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Today’s Devotional – May 3rd

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TRUE BULLET-PROOF FAITH!

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“That the trial of your faith,

being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,

though it be tried with fire,

might be found unto praise and honour and glory

at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

1st Peter 1:7

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Have you ever seen bullet-proof combat gear?

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Well here’s a medal-of-honor soldier wearing the bullet-proof gear which kept him alive, as he kept on fighting bravely, thus inspiring his fellow soldiers to also keep fighting through the overwhelming barrage of deadly gunfire from the enemy!

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But how does this bullet-proof gear help us to understand our Salvation and our faith?

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Well, read on to find out…

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Bullet-proof gear – cropped photo – Worn by Clinton L. Romesha – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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WAR IN HEAVEN

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Listen to this little verse which presents a giant truth about this present world…

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“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,” Revelation 12:7

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The Bible tells us that there was war in Heaven.

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Yes, there was a great rebellion by Lucifer, who desired the same homage that only belongs to God.

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Bullet-proof gear – cropped photo – Worn by Clinton L. Romesha – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

Paradise Lost – by G. Dore – wikipedia – public-domain

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REBELLION MOVED TO PLANET EARTH

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And in the process of time, this rebellion found its way to planet Earth.

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And as a result, we now have, not only the angels who rebelled, but also an entire planet of humans in rebellion.

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Yes, generation after generation of the human family have lived in defiance against the government of Heaven!

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Bullet-proof gear – cropped photo – Worn by Clinton L. Romesha – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

Gustave Dore – Paradise Lost illustration – Lucifer becomes Satan – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE

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Now listen again to this, our signature passage for today…

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“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” 1st Peter 1:7

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Here Paul makes the analogy between our faith, and the purification of gold by fire.

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Christian and Apollyon – Pilgrim’s Progress – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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FAITH THROUGH THE FIRE!

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Now, listen to this next passage about a, “third part” of God’s people, who will be purified by fire…

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“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” Zechariah 13:9

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Here again, this above passage makes a similar proclamation! God will purify His people, even as gold is purified by fire!

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Goldkey (logo removed) – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE: TO PURIFY A PEOPLE

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You see, God, in His infinite wisdom, is using this great rebellion on planet Earth for His own glory.

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He speaks of this truth in such places as the Epistle to the Romans… 

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Listen… “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope,” Romans 8:18-20

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So this above passage reveals that the entire Creation is waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God, and the glory which shall be revealed in them.

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Goldkey (logo removed) – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE

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Perhaps it could be said that God is raising up a people to replace those angels which rebelled.

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Now, the Bible doesn’t use that exact language, so we shouldn’t speculate.

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But one thing is for sure! Those who go through the fires of tribulation, will be so strengthened, that their love and faith will be “bullet-proof”, so to speak.

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Gold bars – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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“LOOK UP, AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS”

Luke 21:28

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Now listen to this passage in which Jesus restored the blind man’s eyesight…“After that He (Jesus) put His hands again upon his (the blind man’s) eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored…” Mark 8:25.

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Here, Jesus put His hands upon the blind man’s eyes, and made him look up.

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And by so-doing, the man’s eyes were opened!

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Christ and the blind Pauper – cropped photo – Mironov – Wikipedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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WE TOO MUST, “LOOK UP, AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS!”

Luke 21:28

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And the healing of that blind man is a wonderful picture of what Jesus does to all who call on Him for Salvation!

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So when we see God’s people going through very painful experiences, let’s keep in mind that God is allowing such trials to strengthen their faith in God.

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And the many trials Christians often go through are given, so as to make them look up!

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He wants to make them forever-faithful! He desires to instill in them an unshakable faith which will last throughout all eternity!

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Munch – Det Syke Barn (The Sick Child) – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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LOOKING UP AT ETERNAL THINGS!

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And so, as we step back and look at our seemingly desperate circumstances from the heavenly vantage-point, we begin to realize that, “…our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2nd Corinthians 4:17, 18.

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Yes, in the light of eternity, our afflictions down here are very little, in comparison to the exceeding glory that will soon be revealed in God’s people!

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Starry Night at La Silla – cropped & altered photo – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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OUR DAILY BATTLE

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Perhaps at the end of each day, maybe while lying down in bed (and at any time during the day), we need to spend much time thinking back on how we might have overcome that big or little attack by the Devil. Just what “exceeding great and precious promises” could have been employed, which would have given us the victory over the temptations which assailed us in our daily warfare?

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Listen…Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2nd Peter 1:4)

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Constant learning and hiding of the many Bible promises into our hearts is a critically important part of our daily walk in the Lord! 

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The armor of God – theheavensdeclare.net -use by permission only

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Dear Lord, Help me to endure these trials which plague my life! Help me to look up and fix my eyes heavenward. Give me that bullet-proof faith necessary to overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil…

Christian and Apollyon – Pilgrim’s Progress – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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FURTHER READING

You may read the following… “January 7th (The Chrysalis Christian!)“, but also read yesterday’s devotional…“May 2nd (Faith That Overcomes!)”

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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GOODLY HORSE IN BATTLE CONSTELLATION

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“With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground.” Ezekiel 26:12

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THIS STAR-CHART: Notice how the right front hoof is trampling on the tail of the Dragon. Also notice his eye is a star. It’s best seen when in the western half of the sky. It is found in mid-sky traveling from east to west. In January, it is in the west after midnight. As winter progresses, it can be seen earlier and earlier in the evening. a dark sky with good star-visibility is best, but not absolutely necessary to see this constellation. It is found on the opposite side of the Dragon Constellation from Orion. And as already stated, this Glorious Horse Constellation can be seen best in mid-winter when it is in the western side of the sky, and you are looking at it while you are facing west. The nose and head of this horse is partly made from the Perseus Constellation. The tail and rear end is partly of the Cassiopeia Constellation. The hind-leg is made partly of stars from the Andromeda Constellation.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Goodly Horse in Battle Constellation” or you can also read… “The Holy-Ghost-Rider Constellation”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW:

“May 4th (Mark of the Beast & Seal of God)“

ABOVE PICTURE: Mark of the beast – pub. dom. – Wikipedia

Thy Word Have I Hid In My Heart – wwwtheheavensdeclare.net – not for commercial purposes

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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 #121 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.