Today’s Devotional – June 9th (The Power of Positive-Thinking Gospels! Part 1)

By admin On June 9th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 9th

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The Power of Positive-Thinking Gospels!

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Part 1

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“But in all things approving ourselves…

in much patience, in afflictions,

in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments,

in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering,

by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

By the word of truth, by the power of God,

by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

By honour and dishonour,

by evil report and good report:

as deceivers, and yet true;

As unknown, and yet well known;

as dying, and, behold, we live;

as chastened, and not killed;

As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor,

yet making many rich;

as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”

2nd Corinthians 6:4-10

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Several nights ago, a very popular Christian speaker held a large convocation with a vast throng of tens of thousands of listeners.

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And this evangelist gave a very high-energy presentation, with a very positive message.

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Well, the gist of what he said is, “We need to think positive, speak positive, and believe positively, that God has good things in store for us here on earth!”

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Yes, this popular speaker continued to present a message about achieving our earthly dreams: earthly dreams for ourselves and for our families.

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Above picture not connected with this story – church service by Matt Malone for Wikimedia cropped photo – copyrighted

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“THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH WERE SMOOTHER THAN BUTTER!”

Psalm 55:21

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**This extravaganza was filled with short, but uplifting testimonies, a high-energy, upbeat rock band, attractive women, well-timed jokes, and smoother-than-butter preaching!**

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Well, needless to say, this presentation was received with no lack of enthusiasm!

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The vast audience, thousands strong, seemed mesmerized, yet ecstatic about this uplifting and upbeat message! The night was a huge success!

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Evangelist Preaching – Church – Audience hands – cropped/altered – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THINK & GROW RICH

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**The fact is, this Power of Positive Thinking philosophy has been blowing in and out of the church-world for many decades.**

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It began in the earlier part of the 20th century when one of the richest men in the nation, commissioned a well-known writer to study the most successful men in America, with the sole purpose of discovering what all these successful men had in common: commonly-held virtues which contributed to their financial wealth.

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Think and grow rich original cover – Wikipedia – Fair Use Rationale

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POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

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From there, a certain Christian man took this recipe for success and packaged it into a religious context.

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**And this Christian writer renamed this philosophy, The Power of Positive Thinking. And its influence was a great contributor to the modern-day gospels which largely focus on earthly prosperity.**

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Happy face svg – wikimedia – public domain

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CHRISTIANS TO THINK ON THESE THINGS

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But the Christian must not allow his or her self to stray away from the pure Gospel of the Bible. Oh yes, the Christian has the Spirit of joy, and is encouraged to think upon things which uplift the soul (see Philippians 4:8).

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But the fact is, the Bible is a book which has both joyful truths, but also many unhappy truths. And by no means should the Christian attempt to diminish the words of the Bible, simply because they are “negative”. The Bible says to think on things that are “true…honest…just” (see Philippians 4:8), and this would include unhappy truths.

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**Oh yes, the Bible promises “perfect peace” to those who keep their hearts fixed on Jesus and His Word!**

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But this popular evangelist, the other night, wasn’t selling a message of “perfect peace”.

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Holy bible – cropped – wikimedia – creative commons lic.

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JESUS TAUGHT BOTH JOYFUL & SAD THINGS

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Certainly, **Jesus did not subscribe to this Power of Positive Thinking philosophy!**

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Oh yes, He taught that we must believe, and be healed… “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” Luke 7: 50.

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But nowhere did He advocate eliminating every negative thought out of our mind. Jesus was called “a man of sorrows” Isaiah 53, and it is written of Him, “Jesus wept”, as he looked sorrowfully down upon the city that rejected Him.

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Cross of Jesus Christ – cropped – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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JEREMIAH, THE WEEPING PROPHET

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The prophet Jeremiah was opposed by similar groups in his day… “Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:” Jeremiah 30:10.

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These groups did not like all the unhappy truths which Jeremiah was prophesying. They wanted a “happy-faced” gospel, and Satan supplied them with false prophets who told the people what they wanted to hear.

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Unfortunately, those “prosperity preachers” of Jeremiah’s day caused the people to reject Jeremiah’s unhappy truths, which ultimately led to their destruction.

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Cry of prophet Jeremiah on the Ruins of Jerusalem – Wikiart – US Public Domain

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MICAIAH, THE “NEGATIVE” PROPHET

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Micaiah was a prophet in the days of Ahab, one of the wicked kings of Israel. But Ahab didn’t like Micaiah’s “negative” prophecies… “And the king of Israel (Ahab) said unto Jehoshaphat (a good king over Judah), There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil…” 2nd Chronicles 18:7.

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Yes, it seems that today’s Christian world is filled with many Ahabs. Those who teach the masses that we must, “Accentuate the positive, and eliminate the negative” from all our thoughts. But these modern-day Ahabs are slick…“The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.” Psalm 55:21.

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Make no mistake! These modern-day Ahabs preach a gospel which is a very well-packaged product! Lots of alluring women, beautiful and colorful backgrounds, exciting and upbeat music, and very slick, “smoother than butter” preaching! But these are enemies of the truth, though their message contains much truth, yet is mingled with soul-destroying lies!

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Micaiah’s negative prophecy – Wikimedia – US public domain

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SOME VERY GOOD NEWS!

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Fortunately, in the midst of all this negativity, there is some very Good News! Yes, it’s not too late to renounce such false gospels, and begin to simply study God’s Word. And of course, such a repentance is the gift of God.

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But the New Testament prescribes the remedy for all who have been deceived by such gospels… “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God…Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” James 4:4, 8-10.

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By the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, such repentance as this can be a joyful experience… “I waited patiently for the LORD; and…He brought me up also out of an horrible pit…And He hath put a new song in my mouth,” Psalm 40:1-3

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TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…

June 10th (Power of Positive-Thinking Gospels, Part 2: Our Children!)

Child and Computer – TV – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Share-alike License

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to not get caught up in the many false gospels which are blowing in the wind in these last moments. Give me a love for the often-painful eye-salve of Thy Holy Word…The Bible

Prayer – Mother and Daughter – Wikipedia – (cropped image) the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic 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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WHY A SNAKE/SERPENT?

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The Five Wise represent all those who were once a part of Satan’s Kingdom of Selfishness. But now, they have been cut off and separated from that kingdom. Now they have become part of God Kingdom of Unselfish Love! And that is why this serpent looks as if its body has been severed. It has lost part of its body! It is now, only half-a-snake! The Wise were once part of that snake. But now they have become free from Satan’s Prison-house of Sin!

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But as for this Snake/Serpent Constellation, and what it represents, one needs only to begin with beginning of the Salvation story: “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1

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ABOVE STAR-CHART (with constellation drawn in by this website)- Serpent with Wise Virgins not Attached – seen late summer into fall only – Serpent Constellation – comprised of the head of Draco, plus stars from the Bootes Constellation – www.signsofheaven.org – not for profit use

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THE HEEL OF JESUS FOOT

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Now, as step back about several light-years, we can view the great “Son of Man Constellation”. And if we look at his right foot, it is revealed that this serpent is winding its way over of the top of the heel of Jesus’ foot. Of course this reminds one of the very words of God, as He spoke to the serpent in the Garden… “And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou [art] cursed… And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:14, 15. Of course, this was a prophecy about Jesus, and how Satan would bruise His Heel.

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And so it is no coincidence that God has arraigned the stars in such a way as to portray this concept, concerning the serpent bruising Christ’s heel.

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ABOVE STAR-CHART (constellations found on Wikipedia and Bible constellations drawn in by this website) – Sign of the Son of Man – www.theheavensdeclare.net – Not for commercial uses

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TOMORROW:

“June 10th (Power of Positive-Thinking Gospels & Our Children!)”

Child and Computer – TV – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Share-alike Lice

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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 #158 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Today’s Devotional – June 8th (Hanging on The Arm of Flesh!)

By admin On June 8th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 8th

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Hanging on The Arm of Flesh!

