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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – October 25

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Why Doesn’t My Christianity Work?

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Part 5:

“Not How Much, But It’s ‘Why Do I Study?'”

This is a continuation of the February 4th devotional… Why Doesn’t My Christianity Work? Part 1

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“Thy Word have I hid in mine heart,

that I might not sin against Thee.

Psalm 119:11

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There are a great many faithful churchgoers who would love to study their Bible. But they can’t! Their heart is just not into that sort of thing.

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All such unfortunate ones should NOT CEASE to beg and plead to God for the ability to do so!

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Because, Bible study is so vitally important in the life and spiritual health of every true Christian!

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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VARIOUS REASONS FOR STUDY

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On the other hand, just because a Bible student spends many hours studying his or her Bible doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s quality time spent.

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No, there are various reasons why people study their Bible, some of which are not such good reasons.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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THEIR HEART JUST ISN’T INTO IT!

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For instance, many persons faithfully study their Bible each and every morning, merely out of a sense of obligation. 

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And while there may be a benefit derived from this type of Bible study, it’s not the best reason.

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Especially if that open Bible study time is not followed up by contemplating God’s Word as the student goes about his or her daily duties.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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“Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness:”

Isaiah 58:4

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Other Bible students primarily study for the purpose of debating with others over questionable Church doctrines.

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Also, not a very good reason for studying!

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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BIBLE PROPHECY

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And then, there are many who primarily study Bible prophecy, and this for the purpose of knowing future events.

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One of the great errors which many of these prophecy buffs make, is to believe that only the Book of Revelation and other certain limited parts of the Bible are beneficial for prophecy.

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Nor do they understand that Revelation’s prophecies are spiritually-discerned illustrations of the Gospel of Christ’s character.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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ENTIRE BIBLE IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY!

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But Revelation 19:10 informs us that, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

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In other words, the entire Bible, being “the testimony of Jesus” is also “the spirit of prophecy”.

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For instance, this one little seemingly obscure verse from Hosea 11:1 was a tremendously important prophecy concerning the early childhood of Christ… “When he arose, he (Joseph) took the young Child (Jesus) and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt…that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt have I called My son.'” Matthew 2:14, 15

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Probably nobody would have known that Hosea 11:1 was prophetic, concerning the early childhood of Jesus, if Matthew 2:14, 15 had not brought it out so plainly.

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And so, Bible prophecy is very important if done correctly.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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Unfortunately, there is another great error which most prophecy teachers commit.

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And just what is that great mistake?

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Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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“YE SHALL NOT ADD UNTO THE WORD…”

Deuteronomy 4:2

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Far too many bible prophecy enthusiasts make the fatal error of trying to decipher prophecies by means of history books and newspapers. And this is often done out of a morbid desire to merely prognosticate future events.

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And Bible study which relies on other books and on newspapers makes that Bible student or teacher guilty of adding man’s corrupt words to God’s infallible Word.

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Newspaper reader – Santa Cruz Argentina – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike Lic.

Old book asking Ridge Historica Society_- cropped image – wikimedia – share-alike license

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SOLA SCRIPTURA

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But if only these erring prophecy students would cling to that old Reformation mantra, “Sola Scriptura”, which means, “The Bible Only”, and merely, prayerfully and carefully, compare scripture with other comparable scriptures, they would begin to discover the true interpretation of Bible prophecy!

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And they might be surprised to find that Bible prophecy reveals more and more about Jesus Christ and His Salvation plan! In other words, to merely seek to know future events is not what good and beneficial Bible prophecy is about. And let’s face it! Prophecy teachers who have been guilty of relying on history books and newspapers to discover and predict future events, will most likely have to eventually apologize for their mistaken predictions.

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But these are just some examples of improper Bible study.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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So, just what is good and proper Bible study?

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

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“HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS”

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Listen to the words of Jesus in His sermon on the mount…“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

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This above verse clearly defines the deep and primary purpose of every true Christian: to become changed into the image of Jesus!.

And as this above passage reveals, the true Christian hungers and thirsts after Christ’s character! To become changed into His image is the overwhelming longing and pining of the true child of God!

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And all those hungering and thirsting Believers will… “seek her (wisdom) as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:4, 5

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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“GIVE EAR UNTO MY VOICE, WHEN I CRY UNTO THEE!”

Psalm 141:1

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The Good News is that today is still the day of Salvation!

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And all those who desire such a relationship with Jesus can begin to cry out for such soul-saving treasures of Christ’s knowledge and wisdom found hidden within the pages of the Bible.  

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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“Whereby (in the Scriptures)

are given unto us

exceeding great and precious promises:

that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption

that is in the world through lust.”

2nd Peter 1:4

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me such a burning desire to engage in a daily search of Thy Word so that I may gain a greater love for Thee and a closer walk with Thee…

Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… June 14 (The Four Horsemen of Revelation 6, Part 1: “How To Understand Revelation”), or you can also read…OCTOBER 1 (Strong Delusion in Scripture, Part 4: “4 Rules of Proper Bible Study”)

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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WINTER CONSTELLATIONS

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This most amazing phenomenon is seen throughout the winter. Although it can be observed most of the winter, it is seen best when it is the western part of the sky, at winter’s end (The end of winter being the final scene of this heavenly Gospel story). Orion , the Dragon, and the Glorious White Horse are beginning to descend into the western horizon (sketch to right is Winter Constellations descending into western horizon. This can actually be seen as early as December, in the pre-dawn hours).

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And at this point it is apparent that the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation is veering toward the two bright stars, known as Castor and Pollux (sketch to left). But the Wide Gate Stars are composed of the two brightest stars of the Auriga Constellation, known as the star, Capella, and the star, Menkalinan. The two stars, Castor and Pollux, make up the concept of the Orion’s Narrow Gate Stars.

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This can even be observed into June in the western sky (for a short time just after dark). While a dark night is best for seeing the Woman Constellation, the 4 stars which comprise the Narrow Gate/Wide Gate Stars can be seen even under mediocre conditions. It begins with the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation (AKA Ursa Major) going towards these two doors.

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The sketch to left shows, the two doors are each composed of two bright stars. The two bright stars that comprise the Narrow Gate are the two brightest stars of the Orion the Reaper’s sickle. The two stars that comprise the ‘Wide Gate’ Stars are the two brightest stars of the wave of water that comes out of the Dragon Constellation’s mouth (for explanation of “Wave of Water”, just click here). The stars that make up the ‘Narrow Gate’ are about half the width of the Wide Gate (see sketch below left).

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(For more information on Orion’s sickle, just click here, “Orion The Reaper”. )

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Editor’s note: These sketches on this page are merely sketches. The stars are not in their exact place. However, they are close enough to find them in the night sky. But as with most stars, it takes persistence to finally locate them.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)”

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TOMORROW:

 October 26 (Apocalypse NOW! Part 23: “Tormented With Fire!” 

Brooklyn Museum – The Rich Man in Hell – James Tissot – 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 #296 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.