Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 6 (Paul’s Godly Example, Part 2: “Like Paul In A Materialistic World!”)
By admin On February 10th, 2021
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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 6
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Paul’s Godly Example,
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Part 2:
“Like Paul In A Materialistic World!”
To read Part 1, go here…June 29th (Paul’s Godly Example!)
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“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 3:8
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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain
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When the inhabitants of Heaven rebelled, there became, not one, but two very different and opposing approaches to what is the best way to live.
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Of course, the everlasting Ways of Heaven, with its government of unselfish love was the established and eternal Way.
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But now, this universe became divided, with a brand-new emerging philosophy of self-will, and self-aggrandizement, and materialism.
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In simpler terms, “selfishness” was the new order of things in the universe!
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Paradise Lost – G Dore – Wikipedia – public-domain
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ISOLATING THE DEADLY VIRUS OF SIN
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Now, God could have merely sent out a single fire-bolt and destroyed that 
rebellion, if He chose to.
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But He didn’t. No, in His infinite wisdom, God decided to allow this rebellion to play itself out.
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And so, He gave those rebels their very own planet to govern, allowing them to create their own world-system, based on this new philosophy of “selfishness.”
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But God did not take away the devastating results of sin.
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No, sickness, suffering, persecution, lawlessness and death were left intact, as the inevitable results of sin and selfishness.
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Gustave Dore – Paradise Lost illustration – Lucifer becomes Satan – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
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“LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS”
John 1:5
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But in His infinite love, God gave us a divine Book, which we have named the Bible, which is merely Greek, for “The Book”.
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And in that Book, God speaks of this new philosophy of selfishness, calling it the government of “Babylon” (translated: “City of Confusion”), as well as other similar names.
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And this Babylonish world has had various philosophies that reigned supreme during designated ages.
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Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.
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AGE OF MATERIALISM
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But now we have reached the end.
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And the predominant age we are now in is, the age of materialism.
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Oh yes, it’s also the age of atheism. And yes, it’s also the age of, “The False Prophet” in which false miracles are now occurring. (See ”March 24th, 2nd Beast of Revelation 13″)
ABOVE PICTURE: Satan, The False Prophet who now in these last days destroys the churches via a world-loving prosperity-driven false gospel – www.signsofheaven.org
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AGE OF MATERIALISM
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But basically, the western nations have become immersed in materialism. And the industrial revolution combined with the high-tech revolution has resulted in a society of vast material wealth.
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And Satan (the name given for Lucifer and his fellow rebel angels) has worked around the clock to create this decadent, cornucopian super-society in which every conceivable pleasure and selfish pursuit is now possible.
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And so, it has become a world of Mammon (earthly riches). And of course, the various industrial/technological societies have become immersed in self-seeking.
Mall – Fashion Centre at Pentagon City – Wikimedia – Share-alike license
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THE GOSPEL SEED
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But even though God has allowed all this state-of-the-art selfishness to be created, He
nevertheless, has injected His own government in the midst of this world of sin and selfishness.
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And God has chosen a people out of the midst of all this selfishness, to be His goodwill ambassadors to this lost planet steeped in its selfish ways. Yes, God has elected His nation of kingly priests to pray for, and to present themselves as examples of God’s government of selfless agape love.
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And He has given us the ability to walk, even as He (Christ) walked when living down here in His human body.
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Mall witnessing, Panama City, Panama
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AS A DOG RETURNS TO HIS VOMIT”
Proverbs 26:11
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Unfortunately, Lucifer (now called Satan), has made it his mission to bring down this heavenly Gospel into utter ruin and apostasy!
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And to a great extent, he has been successful, turning the various religious organizations away from Heaven’s Ways, detouring us back down to the wares-n-ways of this materialistic world.
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Thus, the Church-called has been derailed, to a great extent, by joining in with the world in pursuit of all its materialism and its self-aggrandizing careers.
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“GO…TO THE HIGHWAYS & HEDGES”
Luke 14:24
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But now that we have reached the final chapter of Earth’s history, God is reaching out to anyone who is willing to cast away all our idols of silver and gold, to return to the Ways of Heaven.
