Today’s Devotional – July 28th (Enduring Trials!)

By admin On July 21st, 2014

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Today’s Devotional – July 28th

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Enduring Trials!

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When you were young, did a family member ever put a string around your loose tooth, and tie the other end to the doorknob? And then they slammed the door shut, and your tooth went flying? Well, afterward, it was quite a relief! And anyway, yhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aching_tooth_crop.jpgou knew a new one would grow back! So it wasn’t so bad, was it?

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But when you get older and lose a tooth, or two teeth, or three, or even a half dozen or more? Then life can get downright miserable, can’t it?

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Aching tooth statue from a dentist’s – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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OTHER  MALADIES OF LIFE

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Or what if you lose a toe to diabetes? Or a foot? Or what if you get a crippling disease, or get https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FEMA_-_14767_-_Photograph_by_Liz_Roll_taken_on_09-03-2005_in_Louisiana.jpgparalyzed in an accident?

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For those who are Believers, these losses can become a great test of faith, can’t they? Because you have asked God to protect you, and these things happen in spite of your prayers for His protection! And could not God have answered your prayers to live a healthier life?

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After all, you’ve been praying for years, for help to eat better, and live healthier, haven’t you?

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Lady in sling – Photo by Liz Roll – FEMA – Elderly cared for in Louisiana – cropped image – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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DEVIL WHISPERS IN EAR!

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Well, there are many who can relate to these questions.

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Yes, there are many who have been praying for God to help them and protect them, and these things seem to happen anyway!

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And it’s a real test of faith, especially when the Devil whispers in your ear, “God has let you down! He’s unfair!”.

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JOB’S TRIAL

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

For some reason, the Book of Job just hasn’t got the attention that so many other books of the Bible have gotten. And yet the book of Job is an extremely vital part of the sacred Scriptures!

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For one thing, Job had an experience which so many of us can relate to, more of less. Job had lived a charmed life, for so many years! But one day, this man of God, who had comforted and encouraged so many others throughout his life, was now the victim of a brutal and nearly total devastation, rained down on him by, “the enemy of souls”!

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Job – Wikipedia – US public-domain

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3 MISERABLE COMFORTERS

.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Job_Rebuked_by_His_Friends_Butts_set.jpg

And if that wasn’t enough, Satan brought three “friends”, who began to point the finger at Job, and tell him he was only getting what he deserved.

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Job’s pent up, inner pride then began to surface! Job actually thought he was righteous! He thought that his outward goodness was his own goodness, and not the gift of God!

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Job rebuked by his friends – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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GOD QUESTIONS JOB

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Well finally, after Job’s three friends (plus Elihu, the 4th man) ceased from trying to convince Job of his sins, God Himself entered into the discourse, asking Job about 80 questions (some say, 77 questions): questions far beyond Job’s comprehension!

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But though the questions were morhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bonnat02.jpge than Job could ever answer, Job understood the big point that God was trying to make with him.

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And the point that God was trying to make was, that God is much greater than Man. And God’s ways are eternal.

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Listen… “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

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And so, God does many things which we cannot understand. And God often does many things which even seem somewhat cruel! But we just can’t comprehend God’s eternal plan! We just cannot see down through the corridors of time, like God does!

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Job – Wikipedia – US public-domain

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JOB WAS ULTIMATELY VICTORIOUS!

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bonnat02.jpgBut the Good News for Job was, that all through his trial, Job did not curse God! No, Job kept himself from “letting God have it, with both barrels!” And so, technically, God won His bet with the Devil.

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And yet, in the process, Job’s hidden sins of pride and judging and rebellion, were all exposed. And in the end, Job realized that he was just as big a sinner as anybody else! And Job was ultimately humbled and realized he needed a Savior, as badly as everyone else! And Job finally confessed, saying… “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:5, 6

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Carl Heinrich Bloch – Jesus Tempted – Wikimedia – US public domain

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YE SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION!

.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Munch_Det_Syke_Barn_1896.jpg

And so, trials may come our way, and they will! Oh yes, if we are a true disciple of Jesus, we can expect many trials, both small and big, to come our way! Even many loses, such as losing teeth, or a limb, or two limbs! Or a deadly disease! Or the death of a loved one! Or loss of employment!

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But whatever trials may come our way, we must remember this: God has allowed trials to come our way for His own reasons. But one great reason is, that He wants us to trust in good times, but also in the bad times. He’s already had one rebellion in Heaven, and He’s going to make sure that there won’t be another!

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Munch Det Syke Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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GET ACQUAINTED WITH GOD!

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And so, let’s be like Job, and keep ourselves from giving in to Satan’s temptation to shake our fist in anger at God!

.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_040327-N-1261P-058_Navy_Chaplain,_Lt._Marc_Massie_assigned_to_Naval_Mobile_Construction_Battalion_Seventy_Four_(NMCB-74)_studies_his_Bible_for_an_upcoming_service.jpg

And if we really want to find out just what God is up to, we can always go to the book of Job and read those 80 or so, questions, and answer each one. And then we’ll know exactly what God is up to, won’t we? Of course, we won’t be able to answer all those questions. But as we study the Bible more and more, we will eventually understand God a lot more than we now do!

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Listen… “Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” Job 22:21

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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me the faith and the knowledge of Thee, so that when trials come, I will handle them faithfully…

Prayer-for-USA-Wikimedia

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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 1st (In Every Thing Give Thanks!?!) or you can also read… “April 17th (To Know Thee More!)”

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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“A SIGN…OF THE LORD…IN THE HEIGHT ABOVE”

Isaiah 7:11

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“Ask thee a sign of the LORD…in the height above…Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel…And there appeared a great sign in heaven; a woman… And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness,” Isaiah 7:11, 14 & Rev. 12:1, 5, 6

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Long ago, God made a promise in the Book of Isaiah, Ch. 7… “Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.” Now just what sign could this be, that was either in the depth or in the height above? Well, Isaiah continues… “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Oh, OK. So we know this sign was fulfilled in the depth, with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. But God also spoke of a sign in the “height above”. So where is the fulfillment of this sign, in the “height above”?

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer Constellations with Two Turtledoves (Sagittarius) & Flower of the Field (aka: Scorpio) & The 12-Star Crown (aka: Corona Borealis) & The Cross-Scepter (aka: Ophiochus & Serpens) & Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) & Arcturus Star – www.theheavensdeclare.net

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A SIGN IN HEAVEN

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“And there appeared a great wonder (sign) in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:” Revelation 12:1

.woman of Revelation 12 In Travail-www.signsofheaven.org

You see, God has placed in the heavens, the symbol of His bride, the Church-Faithful. In the summer night-sky, she appears as the woman-in-travail. This is the constellation, Ursa Major. And this article will introduce you to this amazing sign of Heaven, and what it means to you and to me.

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

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Woman of Revelation 12 (Woman in Travail)” 

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christianandapollyon.jpg

TOMORROW:

” July 29th (The Chrysalis Christian, Part 2: Afflictions)”

Christian and Apollyon – Pilgrim’s Progress – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

 

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

http://christianimagesource.com/prophet_jeremiah_g341-prophet_jeremiah__image_2_p2281.html

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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 #207 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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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 names, details, and tags, and all other necessary info on any particular photo. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

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