Daily Devotional, Year 2 – JANUARY 10th (How a Joke Killed!)
By admin On October 24th, 2014.
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Daily Devotional – JANUARY 10th
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How a Joke Killed!
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“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
Jester Comedian – Laughing Fool – possibly Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen – circa 1500 – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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A popular Christian YouTuber devoted one of his videos to criticize some viewers who complained about his constant use of humor on his podcasts.
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In response, he indicated that these complainers would rather have him be “like some prude in a monastery, never smiling, stone-faced, sour, smug, humorless, thinking nothing’s funny”.
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And truth-be-told, if those extremely frigid qualities are what his critics actually insist that he embraces, then he has a very good and valid objection!
Announcer with microphone – svg – Wikimedia – Public-Domain
Portrait of monk Pavel Belokrinitsky – Wikimedia – the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license
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STRAWMAN ARGUMENT?
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But are those extremely unfriendly qualities actually what his critics were desiring? Really? “Like some prude in a monastery, never smiling, stone-faced, sour, smug, humorless, thinking nothing’s funny”? Really?! Very doubtful!
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You can always spot a dishonest argument when one or both sides use The Strawman Technique by presenting their opponent’s argument in the most exaggerated and extreme manner, as if there’s no reasonable, middle ground to be achieved.
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Straw man (or lady) – Wikipedia – Share-alike or GNU Free Documentation License
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Well, since that YouTuber made such an extreme strawman comparison of either being “funny” or completely flat, sour, and stone-faced, etc., let’s explore for a moment, what kind of demeanor a true Christian should strive to achieve and maintain in his or her quest to become Christlike.
magnifying glass on puzzle – Wikimedia – Share-alike license
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“Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.”
Genesis 19:17
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On the morning of that sad 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 morning.
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Yes, maybe Lot had a reputation of being somewhat of a joker.
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After all, why would his sons-in-law conclude his was merely joking?
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And let’s face it, at a moment in which these two men were faced with eternal consequences, they were disarmed by a supposed joke, or jest.
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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.
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A GIDDY AND SILLY CHURCH
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And maybe Sodom and Gomorrah were a great deal like we are today, because we are a society that loves to tell jokes, and loves our sense of humor!
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But what’s wrong with joking and jesting? After all, isn’t it good to laugh?
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And doesn’t the Bible say… “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”? Proverbs 17:22
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Well, for the people of the world, maybe there’s nothing wrong with joking and jesting and hilarity! And there is certainly nothing wrong with laughter, as long as it is for the right reasons. But like every other good thing which God has created, this world misuses laughter for the purposes of gratifying and “fulfilling the (perverted) desires of the flesh and of the mind” Ephesians 2:3 (parenthesis comment by web-editor)
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That is what this world is all about!
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Puck Cover- Wikipedia – Public Domain
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GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE A DIFFERENT COMMISSION
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And yes, a merry heart indeed, “does good like a medicine”!
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But we, the people of God are to operate under a completely different standard than the world’s standard: the standard of Heaven! Our, “merry heart”, instead comes from a peace, and future hope, and deep inner joy which surpasses all human understanding!
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Listen to what the Bible says… “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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So, here it says that God’s wrath will come down on jesters, and foolish-talkers, and unclean persons, who dare take the holy name of Christ on our lips!
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Levity (joking) has no place in our conversation with others, since souls are hanging in the balance!
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Braet von Überfeldt – Woman with Bible – 1866 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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A THANKFUL HEART IS A JOYFUL HEART!
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Now in this above passage from Ephesians, Paul, through the inspiration of God’s Holy
Spirit, condemns foolish talk and jesting, but offers a suitable alternative… “but rather giving of thanks…”
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Yes, a thankful heart is a joyful heart!
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And a joyful heart is a merry heart!
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And “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine!”
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So you see? God can give us a merry heart without engaging in, “foolish talk and jesting!”
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Prayer – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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OUR HEAVENLY ROLE-MODEL
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Jesus came to save the world! His death on the Cross provided the Way out of this hopeless and condemned world of sin and selfishness!
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But Jesus also came as a Heaven-sent Role-Model. He said… “Jesus saith…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6
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So here we see that the Way to Heaven is by following Jesus! As Paul puts it… “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
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Thus, Paul was dead to self, but alive through Christ.
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And Christ could freely live out His life through Paul!
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Paul Converted – www.thebiblerevival.com
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CHURCH CALLED TO CHRISTLIKE PURITY
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Listen to Paul… “…for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your membe
rs servants to righteousness unto holiness.” Romans 6:19
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Yes, Paul here is encouraging the Church to put away our worldliness and put on the beautiful garments as it is written… “And that ye put on the new Man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24
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Not false holiness!
