Today’s Devotional – March 13th (Planet Earth: Devil’s Island!)

By admin On March 12th, 2014

 

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Today’s Devotional – March 13th

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Planet Earth: Devil’s Island!

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.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iles-salut.png

Off the coast of French Guiana in South America, is an island known as The Devil’s Island.

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And for about a hundred years, up until about 70 years ago, it was used as a prison-island.

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And as history records, this island became the hell-scape of many horrible atrocities.

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Devil’s Island – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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ISLE OF HORRORS FINALLY ABOLISHED

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

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But after almost 80 years, those atrocities began to be exposed to the world, and the French were shamed into finally abolishing this Isle of Horrors, in 1953.

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As history reveals, the few who survived this disease-infested cruelty, exposed to the world the incomprehensible horrors which those 80,000 prisoners endured over that century.

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Devil’s Island today – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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PLANET EARTH: DEVIL’S ISLAND OF THE UNIVERSE

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Now, there can be a very real analogy between that earthly tragedy, called Devil’s Island, and this prison-planet on which we live!

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Yes, when Mankind rebelled (and we have all rebelled!), God allowed both Mankind, as well as the fallen angels, to inhabit this planet.

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And with Lucifer and his fellow angels now being given the title, “The Devil”, as well as “Satan”, these enemies of Heaven presently rule over this prison-planet called Planet Earth.

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Listen to Isaiah… “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven…Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit….That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?” Isaiah 14:12, 13, 15, 17.

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And so, this passage as well as others, reveals that this present earth has become Satan’s prison-house, for all its inhabitants.

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Listen again… “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer….That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?”

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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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NOT ALL IS HORRIBLE HERE!

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

Now of course, like any prison, those prisoners who remain loyal to the prison-warden are often rewarded.

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And likewise, the Devil may just reward all his loyal subjects with a somewhat peaceful existence (and even riches too) here on earth (read Psalm 73).

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And we must further bear in mind, that God, being very tender and merciful, allows such earthly enjoyment for those who are eternally lost!

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Yes, God is far more merciful than those who ruled over that prison island called, Devil’s Island!

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And amidst the terrible atrocities here on this prison-island-planet, God has allowed many things to enjoy in His desire that we prisoners might “taste and see that the Lord is good!” Psalm 34:8 

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Sunset at Huntington Beach – CROPPED IMAGE – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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MANY CRUEL ATROCITIES HERE!

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But God has also allowed Mankind to commit many cruel horrors over the past millenniums, on this prison island called Planet Earth!

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Just think of all the cruel wars, and thefts, and murders, and rapes, and slaveries, and various other oppressions which this earth has witnessed over the centuries!

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Nazi Death Camp – Corpses Wagon Buchenwald 18th – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THIS SELFISH WORLD EXPOSED!

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Yes, as God explains in Proverbs… “For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of My counsel: they despised all My reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.” Proverbs 1:29-31.

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So, this passage (as well as many other similar passages), reveals that Mankind is being rewarded for our evil ways! This prison island is a place where our sin and selfishness become manifest and brought to its final conclusion.

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Yes, this prison island is a place in which the Satan’s government of selfishness can really be witnessed by all who live here!

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And we who live here can now fully see the tragic results of what “selfishness” is really all about!

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Apotheosis of War – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE

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But God has allowed this prison island for His own “eternal purpose”.  http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_198722/William-Brassey-Hole/The-sorrow-of-king-David

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Listen… “For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. To crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth…Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.  Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.” Lamentation 3:31-34, 40, 41

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Here in this above passage, the Lord reveals His ultimate desire for allowing all this suffering and grief. God takes no pleasure in allowing the Devil to cause all this suffering, except that we might eventually turn from our selfish ways and return to the Lord!

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So, as this above passage pleads… “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.” Lamentation 3:40, 41

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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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WHY ALL THE SUFFERING?

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The complaint of many is, “Why does God permit all the cruel suffering? Why doesn’t He just take it away?”

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Yes, God could take away all the evil which results from our sin and rebellion. That would be no problem for Him to do!

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But if He did that, then none of us would turn to Him. There would be no reason to repent. The rebellion would only get worse!

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And so, God allows a certain amount of suffering and grief to remain, in hopes that we will eventually return from our rebellion, and begin our sojourn out of this Devil’s Island, and upward, back to our heavenly home. 

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Thomas Cole – Pilgrim of the Cross at the End of His Journey – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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O TASTE AND SEE!

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“O taste and see that the LORD is good:” Psalm 34:8

.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Family_Portrait.jpg

But God also allows Mankind to taste and see that the Lord is good!

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Yes, amidst all this suffering and woe, God has left remnants of His love, in the form of family joys, the beauty of nature, and the ability to have joy in nature with family and friends.

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And so, Mankind has been given the commission to observe these two forms of government: Satan’s government of selfishness/suffering/death, in contrast to God’s government of unselfish love/peace/life-everlasting.

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And thus, by beholding this great contrast between God’s love & beauty, and Satan’s selfishness and ugliness, Mankind can make a clear choice between the two governments.

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Family Portrait – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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CHRIST CAME DOWN TOO!

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Now, God, in His wonderful love and mercy came here to live among us, in the person of Jesus Christ.

.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christianity-Jesus_Christ_Died_for_your_Sin.jpg

And Christ grew up amidst the wickedness of this world, and worked and walked among us, and yet without sin. But He endured this world, just like us, for another purpose too!

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You see, God, through Jesus, came to offer to us prisoners a way of escape from all this Satanic horror. And so, Jesus came to live among and preach to all the spirits in Satan’s prison-house, showing us a better Way to live.

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And finally, by His taking our place on the Cross, provided the atonement for our sins and selfishness: God’s forgiveness for a rebellious planet. Christ took upon Himself, the payment for our sins!

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Cross of Jesus Christ – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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ESCAPE FROM DEVIL’S ISLAND!

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Now history records that there have been some who escaped from Devil’s Island.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 Many swam to their freedom, or perhaps escaped some other, unknown way!

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And like that horrible island, there has been provided an escape route for us too! That’s right! We don’t have to remain here!

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You see, there has been given to us a Book. And this Book tells us how to get off this Devil’s Island-planet. And anyone who desires to escape this Devil’s Island of sin and selfishness can do so!

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Because, all we have to do is to read that Book ever-so-prayerfully, and follow its instructions!

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Chaplain reads Bible – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain.

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HEAVEN RIGHT NOW!

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And the wonderful Good News is, that we don’t need to wait for death, for us to be released from this prison-island-planet.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-06831.jpg

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That’s right! We can be transported to Heaven right now, though our mortal bodies must continue on here, for a little while longer.

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Nevertheless, our spirits can enjoy sitting with Christ in the Heavenlies, right now!

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Listen… “Giving thanks unto the Father…Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:” Colossians 1:12, 13.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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FOREVER YOUNG!http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sunrise_from_Burrow_Mump,_Burrowbridge,_Somerset_(2931443808).jpg

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And all that Jesus asks us to do is to… “sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come, follow Me.” Luke 18:22. 

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And all that a weary and heavy-laden person has to do, is to renounce, in heart, this sinful and selfish world, and trade it in!

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 This stinking, rotting old dying world, in trade for a joy-filled life that never ends!

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Sunrise from Burrow Mump, Burrowbridge, Somerset – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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A PROMISED LAND OF JOY & LAUGHTER & SINGING!

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Yes, we will live in a land of trees and meadows and forests and oceans and beauty beyond anything we can now imagine!

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A land of joy and singing and children laughing and playing!

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And in that Promised Land, we will never grow old! Sorrow and death and mourning will flee away!

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And there we will be, forever young!

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Trading this world of sorrow and death for a world of never-ending joy?

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Now that’s a pretty good trade, wouldn’t you agree?

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The River Of The Water Of Life by H. Melville – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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

TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…

NOVEMBER 26 (Planet Earth: Devil’s Island! Part 2: Planet Earth: Knoxhard University!)

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

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Otto_Greiner_Betende_H%C3%A4nde.jpg

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to not love the miserable idols of this horribly unhappy world. But rather, help me get excited about the prospects of seeing my family, happy and healthy in Thy everlasting Promised Land. Let me trade in this miserably selfish world, for that wonderfully unselfish and joyful Promised Land…

Praying Hands – Otto Greiner – Wikimedia – .bassenge.com – Cropped image – Public Domain

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

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… December 9 (It’s a throw-away world!) or you can also read… January 27th (It’s a Brand-X World)

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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7 STARS IMITATE THE CROSS OF ORION

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Peter let down his Lord by denying him thrice. But God allowed this to happen, knowing that Peter would repent, later to become one of the zealous Followers of Jesus. Probably many Christians have let their Lord down in a big way in the past. And like Peter, they have repented, likewise to become even more ardent Followers of Jesus.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caravaggio_-_Martirio_di_San_Pietro.jpg

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The Church, in these last days, has been flooded with every device that Satan could possibly conjure up, to cast across our pathway, and lead God’s sheep astray. And though the Church has been greatly hindered, God is about to purify His sin-laden people, who will finally lift up the Cross of Christ with such power and glory, as this world has never before seen.

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And the Reader may just discover the way that he or she might also help lift that Cross up. And God has inscribed in the heavens, a picture of how the Church lifts up the Cross, as they imitate their Lord. So please read this very important article. And though it may take 30 minutes or so, it will be well worth the read.

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crucifixion of Peter-Caravaggio-Martirio di San Pietro – Wikipedia – US public domain

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LOCATING THESE TWO CONSTELLATIONS

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The Cross of Orion Constellation star-chart

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This phenomenon begins in October, in the pre-dawn hours. It then begins a little earlier each night.

This Wikipedia star-chart to the left, has this Orion Constellation sketched in. You must locate Orion, when it is mid-sky, between east and west. You’ll be facing southward most likely, unless you are far south. Try to imagine it as a Cross on a steep hill. The 3-star belt of Orion becomes the crest of the hill. The 3 very faint stars that make up Orion’s head become the very top of the Cross.

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Next, locate the 7 Stars Constellation. This 7 Stars Constellation is seen by facing northward. It stands upright a little later in the night. Eventually, Orion will lay down and no longer be seen as an uplifted Cross! Beginning in November, the 7 Stars (AKA Big Dipper) can be seen as a Cross a little bit later in evening.

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When you are comfortable in locating Orion & The 7 Stars Constellations, then show a friend. This can be a great witnessing tool!

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ABOVE CHART: The Cross of Orion Constellation star-chart – wikipedia star-chart with orion drawn in by this website – not for commercial use

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

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

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “’7 Stars’ Imitate ‘The Cross of Orion’”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paul_arrested.jpgTOMORROW: March 14th

(Paul the Ultimate Replacement Theologian!)

Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO 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 #72 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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