Today’s Devotional – October 30th (Laodicea Now!)

By admin On September 17th, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – October 30th

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Laodicea Now!

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http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_315362/(after)-Jan-Soens/Saint-John-the-Evangelist-on-the-island-of-Patmos-writing-the-book-of-Revelation“To the Church of the Laodiceans…

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I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:

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I would thou wert cold or hot.

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So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.”

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Revelation 3:15, 16

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John on Patmos – Wikigallery – public domain

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.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:PD-US

The very last church of the seven churches of Asia is the Church of the Laodiceans. This is the Lukewarm church, which God says He will spew out of His mouth!

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Listen… “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:15, 16

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Francken Hieronymus the Younger – Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins – c 1616 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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NO DIVIDED HEARTS NEEDED!

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Now from the above two verses, it would seem that this church is in deep trouble with God!

Francken Hieronymus the Younger Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins - c 1616 - wikipedia - public domain

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And this trouble stems from the fact that God considers them to be lukewarm, neither cold nor hot!

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God desires no half-hearted service! No, God is not looking for divided servants.

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Listen… “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” Matthew 6:24

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(As you can see in this old painting, these five foolish virgins are spending their waiting time, enjoying the pleasures of this world, instead of working for the purification of their own hearts! They are asleep. spiritually speaking.)

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Francken Hieronymus the Younger – Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins – c 1616 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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A BANKRUPT CHURCH

.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tissot_The_Two_Priests_Are_Destroyed.jpg

And God continues His judgment on Laodicea… “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:17

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Now here, God pronounces them… “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Five qualities are here mentioned, which this wealthy and proud church doesn’t realize she possesses!

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Well, doesn’t it seem like this 7th church represents those of us who have been trying to hang on to Jesus, while at the same time, going after the vain earthly pleasures and proud, ambitious pursuits of this proud and opulent society?

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Tissot – The Two Priests Are Destroyed – Wikipedia – Public Dom.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caravaggio_-_Martirio_di_San_Pietro.jpg

PETER, JAMES AND JOHN

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And isn’t it true that we Christians today pride ourselves as being “Rapture-Ready”, when the truth is, we are lukewarm and divided in our service to God?

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Oh that we were truly ready for the Lord’s Return! But if we were truly ready, we would be like Paul, and Peter and John! This is what God has been desiring His Church to become!

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But instead of conforming ourselves to become like those godly men, we have become divided in our service to God!

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Crucifixion of Peter – Caravaggio Martirio di San Pietro – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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LIVING IN A HEDONISTIC WORLD

.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:New_york_times_square-terabass.jpg

Instead of becoming as dedicated and holy as those three role-models, we have been pursuing much of the same hedonistic pleasures and prestigious careers which the world seeks after!

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We love our pleasures and careers! We love our fat bank accounts!

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Listen… “Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.” James 5:3

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New York Times Square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/Pictures/The%20Early%20Church%20Artwork/target8.html

JESUS, PAUL, PETER & JOHN

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Yes, in a world starving to hear the Gospel which might have saved their souls, we have stored up our riches, or have lavished them upon our own personal pleasures!

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We have frivolously spent money which could have sent the Gospel into both domestic and foreign lands, via faithful ministries: and instead, have spent that money on our richly appointed homes and grounds, while millions live in utter poverty, sometimes even eating animal feces just to survive another day, and while at the same time, they are starving for the Word of God!

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Just like Paul, and Peter and John and all the others who strove to empty themselves of everything, that Christ might fill them with all His fullness!

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

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TIME TO SEPARATE WHEAT FROM CHAFF!

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But though God has spewed us out (collectively), there is still some very Good News!

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God is still willing to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vannage_du_riz,_Uttarakhand,_India.jpgtake us back (individually)!

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Oh no, He’s not going to resurrect the fallen churches! Their time has come and gone! But God is willing to take us back on a case-by-case basis!

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Listen… “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

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Here is a call for “any man”. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, hoping that if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him!”

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Just as this lady is winnowing the grain from the chaff, so too, the Lord has His winnowing fork in His hand, ready to separate the wheat from the chaff!

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Wheat Winnowing – Vannage du riz, Uttarakhand, – India – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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TIME TO FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS!

.Constellation- Woman of Revelation 12 flees to the mountains Mark 13:14

And if we go to Isaiah, we find that there will be a response by God’s people to Christ’s call to the Laodicean Church…

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Listen… “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” Isaiah 2:20-22

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Yes, God reveals here that we will cast away all our meaningless earthly riches, to go into the clefts of that mighty Rock, Jesus! 

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http://thebiblerevival.com/THE DAY WHEN THE CHURCH SHINES!
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And we are now come to that day when it is written… Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” Ephesians 4:13

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As this above verse reveals, there is soon coming a day in which God’s people will fully reflect Christ!

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This picture of the Five Wise Virgins represents all those who want nothing else, but to win that heavenly Prize!

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And they are willing to cast away any and every earthly trinket or treasure, if only they can win that Prize!

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Five Wise Virgins – Matt 25 – www.thebiblerevival.com – Public Domain

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-081218-M-4507D-001.jpg

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, We have done wickedly, by seeking a divided service between Thee and this selfish world! Deliver us from this horrible judgment and purify us, beginning today…

Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

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… December 10 (John Wesley-Man on fire!)

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

.picture - soldiers of the cross - armor up!

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

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

 

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CASTOR AND POLLUX AND THE NARROW WAY…

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

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But there is much significance to Castor and Pollux.

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

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Castor and Pollux & The Mystery Ship of Scripture”

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https://theheavensdeclare.net/the-fleeing-revelation-12-woman-constellation-the-message-of-habakkuk/TOMORROW:

“October 31st (Laodicea Now! Part 2)”

ABOVE PICTURE: Unfunny Judgment Day Cartoon – a party tonight – signsofheaven.org

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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

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THIS IS STUDY #301 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names, details, and tags, etc…. 

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