.

Click on credit links below each pic, for licensing names/details/tags/etc.. Most pics cropped/reduced in size

.

.

.

.

ORION the SOLDIER &

.

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

“Then said Jesus unto Peter,

‘Put up thy sword into the sheath:

the cup which My Father hath given Me,

shall I not drink it?'”

John 18:11

.

.

.

.

.

.

There is a current debate going on right now, regarding whether or not the citizenry of this society should give up their weapons, if the government decides to take them away.

.

Now, this controversy is not only tossed about in secular circles, but is likewise being hotly debated in the Christian community. Even many ministers of the Gospel are reaching back into the Old Testament for Biblical justification for the Christian to own and use guns; and even to refuse to give them up, in an act of civil disobedience. And many ministers are citing the Constitution as justification.

.

And also, our nation’s forefathers are also being cited by Christians as justification for keeping and bearing arms.

.

Now, of course, an unbeliever can do whatever he or she thinks is best. Since the people of the world have no faith in Jesus, then one would only expect them to armor up with carnal weapons.

.

Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, MMA-NYC, 1851 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain.

.

.

.

.

.

WHAT ABOUT CHRISTIANS?

.

But what about Christians? Are there certain situations which call for carnal weaponry? The fact is, the Bible doesn’t come right out and make a clear and concise statement about this issue. And so, God has left this question up to each Christian to make up his (or her) own mind about what God’s will is, in this question.

.

So what does the Bible have to say on this subject? Actually, the Bible has much to say, directly, and indirectly as well. So let’s explore this subject together, and let the pure Word of Truth be the guide on this very controversial subject…

. 

Question Marks-At a loss svg wikimedia commons share-alike license

.

.

.

.

.

SCRIPTURE SPEAKS OF ORION

.

First, let’s quickly introduce the Host of this article, Orion, the Soldier.

.

God spoke several times of Orion, in Scripture. His question to Job was a very mystifying question, to say the least… “Canst thou…loose the bands of Orion?” Job 38:31. Such a strange question, indeed! How could a constellation have its bands loosed, much less, even have bands?

.

Puzzling, puzzling!

.

But now, He is revealing this bright and beautiful constellation in a way that has never before been seen. God Himself is loosing Orion’s bands, as He is just now unraveling this age-old mystery. And we are beginning to understand that this most infamous of all constellations is nothing less than a remarkable metaphor concerning Jesus.

.

.

.

.

.

7 MAJOR STARS OF ORION…

.

The Orion Constellation can best be seen all winter (but even in August in the  pre-dawn hours of morning in eastern skies) traveling east to west through the night, in mid-sky. To find the seven major stars of Orion (one star on each shoulder and one star on each foot, plus the three stars which make his belt), you can locate on just about any clear night regardless of the blackness of the night. To find Orion’s other stars, you need more star-visibility…a darker, moonless night, and possibly away from city lights.

.

 

LEFT: Orion-guide dark – Wikipedia – Share-alike & GNU free doc. license

RIGHT: Betelgeuse in Orion (with annotations) – Wikimedia – Share-alike Lic.

.

.

.

.

.

WHAT ARE OUR WEAPONS?

.

Listen to Paul’s exhortation… “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2nd Corinthians 10:3-6

.

This above passage from Paul’s letter, really places a foundation for much of the Bible. So many Bible stories begin to make sense, when filtered through this passage. With this passage in mind, we begin to understand that the Old Testament stories were allegories about faith. And all the killing and warfare of the Old Testament, though all actual, historical accounts, were nevertheless orchestrated by God to present a picture of our own battles; personal battles that all Christians must go through, as we climb up the Narrow Pathway to Heaven.

.

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

.

.

.

.

.

OLD TESTAMENT ALLEGORIES

.

And so all the killing in the Old Testament by God’s people contrasts the New Testament in which absolutely no killing occurred by God’s people, really begins to make sense in the light of this 2nd Corinthians passage by Paul.

.

Listen again… “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2nd Corinthians 10:3-6

.

 Gideon and His Three Hundred (Bible Card) www.thebiblerevival.org – Wikimedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

PETER’S SWORD

.

Listen to the words of Jesus, to His disciples… “Then said He (Jesus) said unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in Me, ‘And He was reckoned among the transgressors’: for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And He said unto them, It is enough.” Luke 22:36-38 

.

This passage has been the chief Bible passage is often cited by gun advocates to justify Christians to keep and use weapons for self-dense.

.

Yes, Jesus plainly exhorted His Disciples to armor up for the coming conflict. Jesus exhorts to “buy a sword”.

.

But was Jesus really speaking literally or was He speaking metaphorically? Obviously, Jesus was speaking metaphorically! This too, like the Old Testament stories, was presenting a spiritual concept.

.

In the first place, Jesus knew that two swords were not nearly enough to withstand that throng of persons coming for Him!

.

Peter Smites Off the Ear of Malchus – www.joyfulheart.com

.

.

.

.

.

SWORDS, AN ALLEGORY

.

Secondly, the Bible is the, “sword of the Spirit”. This had to be the sword which Jesus was referring to.

.

But why “two” swords? The most probable answer is that the hour of Christ’s Crucifixion was at hand. The Old Testament was drawing to a close. The New Testament era was just a few hours away. So those two swords represented the Old and New Testaments, which were both, just now reaching their climactic fulfillment with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus just a few hours away.

.

Had the Disciples been prayerfully and carefully studying the Scriptures, they would not have been in such despair and darkness, concerning the events just now taking place. It was the “Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” that these 11 men truly needed. And it is only a careful and prayerful daily study of God’s Word, which will prepare us to stand through the great crisis, just before us. This is the sword we will need for the time before us: God’s Word!

.

Peter attacks with sword – The capture of Christ – 1674 – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution

.

.

.

.

.

“HE THAT LIVES BY THE SWORD

.

SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD”

.

But perhaps the most telling statement came when Peter cut off the ear of Malchus. Did Jesus say, “Good going Peter!”? No, Jesus gently restored the ear of Malchus, and rebuked Peter. Just listen…

.

“And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:51-53

.

This above passage let’s us know that Jesus had no intention of fighting. But Jesus went beyond, and actually used this occasion to present to us a principle: that God does not wish for Christians, or non-Christians to be warring.

.

Listen again… “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

.

Peter was merely defending Jesus and the disciples, and yet Jesus warned Peter that Peter’s violent defense was, “living by the sword”. And Jesus warned that… “for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

.

Peter with sword РJos̩ Joaquim da Rocha РWikipedia РPublic Domain

James Tissot – The Healing of Malchus’ Ear – www.joyfulheart.com

.

.

.

.

.

AM I WILLING TO DIE BY THE SWORD?

.

Are those who are ready to use guns in order to defend themselves, prepared to die by the sword? Are they willing to perhaps lose a loved one by violence? When God makes a statement in the Bible, that statement is true… “…for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”  

.

So don’t think that this above warning is a toothless promise, or an idle threat by God.

.

Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

.

.

.

.

.

A VERY SAD NEWS STORY

.

A few years back, there was a news report; perhaps one of the saddest reports to ever come across the wires. A father and mother had just returned home from an evening out. They heard a noise coming from the closet. Was this an intruder? The man went to get his rifle. He returned and shot through the door of the closet. The noise stopped. He opened the door, only to discover that his little girl had come home early, and was in the closet, waiting to surprise him and her mother. Well as he held her in his arms, her dying words were, “I love you Daddy”, and then she died.

.

Those who decide to “fight it out” themselves, instead of trust in the Lord, eventually are much more prone to experience personal tragedy from their weapons stored.

.

Wall Closet wikimedia public domain

.

.

.

.

.

TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS

.

Now Jesus wasn’t a bit worried about this angry mob. Just listen to His statement… “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:53.

.

Don’t you remember all those Old Testament stories of how one angel slew thousands of soldiers? Or how the walls of Jericho came tumbling down without God’s people lifting a finger to fight? Or how God confused the enemy, so that they fought and killed each other instead of killing God’s people?

.

Has God lost His powers? Is He no longer able to defend you?

.

Just listen again to Paul… “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39.

.

It was the greatest joy for Jesus to lay down His life for us. And it should be our greatest joy to lay down our life for Him. God may call us to become a martyr for Jesus.

.

Elisha & Chariots of Fire www.visualbiblealive.com

.

.

.

.

.

ELISHA’S ARMY

.

“And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.” 2nd Kings 6:15-18

.

The stories of the Bible are given by God to inspire faith, hope and charity within the hearts of Believers. And this little account of Elisha and his servant, when surrounded by the armies of the enemy, should be of great comfort and strength for every man, woman, and child who strives to become Christ-like.

.

Elisha, having received a double-portion of Elijah’s spirit, was undaunted in the face of danger. Unlike Elijah, who often crumbled under discouragement, Elisha took a ho-hum approach when facing great troubles. Elisha knew that he was surrounded by God’s heavenly armies. Elisha was truly a man of faith. Well, Elijah was too, but only by one-half.

.

Elisha & Chariots of Fire www.visualbiblealive.com

.

.

.

.

.

GOD IS IN CONTROL!

.

One very important principle that must be considered here is revealed in the following passage… “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

.

So here we see that God is in full control of all that happens in this world! And He uses the events, both big and small for our ultimate good!

.

Listen to this next passages… “Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.” Psalm 76:10

.

So this second passage only further confirms this truth about God: that He only allows so much evil to occur in this world. Anything beyond that, God restrains!

.

And just think about it! Even the Bible itself is a testimony to this truth, since everything in the Bible is a witness to God’s glory. And God allowed, even orchestrated together the events in the Bible to be allegories concerning the Gospel.

.

Moses – Burning Bush – Pluchart – Wikipedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

MATTHEW HENRY ON THE SONS OF ESAU

.

The point of bringing Matthew Henry into this discussion, is to show some substantiation for the lineage of Esau, being warriors. They lived by the sword. Just listen…

.

“That these sons and grandsons of Esau are called dukes, Genesis 36:15-19. Probably they were military commanders, dukes, or captains, that had soldiers under them; for Esau and his family lived by the sword, Genesis 27:40. Note, Titles of honour have been more ancient out of the church than in it. Esau’s sons were dukes when Jacob’s sons were but plain shepherds, Genesis 47:3″.

.

Matthew Henry was speaking here of the fact that so many Dukes (military commanders) were named in the Bible, being from the lineage of Esau. The family of Esau lived by the sword as the Bible says.

.

Now why does this fact matter to us? Simple. God uses various tribes and people in the Bible, to illustrate how God  sees those who profess to be Christians.

.

Matthew Henry – Wikipedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

HAGAR & ISHMAEL: A PICTURE OF THE CHURCH-APOSTATE

.

Take Hagar & Ishmael for instance. Galatians, Ch. 4 brings out the fact that Hagar & Ishmael represent the, “Jerusalem which is now, and is in bondage with her Children”. 

.

Paul here, wasn’t speaking of literal Jerusalem. He was speaking of Jerusalem, the apostate Church of that time. He was speaking these things to the Galatians, who weren’t even Israelites “after the flesh”. They were Gentiles, and yet Paul was trying to get them to see the danger of going apostate.

.

He was holding before them, the two Jerusalems: “The Jerusalem above, which is the mother of us all”, and he was warning against them becoming, “the Jerusalem which is now, and is in bondage with her children”: these are the two portions of the Church: those who are the true worshippers, and those who sit in the pews each week and yet are merely pretenders: world lovers. They are still in bondage to sin and slaves of the flesh.

.

The sketch to the left shows the Revelation 12 Woman who represents the Church-Faithful. The sketch to the right shows the Harlot of Revelation 17 & 18, which represents the Church-Apostate. These two constellations represent Sarah and Hagar, respectively.

.

Sketch on above left: The Virtuous Woman of Revelation 12 (aka Ursa Major)

Sketch above right: The Harlot of Revelation (aka The Pleiades)

.

.

.

.

.

“BITTER ENVYING & STRIFE”

.

“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” James 3:14, 15

.

And so it is with Esau. Esau represents the “old man”, as Paul puts it: the man of the flesh (see Romans 4:22 & etc.). And let’s face it: those who are in the flesh do not trust God to any great degree. All such are willing to fight for their rights, when somebody tries to take away their goods, or offends them. 

.

This photo of those notorious feuders, the Hatfields, shows the extremes which a family can go to “get even” with trespassers.

.

And yet even Christians can fall into feuds, to a lessor degree of course, with those who are, say for instance, of a different political party. Oh no, there are no guns involved. But feuds within the church over any number of issues can become quite bitter. Or feuds because someone didn’t live up to the expectations of others, to fulfill an obligation. Even little petty disputes like these can possibly eventually split or even destroy an entire congregation.

.

Hatfield Clan – Wikipedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

MILITARY SERVICE: “TO KILL OR NOT TO KILL”

.

Many Christians are questioning whether or not they should join the military. In Scripture, there is mentioned a centurion, named Cornelius, who trusted God. And should a Christian be called to serve, he or she has the choice of whether or not to shoot to kill an enemy, or choose a non-combat position.

.

The same principle holds true with becoming a policeman. And each Christian must do a lot of praying and Bible study before choosing such careers. No one can really give a definitive answer whether the Christian should choose a career which involves killing others.

.

But whatever side of this issue a Christian falls on, nevertheless, his or her religion should be a big enough religion, so as to allow others to have differing viewpoints on these murky issues. But one thing is for sure: there are many careers that a Christian would not want to take, for one reason or another. So most Christians must bear the Cross, in one way or another, at various times in life.

.

Soldier – Air Force Sergeant on guard duty –  Public-Domain

.

.

.

.

.

JESUS, OUR ROLE MODEL

.

Too many professing Christians eventually lose sight of just who it is we are to imitate. Too many get bored with Bible study and gradually begin to watch TV programs or listen to talk radio shows, which while having some truths, yet bring in doctrines which have little or nothing to do with Jesus Christ. In metaphoric terms, you could say that they no longer eat the “unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”, and are now partaking of the “yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees”.

.

But though we have all been guilty of this sin (of partaking of spiritually leavened bread), yet it is now high time that we prepare the Way of the Lord. It is now time for us to take heed to the words of Isaiah… 

.

“In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake the terrible the earth. Cease ye from Man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:20-22.

.

God is just now bringing His True-Worshippers to the place where we are called to put away all these worldly ideas, and purify ourselves from everything which is un-Christ-like. The Church is now called to fully reflect the glorious image of Jesus Christ.

.

.

.

.

.

LET’S THINK THIS THING THROUGH

.

OK, so let’s just say that you are intent on having weapons to defend yourself. Then logically, you should begin to practice shooting; this is because you may have to use your guns on an intruder someday. And what if he is a better marksman than you? Or what if the Devil helps him to aim straight? Or what if you’re out-numbered? Or what if your gun jams? Or what if…etc..

.

After all, you are assuming that God or His angels are going to help you in such a showdown. Did they help Peter? NO! Peter was no doubt attempting to kill Malchus. Peter no doubt slipped and missed his mark in all the excitement and struggle.

.

The trouble with all this, is that those who put their trust in weapons, are not putting their trust in the Bible. There are so many precious promises in Scripture, that God will protect His people. Here is a statement from Peter, the very person who fought with a sword, years earlier.

.

Just listen… “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” 1st Peter 3:13.

.

Do you think that Peter still defended himself with carnal weaponry, at the time of his writing 1st Peter? Do you think that Peter fought with a sword at the time of his crucifixion?

.

Or do you think that Peter clung to the above precious promise… “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” 

.

Do you think that Paul tried to fight his way out of his captivity? Of course he didn’t! Just read Acts. They trusted him so much they simply put him under house arrest, and he honored that commitment. They even allowed him to live in a rented house for two years, as he awaited trial!

.

And so the Christian life is completely different from the way the world operates. Any worldling in Paul’s circumstance would simply wait for an opportune moment and then escape. But Paul considered it an honor to lay down his life as a martyr for Christ.

.

crucifixion-of-Peter-Caravaggio-Martirio-di-San-Pietro-wikipedia-US-public-domain.jpg

Decapitación of Paul – by Simonet – 1887 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

MANY CHRISTIAN MARTYRS

.

There have been many Christians who suffered at the hand of evil governments, such as Corrie Ten-Boom’s family. These people did not resist evil by violence. By faith, they hid the hated Jews during the Jewish/Holocaust during the Nazi regime, during WWII.

.

After a time, they were caught, and eventually only Corrie survived to tell this horror story. They considered it an honor to lay down their lives for Christ. Their only armor was faith in God’s Word. Their testimony to the world was powerful, because they showed that they really trusted in God’s sovereign power to protect, or to martyr them. As Christians, they resolved not to shoot or knife, or club their way out of government oppression.

.

Now do you suppose they would have made that wonderful movie, “The Hiding Place”, about the Ten-Boom family, had they smuggled in carnal weapons to fight their way out of trouble? Do you think that Corri Ten-Boom would have had any kind of ministry for decades, about faith and trust in God, if she and her family were knife-wielding or gun-toting, shoot-em-up Christians?

.

The Ten-Boom Family – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License.

.

.

.

.

.

.

MARTIN LUTHER, WILLIAM TYNDALE, JOHN HUSS, ETC…

.

Jesus gave the supreme example of laying down His life. And He became the Supreme Role-Model for the other Disciples, who, for the most part, eventually became martyrs. And through the very violent and bloody history of the Church, there were many shining lights; some who were martyred and others, like Martin Luther, did not use carnal weapons to protect themselves against Satan’s armies. Martin Luther was totally invincible. Satan and his minions tried, but could not extinguish the light which Luther had to share. Likewise, John Wyclif could not be killed, though they tried. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs tells the secular history of the Apostle John, that they actually put him in boiling oil, but could not kill him.

.

Luther – 95 Theses – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

GROWING IN FAITH

.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. As this verse declares, reading and studying the various stories of the Bible will cause the child of God to grow in wisdom and faith. And if ever there was a time when God’s people need great faith, it is in the days just ahead. God will purify His people. We will need the faith to stand on that sea of glass, mingled with fire, as we sing the song of the Lamb. And the only weapon which will be of any use to the child of God, during the soon-coming trial before us, will be the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, (which we will have previously hidden in our hearts.)

.

Burning at the Stake – Wikipedia – Public Domain.

.

.

.

.

.

.

WHAT IS OUR GREAT COMMISSION?

.

The general consensus is that the great commission for the Christian world, is to… “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15. Actually, there are two great commissions given to the Christian.

.

The first great and most important work of the Christian is to purify his or her heart, even as Christ is pure.

.

Paul addressed this issue, speaking of his own personal great desire in life… “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;” Philippians 3:8, 10. So this was Paul’s chief desire: to become Christlike.

.

Paul-the-Apostle-Artist-Valentin-de-Boulogne-or-Nicolas-Tournier-circa-1500s-wikipedia-public-domain.jpg

.

.

.

.

.

THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE

.

But secondary to Paul’s own personal purification, was to take the Gospel into all the world.

.

Now there are many who teach that the Christian has a civic duty to become interested in politics and by legislative means, to try to make this world into a better place to live. But the problem is, the Bible tells plainly that Satan is, “the god of this world” (2nd Corinthians 4:4).

.

Now it’s true, that God encourages us to pray for the leaders of the land… “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” 1st Timothy 2:1-3.

.

Oh yes, we are to pray for our earthly rulers. But politics is not God’s chosen means to win the battle against the forces of evil. God is not trying to make Satan’s kingdom into a nice place. He wants to destroy this deceitful kingdom of Satan.

.

Listen to this exhortation by Paul, to stay out of earthly affairs, as far as possible… “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2nd Timothy 2:4

.

The Christian has all he or she can do, just to be fully engaged in the purification of the heart, and the proclamation of the Gospel (Not to mention our daily family responsibilities). There is no time or place for earthly politics!

For further insight, please read… “Flood Waters Of Satan: Confessions of a Political Junkie”, and you may also wish to read… “How To Be Hidden in the Day of Wrath”

.

politics-March_for_Womens_Lives_detail-wikipedia-share-alike-licence

USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

.

.

.

.

.

AN AFTER-THOUGHT

.

It’s easy to sit on a computer or behind a microphone and talk faith, or talk tough. But when in the face of life-threatening danger, it is impossible to know how that tough-talking person will react. Likewise, it’s easy to hand out free advice to others. But the fact is, each of us will have to answer for our own self on Judgment Day.

.

Peter boasted that he would never deny Jesus, “even if all should fall away, I (Peter) will never deny Thee!”

.

Well, that’s exactly what happened: Peter was the only Disciple (beside Judas), who verbally denied Jesus!

.

Each person must ultimately make up his or her own mind, just how we each will live our own life. The Bible is available to all. Read it and study it for your own self. Know exactly what it says to you. Don’t let any other mortal man do your thinking for you. Because you will have to answer to God for your own self on Judgment Day. Remember the words of 1st John…

.

“These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the Anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you:” 1st John 2:26, 27 

.

Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond – Wikimedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

.

THE END

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
.
.
.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A HEAVENLY HOBBY

.

.

.

.

.

.

“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things; that brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isaiah 40:26

.

ABOVE PICTURE – Starry Night at La Silla – cropped  and altered image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

.

.

.

.

.

The above verse is a plea from God to look up at the Heavens and behold Who has created these things.

.

In this busy work-a-day world, there are many very interesting things which can occupy one’s time and energy: hobbies, and careers, and entertainments and worries, and habits, to name just a few.

.

But as the child of God devotes his or her life to God, there should be a jealous guarding of one’s own heart… “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

.

The Christian wants nothing to get in the way of running that Christian Race.

.

New York Times Square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

Shoppers in Toronto – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

.

.

.

.

.

.

“AND WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS…

.

LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEAD”

.

But having said this, there is one hobby which every ‘Noble Berean’ may take up, which only compliments the pursuit of the heavenly Prize.

.

Yes, Signs Of Heaven becomes a wonderfully rewarding hobby which, unlike many less meaningful hobbies, pays off with rich, heavenly rewards. Everlasting rewards!

.

And unlike the person in this photo with equipment, all you need is fairly good vision, and a dark, starry night.

.

And once a person really gets to know these heavenly messengers, it will become very apparent that the message connected with these signs is truly a message to be heeded.

.

Thus will the Christian be able to share this message with others. And there are perhaps many nuances and hidden biblical truths to these signs which have yet to be discovered.

.

Astronomy Amateur – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” Luke 21:25

.

ABOVE CHART: Summer Constellations with Doves (Sagittarius) & Woman (Ursa Major)

.

.

.

.

.

.

FIRST FIND ORION & 7 STARS

.

The very first step in finding these many constellations, should be to find the two main constellations: Orion, and the 7 Stars (aka, The Big Dipper).

.

These two constellations represent Christ (Orion), and His Church (7 Stars).

.

And just as these are the easiest constellations to find, so too, the first place to begin studying the Bible is the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

.

These four books present Christ and His Church, when He walked the earth, just as Orion and the 7 Stars represent Christ and His Church, as seen up in the heavens.

.

Then, once you are comfortable finding these two constellations, you can begin to locate the next closest constellations, and so on.

.

ABOVE PICTURE: Orion the Soldier and the Revelation 12 Dragon (Hyades & Pleiades, etc.) – winter constellations – www.signsofheaven.org – not for commercial use

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

.

.

.

.

.

.

ANOTHER HEAVENLY HOBBY: PRAYER-WALKS

.

Now if you’re fortunate enough to be able to go on nightly walks, and you live in an area where you can safely view the stars, here is another Heavenly Hobby which Signs Of Heaven endorses…

.

Why not combine star-watching with prayer, as you walk? What a great way to draw closer to God!

.

It cannot be over-stressed, just how wonderful it is to walk under the dark canopy of Heaven, while lifting up one’s heart to our Heavenly Father! There is a closeness to God that cannot be described with words!

.

(And even if you cannot safely do this, you can always do such prayer-walks in the daytime, in a safe place, such as a mall, which is every bit as effective, prayer-wise.

.

And for those who are in confinement, one can view these starry signs on the Internet, or simply listen to Scripture on audio.

.

Either way, all such may enjoy God’s richest blessings at this very time in which God is pouring out all Heaven’s treasures upon anyone willing to forsake all, and follow Jesus!)

.

Starry Night at La Silla – cropped and latered image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

.

.

.

.

.

.

THRICE-DAILY PRAYERS

.

Now of course, the Bible commands us to, “pray without ceasing“. The Christian is to constantly talk with our Heavenly Father throughout the day.

.

But the Bible also holds up the godly life of Daniel, who, when captive in Babylon, still set aside three times daily, in which he knelt for special prayer.

.

And furthermore the Bible also says… “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17.

.

Even those who are bed-fast or in a prison cell can begin to imitate Daniel in this way. And if one is fortunate to be able to walk, then this thrice-daily prayer regimen can be combined with three walks daily and even nightly.

.

Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond – Wikimedia – public domain

.

.