Daily Devotional, Year 3 – February 20 (Flee To The Mountains, Part 12: “How To Be Like John the Baptist: Simplicity”)

By admin On February 10th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – February 20

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Flee To The Mountains,

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Part 12:

“How To Be Like John the Baptist: Simplicity”

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THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF YESTERDAY’S ARTICLE ON “HOW TO BE MORE LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST”

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Now one of the most interesting of all Bible heroes was John the Baptist.

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Living away from society in the desert, while thriving on, and even enjoying an extremely self-denying lifestyle was a standing rebuke to the licentious lifestyles of God’s professed people of that day.

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John the Baptist by Harold Copping – www.wikigallery.com – US public domain

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JOHN’S REJECTION OF SOCIETY

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And isn’t it true, that we all admire John the Baptist for his complete and utter disregard for all the creature-comforts which we take for granted, today?

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Nevertheless, most of us are not able to emulate the life of John, if for no other reason than it is now mostly against the law to merely live out on the desert.

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And let’s face it! Not too many of us could live on a diet of locusts and wild honey!

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John the Baptist by J. Tissot – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain

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“EXAMINE YOURSELVES!”

2nd Corinthians 13:5

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But in the interest of overcoming the world, the flesh, and the Devil, let’s take a moment to examine the life of John.

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Let’s see if we can’t implement some of John’s lifestyle, in hopes of getting the final victory over sin and selfishness.

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Magnifying Glass – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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JOHN’S SIMPLE LIFESTYLE

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One of the most noticeable aspects of John’s life, was the simplicity in which he chose to dwell.

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Yes, just like his cousin, Jesus, John also lived with no possessions but the clothes on his back!

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John the Baptist by J. Tissot – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain

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PAUL’S AUSTERE LIFE

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Listen to scripture…

…”For we brought nothing into this world,

and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare,

and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,

which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

1st Timothy 6:7-9

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Here above, Paul is exhorting Believers to not complicate their lives by accumulating an abundance of earthly Mammon (riches & possessions).

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And Paul was a sterling example of what he himself preached.

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Like John the Baptist, Paul likewise had forsaken earthly possessions, except for the clothes on his back, and perhaps a few tent-making tools-of-his-trade.

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Paul Tentmaking – La Vista Church of Christ – Creative Commons License

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MORE SIMPLICITY

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Now this website is not recommending that anyone goes to the same extreme as Paul and John the Baptist, or even the Apostle, John.

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And yet, those of us in this over-complicated and materialistic society might find that by simplifying our lives will be a great blessing in a number of ways.

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Time – New York City Night-lights – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons 2.0 Generic License

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PURIFYING OUR THOUGHTS

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First, it might free us up from our many earthly commitments which crowd our minds with worldly thoughts and cares, and instead, fill our minds with the Words of Life, the Bible.

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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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MORE TIME FOR HEAVEN

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Second, by living a simpler life, we might find that we have more time for things which are of an eternal nature.

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Mall witnessing, Panama City, Panama

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A HAPPIER EXISTENCE

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Listen…“The sleep of a labouring man is sweet,

whether he eat little or much:

but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”

Proverbs 5:12

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Here above is a principle of life that puts an exclamation mark on what has been tossed about today.

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Yes, simplicity is more conducive to a life of peace.

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Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

Exclamation Mark – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TO BE CONTINUED IN TOMORROW’S DEVOTIONAL

John the Baptist by Harold Copping www.wikigallery.com US public domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to simplify my life as far as possible. But let me not force the consciences of my family members who may not agree with what I want to do…

The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer

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THE END

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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN

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***CASTOR AND POLLUX & THE NARROW WAY…***

WIDE & NARROW GATES IN THE HEAVENS

As the opening verse says…

…“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction…”

Matthew 7:13-14 (Condensed)

So, what are these two gates all about?

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And how can I choose the right door?

But before we explore these questions, let’s take a look at why these two sets of stars represent these two biblical gates.

(This sketch, while not 100% accurate, gives a fair portrayal of how this constellation group appears at winter’s end and even into June, when above the western horizon.)

HOW THE GATES RELATE TO ORION & DRAGON

This sketch below is when these constellations are in the eastern sky in early winter (However, this constellation group can even be seen as early as July, in the pre-dawn hours).

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In the eastern sky, it’s not so easily seen which gate the Revelation 12 Woman will enter.

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**The Wide Gate is made of the two brightest stars of this Wave of Water Constellation.**

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Satan spews out the deadly water of his false worldly ideologies…

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…which many of these ideologies have a form of godliness, but in some way are not in harmony…

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…or perhaps these worldly ideologies add to the Bible, which is strictly forbidden (see Deuteronomy 4:2).

**On the other hand, the Strait Gate (narrow gate) is composed of the two brightest stars of the Orion The Reaper’s sickle. The true Strait Gate represents Jesus, the Word of God.**

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Listen… “I [Jesus] am the door:

by Me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.”

John 10:9

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TOMORROW…

February 21 (Flee To The Mountains, Part 13: “How To Be Like John the Baptist: Separation?”)

John the Baptist by Harold Copping www.wikigallery.com US public domain

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<h3><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”><a href=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/admin-ajax-8-e1499817833857.jpe”><img class=” wp-image-39718 alignleft” src=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/admin-ajax-8-e1499817833857.jpe” alt=”http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holy_bible.jpg” width=”96″ height=”161″ /></a></span></strong></h3>
<h2 style=”text-align: left;”><span style=”color: #9ea3d9;”><strong>90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM</strong></span></h2>
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<h3><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”>ALL</span></strong><em><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”>’NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) </span></strong></em><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”>ARE ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THIS 90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM, A QUESTION/ANSWER CALL-IN, TALK SHOW.</span></strong></h3>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #000000;”>.</span></strong></h3>
<h3><a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_skK1D4sXA&t=349s” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>The Open Forum December 19, 2002 (youtube.com)</a></h3>
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<span style=”color: #808080;”>ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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