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Today’s Devotional – December 7

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“ANGEL OF LIGHT”

You may also want to read yesterday’s companion article…”Harvesters of Light”

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Scripture reveals that Satan has a counterfeit for every truth of God…

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“And then shall that Wicked be revealed…whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” 2nd Thessalonians 2:8, 9.

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Notice it says this “Wicked” comes with “ALL power, signs and lying wonders”.

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Yes, Satan and his fellow workers-of-iniquity even counterfeit the workings of Christ and His Holy Spirit.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Satan, The False Prophet who offers a world-loving gospel – www.signsofheaven.org

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MINISTERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

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And today’s topic is all about Satan’s ability to counterfeit even that!

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And listen to what God says through Paul, the Apostle…

“For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed

as the ministers of righteousness;

whose end shall be according to their works.”

2nd Corinthians 11:13-15 (condensed).

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This passage reveals the true nature of Satan’s work on earth: to fill the pulpits with as many False Shepherds as possible! (Oh yes, there may be some, or even many true shepherds still in the pulpits at the time of this writing.)

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So even though the life in Christ is a life of simplicity, yet Satan works tirelessly to complicate the truth, and confuse, not only God’s people, but also confuse the whole world!

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Audience hands – cropped & altered – Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain

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ARE WE OF OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL?

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Jesus spoke plainly to the Old Testament children of God… “Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear My word. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” John 8:43, 44.

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Yes, these professed followers of God, were exposed by Jesus as being merely the children of the Devil.

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ABOVE PICTURE – winter – Orion the Good Shepherd – www.signsofheaven.org

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EXAMPLES FOR US

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Now before we begin to look down our noses at those apostate Old Testament people of God, we need to keep in mind that these things were written for us… “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1st Corinthians 1o:11, 12.

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So, here we see that these Bible stories are especially written for us today: we who are living in the last moments of time!

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STORIES WERE WRITTEN FOR US

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Yes, these Bible stories were actually more for us, than for them. 

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So, by combining these two concepts of Jesus calling His own people, “Children of the Devil”, but also warning us that Satan has many counterfeits: “ministers of righteousness”. Then, what can we say about our own relationship with God?

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Listen… “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” 2nd Peter 3:17.

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Today’s professed people of God must strive against the counterfeit works of Satan, so that we too do not fall into apostasy, as did the Old Testament people of God!

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“THEY CRY PEACE, PEACE”

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There are many who proclaim that they have complete “peace and safety” in their relationship with Jesus.

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But what they don’t realize is, that if a Christian is still living in the flesh, and seeking after the world, then he (or she) is quite possibly, merely a candidate for Salvation and not yet ‘Born Again’.

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This above not-so-funny cartoon makes a very fearful statement regarding those who presumptuously seek the things of the world, not realizing that though they may be spiritually slumbering, yet their judgment is not slumbering!

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CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL

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Listen to God’s delineation between a “true worshipper of God” and a mere professor of Christianity…“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24.

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No doubt, this delineation comes as a complete surprise to many. Well, that’s because Satan, through his, “ministers of righteousness” has, lowered the bar, so to speak, as to just what it means to be a Christian. And so, in this day of corruption, in which we now live, there are vast throngs claiming to be “children of light”, who are in reality, merely children of their “father, the Devil”.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Satan, The False Prophet who offers a world-loving gospel – www.signsofheaven.org

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THEY ARE OF THE WORLD

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The Lord makes a further distinction between the Church-Faithful and the Church-Apostate.

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Listen… “They (antichrists) are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God does not hear us. Hereby know we the Spirit of Truth, and the spirit of error.” 1st John 4:5, 6.

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So, here it reveals that Antichrist churchgoers are of the world, and the world hears them. Yes, an Antichrist is merely a worldly-minded person, whether in the church, or in the world!

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Castle of Disney – Wikipedia – Public Dom

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CRUCIFY THE “OLD MAN”

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And, just what is the solution to all this?

