Today’s Devotional – January 5th (The City of Morality)
By admin On January 10th, 2021.
Today’s Devotional – January 5th
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The City of Morality
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In John Bunyan’s earth-shaking tale, Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character, Christian, was on his way to the Celestial City, and to get that great Burden off his back (the burden of sin).
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The_Pilgrim’s_Progress title page_third_edition_1679 – Wikimedia Commons – public domain
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WORLDLY WISEMAN
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But on the way, the pilgrim met up with a fellow named Worldly Wiseman, who informed Christian that such an arduous journey was not necessary.
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He told Christian that all he needed was to go to the Village of Morality, to see a man there, named, Mr. Legality, or his son named, Civility.
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Worldly Wiseman says to Christian: “Why in yonder Village (the village is named Morality) there dwells a gentleman, whose name is Legality, a very judicious man (and a man of a very good name) that has skill to help men off with such Burdens as thine is (the burden of sin & guilt), from their shoulders…
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Worldly Wiseman – Pilgrim’s Progress, p34 – Mr Worldly Wiseman – Wikimedia – Public Domain
Christian in Pilgrim’s_Progress – wikimedia – pub dom.
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VILLAGE OF MORALITY
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And so, Christian was duped and deceived by Worldly Wiseman into going to the Village of Morality, instead of continuing on his way to the Celestial City.
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There Christian could simply live a life of morality (including church-going).
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And in so-doing, Christian could live in “peace and safety”, and in a look-alike lifestyle, very similar to true Christianity, yet without having to battle daily against sin and self and Satan!
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Just living a moral life was all he needed!
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Worldly Wiseman – Pilgrim’s Progress, p34 – Mr Worldly Wiseman – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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THE VILLAGE IS NOW A HUGE CITY!
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And so it is today. Only that Village called Morality is now a full-grown metropolis!
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Yes, a great portion of today’s Christendom has become just that: the City of Morality!
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And there are many Christians who, like Bunyan’s pilgrim, have been duped by that old deceiver, Worldly Wiseman!
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And the City of Morality is now a thriving metro-area, embracing all the good things of this deceitful world!
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And there’s a whole lot of seemingly harmless, even good things in the world for all such deceived ones to enjoy!
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New york times square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license
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WORLDLY WISEMAN STILL AROUND!
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And wouldn’t you know it! Worldly Wiseman is still around!
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And he’s still busily misdirecting simple-minded Christians into going to the City of Morality instead of continuing onward and upward and into Zion, the City of God!
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They have been told they could merely live a very moral lifestyle, instead of dying-to-self, allowing Christ to live out His holy life through them: a life of self-sacrificing love.
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Audience hands – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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TRYING TO HOLD ON TO THIS WORLD…
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AND HAVE HEAVEN TOO!
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But such a religion of living a legalistic lifestyle will never, never, truly sa
ve a soul!
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It only masks the burdens of sin, in a cloak of morality and civility.
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And there are so many today, who try to maintain such a counterfeit Christianity, going to church, studying their Bible and trying to obey the best they can!
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Hands – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license
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“YE CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON!”
Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:9-14
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And yet, these pretenders still enjoy the pleasures and pursuits of the world: television, secular radio & Internet, time-consuming-energy-sapping-careers, sports, entertainment, hobbies, travel, parties, social events, banquets, empire-building, novel-reading, social events, amassing-material-possessions, politics, intriguing mysteries, and even various “itching-ear” ministries, are just some of the earthly Mammon which together, absorb the thoughts and intents of their hearts.
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Oh perhaps, just a little of a few of these things might be okay!
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But the problem comes in when these things begin to grow and multiply (and they always do!), and eventually they begin to crowd out the Gospel until these earthly pursuits become the greater concern of that church-goer.
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Listen… “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24.
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ABOVE PICTURE: The False Prophet – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses
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AS AN ANGEL of LIGHT
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Yes, very simply put, the City of Morality is merely the attempt to have Jesus’ Salvation, while still holding on to this selfish world at the same time.
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And just like this picture, Satan comes as an angel of light, with all his ministers of righteousness (Worldly Wisemen), bringing this look-alike gospel, offering the world and Heaven too!
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And today, you can go into just about any church, large or small, and hear some form of this false-gospel of morality being preached. Oh yes, you may also hear much Bible truth, mingled in.
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But the world-loving lifestyles and encouragements of those parishioners within, preach the loudest sermons by far!
