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Today’s Devotional – September 21st

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Who is Michael the Arch-Angel?

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“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven

with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,

and with the trump of God:

and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

1st Thessalonians 4:16

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Listen to this passage from Jude… “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” Jude 1:9

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So Michael the Arch-Angel called on the Lord to rebuke the Devil. So there you have it! Michael cannot possibly be Christ!

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Michael – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License

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THE LORD REBUKE THEE, O SATAN!

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But wait a minute! Listen to this next passage… “And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” Zechariah 3:2

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So what’s going on here? It says… “And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan!” Well, obviously this verse must be speaking of Christ, as He called on His Father to rebuke Satan.

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And so these two passages are identical in that Michael and the Lord both called on the Lord to rebuke Satan.

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Christ battles Satan – www.thebiblerevival.com – Public Domain

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And so this presents a perplexing question about, “Just who is Michael?”

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Question Mark – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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MICHAEL, YOUR GREAT PRINCE!

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Now listen to this next passage… “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia…But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael YOUR prince.” Daniel 10:13, 21

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Now here it calls Michael in this way… “Michael, one of the chief princes…”. So are there a group of chief princes up there in Heaven?

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But then it goes on to say in this same passages… “there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael YOUR prince.” Daniel 10:21

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Now here it reveals that Michael is “your prince” when speaking to Daniel. So isn’t Christ our prince? You mean to tell us that there is more than one prince for God’s people? Or is this speaking of the Godhead: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Are these three the “chief princes” which are spoken of here, in Daniel?

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Lucifer – Mihály-Zichy – 1887 – Wikimedia – US-Public-Domain

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“MICHAEL THE GREAT PRINCE

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WHICH STANDS FOR…THY PEOPLE!”

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So listen to this next passage… “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble…” Daniel 12:11

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OK, so here again, it speaks of Michael in this same way… “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:”

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Now it says here that Michael shall stand up, which stands for the children of thy people! But isn’t Christ the prince who stands for God’s people?

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And who else but Christ could be referred to as “the great prince”? And not only this, but the “great prince, which stands for the children of thy (Daniel’s) people?”

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BLASPHEMY?

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So now this is really getting murky! After all, the currently popular teaching regarding Michael, is that he is definitely not Christ! And furthermore, anyone who says he is Christ is under damnation! That’s pretty scary, wouldn’t you agree? Yes, today’s evangelical Bible teachers are very adamant about such a heresy as calling Michael the Arch-Angel, Christ! After all, Michael is an angel! And Christ is the eternal Son of God! And so it is blasphemy to Call Christ an angel! Well isn’t it?

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After all, there’s that particular false gospel over there, which says that Christ is Michael, and is merely a created being! And so, that group doesn’t acknowledge Christ’s divinity!

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Therefore, the mainstream evangelical community almost unanimously calls any person or group who believes that Christ is Michael, a heretic!

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Now that kind of thinking makes some very prominent historical figures into heretics!

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ABOVE STAR CHART (with constellations drawn in by this website): Wikipedia star-charts latter winter constellation in West with Orion – Revelation 12 Dragon (Hyades, Auriga, Pleiades, etc.) – Goodly Horse (Persius, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, etc.) – Holy Ghost Rider (Camelopadelis)

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MATTHEW HENRY A HERETIC?

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For instance, the most widely respected Bible theologian, other than Paul, throughout history was Matthew Henry. His multiple-volume Bible commentary is on most pastors’ book shelves, and is often referred to, to this very day!

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And yet, Henry believed that Michael the Arch-Angel was Christ! Listen as he commented on Revelation, Chapter 12… “2. The parties – Michael and his angels on one side, and the dragon and his angels on the other: Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and His faithful followers; and Satan and all his instruments.” 

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So here it becomes clear that Matthew Henry saw Michael as Christ, who is called “the Angel of the Covenant“.

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Listen… “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you.” Judges 2:1

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Now Matthew Henry believed that Christ was fully a member of the eternal Godhead! But he also believed that Michael was another name for Christ!

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And so, according to modern-day thinking, Matthew Henry was a heretic!

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But the big difference between Mr. Henry and that certain denomination over there, is that Matthew Henry freely acknowledged that Christ was the eternal Son of God!

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Matthew Henry Wikipedia Public Domain

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CHRIST COMPARED TO MANY THINGS

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But the fact is, that God in Scripture, compares Himself to many different representations, and we shouldn’t be fearful of acknowledging Christ as sometimes being referred to as the, “angel of the Lord”. After all, God often compares Himself to a human (Melchizedek, David, Solomon, Job, etc).

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And God compares Himself to “a dove”. He also compares Himself to … a Good Shepherd…a rose… a rock… the Sun… a WORM… a Fire… rain… a thief… a lily… a sword… a shield… a scepter… a pearl… a Star… a hen… a serpent… a bear… bread… milk… a soldier…  water…  wine…  smoke… the Ark… the temple… a priest… an altar… a bridegroom, and on and on it goes.

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And so why should it surprise us, that a number of times in Scripture, He refers to Himself as the “Angel of the Lord”? It doesn’t mean that Christ is less than eternal God. Christ IS the Eternal Son of God! It’s just that God uses countless metaphoric symbols in Scripture to illustrate various spiritual ideas.

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THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

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And to tell the truth, there is quite often, just a bit of hypocrisy among today’s Bible teachers! Yes, many of these same men who say that it is blasphemy to call Christ an angel, rather sheepishly acknowledge that the Bible calls Christ, “The angel of the Lord” in a number of places!

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And so, as the saying goes, “You can’t have it both ways!” If you’re going to condemn those who believe that Michael the Arch-Angel is none other than Christ the eternal Son of God, because it’s blasphemy to call Christ an angel, then don’t you, yourself, call Him the “Angel of the Lord”! That seems rather double-tongued, doesn’t it?

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Brown tree snake – Boiga – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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CHRIST BATTLES THE DRAGON

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The 12th Chapter of Revelation is a most amazing chapter, because it presents a short overview of the Gospel story, as it is seen in the stars of Heaven. But instead of Christ and his angels fighting against the Devil and his angels, Revelation 12 says it this way…

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

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Now this above passage reveals a war in Heaven between Michael and His angels and the Dragon and his angels. But this actually refers to Christ. Because it is Christ who fights against Satan, isn’t it? Or do we have two Saviors? Of course we don’t! There is one Savior! And that one Savior, Christ, has fought against, and will defeat the Dragon!

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Listen… “In that day the LORD with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” Isaiah 27:1

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So this verse from Isaiah confirms that it is Christ who fights against, and ultimately defeats the Dragon!

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

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GREAT SIGNS IN HEAVEN!

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Now God has just recently revealed a great sign in the heavens! It is a group of constellations which are called the Winter Constellations of the Signs Of Heaven! And as you can see in the chart to the right, Michael is fighting against the Dragon, while the Revelation 12 Woman (God’s chosen people) is fleeing to a place of refuge from the wave of water coming out of the dragon’s mouth! 

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Revelation 12 speaks about all these things. And so, when we read of a dragon, Michael, and a virtuous woman, we must realize these are merely veiled terms to describe Satan, Jesus Christ, and the Church.

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ABOVE STAR-CHART (these Bible constellations drawn from Wikipedia star-charts – Early Winter in the east – Orion, Revelation 12 Woman (AKA Ursa Major) – Revelation 12 Dragon (AKA Hyades, Pleiades, etc.) – Goodly Horse in Battle with Rider (Camelopardelis, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, etc…) – www.signsofheaven.org – Not for profit use!

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Let me not place my soul in the hands of any human! But give me fresh eyes and a willing heart to study Thy Word for myself…

Prayer – Mother and Daughter – Wikipedia – (cropped image) the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Orion Phenomena” or you can also read… “January 30th (ABC Christianity)“

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

 

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

 

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“THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN IN HEAVEN”

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“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30 

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When God promised that “there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;” Luke 21:25, we didn’t remember that “the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” Hebrews 4: The Signs Of Heaven were already created from the foundation of the world. But as we have learned in the past, God often works in ways we aren’t expecting, or looking for. For instance, at the first Advent, Jesus came in a way that nobody was expecting. There was a general consensus amongst the theologians in those days, that the Messiah would come with conquering armies to overtake the enemies of the Jews. And of course, the quiet and gentle manner in which Jesus did actually come took everyone by surprise.

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LOOSING THE BANDS OF ORION 

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God spoke several times of Orion, in Scripture. His question to Job was a very mystifying question, to say the least… “Canst thou…loose the bands of Orion?” Job 38:31. Such a strange question, indeed! How could a constellation have its bands loosed, much less, even have bands? Puzzling, puzzling!

 

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But now, He is revealing this bright and beautiful constellation in a way that has never before been seen. God Himself is loosing Orion’s bands, as He is just now unraveling this age-old mystery. And we are beginning to understand that this most infamous of all constellations is nothing less than a remarkable metaphor concerning Jesus.   

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THE 5 OFFICES OF ORION

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But like most of the other Signs which this website reveals, Orion too, has much more to say as he changes his position in the sky. And this Soldier in the Heavens puts on different garb, as he presents the five awesome aspects of his various offices. From ‘Orion the Soldier’, and ‘Orion the Reaper’, and ‘Orion the Archer’, and ‘The Cross of Orion’, and last but certainly not least, “Orion, The Good Shepherd”. This amazing constellation presents a very complex revelation of the God’s magnificent love for a fallen planet.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Orion Phenomena” 

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TOMORROW:

“September 22nd (Thy Will IS Done in Earth! Part 2)”

The Helix Nebula – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #262 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING …

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 20th

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Don’t Miss The Boat!

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Paul Taylor, who holds a Master’s Degree in Science, has written a book about The Flood of Noah’s Day. And his book no doubt, dispels many so-called “scientific” objections to the Flood.

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Don’t Miss The Boat – By Paul Taylor

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NOAH’S ARK

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Yes, the flood of Noah’s day was the world’s most incredible event, next to the 1st Advent of Jesus. The entire world perished in that great cataclysmic event! And only those who didn’t miss the boat were saved!

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Of course, when those Ark doors finally closed, only eight souls were saved, while the stubborn inhabitants of the world refused to get on-board until it was too late!

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And now, the only remaining remnants of life back then are the seashells and bones still buried on every mountain and hilltop once covered by those destroying flood-waters.

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Dove Sent Forth from the Ark after the Great Flood – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

Noahs Ark – Currier & Ives – www.wikigallery.org – Public Domain

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ARK: SYMBOL OF SALVATION

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But God has higher purposes for what He does. And the flood and the Ark were no exceptions! As a matter of fact, there is a somewhat general consensus that the Ark represents God’s Salvation.

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And so, the Ark and those in it, were a picture of all those who become saved in Christ.

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In other words, we must get on-board in God’s Salvation: that’s our only safety!

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Noahs Ark – Currier & Ives – www.wikigallery.org – Public Domain

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THE TWO SHIPS OF ACTS 27, 28

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Now, there is another story about a ship, in the Bible: actually two ships! And in this story, Paul was being taken to Rome, where he was to be judged by Caesar. And this account of Paul’s journey aboard a ship, begins to take on a greater, heavenly meaning, as it seems to be an allegorical picture of the Church, on their way to Judgment Day.

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Well, the first ship finally reached land, but broke up in a terrible storm. But all souls on-board were ultimately saved, because they stayed on the ship, according to Paul’s warning, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” Acts 27:31.

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And so, because of this ominous, salvational language, it becomes apparent that this boat, like Noah’s Ark, is also a picture of the Church, in these last days!

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Paul in a storm – Acts27-21 – www.breadsite.org – Public Domain

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SECOND SHIP: CASTOR AND POLLUX

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But here’s a strange twist to this very historical, yet allegorical account. You see, when the first ship broke up, Paul and the others escaped to an island, and stayed there three months! But after three months, they boarded another ship, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. And that ship took them smoothly and safely to Paul’s judgment.

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So just what is the significance of this story? And what does a ship with the sign of Castor and Pollux have to do with anything?

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

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CASTOR AND POLLUX IN THE HEAVENS

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Well, Signs Of Heaven has been dedicated to revealing the great Salvation story written in the Sun, Moon, and Stars, as is written… “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:25, 28

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So, among the many signs in the night-heavens, there is a climactic finish to this orderly story, written in the heavens. Yes, at the last of this story, the Revelation 12 Woman Constellation begins to wing her flight toward two sets of twin-stars: one set made of two stars, represents the Broad Gate, spoken of in Matthew. But the other twin stars represent the Narrow Gate, also spoken of in Matthew.

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Jesus Teaching – Luke 4:31-32 – Jesus talks about Heaven – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – public-domain

Revelation 12 Woman & The Two Gates

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THE DRAGON AND CHRIST

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Now, as if this weren’t incredible enough, it gets even more eerie, when it is revealed that the Wide Gate is made of the two brightest stars of the Revelation 12 Dragon’s wave of water, coming out of his mouth, as written… “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” Revelation 12:15

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And it gets even more eerie when when one considers that the Narrow Gate is made of the two stars, Castor and Pollux, which happen to be the two brightest stars of Orion’s sickle! And of course, Orion represents Jesus Christ.

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In other words, the Narrow Gate Stars are associated with Christ. And the Broad Gate Stars, are on the constellation which represents Satan.

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ABOVE PICTURE late winter – Revelation 12 Woman & Orion’s Narrow Gate (Castor and Pollux of Gemini Constellation) & Wide Gate (two stars of the Auriga Constellation)

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CASTOR AND POLLUX: THE NEW ARK!

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OK, so what does all this have to do with us? 

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Well, to put it very precisely and very concisely, this heavenly sign is an allusion to that story in Acts. And just as that 2nd ship, whose sign was Castor and Pollux, took those 276 souls safely to Paul’s Judgment, so too, this sign in the heavens speaks of the Church sailing safely to our Judgment Day, as we enter those Narrow Gate Stars, Castor and Pollux! In other words, Castor and Pollux symbolize the Narrow Gate in which every Christian must enter, to be saved!

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Listen… “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13, 14

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GET ON-BOARD!

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Well, to tie this story in Acts together with the account of Noah’s Ark, is to speak of the beginning of Salvation and the close of Salvation! In other words, the Ark represents Salvation as seen from the beginning of the Bible. But the historical account of the ship with the sign of Castor and Pollux, represents the closing up of Salvation, as seen from the New Testament, in the closing chapters of the book Acts of the Church!

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And so, as this Website proclaims, God’s people are called to come out of the fallen churches, represented by the first ship, which finally broke up. But God’s people are now called to get on-board the second ship, which will take us safely up to the stars, and into Heaven, through those Narrow Gate Stars!

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CHURCH TO BE TAKEN INTO THE HEAVENS

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Yes, this message is far beyond our comprehension! We just don’t fully know what all this means! But one thing is for sure! God’s people must get on-board this boat which will take us safely to our final destination: Heaven! And so this Website is dedicated to revealing the biblical information, which will insure that the Reader will know what must be accomplished, to make the voyage up into the starry heavens!

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But hiding God’s Word in our hearts, will be the means by which God’s Spirit will guide us safely into the Narrow Way!

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And so, dear soul, the call is just now going out, to get on-board. This ship is getting ready to leave this world!

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So please! Don’t miss the boat!

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me the knowledge of what it means to enter into the Narrow Gate! Help me to study my Bible, so that by knowledge and wisdom, I might escape the destruction to come, and safely enter into the Heaven of Heavens…

Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Castor and Pollux & The Mystery Ship of Scripture” or you can also read… “Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

 

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CASTOR AND POLLUX =

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THE NARROW WAY…

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

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

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

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

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

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LOCATING THIS GROUP…

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

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IN THE WEST

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

 

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

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)” or you can also read… “Castor and Pollux & The Mystery Ship of Scripture”

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TOMORROW:

” September 21st (Who is Michael the Arch-Angel?)”

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

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #261 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 19th

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Dawn of the Dead,

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Part 4:

“Earthly Mammon!”

To read Part 1, click here…September 16th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 1: Music)

 

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Are you old enough to remember that startling movie, “Dawn of the Dead”? 

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Being one of the first of its kind, it had a stunning effect on movie-goers. That is, to see dead people slowly sleep-walking through a giant, abandoned shopping mall, surrealistically going through the motions of shopping, while silky violin strains of “elevator music” echoed through the empty corridors, was a giant shock to movie audiences back in those days!

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Dawn of the Dead – Wikipedia – Copyrighted – Fair-Use Rationale

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“for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.” Jeremiah 7:32

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Now the premise of that movie was that some apocalyptic holocaust had killed off the bulk of Mankind, leaving no more room in Hell. And this is loosely based on Jeremiah’s prophecy… “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.” Jeremiah 7:32

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Thus, the world was now mostly populated by these half-dead zombies, who continually sought to cannibalize the few surviving humans left on earth! And that infamous shopping mall became the dark, frightening and macabre backdrop for that movie!

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Dawn of the Dead – Wikipedia – Copyrighted – Fair-Use Rationale

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DEAD-MEN-WALKING TRULY EXIST!

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Now this devotional is not promoting the idea that we should be watching movies. No, but rather, the intent is only to provide an earthly analogy for biblical ideas! After all, Paul quoted a line from a secular poet, when trying to make sense with a group of potential converts. (see Acts 17:28)

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And of course, the Bible declares our pre-Salvation condition in the following manner… “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:11, 12

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Yes, the Bible repeatedly pronounces our condition as being walking-dead souls, prior to Salvation! That is, without the life-giving Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts, we are merely enjoying the selfish pleasures of Satan’s Dark Kingdom of the Living-Dead!

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Yes, spiritually speaking, we, being a world of lost souls, are merely all, the “living dead”, prior to our Salvation!

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Zombies Night of the Living Dead – Wikipedia- Public-Dom.

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WALKING-DEAD SHOPPERS

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Now this 1970’s shocker has been the backdrop for the previous three devotionals (To read, click here).

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But this current “Dawn of the Dead” devotional will finally deal with those walking-dead ones who continued to shop at the mall. Oh well, they were just going through the motions of shopping!

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But it was very surrealistic and macabre to see these half-dead ones, as they lurched through that post-apocalyptic mall, as if they were still alive!

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Toronto zombie walk – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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WALKING DEAD CHURCH-GOERS

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But there is somewhat of a parallel analogy that could be drawn from that aspect of the movie. Yes, in a way, one might compare that strange phenomenon to what we see in today’s Church! Because, for those of us who claim to have been buried with Christ in that watery grave called baptism, it seems as if, perhaps, we might have been buried alive! And now we are merely like half-dead zombies, going through the motions of our pre-baptismal existence!

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And why does it seem as if we were buried alive? Well, so many of us still behave so much like the walking-dead, as we come up from the baptismal pool, and begin to live like we did when we were “dead in trespasses and sins” (this miserable wretch included)! (See Ephesians 2:2)

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RETURN TO THE DEAD

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Yes, so many of us Christians continue to pursue the earthly Mammon, without giving it a second thought! We buy and sell just like we did before we supposedly died-to-self! We pinch out our 10% into the offering plate, and think that’s all that God expects!

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And then we spend the rest on whatever suits our fancy! We buy our expensive cars and boats and big-screen TV’s and high-end hotels, and bigger homes and whatever else catches our eye! We max out our credit cards, overeat, exhaust our time-schedule, deplete our brains with worldly thoughts, and then wonder why our spiritual life is so thin and anemic! And we cannot understand why we easily lose our temper! And we cannot understand why we still cuss under our breath. And why we laugh at crude jokes! And why we would rather watch TV than study our Bible!

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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! – Kunstnerfest på Skagen – 1888 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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WE’VE NOURISHED OUR HEARTS IN THE DAY OF SLAUGHTER

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“Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” James 5:5

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This above verse from James really says it all, concerning today’s Christian culture! Yes, we who represent the last Church on earth, prior to Christ’s Coming, have been enveloped by a sort of hybrid culture: partly Christian, partly the World. So many of the pleasures and pursuits of the world have found their way into the Christian community. 

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But God will have no part in such a compromised Church! Over and over and over again, the Bible warns us, “Wherefore come out from among them (unbelievers), and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you…” 2nd Corinthians 6:17

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Yes, we have nourished and whetted our carnal appetites, by embracing so many of the selfish pursuits of this hedonistic society! Not realizing that “behold, the Judge standeth before the door.”! (James 5:9) 

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OUR ROLE-MODELS ARE LEFT BEHIND!

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The problem is, we have left Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John, and everyone else, way back there, still standing at our baptismal pool, waiting for us to join them in the upward heavenly sojourn! Yes, while these God-given role-models are left behind, and we are not even aware that it was our great commission to diligently conform our lives after the pattern which they left us!

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And so, in essence, we have become like the Walking-Dead in that movie, “we shop till we drop”, as the saying goes! No, this article is not about literally shopping, and yet there is an eerie resemblance to those zombies as they walked through that post-apocalyptic mall!

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Nevertheless, it is actually about the fact that we lust after all those luxuries and finer attainments and hedonistic pleasures: the very things that the world runs after!

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But if we would only look back, we might see that our heavenly role-models are praying, and studying, and contemplating God’s Word, as they go about, spreading the Gospel far and near!

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Oh well yes, maybe we do a 30-minute Bible study each morning! But as soon as we close our Bible, we walk away, rarely giving another thought to spiritual things!

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The Rich Young Man Went Away Sorrowful – James Tissot – Wikimedia – Brooklyn Museum – US Public Domain

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BABYLON ALL AROUND US!

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Well of course, if we have a family, we must care for their needs! And if they are yet worldly-minded, then we must care for the things of the world, how we might please them!

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But even in this case, we can still pursue our heavenly Prize, while going about our daily duties! Silent prayers can be breathed. Spiritual hands can be lifted up in the secret sanctuary of our heart! A pocket Testament can be read on a break, and a verse committed to memory! A personal pleasure can be sacrificed upon the altar to the attending Angel of the Lord, even as we provide a worldly happiness for our unsaved loved-ones!

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Morning Prayers – Ebenezer Newman – Downard – 1860 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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LIKE DANIEL

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In other words, there is a secret hiding place for those of us who have families, but must “go it alone”, so to speak! Yes, when our family refuses to walk that upward pilgrim’s pathway, we often find ourselves in spiritual servitude! And in a very real sense, we are like faithful Daniel, as he went about doing his many daily duties as a servant in the courts of Babylon! Yes, we will be very busy, providing the things of the world for our family, while trying to serve the Lord at the same time!

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But all of us must continue to live in this Babylonian world, in a civil sense. We still need to work, and shop, and to enjoy time with our family! Nevertheless, God is calling us to, “Come out of her My people”, in a spiritual sense!

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And in order to come out of spiritual Babylon, we must plead with God to take away our love for this Babylonish world! And we must also plead with God to replace that former love with a new love for Jesus, and a burning desire to walk joyfully in all His ways!

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

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THE FLESH-EATING ‘OLD MAN’ MUST DIE! 

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And yes, we have to kill that Zombie! Yes, that old Zombie within must die! The Bible speaks of him as that, “Old Man” with all his fleshly desires (see Ephesians 4:22), and begin to empower our inner “New Man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24

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And so, there is a battle to be fought, and a war to be won! But the Word of Christ has promised us… “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6

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TO READ PART 5, CLICK HERE…

March 25 (Dawn of the Dead! Part 5: “Cannibalizing Our Children!?”)

Cannibalism in Russia and Lithuania 1571. – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to cast away the vain idols of this world, that I may run toward Thy Holy Zion! Help me to fix my gaze on the things that are not seen…

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “’7 Stars’ Imitate ‘The Cross of Orion’”  or you can also read… “The Crown of Revelation 12: What Is “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”?”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

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THE ARK IN THE HEAVENS

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So what importance to us is all this information? Well, if a person goes out at night, beginning in April (earlier in southern-most latitudes, and later in northern-most), in the pre-dawn hour, they just might locate the constellation commonly referred to as theSagittarius Constellation . It is located in the southern sky. (Each night it appears a little earlier, slowly inching westward, through the summer, until it finally disappears below the western horizon in November.)

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At first, it simply appears as two twin birds flying westward. But if you look once again, it just might appear as a long box-like figure, with one star on the right, as you face it, and two stars on the left. The box, of course would be the Ark, and the stars on either side would represent angels, which are sometimes referred to as stars in the Bible (for instance, “the seven stars are the angels…” Revelation 1:20). To the right is a star-chart from Wikipedia, in which the editor of this site has sketched in this Sagittarius Constellation, to show how God created it to appear.

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Star-chart to right is from Wikipedia. Editor has sketched over Sagittarius to show this Ark Constellation.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Ark of the Covenant Constellation”

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TOMORROW:

“September 20th (Don’t Miss The Boat!)”

ABOVE PICTURE: The Gospel Ark (ship) of Salvation

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #260 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 18th

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Dawn of the Dead!

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Part 3:

“The Flesh-Eating Old Man”

To read Part 1, click here…September 16th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 1: Music)

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Are you old enough to remember that startling movie, “Dawn of the Dead”?

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Being one of the first of its kind, it had a stunning effect on movie-goers. That is, to see half-dead people slowly sleep-walking through a giant shopping mall, surrealistically going through the motions of shopping, while silky violin strains of “elevator music” echoed through that post-apocalyptic mall, was a giant shock to movie audiences back in those days!

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Dawn of the Dead – Wikipedia – Copyrighted – Fair-Use Rationale

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“for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.”

Jeremiah 7:32

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Now the premise of that movie was that some horrific holocaust had killed off the bulk of Mankind, leaving no more room in Hell. And this is loosely based on Jeremiah’s prophecy… “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.” Jeremiah 7:32

.

Thus, the world was now mostly populated by these half-dead “zombies”, who continually sought to cannibalize the few surviving humans left on earth! And that infamous shopping mall became the macabre backdrop for this end-time scenario!

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Dawn of the Dead – Wikipedia – Copyrighted – Fair-Use Rationale

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THE LIVING, ‘DEAD-MEN WALKING’ TRULY EXIST!

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Now this devotional is not promoting the idea that we should be watching movies. No, but rather, the intent is merely to provide an earthly analogy for biblical ideas! After all, Paul quoted a line from a secular poem, when trying to make sense with a group of potential converts. (see Acts 17:28)

.

And of course, the Bible declares our pre-Salvation condition in the following manner… “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:11, 12

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Yes, the Bible repeatedly pronounces our condition as being walking-dead souls, prior to Salvation! That is, without the life-giving Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts, we are merely enjoying the selfish pleasures of this world, which actually is Satan’s Dark Kingdom of the Living-Dead (spiritually dead)!

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Zombies Night of the Living Dead-Wikipedia-Public-Dom.

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“The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead“

Proverbs 21:16   

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And in the last two devotionals, that 1970’s movie, Dawn of the Dead, was the backdrop for the areas of music but also, for our tattooing Jesus upon our heart.  (Click here to read).

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But this third part, today, concerns a very remarkable analogy which can be made about flesh-eating zombies, and the unregenerate church-goer!

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Yes, when we become a Believer, God plants a spiritual seed within our heart. And then, God gives us a commission to care for that Gospel-seed, and to nurture and see that it grows up into a spiritual fruit-bearing tree.

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Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THE FLESH-EATING “OLD MAN”

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Now the Bible speaks of two natures which can exist within the hearts of Mankind. The first being our unregenerate and sinful nature, which the Bible calls “The Old Man”. But when a person becomes a true Christian, God implants what is called, “The New Man”!

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Listen to Paul… “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

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So here are the two men: “The Old Man” of sin, and “The New Man”, which like God, is “created in righteousness and true holiness”

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Asbury Park Zombie Walk – Wikimedia – Share-alike license

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FLESH-EATERS

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Now of course, in this Dawn of the Dead movie, the Zombies had an inordinate taste for flesh: human flesh! And this too has biblical similarities!

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Listen… “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.” Psalm 27:1, 2

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Yes, the enemies of God are much like those Zombies. As this above passage reveals, the enemies of God come against God’s people to eat our flesh (in a spiritual sense).

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But having a taste for flesh has an even greater significance… “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1st John 2:16

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Yes, this above passage reveals the three great sins of Mankind. And the first mentioned is “the lusts of the flesh”. And so, fallen Mankind lusts for the things which please the flesh.

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Girl zombie eating her victim Night of the Living Dead -Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THE OLD MAN MUST BE CRUCIFIED

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Now when a person comes to Christ, the Lord puts His spiritual seed within us. Yes, God gives us a measure of His Holy Spirit. This is what is called “The New Man”. And so, in essence, there are two opposing factions at work, the “Old Man” of the flesh, and the “New Man” of the Spirit! And one has to go! And so there begins to be a struggle between these two natures.

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Listen… “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17

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And so, the Christian begins to engage in a battle: a war in which that Believer strives to crucify the flesh, with all its affections and lusts!

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Listen again to Galatians… “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24

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And so, the Believer knows that it is his (or her) commission from God to engage in this battle, to crucify that Old Man of the flesh.

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Sign of the Son of Man Constellation – made of the various constellations on this website

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THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE

Jeremiah 30:7

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“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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Upon studying the story of Jacob, and applying the principle, that the Word of God is prophetic in nature, it can begin to be seen what this story is all about: Jacob represents all Christians. Esau, a hunter, represents “the man of flesh” within us. And just as Jacob and Esau were born as twins, so too, the Christian has a dual personality, so to speak.

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The Bible tells us, that there still exists in every Christian, a struggle between the spirit and the flesh. Like Jacob, the Christian desires to gain the spiritual blessing of a fully sanctified life. But like Esau, the Christian still longs for the earthy and sensual cares and pleasures of the world. And so, the Christian constantly battles against the flesh.

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Listen once again to Galatians 5:17… “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17. So it now is evident that there exists a struggle in the life of each and every Christian.

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James Tissot – Jacob & Esau – The Mess of Pottage – wikipedia – US public domain

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NIGHT OF WRESTLING BEFORE US

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And so, just like Paul, I too, need to do the very same work in my own life. I need to crucify the “old man” so that the “New Man” can freely live out His life through me. I need to escape from our Esau within. The “old man” still wants to “run the show”, so to speak.

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What I need, is to wrestle with God, just as surely as Jacob wrestled with the angel. And I need to wrestle until the “Day Dawns, and the Sun of Righteousness arises” in our hearts. I have my own work cut out for me, and the time is growing short!

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Nevertheless, though it often seems as if we are alone in this struggle, the Bible assures us, that we are not alone!

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Listen… “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. Yes, it is God who is working in us, and it is God who allows the trials which purify us!

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Jacob_Wrestling_with_the_Angel – wikipedia – public domain

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THE DAWNING OF THE DAY

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There is coming a day, which the Bible speaks of as, “The Dawning of the Day”, in which Christ, The Sun of Righteousness shall arise in the hearts of all genuine Believers! Our night of wrestling will be over!

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On that morning, the light of Christ will begin to shine out through us. No more will that flesh-eating Old Man be around to plague us, and make a mockery of our Christian faith! We will then be filled with all the fullness of God! You could possibly say that it will be “The Dawn of the Living!”

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

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EDITOR’S NOTE–Now, even though this article speaks of this spiritual analogy of flesh-eating, the Bible prophesy’s that the day is coming when cannibalism may become a reality!

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And even now, there is a movement afoot, both in America and Europe, for embracing the practice of cannibalism.

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Cannibalism in Russia and Lithuania 1571. – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TO READ PART 4, CLICK HERE…

September 19th (Dawn of the Dead, Part 4: Earthly Mammon!)

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

 

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to crucify the “Old man” with its affections and lusts. Help me to put on the “New man”, which is renewed in wisdom and knowledge…

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

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Crown of Revelation 12: What Is “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”?” or you can also read… “Castor and Pollux (Part 2: The Return of Christ & The Dawning of the Day)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

 

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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. 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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Photo: Corona Borealis – seen in warmer months – cropped photo with crown drawn in by this website – 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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… “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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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The 12-Star Crown Constellation of Revelation 12” 

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TOMORROW:

September 19th (Dawn of the Dead, Part 4: Earthly Mammon!)

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

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #259 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 17th

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Dawn of the Dead!

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Part 2:

“Tattoos”

To read Part 1, click here…September 16th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 1: Music)

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Are you old enough to remember that startling movie, “Dawn of the Dead”? Being one of the first of its kind, it had a stunning effect on movie-goers. That is, to see dead people slowly sleep-walking through a giant shopping mall, surrealistically going through the motions of shopping, while silky violin strains of “elevator music” echoed through the mall, was a giant shock to movie audiences back in those days!

.

Now the premise of that movie was that some global holocaust had killed off the bulk of Mankind, leaving no more room in Hell. And this is loosely based on Jeremiah’s prophecy… “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.” Jeremiah 7:32

.

Thus the world was now mostly populated by these half-dead zombies, who continually sought to cannibalize the few surviving humans remaining on earth! And that infamous shopping mall became the macabre backdrop for this apocalyptic scenario!

.

Dawn of the Dead – Wikipedia – Copyrighted – Fair-Use Rationale

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THE LIVING DEAD TRULY EXIST!

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Now this devotional is not promoting the idea that Christians should be watching movies. No, but rather, the intent is merely to provide an earthly analogy for biblical ideas! After all, Paul quoted a line from a secular poet’s poem, when trying to make sense with a group of potential converts. (see Acts 17:28)

.

And of course the Bible declares our pre-Salvation condition in the following manner… “And you hath He quickened, who were DEAD in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:11, 12

.

Yes, the Bible repeatedly pronounces our condition as being walking-dead souls, prior to Salvation! That is, without the life-giving Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts, we are merely enjoying the selfish pleasures of this sin-infested world: Satan’s Dark Kingdom of the Living-Dead!

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Zombies Night of the Living Dead-Wikipedia-Public-Dom.

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CUTTINGS FOR THE DEAD

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And yesterday’s devotional was concerning music. But today’s devotional concerns tattoos.

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Listen… “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD” Leviticus 19:28

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Now most Bible teachers deny that this verse has anything to do with tattoos. And so they cite some extra-biblical history about rituals for the dead, back in ancient times. And this is understandable that they deny any relevance to today’s tattoo craze.

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Manson – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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GOD LOOKS UPON THE HEART!

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But wait a minute! Perhaps this above passage does relate to tattoos!

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When Jesus walked through Israel, during His very short earthly ministry, He was always being confronted by those who were concerned about outward behavior. And so, Jesus was constantly directing His audience away from the outward manifestations, and to the inward qualities of their hearts!

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And so it is with tattoos! A tattoo, in itself, may or may not be innately sinful. But the big question is, what is the motivation of the heart which causes a person to even desire to have a tattoo?

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And so, while we humans are concerned about the outward things we see with our eyes, and yet, “the Lord looketh upon the heart” 1st Samuel 16:7.

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But if you think about it, people generally get tattoos to impress others. And since the Bible says that Mankind is “dead in trespasses and sins” Ephesians 2:2, then you can easily conclude that tattoos are indeed, “cuttings in your flesh for the (spiritually) dead”. Leviticus 19:28. That is, they are inscribed into the flesh in the desire and hope of impressing the spiritually dead people of this world.

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So Leviticus 19:28 may also be condemning the practice of tattooing one’s body.

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But actually, today’s devotional is not really concerned with this question.

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Healing of the Blind Man by Jesus Christ -Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“THE WORLD IS WISER IN THEIR GENERATION,

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THAN ARE THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT!”

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You see, even though we humans, in our natural condition, are spiritually dead, nevertheless, the Bible states that, “the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” Luke 16:8

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Yes, the people of this world really know how to put beautiful tattoos all over their bodies (some not so beautiful)!

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And the children of light can learn a great lesson from this practice. We just need to take note of what they do in the physical realm, and translate that into spiritual terms!

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The Grateful Dead – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART?

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Oh no, this article is not so concerned about what the world does. What they do is between them and God. But this article is only concerned with the motives of the hearts of Christians.

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And so, just as the world’s inhabitants are making etchings upon their bodies, so too, the Heaven-bound Christian is to make etchings upon their heart! That’s right! You could say that Christians should be getting tattoos upon our hearts!

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Listen… “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:21

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Here is a very telling statement! We are to, “receive with meekness, the engrafted Word”! 

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But where is that Word to be engrafted?

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In the Bible? Or in our hearts? The words of Christ are to be engrafted into our hearts, of course! And this conveys the idea that God’s Word is to be etched, or tattooed into our hearts!

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IMAGE OF JESUS

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And so, God is allowing the people of the world to teach us how we must live, as  Christians transpose their worldly behavior into a spiritual counterpart!

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Therefore, the Believer must be busy, tattooing the image of Jesus, as revealed in His Word, upon the fleshly tables of our heart!

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Listen to Paul… “Ye (Christians) are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” 2nd Corinthians 3:2, 3

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So here we see that each and every Christian is an open letter, visible and read by all Mankind! Thus, we see just how important it is to have only the pure words of Christ tattooed upon our hearts!

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Jesus – by J. Tissot – Brooklyn Museum – US Public Domain

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GRAFFITI UPON THE WALLS OF MY HEART!

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Now for those persons who have once had their physical bodies tattooed in the past, and now have decided to have them removed, this is no little matter! Actually, it is a very difficult and painfully time-consuming process to remove a tattoo, once it has been etched into the body!

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And here again, this reminds us of how difficult it is to remove all the worldly graffiti, once it has been etched upon the fleshly tables of our heart!

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And so, it is of high priority to not allow any unnecessary graffiti into our heart! And anything beyond our control, God will give us grace for that!

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Graffiti on walls – Bodeguita del Medio, Havana – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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A SWORD SHALL PIERCE YOUR HEART!

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Listen again… “(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,)” Luke 2:35

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Yes, we who comprise the family of God are to allow God’s Sword (His Word) to cut deeply into our fleshy hearts and souls!

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And the very Good News is this: the more verses of the Bible that we dote upon, the more that our heart will be filled with God’s Word; and the more conducive will it be to “walk even as He (Jesus) walked”!

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And then, as Christ begins to live out His loving and holy life through the Believer, that Believer will become a “living letter, known and read of all Mankind”! (paraphrase of 2nd Corinthians, Chapter 2)

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IMAGE OF JESUS ON OUR HEART

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And so, as we look at many of the things which people are doing in the world, we need not look down our long nose at them. But God is allowing all of these things for our good. They are used by God for our teaching moments! And many things, such as tattoos are allowed by God to remind us what we must be doing within our heart: that is, we must firmly tattoo the image of Christ upon our own heart!

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Listen… “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2nd Corinthians 3:18

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Sign of the Son of Man – www.theheavensdeclare.net – Not for commercial uses

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TO READ PART 3, CLICK HERE…

September 18th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 3: The Flesh-Eating ‘Old Man’)

Cannibalism in Russia and Lithuania 1571. – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, I come to you asking that you might take all my mind-controlling instruments completely out of my life and begin to fill me with your precious words of life…

Marine Praying – Wikimedia – USMC Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Mercury & The Image Of The Beast” or you can also read… “January 3rd (Television & the Image That Speaks)“

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

 

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

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SATAN’S WAVE OF WATER CONSTELLATION

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“For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.” Psalm 32:6

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The majestic waves of the sea. One of the most beautiful creations in nature! The sounds of the crashing surf! The moist wind and spray upon one’s face! Truly, standing upon the sand, and facing the ocean surf overwhelms all the human senses! It’s quite an exhilarating experience to say the least!

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But the ocean and the surf, and the sand were created by God, not merely for beauty’s sake; but also to teach. And the Bible has interwoven many aspects of nature into the Gospel story. And these various things in nature were created by God to instruct Mankind in Bible truths, both good and bad.

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Waves are used in Scripture to represent both good as well as bad things. And in the black sea of the heavens, is seen a constellation of a dragon. And this dragon is spewing a wave of water out of his mouth. And this article will explore just what all this means. And the Reader is invited to come and behold secrets in the Stars, which have been hidden since Creation; but now are being revealed by God, for such a time as this. So come along and behold these grand heavenly pictures which our great God has inscribed, in the heavenly scroll, and stretched, even from sky to sky.

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Mavericks Surf Contest 2010 – wikipedia – share-alike license

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READ MORE…

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

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TOMORROW:

“September 18th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 3: The Flesh-Eating ‘Old Man’)”

Cannibalism in Russia and Lithuania 1571. – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #258 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 16th

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Dawn of the Dead!

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Part 1:

“Music”

Inspired by the article…“Running The Christian Race (Part 2, Sensual Music)”

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Are you old enough to remember that startling movie, “Dawn of the Dead”?

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Being one of the first of its kind, it had a stunning effect on movie-goers.

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That is, to see dead people slowly sleep-walking through a giant shopping mall, surrealistically going through the motions of shopping, while silky violin strains of “elevator music” echoed through the mall, was a giant shock to movie audiences back in those days!

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Dawn of the Dead – Wikipedia – Copyrighted – Fair-Use Rationale

Click here for Fair-Use Rationale Guidelines – Image germane to this story – Could not find suitable free replacement on Internet – reduced size & quality 

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“THEY SHALL BURY IN TOPHET, TILL THERE BE NO PLACE”

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Now the premise of that movie was that some apocalyptic holocaust had killed off the bulk of Mankind, leaving no more room in Hell.

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And this is loosely based on Jeremiah’s prophecy… “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.” Jeremiah 7:32

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Thus, the post-apocalyptic world was now mostly populated by these half-dead zombies, who continually sought to cannibalize the few surviving humans left on earth! And that infamous shopping mall became the backdrop for this very dark and macabre scenario!

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Dawn of the Dead – Wikipedia – Copyrighted – Fair-Use Rationale

Click here for Fair-Use Rationale Guidelines – Image germane to this story – Could not find suitable free replacement on Internet – reduced size & quality

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THE WALKING DEAD TRULY EXIST!?

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Now this devotional is not promoting the idea that we should be watching movies. No, but the intent is only to provide an earthly analogy for biblical ideas! 

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And of course, the Bible declares our pre-Salvation condition in the following manner… “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:11, 12

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Yes, the Bible repeatedly pronounces our condition as being walking-dead souls, prior to Salvation! That is, without the life-giving Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts, we are merely enjoying the selfish pleasures of Satan’s Dark Kingdom of the Living-Dead!

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Zombies Night of the Living Dead-Wikipedia-Public-Dom.

