Today’s Devotional, Year 2 – May 23 (The False Prophet, Part 7, Continued: Signs & Wonders)

By admin On April 12th, 2015

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – May 23

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The False Prophet,

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Part 7, Continued:

“Signs & Wonders”

To read Part 1 of this series, click here… “JANUARY 26 (The False Prophet, Part 1: Lying Eyes!)”

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“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon….And he (The False Prophet) had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Revelation 13:11, 15

**The above prophecy foretells of the day when Satan, via The False Prophet, would be permitted to create an image to the first beast. And this image would be given power to speak…**

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Listen… “And he (The False Prophet) had power to give life unto the image of the (1st) beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Revelation 13:15

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**Now this website has devoted much space to the various talking images, such as television, Internet, etc…. But “the image that speaks” is much broader than just television.**

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**And this day’s devotional will lightly touch on another aspect to the False Prophet and the Image that speaks…**

SIGNS & WONDERS

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Over the past 100 years, a growing phenomenon has occurred in the Christian churches. It is the phenomenon called, “Signs & Wonders”.

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At first it began in just a few churches, but now after more than 100 years, it has spread like wildfire throughout almost the entire Christian world.

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Now the most prominent are the various signs & wonders known as “speaking in tongues”, “Slain in the Spirit” (falling backwards), plus voices, visions, dreams, and even “Drunk in the Spirit”, and its side-kick sign, “Laughing in the Spirit”.

Falling Backwards – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Share-alike License

TWO PASSAGES TO CONSIDER

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Now there are two passages which warn us that Satan will have power to perform signs and wonders…

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Listen to the first… “there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24

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This above verse warns us not to merely accept signs and wonders. But rather, Satan will raise up those who will counterfeit the truth so closely, that his deceptions will even attempt to deceive the Elect.

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The second passage is similar to the first… “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” 2nd Thessalonians 2:8, 9

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This only further confirms that Satan’s deceptions will quite often be extremely close to the true.

Evangelist Preaching – Church – Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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DOUBLE-MINDED

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Now, just how are we to know whether or not these signs are from God or from the Devil?

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Well, there are a number of ways to discern the true source of the current signs & wonders. But for the sake of brevity, the following verse will be offered as a test of truth…

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Listen… “For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:7, 8

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So here it says that those who are double-minded, should not think that they shall receive anything from God.

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PROSPERITY-DRIVEN GOSPEL

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And so, can we look at the current Christian world which thrives on signs & wonders? Is today’s Christian culture conducive to receiving such an honorable “seal of approval” from God in the form of signs & wonders? Or are we a “double-minded” people in today’s Christianity?

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Well, it doesn’t take more than a brief examination to see that those who are involved in signs & wonders could not possibly be receiving signs & wonders from God!

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No, the current condition in today’s church-world is the very icon of doublemindedness! Almost the entire church-world has embraced the prosperity-driven gospel. And not just those crazy “get-rich”, “Name-it-and-Claim-it” gospels!

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No, even the so-called “conservative” division within the churches are embracing the prosperity-driven gospel, howbeit a more conservation version: “The Entrepreneurial spirit”, it is commonly referred to…

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Mall Market culture – Jakarta – Wikimedia – share-alike-lic.

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SAME SIN AS SODOM

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Yes, the entire church-world has embraced, to one degree or another, the pursuit of almost the same high-paying careers and trades, and all the same materialism which the secular world pursues after! And isn’t it true that many church-goers encourage their children to pursue high-paying trades and careers, which promise a life of opulence: howbeit, the very same opulence which led to the decadence of Sodom and Gomorrah, and to their ultimate destruction?

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Listen… “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread…” Ezekiel 16:49

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The very first two sins which God charged against His people, comparing them to Sodom, could very well be charged against the churches in this hedonistic and opulent society.

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

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CONTENT WITH FOOD & COVERING

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Listen to Paul’s exhortation to not be seeking after wealth… “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1st Timothy 6:7-9

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Why have today’s Christians ignored this passage to a great extent? Do we think that God isn’t watching? Or do we think that God is somehow not serious about this passage?

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Paul Tentmaking – La Vista Church of Christ – Creative Commons License

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AN OPULENT & HEDONISTIC SOCIETY

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When Christians attempt to have a vital connection to Jesus, while at the same time pursuing the materialism, and proud pursuits, and time-consuming amusements and pleasures of this hedonistic society, is this not the very essence of being “double-minded”?

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And so, today’s churches have fallen into the snare of the Devil. And because this has been an on-going apostasy for many decades, the churches have been spewed out of Christ’s mouth…

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People on Times Square – cropped image – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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WE ARE DOUBLE-MINDED

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Listen to what Jesus thinks about a prosperity-minded church… “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:16, 17

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This above passage has been written especially for the current-day churches in this decadent, cornucopian society we currently live in. The churches today, broadly speaking, have become very double-minded, by the wholehearted pursuit after the opulence, the proud career-seeking, the amusements and pleasures, and materialism, instead of merely “using but not abusing) the things of the world”. 1st Corinthians 7:31

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(This Judgment-Day cartoon is what the Bible promises will be the fate of many church-goers. And both you and myself need to make sure this is not our fate!)

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“YE…THE TEMPLE OF GOD!”

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And so, it only requires thinking this tragic situation through to its logical conclusion: if Satan is now freely performing his signs and wonders in today’s church-world, and we can clearly see that it could not possibly be coming from the Holy Spirit, then it is clear evidence that the abomination of desolation (Satan) has moved into the “temple of the Lord”, the people of the Lord…

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Listen to what the temple of the lord is… “…FOR YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 2nd Corinthians 6:16

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SIGNS & WONDERS ARE A SIGN TO US!

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And so, by merely adding 2+2, we come to the inevitable conclusion: one great evidence that today’s churches have been spewed out of the Lord’s mouth is the current phenomenon of signs & wonders.

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Listen once again… “For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:7, 8

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**Yes, this is how we can be sure that the “abomination of desolation” is just now “standing in the Holy Place”. And since we are the temple of God, then we are the Holy Place!**

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(Again, this Judgment-Day cartoon is what the Bible promises will be the fate of many church-goers. And both you and myself need to make sure this is not our fate!)

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“FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS”

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Listen to God’s advice to Christians… “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:” Matthew 24:15, 16

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Now there are many who will tell you that this cannot happen, because we’re going to be raptured before all this happens. NOT TRUE!

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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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“COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE”

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Now there happens to be something good found in the midst of all this great tragedy. Yes, there is some Good News! And that is this: those of us who are just now waking up to our undone condition, still have time to “come out of her (spiritual Babylon), My people”. Revelation 18:4

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Oh yes, it is very sad to leave our friends and loved ones behind. Nevertheless, by making a thorough repentance of what we have read in these last three devotionals, we will have begun our exodus out of Babylon, today’s apostate church culture.

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And who knows if God might open the eyes of our friends and loved ones, that they too might join this end-time exodus!

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James Tissot – The Flight of the Prisoners – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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To read Part 8, click here…

JULY 22 (The False Prophet, Part 8: The Biggest Lie In The Church!)

Twemoji2 – crossed fingers – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

Dear Lord, Give me an understanding of just what a deceptive world this really is! Help me to be IN the world, but not OF the world…

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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7 HEADS, 10 HORNS, & 7 CROWNS OF THE DRAGON

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” Rev. 12:3

In Revelation, the Dragon of Revelation 12 is described as having seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns. However, the Dragon Constellation up in the night sky does not. But God has faithfully created the wave of water, in such a way, as to illustrate this same concept of the seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns. Because this wave of water is basically composed of ten stars. The main body of the wave has seven stars (#‘s, 1 thru 7). And the tip of the crest of the wave has the other three stars (#’s, 8, 9 & 10). So we have this 7 and 10 numbering. And this gives us a great clue, as to where in the Bible we should look, to find out the riddle as to just what or who do these 7 heads, 10 crowns, and 7 horns represent. Because, the Bible speaks very much about floods and waters as being associated with Satan (the Dragon).

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TOMORROW…

May 24 (Eternal Torment? Part 6: The Best Kept Secret in Hell)

Hell’s Viewing Gallery- Signsofheaven.org – copyrighted – not for public use

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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 #508 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

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