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Today’s Devotional -April 3rd

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Mark Now Given!

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Part 1

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“And that no man might buy or sell,

save he that had the mark,

or the name of the beast,

or the number of his name.”

Revelation 13:17

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Over the past decades, there has been much speculation about just how will the Mark be given to the people of the world.

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And there is a debate over whether “buying & selling” is to be understood literally or spiritually, or both!

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In other words, many believe that the day is coming when Christians can no longer “buy and sell” the truth. And so, the day may be coming when the true Gospel can no longer be publicly shared or preached!

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This kind of buying and selling is found in such places as Isaiah… “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” Isaiah 23:23. And so this verse lets us know that we are to buy, but not to sell THE TRUTH.

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Duct Tape Mouth – CROPPED IMAGE – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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NO BUYING/SELLING WITHOUT MARK!

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But there is growing concern that Christians are coming to that day when we will no longer be able to literally buy or sell!

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And if one looks out on the horizon, there indeed seems to be various laws and court decisions which, when implemented, will test just what kind of substance that each and every Christian is made of: “gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay, stubble!” (1st Corinthians 3:12)

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Supermarket check-out – Wikipedia – public domain

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DOUBLE ENTENDRE

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The fact is, it appears that both schools of thought concerning the nature of this “buying & selling” during the coming tribulation seem to be coming to fruition.

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Yes, there are more and more laws which are restricting free speech.

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But there are also more and more laws which demand that that you either forfeit some particular aspect of your Christian ethics, or suffer the financial consequences.

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Mark of the beast – pub. dom. – Wikipedia

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THE OLD ROMAN CIRCUS

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Now back in the old days, Christians were forced to sprinkle just a tiny pinch of incense on a little statue of a pagan god or goddess, or else be thrust into the arena with hungry lions, etc…

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But today, it appears that Christians will be forced to obey unjust laws or suffer economic penalties and sanctions.

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The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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BUNKERS, FOOD-STORAGE-GUNS ALL WORTHLESS!

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Now there are many church-goers who think that the way to prepare for the coming crisis is to build a bunker, store up food supplies, as well as gold, guns, and ammunition.

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But the fact is, the Bible tells us… “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death…The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.” Proverbs 11:4, 6.

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So it reveals here, that the only way to escape the trap that is to suddenly come down upon us, is to walk, even as Jesus walked!

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To make every decision according to the Bible.

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Salpa line bunker 360 antitank gun outside – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share Alike 3.0 license.

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GOD’S WORD & PRAYER

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Yes, to make every decision according to the Bible is the only way to be delivered from the time of trouble ahead.

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And the Bible also tells us… “Concerning the works of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” Psalm 17:4, 5.

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So right here, hidden in this passage, we are told that God’s Word and prayer are the ways that we can escape from walking in the paths of Satan and his armies.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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GET READY, GET READY!!

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And so, dear stranger and pilgrim in this world, it is high time that we plead for strength to put away all our amusements and diversions and flee to the clefts of God’s Word, and unceasing prayer.

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After all, we don’t want to find ourselves in this dreadful situation… “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” Luke 21:34, 35

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To read Part 2, click here…

Daily Devotional, Year 2 – May 31 (Mark Now Given? Part 2: Buying & Selling)

Mark of the beast XES-pub.-dom.-Wikipedia – Public D

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Keep me from neglecting my great commission of purifying my heart and transforming my life. Mold me and make me into thy likeness…

Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Mark of the Beast & Seal of God” or you can also read…“How To Be Hidden in the Day of Wrath”

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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CASTOR AND POLLUX: THE MYSTERY SHIP…

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Back to the story of Paul’s shipwreck. While they all were saved, they had not yet reached their ultimate destination: Paul’s Judgment. And so after three months on a secular island, they all boarded another ship. This particular ship was of Alexandria. This ship’s sign was Castor & Pollux. And this ship smoothly took all to their destination… Judgment Day.

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Now just what is this new ship all about? After all, the first ship seemed to represent the church-world.

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So what was this next ship all about?

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And what in the world is Castor and Pollux?

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CASTOR AND POLLUX = THE NARROW WAY…

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“And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.” Acts 28:11

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Most theologians interpret this verse to be speaking of two pagan gods known as Castor and Pollux. Beyond that, they are puzzled as to what significance do these twin gods have. Some believe these gods to be the patrons of safe ocean travel. Certainly God would never want His people to board such a pagan ship!

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But there is much significance to Castor and Pollux. No, not to those twin-gods. But there are two stars named Castor and Pollux. They are twin-stars, and not twin-gods. They are the two bright stars of the constellation commonly known as Gemini. But as “Signs Of Heaven” points out, these two stars also happen to be the two brightest stars on Orion’s sickle.

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And these two stars are also known as The Narrow Gate Stars. And if you will explore this concept, you will see that Castor and Pollux possess great significance…

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“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14. Castor and Pollux represent this Biblical concept of the Narrow Way.

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LOCATING THIS GROUP…

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These two sketches below are the same picture, one with stars only, the other with embellishments. These stars appear more or less like this when they are in the western sky, just before they sink below the western horizon (please excuse the less-than 100% accurate sketch). At the top of the sketches in the center is the Big Dipper. But with other surrounding stars, the Big Dipper is known as Ursa Major or the Great Bear. But as this website points out, Ursa Major is actually the Revelation 12 Woman. (Ursa Major appears much larger in the sky than this sketch shows. But in order to fit her into this drawing, the artist had to depict her much smaller)

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IN THE WEST

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This most amazing phenomenon is seen throughout the winter. It is seen best when it is the western part of the sky. Orion, the Dragon, and the Glorious Horse are beginning to descend into the western horizon. And at this point it is apparent that the Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation is veering toward the Narrow Gate Stars as you can see just to the left of the mountain. A dark night is best for seeing this. It begins with the Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation going towards these two doors. The doors are each composed of two bright stars. The two bright stars that comprise the Narrow Gate are the two brightest stars of the Orion the Reaper’s sickle. The two stars that comprise the Wide Gate Stars (to the right of the mountain) are the two brightest stars of the Wave of Water (AKA Auriga Constellation) that comes out of the Dragon Constellation’s mouth (for explanation of “Wave of Water”, just click here). The stars that make up the Narrow Gate are about one-third less the width of the Wide Gate. The two bright stars which symbolize the Wide Gate are Capella and Menkalinan. These are the brightest two stars of the Auriga Constellation. (For more information on Orion’s sickle, just click here, “Orion The Reaper”. )

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Editor’s note: These sketches on this page are merely sketches. The stars are not in their exact place. But they are close enough to find them in the night sky.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Woman of Revelation 12 (Flees to the Wilderness)” or you can also read… “Castor and Pollux & The Mystery Ship of Scripture”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW:

” April 4th (Apostle Paul’s Fun & Recreation)“

Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain

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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 #93 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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