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THE MUSIC OF THIS WORLD

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Now, just as the music through the halls of that post-apocalyptic mall, while half-dead zombies stumbled from one desolate shop to another, so too, the bulk of the world’s music only sympathizes with the ungodly qualities of Satan’s kingdom of the living dead!

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You see, it is the purpose of most worldly music to place the greater emphasis upon the performance of a piece of music, in effort to exalt and focus the attention upon the performers and upon the composer of that composition! 

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And so, when a song is sung, the normal manner is for the singer to bring as much attention to his or her performance as possible. Thus, there is usually some vocal inflections added as “gingerbread icing” for the performance.

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Fans music festival in Germany – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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THIS SENSUALLY-DRIVEN WORLD!

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In today’s sensually-charged society, there is quite often an effort made by the singer to sound sensual. And as so often the result is, the voice is often strained in such a way as to sound as seductive as possible.

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The Bible encapsulates the wisdom of this world as being, “earthly, sensual, devilish” James 3:15.

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Therefore, it only makes sense that the music of this fallen world should likewise reflect those same qualities.

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Karla – cropped image – Wikimedia – GNU license

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“…wiser in their generation, than are the children of light“

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Now, the Bible tells us that “the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” Luke 16:8

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Yes, the children of this world really know how to make their music in such a way, that it is deeply stamped with the name of their “first love”!

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And the “children of light” can learn a great lesson from them. We just need to take note of what they do in the physical realm, and translate that into spiritual terms!

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The Grateful Dead – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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SPIRITUALLY TRANSPORTED

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Now, once we are “born again”, we are no longer to share in the world’s spirit. Listen… “Even when we were dead in sins, (God) hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved). And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:5, 6

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So, as this above passage reveals, our soul has been miraculously transported into the Throne-Room of the Heavenly Sanctuary! At least, that’s the way things are supposed to be.

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And as a result of this spiritual deportation, as God’s royal priesthood, we should now have been given a totally new Spirit, which desires Christ’s love, holiness, and purity!

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the Holy of Holies – www.thebiblerevival.com – Public Domain

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AS CO-PRIESTS & CO-REGENTS WITH CHRIST!

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“And (Christ) hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6

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Thus, we who are now to inhabit Heaven’s Most Holy Place, must repudiate the world’s wisdom (not so much by mere words, but rather, in lifestyle)!

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Therefore, it only makes sense that our music should reflect that same purity which echoes through the hallowed halls of the heavenly courts above! And because the Kingdom of Heaven is to dwell in our heart, we are counselled to be cognizant that God’s Throne-Room is likewise in our own heart! That’s exactly where we should be ministering before the heavenly Mercy-Seat!

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ABOVE PICTURE: Most Holy Place in the Heart – Signs Of Heaven

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JUST WHO CONFORMS TO WHO?

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And so, I am commanded to conform myself to Heaven’s standards, and never to expect Heaven to conform to my standards!

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Listen… “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

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Yes, as this above verse reveals, it is me, not God, who needs to be transformed: yes, transformed and conformed to Heaven’s timeless ways! 

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TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…

September 17th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 2: Tattoos)

Tattoo My Chemical Romance_-_the_black_parade – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, I have been guilty of conforming myself to this world! But please help me to press forward in conforming my life to Heaven’s standards…

Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Running The Christian Race (Part 1: Paul & John: Our Role Models)” or you can also read… “Running The Christian Race (Part 2, Sensual Music)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

 

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THE WINTER CONSTELLATIONS

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“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman….and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon….And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon….And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness….And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” Rev. 21:1-3, 14, 15    

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This Woman of Revelation 12 is definitely fleeing to the mountains . As you can see in this sketch below, The Dragon of Revelation 12 is spewing out his water of falsehoods: false gospels, false ideologies, various temptations, false brethren who will embrace her with the poisonous wine of the The Great Harlot of Babylon. These are what comprise this wave of water coming forth from the Dragon’s mouth. (see “Flood Waters of Satan”)

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WINTER CONSTELLATIONS-SEEN IN FALL: This sketch to the right is how this constellation group appears in the eastern sky in fall. This is the four primary constellations of the Winter Constellations. They can be seen in this position, in the late fall above the eastern horizon. The Woman of Revelation 12 is commonly called Ursa Major or The Big Dipper and appears in the north. Orion the Soldier is the at the bottom is to the south of the Woman. The The Dragon of Revelation Constellation’s mouth isThe Hyades Cluster, and the tip of his tail is Pleiades, and his Wave of Water is primarily the Auriga constellation. The Glorious Horse Constellation  head is of Perseus Constellation and his rear end is Cassiopeia Constellation.

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THIS WOMAN IS FLEEING…

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BUT SHE’S ALSO RUNNING A RACE

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“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” 1st Corinthians 9:24, 25

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But this Woman is also fleeing TO something. She’s fleeing to the mountains, especially to Mount Zion (see “Woman of Revelation 12-Fleeing to the Mountains-Part 1”). She’s fleeing to a close walk with Jesus.

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 But this Woman is also running the race to win the prize, Jesus: Jesus as her prize, but also her answered prayers for others, as the prize; these are the jewels in that glorious Victor’s Crown. This is made clear by the Summer Constellations, in which this same constellation appears as a woman with child trying to grasp this Revelation 12 Crown Constellation. 

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(This concept sketch above right of The Revelation 12 Woman fleeing to mountains is not a star-chart. These particular constellation are NOT in these positions.)

The constellations on the lower left are two constellations from the Summer Constellations.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Running The Christian Race (Part 2, Sensual Music)” 

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TOMORROW:

“September 17th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 2: Tattoos)”

Tattoo My Chemical Romance_-_the_black_parade – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #257 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 15th

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Here Are Two Swords!

THE FOLLOWING DEVOTIONAL IS MADE OF A FEW EXCERPTS FROM THE ARTICLE… “Orion the Soldier Pt. 2: “The Weapons of Our Warfare””

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There is a current debate going on right now, regarding whether or not the citizenry of this society should give up their weapons, if the government decides to take them away.

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Even many ministers of the Gospel are reaching back into the Old Testament for biblical justification for the Christian to own and use guns.

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And also, many ministers are citing the Constitution as justification.

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And also, our nation’s forefathers (and how they fought and died to protect the nation), are also being cited by Christians as justification for keeping and bearing arms.

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Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, MMA-NYC, 1851 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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WHAT ABOUT CHRISTIANS?

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Now, of course, an unbeliever can do whatever he or she thinks is best. Since they have no faith in Jesus, then one would only expect them to armor up with carnal weapons.

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But what about Christians? Are there certain situations which call for carnal weaponry?

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The fact is, the Bible doesn’t come right out and make a clear and concise statement about this issue. And so, God has left this question up to each Christian to make up his (or her) own mind about what God’s sovereign will happens to be, concerning this question.

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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

 

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WHAT ARE OUR WEAPONS?

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“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2nd Corinthians 10:3-6

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This above passage from Paul’s letter, really places a foundation for much of the Bible. So many Bible stories begin to make sense, when filtered through this passage. And with this passage in mind, we begin to understand that the Old Testament stories were allegories about faith: personal battles that all Christians must go through, as we climb up the Narrow Pathway to Heaven.

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And so, while there was so much killing in the Old Testament by God’s people, we New Testament Believers have the weapons of faith. 

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Paul the Apostle – cropped & brightened photo – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“HE THAT LIVES BY THE SWORD SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD”

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But perhaps the most telling statement came when Peter cut off the ear of Malchus. Did Jesus say, “Good going Peter!”? No, Jesus gently restored the ear of Malchus, and rebuked Peter. 

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Just listen… “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:51-53

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This above passage lets us know that Jesus had no intention of fighting. But Jesus went beyond, and actually used this occasion to present to us the following principle: that God does not wish for Christians, or non-Christians to be warring, carnally. 

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Jesus warned Peter that… “for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” And Peter was being used here, to illustrate someone merely defending his Lord and brethren!

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Peter Smites Off the Ear of Malchus – www.joyfulheart.com

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TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS

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Now Jesus wasn’t a bit worried about this angry mob. Just listen again to His statement… “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:53. 

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Remember all those Old Testament stories of how one angel slew thousands of soldiers? Or how the walls of Jericho came tumbling down without God’s people even lifting a finger to fight? Or how God confused the enemy, so that they fought and killed each other instead of killing God’s people?

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Has God lost His powers? Is He no longer able to defend us?

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Elisha & Chariots of Fire www.visualbiblealive.com

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“GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES!”

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Just listen again to Paul… “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39.

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It was the greatest joy for Jesus to lay down His life for us.

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And it should be our greatest joy to lay down our life for Him. And God may call us to become a martyr for Jesus.