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“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils:

for wherein is he to be accounted of?…

Be strong and courageous,

be not afraid nor dismayed

for the king of Assyria,

nor for all the multitude

that is with him:

for there be more with us

than with him:

With him is an arm of flesh;

but with us is the LORD”

Isaiah 2:22 & 2nd Chronicles 32:7, 8

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We live in a society today, which, to put it mildly, is very proactive about telling us how to live.

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From cradle to grave, we are inundated with advice, with maxims, with philosophies, with psychologies, and with all sorts of ideological dogma! Some could perhaps be considered good.

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And, along with all this, the Church too, has been groomed by society to put our trust in Man, and in man’s ability to solve our many dilemmas! And as a result, the Church, to a great extent, has been leaning heavily upon the arm of flesh.

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

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“CEASE YE FROM MAN”

Isaiah 2:22

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But the Bible says concerning our dependence on mankind… “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert” Jeremiah 17:5, 6.

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And as the disciple of Jesus grows in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, he (or she) begins to trust less and less in what people say, and more and more in the Lord’s Word, and what God has to say about how we should live.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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CURSED BE THE MAN THAT TRUSTS IN MAN

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Yes, we, the people of God have been relying heavily upon what Man can do for us, instead of relying upon what God can do for us.

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And like the people of the world, we too, put our trust in many different things: political and societal talk shows, doctors, pills, schools, insurance policies, support groups, psychologists, psychiatrists, self-help books, “Christian” television and radio ministries, and many other similar Man-centered programs.

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And this very convenient, ready-to-serve society takes all the guess-work out of life. Everything is provided for our needs! Just pay the clerk some money and “VOILA!” Your every need and every desire is instantly provided for you!

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And let’s face it! In many cases, we even begin to depend heavily upon our churches, to provide us with a “Christian culture” necessary to make up for our own personal lack of prayer and Bible study/contemplation!

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New york times square – cropped – terabass – wikipedia – share-alike license

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***THE TRUTH SHALL* *MAKE YOU FREE!***

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But these things aren’t right! This is not the way things should be! Our depending so heavily upon the world has made us spiritually weak!

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And so, God has addressed this issue in His Word. Right there, hidden in the various stories of the Bible, God has provided us with the necessary information to help overcome the world, with all its faithless ways…

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Holy bible – cropped – wikimedia – creative commons lic.

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THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE

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Take for instance, the story in Genesis, of Jacob and Esau: two twin brothers. Both were very flawed individuals.

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But the big difference between them, is that Jacob desired to become spiritual while Esau loved the world and only desired the things which the world had to offer.

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You could say that Esau was a man of the flesh, while Jacob was a man of the Spirit. Esau desired the things of the world, while Jacob desired the things of Heaven.

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But Jacob was still unrefined. He still had sin in his life, which caused him to resort to much un-Christ-like behavior.

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James Tissot – Jacob & Esau – The Mess of Pottage – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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THE NIGHT OF JACOB’S TROUBLE

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And so, after deceiving his father into giving the long-promised and long-awaited family blessing which rightfully belonged to his elder brother, Esau, Jacob had to flee for his life.

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And God allowed all this, so that He could bring Jacob through the necessary life-experiences, to cleanse and purify Jacob’s deceitful and distrustful heart.

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But after all the years of suffering at the hand of the greedy Uncle Laban, Jacob was accosted by a man, one fateful evening, with whom he wrestled all through that entire night. But at the dawning of the day, the man pleaded with Jacob to let him go. But Jacob refused, saying… “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.” Genesis 32:26.

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And so, because Jacob persevered and did not give up his wrestling, he received the great blessing he sought for so many years! No more was he Jacob, the Deceiver! Now he was Israel, “the prince that prevails with God!”

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ABOVE PICTURE – Jacob – Wikimedia – US public Domain

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THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE

Jeremiah 30:7

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Listen to this prophetic passage regarding Jacob’s time of trouble…“Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jeremiah 30:6, 7

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What in the world could this above verse be speaking of!?

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And how does this verse apply to me as an individual Christian?

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OK. So by examining that story of Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord, there can be seen a great picture of just what God’s people must endure in the coming trial before us.

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Well, just like Jacob, we too must be purified from our own defilement! Yes, we likewise must go through the birthing experience, so that Jesus can be born within!

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ABOVE PICTURE – Jacob – Wikimedia – US public Domain

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OUR TIME OF TROUBLE!

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But in the time just before us, God will take away our earthly support-system, step-by-step. And God will purify for Himself, a people: saints who have learned to put all their trust in God, and God alone!

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This time of trouble will be like a fiery furnace. And just as those three Hebrew boys in Daniel’s day stood faithful, so will Christians likewise stand, knowing that God is purifying them, even as gold is tried in the fire!

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And those who have been given a willing heart, will most gladly allow God to do this work of purification in our lives.

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And at that time, God’s Church, His Elect, will fully give birth to Christ! Yes, each and every one of God’s Chosen, will fully reflect Christ. And our birth pangs will be no more!

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Fiery Furnace by Gustave Dore’ courtesy of adelaide.edu.au

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STANDING ON A SEA OF GLASS

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At that time, the Christian’s trust in God will be perfected, and they will stand, as it were on a sea of glass, mingled with fire. No more will they be hurt by the fires of tribulation! No longer will they trust in Man’s ways, with all his programs and humanly-devised remedies…

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Listen… “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Revelation 15:2, 3

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Yes, in that day, God’s people will be purified from every defilement, as is written… “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:13, 14.

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ABOVE PICTURE – 7 Stars Constellation as the Cross (aka Big Dipper) – winter – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Let me not wait until the time of trouble! But help me right now to begin to let go of my dependence upon Man…

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

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THE END

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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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GLORIOUS CROWN CONSTELLATION…

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& THE REVELATION 12 WOMAN

(Click here to read more!)

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This Glorious Crown Constellation looks like a wreath at first glance. It has 7 stars, plus another star in the middle. This Glorious Crown Constellation is commonly referred to as the Corona Borealis Constellation. This wreath reminds us of the victory wreath given to athletes who won races in the ancient cultures.

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This was spoken of by Paul as he compared those ancient races to the race that Christians must run… “Know you all not, that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you all may obtain.” 1st Corinthians 9:24 (see also Hebrews 12:1)

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Corona Borealis – seen in warmer months – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Taken from software called Perseus – All rights by Roberto Mura

Laurel Wreath – Lorbeerkranz_Zypern – cropped photo – Wikipedia – public domain

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“A CROWN OF 12 STARS UPON HER HEAD” …

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But upon a closer examination if you have access to a very dark sky out in the country; if you watch this wreath, you will eventually see 5 more very faint stars, making a total of 12 stars, plus that single star in the middle. This wreath now becomes a crown of 12 stars. This goes along with Revelation 12, which tells of a crown of 12 stars upon the head of the Virtuous Woman of Revelation 12.

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Just listen to Revelation… “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman…and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:” Revelation 12:1.

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But this crown is not yet upon the head of the Virtuous Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation (also known as Ursa Major). It is just above her head, as if she has yet to attain it. Of course, the 13th star in the middle would represent Christ (Who is our true Crown of our rejoicing). Ok, so we have a picture of Christ and His twelve tribes of Israel. But also we have a picture of Christ and His twelve apostles, which is a picture of His Church. So this heavenly crown is a multi-faceted concept.

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“THERE IS A CROWN LAID UP FOR ME”

2nd Tim. 4:8

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But as far as this article is concerned, the concept to remember is that this Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) appears to be grasping for this 12-star crown.

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It represents the prize which God has promised to all who finally overcome theworld. Listen… “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21

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And so, with this in mind, one can see that there’s a prize to win: a glorious crown!

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TOMORROW:

“June 9th (The Power of Positive-Thinking Gospels!)”

Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

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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 #157 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Today’s Devotional – June 7th (“It’s a Click-n-Lie World, Part 2, ‘The Remedy'”)

By admin On June 6th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 7th

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It’s a Click-n-Lie World,

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Part 2,

‘The Remedy’

To read Part 1, click here…Today’s Devotional – June 6th (It’s a Click-n-Lie World! Part 1 – “The Problem”)

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So, Satan hasn’t gone to sleep, as some suppose! No, Satan has been very busy, working night and day!

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And just what has he been up to?

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Well, Satan has been very busy, setting this world up for Judgment Day.

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And though, none of us know exactly what’s in store in the coming days, there does seem to be a pattern, concerning just what this unseen one is orchestrating, seemingly behind the scenes.

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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – wikipedia – US public domain

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HOW DO I ESCAPE?

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**And in yesterday’s devotional (click here to read), it was discussed about the mountain of laws and other “situational land-mines” which are coming upon this land.**

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It kind of reminds one of all those millions of frogs which overran Egypt, back in the days of the Exodus!

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So what can a Christian do? Just how can we escape this great plague which is just now beginning to fall upon us?

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Well, of course, the Bible has all the answers.

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So let’s take a brief look at what God’s Word has to say about all this.

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Jollain – The Plague of Frogs – Wikimedia – Public domain

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EARTHLY PROTECTION OF NO VALUE

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Listen… “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.” Proverbs 11:4

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So this passage from Proverbs lays a very good foundation for how we are to escape all the various traps and temptations which the Evil One is laying to ensnare us. Yes, riches are worthless, when it comes to the evil day. It is Christ’s righteousness that will deliver us in that day. And along with that verse, this next passage sends out a similar message…

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Listen… “There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” Psalm 33:16-19.

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So, here again, God is trying to discourage us from trusting in the things of the world. And isn’t it true that all the various stories in both the Old and New Testaments all give us a certain message, over and over again: simply trusting in God to deliver us?

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Elisha & Chariots of Fire www.visualbiblealive.com

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THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

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**Okay, so our foundational verse from Proverbs says, “but righteousness delivers from death.” But is there any passage which clarifies this concept?**

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Listen… “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,” Ephesians 6:11-13

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And so, as this passage reveals, the armor of God is what every child of God needs to be wearing.

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KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WORD IS POWER

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But just how do we put on a spiritual concept? How can spiritual armor protect us? Well, perhaps this next passage will help…

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Listen… “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.” Proverbs 24;3-6

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So, here is the key to understanding how to armor up: knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and many wise counselors!

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USMC- prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

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“THY TESTIMONIES…ARE…MY COUNSELLORS”

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But just who are these wise counselors?

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Listen… “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.” Psalm 119:24

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Yes, God’s testimonies found in His Word are the counselors that we need to guide us.

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And so, O Stranger and Pilgrim of the Cross, this little devotional is a good starting point to direct us to the right course we must take, if we desire to escape the coming trial which is looming just now upon the horizon.

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And the very Good News is, if the Reader will diligently seek to become fully armored up, right now, prior to the coming storm, then God will honor all those who awaken to our great responsibility of readying ourselves for that Day!

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Lord, help me to put on the armor of God. Give me a love for the Bible which rises above all earthly considerations. Help me to hide Thy Word in my heart (my mind), that I may overcome the world, with all it traps and snares and temptations…

Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic 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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THREE-DIMENSIONAL APPEARANCE

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When looking at a star-chart, the stars representing Orion’s feet appear as if his legs are short. But actually when you look at Orion in the night sky, Orion’s legs appear bent far backward, giving this constellation a three-dimensional effect. (Of course, many of the constellations on this website also have a three-dimensional appearance to them.)

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This picture to the right just does not do justice to just how far back Orion’s legs appear to be bent backward.

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TOMORROW:

“June 8th (Hanging on The Arm of Flesh!)”

We Can Do It! Rosie the Riveter – Wikipedia – 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.

.

THIS STUDY #156 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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

.

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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

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Today’s Devotional – June 6th (It’s a Click-n-Lie World! Part 1 – “The Problem”)

By admin On June 6th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 6th

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It’s a Click-n-Lie World!

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Part 1:

“The Problem”

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The prophet, Daniel, after becoming a victim of an unjust law, was thrown into a den of lions, as his punishment for praying to the Lord.

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But as we all know, God delivered him out of the mouths of those hungry beasts!

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Well, doesn’t it seem that our present-day society is getting more and more like Daniel’s day?

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Daniel and lions – wikipedia – US public domain by Briton Riviere

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BEING FAITHFUL IN THAT WHICH IS LEAST

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Now Daniel didn’t have to open his window and pray.

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But he did. Because Daniel knew that he must be faithful in that which is least. Listen… “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” Luke 16:10.

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**Yes, those who are striving for Christlikeness understand the importance of keeping the conscience from becoming “seared, as with a hot iron”. (see 1st Timothy 4:1, 2).**

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Hence will be fulfilled the following prophecy… “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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Yes, to have one’s conscience “seared as with a hot iron” is essentially the same as being branded with Satan’s mark of ownership. For it is the selfish and proud qualities of this antichrist world-system which Satan engraves upon the hearts of mankind, which determines who actually worships him.

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Poynter’s Daniel’s Prayer – 1865 – wikipedia – public domain

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CLICK-N-LIE!

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Well, just look around at all the things which are being thrust upon us!

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Take for instance, the Internet. Whenever a person wants to download a program, there is a contract to accept. And most of these simply say, “By clicking ‘I accept’, the user agrees to the terms of this contract”.

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But there are other downloads that say, “By clicking I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the terms of this contract”. And of course, the user discovers there is a twenty-page contract written in very difficult, legalese language, which is next to impossible to understand! And, for the people of the world, this is not a problem! They simply click, “Yes”, and download the program, not even giving a second thought to the fact that by clicking “Yes”, they have just lied!

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Computer – Wikimedia – public domain

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THE EARLY CHURCH

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In the days of the early church, the evil Romans found out that they could tyrannize Christians by merely bringing a tray with an idol of some Roman god, and ask the Christian to sprinkle some incense on that idol.

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And if that Christian refused, then they would be left in an arena to be torn to shreds by wild animals.

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And this became a great sporting event for the citizens of Rome.

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The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer – Wikipedia –

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LAND-MINES EVERYWHERE!

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Well, here we are, some 2,000 years later. And it seems as though the Devil is just now concocting a similar situation, in this high-tech world!

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Oh no, there won’t be any lions to tear us up! But Christians are finding that this society is becoming like some battle-field, in which the Christian must walk through a mine-field of various situations and not get blown up!

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Have you noticed this?

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Mines warning sign – Wikimedia – share-alike license.

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“SITUATIONAL LAND-MINES”

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Just take the shopping experience, for example. It’s hard to find a store that isn’t playing ungodly music. Or large posters of half-naked women. Or when you go through the checkout stand, you have to carefully avoid the lewd pictures on the tabloids as well as all the various merchandise display signs throughout the store.

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Or take the television! The shows and commercials are getting worse and worse! Or the Internet! You don’t have to seek out pornography! It seeks you out!

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Or look at the public schools today, who are just now beginning to teach children that various forms of perverted behavior and antichrist philosophies, are quite acceptable, even good; and now are even starting to encourage some to pursue such lifestyles!

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Did you ever think you would ever see such a day as this?

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Mall – Inkwazi Shopping Centre, Malelane Superspar – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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SATAN’S MORE SUBTLE DECEPTIONS

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**But these obvious “situational land-mines” are just the tip of the iceberg, as the saying goes! There are many other traps in today’s world, that we probably don’t even think about!**

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What about a job in which you have to pledge support for a labor-union? Either by raising your right hand, or signing a pledge-statement, you are aligning yourself with an organization which might be using strong-arm tactics to get you that pay-raise, and other benefits! So in effect, by pledging allegiance, you just might be supporting the unchristian values of that union, which, although you may not be directly involved with, but nevertheless are just as guilty as that union is! Maybe even more guilty, since you, the Christian should know better!

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Firefighters For Labor – cropped/altered image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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ORDINANCES OF MAN

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Or just try to start a private business today! You will probably be facing a mountain of regulations standing in your way! And most of these regulations may be good. But the problem is that there are so many, that it begins to become a heavy burden!

