Today’s Devotional – May 2nd (Faith That Overcomes!)

By admin On May 2nd, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – May 2nd

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Faith That Overcomes!

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The story of Job (pronounced with a long “O”) is a very important part of the Bible. You see, it is the fulfillment and expansion of the concept of what it means, “to overcome the world”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bonnat02.jpg.

Let’s go to 1st John to get our signature Bible passage, concerning this concept…

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“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1st John 5:4, 5

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Now this passage is a bit confusing, the way it is worded. And as a result, many ask the question, “Is ‘overcoming the world’ merely God’s legal pronouncement that is figuratively attributed to the Believer, as a result of faith? Or does the Believer truly overcome the world?”

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Job (oil on canvas) by Bonnat, Leon Joseph Florentin (1833-1922)wikimedia public domain

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OVERCOMING AS JESUS OVERCAME

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Now this idea of overcoming is one great theme of the Book of Revelation, in which God repeats the phrase, “He that overcomes…” in each of His messages to the 7 churches of Asia.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-06831.jpg

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Now, fortunately, this somewhat confusing concept of overcoming the world is greatly clarified by the message to the church at Laodicea, when Jesus declares… “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21.

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Now here is a big revealing statement, that God truly expects us to overcome the world, even as Christ overcame the world! 

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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But this devotional began with a statement regarding Job.

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So where does the Book of Job fit into this question?

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Exactly what does the Book of Job have to do with overcoming the world?

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

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GOD ALLOWS DEVIL TO TEST JOB

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Well, the story of Job is the story of the interaction between God and the Devil, in the life of Job! 

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Yes, God really pulls back the curtain, so to speak, and shows us how He actually uses the Devil to accomplish His (God’s) own divine purposes in purifying His people!

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First, God almost goes to the point of provoking the Devil into sending trials upon Job. 

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And thus, a great test begins, in which the Devil brings a number of different devastating tragedies upon Job, all in the hope of getting Job to curse God, resulting in Job giving up his faith in God.

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PAINTING – Blake – 1793 – Jobs Tormentors – Wikipedia – US -Public Domain

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JOB FINALLY OVERCOMES!

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Now God won this challenge concerning Job’s faith! But in the process, some inward evil in Job’s heart became manifest, as a result of these trials.

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Yes, as Job’s three “friends” continually accused Job, Job eventually reacted with proud anger. And in the end, when God rebuked Job for his pride and anger against God, Job realized that indeed, he (Job) was harboring hidden pride and self-righteous rebellion in his own heart!

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And as we all know, Job finally confessed and renounced his own wickedness, and humbly acknowledged that God was true and righteous and gracious and merciful to him.

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Job and his friends – Wikimedia – public domain

 

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JOB REPRESENTS ALL BELIEVERS

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Now here is the great point to all this: God and the Devil have a controversy with each and every Christian who professes to be a child of God.

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And he (The Devil) brings similar accusations against each and every one of us. And this is why Christians go through so many trials and temptations.

.http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_198722/William-Brassey-Hole/The-sorrow-of-king-David

Make no mistake, O child of God, the Devil is trying his very best to discourage us into giving up our faith!  

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Because God is making sure that there will never ever be another rebellion in Heaven, such as Lucifer’s rebellion!

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And so, God brought Job through all those heavy trials, for the purpose of purifying his heart, and strengthening Job’s faith!

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Listen… “But He (God) knows the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10. Yes, in the midst of his trials, Job made this confession concerning God, that he (Job) would ultimately be victorious!

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David’s sorrow – cropped photo – wikigallery – public domain

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GOD SITS AS A PURIFIER OF GOLD…

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“And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi (Believers), and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3.

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This verse reveals that God is a purifier of hearts.

(For explanation of Believers being “sons of Levi”, read such articles as Today’s Devotional – May 6th (Who Are The Sons Of Levi?).

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And likewise, God also sat as a purifier of Job’s heart. And likewise, God sits as a purifier of every Christian’s heart! And this is the life of every true worshipper of God!

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And though there are many who actually do go through very great trials, such as Job’s trials, God doesn’t necessarily put us all through such great trials as Job suffered.

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Goldkey logo removed – wikipedia – public domain

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GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE

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And so now we begin to understand that overcoming the world, is akin to becoming purified. Yes, it is God’s desire that His children become totallhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-081218-M-4507D-001.jpgy purified in heart!

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

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As this verse reveals, God has given the commission to each and every true worshipper of God, to fully cooperate with Him in the process of purifying our heart!

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Listen… “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes.” Revelation 14:4

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As this verse indicates, the Book of Revelation depicts, in metaphorical language, a purified people who will be so meek and so dead-to-self-will, that they will joyfully follow Jesus wherever He desires to lead us!

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Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

 

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http://theheavensdeclare.net/orion-constellation/

“Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah”

Psalm 4:4

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Perhaps at the end of each day, maybe while lying down in bed, we need to spend much time thinking back on how we might have overcome that big or little attack by the Devil. Just what “exceeding great and precious promises” could have been employed, which would have given us the victory over the temptations which assailed us in our daily warfare?

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Listen…Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2nd Peter 1:4)

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Constant learning and hiding of the many Bible promises into our hearts is a critically important part of our daily walk in the Lord! 

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

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pray_for_Our_Nation_sign_IMG_3291.JPG

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me, not only the desire, but also the strength and power to overcome this world of selfishness. Mold me and make me into Thy likeness…

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

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

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… February 14th (By Beholding Jesus…Changed!) or you can also read… “April 14th (John’s Promise!)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

 

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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 https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&thid=AMMS_6da9b03c66bd053944b2c481083820e4&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fupload.wikimedia.org%2fwikipedia%2fcommons%2fthumb%2fa%2fae%2fCorona_Borealis_IAU.svg%2f500px-Corona_Borealis_IAU.svg.png&exph=460&expw=500&q=corona+borealis&selectedIndex=0&stid=80bd01d6-ca2e-d0da-13e2-bd0beb48d175&cbn=EntityAnswer&ajaxhist=0

GLORIOUS CROWN CONSTELLATION…

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& THE REVELATION 12 WOMAN

(Click here to read more!)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CrB.png

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This Glorious Crown Constellation looks like a wreath at first glance.

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It has 7 stars, plus another star in the middle. This Glorious Crown Constellation is commonly referred to as the Corona Borealis Constellation. This wreath reminds us of the victory wreath given to athletes who won races in the ancient http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lorbeerkranz_Zypern_rem.jpgcultures. This was spoken of by Paul as he compared those ancient races to the race that Christians must run… “Know you all not, that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you all may obtain.” 1st Corinthians 9:24 (see also Hebrews 12:1)

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Photo: Corona Borealis – seen in warmer months – cropped photo with crown drawn in by this website – Wikipedia – Taken from software called Perseus – All rights by Roberto Mura 

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

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

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“A CROWN UPON HER HEAD” …

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

.summer w/ark & woman

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

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

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“CROWN LAID UP FOR ME”

2nd Tim. 4:8

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summer constellations with doves & woman

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But as far as this article is concerned, the concept to remember is that this Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) appears to be grasping for this 12-star crown. It represents the prize which God has promised to all who finally overcome the world.

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Listen… “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21

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

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

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Crown of Revelation 12: What Is “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”?”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clinton_L._Romesha.jpg

TOMORROW:

“May 3rd (True Bullet-Proof Faith!)”

Bullet-proof gear – cropped photo – Worn by Clinton L. Romesha – Wikimedia – US Govt. 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 #120 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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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing details & tags, and all other necessary information on any particular photo.

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