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

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ELISHA’S ARMY

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“And his (Elisha’s) servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?…And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 2nd Kings 6:15-17

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The stories of the Bible are given by God to inspire faith, hope and charity within the hearts of Believers. 

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Elisha, having received a double-portion of Elijah’s spirit, was undaunted in the face of danger. 

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Elisha & Chariots of Fire www.visualbiblealive.com

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MILITARY SERVICE: “TO KILL OR NOT TO KILL?”

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Many Christians are questioning whether or not they should join the military. In Scripture, there is mentioned a centurion, named Cornelius, who trusted God. And should a Christian be called to serve, he or she has the choice (prior to combat, of course, making this choice known to his superiors) of whether or not to shoot to kill an enemy, or choose a non-combat position.

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The same principle holds true with becoming a policeman. Yes, God has ordained that communities and even nations must have law and order.

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For it is written… “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Romans 13:4.

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And so, each Christian must do much praying and Bible study before choosing such careers. No one can really give a definitive answer whether the Christian should choose a career which involves killing others.

(But we must beware that with the moral decline and corruption of this nation, Believers might not want to place themselves in any environment in which they might be forced to obey a particular command which conflicts with God’s Law, the Bible)

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Soldier – Air Force Sergeant on guard duty – Public-Domain

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NOT TO JUDGE OTHERS

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But wherever a Christian’s view falls, concerning these matters, nevertheless, his or her religion should be a big enough religion, so as to allow others to have differing viewpoints on these murky issues.

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But one thing is for sure: there are many careers that a Christian would not want to take, for one reason or another. So, Christians must bear the Cross, in one way or another, at various times in life, because they cannot just take any and every job out there.

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And the Christian must pray and study God’s Word for deeper insight and grace, especially in light of the current societal decadence.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public-Domain

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INTO HIS LIKENESS

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But above all else, our great desire and purpose is to become fully Christlike!

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And the greater our knowledge, and the greater our faith, the more clearly will be our understanding about these supposed gray areas concerning many debated issues of the Bible!

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Sign of the Son of Man Constellation – made of the various constellations on this website

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THE READER IS ENCOURAGED TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE…

“Orion the Soldier Pt. 2: ‘The Weapons of Our Warfare'”

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

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Keep me from getting dogmatic with others. Let me have my faith before Thee in quietness and meekness. But increase my faith to that of Jesus, who carried out His earthly ministry without weaponry of any type, in the midst of a vast throng who wanted Him dead…

The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…“How To Be Hidden in the Day of Wrath”, or you can also read… “Orion the Soldier Pt. 2: “The Weapons of Our Warfare””

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

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THE GLITTERING SWORD CONSTELLATION

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“In that day the LORD with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” Isaiah 27:1

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This constellation is made of most of the constellations in this website. The upper portion can be seen in the winter, while the lower blade is visible in the warmer months. (This constellation is actually in a semi-circle, as it appears in the night-sky. These pictures, however, show it as it would appear straightened out.)

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THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

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“And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:” Ephesians 6:17

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The Heavens Declare website is made of signs in the Sun, Moon, and Stars. But these signs point to the Bible, which is the greatest stronghold of truth, which we have in this world. But the point is, this giant sword which spans the heavens is engraved with the various constellations, much like the swords of this world which are often engraved with various writings and pictures.

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But this Glittering Sword in the heavens represents God’s Word. And these constellations tell the story of the Gospel. (These constellations span both summer and winter sky, and this constellation in this picture to the right actually appears much more curved in the sky.)

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“If I whet My glittering sword, and Mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me.” Deuteronomy 32:41

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Glittering Sword Constellation” 

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TOMORROW:

“September 16th (Dawn of the Dead! Part 1: Music)”

photo – music headphones – psychic-Ganzfeld – Wikipedia – Public-domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #256 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 14th

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Divorce: Bondage or Perfect Peace?

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“But if the unbelieving depart,

let him depart.

A brother or a sister

is not under bondage in such cases:

but God hath called us to peace.”

1st Corinthians 7:15

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So this above verse, pretty much says it all! Yes, if an unbelieving spouse departs, then we are free to remarry! Right?

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Divorce – cropped image – Wikimedia – the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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BONDAGE = SERVITUDE

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Well, actually, this passage is not saying we are “not under bondage” in a legal sense. Actually, this word bondage is a word which speaks of bondage in the sense of suffering, or servitude.

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In other words, when an unbelieving spouse departs, we are no longer under bondage in the sense that we have been freed from all the servitude and suffering which comes from a Believer and an unbeliever living under the same roof!

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Mocking Bird Argument – cropped image – wikimedia – share-alike license

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REMAIN UNMARRIED!

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And we have further confirmation with this next verse… “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” 2nd Corinthians 7:10, 11 

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So this above passage confirms that a Believer should remain unmarried, if she departs.

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Weddingring – JH – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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JESUS SPEAKS ON DIVORCE & RE-MARRIAGE

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Now there is more to all this! Listen to Jesus, as He answered the stubborn Pharisees about the issue of divorce… “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” Matthew 5:31, 32

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So this passage makes clear that re-marriage after divorce is adultery! God reveals in Malachi… “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that He hateth putting away (divorce)” Malachi 2:16

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So, God hates divorce, as this above verse says! But the Pharisees loved divorce! They loved the idea that they could use just about any excuse to divorce their wives!

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Brooklyn Museum – The Pharisees Question Jesus – James Tissot – US Public Domain – Wikimedia

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So, with all this, just why would a true-worshipper of God ever want to divorce and re-marry, if God says that’s adultery?

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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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LOVE RULES THE HEAVENS!

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But there is a much greater principle which governs the matters of life! Yes, it is the great rule which governs the entire Heavens!

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Some call it “The Golden Rule”. Others simply call it “Love”.

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You see, God has chosen us to be ambassadors of love!

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We have been called to be representatives of Jesus Christ, spreading the seeds of agape love to this fallen and sin-darkened world!

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CHRIST IN ME!

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And as ministers of Christ’s love, God has given us the mind of Christ. And so, we are to live in this world, even as Christ lives out His holy life through us!

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Listen… “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

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Braet von Überfeldt – Woman with Bible – 1866 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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LET LOVE RULE MY HEART!

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And so, we are to love our spouse with the same agape love as Christ has for us! And this means that we are to do for others, even as Christ has done for us! And of course, this includes our spouse! Yes, no matter how our spouse behaves, we must let Jesus live out His life through us!

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Listen… “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.” Matthew 5:38-40.

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So obviously, this passage presents a way of life vastly different from the way the world operates!

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Man & Wife on swing – Fraternal love (Prehispanic sculpture from 250–900 A.D., of Huastec origin) wikimedia public domain

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CHRISTIANS IN TRAINING!

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Now, why does God put us in such a miserable position, with an unloving and even a bitter spouse? Well, for a number of reasons! But one big reason is, that God wants us to die-to-self. And there is no better training ground for a Believer to die-to-self, than to live with an unbelieving spouse!

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Yes, an unbelieving spouse unknowingly trains us to keep quiet in the midst of verbal attacks! And there is nothing like an unbelieving spouse to teach us patience! And there is nothing like an unbelieving spouse to drive us to our knees in prayer, for our worldly-minded children, products of a divided home! And the unbelieving spouse teaches us how to forgive, in the face of anger, rudeness, and hardheartedness! And many other Christlike virtues are developed in a divided home, such as patience, if the Believer is willing to stay and endure such chastening.

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Cat and dog – Dont know whats comin – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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TRIBULATION IN DARK AGES!

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Now O child of faith, let’s think this thing through! Just read a book like Foxe’s Book of Martyrs!

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Just read about the torture that God’s people went through during the Dark Ages! Yes, those men, women, and children lived lives of deprivation and hardship! And some even suffered unspeakable torture in dark and dank dungeons! And many were simply left to rot in cold and damp prison cells! Many were forced to witness their own family members raped and even tortured to death!

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Burning at the Stake – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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SUFFERING IS A VITAL PART OF CHRISTIANITY!

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And so, to live with a bitter spouse is far less suffering than what our predecessors endured for the name of Christ! Thus, in light of the bloody history of the Church, God is giving us a very merciful way of sanctifying us, wouldn’t you agree? 

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Listen to the testimony of Paul… “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Hebrews 8:17, 18

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Yes, the Bible tells us that it is our privilege to share in Christ’s sufferings! We just need to forget all about this worldly notion that the Christian should live a charmed life!

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Oh yes, we can indeed have peace in the midst of the storm. And if we endure the many hardships before us, God will eventually give us that perfect peace which is an incomprehensible witness to the world’s inhabitants, as they behold us standing on a sea of glass, even in the midst of the fiery furnace!