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Now for the people of the world, this is not such a great problem! Simply ignore the regulations you can get away with! But of course, the true worshipper has this command from God… “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man” 1st Peter 2:13. Yes, the Christian who begins to trample on the ordinances of the land, is actually trampling on his or her own conscience!

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Building inspector – wikimedia – public domain

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SATAN’S BRANDING IRON

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**Yes, this society is fast becoming filled with more and more of these “situational landmines”. And every time we step on one of those landmines, we only further violate our Christian conscience.**

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And as a result, our once-upon-a-time “tender conscience” now becomes “seared as with a hot iron” 2nd Timothy 4:2.

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And every time we violate our conscience, it becomes increasingly deadened to the point that we are desensitized to sin!

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Branded – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

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FRAMING MISCHIEF BY LAWS

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The Bible says, concerning the world… “Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.” Psalm 94:20, 21.

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As this above passage reveals, Satan and his followers will unite to overthrow Christians, by the implementation of a myriad of laws!

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And though we have enjoyed many freedoms over the past two centuries, it seems like those days are fast coming to an end!

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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – wikipedia – US public domain

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NO COMFORT IN GOD’S HOUSE!

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Now those Christians who finally wake up to realize just how dangerous and deceptive that this kingdom of darkness is fast becoming, will be disappointed to find that there will be little or no comfort or support from fellow church brethren! When the Christian awakens to his or her dire and grave situation, there will be no one in the church to turn to.

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No, the Christian will only have the Lord to turn to. The people down at church will only think of you as a troublemaker or perhaps just a little mentally unbalanced.

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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! Kunstnerfest på Skagen – 1888 – WIKPEDIA – US PUBLIC DOMAIN

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GOD IS FAITHFUL & WILL MAKE A WAY OF ESCAPE!

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“God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1st Corinthians 10:13

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Now this devotional has just lightly touched upon this tremendously important issue. Satan seems to be working in every corner of society, to bury God’s people under a mountain of laws, and “situational landmines”. And certainly, this will become a critical problem, especially for those trying to support their family.

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Now having said all this, there has to be a remedy! There has to be a way of escape!

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Well, tomorrow’s devotional will offer a solution to all this. And the reader is encouraged to read tomorrow’s devotional.

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code books – wikimedia – share-alike license

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TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW…

“It’s a Click-n-Lie World, Part 2, ‘The Remedy'”

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

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Wake me up to the true situation in the world, and help me to make the necessary preparations to stand in the evil day…

Marine Praying – Wikimedia – USMC 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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A new constellation has been revealed, as of about May 29th, 2014. This constellation appears as a snake. Its body is comprised of stars from the Bootes Constellation, and its jaws are made of the four stars which Babylonians saw as the head of Draco, the Dragon. It also has a small single star for an eye.

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Now in this constellation is a group of five stars, which will be called “The Five Foolish Virgins Stars”. These are located on the opposite side of the Glorious Crown of 12 Stars, from the Five Wise Virgins Stars. But one big difference between the two is, that The Five Wise are curved around the Glorious Crown, while the Five Foolish are curved away from it!

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer constellation – Five Wise Virgins Stars & The Glorious Crown – Corona Borealis – signsofheaven.org – Not for profit uses! – Wikipedia Star chart with constellations drawn in by this website.

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Now another incredible aspect to all this is that this snake/serpent is winding its way around the backside of this Crown. And it is traveling in a direction away from the Crown! And one really phenomenal aspect to this, is that each jaw (composed of two stars each) is pointing in two directions. In other words, if you drew a line parallel with these two sets of stars (the head of Draco), they each go in two directions: one leading to the Valley of Decision Constellation, and the other going straight to the Broad Way to Hell Constellation (AKA Pisces).

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Now if one studies the Valley of Decision Constellation, it is soon discovered that the same concept, of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, is also depicted in this constellation group. The Five Wise Virgins being depicted by the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Five Foolish Virgins, looking like a wheel, rolling its way down into the Dragon Constellation!

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Now, before this gets too confusing, perhaps we should dissect each aspect individually, to get a basic understanding of just what all this means.

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TOMORROW:

“June 7th (“It’s a Click-n-Lie World, Part 2, ‘The Remedy’”)”

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

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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 #155 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

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Today’s Devotional – June 5th (Keeping 1 Day Holy, Part 3 “Works”)

By admin On June 4th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 5th

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Keeping 1 Day Holy,

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Part 3,

“Works”

To read Part 1, just click here… “June 3rd (Keeping 1 Day Holy!)”

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CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY (click here)

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Again, how can merely ceasing from work make a day holy? This has been a big part of the last two devotionals, and it will also be the main focus today.

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Question Mark – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THE 4TH COMMANDMENT

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The 4th Commandment says, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11

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Well, if this one passage was all that God has to say on the subject, then we would have to conclude that, yes, ceasing from work on the Sabbath Day is what God requires for that day to be kept holy!

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And, as we read a number of other passages, we learn that shopping on the Sabbath, and picking up sticks on the Sabbath are also strictly forbidden!

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Ten Commandments National Museum of Scotland – cropped image – wikimedia share-alike license

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“REST UNTO YOUR SOULS”

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But we need to keep digging further, because the Bible defines what God means, when He speaks of our cessation from labor on His Sabbath.

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Now listen to this incredible call which Jesus pleads to all humankind…“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

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This above passage from Matthew’s Gospel is an invitation to all Humanity, to come enter into His rest.

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And here Jesus is giving a much greater concept concerning the Sabbath, than merely ceasing from physical labor.

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ABOVE STAR-CHART: Sign of the Son of Man Constellation – www.signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses

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ENTERING INTO GOD’S FINISHED WORKS

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Now, Paul addresses this same concept in Hebrews… “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein…” Hebrews 4:3-7.

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Now this above passage is merely saying that becoming a true Believer brings that spiritual rest.

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But then God reveals that His own works were completed from the foundation of the world! And then He goes on to wishfully lament, saying, “And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest.” Hebrews 4:5.

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And so, the gist of this passage is, that God’s “works” were finished on the 7th Day of Creation. And God desires for us to join Him in that everlasting rest.

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Ten Commandments National Museum of Scotland – cropped image – wikimedia – share-alike license

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THE WORKS WE MUST CEASE FROM!

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**But let’s get back to the subject of “work” and “labor”. So just what kind of work are we to cease from, in order to enter God’s everlasting rest?**

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Let’s go again to Galatians… “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:19-24.

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Now this above passage lists many, but not all of the works of the flesh. And don’t we suppose that if a man or woman, or even a child ceases from these works, then that individual will truly find spiritual rest?

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But the fact is, such a spiritually victorious life can only be possible through the indwelling of God’s Spirit in our heart!

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NO ENVYING, NO PROUD & LOFTY DESIRES!

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“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings…”

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But let’s examine just one of these works, for a moment. Take for instance, the work of “envying”.

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Just imagine if a person had no more envying, as it says in this above passage! Well, that person would no longer respond to all those TV advertisements about buying a shiny new impressive car, or an ad about having that enviable and prestigious career, or about buying that bigger and fancier house on that notable and impressive Nob Hill location!

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And “envying” is just one of the many works of the flesh mentioned in this above passage from Galatians!

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Rolls Royce 200EX ‘Ghost’- Flickr – The Car Spy – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike license

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“COMPARING SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL”

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Now when we read the Ten Commandments, we just cannot fully understand them, until we read everything else the Bible has to say about them.

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Oh yes, there are many who think of those Ten Commandments as if they are some sort of little laundry-list of Christian duties, not realizing the following passage… “I have seen an end of all perfection: but Thy commandment is exceeding broad. O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day!” Psalm 119:96, 97.

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As this above passage reveals, the commandments of the Lord are “exceeding broad”. They require for us to meditate (contemplate) upon them all through the day. And as we put together those Ten Commandments with all other related Bible passages, we then begin to get a much broader concept of just what they really mean! “Thy commandment is exceeding broad”

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Braet von Überfeldt – woman with bible 1866 – wikipedia – US-public-domain.

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JESUS: THE END OF ALL PERFECTION!

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“I have seen an end of all perfection: but Thy commandment is exceeding broad! O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day!” Psalm 119:96, 97.

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But just one more comment about this above passage from Psalm 119:96. Notice it says… “I have seen the end of all perfection!” Just what is the Psalmist referring to here, as “the end of all perfection”?

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Well we know just who is the ultimate fulfillment of the Law: Jesus Christ! Yes, Jesus is the true essence of the Law! And the Law is our schoolmaster which hopefully leads us to Christ! And as we behold the life and words of Christ, we begin to see the Law in all its beauty and perfection!

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Transfiguration – Bloch – Commons – US Public-Domain

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TO READ PART 4, CLICK HERE…

August 10 (Keeping 1 Day Holy, Part 4, Genuine Rest & True Holiness)

Ten Commandments – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Share-alike License 4.0

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Please continue to do a work in me, to cleanse me from all defilement of the flesh. Help me to crucify the Old Man, with all his sinful desires…

Pray for Our Nation sign – Wikimedia – Share-alike-lic.

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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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THE HOLY GHOST RIDER CONSTELLATION

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This newest Signs Of Heaven Constellation (Fall, 2013) is by far the faintest of constellations, but is a very incredible and awesome one in a number of ways (which this article will explain).

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It is primarily comprised of the Camelopardalis Constellation (head and upper back), plus about 5 stars from the Cassiopeia Constellation (his leg), plus some random stars. It appears as an outline of a rider. Only the back of his head is detailed. And his back and the back of his legs are also detailed. Both sides of his arm are visible, and his hand is gripping the horses mane, and that is detailed by three stars (which are also part of the horse’s mane). The rider is in a position vaguely similar to a race-horse jockey. The two brightest stars in this constellation, are from the Cassiopeia Constellation, and are part of his leg. All the rest of the stars are very faint, and must be viewed on a very starry night.

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Since this constellation has just been revealed, there may be more to this constellation in the coming months. But if you can locate the Goodly Horse in Battle Constellation, then you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating this Rider Constellation, provided you have excellent star-watching conditions.

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BIBLE VERSES PICTURED IN THE HEAVENS

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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: This is a Wikipedia star-chart, in which this site’s editor has sketched in these three constellation (without the Holy-Ghost-Rider Constellation). 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 Goodly 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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TOMORROW:

” June 6th (It’s a Click-n-Lie World! Part 1 – “The Problem”)”

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

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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 #154 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Today’s Devotional – June 4th (Keeping 1 Day Holy! Part 2, “Rest”)

By admin On June 3rd, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 4th

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Keeping 1 Day Holy!

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Part 2:

“Rest”

To read Part 1, just click here… “June 3rd (Keeping 1 Day Holy!)”

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In yesterday’s devotional (click here), the idea was discussed, “Just how do I keep one day holy?” And the answer came back, “You cannot keep just one day holy!”

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That’s right! Holiness is a spiritual relationship with God. Holiness is the spiritual fruit which comes from the abiding presence of the Spirit of Holiness.

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So what does resting on the Sabbath Day have to do with keeping that day holy? How could physical rest make any day holy?

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Braet von Überfeldt – woman with bible 1866 – wikipedia – US-public-domain

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“AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS”

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Listen… “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

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So here we see that Jesus is calling us to rest. But the rest He speaks of, is not a physical rest, but is a “rest unto your souls”! And the labor He speaks of here is a labor which comes from the heavy burden of sin and unbelief! As God says in Galatians, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest…” Galatians 5:19. Here is the labor that must be set aside, “the works of the flesh.” in order to have true rest and true holiness.

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Yes, Jesus says His yoke is easy and His burden is light! And isn’t it true, that when we finally stop trying to run our own lives, and turn it all over to Jesus, that our life becomes much more simple and decidedly less stressful?

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ABOVE PICTURE – winter – Orion the Good Shepherd – www.signsofheaven.org

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ISAIAH SPEAKS OF PERFECT PEACE!

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Now the Bible goes even further in defining what our rest is to be. Listen to the words of Isaiah… “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3

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This perfect peace (or “Rest”) is what we all desire, isn’t it? And such a peace is attainable by keeping our minds fixated on Jesus!

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But of course, such a spiritual victory may be easier said, than done! As most of us have found out, the Christian life can be like a battlefield, so very often! And Paul addresses this issue of entering into this rest.

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Listen… “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it….Let us LABOUR therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Hebrews 4:1, 11.

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Yes, there remains a Sabbath Rest unto the people of God. But most of us have not yet attained that “perfect peace”. And so, as this above passage exhorts, we must “labor” to enter that rest.

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The Prophet Isaiah (Bible Card from 1904) – Wikipedia – public domain

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WAITING AT HIS DOORS, DAILY!

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But then, just how do we labor to enter in to that rest?

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Well, Jesus has already revealed the answer to this question in today’s signature Bible passage. Listen again… “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls…”

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OK, so here is the recipe for success. Take Jesus’ easy yoke, and study His Word, in hope of finding out more and more about Jesus!

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And as we grow in the knowledge of Jesus, the more we will be filled with the wisdom of Jesus!

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USMC- prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

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ONE DAY NOT ENOUGH!

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Now of course, such an intense endeavor of cleansing and purifying the heart, requires a seven-day-per-week devotion.

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To spend just one day a week sitting at the feet of Jesus, and learning of Him is a good start.

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But those who truly desire to find that perfect peace and spiritual rest, will realize that they must keep focused on Jesus throughout each and every day of the week!

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There is no other way to find perfect peace.

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ABOVE PICTURE: “Thy Word have I hid in my heart” Psalm 119:11

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SPIRIT OF HOLINESS MAKES ALL THIS POSSIBLE!

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But the very Good News is this! When we are indwelt by the Spirit of Holiness (The Holy Spirit), we will have such a thirst for God, that we will begin seeking Him on a 24/7/365 basis! We will have to often restrain ourselves from constantly talking about Him when in the company of others!

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We will love to talk to Him as we go about our daily chores! We will love to commit a Bible verse to memory, at every opportune moment! And as we look at the innocent things of nature, we will be filled with a joyful appreciation for God’s marvelous power and wisdom!

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And the more we grow in seasoned wisdom, the more will every act of our life become as a living sermon! This is what Jesus’ life was all about when He was on earth. And this is the direction we are to be going, in our own life!

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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain.

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PART 3 CONTINUES TOMORROW

Ten Commandments – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Share-alike License 4.0

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THE READER IS ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THIS 25 MINUTE BIBLE STUDY ON JEREMIAH 17:21-25 CONCERNING THE 7TH DAY SABBATH. THIS STUDY (#287) IS CONDUCTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING OF FAMILY RADIO STATIONS…

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ABOVE PAINTING: The Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to labor to enter into that Sabbath-keeping that remaineth unto the people of God. Give me the strength and desire to contemplate Thy Word as I go about my day, today. Let my heart become filled with Thy Word, and with all Thy precious promises, that I may live the life of well-seasoned faith…

Praying Hands – Otto Greiner – Wikimedia – .bassenge.com – Cropped image – 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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1st FACE…THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

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The first face, a man’s face, is easy to see. It is that proverbial ‘Man in the Moon’. Most have seen it. Even as little children. (The other two faces are not so easy to see. But let’s concentrate on the first face.)

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Notice that the ‘Man in the Moon’ appears as though he is looking down at the Earth. ‘Shock and Awe’. That’s the look on his face. Sadness too! You might even see the tears running down his cheeks. (“Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.” Psalm 119:136) The Moon is spoken of as a “faithful witness”. God’s covenanted law is spoken of as a faithful witness as well. Listen to the Psalmist…

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“It (God’s covenant with David [i.e., Christ]) shall be established for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.” Psalm 89:37. Notice here that God is comparing His Covenant to the Moon as a “faithful witness”. The Moon reflects the light of the Sun, just as Christians should reflect the light of the Sun of Righteousness, Jesus, who should be in their daily lives. And so the Moon fulfills the verse from Psalms which proclaims… “Praise ye him, Sun and Moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.” Psalm 148:3

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Moon – Public Domain – 2nd face Pharisee Scorner – by Cezar Popescu for Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain – cropped, highlighted & rotated photo

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***“SEEK HIM THAT MADE* *THE 7 STARS & ORION”***

Amos 5:8

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“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.” Rev. 18:1

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The above verse from Revelation speaks of an angel who came down from Heaven, proclaiming a message… “and the Earth was lightened with His glory.” Rev. 18:1. This passage takes on new light, as one considers that these signs in the Sun, Moon, and Stars are just now beginning to lighten the Earth with God’s glory. The Moon is a “Night Watchman”. The Moon is a “faithful witness” in the heavens. But this verse, “It (God’s covenant) shall be established for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven”, also seems to be speaking of the signs in heaven spoken of in this website. “Signs of Heaven” Website is dedicated to showing the various biblical signs that God has inscribed in the Sun, Moon and stars. In other words, God’s Covenant is literally written as a faithful witness in the heavens…in the night sky…in the various constellations, and also in our own solar-system. And if you will study this website, you will see for yourself that God’s Covenant is… “as a faithful witness in heaven.” (Psalm 89:37)

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TOMORROW:

” June 5th (Keeping 1 Day Holy, Part 3 “Works”)”

Ten Commandments – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Share-alike License 4.0

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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 #153 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

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Today’s Devotional – June 2nd (Just Enough Rope!)

By admin On June 3rd, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 2nd

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Just Enough Rope!

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“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,

that they should believe a lie:

That they all might be damned

who believed not the truth,

but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

2nd Timothy 2:11

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Noose – Wikimedia Commons- public domain

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A well-known TV minister was being interviewed in the past few days, regarding his “prosperity gospel” message. And though he denied being a “Prosperity Preacher”, he went on to say, that being a Christian doesn’t mean one has to be poor.

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And then he reached back into the Old Testament, to cite examples of rich patriarchs, such as Abraham, who were extremely wealthy..

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Now, isn’t it rather odd that he forgot to cite Jesus and His disciples for an example?

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After all, are we not New Covenant Christians?

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Noose – Wikimedia Commons- public domain

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JUST ENOUGH ROPE!

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There is a popular expression today which says… “give a man enough rope and he’ll hang himself!”

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And this concept is not altogether foreign to the Bible. After all, doesn’t God plainly warn that… “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness”? 2nd Thessalonians 2:11, 12

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Yes, God indeed gives people enough rope to hang themselves.

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And He does so right in the Scriptures!

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Noose – Wikimedia Commons- public domain

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THE BIBLE, A TWO-EDGED SWORD

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Listen again… “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

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Here in this above verse, God declares His Word to be a “Two-Edged Sword”. That is, it cuts both ways. It brings out what’s in each person’s heart!

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But if a man’s heart goes after covetousness, that person will find the necessary Bible admonishments which seemingly condone his or her quest for the things of the world!

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Listen… “with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.” Ezekiel 33:31

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And so, in both cases, God’s sword will slay, howbeit to the Believer it will ultimately slay his love for the world, but to the other it will slay his connection with Heaven!

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Noose – Wikimedia Commons- public domain

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A JESUS OF MY OWN MAKING!

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Listen again… “With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful; with an upright man Thou wilt show Thyself upright; With the pure Thou wilt show Thyself pure; and with the froward Thou wilt show Thyself froward.” Psalm 18:25, 26.

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Here once again, this above passage is letting us know that the Bible will only take a person where his heart desires to go!

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If the person doesn’t want to believe in the Bible, it will be seemingly filled with errors.

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If a person wants to drink or gamble, the Bible will give the necessary permission to do so.

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If a person wishes to divorce and remarry, the Bible will seemingly excuse that person as well!

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If a person desires a deviant lifestyle, such as Polygamy or Sodomy, the Bible has plenty of passages which seem to excuse or even promote such lifestyles.

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If a woman wants to dance in front of the congregation, there’s enough verses to seemingly support that!

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If a person wishes to be saved and yet still desires to pursue earthly dreams, riches, and ambitions, there will be many verses which seemingly allow for that!

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**If a person wishes to have a Social-Justice gospel, the Bible has plenty of verses which seem to promote Socialism.**

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Or one of the eastern religions!

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Or just about any other ideology one desires!

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Noose – Wikimedia Commons- public domain

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“WITH ALL YOUR HEART!”

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Now for those who want to win the victor’s crown, and follow the Lamb of God, the Bible will become, “clearer than the noonday”! Job 11:17 & Psalm 37:6

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Listen to Jeremiah… “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

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As this above verse indicates, there are many who think that once they dip into the baptismal pool, their search for Jesus has ended.

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But truth-be-told, when coming up out of the baptismal pool, the search for Jesus has only just begun!

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PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

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**John Bunyan brought out this truth in his earth-shaking allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, which told the tale of a pilgrim’s journey to the Promised Land.**

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And it was only halfway through his journey that he finally came to the foot of the Cross!

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But his journey continued, far beyond his arrival at the Cross!

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And so it is with every true Christian!

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

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SERPENTS IN THE PULPIT!

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And let’s face it, there are many pastors with great congregations, saying the things which tickle their itching ears!

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Listen… “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2nd Timothy 4:3, 4.

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Yes, God does allow a person enough rope to hang his or her own self!

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Brown tree snake – Boiga – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“I AM THE WAY”

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The very Good News is, we don’t have to surround ourselves with the deceptive preaching so common today!

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God has given Jesus to be our example in all things! His life is to be our life! His ways are to be our ways!

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And His truth is found by forsaking all and following Him.

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Listen once more… “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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Noose – Wikimedia Commons- public domain

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“THIS WORLD WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM!”

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Yes, the only way that a person can become His disciple is to decide to live for Heaven, and no longer for this selfish world!

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Now this doesn’t mean that we must immediately trash all our belongings, grow a beard, wear a robe, and speak in “Thee’s and Thou’s”.

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No, but when a person truly becomes a follower of Jesus, it is like that popular old song…

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“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of the world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace!”

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Yes, when we keep our eyes upon Jesus, the deceptive treasures and pleasures of this selfish world will begin to loosen their tight grip on us.

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Noose – Wikimedia Commons- public domain

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THE PILGRIM’S PATHWAY

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Yes, when we begin our journey up the Pilgrim’s Pathway, the heavy burden of all our sins and selfish desires will eventually fall from off our backs, when we truly come to the Cross!

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But the journey doesn’t stop there! No, when we truly come to the Cross, our journey is just beginning!

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And there will be a growing desire for the things of Heaven.

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And our great longing of heart in life, will be for the merging of our heart and soul with Jesus!

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And our great hope will be for the world to witness, that of a truth, Jesus is in us!

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Keep me far from vanity and lies! Help me to follow the true Jesus, though it costs all my earthly desires…

Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic 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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WHERE IS THIS SERPENT GOING?

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Now it appears as this snake/serpent and its passengers are on a mission. But where are they headed? Well the snake is travelling away from Christ’s heel, that is for sure. Well, if you go out at night and find this serpent Constellation, you will notice that the four stars which make its jaws are pointing in two directions.

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In other words, if you were to draw a line from the two stars which compose its upper jaw, and a straight line from the two stars which compose its lower jaw, and extend those lines across the sky, one line would go to the Valley of Decision Constellation, while the other would go to the Broad Way to Hell Constellation (AKA Pisces).

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TOMORROW:

“June 3rd (Keeping 1 Day Holy!)”

Ten Commandments – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Share-alike License 4.0

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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 #151 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

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Today’s Devotional – June 3rd (Keeping 1 Day Holy!)

By admin On June 1st, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 3rd

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Keeping 1 Day Holy!

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In today’s Church-world, there are a few who still call Sunday, “The Sabbath”. But for the most part, it is now referred to as “The Lord’s Day”.

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Now when John mentioned, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day”, he no-where said anything about that “Lord’s Day” being the 1st day of the week. That is merely conjecture on the part of the Christian community.

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But the fact is, in a very real sense, any day of the week is “The Lord’s Day”: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: they all are “The Lord’s Day”!

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Listen… “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24. And so, whatever day it is today, it is the Lord’s Day, and we should be glad and rejoice in it!

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john on patmos – wikigallery – public domain

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WHICH DAY DO I KEEP?

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Now there are some who hold to the idea that the 7th day of the week is still the Sabbath of the Lord, from Friday until sundown Saturday night. And that group, to a certain degree, attempts to keep that one day holy.

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In many cases, the TV is turned off for a 24 hour period. And no shopping or physical labor is performed. And many even attend church services on that day.

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But while this is commendable, the point of today’s devotional is all about “Just what makes a day holy?”

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And so, when the 4th commandment says “Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy”, one should question, “just how is that one day to be kept holy?”

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Now according to that commandment, it speaks about ceasing from labor. But certainly, merely ceasing from physical labor can’t make a day holy! There has to be more to it than just that!

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Ten Commandments National Museum of Scotland wikimedia share-alike license

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REGARDING ONE DAY OR REGARDING ALL!

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And of course, the New Testament does not condemn anybody for trying to keep one day holy above the other six days.

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Even Paul says… “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.” Romans 14:5, 6.

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And so, from this above passage, we can conclude that each person should be fully persuaded in his or her own mind about the keeping of one day above another…or not!

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Now there are many who keep either Saturday or Sunday “holy”, and yet, after church, they go home, and turn on the TV and watch sports games, or engage in other amusements or pursuits. There often is little or no talk of the Bible and people return to their recreation or mundane labors.

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Super Bowl XLIII Thunderbirds Flyover Feb 1 2009 – wikipedia – public domain

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“BE YE HOLY IN ALL CONDUCT!”

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But again, today’s devotional asks the question, “How do you keep just one day holy?”

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Now the Bible says… “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1st Peter 1:15, 16.

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Notice that Peter here, did not say, “Be ye holy just one day per week”.

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No, but Peter said, “Be ye holy in all manner of conversation (conduct and lifestyle).”

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St Peter Brandl – 1724 – National Gallery Prague – cropped image – wikimedia commons – Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license

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IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP ONLY ONE DAY HOLY!

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And so, for those who decide to keep one day of the week holy, the question is asked, “How do you keep just one day holy, without keeping the other six holy too?”

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And the obvious answer is, “You cannot keep just one day holy! You must keep all seven days holy, in order for that Sabbath day to be truly holy!”

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And so, if a person is going to keep any one day holy, truly holy, then that person must be holy every day of the week. Anything else is merely presumption and even more than just a little bit hypocritical.

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Listen to the prophet, Isaiah… “Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” Isaiah 1:13-15.

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Yes, God was trying to let His people know that He was not impressed with ceremonies and one-day sabbaths, when the rest of the week was filled with idolatrous behavior!

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The Prophet Isaiah (Bible Card from 1904) – Wikipedia – public domain

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TO “WALK, EVEN AS HE (JESUS) WALKED”

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Jesus Christ came, not only to die on the Cross, but also to present His example of holy living.

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**Listen… “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.” 1st John 2:6.**

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So, it is by walking, even as Jesus walked, that the Christian finds true holiness. And what did Jesus do on the Sabbath day? The same thing that He did every other day of the week!

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Listen… “I sat daily with you teaching in the temple” Matthew 26:55. Yes, Jesus held religious meetings on a daily basis, when on earth. And He healed on the Sabbath, but every other day of the week also! And He spread the Gospel on the Sabbath, and every other day of the week as well!

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Cross of Jesus Christ – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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A “REST UNTO YOUR SOULS”

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And so, the question stills begs an answer, “Just how does one keep the Sabbath holy?“ And the answer comes back, “By walking, even as Jesus walked!” Yes, this is the true Sabbath rest that Jesus came to show us.

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After all, Jesus says to us today… “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

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And such a yoke as this is a 24/7/365 yoke!

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And it is a “rest unto your souls”!

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Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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PART 2 CONTINUES TOMORROW

Tissot – Moses and the Ten Commandments – Wikipedia – US Public Dom.

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THE READER IS ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THIS 25 MINUTE AUDIO BIBLE STUDY ON JEREMIAH 17:21-25 CONCERNING THE 7TH DAY SABBATH. THIS STUDY (#286) IS CONDUCTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO STATIONS…

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

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to enter into that rest unto my soul. Help me to walk, even as Jesus walked. Help me find that peace which surpasses all understanding…

Prayer at Day’s End – Angelus by Jean-François Millet – Wikipedia – 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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FIVE WISE VIRGINS STARS

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Perhaps the most unforgettable parable in the Bible is that of the Parable of the Five Wise and the Five Foolish Virgins. And now the Lord has revealed the “Five Wise Virgins Stars” in the Summer night skies.

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Listen…“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

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“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

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“Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

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“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

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“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25:1-13

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Brooklyn Museum – The Wise Virgins – James Tissot – Wikimedia – public domain

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WIKIPEDIA STAR-CHART

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This constellation was identified on May 22nd, 2014. It is simply five stars, two from the Serpens Constellation, and three from the Hercules Constellation.

Wikipedia Star-Chart – Corona Borealis

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What gives this constellation impetus and significance is that it appears as five evenly positioned stars, in a slight oval pattern, as if they were sitting in a meeting, listening, or perhaps watching someone.

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Second, they appear to be gathered in front of The Crown of Revelation 12 Constellation. (just below Corona Borealis in this Wikipedia star-chart, in which the editor of this site sketched in these two constellations)

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer constellation – Five Wise Virgins Stars & The Glorious Crown – Corona Borealis – signsofheaven.org – Not for profit uses! – Wikipedia Star chart with constellations drawn in by this website.

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TOMORROW:

“June 4th (Keeping 1 Day Holy! Part 2)”

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Tissot – Moses and the Ten Commandments – Wikipedia – US Public Dom.

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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 #152 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Today’s Devotional – June 1st (The Pied Piper of TV!)

By admin On June 1st, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – June 1st

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The Pied Piper of Television

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**Most everyone knows the children’s tale, the Pied Piper of Hamlin, in which a man with a magical flute was left unpaid for his services of ridding the village of its rodent plague.**

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But the very same flute which mesmerized those rodents was later used to lead away captive all the children of this community.

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**Now whether or not this was a true story (and there is debate on that), this children’s tale can be allegorized to present some spiritual relevance.**

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Pied Piper – Wikipedia – public domain

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PIED PIPER OF TELEVISION

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Like never before, our society is being led over the precipice of destruction by a certain Pied Piper! Yes television, Internet devices (also radio, printed page, etc.), are now the modern-day Pied Piper of the entire world. And this talking-image is now leading the great masses into moral decadence at such a rapid decline, it is amazing to behold!

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Statistics show that morality and our acceptance of immorality is changing at an incredible rate of speed!

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And yet there are many skeptics who claim that these devices have no such power over the people. But the Bible says quite differently…

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Listen… “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.1st Corinthians 15:33.

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Yes, the Bible makes quite clear that our associations determine, to a great extent, just how we think, and what we believe, and who we are!

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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”

Revelation 13:11

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**Revelation 13 foretold of a “beast” which would, one day, “arise out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb, and speaks as a dragon”.**

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Unfortunately, this beast is fulfilled by the rise of the United States of America, as it rose up in the wilderness of North America, deriving its power from the products which the earth produces. (don’t forget, beasts in the Bible symbolize nations).

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And though the USA professes to be moral, even Christian in its values (symbolized by the two lamb-like horns), the major media speaks increasingly “as a dragon” (Satan), now promoting immorality, racism, atheism, while at the same time censoring any speech it deems threatening to Satan’s soul-destroying warfare against the human race!

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Thus, we should not be surprised to see how forcefully the media has become in dragging down humanity into the darkness of godless, moral depravity!

TV – The Image of the Beast – www.theheavensdeclare.net – Not for commercial uses

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THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST

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“And he (the 2nd Beast) had power to give life unto the image of the (1st) beast, that the image of the (1st) beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the (1st) beast should be killed.”

Revelation 13:15

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So, if this 2nd Beast represents the USA, then just what is this talking image? Television? Internet? Artificial Intelligence?

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Yes, this talking image has now been invented! And just like that Pied Piper, our high-tech innovations are now demanding that we and our children become conformed to its image. Yes, Lucifer’s antichrist world-system is that 1st Beast of Revelation 13!

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And it is becoming more bold and more demanding that each of us become transformed into its image…which is actually the fallen character of Lucifer: the very essence of selfishness, narcissism, jealousy, greed, dishonesty, vengeance, hatefulness, violence, sexual-perverseness, indifference, lust, impatience, worldly-ambitiousness, and such-like characteristics.

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This is what the image of the beast is all about. And this is what the mark of the Beast is all about.

ABOVE PICTURE: TV indoctrination – www.signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses

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“COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE!”

Revelation 18:4

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The Bible commands God’s people to come out of Babylon. Oh yes, Babylon is the apostate church. But Babylon is also the world! This is perhaps one great reason for the pronouncement… “Babylon is fallen, is fallen”. Yes, this great city, “is fallen is fallen”, hinting that it is twice fallen.

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And lest there be any doubts about our responsibility as Christians, God has made it quite clear… “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?… Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,” 2nd Corinthians 6:14, 17.

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Here is a very pointed and clear commandment from God, right out of the New Testament. God will be a Father to us, if we are faithful to this above directive to come out from among them, and, “be ye separate!”

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And the implied threat here is, that if we do not separate from unbelievers, then we should NOT expect God to be a Father to us!

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It’s that simple!

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TV high-quality – cropped – wikimedia – creative commons license

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“I SHALL DO UNTO YOU AS…UNTO THEM”

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Just listen to the results which God’s people suffered, because they did not obey the Lord’s command to drive out the unbelievers… “They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.” Psalm 106:34-36

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A great deal of the Old Testament was concerning whether or not God’s people would drive out all the evil influences from their land….

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Listen… “But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be thorns in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” Numbers 33:55, 56

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This warning, threat, and admonition from God still stands today! It’s absolutely necessary for anyone who cares about his or her Salvation to awake unto righteousness, and get rid of these evil influences, A.S.A.P.!

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VERY GOOD NEWS!

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The very Good News is, that God will help us and give us strength to accomplish the purification of our hearts, if we ask and believe that He will.

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And if our spouse and children are of a different mind, we must pray that God will open their eyes to the destructive nature of television.

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And though our older children may be going after the worldly pleasures and pursuits, if we will only turn our own lives around, God has promised us…

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“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day…Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body,” Deuteronomy 28:1, 4.

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Yes, God has a promise for those who are obedient. And so, the Believer must, prayerfully, never give up hope for the deliverance for his or her own self, and for their own family.

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Homeschoolers playing Dutch Blitz at picnic gathering – cropped – wikimedia – share-alike license

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“PURIFY YOUR HEARTS YE DOUBLE-MINDED”

James 4:8

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And so, O Stranger & Pilgrim, you must obey the Lord, and begin to throw off the yoke of Satan’s bondage. You must pray for strength to stop your ears and shut your eyes from this insidious Pied Piper, who is leading you and your children into the “bottomless pit” of sin! (Revelation 9:1, 2, 11, etc…)

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And then, we must replace all the worldly rubbish which is presently in our hearts with the pure Word of Truth, found within the pages of the Bible.

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And by immersing ourselves in holy things, we can make our little corner of the world into a little corner of Heaven, if we should choose to!

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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to separate myself from every unwholesome influence that I possibly can! Help me to purify my heart, thus becoming changed into Thy glorious image…

Pray for Our Nation sign – Wikimedia – Share-alike-lic.

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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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THE FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS STARS

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A new constellation has been revealed, as of about May 29th, 2014. This constellation appears as a snake. Its body is comprised of stars from the Bootes Constellation, and its jaws are made of the four stars which Babylonians saw as the head of Draco, the Dragon. It also has a small single star for an eye.

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Now in this constellation is a group of five stars, which will be called “The Five Foolish Virgins Stars”. These are located on the opposite side of the Glorious Crown of 12 Stars, from the Five Wise Virgins Stars. But one big difference between the two is, that The Five Wise are curved around the Glorious Crown, while the Five Foolish are curved away from it!

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Now another incredible aspect to all this is that this snake/serpent is winding its way around the backside of this Crown. And it is traveling in a direction away from the Crown! And one really phenomenal aspect to this, is that each jaw (composed of two stars each) is pointing in two directions. In other words, if you drew a line parallel with these two sets of stars (the head of Draco), they each go in two directions: one leading to the Valley of Decision Constellation, and the other going straight to the Broad Way to Hell Constellation (AKA Pisces).

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Now if one studies the Valley of Decision Constellation, it is soon discovered that the same concept, of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, is also depicted in this constellation group. The Five Wise Virgins being depicted by the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Five Foolish Virgins, looking like a wheel, rolling its way down into the Dragon Constellation!

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Now, before this gets too confusing, perhaps we should dissect each aspect individually, to get a basic understanding of just what all this means.

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TOMORROW:

“June 2nd (Just Enough Rope!)”

Noose – Wikimedia Commons- 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 #150 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped by this website to make them a better fit on android phone screens.

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Devouring Fire.com

Today’s Devotional – June 9th (The Power of Positive-Thinking Gospels! Part 1)

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Today’s Devotional – June 9th

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The Power of Positive-Thinking Gospels!

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Part 1

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“But in all things approving ourselves…

in much patience, in afflictions,

in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments,

in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering,

by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

By the word of truth, by the power of God,

by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

By honour and dishonour,

by evil report and good report:

as deceivers, and yet true;

As unknown, and yet well known;

as dying, and, behold, we live;

as chastened, and not killed;

As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor,

yet making many rich;

as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”

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Several nights ago, a very popular Christian speaker held a large convocation with a vast throng of tens of thousands of listeners.

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And this evangelist gave a very high-energy presentation, with a very positive message.

Well, the gist of what he said is, “We need to think positive, speak positive, and believe positively, that God has good things in store for us here on earth!”

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Yes, this popular speaker continued to present a message about achieving our earthly dreams: earthly dreams for ourselves and for our families.

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“THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH WERE SMOOTHER THAN BUTTER!”

Psalm 55:21

This extravaganza was filled with short, but uplifting testimonies, a high-energy, upbeat rock band, attractive women, well-timed jokes, and smoother-than-butter preaching!

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Well, needless to say, this presentation was received with no lack of enthusiasm!

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The vast audience, thousands strong, seemed mesmerized, yet ecstatic about this uplifting and upbeat message! The night was a huge success!

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THINK & GROW RICH

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The fact is, this Power of Positive Thinking philosophy has been blowing in and out of the church-world for many decades.

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POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

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From there, a certain Christian man took this recipe for success and packaged it into a religious context.

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And this Christian writer renamed this philosophy, The Power of Positive Thinking. And its influence was a great contributor to the modern-day gospels which largely focus on earthly prosperity.

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**This extravaganza was filled with short, but uplifting testimonies, a high-energy, upbeat rock band, attractive women, well-timed jokes, and smoother-than-butter preaching!**

**The fact is, this Power of Positive Thinking philosophy has been blowing in and out of the church-world for many decades.**

**And this Christian writer renamed this philosophy, The Power of Positive Thinking. And its influence was a great contributor to the modern-day gospels which largely focus on earthly prosperity.**

**Oh yes, the Bible promises “perfect peace” to those who keep their hearts fixed on Jesus and His Word!**

Certainly, **Jesus did not subscribe to this Power of Positive Thinking philosophy!**