is detailed. And his back and the back of his legs are also detailed. Both sides of his arm are visible, and his hand is gripping the horses mane, and that is detailed by three stars (which are also part of the horse’s mane). The rider is in a position vaguely similar to a race-horse jockey. The two brightest stars in this constellation, are from the Cassiopeia Constellation, and are part of his leg. All the rest of the stars are very faint, and must be viewed on a very starry night.

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Since this constellation has just been revealed, there may be more to this constellation in the coming months. But if you can locate the Goodly Horse in Battle Constellation, then you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating this Rider Constellation, provided you have excellent star-watching conditions. 

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The above picture is not a totally accurate, but hopefully close enough to locate these constellations in the night-sky. Scroll down this page to see actual star-charts.

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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 Holy-Ghost-Rider Constellation”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…https://theheavensdeclare.net/mystery-babylon-o-destroying-mountain/

“MAY 6 (The Great Babylonian Dream-Machine!)”

ABOVE PICTURE: Dream Maker of Babylon – Signs Of Heaven.org

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

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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.

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