Daily Devotional, Year 2 – JANUARY 12 (How a Joke Killed! Part 2-b: An Antichrist Spirit)

By admin On October 25th, 2014

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – JANUARY 12

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How a Joke Killed!

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Part 2-b:

“An Antichrist Spirit”

To go to Part 1, click here… ” JANUARY 10th (How a Joke Killed!)”

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On the morning of that fearful day, when God destroyed Sodom and its surrounding cities, the main character of that story, Lot, tried to warn his sons-in-law to flee from the wrath to come!

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But his sons-in-law didn’t believe him! They thought he was just joking!

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Listen… “And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.” Genesis 19:14

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Perhaps Lot’s sons-in-law were accustomed to hearing Lot make such mocking jests, previous to this fateful morning!

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Yes, maybe Lot had a reputation of being somewhat of a joker. Maybe Lot was the type who enjoyed a good gag, previous to this solemn moment! Maybe Lot was the type who enjoyed a good laugh!

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After all, why else would his sons-in-law conclude his was merely joking?

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Well, we’ll just have to ask Lot, when we meet up with him someday, what exactly did happen on that frightful morning.

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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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FOOLISH TALK & JESTING

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Now, the Bible does not promote being a joker or a jester! Quite the opposite!

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Listen… “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks…Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:3, 4, 6

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Combine this above passage with the following passage from the same epistle… “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:2

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Can you see the common thread between these two above passages? The common thread is that both passages are speaking of, “children of disobedience”! Yes, those jesters in Ephesians 5:3, 4, 6 are the same group which are indwelt by the “prince of the power of the air…that spirit that now works in the children of disobedience” found in Ephesians 2:2

Now that bit of information should make us think twice about imitating this joking and jesting world!

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

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NOT IGNORANT OF SATAN’S DEVICES!

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Now, the Bible says… “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2nd Corinthians 2:11.

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No, as this above verse reveals, we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices! And so, with such a spiritual insight, we can look around at this Antichrist society and realize that the Devil is very much more than just an innocent bystander! Satan is not just sitting on the sidelines, as some suppose: merely observing the goings-on of Mankind.

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Nor does Satan take time off, so he can go on vacations!

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Rather, Satan works around the clock, deceiving and making this world as seductive as he possibly can! He is a relentless warrior, seeking to destroy both Christians and their children, too!

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And, as Ephesians, Ch. 2 reveals, Satan is busy working in the lives of the unconverted… “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit THAT NOW WORKETH in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:2

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USEFUL PAWNS IN SATAN’S GAME OF CHESS

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Satan is the ardent foe of Heaven! He’s the true “mover and shaker” of this world! And he and his countless followers will use any and every unconverted human heart as “useful pawns” in his subtle attacks on Christians!

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Whether it be a king, or a pauper, a “professional”, or a common laborer, a business tycoon, or a teacher, a pastor or a parishioner, a doctor, or a patient, a poet or a musician, a classical composer, or a pop singer, a political figure or a comedian: No unconverted human being is beyond Satan’s reach!

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And just as he used unconverted Peter, he too will use you or me, if he possibly can! And just as he received permission to sift Peter as wheat, so will he do to any yet unconverted Follower of Jesus!

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checkmate – by Friedriech Moritz August Retzsch – Wikigallery.org – Public domain

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“I AM MUSIC, AND I WRITE THE SONGS!”

A line from the song, “I Write The Songs”, by Bruce Johnston

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Lucifer was the gifted musician back in Heaven, prior to being thrust down to earth! So don’t imagine for a moment that he doesn’t employ his “talents” down here!

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Yes, there are many “gifted” humans who seem to pour out their artistic creations like an overflowing river! Literary artists, musicians, business “geniuses”, scientists, scholars, actors, and yes, even comedians!

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But what both the people of the world, and Christians alike are so hesitant to admit or recognize, is that this evil genius, Satan, is the true inspiration in this, his kingdom! And we are merely his useful pawns, in his game of chess, because Satan is that, “spirit THAT NOW WORKETH in the children of disobedience:”!

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Stuck Lucifer ca-1890 – Wikimedia – public-domain

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LET US NOT BE DECEIVED!

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And we must not allow ourselves to be ignorant of Satan’s devices, as he glorifies his own selfish kingdom, by such creations! After all, it is by these loyal citizens, and their creations, whom he uses to deceive, ensnare, and bind our hearts to this proud and selfish world! We hear all that beautiful music, and our hearts are further entwined to this world! The story-tellers weave their intriguing tales, making this selfish world appear so inviting, and even magical, at times! The inventors “discover” some new invention, and we and our children become willing slaves to these electronic devices!

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No, they are merely being used by “the god of this world”, the Devil, as he weaves his world-wide spider web of deception and seductive entrapments, casting us into his prison-house of sin and selfishness!

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Spider Web – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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SOME VERY GOOD NEWS!

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Now there is some very Good News in the midst of all this bad news! Yes, if we have been used by Satan in the past, there is much hope for the future! The Lord can turn our failure into victory, and transform our life of sin into our testimony of God’s love and mercy!

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And God can deliver us from such overpowering habits, such as this pleasure of the mind called “joking”, “jesting”, or a “sense of humor”.

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Oh yes, it may take much resistance to finally get Satan to cease from whispering these jests in our ears! It probably will take months of resisting the Devil, before he will finally flee away, in this area of sin! Funny jests will often pop up in our mind! Clever comments will tempt us to utter them to our hearers!

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But we have a commission to warn the world of the coming Day of God! And only a loving, Christlike character will allow Christ to work in us and through us, to sound the trumpet, that the great Day of God has finally arrived!

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ABOVE PICTURE – 7 Stars Constellation as the Cross (aka Big Dipper) – winter – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses

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TO READ PART 3, CLICK HERE…

JANUARY 13 (How a Joke Killed! Part 3: A Deadened Conscience)

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me a heart which desires to become Christlike in every way! Take away my foolish pride which the Devil has deceived me with, by giving me these satanic abilities…

Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

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WIKIPEDIA STAR-CHART

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This constellation was identified on May 22nd, 2014. It is simply five stars, two from the Serpens Constellation, and three from the Hercules Constellation.

Wikipedia Star-Chart – Corona Borealis

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What gives this constellation impetus and significance is that it appears as five evenly positioned stars, in a slight oval pattern, as if they were sitting in a meeting, listening, or perhaps watching someone.

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Second, they appear to be gathered in front of The Crown of Revelation 12 Constellation. (just below Corona Borealis in this Wikipedia star-chart, in which the editor of this site sketched in these two constellations)

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer constellation – Five Wise Virgins Stars & The Glorious Crown – Corona Borealis – signsofheaven.org – Not for profit uses! – Wikipedia Star chart with constellations drawn in by this website.

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GATHERED AROUND THE GLORIOUS CROWN!

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The position of these stars is significant in a number of ways. The first, being that these Five Wise Virgins are gathered around the 12-star Crown of Revelation 12.

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And the obvious message here is, that these wise virgins represent the faithful portion of God’s Church. And as wise virgins, they understand the importance of winning the glorious crown of victory, which Jesus promised.

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

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And so, God is showing us the difference between the wise and the foolish in His Church. While the wise are gathered around this crown of victory, the foolish are nowhere to be found. This is because the foolish in the Church are much more concerned about the world, with all its pleasures and pursuits. They have little or no time to devote themselves to the pursuit of the treasures of Heaven! They pride themselves into believing that their industrious work-ethics have God’s approval. But God merely sees them only as workers of iniquity.

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Listen… “An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.” Proverbs 21:4

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Corona Borealis/Bootes & Five Wise Virgins

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TOMORROW…