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Today’s Devotional, Year 4 – October 19

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Through Jesus’ Eyes!

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Part 2

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“Overcome Evil with Good”

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“But I (Jesus) say unto you,

Love your enemies,

bless them that curse you,

do good to them that hate you,

and pray for them which despitefully use you,

and persecute you;”

Matthew 5:44

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Ray Charles probably never got accused of being a Christian.

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On the contrary, he was pretty much on the no-play list of most Christian households, or so the general consensus was.

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Ray_Charles Wikipedia – Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. – Attribution: Victor Diaz Lamich

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BANNED IN GEORGIA

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And yet, a well-known story is that He got banned from performing in the state of Georgia after he cancelled a show because of discrimination against the black audiences who were required to sit up in the balcony.

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After that even his music was banned on Georgia radio stations.

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1943 Colored Waiting Room Sign in Georgia – – wikipedia – This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division

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RAY SENDS GEORGIA A LOVE-SONG!

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Well, this controversy continued for several decades.

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But one day he sang and recorded a beautiful love-song dedicated to that state, called “Georgia on My Mind”.

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And well, that haunting love-ballad (along with societal changes over time) eventually melted the hearts of the Georgia residents, ultimately becoming the state’s official anthem.

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File:Ray Charles plaza.jpg – Wikimedia Commons

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“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

Matthew 24:12

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On this rebel planet, there is no shortage of ways to become offended.

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And the world has its ways of dealing with offences: divorce, hate, revenge, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, slander, violence, censure, etc…

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Let’s face it! It’s a “You hit me, and I’ll hit back harder” world we live in.

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And as a result, it’s also a very unhappy world in many ways and many times.

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Our ways of dealing with offences just isn’t working very well, to put it mildly!

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Antifa @ Protest Trump in Phoenix – 8-22-17 – Wikipedia – GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2

Anti Trump Protests in Baltimore – Elvert Barnes PROTEST PHOTOGRAPHY elvertbarnes.com – protest photography – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

Clenched human fist – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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“I drew them with…bands of love:”

Hosea 11:4

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God sent His Son, Jesus, into this troubled world to show us the proper way to deal with offences.

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As a matter of fact, He came to a world that wanted nothing to do with Him…

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…and yet, He came with sympathy and forgiveness, and many acts of love and mercy.

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And as a climactic finale, He allowed us to hang Him on a cruel Roman cross and took our sins upon Him as the sacrificial Lamb of God.

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Yes, He bled and died for those who despised Him…as He uttered the words, “Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do” Luke 23:34

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Crucifixion darkness – Jesus on the Cross – Gustave Dore – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

Ezekiel 36:26

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When we begin to follow that Lamb, God gives us a new heart, a heart of love and forgiveness.

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And now, we look at the world through Jesus’ eyes…through eyes of love, sympathy, and forgiveness.

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

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“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

John 13:35

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And though we may not write a beautiful song of love like Ray sang…

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…nevertheless, we can indeed write our own love-song in the form of prayer for those who may despise us, and for those who despitefully use us, those who neglect and/or reject us.

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And that “love-song” comes in the form of prayer for them…

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…speaking only kind words to them and about them…

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…doing good deeds for them should the opportunity arise.

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Even a warm and sincere smile can often work wonders to melt the cold and indifferent heart of another.

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Yes, love is Heaven’s weapon of war against evil…

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…and as we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, our love, understanding, and sympathy will only grow deeper and brighter!

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Sailors and Marines sing Christmas carols – Wikimedia – Public-domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to have this experience. Let me become Thy Disciple and follower. Help me to think on Thy Word, as I go about my daily tasks…

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…

“The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)”…

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…or you can also read this shorter article…

“February 18 (Martha, the “Doer” & Mary, the “Hearer”)“

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN

 

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LOCATING ORION THE ARCHER

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“He hath bent His bow,

and set me as a mark for the arrow.

He hath caused the arrows of His quiver to enter into my reins.

I was a derision to all my people;

and their song all the day.”

Lamentations 3:12-14

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Orion travels through the night skies, starting about late September in the pre-dawn hours.

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This 1st office which Orion holds, as an Archer, is fairly easy to see.

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His bow is pointed and bent as if ready to shoot his arrows.

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But why astronomers have never noticed this Dragon to his left, is truly a puzzle!

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It’s so obvious; at least his crocodile mouth is obvious. (Perhaps God is sending the message that Satan (the real Dragon) is so obviously real, and yet so few in this world are ready to recognize him.)

 

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This Archer-Orion corresponds to the 1st Horseman of Revelation, Chapter 6, speaking of a rider with a bow who goes out conquering. 

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And so, this article is dedicated to show just what Orion the Archer is speaking of, in Scripture, and how this all relates to you and me. So read on and observe…

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Orion courtesy IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine & Wikipedia – share-alike license

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Orion The Archer”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW:

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October 20 (And He Spake As A Dragon! Part 2: “Satan’s Cheerleading Squad”)

 

 

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Col 3:18  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Col 3:19  Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

1Pe 3:5  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1Pe 3:6  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – June 1

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Hide Thyself…For A Moment!

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Part 3:

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“Dwelling In Love in My Marriage!”

To read Part 1, click here…JULY 2 (Hide Thyself…For A Moment! Part 1: “Dwelling In Love!”)

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This sad ol’ world is getting sadder with each passing day.

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Brotherly love is being replaced by hatred and anger. It’s overwhelming to see this world sinking down into its own cesspool of sin!

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The nuclear family has been all but split apart. Fathers and mothers divorcing (or not even bothering to get married). Children are being led away by the modern-day Pied Piper of Hamlin (smartphones).

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So the title of this article is “How to Save a Marriage”.

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Well, the short answer is found by reading and taking to heart such passages as 1st Peter, Chapter 3.

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But the problem in today’s Christian community is that far too many marriages end in divorce.

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So what is the cause for such a high failure rate?

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Doesn’t the Reader of this article agree that far too many churchgoers who make a profession of loving and following Jesus, actually ignore and/or reject much of the Bible’s counsel to husbands and wives?

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Do we not, instead, handle marital issues much like the world handles marital issues?

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We argue, instead of submit.

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We shout instead of “go to our favorite prayer closet”.

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We stubbornly insist on having our own way, when 1st Corinthians Love Chapter 13 counsels us “Love does not insist on its own way” 1st Corinthians 13:5

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We try to solve marital issues by our own selves instead of “getting in the passenger seat” and “allow God to drive”.

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We ignore all the countless Biblical advice on how to live and behave, and instead, behave like the world.

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We get overwhelmed by all the pleasures, pastimes, and proud ambitious pursuits which this decadent, cornucopian society pushes on us, instead of living in Christlike simplicity.

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Well, this list of admonitions could go on and on…

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The Good News is that “today is the first day of the rest of our lives” as the saying goes.

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The bottom line is this: I must continually and unfailingly cry out to God to give me the loving eyes of Jesus, even as the Apostle of Love, John admonishes…“God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” 1st John 4:15

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And this brand of love shines out of our heart for all mankind, no matter how wicked mankind can be! After all, didn’t Jesus stretch out His loving arms “for the whole world”? 1st John 2:2

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to put on the adornment of a meek and quiet Spirit. Give me the Spirit of submission to my husband and to my heavenly husband, Christ…

Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

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READ MORE…

(FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION, READ THE ARTICLE… 

” April 18th (Getting Slapped!)”, 

…or you can also read…

August 2 (The Women of Babylon),

…or you can also read…

November 5th (It’s a Rosie-the-Riveter World)

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

 

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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN

 

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“And there appeared a great wonder (sign) in heaven; a woman…

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And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness” 

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Revelation 12:1, 14

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ABOVE PICTURE: Winter – Revelation 12 Woman with Eagle Wings (aka Ursa Major, including The Big Dipper)

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FLEEING WOMAN OF REVELATION 12…

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This page is about the Big Dipper, also called the Great Bear constellation (Ursa Major ).

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However, the ancient pagan cultures did not see this constellation as God intended it to be seen.

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It is actually a headless woman in childbirth. 

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This is seen in springtime in the northern skies. 

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But as the seasons progress, this travailing woman flips upside down, now appearing as a woman with upraised arms like eagle wings who is running (eventually flying, as shown in sketch on right) into the wilderness (westward).

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The single star representing her birth-child (Christ) now becomes her head (“Christ is the head of the church.” Ephesians 5:23

 

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The 7 Stars (Big Dipper) is easy to see with its very bright 7 stars. But the Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) must be seen on a dark starry night, away from city lights. 

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These are star charts from Wikipedia, with sketches of the Woman added.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…Woman of Revelation 12 (Flees to the Wilderness)

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TOMORROW:

July 31 (Look Up, Lift Up Your Heads, Part 9 “That Day Come Upon You Unawares”)

ABOVE PICTURE: Unfunny Judgment Day Cartoon – a party tonight – signsofheaven.org

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</span></strong></h3>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #000000;”>.</span></strong></h3>
<h1 class=”style-scope ytd-watch-metadata”><span style=”color: #9ea3d9;”><a href=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Ellen_G_White.jpg”><img class=” wp-image-40517 alignleft” src=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Ellen_G_White.jpg” alt=”https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ellen_G_White.jpg” width=”93″ height=”129″ /></a><a href=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/prayer-at.jpg”><img class=” wp-image-41349 alignright” src=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/prayer-at.jpg” alt=”http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hant/File:Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_Millet_Angelus.jpg” width=”95″ height=”162″ /></a>Important Facts and Principles on Marriage by Ellen White</span></h1>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #000000;”>.</span></strong></h3>
<h3><strong><a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhvqKCywu4Y&amp;list=PLYuNObruxpw_DHYNXMBlaYiQgnX2aNwUg&amp;index=2″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS 13-MINUTE TALK ABOUT MARRIAGE – – TSB-01 – Important Facts and Principles (youtube.com)</a></strong></h3>
<span style=”color: #808080;”>Ellen G. White – Wikimedia – Public Domain</span>

<span style=”color: #808080;”>Prayer at Day’s End – Angelus by Jean-François Millet – Wikipedia – Public Domain

 

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TALE OF TWO WOMEN

 

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You see, this constellation tells the tale of two women!

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But how can it be, that nobody has ever seen the Pleiades as a constellation of a woman?

(However, there is one other person on the Internet who has his own rendition of this constellation. Click here to see)

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This article will discuss this great paradox of these two women, found in the Pleiades, and what it means scripturally to us: we who comprise the global community of Christians.

 

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Because this constellation (or should we say Constellations, plural), has very much to do with us: those of us who are living right now on the threshold of eternity. 

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And as you might expect, if you are at all familiar with this website, the Bible holds the key to understanding all this!

 

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

“JUNE 2 (Strong Delusion in Scripture, Part 3: “Deceiving Even The Elect!” Hermeneutic of Literalism)”

ABOVE PICTURE: Adding to or taking from God’s Word, the Bible

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