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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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SUFFERING MUST CONTINUE FOR A WHILE

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There is a worldly proverb which goes like this… “Why trade the devil you know for the devil you don’t know?”

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Now this isn’t to indicate in the slightest degree, that one’s spouse is a devil! No, but the point is, if we are a true worshipper of God, then one thing is for sure: we must fill up the measure of Christ’s sufferings in the body, as is written by Paul… “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the Church:” Colossians 1:24

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So if we are a true worshipper of God, then God is going to allow suffering. And if we think that by escaping a troubled marriage will somehow deliver us from fiery trials, we really don’t understand the Gospel of our Salvation! And if our “trouble-making” spouse leaves, then God may give us an even more fiery situation to chasten us. Maybe a terrible disease or even a terminal illness! 

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Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – public domain

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CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

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And so, as a popular saying goes… “Careful what you wish for!” Yes, by wishing to be freed from my present circumstances, I may end up in even worse circumstances!

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And as a chastened child of God, just be happy with the circumstances you are now in. And pray that, “after that ye have suffered a while, (God will) make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1st Peter 5:10.

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Vincent van Gogh – Old Man in Sorrow (On the Threshold of Eternity) – Wikipedia US Public Domain.jpg

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AND WHAT IF LIFE BECOMES PEACEFUL?

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Now, on the other hand, if my troubled marriage ends, and all of a sudden, life turns into a bed of roses, then the possibility is, I am not even a true-worshipper of God!

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Listen… “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” Romans 12:8

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As this above verse reveals, those who seem to live a charmed life, are in reality, probably not true children of God!

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REJOICE THAT GOD IS PURIFYING YOU!

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Well, the bottom line to all this is, if you and I are genuine Christians, suffering will be an integral part of our heart’s purification. So, if we will just suffer our present circumstances, then the day may come when our spouse may finally come to Salvation! 

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Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.” Psalm 128:1-4 
 

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Family Worship – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to rejoice in my sufferings, just as Paul did! Please keep giving me the trials which will cleanse my soul from the deeply-seated evil which exists within! Give me that peace which surpasses all understanding, so that I may endure those trials…

Praying Hands – Otto Greiner – Wikimedia – .bassenge.com – Cropped image – Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Flower of Heaven Constellation” or you can also read… “February 1st (In Every Thing Give Thanks!?!)“

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

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THE FLOWER OF HEAVEN CONSTELLATION

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REVELATION 12 WOMAN ON ALTAR AND FLOWER OF HEAVEN

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This constellation almost appears as a vine, as it projects out from the Altar/Ark Constellation . This constellation appears in mid-winter through late-spring. As you can see in this sketch, the Altar/Ark

Constellation is also known as Leo Major , and the stem or vine of the flower is made of stars of the Virgo Constellation, and the flower itself is made of the Corvus Constellation.

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THE ZODIAC CONSTELLATION NAMES

It is not the purpose of www.theheavensdeclare.net to give any validity to the Zodiac or any pagan deities. But the common names of many constellations must be given, solely for the purpose of locating them on star-charts.

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THIS STORY BEGINS WITH A FLOWER

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“COME FOLLOW ME”

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God called to anyone, and everyone to come follow Him on a heaven-ward journey, symbolized by the Summer Constellations of Signs Of Heaven. God then led His followers through the battle between good and evil, symbolized by the Winter Constellations.

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Then, after the battle was over, and the Revelation 12 Woman (The Church) (sketch right) victoriously swerves toward the Narrow Gate Stars (Gemini stars, picture to right), it begins to be seen that she is rising as incense from the Altar/Ark Constellation.

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GOD’S PURPOSE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD

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And finally is seen this Flower of Heaven, suspended as a vine from this Altar/Ark (picture right). So now we understand the Lord’s intent. Now we see what God was doing all along. Yes, God has been severe. Yes, He has brought Humanity through a very horrific experience. But alas, He took a dying flower (Humanity), and through a long process, He revived this dying flower. And in the end, God, through Christ, gave new life to this dying flower: new life which shall never ever perish. And this flower no longer springs up from the Earth. But now is suspended from this Altar/Ark, which is located in Holy Mountain of Zion…God’s eternal throne.

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But as we look at this Flower of Heaven Constellation, it also reminds us of something almost romantic. This last scene from Signs Of Heaven almost reminds us of a love letter, written by God to Humanity, with a single rose, placed upon that letter, just waiting for anyone to read it. 

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Flower of Heaven Constellation” 

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TOMORROW:

“September 15th (Here Are Two Swords!)”

Peter Smites Off the Ear of Malchus – www.joyfulheart.com

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #255 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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

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Today’s Devotional – September 13th

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The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius?

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Or Rather, The Dawning of Day of Judgment?

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“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:

I came not to send peace, but a sword.”

Matthew 10:34

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Well, for those who remember that “lovely” song, The Age of Aquarius, the general consensus is, “It must’ve gotten off on the wrong foot!” You know! The Age of Aquarius must have gotten off on the wrong foot! 

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Well, just listen to a few lines…

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“When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars,
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars”

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“This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius,
The Age of Aquarius“

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“Harmony and understanding,
Sympathy and trust abounding…”

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After this, the song begins to get obscene! And well, that obscene part of the song has probably been the only prediction that this song has made which has actually become fulfilled!

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Molotov Cocktails hurled – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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PEACE AND LOVE ABOUNDING?

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But as we look at the world today, it would have to be said that “peace and love” may well be guiding the planets, but they don’t seem to be guiding us down here on this planet! 

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Oh yes, our troubles may indeed settle down for a time, in the coming months.

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But hatred, strife, and division will return! They always do!

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Algeria slashes food prices amid riots wikimedia share-alike license

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CRUMBLING PILLARS!

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But at the moment, hatred, racism, and bigotry seem to be the current norm! This society appears to be completely falling apart!

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Various hate groups thrive under the banner of “diversity”! All skin-color groups are experiencing racism!

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The rule of law has been replaced by mob rule! Courts are rapidly losing their ability to render just verdicts!

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Schools are beginning to teach evil ideologies to students!

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Businesses and financial institutions are being strong-armed to abide by the economic and immoral wishes of those who are attempting to rule through social engineering!

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G. Dore – Death Of Samson – courtesy Creationism.org – Public Domain

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BIBLE FOREWARNED US

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Yes, once great institutions are now crumbling before our very eyes! It almost reminds one of the verse from from Revelation… “and the cities of the nations fell:” Revelation 16:19. Yes, it seems that the great cities of the world are now rapidly crumbling. And those supposed pillars of society, such as banks, and learning institutes, and governments are growing weak and corrupt! 

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But the truth is, we Christians have been long ago forewarned about all this!

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Listen… “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:12, 13

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Gay Parade – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – GNU Free Documentation License

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HIGH-TECH DEADENED CONSCIENCES 

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And isn’t it true that television, music, and Internet are filling our youth with hate and violence and sexual perversions and greed beyond our most horrifying imaginations?

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Yes, many young people in our cities are almost completely losing their moral compass, and have little remorse at the sight of pornographic images, premarital sin, drugs, violence, and even murder!

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Yes, this satanic “grooming” of our young people is so great that parents would be utterly shocked if they really understood what their children are feeding their minds with, on a daily basis!

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And so, amidst all this doom and gloom, where is something the Christian can hold on to? Where’s the hope? Is there any Good News out there?

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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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HOPE’S DOOR STILL AJAR!

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Yes, there is still some Good News! God in His great mercy, has left open the doors of Salvation!

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And each one of us must “Make your calling and election sure…” 2nd Peter 1:10. 

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We must never again listen to those lukewarm voices, crying out… “peace and safety”!

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There is an alarm of war which is now crying!

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The clarion trumpet is just now sounding through the countryside, to “armor up, soldiers of the Cross! The Day is now at hand!

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No friends, this is not the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius! No! This is the dawning of the Day of the Lord!

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to have no more love and trust in this dark and hopeless planet! But lead me away from the mind-control which Satan is not exerting over the inhabitants of this world! Help me to get on-board the Ark of Thy Salvation before the doors of mercy are forever closed…

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

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Floodwaters of the False Prophet: “Atheism & Psychology”” or you can also read… “January 18th (Christian Humanitarianism)“

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

 

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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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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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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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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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Five Foolish Virgins Stars” or you can also read… “The Five Wise Virgins Stars”

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TOMORROW:

“September 14th (Divorce, Bondage & Perfect Peace)”

Divorce – Wikimedia – the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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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 IS STUDY #254 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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