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Today’s Devotional – October 8th

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Who Are You Calling A Dolt!?

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In John Bunyan’s great allegorical tale, Pilgrim’s Progress, there happened along the path of the Pilgrim, a character named, “Ignorance”. And this man might otherwise be called a “simpleton”, or even a “dolt”.

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Now why should this character even be mentioned? 

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Well, a very popular radio Bible commentator was airing his program today, in which he made the following comment… “A Christian should have plenty of hobbies, and interests! I do! After all, you don’t want to be a dolt!”

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Now this usually very nice and pleasant man didn’t realize just who he was calling a “dolt”!

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After all, to equate not having hobbies and interests with being a dolt, is really an amazing comment, coming from a man who is a supposed spiritual father to many avid listeners to his daily radio commentary!

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Pilgrims Progress – Ignorance – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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PAUL’S SELF-SACRIFICING LIFE

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Just think about it! Take Paul, for instance. What hobbies and secular interests did Paul have? Was Paul a dolt, just because his life was totally devoted to the Gospel? After all, it was the Apostle Paul who crafted the following words… “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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Yes, Paul devoted every waking moment to the self-transformation of his heart and soul and life into the glorious image of Christ! Paul gave up this world, with all its selfish pursuits, in hopes of becoming totally Christlike!

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Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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JESUS SAYS, “FORSAKE ALL!”

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Or take Jesus! Was Jesus a dolt? After all, it was Jesus who said the following words… “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33.

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As we read about the life of Jesus, we discover Him to be a totally devoted Redeemer!

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And He didn’t come into this world to merely be put on a pedestal to be admired! No, rather, in the very words of Jesus… “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6

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Yes, Jesus was not just a Savior! No, He was also a role-model in all matters of life!

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And so, whatever we see Jesus doing, or saying, or contemplating, this is the Way, the Truth and the Life for us to follow!

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Christ calling His Disciples by Edward Armitage – 1869 – courtesy Wikigallery.com – Public Domain

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HAPPILY EVER-AFTER!

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The Christian life is a wonderful life, compared to the life we once lived, prior to our conversion! After all, the people of this world have no hope! No, the whole human race is headed for everlasting shame and eternal destruction!

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But the Christian, even in times of suffering, is heading toward a happy ending! You could say that the old story-book line applies to every true worshipper of God… “And they lived happily ever-after!” Yes, for only the Christian, this story-book ending is very appropriate and true!

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The Pilgrim’s Progress by Byam Shaw – wikimedia commons – US public domain

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CAREFUL WHO YOU CONDEMN

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And so, with such a “great and precious promise” before us, it is really not a problem to lay down our life on the altar of service and self-sacrifice.

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Listen… “I (Paul) beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living  sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2

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This above passage says that laying down our entire life on the altar of sacrifice is our reasonable service!

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You could say that worldly-minded Bible teachers, such as this man who condemned all the totally dedicated Christians as being “dolts”, doesn’t realize that in so-doing is also condemning Jesus and His followers as being “dolts”!

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So before you or I make some similar condemnation of God’s people, maybe we should first consider if our remark likewise applies to Jesus, or to Paul, or to John, etc..

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – late winter – Woman on the altar & Flower of Heaven Constellation w/leaves

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FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS!

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Now to be fair to this radio minister, amidst the pile of false gospel ministries on TV and radio, there were some reasonably good ministries in decades past. The problem with these was, that the advice they gave was often mingled with a worldly bent.

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Thus, the Jesus they preached was a compromised Jesus. Their Jesus was not pure as the true Jesus is pure.

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But God is calling us out of Babylon, out of both the church and the world. And while we can come completely out of the fallen churches, we cannot come completely out of the world. But we can come a good way out, if we so-choose!

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Yes, God wants the world to behold and admire Christ shining out from within His people. Therefore, God is no longer willing to wink at our worldly compromises. He wants a pure and undefiled Church. Otherwise, the world could never clearly behold Christ in us! 

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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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RUN CHRISTIAN, RUN!

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And so, the Church will shine right here on earth, in these last moments!

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Therefore, O Stranger & Pilgrim, we have our work cut out for us! Let’s get busy and transform our hearts and conform our lives into the image of the Holy Christ!

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Let’s flee to the mountain strongholds of God’s Word, and unceasing prayer!

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ABOVE PICTURE – winter Constellations – Woman of Revelation 12 (Ursa Major) flees to the mountains – Mark 13:14 – Dragon comprised of Hyades, Pleiades, etc…Valley of Decision mountain comprised of Cassiopeia, etc… (This is not a star-chart, but merely a concept picture since this mountain is not in this position, but is actually in the fall months)

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to put away the vain pleasures and pursuits of this lost world, so that I might get into the race that is set before me…

Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Running The Christian Race (Part 1: Paul & John: Our Role Models)” or you can also read… “April 4th (Apostle Paul’s Fun & Recreation)”

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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A HEAVENLY HOBBY

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“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things; that brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isaiah 40:26

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The above verse is a plea from God to look up at the Heavens and behold Who has created these things.

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In this very interesting world, there are many, many, things which can occupy one’s time and energy: hobbies, and careers, and entertainments and worries, and habits, to name just a few. But as the child of God devotes his or her life to God, there should be a jealous guarding of one’s own heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23. The Christian wants nothing to get in the way of running that Christian Race.

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Vermont night – Stargazing panorama – 2009 – Wikipedia – Share-alike Lic.

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“AND WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS…

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LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEAD”

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“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars…And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. ” Luke 21:25, 28

 

 

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But having said this, there is one hobby which the ‘Noble Berean’ may take up, which only compliments the pursuit of the heavenly Prize. Signs Of Heaven becomes a wonderfully rewarding hobby which, unlike many less meaningful hobbies, pays off with rich heavenly rewards.

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And unlike these people with equipment, all you need is fairly good vision, and a dark, starry night.

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And once a person really gets to know these heavenly messengers, it will become very apparent that the message connected with these signs is truly a message to be heeded. Thus will the Christian be able to share this message with others. And there are perhaps many aspects and hidden meanings to these signs which have yet to be discovered.

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Astronomy Amateur Wikipedia share-alike-license

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FIRST FIND ORION & 7 STARS

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The very first step in finding these many constellations, should be to find the two main constellations: Orion, and the 7 Stars (aka, The Big Dipper). These two constellations represent Christ (Orion), and His Church (7 Stars). And just as these are the easiest constellations to find, so too, the first place to begin studying the Bible is the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). These four books present Christ and His Church, when He walked the earth, just as Orion and the 7 Stars represent Christ and His Church, as seen up in the heavens.

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Then, once you are comfortable finding these two constellations, you can begin to locate the next closest constellations, and so on.

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ANOTHER HEAVENLY HOBBY: PRAYER-WALKS

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Now if you’re fortunate enough to be able to go on nightly walks, and you live in an area where you can safely view the stars, here is another Heavenly Hobby which Signs Of Heaven endorses. Why not combine star-watching with prayer, as you walk! What a great way to draw closer to God! It cannot be over-stressed, just how wonderful it is to walk under the dark canopy of Heaven, while lifting up one’s heart to our Heavenly Father. There is a closeness to God that cannot be described with words! (And even if you cannot safely do this, you can always do such prayer-walks in the daytime, in a safe place, such as a mall, which is every bit as effective, prayer-wise. And for those who are in confinement, one can view these on the Internet, or simply listen to Scripture on audio. Either way, all such may enjoy God’s richest blessings at this very time in which God is pouring out all Heaven’s treasures upon anyone willing to forsake all, and follow Jesus)

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ABOVE PICTURE – Starry Night at La Silla – cropped/altered – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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THRICE-DAILY PRAYERS

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Now of course, the Bible commands us to “pray without ceasing“. The Christian is to constantly talk with our Heavenly Father throughout the day. But the Bible also holds up the godly life of Daniel, who, when captive in Babylon, still set aside three times daily, in which he knelt for special prayer. And furthermore the Bible also says… “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17. Even those who are bed-fast or in a prison cell can begin to imitate Daniel in this way. And if one is fortunate to be able to walk, then this thrice-daily prayer regimen can be combined with three walks daily and even nightly.

Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond wikimedia public domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “why Signs?” 

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TOMORROW:

“October 9th (Silly Women)”

Tissot – women on the HMS Calcutta – Wikimedia – US 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 #279 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.