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Well, if you or I are still in the flesh, to a great extent, then we need to become fully engaged in crucifying the flesh, with its “affections and lusts”, don’t we?

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The “Old Man” has to be put to death, as Scripture points out!

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Listen to the Apostle, Paul… “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:5, 6

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Nailing Jesus to the Cross – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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WE’VE BEEN DECEIVED

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O Stranger & Pilgrim, if we have been deceived by that wily old serpent, into believing that we can still remain a slave to any passion or lust, and yet call ourselves a “new creation in Christ”, then we possible are deceived as to what it truly means to be a true worshipper of God.

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Listen to the Apostle, John… “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil… Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil…” 1st John. 3:7-10 (CONDENSED)

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Now this passage may not be saying that we will never sin again. But if we are slaves to any one lust or passion, then we had better get rid of that lust or passion or inordinate affection.

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And as you can see by this above “Judgment Day Cartoon”, there are many in the Church who spend little time purifying their heart and conforming their life into the image of Christ! They are just too busy enjoying this selfish world!

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PICTURE: company’s-coming 

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BECOME FULLY ENGAGED

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“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

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The Good News is that if we make a complete surrender to Christ, and begin to fully engage in purifying our heart, then we have a promise… “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6.

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After all, Christ was fully engaged all His life on our behalf. So, it should be our grateful and loving response to become fully engaged on behalf of Him.

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And this must be my daily prayer, for God to give me the all-consuming desire and passion to become such a fully engaged Christian!

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Jesus – James Tissot – Brooklyn-Museum – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

 

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“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good, and acceptable,

and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12:1, 2

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

Dear Lord, Please help me to make my calling and election sure. I am a weak Christian, and need Thy strength to fully engage in the purifying of my heart…

Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Fleeing to the Mountains, Part 3: The Abomination in My Heart”, or you may also read, December 6th (Harvesters of Light)

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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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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A STAR & SCEPTER ARISES IN THE NIGHT SKY

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“Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.” Psalms 45:6

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Now, this 3rd brightest star in the night heavens, Arcturus, seems to very nicely fulfill the prophecy, “there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel” Numbers 24:17. But where would the scepter be in this prophecy? After all, it speaks not only of a star rising, but also of a scepter.

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NOT THE NORTHERN OR SOUTHERN CROSS

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This is not the Northern Cross, nor is it the Southern Cross. This cross is made of stars from both the Serpens Constellation and the Ophiuchus Constellation. Here is a star-chart from Wikipedia, in which the editor of this site has sketched in this Cross/Scepter Constellation. The stars in this star-chart are accurately placed, and this Cross/Scepter Constellation stands out in brilliance, among the other stars in the night sky.

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The sketch below is the Summer Constellations, as seen when looking west. Well, if you look just to the south (south is to the left in this sketch) of Arcturus, you will see what appears to be a scepter. But this scepter also appears as a Cross. And this constellation has been named, the Cross/Scepter constellation. It can be seen in January, in the pre-dawn hours. Each night, it appears a little earlier, as it slowly inches its way westward. Finally this constellation dips below the western horizon, in the fall, not appearing again till January, back in the eastern sky.

 

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Now, as earlier stated, this wonderful prophecy (“there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel”) has its greatest fulfillment in the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus is represented by that glorious Star. And His death on the Cross is truly His scepter of authority. Jesus died to save a world of rebellious sinners.

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Sceptre_and_Orb_and_Imperial_Crown_of_Austria Wikipedia photo by Michal Maňas US public domain

Cross-Scepter Constellation – Also known as the Ophiuchus and the Serpens Constellations Website has taken liberty of drawing in this Cross-Scepter Constellation upon a star-chart found on Wikipedia

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Cross/Scepter Constellation”

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TOMORROW:

“December 8th (Lead On Softly!)”

Family eating meal – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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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 #339 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.. Most Images cropped & reduced in size.