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ABOVE PICTURE: The False Prophet – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses
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TOTAL APOSTASY FORETOLD
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And the Bible foretold of this very time in the history of the Church… “For the time will 
come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” 2nd Timothy 4;3.
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We have pretty much reached that day, haven’t we? Even the so-called conservatives in Christendom are pursuing the riches, cares, and pleasures of this cornucopian super-society, while maintaining a certain degree of religiosity.
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But they don’t call it the “Name-It-And-Claim-It” gospel. Oh no, the conservative churches rather call their prosperity-driven gospel, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit”, or perhaps, “The American Dream”!
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But whatever one wishes to call their prosperity-driven gospel, it all comes out the same: the desire for the pleasures and treasures of this selfish world, while attempting to please God!
(Oh yes, these prosperity ideologies may be fine for the lost people of the world to pursue, but the Christian’s great focus and chief desire is now to be Heavenward, seeking to be transformed into the image of Christ, while calling others to also come along.)
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Audience hands – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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HEAVENLY ZION AWAITS…JUST BEYOND THAT RIVER!
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Dear Stranger and Pilgrim of the Cross, don’t buy into this counterfeit Christianity.
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Oh yes, it comes packaged in many forms! And yes, it is so close to the true, that it will “deceive, if possible even the very Elect!” Mark 13:22
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But each and every one of us must choose this world or choose the world to come. You just can’t serve both!
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And by choosing to follow Jesus, the Christian will be walking that Pilgrim’s way, just as Bunyan’s character, Christian.
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And those who persevere on that pilgrimage, will one day soon, cross that Black River (just like Bunyan’s pilgrim finally did), to enter into the blessed Promised Land, and literally enter into that everlasting Heavenly Beulah Land!
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Imagine! Forever in the Paradise of God!
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And what earthly pleasure or treasure is too precious to trade away for everlasting life!?
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The_Pilgrim’s_Progress_by_Byam_Shaw – Wikimedia Commons – US public domain
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To read Part 2, click here…
“MARCH 21 (The City of Morality, Part 2: Raising Children CONTINUED) “
Mother Child face-to-face – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Keep me from going to a moralistic, itching-ears gospel. Chastise me, so that I continue to fight the Good Fight of overcoming sin and self…
Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… ““Vanity Fair” & The False Prophet”
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 ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation
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SECOND MOUNTAIN…CHOICE “B”…
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“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9
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Now there are two mountains in this constellation group. One mountain is symbolic of Zion, but also of the Mount of Blessing. So what is the second mountain? It is the mount of cursing…the law. Scripture refers to the law as the “ministration of death and condemnation” 2nd Corinthians 3:7, 9. The law is that which shows the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Listen to Romans… “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified…for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20. This reminds us of those two mountains: Gerzim and Ebal…the Mount of Blessing and the Mount of Cursing.
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MOUNT OF CURSING: AN IMPOSSIBLE CLIMB…
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“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment: Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” Acts 15:24, 10, 11
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Notice that the Mount of Blessing begins rather steep…but then begins to become less steep as you ascend. But the Mount of Cursing begins a rather gentle slope but gets impossibly steep the higher you ascend. This is exactly like the law. At first it looks like just ten little rules to follow. But just try to keep those ten little rules! For instance, just try to keep the first commandment. At first it seems simple. But before long, one begins to realize that his or her life is literally teeming with idols: perhaps a car, or a TV show, or a certain foods, or money, or shopping, recreation, career, sports, or… whatever! We all have idols that we don’t even realize are idols! These are what Scripture calls “Mammon”. And this law against idolatry, is just the first commandment!
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YE ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE…
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“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:3, 4
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There are two oblong-shaped galaxies in this sketch, which appear to be falling down, down, down, to the Dragon Constellation. These seem to represent all those multitudes that attempt to gain Salvation by law-keeping and good works. Of course, most have been educated to claim Salvation by grace. Nevertheless there are many who try to get by only trying to be good…while still clinging to the world and its pleasures and pursuits. Such will ultimately become slaves of the Dragon (Satan) , and slaves to “self”.
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation” or you can also read… ““Vanity Fair” & The False Prophet”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW…
January 6th . . . . Baptism By Full Immersion (Parts 1 & 2)!
Jordan river baptism – Wikipedia – Share-alike License
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH
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ALL NOBLE BEREANS (open-minded Bible truth-seekers) 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 #5 …
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain