Today’s Devotional – December 10th (The Time of Jacob’s Trouble, Part 4: Apocalypse Now!)

By admin On December 7th, 2013

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Today’s Devotional – December 10th

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THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE,

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Part 4:

“Apocalypse Now!”

To read Part 1, click here…July 13th (Jacob’s Trouble, Part 1: Alone With God)

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“And at that time shall Michael stand up…

and there shall be a time of trouble,

such as never was since there was a nation

even to that same time:

and at that time thy people shall be delivered,

every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Daniel 12:1

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Jacob Wrestling with the Angel – wikipedia – public domain

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**If the Reader has read Part 1 (click here) of this particular devotional, then the Reader understands the basic concept of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble which is before us.**

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**Actually, the great Time of Trouble is not only before us, but is upon us right this very moment!**

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It just remains for us to enter into that Time of Trouble.

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Global Warning – Christ Coming by Julian Osley – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share Alike License

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APOCALYPSE NOW!

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That’s right, the battle is raging all around us!

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And yet we are not aware, because it is a very personal experience that we must enter into when we are called and elected by God to become a soldier in His army.

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And having presented this very unnerving truth, it also must be said that God is very tender, and quite often brings us into Christianity very gently, allowing us some time to enjoy sitting at the feet of Jesus, hearing His Word.

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Yes, not always, but quite often, God gives new Believers a “honeymoon period”, so to speak, as they enjoy the softer and more pleasant aspects of the Gospel.

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US Navy – Chaplain Lt. Jason Gregory reads Bible on weather deck – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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“PUT YE ON THE ARMOR OF GOD!”

Ephesian 6:10-18

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**But after a time of filling our hearts with His wonderful, “milk of the Word”, God helps us put on the spiritual armor of God.**

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And at this point we are fully ready to do battle so that we might fully engage in the spiritual warfare between the armies of God, and the armies of the Great Dragon, Satan.

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GOD’S GREAT PURPOSE

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And so, just how does all this relate to the Time of Jacob’s Trouble?

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The first thing that must be understood is: “Just what is God’s ultimate purpose for calling us out of the world?”

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Perhaps this following passage from Romans will clarify what God is doing in the lives of His people…

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Listen to Paul, as he explains God’s purpose in predestinating us to the adoption as His sons…“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, HE ALSO DID PREDESTINATE TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30

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So here we see that the great purpose for His Church, is that we might become transformed into the image of His Son. This great theme runs through the entire Bible, and even through the Book of Revelation. Oh yes, it is often hidden between the lines. But it is nonetheless found throughout the Bible! And the ultimate goal is that we might be glorified, as it says above.

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Transfiguration – Bloch – cropped – Wikimedia Commons – US Public-Domain

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A THREE-FOLD PROCESS

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Next, we have to understand just how this transformation is accomplished.

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Maybe the steps of this transformation process need to be stated analytically…

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Notepad Icon – Nuvola apps package editors svg – wikimedia – GNU public license

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“COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM”

2nd Corinthians 6:17

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A. COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM: The first step is the separation from evil. As the new Believer begins to separate his or her self from ungodly influences, the heart (the treasure chest of the mind) begins to become purified from all the ungodly chatter and unwholesome images which we once embraced as unbelievers.

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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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“RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE”

Colossians 3:9, 10

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B. RENEWING OF THE MIND: Now that we have begun to clear out the ungodly graffiti from our heart and mind, we begin to replace all that rubbish with the heavenly treasures of knowledge, wisdom and virtues.

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In other words, by studying the Bible and hiding God’s Word in our heart, we are, in essence, cleansing the Holy Place of our soul-temple. To use an earthly analogy, it is like moving into a run-down shamble, fixer-upper, and beginning a complete renovation.

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Yes, we have spent a life-time learning the ways of this Babylonish world. And now, God has called us to come out of Babylon and learn the ways of Heaven!

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PICTURE: thy word have i hid in my heart

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“THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH”

James 1:3

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C. WALKING THROUGH THE FIRES OF TRIBULATION: Now here is the part of Christianity that can get unpleasant at times. You see, it is God’s good pleasure to sit as a refiner of silver and gold, to purify the Sons of Levi (“Christians” – see Malachi 3:3).

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And the way that God accomplishes this, is to walk us through our each and every day, giving us various little trials and tribulations, so that all our biblical-head-knowledge can be translated into practical, everyday Christlike behavior!

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And so, while we once lived faithlessly in the world, we must now begin to walk by faith! And day-by-day, God gives us situations which require us to exercise our faith, as we cling to God’s Word, instead of handling them like we once did in our old life as unbelievers.

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

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A LOVING, TENDER, AND PITYING GOD!

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And God is oh so patient with us, every time we fall down!

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He lovingly picks us back up, dusts us off, feeds us with His nourishing words, and gives us a time of refreshing rest.

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And then, He once again sends us up this gently ascending pathway to Heaven, as we once again encounter the experiences and situations that are designed to strengthen our faith, and solidify our character into His image.

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Woman why weepest thou – Jesus – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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THE TIME IS NOW!

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And so, now that this three-fold process has been explained, we need to realize that this is what the Time of Jacob’s Trouble is all about.

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**And that Time of Trouble is now!**

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**Oh yes, as this Great Tribulation intensifies, so will the fiery trials increase.**

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But it is God’s sovereign will, that His faithful people become polished as burnished brass. And it is His great purpose to have a people who will fully reflect the likeness of Jesus Christ.

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THE UPWARD PATHWAY

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And so, dear trembling child of faith, we must begin to walk that pathway set before us, praying without ceasing for more faith, for more knowledge, and for more wisdom to walk onward and upward, on that pathway to God’s Celestial City!

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Upward Pathway – by böhringer friedrich for – cropped/altered image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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TO READ PART 5, CLICK HERE…

NOVEMBER 14 (Jacob’s Trouble, Part 5: “Ye Shall Loathe Yourselves!”)

David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to begin to cleanse the sanctuary of my heart and fill it with all precious and pleasant things. And help me to faithfully endure the trials before me…

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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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SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS = “COME FOLLOW ME”

This whole scenario paints the portrait of just what it means to become a disciple of Jesus. We are all called to, “go and sell all you have, and give to the poor…and come follow Me”. And so the new Christian begins his or her heavenly sojourn. Oh yes, we’re still here on Earth. But we now begin a spiritual pilgrimage, as we follow Jesus in our hearts, and learn of Him. The Woman Constellation giving birth to the Christ-child typifies the Church (all true worshippers) as we struggle to rightly present Christ to the world… “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” Galatians 4:19.

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So Paul here was using this idea of child-birth as way of illustrating how a Believer is in spiritual labor pains, waiting for Christ to be formed within.

Remember the parable of, ‘the Sower who went forth sowing seed’ (Matthew 13:3-9)? Hopefully our hearts are made of good soil into which the gospel seed can be sown. The Gospel is only planted as a little seed. The seed must grow. But if we are true worshippers, then our desire is to be co-laborers together with Christ, to purify our lives, in order that the world can look at us, and see Christ in us…

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“And every man who has this hope in Him (Christ), purifies himself, even as He (Christ) is pure.” John 3:3. Such a condition would be what the Bible speaks of, as seed planted on good soil.

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TOMORROW…

“December 11th (The Moon, a Heavenly Object Lesson)”

ABOVE MOON PHOTO: 1st face – Night-watchman – moon and stars – noao – nasa – Composite Image Credit: T.A. Rector, I.P. Dell’Antonio

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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 #342 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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.. Most Images cropped & reduced in size.

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