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Daily Devotional – January 14, Year 4

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Babylon = Baby-Land!

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Part 3:

“Jesting”

To read Part 1, just click here… ” MARCH 1 (Babylon = Baby-Land! Part 1: Music)”

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“When I was a child, I spake as a child,

I understood as a child, I thought as a child:

but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

1st Corinthians 13:11

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In the first two devotionals (click here), the comparison was made between the rantings of babies, and the rantings of we Christians, when somebody attempts to take away one of our cherished idols!

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And so, for lack of time, we will not attempt to set up this comparison once again, as was done in Part 1 (click here). 

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Baby yelling – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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“FOOLISH TALK AND JESTING”

Ephesians 5:2

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But instead let’s go right into this issue of “jesting”, since it is also one of those tender subjects, just as music-listening is a tender and very touchy subject.

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Yes, we live in a culture almost totally immersed in joking and jesting!

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And with the advent of high-tech devices, we can now simply push a button, and hear the best-of-the-best comedy!

Television thrives on comedy!

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And young people are especially drawn to comedy!

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Laughing – (color added) – Fotothek df roe neg – cropped and colored image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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JESTING, A SENSITIVE ISSUE

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And also, many people we meet daily, seem to have the gift of jesting!

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And we’ve all experienced how a serious conversation into a fit of laughter by making just one little well-timed jesting remark!

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And society reveres the art of jesting! 

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Even the most popular radio Bible teachers will call down the harshest condemnations against all those who dare criticize this almost sacred sport!

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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! Kunstnerfest på Skagen 1888 – Wikimedia – public domain

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FOOLISH TALK & JESTING CONDEMNED

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But listen to that well-known Reformationist of yesteryear, Thomas Brooks… 

“They preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart…

False teachers handle holy things rather with wit and trifling,

rather than with fear and reverence.

False teachers are soul-murderers.

They are like evil surgeons, that skin over the wound—but never heal it…

False teachers are hell’s greatest enrichers.”

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Thomas Brooks had some pretty scathing words against those who joke in the pulpits, wouldn’t you agree?

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Jester Comedian – Laughing Fool – possibly Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen – circa 1500 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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PAUL CONDEMNS JESTING, ETC…

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Now this next passage from Ephesians pronounces a judgment upon those who engage in the various behaviors spoken of here…

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Listen, as this passage continues…

“Neither filthiness, NOR FOOLISH TALK NOR JESTING,

which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks…

 Let no man deceive you with vain words:

for because of these things cometh the wrath of God

upon the children of disobedience. 

Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”

Ephesians 5:4-7 (Condensed for brevity)

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Yes, as this above passage reveals, not only God’s wrath, but His Salvation is not possessed by those who insist on walking in uncleanness!

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Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – public domain.

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ALL SIN DIFFICULT TO UPROOT

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Now don’t think for a moment that giving up these unchristlike habits will be easy!

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No, Satan will constantly whisper some really funny jest into our ear, just at an opportune moment!

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And for those of us who are given to jesting, it will require a struggle to overcome these old worldly habits!

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It is especially difficult considering that making people laugh is considered to be among the highest virtues of this antichrist world we live in!

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Devil Goat – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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OUR DIVINE ROLE-MODEL

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But dear Christian, just keep your eyes on Jesus!

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And keep in mind that Jesus did not engage in comedy nor jesting!

No, Jesus did not attempt to imitate the world!

His behavior was in total harmony with holy Heaven!

He was warm, but He was also serious!

He was sympathetic, but He never engaged in foolish talk or jesting!

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Christ knew the seriousness of His mission to save souls!

And He never tried to set His hearers at ease, by engaging in comedy or levity!

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He was filled with inner joy and peace and love, which are far more attractive qualities than being a comedian or a joker!

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

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THE BATTLE BEFORE US

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And it will be a battle to overcome these earthly and sensual and devilish practices, make no mistake!

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Yet, by-and-by, the Lord will replace all those silly jokes and jests and foolish quips with a cheerfulness and warmth and agape love!

And such heavenly qualities will melt the hearts of those yearning for Salvation.

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TO READ PART 4, CLICK HERE…

MARCH 4 (Babylon = Baby-Land, Part 4: Why Does God Allow Suffering?)

Human worry & stress & depression – by Becky Wetherington for Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to study Thy Word, until I have the mind of Christ. Then I will know Thy will, and thing as you think, and do as you do…

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…  “February 20th (“Picture of a Very Grave Man, Part 1″)“…

…or you can also read… “March 1st (A Designer Jesus!)“ 

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

And there appeared another wonder (sign) in heaven; and behold a great red dragon,

having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads…

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman,

that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”

Revelation 12:1, 3, 15 

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LOCATION…

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The Wave Constellation is primarily comprised of the Auriga Constellation plus one star from Taurus, plus one more star.

The Winter Constellations are depicted in this below sketch to the right, and shows this constellation group as they are seen in early winter, as they rise in the eastern skies.

The Woman is in the north.

The Dragon and Orion are farther south from the Woman.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… Flood Waters of Satan-Introduction

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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TOMORROW…

January 15 (The Revelation 12 Crown Constellation, Part 1: “Hold Fast To What Thou Hast!”)

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

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THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BY ELLEN G. WHITE

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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) are invited to listen to this 44 chapter audio book, a brief history of the Church, from the Cross of Christ forward to the Return of Christ.

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Chapter 12 – The French Reformation.

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Martin Luther – 95 Theses – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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EXCERPTS FROM THE OPEN FORUM QUESTION/ANSWER RADIO TALK-SHOW…

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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) are invited to listen to this small 30-minute sampling of the late Harold Camping’s nearly 50-year long series of 90-minute nightly talk shows…This is Open Forum Show #63

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy bible – Wikimedia – Creative Commons lic.

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