Today’s Devotional – March 27th (All Comfy-Cozy in Hell! Part 1)
By admin On January 17th, 2021.
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Today’s Devotional – March 27th
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All Comfy-Cozy in Hell!
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Part 1
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“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
1st John 2:15-17
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Let’s talk reality here!
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Let’s not gloss over the true state of this hopeless world!
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For the citizens of this world, this planet is their home!
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And they go to school, learn a trade, and perhaps start a family, and in the process of time, begin to slowly shrivel-up and eventually die.
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Just like that flower of the field!
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And if they’re very fortunate, they will live for 7 or 8 pretty good decades, and even a few enjoy good health well into their 90’s.
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People on Times Square – cropped image – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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“…FOR TOMORROW WE DIE!”
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Yes, for those who have not responded to the heavenly invitation to follow Jesus, all such non-believers are pretty-much stuck here!
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That’s right! Those who are not making the pilgrimage to that everlasting Promised Land, this world is all the heaven we are ever going to experience!
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And so, we have to make the best of it here!
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After all, listen to Paul’s assessment… “if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.” 1st Corinthians 15:32.
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Therefore, who can blame the world for trying to find our happiness here?
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People on Times Square – cropped image – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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JUST A-PASSIN’ THROUGH?
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But for those who have been called out of this world to follow Jesus, this world is no longer our home! The bible calls us… “strangers and pilgrims” Hebrews 11:13.
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Listen to the entire quote…
“These (Believers) all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off…
and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth…
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly…
for He (God) hath prepared for them a city.”
Hebrews 11:13-16.
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So as that old song says, “This world is not my home. I’m just a-passing through!…”
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I Saw A Man Clothed With Rags – Pilgrims Progress – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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OUR SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS!
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But the big problem is, as one looks around at Christendom in this society, it seems like most Christians have nestled down, trying to make life as nice as possible!
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Just like the unbelieving world!
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Even the Sabbath Day at church is often followed by a big dinner, then consummated by sports television, and kicking back the remaining hours of that day supposedly dedicated to Jesus!
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And Monday brings a return to work, so as to provide for nice houses, nice cars, plus various up-and-coming parties, and holidays, and travel, and amusements, and copious television-watching, and joining in with this lost world in many clubs and associations, and who knows what else!
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PAUL’S TOTAL DEVOTION!
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In contrast to this sad condition of the present-day Church, the life of the apostle, Paul, stands as an open rebuke to most all of us today!
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Yes, Paul lived the very same life that he preached to others. Living in self-imposed poverty, he worked day and night to lead others to Salvation.
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Thus, Paul’s very life was an on-going witness, that this world was not Paul’s home!
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Listen to Paul’s testimony…
“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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Do we see Paul’s brand of whole-hearted devotion to God in today’s church-world?
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Not too often!
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Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain
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HIGHEST FORM OF PRAISE!
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There is a saying which goes… “Imitation is the highest form of Praise!”
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Of course, to imitate Christ, is the highest form of praise to God.
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But to imitate the world, and its music, and its sports, and its dress, and its comedy, and its talk, and its business practices, and its ethnic traditions, and its fads and fashions: is not the embracing of these things by Christians, the highest compliment we can pay them?
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So just how can we expect the world to believe that we have something better to offer them, when we zealously pursue the things that they offer us?
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Don’t we think they notice?
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Of course they do! The Devil makes very sure of that!
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Rock Christian – Wikimedia – public domain
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WHICH WORLD DO I LOVE AND SERVE?
Oh yes, we must live and work and provide for the needs, comfort, and happiness of our family members. And nothing is more enjoyable than to enjoy life with our family members!
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But in this land of decadent opulence and hedonism, many or perhaps most go beyond, seeking after those pleasures and proud pursuits with heart and soul and strength!
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Family – Children’s Playground, – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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THE VERY GOOD NEWS!
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Now the very Good News is this: if this opulent world’s vain pleasures and pursuits have caused me to have fallen into spiritual slumber, I can begin to cry out to God to fully wake me up and chasten me, so that my life may be in harmony with Paul’s life.
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And Paul was not given to us as some sort of statue-on-a-pedestal, merely to be admired and adored!
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No Paul was given as a role-model of how we are to behave, amongst our family and friends and community.
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Listen… “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1st Corinthians 11:1.
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And in my own little sphere, I can have the same zeal as Paul had, whether at work, or at home, or at recreation with my family.
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Paul Shipwrecked Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – public domain
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This final passage should really be our creed in this fearful hour we are just now in…
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“And that, knowing the time,
that now it is high time to awake out of sleep:
for now is our Salvation nearer than when we believed.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand:
let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armour of light.”
Romans 13:11-13
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TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…
JULY 16th (All Comfy-cozy In Hell, Part 2: So, Just What Did You Expect From Hell!?!)
Welcome To Hell – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Give me the wisdom of how to use the things of the world, and yet not pursue the vanity and folly that is so prevalent in this world. Help me to fully understand what it means to “walk, even as He (Jesus) walked”…
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read…March 20 (Taking Back This Nation For God! Part 14: “This World is Not My Home!”), or you can also read…January 5th (The City of Morality), or you can also read…March 20 (Taking Back This Nation For God! Part 14: “This World is Not My Home!”)
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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“Multitudes, multitudes in the ‘Valley of Decision’…
for the day of the Lord is near in the ‘Valley of Decision’.”
Joel 3:14
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AT THE CROSSROADS OF LIFE…
As we all know, life is made up of one decision after another. Some are of little consequence. Others are more important. And then there are those times which require life-changing decisions.
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The Bible speaks of the Valley of Decision…“Multitudes, multitudes in the ‘Valley of Decision’…for the day of the Lord is near in the ‘Valley of Decision’.” Joel 3:14. Of course, this valley is a spiritual concept and not a literal place.
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But God has inscribed this very truth in the heavens. It is called “The Valley of Decision” Constellation. It speaks of that valley that each person must walk through.
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LOCATING THIS CONSTELLATION GROUP…
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Look eastward in the early summer through fall. Find the Cassiopeia Constellation. Cassiopeia is the Mount of Blessing. In the sketch, it is the farthest mountain to the left. In the sky, it is the northern-most of these three mountains when facing eastward. It resembles a pyramid. Then find the next pyramid to its right (south). Then go a little further south to the next third pyramid. The third snow-cap is the Destroying Mountain Constellation. These three pyramids are the snow-capped portion of these three mountains in this sketch. (of course, you won’t see the snow-caps in the sky. They are just an embellishment in this sketch to present a concept-EDITOR).
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“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Micah 4:1, 2
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THE VALLEY OF DECISION CONSTELLATION GROUP.
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They appear in mid-summer in the eastern skies in pre-dawn hours. These are made of Cassiopeia (mount on left), and various stars from the Andromeda Constellation (valley) Pegasus (Mount of Cursing (middle mount) & Destroying Mount (right)), and Pisces (Broad Way to Hell). The galaxy which appears to be climbing the Mountain of Blessing is the Andromeda Galaxy.
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The above Wikipedia star-chart shows this amazing constellation group as it appears from June to fall, just prior to the winter constellation group. Actually, this Valley of Decision Constellations appear in early summer in the pre-dawn hours. (Editor of this website has sketched in this constellation group onto this above Wikipedia star-chart.)
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW:
“March 28th (Taking Back This Nation For God!)”
Pray for Our Nation sign – Wikimedia – Share-alike-lic.
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH
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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 STUDY #86 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain