Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 26 (Crucified With Christ: “I Die Daily!”)
By admin On February 10th, 2021.
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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 26
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Crucified With Christ,
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“I Die Daily!”
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“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave Himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20
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Of all the heroes of the Bible, who do you admire the most?
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Is it Elijah?
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Or perhaps faithful Daniel?
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Or godly Enoch?
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Or Christlike Apostle, John?
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Or the fiery prophet, John The Baptist?
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Or how about the Psalmist, David?
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Or the wise Solomon?
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Or the talkative, yet lovable Peter?
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Elijah and Elisha by G. Dore – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain
Daniel – Dore – Daniel In The Den Of Lions – www.creationism.org – Public – Domain
Enoch – Wikipedia – Public Domain
Saint John the Baptist and the Pharisees – James Tissot – Wikipedia – Public-Domain
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THE APOSTLE, PAUL
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Well many or even most people would answer that Paul is their most admired Bible hero of all (not counting Jesus, of course).
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And why is he so admired?
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PAUL’S REMARKABLE LIFE!
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Well, for one thing, Paul traveled thousands of miles on foot, working day and night on behalf of God’s people. And he fearlessly confronted those who opposed the Gospel. And when put in bonds, and no longer able to travel from one community to another, he took advantage of his confinement to write the various epistles. He never complained, but joyfully endured all types of hardships and afflictions!
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Paul was the very essence of what it means to be a Christian!
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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain
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TWO TYPES OF ADMIRATION
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Now, while it’s true that virtually all the Christian community admires Paul, there are two classes of admirers: one class that places Paul on a pedestal, so to speak, and another class that looks upon Paul as a blueprint for their own life.
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Statue of Saint Paul London – Wikipedia – Public-Domain
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CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST
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But what does all this have to do with today’s devotional concerning being crucified with Christ and dying daily?
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After all, Paul testified, not only that he was, “crucified with Christ”, but also that, “I die daily!” (see 1st Corinthians 15:31)
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But how do those two statements relate to my Christian experience? After all, I don’t journey for thousands of miles. Nor do I suffer beatings, imprisonments and other persecutions.
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Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain
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FOREIGN MISSIONARIES
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Oh yes, there are many imitators of Paul who have fearlessly ventured into foreign lands to preach the Gospel to the unsaved multitudes.
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And maybe they experience the same crucifying circumstances that require them to also “die daily”.
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Yes, no doubt, there are many dangerous and discouraging circumstances in the lives of those missionaries, which require them to throw their entire trust upon the Lord’s mercy, guidance, and providence.
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Acts 28 – 5 and Paul shook off the beast into the fire
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WHAT ABOUT ME?
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But what about us? What about all those Christians who have families and jobs? And what about elderly Christians, and those who are sick? And what about those who are in prison? Or those who are prisoners to alcohol or drugs, or those endowed with little physical strength, merely existing on government subsistence?
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How can those of us in these un-Paul-like circumstances possibly become crucified with Christ, just as was Paul? How can we die daily, as Paul died daily?
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Munch Det Syke Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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GOD WORKS THROUGH OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, BIG OR SMALL
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The fact is, God can work through our circumstances, whatever they are, to cause us to become crucified with Christ.
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We do not necessarily have to trek our way through the jungles of Africa, to be crucified with Christ. Nor do we need to be flogged as Paul was, to die daily.
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Prayer – Anna Blunden – For Only One Short Hour – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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OUR DAILY CIRCUMSTANCES
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Listen to Paul, as he speaks of infirmities…
“And He (God) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:
for My strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
in reproaches, in necessities,
in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ’s sake:
for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
2nd Corinthians 12:9, 10
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Now in this amazing testimony, Paul is actually saying that he took pleasure in sicknesses, in condemnations by others, in the injustices against him, and in the fearful distresses which came upon him.
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Yes, Paul understood that those were the very experiences which God could work through to crucify Paul, so that Christ could freely live out His life through Paul!
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Acts 28 – 5 and Paul shook off the beast into the fire
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THE DEVIL BRINGS PERSECUTION
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Whether they know it or not, most genuine Christians are battling against demonic forces on a daily basis at various
times in their earthly pilgrimage.
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Sometimes, these attacks come in the form of so-called “mental illness”.
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Others battle with depression and discouragement.
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Still others over various temptations and lusts.
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But whatever the area of attack, Satan often amplifies the smallest issues of everyday life until they overwhelm that person, even to the point of death!
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Christian and Apollyon – Pilgrim’s Progress – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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“EXAMINE YOURSELVES”
2nd Corinthians 13:5
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So, the questions each of us must ask ourselves are these: “Do I likewise take pleasure in these unpleasant circumstances, when they befall me? Or do I react by murmuring against God, whenever these uncomfortable or unhappy situations fall upon me? Do my infirmities drive me to the Bible and to continual prayer? Or do I instead lose my faith saying, ‘Where is God’? When a family member or even merely a cashier insults me, do I take it patiently, or do I merely return their rudeness with my own rudeness?”
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Well, these are some of the questions that we each must ask ourselves nightly, as we take inventory of the past day.
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Anger during a protest – by David Shankbone – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike-License
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ASK GOD FOR TRIALS & TRIBULATION?
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The Good News is, that God is a very patient and forgiving Lord! And if I am willing to allow Him to bring upon me more of these distressing and perplexing and yes, even sad experiences, then God will begin to purify my heart so that I can become more-and-more like Paul, saying along with him, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2nd Corinthians 12:9
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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, As much as I don’t like trials and tribulation, I realize that I must suffer with Christ, if I am to be crucified with Christ. So please bring these things upon me. But also give me times of rest…
USMC prayer before study Wikimedia Public-Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read…July 13th (Jacob’s Trouble, Part 1: Alone With God), or you can also read…February 1st (In Every Thing Give Thanks!?!)
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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THE FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS STARS
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A new constellation has been revealed, as of about May 29th, 2014. This constellation appears as a serpent (snake). Its body is comprised of stars from the Bootes Constellation, and its jaws are made of the four stars which Babylonians saw as the head of Draco, the Dragon. It also has a small single star for an eye.
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Now in this constellation is a group of five stars, which will be called “The Five Foolish Virgins Stars”. These are located on the opposite side of the Glorious Crown of 12 Stars (AKA Corona Borealis), from the Five Wise Virgins Stars. But one big difference between the two is, that The Five Wise are curved around the Glorious Crown, while the Five Foolish are curved away from it!
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Five Foolish Virgins Stars”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW…
March 27 (Come Out of Her, My People! Part 42: “Babylon Outa My Heart!”)
by G. Dore’ – The Confusion Of Tongues in Babylon – from www.creationism.org-public domain
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90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THIS 90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM
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The Open Forum Harold Camping April 11, 2002 (youtube.com)
above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain