Today’s Devotional – March 8th (This Vanity Fair Dream-Machine)

By admin On March 7th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – March 8th

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This Vanity Fair Dream-Machine.

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.Pilgrims Progress title page third edition 1679 wikimedia commons public-domain

Perhaps, arguably, the greatest book ever written by a mere human is Pilgrim’s Progress.

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But no doubt, Mr. John Bunyan had a lot of help from a certain “ghost-writer”: the Holy Ghost, that is!

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And while it is not a word-for-word inspiration from God, it nevertheless reveals many hidden truths and allegories from the Bible.

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Pilgrims Progress title page – third edition 1679 – Wikimedia Commons – public-domain

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“I LAID ME DOWN TO SLEEP…”

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This allegorical tale opens with the author having a dream… “As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed; and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled….”

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Well, to make a long story short, this allegorical dream presents the Christian sojourn in a wonderful, exciting, adventurous tale of a pilgrim, named “Graceless”. But after he began his pilgrim’s journey, a new name was given him, “Christian”.

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And this dream continues with this pilgrim traveling through the countryside, encountering many different adventures, some bad, and some good.

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And ultimately, this pilgrim was seeking to finally reach the Celestial City.

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I Saw A Man Clothed With Rags – Pilgrims Progress – Wikimedia – public domain

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EARTHLY DREAMS…

.Dream-Maker of Babylon

Now this wonderful and very original introduction (original, back in its day), makes a great backdrop for the dreams which we have.

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No, not the dreams we have in the night!

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But as we all know, there are those many dreams which people have about their future: dreams about ambitious goals; dreams about retirement; dreams about a future vacation; dreams about marriage, and having a family; dreams about buying that special new car, or that “dream house”; and dreams about being someone great, someone enviable, someone who accomplishes some notable feat, in the realm of music, or art, or sports, or business, or any one of the many areas of life in this world.

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Yes, even Lucifer once had a dream of being a great leader!

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And so, as the saying goes, “Careful what you wish for!”

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VANITY FAIR DREAM MACHINE

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Yes, Lucifer had a very big and ambitious dream!

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And he achieved his goal. He did become a great leader!

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And now he has his very own planet, in which he is called, “the god of this world”. And as such, this “god of this world” has created a society like no other society throughout history. (2nd Corinthians 4:4)

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Yes, through the increase of knowledge, Mankind, under his direction, has created a world of dreams, like nothing ever before conceived!

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Today, through the materials which the earth yields, Mankind has manufactured countless goods and inventions, creating a world economy which affords opportunities to enjoy so many different sports, careers, far-away places, pleasures, pursuits, beyond anything that former generations could enjoy or even dream of!

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New york times square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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THE PIED-PIPER FROM HELL

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And of course, the television, radio, and other media are the advertisers of this super-society, which he has created.

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And behind the scenes, the “prince of this world” has transformed himself into the Master Dream-maker! (John 12:31, etc.)

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Yes, today’s media, both printed, and electronic, have become the modern-day Pied Pipers of Hamlin, leading more and more cultures throughout the world, down that infamous primrose pathway to their ultimate eternal destruction. That’s right, Satan has created this Vanity Fair World to be as seductive as he can possibly make it!

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Now for the people of the world, all these new Pied Piper Dreams are perhaps, just fine! Yes, for those who choose to reject the grace of God, and turn away from His gift of everlasting life, such earthly dreams which emanate from this Vanity Fair World are all that they will ever know! This world is their home! This planet is their paradise.

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And this earth will be their final and eternal resting place!

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So, it would seem logical that they should enjoy their remaining few decades as much as they can, before they return to dust!

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STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS

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But for those who have responded to the Gospel call from God, this world is no longer our home.

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We now have become strangers and pilgrims in this dark rebellious world. We have begun our Heavenward pilgrimage. We are now living the Pilgrim’s Dream, which Bunyan wrote about, in his most classic of all classic tales!

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As Jesus put it, “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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Yes, all those who have become pilgrims on their upward journey to the Celestial City must travel light, if they expect to make it.

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And Jesus says to “forsake all!” (See Luke 5:11 & Luke 14:33)

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Pilgrims Progress – His Burden Fell Off His Back – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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SATAN’S TRAP FOR NAIVE CHRISTIANS

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But alas, the evil prince of this Vanity Fair World is a very jealous prince.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Every_day.jpg

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He cannot tolerate losing even one of his loyal citizens! And so, in these last centuries, he has worked tirelessly, day & night, to create this great Dream-Machine, in hopes of diverting unwary pilgrims from their Heavenward Pilgrimage.

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Yes, it is Satan’s grand scheme, to create so many allurements, in hopes of leading astray as many unwary sheep back from God’s sheepfold as he possibly can!

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And the fact is, many of God’s sheep have been deceived by all those “good things” which ensnare men’s souls.

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sheep – Lambs to the slaughter – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

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PURSUING “INNOCENT” PLEASURES

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mall_culture_jakarta75.jpg

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Yes, this wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing has snatched away many naïve sheep, from God’s sheepfold!

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And there are many in the church who are in full pursuit of the so-called “innocent” pleasures and pursuits of this world, instead of forsaking all, to follow Jesus on that upward Pathway.

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Mall_Market culture – Jakarta75 – Wikimedia – share-alike-lic..jpg

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TAILOR-MADE DREAM

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And this Vanity Fair Dream-Machine keeps churning out dreams to sell to anyone willing to buy.

Surfer_Girl wikimedia public domain

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And this Pied Piper False Prophet has a dream just tailor-made for each and every one of us!

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And just what is my dream?

Woman in Mediterranian wikipaintings us public domain

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Maybe a retirement in some tropical paradise?

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Maybe a life as a Christian pop musician?

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Or how about some dream career in some glamorous and renowned city?

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Or maybe a life of amusements and hobbies?

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Or maybe to become some beloved and revered professor, strolling through some ivy-covered campus?

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Or what about a life of wanderlust, and globetrotting?

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Or maybe just raising a family in some little quaint cottage in a green meadow?

.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Constable_The_Hay_Wain.jpg

And so, there is seemingly no end to the dreams which this golden image-maker keeps churning out, on a 24/7/365 basis! And all those who are born into this Vanity Fair world, soon become subject to this False Prophet’s indoctrination.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hong_Kong_Skyline_Restitch_-_Dec_2007.jpg

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Yes, even those Christians who have successfully resisted these lying wonders, are in great danger of losing our children to this Pied Piper from Hell, i.e., the False Prophet.

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Surfer Girl – Wikimedia – public domain

Woman in Mediterranian – wikipaintings – US public domain

John Constable The Hay Wain Cottage – Wikipedia – US public domain

Hong Kong Skyline Restitch – Photo by DAVID ILIFF – License CC-BY-SA 3.0

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“A DREAM COMETH!”

.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shoppers_on_Dundas,_near_Yonge.jpg

The Preacher said… “For a dream cometh through the multitude of busy-ness…” Ecclesiastes 5:3.

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And all those who needlessly immerse themselves in the busy-busy Vanity Fair world, will soon discover that a dream awaits them.

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Yes, those Christians who foolishly run headlong after the Mammon of this world will soon find themselves a great distance off from God’s sheepfold, and well into Satan’s territory.

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

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“I SAY TO ALL: WATCH!”

Mark 13:37

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But those who refuse to breathe-in the narcotic-like mist rising from this enchanted-ground world, will heed God’s warning: His warning to…

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“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life….Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:23, 25-27.

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Yes, this exhortation to guard our heart with all diligence, should be earnestly heeded by each and every Christian!

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SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS – ARMOR UP! – THE TIME IS AT HAND!

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glow_Garden,_Dubai.jpg

TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…

January 2 (This Vanity Fair Dream-Machine! Part 2: It’s A Themepark World!)

Glow Garden Theme park – Dubai – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-06831.jpg

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Let me not be taken by the deceitfulness of this Vanity Fair world. Let me not go after the foolish dreams which this Vanity Fair Dream-Weaver creates to ensnare unwary pilgrims on their Heavenward sojourn…

USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… ““Vanity Fair” & The False Prophet” or you can also read… “Television & The Image That Speaks”

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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LOCATING THE DRAGON

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THE DRAGON of REVELATION 12 CONSTELLATION . The Dragon Constellation can be located by finding Orion in winter months. The Dragon is to Orion’s left, and the Dragon’s mouth is right next to Orion’s shield. This Dragon’s mouth is the V-like constellation The Hyades Cluster, which is the very same constellation that comprises the head of Taurus the Bull. In other words, Hyades is also known as the head of Taurus the Bull. And Hyades is the mouth of this Dragon.

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The tip of the Dragon’s tail is composed of that star-cluster known as The Pleiades. The Pleiades is actually in the shape of a lion’s furry tassel tip of his tail. The sketch below shows this Pleiades as the tail tip.

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Revelation 12 Dragon w/text

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Now with aid of a dark starry night, you may begin to connect this mouth and the tail with a very long body in an oval shape. The front and back legs are very well-defined with stars. The front legs are made partially of Taurus. The back legs and rear fin are made of the Cetus Constellation. But the long oval-shaped body has relatively few stars, but can been seen, howbeit with a dark starry night. The four stars of the front fins are made partially of Taurus. This Dragon constellation appears in the eastern horizon about mid-summer in the pre-dawn hours, spewing his flood-waters northward toward the Woman of Revelation 12 (Woman in Travail).

The Wave of Water is primarily composed of the Constellation Auriga. The are two more less bright stars which are closest to the Dragon’s mouth. These two dimmer stars are also part of this Wave of Water.

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Dragon of Revelation 12 Constellation” or you can also read… “Flood Waters of Satan-Introduction”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Finney.jpg

TOMORROW: ” March 9th

(“Free-will? What free-will!?”)”

Charles Finney – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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 #67 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

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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing details & tags, and all other necessary information on any particular photo.

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