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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – SEPTEMBER 6

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Chief of Sinners, Part 1

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“This is a faithful saying,

and worthy of all acceptation,

that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;

of whom I am chief.”

1st Timothy 1:15

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John Bunyan wrote a companion book to his earth-shaking tale, “Pilgrim’s Progress”.

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That second book was a personal testimony about his conversion to Christianity. And Bunyan appropriately titled it, “Grace Abounding To The Chief of Sinners”.

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Of course, Bunyan’s title was inspired by Paul’s first letter to Timothy, in which he professes, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1st Timothy 1:15

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Yes, both Bunyan and Paul each saw themselves as, “the chief of sinners”!

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Bunyan – Grace Abounding – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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THE HEART: A BOTTOMLESS PIT OF SIN!

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Yes, John Bunyan, like Paul, fully understood that he was indeed, the chief of sinners! Both Paul and Bunyan well knew that within each of their hearts existed a bottomless pit of sin and selfishness of every sort!

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Oh yes, Paul wanted to be good, but realized he was humanly incapable of being good! There was nothing in his flesh that was good! He knew he was totally corrupt and evil, by nature! His condition was hopeless!

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Now these two men were not alone in their understanding. Jeremiah too, made the following observation… “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9, 10

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John Bunyan by Thomas Sadler – 1684 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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OUR HEARTS ARE UNSEARCHABLE, EXCEPT BY GOD!

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So now it begins to become an even more hopeless situation! This truth which God is presenting through Jeremiah pronounces the human heart to be the most deceitful thing on earth. And then God asks the question regarding our deceitful hearts… “Who can know it?”

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In other words, there is nobody who can understand their own heart, much less the hearts of others! Such a truth as this, if fully embraced by Mankind would put the entire profession of psychologists completely out of business! Because psychologists make their living on the premise and presumption that they can understand the human heart! But the Bible trumpets a resounding, “NO!”, to that naïve notion!

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Sigmund Freud – LIFE – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“OH, I’M A PRETTY GOOD PERSON!”

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And we don’t even need to do some elaborate experiment to prove that nobody is capable of understanding their heart. Because most people (or even all persons) would most likely say within their heart that, “I’m a pretty good person!”

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Oh, we may not be willing to openly admit such a thing, but in our hearts, we just cannot see ourselves as, “the chief of sinners!”

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And as Jeremiah 17:9 reveals… “The heart is deceitful above all things…” We are hopelessly ignorant of our true condition! 

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THE BIBLE IS INFALLIBLE

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But the Bible is God’s infallible Word of truth! And if God says that our hearts are in such a sad condition, then “Who am I to argue with God?”

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And even those who would openly confess their unrighteousness are mostly doing so to be seen by others as being humble.

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It’s the old, “I’m the humblest guy in the room”, joke!

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IMAGINE IF ALL THE PEOPLE…

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But just think about it for a moment. Just suppose that the entire world took to heart these two truths. Just imagine that the world at large could say along with Paul…“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18.

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Paul in prison – by Rembrandt – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD, IT MIGHT BE…

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If we proud humans could fully embrace these aforementioned truths, just imagine how much better would be the behavior of people in their dealings and relationships with others!

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All finger-pointing and criticizing at another individual would come to an abrupt end around the world! After all, if I am indeed the chief of sinners, then who am I to be looking down my nose at my neighbor? And so, if the entire human race thought this way, we would see all sorts of personal disputes (and political disputes too) come to an abrupt end!

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Anger during a protest – by David Shankbone – Wikimedia – Share-alike-License

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FAMILY HARMONY

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Just think about how many, most, or perhaps all of our personal disputes within our own family circle would come to an end! Because all of a sudden, each and every family member would begin to see their own self as the chief of sinners!

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Well, it might be a worthwhile project to spend some hours contemplating all the differences which would occur if all humanity possessed such a humbling attitude.

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Three elephant’s curly kisses – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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A FEARFUL DISPENSATION!

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But alas, we live in a very proud and defiant world! And those who have been given the office of telling the world of its sins, must fully embrace what the Bible says about your heart, and about my heart, and about each and every human heart…“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9, 10

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Yes, it is a fearful position to be in, when pointing out the sins of humanity! Even the great Apostle, Paul, well knew that it was he that was the chief of sinners! And maybe the reason why God chose Paul was because Paul had such a shady past personal history. Yes, Paul knew fully well just how undeserving he was to be placed in such an exalted position by God! And because of that, Paul had to constantly remind himself about his former credentials as a proud Pharisee and his past history as a venomous persecutor of God’s people!

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Sunday preaching – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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WITH DEEP HUMILITY…

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And so it is with you and me, O Stranger and Pilgrim! We too must realize just how often we have let the Lord down in the past! And such an awareness would take the harsh edge off our dealings with others who are in darkness…

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Listen to the wise man… “Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.” Proverbs 7:3

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Now because of what this above proverb is telling us, we must not despair at all those uncomfortable truths which are found within the pages of Scripture! No, God has placed them there for our betterment!

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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION!

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And if we joyfully and fully embrace these truths presented here today, then it may just be that God will cause them to root out our foolish pride and self-confidence!

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And then, we will be able to say along with Paul (and really believe it)… “This is a saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1st Timothy 1:15

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain 

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To read part 2, click here…

SEPTEMBER 7 (Chief of Sinners, Part 2: Judge Nothing Before the Time!)

Finger pointing – Wikimedia – Public domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me the daily chastenings necessary to drive out my foolish human pride! Help me to understand that these uncomfortable tribulations are for my ultimate good, and will help me to allow Christ to live out His humble life through me…

Pray for Our Nation sign – Wikimedia – Share-alike-lic.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…April 20th (The Heart, Part 1: Treasure Chest of the Mind!), or you can also read this article… “January 20th (3 Fingered Judgment-Day)” 

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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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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DOUBLE ENTENDRE OF REVELATION 12 WOMAN

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“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the Savior of the body.” Ephesians 5:23

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This page concerns the constellation which is commonly known as “The Big Dipper” and the “Great Bear”. It actually appears in the summer months as a woman travailing in child-birth. God has purposely given her no head. But God did this to present a very important concept.

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Yes, this woman represents the Church, the “Jerusalem above, which is free, and is the mother of us all” (see Galatians 4:26).

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You see, the single star she is giving birth to typifies the Christ child. Reading in Ephesians that Christ is the “head” of the Church, this single star is logically going to become her head. But how will that be accomplished? 

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WOMAN FLIPS AROUND IN WINTER

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Now, if this Woman-in-Travail were all that the Lord created in the heavens, it would be nothing short of amazing! But God, in His infinite power and majesty, has made this a great sign in Heaven, just as Revelation 12 proclaims. Because as the summer passes, this constellation begins to slowly flip around, until the stars representing her arms now become her legs. And the stars that once represented her legs now become her arms.  And finally, it appears as the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12. And at that point, this single little star in her womb-area, representing the Christ-child, now becomes her head! And of course, this reminds us of the passage… “And He (Christ) is the head of the body, the Church…” Colossians 1:18.

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Ursa Major Star-Chart with woman drawn in by this website – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Revelation 12 Woman – Woman in Travail”

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TOMORROW…

SEPTEMBER 7 (Chief of Sinners, Part 2: Judge Nothing Before the Time!)

Finger pointing – Wikimedia – Public domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #614 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on the provided image credit link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing names, details, and tags, and all other necessary info on any particular photo.