Daily Devotional, Year 4 – February 23 (Flee To The Mountains, Part 23: “How To Be Like John the Baptist: His Gravitas!”)
By admin On August 22nd, 2022.
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Daily Devotional, Year 4 – February 23
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Flee To The Mountains,
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Part 23:
“How To Be Like John the Baptist: His Gravitas!”
To read part 1 of this article, click here…May 30th (Flee To The Mountains!)
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“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
The aged women likewise…teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works:
in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity”
Titus 2:1-7
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In His great mercy, the Lord raised up John the Baptist to warn His people to, “Flee from the wrath to come!” Matthew 3:7 & Luke 3:7
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And so, John the Baptist came in the traditional style of the Old Testament prophets, pointing the accusing finger, and issuing that fiery message to the curious crowds who came from all around to eagerly hear him.
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John the Baptist by J. Tissot – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain
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OTHER ARTICLES ON JOHN
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This website has a number of articles which highlight various aspects of John’s godly character, encouraging us to imitate these qualities in our own lives.
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John the Baptist by Harold Copping – www.wikigallery.com – US public domain
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“DEACONS BE GRAVE…SO MUST THEIR WIVES”
1st Timothy 3:8, 11
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Now one quality which gave John’s ministry greater force and effectiveness was his seriousness in which he preached to the world. There was not one ounce of frivolity nor of giddiness. Nor was there any jesting mingled into his stern call to repent and, “flee from the wrath to come!” Matthew 3:7, etc…
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Of course, John was no different from any other Bible hero. Whether we’re speaking of Jesus, Paul (artist’s portrayal to the right), Peter, John the Apostle, never once was heard from these men the slightest use of giddiness, silliness, or comedy!
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They had a critical mission to fulfill. And the call to, “flee from the wrath to come”, was never to be tainted by any unchristlike behavior.
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“FOOLISH TALK, NOR JESTING, WHICH ARE NOT PROPER”
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We live in a vain culture in which many serious issues are dealt with by what Ephesians 5:4 refers to as “filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient (not proper nor fitting): but rather giving of thanks.”
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Yes, TV and Internet are loaded with silly talk. This is how the world often deals with issues which are too weighty and seemingly hopeless to deal with in their spiritual darkness and disparity. But many other issues are merely the world mocking the behaviors or inventions of their fellow humans.
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And yet, regardless of the reasons for mankind’s love for foolish talk and jesting, this should not be the manner in which Christians deal with worldly issues.
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Virtuous Woman with Bible – Braet von Überfeldt – 1866 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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QUALITIES OF FALSE TEACHERS:
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Listen to Thomas Brooks, well-known Reformation author, speak on the issue of
foolish talk and jesting…
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“They (false teachers) preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart…False teachers handle holy things rather with wit and trifling, rather than with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul-murderers. They are like evil surgeons, that skin over the wound—but never heal it…False teachers are Hell’s greatest enrichers.”
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Brooks on Seven Characteristics of False Teachers
Comedyicon.svg – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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“A TIME TO LAUGH…”
Ecclesiastes 3:4
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Now just because we are to be grave doesn’t mean we are to be stern.
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No, Christ had constant joy in His heart. And this joy radiated out from within Him, in spite of the fact that He was, “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief”. Isaiah 53:3
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And His gentleness, kindness, warmth, and joy made children love to gather around Him… “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 19:14
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And as parents, we need to manifest the same gentleness, kindness, warmth, and joy with every family member, even engaging with the very little ones in their childish games and imaginations at times.
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Family – Children’s Playground, – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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FAMILY GET-TOGETHERS
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Those Christians who attend family get-togethers, may use these as opportunities to 
let your light shine.
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Oh no, not by preaching, or making ourselves the center of attention. But in sincere love, to quietly join in as far as possible.
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Maybe to help with dishes or some other task to help out the host.
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Or maybe there’s a person who feels left out for one reason or another. Maybe we might go over and engage them in, “small talk” about some topic they seem to be interested in.
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In other words, try to be as light and accommodating as possible without being phony or ostentatious. But politely try to blend in and be an asset to the party.
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Barbecue – Dutch family – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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THE GREATEST SERMON EVER PREACHED!
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Someone said, “The greatest sermon ever preached is a warm, friendly smile!”
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There doesn’t need to be hilarity, or silliness, or sarcasm, or worldliness, or comedy, or any other unchristlike behavior.
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But rather, love, joy, peace, patience, understanding, sympathy, kindness, gentleness, and a warm, loving smile are perhaps the greatest weapons against the false charges like this all-too-common accusation: “that Christians must live an austere and bleak life should they decide to give up this present selfish world, in trade for the heavenly kingdom!”
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Woman why weepest thou – Jesus – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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TO READ PART 24, CLICK HERE…
February 29 (Flee To The Mountain! Part 24: “Pillar of Salt Churches”)
Mrs. Lot Flees , turns to salt – www.christianimagesource.com
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to order my life in such a way, that the world can see Christ in me…
Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read…JANUARY 10th (How a Joke Killed!), or you can also read… November 10 (Noble Bereans, Part 29: “Re-Thinking Ellen White Concerning Jesting”)“
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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“But they that escape of them shall escape,
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and shall be on the mountains
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like doves of the valleys,
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all of them mourning,
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every one for his iniquity.”
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Ezekiel 7:16
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LOCATING THIS CONSTELLATION
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THE TWO TURTLEDOVES CONSTELLATION… This constellation appears in early spring in the south. It moves from east to west during the night and slowly moves to the western horizon by fall. It is commonly known as Sagittarius. (The three stars at the top of the 2nd Turtledove are not shown in some Sagittarius Star-charts, but are in others.)
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read…What Is The Meaning of the Two Turtledoves Constellation?
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW…
February 24 (And The Nations Were Angry! Part 4: “Planet Earth, An Experiment In Selfishness” CONTINUED)
Planet Earth – Wikimedia – Public Domain (altered image)
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THE DESIRE OF AGES, BY ELLEN G. WHITE
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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) are invited to listen to this chapter of the audio book about the Gospel of Jesus Christ in His life and ministry.
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Chapter 10 – The Voice in the Wilderness
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Sign of the Son of Man Constellation – made of the various constellations on this website
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EXCERPTS FROM THE OPEN FORUM 
QUESTION/ANSWER RADIO TALK-SHOW…
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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) are invited to listen to this small 30 minute sampling of the late Harold Camping’s nearly 50 year long series of 90 minute nightly talk shows…This is Open Forum Show #104
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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons lz