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And even though the Bible reveals that the vast majority of so-called Christians will not respond to this call to, “Come out of Her (Babylon) My people”, God will nevertheless go out to “the highways and hedges” to bring people into His great Wedding Feast.
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Whether the beggar, or the incarcerated, or perhaps those who are physically or mentally impaired, God can and will use each willing vessel, turning them into a highly polished, “vessel unto honor” in these last hours of history! (See Romans 9:21)
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PAUL LOST ALL!
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Listen to Paul…“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 3:8
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Here is seen that Paul allowed God to take away all his earthly belongings and worldly accolades, so that he could be our human role-model. That’s right, to put it in his own words…“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1st Corinthians 11:1
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Paul was not raised up as some kind of hybrid divine/human idol to be merely adored and revered! No, Paul was raised up to be an example of what we too can become, if we so-desire.
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Paul Tentmaking – cropped image – La Vista Church of Christ – Creative Commons License
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PRISONERS OF BABYLON
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Now it must be stated that those who have married worldly-minded spouses are somewhat locked up in bondage to this world.
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In other words, that Christian must continue to provide the comforts of this world, in order to please the spouse and world-loving children.
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Nevertheless, that Christian can indeed deny his or her own self as much as possible, praying for the Salvation of their world-loving family.
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And by self-denyingly providing for the worldly needs and comforts of the family, that selfless Christian can also be included in the number of Christ-glorifying Christians to be manifested before the world!
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Family Portrait – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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“WHO WILL GO FOR US?”
Isaiah 6:8
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And so, that call is now going out to God’s people to no longer partake of all the materialistic pursuits which the apostate churches are advocating.
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And we have that god-glorifying Apostle Paul as our earthly role-model, as he also was a follower of our Divine Role-Model, Jesus, as He leads us all up that Heaven-ward pathway out of this selfish and materialistic world.
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And as we ascend, the entire world will stop and take notice that the Church-Elect has finally become changed into the image of Christ, as we shine out the blinding light of Heaven’s Jesus upon this materialistic and sin-darkened world!
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Transfiguration – Bloch – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain
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To read this entire article, just click here…
“‘7 Stars’ Imitate ‘The Cross of Orion'”
ABOVE PICTURE – 7 Stars Constellation as the Cross (aka Big Dipper) – winter – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
Dear Lord, Help me to catch that same fiery Spirit which caused Paul to joyfully suffer the loss of all things in his relentless pursuit of Christlikeness…
Braet von Überfeldt – Woman with Bible – 1866 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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READ MORE…
For further information on this topic, you can read… April 4th (Apostle Paul’s Fun & Recreation), or you can also read this longer article…Running The Christian Race (Part 1: Paul & John: Our Role Models)
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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7 STARS IMITATE THE CROSS OF ORION
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This phenomenon begins in late October, in the pre-dawn hours. It then begins a little earlier each night.
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This Wikipedia star-chart, has this constellation sketched in. You must locate Orion, when it is mid-sky, between east and west. You’ll be facing southward most likely, unless you are far south. Try to imagine it as a Cross on a steep hill. The 3-star belt of Orion becomes the crest of the hill. The 3 very faint stars that make up Orion’s head become the very top of the Cross.
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Next, locate the 7 Stars Constellation. This 7 Stars Constellation is seen by facing northward. It stands upright a little later in the night. Eventually, Orion will lay down and no longer be seen as an uplifted Cross! Beginning in November, the 7 Stars (AKA Big Dipper) can be seen as a Cross a little bit later in evening.
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When you are comfortable in locating Orion & The 7 Stars Constellations, then show a friend. This can be a great witnessing tool!
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READ MORE…
To read this entire article, just click here… “‘7 Stars’ Imitate ‘The Cross of Orion'”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW:
March 7 (Thou Art Weighed in the Balances! Part 3: “Judge Nothing!”)
Scale of justice – by Wikimedia & user-DTR – 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, A QUESTION/ANSWER CALL-IN, TALK SHOW.
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Harold Camping Open Forum January 7, 2005 (youtube.com)
above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain