ULTIMATE CARE DEVOTIONAL ⛪THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2022🪐💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦Today’s Theme: ⛪️ BEWARE OF VANITY”Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me”Text: Proverbs 30:8MESSAGE🍎Vanity is vain pursuit. So, our theme today suggests, beware of vain pursuit. Be careful of following after something which will not add value to your life in eternity.“Vanity of vanities saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). The Hebrew word translated vanity as “meaningless”, “emptiness” or “futility”. This preacher is Solomon and he is assuring us that after exploring the world. He has found out that, it amounts to nothing without Christ. It is pointless to chase after worldly things because they disappear with our last breath.Romans 8: 20 says “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope”.Here we have two great lessons—what to deprecate and what to supplicate. The happiest state of a Christian is the holiest state. As there is the most heat nearest to the sun, so there is the most happiness nearest to Christ. No Christian enjoys comfort when his eyes are fixed on vanity—he finds no satisfaction unless his soul is quickened in the ways of God. The world may win happiness elsewhere, but he cannot. I do not blame ungodly men for rushing to their pleasures. Why should I? Let them have their fill. That is all they have to enjoy. A converted wife who despaired of her husband was always very kind to him, for she said, “I fear that this is the only world in which he will be happy, and therefore I have made up my mind to make him as happy as I can in it.” Christians must seek their delights in a higher sphere than the insipid frivolities or sinful enjoyments of the world. Vain pursuits are dangerous to renewed souls. We have heard of a philosopher who, while he looked up to the stars, fell into a pit; but how deeply do they fall who look down. Their fall is fatal. No Christian is safe when his soul is slothful, and his God is far from him. Beloved, beware of vanity. May God help you to stand on his promises in Jesus’ name, Amen.DANGER OF VANITYOnce vanity enters our personal life, it brings with it pride, jealousy, envy, strife, haughtiness, and many other negative things which leads to destruction.Vanity devalues what is important in our lives and puffs up what is trivial.Proverbs 16:18 warns us that “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before fall” but vanity rarely listens to warnings. Vanity is an enemy of the spirit and must be constantly brought to the cross and crucified (Galatians 2:20)PRAYERS♨️Heavenly Father, I appreciate you for your love and protection concerning my life and family.Father, remove from me lies and vanities. Activate in me the blessings which you deposited in me from the foundation of the world. Strengthen me with the Strength of Israel, and lead me to the way everlasting in Jesus mighty name. Amen.Father, empower me once more today with thy mercy and loving kindness. Help me to be rooted in thy love and peace, in Jesus mighty name Amen.FURTHER BIBLE READINGRomans 6:1-6BIBLE READING PLAN FOR THE YEAR, 2022.MORNING: EXODUS, 34-35. EVENING: JOHN, 17-18.💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦Author: Pastor NseAbasi Harry💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦Hammer Word Bible Church, Abak, Nigeria, Cares🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