Today’s Devotional – February 15th (The Two Images!)
By admin On February 14th, 2014.
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Today’s Devotional – February 15th
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THE TWO IMAGES
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“But we all, with open face beholding
as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2nd Corinthians 3:18
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In yesterday’s devotional (click here), this above verse was showcased, and the wonderful concept it proclaims: that by steadfastly beholding Jesus in the mind’s eye, each true believer imperceptibly and gradually becomes changed into His glorious and holy image.
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And this is a wonderful and joyful truth!
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Perhaps it is the greatest truth in the Bible, second only to the truth of Salvation!
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Pilgrims Progress – His Burden Fell Off His Back – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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NOT ONE, BUT TWO IMAGES!
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But as with so many Bible truths, there is “a flip-side of the coin”, as they say.
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Yes, there is yet another image in this world. And if I am not beholding the image of Jesus, then I am beholding that other image!
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Yes, there are two images in this world. And they are as different as night and day. And as already discussed, one of those images is Christ, as revealed in the Bible.
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But since the fall of this world, the Enemy of God was given rule over this world for a time.
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And of course, that enemy was Lucifer, whose title of office has now become, “The Devil” and “Satan”.
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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US public domain.
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JESUS, THE ESSENCE OF GOODNESS
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Now it is evident that the Jesus of the Bible is the very essence of all that is good, and the very epitome of all that is true, and honest, and pure, and lovely, and all that is holy and righteous.
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Yes, Jesus is love, in the truest sense of the word!
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And as already discussed in yesterday’s devotional (click here to read), by steadfastly beholding those things which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and etc., we become changed into that very same image.
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Listen once again… “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2nd Corinthians 3:18.
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So the trick then, is to steadfastly behold the things which exemplify the characteristics of Christ.
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And such a wonderful ability can only become reality by a full surrender to Jesus, forsaking this selfish world to follow Him, as one of His disciples. (see Luke 5:11 & Luke 14:33)
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Jesus – Woman why weepest thou – Jesus – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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THE IMAGE OF EVIL
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But also it is likewise true, that if I behold the other things in life, which are not of these godly qualities, then those unwholesome qualities will enter into my heart, causing me to become imperceptibly changed into the image of evil.
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Yes, by beholding the qualities which rule in this world, I become changed into the image of the world: into the image of an Antichrist!
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And this truth is confirmed with such Bible passages as this… “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1st Corinthians 15:33. (Some of the modern versions say to the effect… “Don’t be deceived! Bad company corrupts good character!”)
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Notice that this verse begins with “Be not deceived!” So here, God is warning us that Satan will use people to persuade us that evil communications won’t actually corrupt good behavior. But the Bible says otherwise!
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Yes, the Bible says that every unwholesome association will only corrupt our hearts.
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SHUN ALL NEEDLESS EVIL
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Now of course, it is impossible to live in this world and NOT witness evil. You don’t need to go far to see sin!
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But that’s no excuse for me to voluntarily behold evil!
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Listen to the Psalmist… “I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:” Psalm 101:2, 3.
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Here again is a Bible passage which only confirms the course which every Heaven-bound pilgrim must pursue! “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes!”
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Now this statement doesn’t allow for any compromise with sin, does it? “I will set NO WICKED THING before mine eyes!”
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And of course, “no wicked thing” would also include the television, etc., wouldn’t it?
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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain.
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GUARD THY HEART, O PILGRIM!
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The Bible reiterates this truth in yet another passage from the “wise man”… “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:23-27.
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Here is one of the most straightforward passages in the Bible! And every Christian should emblazon this above passage on the tablets of our heart!
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Pilgrim’s Progress – Oh I See Him Again – Wikimedia – public domain
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“AND (GOD) WILL BE A FATHER UNTO YOU”
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But here is the really Good News! There is still time to repent and turn away from this great sin of presumption.
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Yes, the Christian can determine to turn away from any more of this foolish mingling with the world and this unholy alliance with sin and selfishness!
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The Bible commands us to… “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2nd Corinthians 6:17, 18.
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And if we take these words to heart and do come out from these ungodly influences, then the Lord will begin to treat us as His children…
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“And (God) will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2nd Corinthians 6:18.
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Braet von Ãœberfeldt – woman with bible – 1866 – Wikipedia – US-public-domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to guard my heart with all diligence. Help me shun all unnecessary evil, whenever I’m tempted to behold sin…
Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read... “Mercury & The Image Of The Beast” or you can also read… “Television & The Image That Speaks”
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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MERCURY AND THE SUN
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“CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER, EXCEPT THEY AGREE?”
Amos 3:3
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#2 HEAVENLY SPHERE & #2 COMMANDMENT… As discussed elsewhere in this website, the Sun seems to correspond to the First Commandment. Likewise, Mercury, which is the second heavenly sphere in our solar system, seems to correspond very nicely to the Second Commandment. Both the second heavenly sphere (Mercury) and the Second Commandment (no images) are closest to the ‘Sun’. That is to say, just as planet Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, so is the Second Commandment right next to the First Commandment (God compares himself to the Sun many times in Scripture).Â
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Jesus says to us today…“I am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12
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For a more in-depth look at this argument about the Sun comparing to God, just click this link… “Discovering Bible Signs In Our Solar System”, or this link… Signs in the Sun .
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Mercury – NASA – Public Domain
Mercury orbit solar system – CROPPED IMAGE – Wikipedia – share-alike license
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“THE NUMBER ‘TWO'”
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IMAGES, WITNESSES, AND REFLECTIONS, AND THE NUMBER “TWO”… It seems there is a very good reason for God choosing this “image” Commandment to be the 2nd Commandment, and not making it the 3rd or 4th Commandment. The number “two” has a great biblical significance. The number “two” is the number of ‘witness’ in the Bible. “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” Revelation 11:13
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Jesus sent out the twelve Apostles to proclaim the Gospel, “two and two”… “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.” Luke 10:1
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Or what about this verse? Just listen… “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established.” Matthew 18:16
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“TWO SHALL WITHSTAND”… Solomon speaks of the number “two”. He speaks of the strength and comfort and agreement of the number “two”. Listen to what he says… “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
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Mercury – NASA – Public Domain
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MIRROR IMAGES…
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The number ‘two’ seems to be the number that speaks of “reflection”. (Just like this giant globe photo to the right.) As this mirror globe reflects the images of the people around it, so too, we each reflect an image to the world around us (whether we like it or not.) When you look in the mirror, there becomes two images; 1. You, and 2. The reflection of you… in the mirror…
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“Can two walk together except they be in agreement.? Amos 3:3.
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To “be in agreement”, as this verse says, with another person, seems to speak of one person reflecting the opinions of another. They are an “image’ one of another, as far as their viewpoints. As the Moon reflects the light of the Sun, the Moon shines just like the Sun (not as brightly though). And as Mercury (the second solar-system body) reflects the light of the Sun, it too becomes a light as well (seen by us only during a solar eclipse, they say).
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WE ARE A MIRROR… But as this mirror globe in the above photo presents an image of these people, we humans reflect an image to the world. And our image is a product of our life-experiences; we are a ‘mirror’ so to speak of the people and things which have influenced us.
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Mercury – NASA – Public Domain
Picture of twin sisters courtesy of Wikipedia.
(Mirror globe picture courtesy of Wikipedia & Arpingstone. Click on picture as link.)
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Mercury & The Image Of The Beast”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW:
February 16th (Joys of Parenthood!)
Innocent baby laughing – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic. 2.0
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20 MINUTE+ AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAHÂ
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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 #46 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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