Daily Devotional, Year 2 – MARCH 21 (The City of Morality, Part 2: Raising Children)

By admin On January 10th, 2015

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Daily Devotional – MARCH 21

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The City of Morality,

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Part 2:

“Raising Children”

To read Part 1, click here… “January 5th (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, to get that great Burden off his back (the burden of sin).

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But on the way, he met a fellow named Worldly Wiseman, who informed Christian that such an arduous journey was not necessary. He told Christian that all he needed was to go to the Village of Morality.

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Christian in Pilgrim’s_Progress – Wikimedia – pub dom.

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WORLDLY WISEMAN

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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. There, Christian could simply live a life of morality (including churchgoing).

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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, self, and Satan! Just living a moral life was all “Christian” was deceived into believing that he needed by that sly old Devil-in-a-human-body, Worldly Wiseman!

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Worly Wiseman in Pilgrim’s Progress – Wikimedia – Pub Dom.

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THE VILLAGE IS NOW A HUGE CITY!

And so it is today. Only this Village called Morality is now a full-grown city!

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Yes, a great portion of today’s world and 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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New York Times Square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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STILL AROUND TODAY!

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Yes, yes, wouldn’t you know it! Worldly Wiseman is still around!

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And still, he’s busily misdirecting simple-minded Christians into going to the “City of Morality”, instead of continuing onward and upward to 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 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!” (or not!)

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We Christians look around today at the people of the world, and see so many well-behaved, well-educated and even caring humanitarians!

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And this can be quite confusing, to say the least!

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And so, there are many churchgoers who erroneously believe that the world is, well, “A pretty nice place, after all!”

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9/11 World Trade Center attack – cropped image – New York – by UpsateNYer & Wikipedia – Share-Alike Lic.

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A FORM OF GODLINESS

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Listen… “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, etc…..Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2nd Timothy 3:1, 2, 5 (condensed)

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So it says here that the world will have a form of godliness, and yet deny the power thereof!

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In other words, humanity will have supposed goodness, and yet reject the only source of true goodness, the Holy Spirit!

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Shoppers in Toronto – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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GOING TO THE WORLD FOR HELP

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Now this devotional concerns raising children.

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And so, just how does all this above information relate to the raising of our children?

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Well, there are many Christians who try to emulate what the world does. And it is no different in the area of child-rearing!

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Far too many Christian parents are convinced that they can read books by secular authors, on how to raise children!

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The great problem is, that even though these books may have much truth, they also may have some lies and deceptions mingled in!

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Benjamin Spock – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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ANTICHRIST’S ADVICE

And one thing is for sure! No matter how wonderful we might think this or that book is, the fact is, a secular author has little or no belief in the spiritual realm!

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And so, while that book has some truth, it will definitely not have a proper balance between the natural realm and the spiritual realm!

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In other words, by denying the spiritual warfare going on in this world, that book will give all credit for a child’s behavior to the natural world.

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Sigmund Freud LIFE – Wikipedia – US public domain

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SATAN TAKES NO VACATIONS!

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But the fact is, there are evil angels trying to disrupt each and every Christian home!

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And though Satan and his fellow evil-angels will attempt to erase themselves out of existence in the eyes of humanity, they nevertheless are very real, and very present, and extremely active!

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These evil spirits do not sleep, nor do they take vacations!

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They are on duty, “24/7/365”, as the saying goes! And fully dedicated to destroying the souls of Christians and their children!

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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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AVOID EXTREMES

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In these last days, Satan employs a rather new strategy of causing unsanctified church-goers to go to one extreme or the other.

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The laws of the land are currently bent to allow children to be fully indoctrinated into the world and into political correctness.

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And so, those parents who go to the extreme of allowing their children to be fully leavened with worldliness, will find themselves having no issues with the authorities of society.

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But other church-goers need to beware of allowing the forces of evil to drive them to the extreme of stark austerity in the raising of their children. In other words, Satan loves to have unsanctified church-goers begin to deny their children every little indulgence they imagine to be “unchristlike”. And then, he will eventually cause some catastrophe in that extreme household, so as to create a public shaming, thus giving a “black eye” to Christianity, and create a stigma against truly dedicated Christian parents.

And so, Christian parents need to beware of going to either of these extremes. This requires much prayer and much Bible knowledge and experiential wisdom. It might be better to err on the side of the world, to a certain degree, and allow the children to enjoy some of the world’s less harmful pleasures and pastimes, more or less. Allow the kids much “breathing room” in their lives: let them enjoy themselves! As one wise woman once wrote, “Be hard on yourself (if you wish), but never drive others!” (parenthetical comment by this editor)

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Family eating meal – Wikipedia – Public Domain

Barbecue – Dutch family – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

Father & Son – Wikimedia – Public Domain

Family – Children’s Playground – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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***WATCH!* YE SOLDIERS *OF THE CROSS!***

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And so, it is of utmost importance for the Christian to likewise be very sober and vigilant, as the Bible warns… “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1st Peter 5:8

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Now, tomorrow’s devotional will explore how the above information should affect how we are to raise our children…

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ABOVE PICTURE: soldiers of the cross – armor up! – Orion & The Revelation 12 Dragon constellation (comprised of Hyades & Pleiades and other constellations) – www.signsofheaven.org

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To continue reading this article, click here…

“MARCH 22 (The City of Morality, Part 3, Continued: Raising Children) “

Mother Child face-to-face – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Dear Lord, Help me to place all my trust in Thy Word, and not in the words of men…

Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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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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THE THIRD MOUNTAIN…CHOICE ‘C’…

“Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.” Jeremiah 51:25

These three mountains are called “The Valley of Decision Constellation Group”. The first two mountains on the left in this sketch are known are the Mounts of Blessing and Cursing, as found in Deuteronomy 27:11-26 & Chapter 28.

Valley of Decision + O Destroying Mountain Constellation Group

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The valley between these two mountains is called the Valley of Decision, as is written… “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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The Valley of Decision is not a physical place, but a spiritual valley in which each person of the world will make up his or her mind, as to just whom they will serve: God or Satan; God’s kingdom or this world (Satan’s kingdom).

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From the Mount of Blessing are heard all the blessings which result from serving God. From the Mount of Cursing are heard all the curses which result from disobedience to God’s will. And those in the valley will listen to both sides, and make up their minds, just who will they serve. A very simple choice, right? Wrong!

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COUNTERFEIT KINGDOM

Valley of Decision w/names

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Now that this basic concept of the first two mountains (Blessings & Cursing) has been presented, it is time to take note of this third mountain; a counterfeit mountain.

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Oh yes, such a simple choice of life or death is just far too easy for the Dragon (Satan) to accept. No, Satan’s main deception in this world is to create counterfeit “look-alike” alternatives; attractive choices. Satan really knows how to complicate and confuse the simplicity of the Gospel. Hence the name, Babylon, which means “City of Confusion” (Isaiah 24:10). A perfect and fitting name for Satan’s kingdom!

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In Jeremiah 51:25, Babylon is referred to as “O Destroying Mountain”. It is the name of this counterfeit mountain. It is Satan’s kingdom, made up of all Satan’s followers, both humans and evil angels. Satan’s kingdom also includes this fallen world, with all its governments and ideologies. It is that great city…Babylon the Great! The world! Satan’s prison-house!

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TOMORROW…