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But true holiness! (There is a false holiness being practiced today!)
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A LUKEWARM CHURCH
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But God has allowed this error by ministers from the past.
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Yes, there has been much joking and jesting from the pulpits, through the last decades. And as a result of this and other grievous errors, the Church at best, has become Lukewarm.
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And Christ warns the Lukewarm Church… “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth!” Revelation 3:16
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While we the Church think we are “Rapture-ready”, the Lord is warning us… “I will spew thee out of My mouth!”
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Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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THOMAS BROOKS ON JOKING IN THE PULPIT
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Listen to that great Church reformer, Thomas Brooks as he speaks about false teachers in the pulpits…
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Listen…“They preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart…False teachers handle holy things rather with wit and trifling, rather than with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul-murderers. They are like evil surgeons, that skin over the wound—but never heal it…False teachers are Hell’s greatest enrichers.”
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Here are some very scathing words concerning those who think it’s a good thing to keep the congregation laughing.
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Thomas Brooks on, “The 7 Chacteristics of False Teachers”
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Laughing – (cropped and color added) – Fotothek df roe neg – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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SATAN RAISES UP FANATICS
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That Master Deceiver always wants to create a “Straw Man”, in attempt to cast a dark stain upon sincere Christians, And so, if he cannot get genuine Christians to behave in unhappy or angry, or sour manners, he will raise up false brethren who will do the job.
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In other words, it makes Christianity look really unappealing when churchgoers behave judgmental, or stern, or some other unappealing way.
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And so, the Christian must always be on his or her guard to not allow the Enemy to cause such unchristlike behavior in that Christian. We must be serious, and yet be also, kind, warm, gentle, and possessing an inner joy, which shines out to the world.
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And let’s not forget that a warm smile, a kind word, and a helpful hand is quite often the best sermon one might ever preach!
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Pilgrim’s Progress – 09, p29 – Obstinate – Wikimedia – Public Domain
Bible Study Group – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License
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A SEPARATING, TESTING-STONE
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The great testing-stone of truth in these last hours will be whether or not God’s people are willing to follow the Lamb wheresoever He goeth!
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Listen… “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads…These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. ” Revelation 14:1
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The question which comes to each of us, who are now standing in the Valley of Decision is this: “Am I ready to follow Jesus wherever He goeth? Am I willing to follow the Lamb, even to self-sacrifice? Am I able to give up every cherished earthly idol, so that I can fully reflect Jesus’ spotless life, to a joking and giddy and vain world in rebellion against Heaven?”
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Yes, God is now beginning to test us on this very point, concerning our, “foolish talk and jesting”, and other similar issues!
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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Fall Constellations – Heavenly Mount Zion Constellation (Cassiopeia Constellation) – signsofheaven – Not for commercial profit use!
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GOD NOT RAISING UP LOTS, BUT ABRAHAMS!
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God is not wanting to raise up men to become like Lot!
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Oh yes, Lot escaped the destruction of Sodom. But he lost his family in the process!
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But God is wanting to raise up a people to become like faithful Abraham: a people not afraid to sacrifice any and every worldly idol, for the Name of Jesus!
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Lot, no doubt, had become infected with all the same giddy nonchalance of the Sodomites, which eventually destroyed his own personal testimony and convoluted his solemn final warning, to, “flee from the wrath to come!”
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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.
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VERY GOOD NEWS!
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There is, however, some extremely Good News attached to this fearful message!
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Yes, the Good News is, that God’s grace abounds today, like never before! God is now willing to take His people to spiritual heights, as has never before been witnessed throughout this world’s history!
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Yes, we the people of God can become totally Christlike, if we are willing to allow our Lord to fully purify us in the fires of tribulation!
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And God can give us peace and joy, even in our light afflictions, which are but for a moment!
ABOVE PICTURE: soldiers of the cross – armor up! – www.signsofheaven.org
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TO READ PART 2-a, CLICK HERE…
JANUARY 11 (How a Joke Killed! Part 2-a: An Antichrist Spirit)
Laughing – (cropped and color added) – Fotothek df roe neg – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Make me like Jesus! Take away these awful polluted worldly jokes which roll off my tongue like water over a falls! Make me and mold me until I fully reflect the image of Jesus…
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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… ” April 7th (1 Preacher! 2 Sermons!)”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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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 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, 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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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Five Foolish Virgins Stars”
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TOMORROW…
JANUARY 11 (How a Joke Killed! Part 2-a: “An Antichrist Spirit”)
Laughing – (cropped and color added) – Fotothek df roe neg – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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20-MINUTE+ AUDIO BIBLE 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 #375 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain
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