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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 19

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To Die Is Gain!?!

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Part 2:

“Love Not The World”

To read Part 1, click here… “November 30th (To die is gain!?!)”

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“He that loveth his life shall lose it;

and he that hateth his life in this world

shall keep it unto life eternal.”

John 12:25

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“To die is gain!?”

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What kind of insanity is that statement? “To die is gain?”

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That can’t possibly be a verse from the Bible, can it?

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There has to be a mistake somewhere!

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Question Mark – at a loss – Wikimedia – Share-alike license

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CONFESSION BY PAUL

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Actually, this is part of a confession made by the Apostle, Paul.

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Listen… “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

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Paul – Wikimedia – US public domain

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WORLD AND CHURCH IN AGREEMENT

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The fact is, Paul had no qualms about dying.

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He says several times, that dying in Christ is far better than living in this ungodly world.

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Now of course, such a statement as that, would undoubtedly be considered pure madness by the people of the world.

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Well, after all, the Bible says that the unsaved are in the tragic condition of, “having no hope, without God in the world”.

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So understandably, they could never accept such an idea, as Paul’s declaration, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

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Decapitación of Paul – by Simonet – 1887 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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HATING THIS PRESENT WORLD

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So just what should our position be regarding our life in this world?

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Listen to the very words of Jesus… “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:25

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So why would Jesus say this?

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Doesn’t He want us to be happy?

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

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A SUFFERING WORLD

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While perhaps 50% of the world may be having a good time, it must be remembered that the rest are suffering!

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So when Jesus came down to this world, He was ever mindful of the needs of those around Him.

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Of course, it is NOT the sick, dying or suffering who caused Jesus so much grief.

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Oh yes, Jesus greatly grieves, even weeps daily for those who are suffering!

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But even more than those, it is the ones who are having a good time in the world, and hate Him for His condemnation of their beloved world, that makes Jesus so sad!

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Apotheosis of War – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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THE DEVIL’S WORLD

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The Christian must be ever reminding himself, just who is “the god of this world”. 2nd Corinthians 4:4.

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We live in a world of selfish pleasures. And for the perishing world, there is nothing wrong with enjoying this world. After all, they say to themselves… “if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.” 1st Corinthians 15:32 

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But for those of us who have been called out, we must keep fulfilling our great commission to purify our hearts, and conform our lives into Christ’s likeness!

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Listen, as John exhorts us to turn our backs on this selfish world… “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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 2:15, 16

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So here is the revelation, that all those who love this present world have not the love of God in their hearts!

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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council- Wikpedia – US Public Domain

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SUFFERING CHRISTIANS

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Now, there are many Christians who are going through intense trials, either from physical ailments, or from the Devil, as he strives to make them as miserable as he possibly can!  

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Listen to Paul, as he describes this… “(Paul) confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

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So if any Christian does not go through, “much tribulation”, then that Christian needs to consider this… “If the Devil isn’t coming against me, is it possible that both he and I are traveling in the same direction?” 

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Christian and Apollyon – Wikipedia – Public Domain

Munch – Det Syk Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US public-domain

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“(Christians) should no longer live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them…”

2nd Corinthians 5:15 

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The Apostle, Paul, while attempting to make sense to the Corinthian Church, to abandon their pleasure-seeking lives, tried to present to them the proper balance in the Christian life. 

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This next passage is a condensed description of that proper tension…“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings…as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed. As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2nd Corinthians 6:4, 5, 9-11

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So in this above passage, Paul was describing the curious dichotomy in the Christian’s life.

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It is a heavenly joy which flows from within, even amidst the trials and sorrows of this life!

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

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TODAY’S CHURCH ALSO LIVING IN PLEASURE

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Satan’s old weapons of the Dark Ages were, “burning-at-the-stake”, “the Rack”, and many other torture devices!

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But his new weapons of today’s cornucopian super-society are, “materialism”, “television”, “Internet devices”, “pleasure resorts”, “social clubs”, “sports”, “sensual music”, “nicer homes”, “nicer cars”, “bigger toys”, “fatter bank savings-accounts”, “enviable careers”, and a long list of other similar pleasures and pursuits!  

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The following verse from James, really speaks to today’s Church… “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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In other words, by immersing ourselves in these pleasures to the point of excess, have we not placed ourselves in the very same position as that pleasure-loving Corinthian Church?

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INNOCENT PLEASURES OF LIFE

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Now, does the Christian get to experience any enjoyment in life?

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Well, of course we do!

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To enjoy the beautiful things of God’s incredible universe, is a big part of the Christian life!

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For example, to see our babies engaging in childish antics makes us laugh!

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To enjoy our daily bread is our daily pleasure!

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Or to feel the warmth of the morning Sun!

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Or to go on a camping trip with our family, or to enjoy other similar experiences.

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There are countless innocent God-given joys and pleasures which still exist in nature!

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Sunset at Huntington Beach – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License 

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HEAVENLY JOYS TOO!

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But the Christian also has many added joys, which the world cannot comprehend: to rejoice in reading God’s Word!

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To spend time alone with God in secret prayer!

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To tell others about God’s wonderful Salvation!

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To receive an answer to our prayers!

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To realize that God has created this world, where the remnants of its former majesty and splendor still remain!

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To experience the same agape love for the souls of humans that Jesus had!

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These are just a few of the many joys which flow like rivers of living waters, out of the Christian, throughout the day! 

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Mall witnessing, Panama City, Panama

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WE SHALL DOUBTLESS COME REJOICING

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But though we may be in heaviness for a season, we have the following promise… “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:6

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The Christian has something to look forward to, which makes all our sufferings worthwhile: to realize that when this short life is over, we will go on to live forever in a land flowing with rivers of joy, in which we will never grow old…

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Listen… “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create” Isaiah 65:17, 18

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Moses Viewing the Promised Land – Frederic Edwin Church – WIKIMEDIA – PUBLIC DOMAIN.

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To read Part 3 of this series, click here… 

“April 26 (To Die Is Gain!?! Part 3: “Heavenly Joy!”)”

Girls celebrate at Camp Worship Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons lic.

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, help my faith to grow. Help me to become like Paul, in my faith-walk. Let me grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus, so that I may meet life’s challenges with such an unwavering faith in Thy precious promises…

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… “Running The Christian Race (Part 1: Paul & John: Our Role Models)”

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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WOMAN ON THE ALTAR CONSTELLATION

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This “Altar” Constellation is only seen in winter through spring, in mid-sky. It is to the south of the “Fleeing Woman Constellation” (AKA Ursa Major or The Big Dipper).

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The “Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12” Constellation is in the northeastern sky in this sketch. You would be facing east and looking very high up almost to mid-sky to see this constellation group this way. The altar is farther south but still in the eastern sky. This altar is commonly known as “Leo Major“, with the smoke rising being “Leo Minor“.

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A little farther down this page is the sketch of this same constellation in the latter part of winter, when you look at them facing westward. You will notice that what looked like Gospel seed being cast from her left hand and left foot (see “Woman of Revelation 12-The Fleeing Woman” article for explanation of casting “Gospel Seed”) now appears like smoke or incense rising from the altar.

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It is not clear why the altar is sideways in back of the Woman. It would make more sense if it were directly under the Woman. However, the Lord must have some spiritual truth to convey concerning this odd positioning of the Altar. The 7 Stars (Big Dipper) is easy to see with its very bright 7 stars. But the Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) must be seen on a dark starry night, away from city lights.

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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 (such as Scorpio or Sagittarius, etc.), must be given, solely for the purpose of locating them on star-charts.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Woman of Revelation 12, (“The Woman on the Altar”)” or you can also read… “The Flower of Heaven Constellation”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

“April 20 ( Wake-up Call, 911)”

9/11 World Trade Center attack – New York – by UpsateNYer & Wikipedia – Share-Alike Lic.

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #474 & 475 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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474…Harold Camping Jeremiah Series #474 – YouTube..click here to listen

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Jeremiah study #475

  

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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 18

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Our Minimum Daily Requirements!

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Have you had your minimum daily requirements today?

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Do you even know what they are? Well, don’t feel bad! Most of us don’t know them either!

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The fact is, the medical community has determined just what are the M.D.R. (Minimum Daily Requirements) and this has all been done as a result of the invention of vitamin pills!

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Yes, the vitamin pill industry has developed all the pills necessary for our good health, as long as we take our Minimum Daily Requirements.

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Vitamin Display – by Mark Buckawichi – for Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain

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THE “HOLISTIC” APPROACH

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Of course, if a person is desiring to obtain maximum health, then common sense dictates the “holistic” approach.

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And, “What is the “holistic” approach?”, you ask.

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Simply put, the “holistic” (or “whole-istic”) approach is a total health regimen: daily exercise, proper healthy diet, pure water, ample sunlight, fresh air, proper rest, self control, and whatever else may be beneficial for health.

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But the problem with this holistic approach to health is, most people would rather just take a few pills! It’s much easier to simply try to take some pills, thinking that’s the way to get our Minimum Daily Requirements!

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Fruit Stall in Barcelona Market by Daderot – cropped image – Wikipedia share-alike license

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SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT

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Now quite often, the everyday things of the world tend to have a wisdom about them, which translates into spiritual wisdom.

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In other words, we can make a spiritual analogy to our Salvation, by looking at people, places, and things of the world!

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Listen to this description of Solomon… “And Solomon’s wisdom…was wiser than all men…And he spake of trees…he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon…” 1st Kings 4:30, 32-34

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Yes, all nature reveals wisdom.

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And so, this idea of Minimum Daily Requirements, and a holistic health regimen likewise seems to have a spiritual application to Salvation!

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South American Butterfly – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License

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TEN LITTLE RULES?

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For instance, the children of Israel were given the Ten Commandments by Moses.

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Oh yes, they were also given many other laws as well.

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And they began to look at these laws as a type of Minimum Daily Requirements for spiritual health.

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In other words, they thought that by merely keeping this little short list of rules, that they could please God. 

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

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A LIFE OF LOVE!

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But when Jesus came to this world, He sat them down and lovingly taught them the deeper meaning to those laws.

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For example, Jesus revealed that… “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31

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And so, when the people heard these “whole-istic” concepts, they eventually began to despise Jesus. They merely wanted that little “laundry-list” of rules!

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That way, they thought by merely doing their Minimum Daily Requirements of rule-keeping, that would allow them to continue to pursue the selfish cares and pleasures of the world, just like the person who imagines that by simply taking a pill, this will allow him or her to continue on with their same old unhealthy lifestyle.

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The Exhortation to the Apostles 1886-94 – by James Tissot – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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THE RICH YOUNG RULER

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The account of the Rich Young Ruler who came to Jesus desiring to know, “what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” To this Jesus answered… “Keep the commandments.”

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But then, Jesus went further, by telling this rich young man… “If you wilt be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven: and come and follow Me” Matthew 19:16-21

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“But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” v.22

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And so, this young man turned away from Jesus. To give up the things of this world was more than he was willing to do! He merely desired to keep the Minimum Daily Requirements for Salvation.

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But Jesus presented the true way of Salvation, which is nothing less than forsaking this present world in heart, and following Jesus on an upward pathway which leads to Heaven: a holistic lifestyle of spirituality!

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Rich Young Ruler – Hoffman – Wikimedia Commons – US Public-Domain.

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WE’RE NO DIFFERENT TODAY!

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Now many today look upon these, “poor deluded people”, in the Old Testament, and pride ourselves that, “I am glad that I’m not like them!”

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But the fact is, Jesus reveals to us that these Old Testament stories, “are for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1st Corinthians 10:11.

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Yes, all those Old and New Testament accounts were actually given for us today!

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And they reveal what’s in our own hearts in this very day we now live!

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Yes, when we really examine ourselves, it most likely will be revealed that we too attempt to do our Minimum Daily Requirements as well. 

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OUR MINIMUM DAILY REQUIREMENTS

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And so, many church-attendees try to formulate a little laundry-list of rules: to attend church each week, to partake of communion, to do a 15-minute Bible study each morning, to stay away from tobacco, cussing, “bad” movies, and various other religious/moralistic duties.

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We are just like that Rich Young Ruler! We merely desire to do our Minimum Daily Requirements.

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That way, we can continue to pursue the pleasures, the pastimes, and the proud aspirations and attainments of this selfish world!

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SALVATION: A GIFT OF GRACE!

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Now just what is the remedy for all this?

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Well, the remedy is the grace of God! In other words, true Salvation is the gift of God.

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And yet, God commands that we plead for Salvation… “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God…Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” James 4:4, 9, 10

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Yes, there needs to be a thorough repentance from our world-loving ways: because, loving the things of this selfish world is an abomination to God, as the above passage reveals!

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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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A LIFE OF SIMPLICITY & JOY!

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But the Good News to all this is, that forsaking this world and following Jesus is a life of joy and simplicity!

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Oh yes, we must still work and provide for our family’s comfort and needs and contentment.

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But more and more, we will see the world through the eyes of Jesus. And the thoughts of our heart will be focused on His Word and prayer! It will be as Paul said… “It is no longer I that live, but Christ that now liveth in me!”

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And the “holistic” life that I live by grace, will be manifest in my “holiness” to the Lord! 

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

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me a new heart which desires to become an entirely new creation! Keep me back from falling into a mere religion of trying to do the minimum. But mold me and make me into Thy Likeness…

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

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)”, or you can also read… “February 27th (Love Is Not A Pick-N-Choose Buffet)“

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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“And there appeared a great wonder (“sign”) in Heaven;

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a woman clothed with the sun,

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and the moon under her feet,

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and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:”

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Revelation 12:1

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer Constellations w/ark (aka: Sagittarius) & Revelation 12 Woman (aka: Ursa Major, including The Big Dipper) – www.theheavensdeclare.net

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If you were to go out on a dark and starry night in the summer months, and lift up your head, you might just see this constellation group. Looking at this sketch, do you see this woman as she tries to take hold of that crown?

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Well, this is a heavenly fulfillment of the above Bible verse (“And there appeared a great wonder (or “sign”) in Heaven; a woman…and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:” Revelation 12:1).

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And this woman is known as the Revelation 12 Woman, and that crown is known as the Revelation 12 Crown. You can see this constellation group in the summer months by looking in the western skies.

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READ MORE…

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

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

“April 19 (To Die Is Gain!?! Part 2: “Love Not The World!”)”

Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #473 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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Harold Camping Jeremiah Series #473 – YouTube

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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 17

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Come Out of Her, My People!

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Part 7:

“Tortoises & The Shell of Our Resistance!”

To read Part 1, click here… “May 12th (Come Out of Her, My People?)”

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“And he (an angel) cried mightily with a strong voice,

saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen… 

And I heard another voice from Heaven,

saying, Come out of her, My people,

that ye be not partakers of her sins,

and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

Revelation 18:2, 4

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by G. Dore’_The Confusion Of Tongues in Babylon – from www.creationism.org-public domain

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Many Bible students read this above passage and wonder what in the world it could possibly be talking about.

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“What and where on Earth could this modern-day Babylon be?”

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Perhaps it could be speaking of some city in Iraq, or maybe the city which has recently sprung up, called Dubai!

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Dubai Marina 2013 – Wikipedia – Creative Commons License

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“THE WORDS I SPEAK…ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE!”

John 6:63

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But for those who have discovered the Bible to be a totally spiritual revelation of the Gospel, they know that the City of Babylon actually represents the world and the worldly portion of the Church, the Mystery Harlot of Revelation 17.

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And the reader is encouraged to click on and begin reading this series of devotionals called “Come Out of Her, My People”, to gain a fuller understanding of just why God considers today’s churches to be spiritual Babylon.

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Whore – Babylon – Burgkmair – 1523 AD – Wikimedia – US Public Domain (This 500 year old engraving is just one of many which shows that Christians understood this concept back in the days when God’s people were being physically persecuted by Antichrist!)

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BABYLON IN THE HEART!

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“Before you can take a man out of the slums, you must first take the slum out of the man!”

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This above statement shows that the people of the world have a certain wisdom.

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And though God has been calling His people to come out of Babylon (the world & the worldly Church), this above principle must be firmly established, that Babylon has to be thoroughly purged from the sincere Believer’s heart!

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Otherwise, to merely remove ourselves from the apostate organizations of Babylon, will only be, “an exercise in futility”, as the saying goes!

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Family watching television, c. 1958 – Wikipedia – public domain

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OUR WORLDLY, WORLDLY WAYS!

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Because we are sinners, therefore we have inherent love for this Babylonish world!

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And just because we have gone down into the baptismal pool does not mean that our hearts have been purged from our past worldly ways!

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No, Babylon still exists in our heart! The ways of the world still remain firmly ensconced in our thinking!

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And so, God has given a great commission to each and every Believer…

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Listen… “And every man that hath this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He (Jesus) is pure.” 1st John 3:3

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As this above verse reveals, God expects us to purify ourselves, even as Jesus is pure!

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THE TORTOISE

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But let’s stop for a moment, and take a glance at a certain remarkable character from the animal kingdom: the Tortoise!

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Yes, the Tortoise is just another amazing creation of God. It is a delight for children and adults alike to behold this benign creature with its strong armor!

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But beyond the sheer delight which this little armor-bearer brings to all who encounter it, the tortoise can teach a number of lessons about both good and evil!

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Yes, we can look at this shell from at least two vantage-points. It might speak of the armor of God, and the faith we must have in God!

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But this shell might also remind us of how we humans can so easily build up a shell of resistance around us!  

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And this wall of resistance is what today’s devotional is all about…

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Tortoise – Giant Tortoise – by Childzy – for Wikipedia – Share-alike License 

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“KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP”

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“Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” 1st Corinthians 8:1, 2

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This above passage presents a concept so huge and profound, that it deserves to be placed on the top display-shelf of our hearts!

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This above concept should inspire the very first words out of our mouths in each new morning of our day… “O LORD my God…I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.”  1st Kings 3:7

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These are the words of Solomon, the world’s wisest mortal man, and yet Solomon did not trust in his own wisdom. 

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Tortoise – Giant Tortoise – by Childzy – for Wikipedia – Share-alike License 

Dore – Solomon – Proverbs – Wikipedia – Public domain 

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“IMAGE OF THE BEAST”

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And he (the False Prophet) had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Revelation 13:15

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Yes, in this Babylon of a world, we have been thoroughly groomed in all aspects of our life, by the King of Babylon, “the god of this world”, who is Satan! (see 2nd Corinthians 4:4, and Isaiah 14)

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Satan has left nothing up to chance, in his attempt to conform the world into his evil and selfish likeness!

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And now that we are in the age of the False Prophet (Satan, as he works through the unsaved ones of the world), he has given us various high-tech devices, in which to deeply engrave his character upon the tables of our heart!

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Tortoise – Giant Tortoise – by Childzy – for Wikipedia – Share-alike License 

ABOVE PICTURE: TV indoctrination – www.signsofheaven.org

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STIFF-NECKED & UNCIRCUMCISED!

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And one false idea that this False-Prophet-Antichrist-Spirit has ingrained into our thinking, is that we’re, “pretty smart people after all!”

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And so, as a result, most of us have been thoroughly trained to trust in our own knowledge and wisdom, to a great extent.

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This is perhaps the biggest reason why it’s so hard to convince us of our great need of a Savior!

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Tortoise – Giant Tortoise – by Childzy – for Wikipedia – Share-alike License 

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OUR SHELL OF RESISTANCE

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And isn’t it true that most of us have such a narrow mind, that we pretty much refuse to hear anything which challenges our own current understanding.

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We know what we know!

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We trust our own church or denomination!

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We place our confidence in our very own favorite Bible teachers!

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And the chances of anyone else coming to us with a seemingly new Bible concept, and breaking through this little shell of trust which we have built up, is not very likely!

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Eastern Snake Necked Turtle – by Damien Naidoo – For Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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GOOD NEWS! TIME TO CHANGE!

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We must forget our foolish understanding and turn to God’s Word, as little children!

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Jesus taught this same concept… “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” Mark 10:15

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And God has allowed a little time, for us to repent and turn back to Him!

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Tortoise – Giant Tortoise – by Childzy – for Wikipedia – Share-alike License 

David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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VERY VERY GOOD NEWS!

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But the very Good News is that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the true Church (God’s Elect dispersed throughout the world!)

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No, God has determined that we are to finally come out of Babylon!

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Listen… “‘Come out of her (Babylon), My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.'” Revelation 18:2, 4

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So here is the call to God’s people, to come out of Babylon.

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And by God’s great mercy & grace, we are assured the victory, if we “faint not”!

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ABOVE PICTURE – winter Constellations – Woman of Revelation 12 (Ursa Major) flees to the mountains – Mark 13:14 – Dragon comprised of Hyades, Pleiades, etc…Valley of Decision mountain comprised of Cassiopeia, etc… (This is not a star-chart, but merely a concept picture since this mountain is not in this position, but is actually in the fall months)

Tortoise – Giant Tortoise – by Childzy – for Wikipedia – Share-alike License 

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To read Part 8, click here…

APRIL 22nd (Come Out of Her, My People! Part 8, Continued: Congregating Together)

mega-church – Wikimedia

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to become fully engaged in the purification of my heart! Oh God, transform my worldly life into the holy image of Heaven…

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… “November 22nd (The Greatest Jig-saw Puzzle Ever!)“, or you can also read… “JANUARY 31 (The False Prophet, Part 5: The Scofield Bible)”  

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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DOUBLE ENTENDRE OF REVELATION 12 WOMAN

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“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the Savior of the body.” Ephesians 5:23

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This page concerns the constellation which is commonly known as “The Big Dipper” and the “Great Bear”. It actually appears in the summer months as a woman travailing in child-birth. God has purposely given her no head. But God did this to present a very important concept.

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Yes, this woman represents the Church, the, “Jerusalem above, which is free, and is the mother of us all” (see Galatians 4:26).

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You see, the single star she is giving birth to typifies the Christ child. Reading in Ephesians that Christ is the “head” of the Church, this single star is logically going to become her head. But how will that be accomplished? .

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ABOVE STAR-CHART: Ursa Major – IAU.svg – Star-Chart – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License

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WOMAN FLIPS AROUND IN WINTER

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Now, if this Woman-in-Travail were all that the Lord created in the heavens, it would be nothing short of amazing! But God, in His infinite power and majesty, has made this a great sign in Heaven, just as Revelation 12 proclaims. Because as the summer passes, this constellation begins to slowly flip around, until the stars representing her arms now become her legs. And the stars that once represented her legs now become her arms.  And finally, it appears as the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12. And at that point, this single little star in her womb-area, representing the Christ-child, now becomes her head! And of course, this reminds us of the passage… “And He (Christ) is the head of the body, the Church…” Colossians 1:18.

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ABOVE STAR-CHART: Ursa Major – IAU.svg – Star-Chart – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Woman of Revelation 12 (Woman in Travail)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

“April 18 (Our Minimum Daily Requirements!)”

Vitamin Display – by Mark Buckawichi – for Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #472 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 16

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Sinnerman, Where Ya Gonna To Run To?

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Here is a most frightening and sobering song, concerning Judgment Day, and not being ready.

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Listen to this youtube song, if you like, or just read the following words on this page…

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Click on record

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“SINNERMAN, WHERE YA GONNA RUN TO?”

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“Sinnerman where ya gunna run to?…

Sinnerman where ya gunna run to?…

Sinnerman where ya gunna run to?…

All on that day...

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………………MOON

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to be ready for that fearful day and hour, which is coming upon the whole world… 

Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Ch. 3: “Oh Sinnerman! Where Ya Gonna Run To, All On That Day?”…   “, or you can also read… “Sodom Rising! Part 1” 

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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“Multitudes, multitudes in the ‘Valley of Decision’…

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for the day of the Lord is near in the ‘Valley of Decision’.”

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“The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining… 

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“The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem…

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“And the heavens and the earth shall shake…

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“But the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Joel 3:14-16

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AT THE CROSSROADS OF LIFE…

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As we all know, life is made up of one decision after another. Some are of seemingly little consequence. Others are apparently more important.

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And then there are those times which require life-changing decisions.

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The Bible speaks of the Valley of Decision… “Multitudes, multitudes in the ‘Valley of Decision’…for the day of the Lord is near in the ‘Valley of Decision’.”  Joel 3:14.

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Of course, this valley is a spiritual concept and not a literal place.

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But God has inscribed this very truth in the heavens. It is called, “The Valley of Decision” Constellation. It speaks of that valley that each person must walk through.

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LOCATING THIS CONSTELLATION GROUP…

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Look eastward in the early summer through fall. Find the Cassiopeia Constellation. Cassiopeia is the Mount of Blessing. In the sketch, it is the farthest mountain to the left. In the sky, it is the northern-most of these three mountains when facing eastward. It resembles a pyramid. Then find the next pyramid to its right (south). Then go a little further south to the next third pyramid. The third snow-cap is the Destroying Mountain Constellation. These three pyramids are the snow-capped portion of these three mountains in this sketch. (of course, you won’t see the snow-caps in the sky. They are just an embellishment in this sketch to present a concept-EDITOR).

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“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Micah 4:1, 2

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THE VALLEY OF DECISION CONSTELLATION GROUP. They appear in mid-summer in the eastern skies in pre-dawn hours. These are made of Cassiopeia (mount on left), and various stars from the Andromeda Constellation (valley) Pegasus (Mount of Cursing (middle mount) & Destroying Mount (right)), and Pisces (Broad Way to Hell). The galaxy which appears to be climbing the Mountain of Blessing is the Andromeda Galaxy. 

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The above Wikipedia star-chart shows this amazing constellation group as it appears from June to fall, just prior to the winter constellation group. Actually, these Valley of Decision Constellations appear in early summer in the pre-dawn hours. (Editor of this website has sketched in this constellation group onto this above Wikipedia star-chart.) 

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

“April 17 (Come Out of Her, My People! Part 7: Tortoises & The Shells of Resistance!)”

Tortoise – Giant Tortoise – by Childzy – for Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #472 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 15

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Darby & Scofield’s Pre-Trib Rapture,

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Part 2:

John 6

To read Part 1, Click here… “January 25th (The Pre-Trib Rapture, Part 1)”

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“I pray not that thou shouldest

take them out of the world,

but that thou shouldest keep

them from the evil.”

John 17:15

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There is a church doctrine which has steadily increased in popularity, since the day that Cyrus I. Scofield first published his very own study-bible, The Scofield Reference Bible. Scofield even audaciously changed some of the King James Version language in his study-bible to suit his own fancy!

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Of course, to put one’s own fallible opinions along-side God’s infallible “Words of Eternal Life”, is the height of foolish arrogance!

(See John 6:68 for “Words of Eternal Life” reference).

Cyrus Scofield – 1920 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“O My people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths”

Isaiah 3:12

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There are many thoughts, words, and deeds which each and every one of us will probably hang our heads in shame for, when standing on that Great and Notable Day!

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But tragically, Scofield just might have to answer, on that same Day, for his hellish influence on many of today’s theologians, those who have likewise followed in his misguided footsteps: emboldened by Scofield’s heresy, presumptuously and foolishly publishing their very own fallible and oft-misleading study-bibles!

(See such articles as Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 31 (“The Devil’s Dirty Dozen False Doctrines”)

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And as a result, countless unlearned churchgoers have been led astray, “unto their own destruction”, by naively and unquestioningly accepting various false doctrines, quite often espoused by Scofield and all those other erring authors of similar study-bibles!

(Bible students should never use any Bible with personal commentaries by fallible men, since some personal comments are probably in error. Rather, find a Bible with only inserted references to similar verses.)

Cyrus Scofield – 1920 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“…they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction”

2nd Peter 3:16

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The historical records give Cyrus I. Scofield credit for popularizing this false doctrine of the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture”, first invented by another 19th-century false Bible teacher, one John Darby of The Plymouth Brethren denomination.

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What Scofield and Darby did, was to presumptuously take the two words from 1st Thessalonian 4:17, the words, “caught up”, and their Greek counterpart, “harpazo”, and changed “harpazo” into its Latin counterpart, “ripere”, (taken from an obscure Catholic Latin Bible), which is the Latin root for another English word, “rapture”, which, originally, was most commonly defined as being “in a state of euphoria”. Then, they morphed “caught up”, a verb into a proper name, “The Rapture”.

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Thus, by such heretical wrestling with Scripture, Scofield/Darby then began to promote the idea that Christ would “rapture” His Church out of the world, just prior to the prophecies of Revelation being fulfilled.

John Nelson Darby – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

Cyrus Scofield – 1920 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation”

Hebrews 9:28

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And so, by such twisting of Scripture, Scofield/Darby now invented TWO second “Coming(s) of the Lord”, instead of the Biblical pronouncement of only one! And thus was coined the name, “The Pretribulation Rapture”, and the second return, using the God-given name for the event, “The Coming of the Lord” on “the last day”.

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Consequently, the Christian world was now being taught that there were, not one, but TWO separate returns of Christ! And if you missed out on the Christ’s first return, you now would have a second chance!

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Very clever…and very devilish!

John Nelson Darby – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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Okay, so let’s get to the main thrust of this devotional.

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And today’s main point is to highlight and emphasize John 6, in which Jesus speaks four times of His Return on “the last day”!

Magnifying Glass – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE?

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First, let it be established, that while there is no dispute that the Church will indeed be, “caught up together to meet the Lord in the air”, there currently is a heated debate regarding just when “Christ…shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation”. (1st Thessalonians 4:17 & Hebrews 9:28)

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Now, the Bible never speaks of a third coming of Christ, as Pre-Tribulation rapturists suppose.

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And so, just when does the Bible actually say that Christians will be, “caught up together to meet the Lord, in the air”?

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Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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JOHN, CHAPTER 6

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Let’s merely allow the Bible to speak for itself. As a matter of fact, let’s take just one chapter of the Bible which speaks of the resurrection of Believers, four different times.

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You see, in John, Chapter 6, Jesus made this very revealing statement… “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which he hath given Me I should lose nothing, BUT SHOULD RAISE IT UP AT THE LAST DAY.” John 6:39.

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Now, here we see that God’s people will be raised up on “the Last Day”.

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So why do rapture-theorists insist that the resurrection of Believers will take place prior to the Tribulation?

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

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2ND VERSE FROM JOHN 6

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Here is another verse from the same chapter… “And this is the will of him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY.” John 6:40

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Here again, this verse encompasses every human who ever believed on Jesus throughout time.

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They will all be raised up on the Last Day. Each and every saved soul throughout time, if this verse is correct (which it, indeed is, correct!)

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

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3RD VERSE FROM JOHN 6

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Now listen to the third verse from John 6… “No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the LAST DAY.” John 6:44

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Now, here is yet another similar confirmation that the Resurrection is on the Last Day, and NOT PRIOR to the Tribulation of Revelation!

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

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4TH VERSE FROM JOHN 6

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Now listen to the last verse from John 6 concerning the Last Day… “Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the LAST DAY.” John 6:54

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So just why did Jesus repeat this “Last Day” truth four different times in just one little section of the Bible?

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Well, one thing is for sure! This chapter makes a clear-cut case for the Resurrection happening on the Last Day, and not 7 years prior, as Pre-Tribulation Rapture advocates insist!

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And REALLY, if Christ was going to raise all sleeping saints prior to the Great Tribulation, don’t you think He would have mentioned it, or made it abundantly clear? 

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

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Now why does all this matter?

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Great question!

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Question Mark – at a loss – Wikimedia – Share-alike license

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CHURCH FAST ASLEEP!

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The reason that it matters is because this whole notion that Christians do not have to go through this horrific event, known as the Tribulation of the last days, puts many, or perhaps most churchgoers to sleep, spiritually speaking!

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After all, why should we worry about putting on our spiritual armor, if we get to miss the entire battle?

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

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SAD STATISTICS

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Now please don’t scoff at this idea! 

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Statistics by the most notable pollsters show that drunkenness, pornography, divorce/re-marriage, Bible-illiteracy, materialism, TV watching, etc., are at an alarming all-time high in today’s Christendom!

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And so obviously, the Christian community is not being watchful, as the Bible warns us to be… “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” 2nd Peter 3:11, 12

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The fact is, assuming the pollsters’ statistics are accurate, even if there was such a thing as this so-called Pre-Tribulation Rapture, very few churchgoers would be “caught up”!

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We simply are just not ready!

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“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you”

1st John 2:27

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And so, if you dear soul have been listening to those who are lulling the Church into a false sense of security by teaching such heretical doctrines as the so-called “Pre-Tribulation Rapture”, you really need to shut them off and start studying the Bible for your own self!

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Hide God’s precious promises in your heart!

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Listen to Scripture on audio tapes!

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Carry a little Gideon’s Bible in your back pocket and read it whenever you have a spare moment!

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This is how we must get our armor on!

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

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SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS,

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ARMOR UP!

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THE TIME IS AT HAND!

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TO READ PART 3, CLICK HERE…

DECEMBER 4 (Darby & Scofield’s  Pre-Trib Rapture, Part 3: The Last Trumpet)

Angel with trumpet – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to study my Bible for myself, and let me not by led astray by the errors which have overtaken today’s church-world…

Girl Praying – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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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…” June 24th (The War Nobody Prepared For!)” 

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 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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So read on and discover “things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 13:35

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READ MORE…

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

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

” April 16 (O Sinnerman, Where You going To Run To?)”

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

.

ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

.

THIS STUDY #471 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 14

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Shouting Good Words! 

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Part 2:

“Emotionalism” 

To read Part 1, click here… “March 20th (Shouting Good Words!)”

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VARIOUS GOSPELS

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YouTube is a great place to hear any type of gospel imaginable!

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And there are various gospels to hear.

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One false gospel preaches prosperity. (1st Timothy 6:5)

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Another preaches anti-capitalist humanitarianism. (2nd Timothy 3:5)

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Yet still another preaches strict rules which deny the flesh. (Colossians 2:23)

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Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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HIGH EMOTIONS

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But today, there was a very emotional gospel, in which this particular evangelist was almost on the verge of tears during his entire presentation.

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Well, that’s not exactly true! Actually his presentation was a sort of emotional roller-coaster ride, with moments of near tears, soon followed by bringing the crowd into laughter.

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And then he would return again to the tearful emotionalism.

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Finally, at the last, some very soft praise music played as this energetic evangelist prayed a very emotional and sorrowful prayer with pleas for spiritual blessings.

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Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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CHARLES FINNEY

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Now such preaching is nothing new.

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No, as a matter of fact, that infamous evangelist, Charles Finney, was a master at emotional preaching, all the way back in the early 1800’s.

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Yes, Charles Finney could stir up his audience to the point that the altar-calls would bring large numbers of confessing sinners falling to their knees in tearful contrition and remorseful repentance!

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His calculated emotionalism was carefully designed to bring the crowds to their knees each night that he was in any certain town. 

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Charles G. Finney – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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FATHER OF THE EMOTIONAL GOSPEL

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And to a great degree, Charles Finney was the father of the modern-day emotional gospel.

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And Finney is said to have had a greater influence on American Christianity, more than perhaps any other modern-day preacher.

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Unfortunately, much of his legacy is not such a good legacy! And to Finney’s credit, at the end of his life, he repented of his former ministry!

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Nevertheless, his life-long bad example has been embraced by this present-day evangelical community, bringing it into apostasy!

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Charles G. Finney – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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BLACKENED EARTH TERRITORIES

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And what about Finney’s converts?

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Well, by observers who followed in Finney’s wake from town to town, it was discovered that his so-called converts fell away soon after he left each town! That’s right, his high-energy, emotional preaching could whip up the multitudes into a frenzied repentance.

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But it wasn’t a true repentance! Just a moment of high emotions, followed by a return to sin and selfishness in the weeks and months following!

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And the places which Finney most heavily evangelized, were nicknamed, “blackened earth territories”, because his false converts eventually became so hardened against the Gospel, that they were beyond being reached for Christ, ever again!

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And a large portion of that community likewise became hardened against the Gospel!

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Charles G. Finney – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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WHAT WAS MISSING?

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Now, back to this YouTube evangelist, heard this morning.

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It was observed that there was one missing ingredient in this emotion-filled revival service: a call to forsake the selfish pleasures and proud pursuits of this world!

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Oh yes, there was a call to forsake adultery, and drugs, and other gross sins. And yes, all the “big sins” were mentioned. But the really cardinal sin of today’s Church was totally overlooked! And that is another reason why there could be no true conversions in this energy-charged convocation!

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And so, just what is that one great sin?

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Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE RICH YOUNG RULER

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The answer to this question might be revealed in the story of the Rich Young Ruler, found in Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18.

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Remember that story?

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This young man came running up to Jesus, greatly desiring to know what good thing he might do, that would bring him Salvation.

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And Jesus saw right through his legalistic “commandment-keeping” facade, and plainly told the young man… “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come and follow Me.” Matthew 19:21

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Well, when he heard that requirement, the young man went away sad, because, “he had great possessions”. Matthew 19:22

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Rich-Young-Ruler-Hoffman – Wikimedia-Commons – US-public-domain

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SUPERFICIAL RELIGION DESIRED

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And so, it’s probably a somewhat similar situation today, with so many young people in the audiences of today’s highly emotional evangelists on TV, radio, and YouTube. That’s right! Most of us would like to have, well, a partial relationship with Jesus!

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Yes, we’d love to have a “mountain-top experience” of “emotional highs” with Jesus.

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But to totally renounce this selfish world, and let Jesus remove all my self-seeking ways? Naw! That would be going much too far!

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

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DEATH-TO-SELF?

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Well, this above testimony is probably somewhat similar to what that Rich Young Ruler was saying within himself, when Jesus counseled him to, “Go, sell all you have and come follow Me!”

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All the young man merely wanted, was some good works he could do! But to give up the entire world, and follow the lowly and self-sacrificing Jesus? To suffer tribulation, as God purified his heart into the image of Jesus?

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No, that was totally unacceptable to that rich young ruler! He merely wanted a superficial religion which tickled his itching ears.

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And so he went away, very sorrowful!

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

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FORSAKE ALL & FOLLOW ME

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Now in contrast to this, when Jesus called His disciples, Peter, Andrew and John, He plainly told them… “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33.

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Here above, is one of those “hard sayings” from the Bible that usually gets rough treatment from just about everyone in church these days!

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Yes, this above saying from Luke 14:33 always gets neutralized by just about every Bible teacher, until it has little punch left in it! 

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Nevertheless, Jesus requires “all” from His disciples. He accepts no divided heart.

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Christ calling His Disciples by Edward Armitage – 1869 – courtesy Wikigallery.com – Public Domain

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SHUNNED SUPERFICIAL EXCITEMENT

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Jesus knew how fickle those artificial emotions can be, and wanted nothing to do with any superficial responses to the Gospel!

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Jesus remembered the words of the wise-man… “The words of wise men are heard in quiet, more than the cry (shout) of him that ruleth among fools.” Ecclesiastes 9:17

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As this above verse warns, all the shouts that the apostate church-world can cry, cannot compare to the quiet wisdom which Jesus walked in, and taught with, during His short earthly ministry.

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Sunday preaching – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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OUR DIVINE ROLE-MODEL

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And so, the call still goes out to all those who wish to imitate Jesus, to put away all un-Christlike behavior, and simply imitate our divine Role-Model, Jesus, in all we think, do, and say!

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And let’s discard all the artificial methods of evangelism, and merely proclaim the Word of Christ faithfully and unpretentiously!

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And by so-doing, just maybe God will begin to truly bless our efforts to reach hearts for Christ!

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Mall witnessing, Panama City, Panama

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TO READ PART 3, CLICK HERE…

March 25 (Shouting Good Words! Part 3: “Forceful Bible Teachers!”)

Sunday preaching – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, lead me to find the true life which Jesus offers! Let me not be led away into a superficial gospel. But let me allow Thee to mold me and re-make into Thy likeness…

Marine Praying – Wikimedia – USMC Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… ““Vanity Fair” & The False Prophet”, or you can also read… “February 3rd (Fashionable Religion)” 

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 serpent (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 (AKA Corona Borealis), 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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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Five Foolish Virgins Stars”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

“April 15 (The Pre-Trib Rapture, Part 2: John 6)”

Second Coming – Return – Resurrection Morning – Jan Luyken – Bible – Wikipedia – US Public Domain (2)

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #470 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 13

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Perfect Peace,

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Part 3:

“Alternative To Television”

To read Part 1, click here…April 13 (Perfect Peace, part 3: Alternative To Television)

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“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…”

Psalm 101:3

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In this very demanding world, it is often very difficult living the Christian life.

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And throughout our working day, it is all we can do to just keep our heads above the din and mire of Satan’s kingdom.

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And so, by the time we get home, most feel so exhausted, simply wanting to make a retreat to the television room, and just plop down with the remote.

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But as Christians, we understand that God wants better things for us. He wants us to purify our hearts and minds in heavenly things.

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Nevertheless, there comes a time to relax at night.

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People on Times Square – cropped image – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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CHRISTIAN LIFE NOT STARK AUSTERITY!

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But may it never be suggested that when God takes something away from the Christian, such as television, that He merely wants that Christian to live an austere and meager existence…

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No, just the opposite! Listen to the Psalmist of Israel… “How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures.” Psalm 36:6-8

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This above psalm makes the Christian life sound pretty wonderful, doesn’t it?

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This psalm doesn’t sound bleak or austere, wouldn’t you agree?

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David Playing Harp – www.thebiblerevival.com – US public domain

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DRINKING WATER OF LIFE

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The problem that most of us encounter, is that we need to drink much more abundantly from the well-springs of Salvation!

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Yes, our spiritual life is so shallow, compared to what it could be! And the LORD desires for us to drink of the river of His pleasures, and be satisfied with the fatness of His house.

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Oh, the world just can’t understand this supernatural experience!

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And the even more sorrowful thing is, neither can most Christians!

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Yes, the really sad thing is, that we are content to merely live a Lukewarm existence! We refuse to drink deeply of the life-giving waters of Salvation. And as a result, we feel that we instead must drink from the broken cisterns of the world!

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Elakala Waterfalls Swirling Pool Mossy Rocks – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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“WORLDLY PLEASURES (NOT) ALL FORSAKEN”

Stanza from, “I Surrender All” (with the parenthesized word, “not”, added)

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And so then, we resort to our games, and TV shows, or our hobbies, or banquetings, or coffee breaks, or social clubs (just to name a few), as a means of enjoying life. 

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And what is the result of our worldly pleasure-seeking? Our Christian testimony is greatly destroyed! People don’t take us seriously when we tell them how wonderful our communion with Heaven is! After all, we’re seeking the same enjoyments that they seek, for the most part!

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So just how can I escape this life of defeat? How can I show the world that Heaven is for real? How can they be convinced that I have died to selfishness, and Jesus now lives His loving life through me?

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BULWARK OF SPIRITUAL LIFE

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Yes, how can I escape this life of defeat, and show the world that Heaven is for real?

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The very first thing I can do, is to beg and plead with God, to help me to construct a bulwark around my day!

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And just what does that mean?

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Well, just like Daniel, I need to establish a thrice-daily prayer-time… “…Daniel…kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God” Daniel 6:10.

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Now Daniel was one of the few Bible heroes who never had any sins or weaknesses mentioned.

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And here is revealed one great secret behind Daniel’s strength! His bulwark of prayer, three times daily. 

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

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MORNING BIBLE STUDY

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The next step in ordering our lives aright, is to begin a Bible study each day.

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Yes, to simply study our Bible each day, “comparing spiritual things with spiritual”, is an integral part of our wall-of-strength.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

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HEAVEN-ON-EARTH

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And the point of today’s devotional is to encourage us all, that we need to plead with God, that He will graciously help us to create a bit of Heaven-on-earth, in our own personal life.

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And by the power of the Holy Spirit, I can begin to enjoy this heavenly lifestyle even more than my previous mundane existence.

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And if my children decide to leave off watching TV and enter my world, then we can all listen to some Bible story from the Internet, or sing simple Christian songs, such as, “Dare To Be A Daniel”, or something similar.

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Or if my children are older, we might try to engage in a meaningful discussion about world affairs, in the light of Salvation.

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Family Prayer Before Meal – Wikimedia – US-Govt. – Public-Domain

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“PRECIOUS PROMISES!”

2nd Peter 1:4

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But even if my family doesn’t come along with me on my heavenward journey, I have many precious promises in Scripture!

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Listen…“Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways…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, 3, 4

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And it is such promises as this, which the Christian clings to every day, as he or she climbs that gently ascending pathway to the celestial City of God!

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Upward Pathway – by böhringer friedrich for – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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TO READ PART 4, CLICK HERE…

JULY 1 (How To Find Perfect Peace, Part 4: Perfect Peace In The Storm! (The Ball-Cap))

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me the spirit to begin to re-construct my life, making it a little corner of Heaven! Give me great wisdom to know just how this can be accomplished in my household…

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… “Ark of the Covenant Constellation, Pt. 2: How To Enter The Most Holy Place”, or you can also read… “MARCH (How To Have Heaven Now!)”

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 CROSS-SCEPTER CONSTELLATION

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(NOT THE NORTHERN OR SOUTHERN CROSS)

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This is not the Northern Cross, nor is it the Southern Cross. This cross is made of stars from both the Serpens Constellation and the Ophiuchus Constellation. Here is a star-chart from Wikipedia, in which the editor of this site has sketched in this Cross/Scepter Constellation. The stars in this star-chart are accurately placed, and this Cross/Scepter Constellation stands out in brilliance, among the other stars in the night sky.

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The sketch below is the Summer Constellations, as seen when looking west. Well, if you look just to the south (south is to the left in this sketch) of Arcturus, you will see what appears to be a scepter. But this scepter also appears as a Cross. And this constellation has been named, the Cross/Scepter constellation. It can be seen in January, in the pre-dawn hours. Each night, it appears a little earlier, as it slowly inches its way westward. Finally this constellation dips below the western horizon, in the fall, not appearing again till January, back in the eastern sky.

 

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Now, as earlier stated, this wonderful prophecy (“there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel”) has its greatest fulfillment in the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus is represented by that glorious Star. And His death on the Cross is truly His scepter of authority. Jesus died to save a world of rebellious sinners.

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Cross-Scepter Constellation – Also known as the Ophiuchus and the Serpens Constellations Website has taken liberty of drawing in this Cross-Scepter Constellation upon a star-chart found on Wikipedia

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Cross/Scepter Constellation”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW… 

“APRIL 14 (Shouting Good Words! Part 2: Emotionalism)”

Sunday preaching – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #468 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – APRIL 12

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Seagulls & ‘No-Fear’ Teachers

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Seagulls exist in just about anywhere that water is present. Hot or cold climates matters not to these hardiest of all birds!

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And as with all things in nature, gulls are among our many teachers…

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Listen… “But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?” Job 12:7-9

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As this passage from Job reveals, all nature was designed to teach mankind lessons about good and about evil.

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Black-headed Gull – St_James Park London – Wikimedia – GNU Free Doc. License

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ME FIRST!

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If you have ever attempted to feed a gull, you have no doubt been accosted by many other gulls, pushing and shoving to be first in line to steal away with the biggest morsel!

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Seagulls fighting for a fish – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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PROUD, PROUD, PROUD!!!

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And gulls are a proud bunch! They know just who is the biggest and baddest gull; and that gull-in-chief makes sure he gets the proper respect from the others!

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He will even go up and down the assembly, pecking at the other gulls, making the others tuck in their heads, as an act of submission to his authority!

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Sea Gulls – Trouble in the air! – Wikimedia – Creative Commons License

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GOD’S CLEAN-UP CREW

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Gulls are on a constant search for anything edible, even the least little bit!

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They have an incredible digestive system and are one of God’s appointed clean-up crew around the world. 

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Seagulls – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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So, just what else can we learn about ourselves from these, our bold and fearless little friends?

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

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PUSHING AND SHOVING

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Well, as we watch them selfishly fighting over every scrap and morsel on the beach, we can see how we humans often appear in the eyes of our Heavenly Father!

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Yes, God sees our selfishness and faithlessness as we so often scramble to get “our due and just reward”.

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He sees how we are willing to shove our way through a crowd, to get first-grabs at a garage sale!

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He sees how we take the biggest and best, without regard for others who aren’t as quick or as strong as we are!

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He takes note that we are willing to step over our fellow employees, to get that job promotion.

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Or how we proudly purchase those needlessly expensive houses, cars, and motor-homes, instead of sending out the Gospel to starving souls in third-world nations, via faithful ministries.

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Seagull feeding frenzy – Wikimedia 

Black Friday Frenzy – by Powhusku – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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BOLD IS SO BEAUTIFUL?

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But this devotional isn’t about the selfishness of gulls and people. Not directly, anyway.

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No, the focus of today’s devotional is about the “No-Fear” quality of sea gulls!

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Yes, these fearless and bold ones remind us of how we sometimes behave in the house of God.

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As a matter of fact, being bold and fearless is usually considered to be a virtue in today’s world!

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Sunday preaching – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART

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But Scripture says… “Thus saith the LORD…to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word.” Isaiah 66:1, 2

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Yes, God loves a meek and lowly Christian who fears His Word, and fears His wrath!

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But this doesn’t really describe the current state of most Bible teachers, does it? For some reason, we Bible teachers get the notion that unless we exert all the authority and confidence of the Apostle Paul, we will somehow lose our following!

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And so, there exists a dogmatism in the church-world among Bible teachers which rubs off on parishioners too!

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David Playing Harp – www.thebiblerevival.com – US public domain

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STIFF-NECKED US

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Consequently, the greater part of Christendom has become hard-headed and unbending in our supposed knowledge.

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But this isn’t anything new! After all, even back in the days of the meekest of all men, Moses, God complained… “And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people:” Exodus 32:9.

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Yes, when God wrote the Old Testament, He also wrote it for us… “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1st Corinthians 10:11

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And so, when we read of those hard-headed rebels back in the Old Testament, we must realize that God is speaking to us too!

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HARD TO UNDERSTAND

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Now, if the Bible was written to be easily understood, then there might be an excuse for our foolish dogmatism.

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But God purposely wrote much of the Bible to be hard to understand… “As also in all his (Paul’s) epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” 2nd Peter 3:16

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So here it is revealed that the Bible is a difficult book.

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And yet, when we hear all the dogmatism coming from “No-Fear” Bible teachers, you would think such teachers to be infallible, popish authoritarians!

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

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MANY VERSES SPEAK OF DEATH

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Take for instance, this old church doctrine referred to as “Eternal Torment”.

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The fact is, there is a plethora of Bible texts which speak of Hell as… “the wages of sin is death”, or “The soul that sinneth shall die”.

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And yet, with all the boldness of an infallible authority, Bible teachers self-confidently step on the backs of these verses, loudly proclaiming that God is going to mercilessly torture every unbeliever for all time and eternity! And that would include, perhaps, many billions of lost souls, throughout history who rejected salvation!

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Devil – Hans Memling – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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IGNORING IMPORTANT PASSAGES

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And just because they have been told that the “Parable of the Rich Man & Lazarus” is the last word on the nature of Hell, they simply ignore all the many other passages which speak of Hell as the grave and as death…

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For instance, what about this passage… “For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest, With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves; Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver: Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.” Job 3:13

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When these “No-Fear” Bible teachers are questioned about this above passage they simply deny it is Bible doctrine! “Oh Job was merely on a rant”, they confidently say, “This is not trustworthy doctrine!”, they secretly imply!

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What an incredibly heretical statement!

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CONDEMNING THOSE WHO DISAGREE

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There exist various “no-fear” Bible teachers on the radio who are quick to condemn all those who disagree with them.

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And because they so boldly and ruthlessly mock, deride, and condemn their so-called detractors, they realize this causes their own listeners to “fall in line”, afraid to dissent and thereby be also called “heretic”!

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In other words, like the chief seagull, they make their followers submit to their authority!

Sunday preaching – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE”

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No, there is absolutely no reason for any Bible teacher to get dogmatic about so-called “Eternal Torment”.

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There are simply too many passages which teach otherwise.

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And so, it is no wonder that God is calling His meek ones to join the current end-time exodus out from Spiritual Sodom & Egypt (the apostate churches!)

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Listen… “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her (Babylon), My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4.

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Tissot – The Flight of the Prisoners – Wikipedia – US Public Domain 

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A TIME TO BE DOGMATIC

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Now there are many Bible truths which we can boldly proclaim: Christ’s deity, His great Atonement, Judgment to come, etc..

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These truths and many more, God has made perfectly clear in Scripture.

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And we can certainly quote with boldness, various Bible verses concerning easy as well as difficult doctrines. We need not be afraid to quote any Bible verse!

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But never should we proclaim anything that the Bible never says, such as “Eternal Torment”.

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Oh yes, we can boldly say, “the smoke of their torment ascends up, for ever and ever…” That’s a Bible verse.

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And yes, we can boldly recite the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. That’s a passage from the Bible. We are merely quoting the Bible.

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But neither of these passages necessarily prove the church-doctrine named by theologians, “Eternal Torment”. And considering all the other Bible passages which contradict this long-held traditional catholic church-doctrine, these forbid us from making such a theological leap! 

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NO REPENTANCE! NO REMORSE!

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There is no repentance from this proud and arrogant so-called “orthodoxy” which rules over today’s Christendom!

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And since they refuse to give up their Babylonish doctrines, there is hope in only one direction: “Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues!”

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PICTURE – Constellation- Woman of Revelation 12 flees to the mountains Mark 13:14 This is not a star-chart, but merely a concept picture

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FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS

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“But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:” Mark 13:14

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When God’s people finally come out of spiritual Babylon, they will be delighted to find that there are rivers and streams of living waters upon the blessed high hills and mountains, in that day when the towers fall.

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“But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.” Ezekiel 7:16  

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me the spirit of meekness, as I attempt to discern the Word of truth…

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “January 18th (Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets)“, or you can also read… “March 1st (A Designer Jesus!)” 

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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“But they that escape of them shall escape,

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and shall be on the mountains

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like doves of the valleys,

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all of them mourning,

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every one for his iniquity.”

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Ezekiel 7:16

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LOCATING THIS CONSTELLATION

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THE TWO TURTLE-DOVES CONSTELLATION… This constellation appears in early spring in the south. It moves from east to west during the night and slowly moves to the western horizon by fall. It is commonly known as Sagittarius. (The three stars at the top of the 2nd Turtle-dove are not shown in some Sagittarius Star-charts, but are in others.)

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Sagittarius Constellation star-chart from a wikipedia. Editor of this site has sketched in the Turtle-Doves. Star-chart is under Share-alike license

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ABOVE STAR-CHART (with doves drawn in by this website: Summer Constellation – Two Turtledoves (aka: Sagittarius) – Wikipedia Star-chart

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “What is the Meaning of the Two Turtledoves Constellation?”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

“April 13 (Perfect Peace: Alternative To Television) “

Garbage-Hollygrove1-TV-Typewriter-CurbTrash-Wikimedia-share-alike-license-300×223

 

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #466 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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