There are many who come into Christianity, thinking that God brought them in, so that He could use their talents in some way.
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And so, these come into Christianity thinking that they are going to be “Movers & Shakers for God”.
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Perhaps it could be said that they have a “Rosie The Riveter” mentality. You know, they have a “We Can Do It!” philosophy…like Rosie here, flexing her arm in all of her self-confidence.
The point to this article for November 6th is just this…
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…many people get the mistaken notion that on Judgment Day, they will be judged according to how they used their “talents”, in the modern sense of the word, “talent”.
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Parable of Unjust Steward talents – armenianchurchwd.org – public-domain
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CORRUPT WAYS OF MAN NOT NEEDED
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But more often than not, the worldly “talents” we bring into Christianity have been greatly marred by sin.
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In other words, quite often our music has a worldly twang to it.
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Quite often, our business “talents” have a harsh edge.
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And all too often, our organizational “talents” frequently depend on using strong-arm, manipulative tactics.
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God is not desiring these kinds of worldly ways.
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Parable of Unjust Steward talents – armenianchurchwd.org – public-domain
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TRUE WEALTH
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But there is a much greater meaning to using our talents.
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Listen to the words of the wise man, Solomon…
…”A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”
Proverbs 1:5.
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God has given this Book to humanity, so that anyone who will, may come and drink of its vast stores of heavenly living waters.
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And listen to what God has to say about knowledge and wisdom…
…”Acquaint now thyself with Him (the Lord)…
Receive, I pray thee, the law from His mouth,
and lay up His words in your heart…
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust,
and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. ”
Job 22:21, 22, 24, 25
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Oh, so that’s how I can increase my talents, my spiritual riches, by laying up His Words in my heart (the heart being the treasure-chest of my mind)!
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WORLDLY WISEMEN CONTROL TODAY’S CHURCH
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Today’s church-world has been filling up with worldly-wisemen, who have greatly turned the churches and denominations into worldly institutions…
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…using worldly tactics, world-loving programs, and man-contrived business strategies, instead of holding fast to the purity of the early church as its role-model.
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Thus, the churches have greatly merged into this Babylonish world.
It would be best for all such to put aside that ministry, or that earthly talent…
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…and rather, use their time, reading their Bible and praying for God to bring them the experiences needful to purify their hearts and renew their minds.
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Then, instead of sounding like a dreamy-eyed crooner, that fully-converted singer will now sound like a holy angel in God’s choir.
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Then instead of cutting sharp deals, that fully converted businessman will now exercise grace, mercy, and generosity, sometimes even to the point of being accused of becoming too naïve.
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Then will that great communicator and organizer now exercise the quietness, the meekness and the self-distrust of, say, a man like Moses (whom God chastened 40 years till he was transformed from being the proudest of all men to becoming the meekest of all men).
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Just look up at that above picture of proud Rosie, showing off her muscles.
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And then examine this picture of meek Moses, helplessly lifting his hands up to God to give his people victory.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the LORD…”
Zechariah 4:6
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Yes, it’s an “I Can Do It!” world!
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But just look around at this world!
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Just look at TV for instance.
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What do you see all over the television?
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Do you see the hero of the story, waiting on God for help?
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Try to think of one TV show, in which the hero allows God to solve the big problem.
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And have you ever noticed that the secular shows, more often than not, portray very dedicated Christians as “weak little birds”, and at last are saved by the big strong secular hero of the story.
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hand – Slap – High and Mighty Trailer Screenshot – 1954 – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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EVE, THE ORIGINAL ROSIE
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Yes, it’s a Rosie the Riveter world. And it’s been that way for a very long time!
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Even in the Garden, when the Tempter tempted the woman, it was over the issue of her wanting to be like God.
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Eve didn’t want to trust in God. She wanted to do things under her own strength and intellect.
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Yes, in a very real sense, Eve was the very first Rosie the Riveter!
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER ALLOWED US TO “DO IT OURSELVES”
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And all God originally wanted, was for mankind to enjoy peace and rest and happiness.
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But when mankind left God’s Rest, and wanted to have a “We Can Do It!” world, God in His infinite wisdom decided to allow us to become that kind of a world!
And yes, as the Christian learns more and more about the Bible, he or she will learn to put greater and greater trust in the Lord, to solve the many problems of life.
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And this verse will take on a greater and greater meaning to that Christian… “Be still, and know that I am God:” Psalm 46:10.
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And once that Christian finally puts full trust in God, there will be a peace which surpasses all human understanding, which this “Rosie The Riveter” world cannot know nor understand.
Lord, help me to depend upon the exceeding great and precious promises found throughout Your infallible Word, rather than upon my own strength or human wisdom…
Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Perhaps one might also say, “The Devil, by any other name is still the Devil!”
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Not exactly as sweet sounding as Shakespeare, to say the least!
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But truth-be-told, this wily deceiver has gone by many other names, through the centuries!
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Yes, Lucifer, now called “The Devil” and “Satan”, has gone by many aliases as he has worked through countless humans to create many inventions throughout history!
Yes, nobody has to serve and worship this Master-Deceiver!
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Yes, we can embark on a spiritual sojourn, onward and upward toward the everlasting “New Heaven and the New Earth” in which we will be forever young!
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And this coming kingdom will be the totally happy, beautiful, and intriguing “Promised Land”, unmarred by sin and sorrow and all the tragic results which Lucifer’s kingdom of selfishness has unleashed on this present fallen world!
ABOVE PICTURE: The Upward Pathway to Heaven – wwwsignsofheaven.org
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TODAY’S PRAYER
“Dear Lord, help me to ever be on that upward pathway out of this doomed world, making my pilgrimage to the heavenly Promised Land…
Praying Hands – Otto Greiner – Wikimedia – bassenge.com – Cropped image – Public Domain
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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THE REVELATION 12 DRAGON
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“And there appeared another wonder in heaven;
and behold a great red dragon,
having seven heads and ten horns,
and seven crowns upon his heads…
And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,”
Revelation 12:3, 7
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THIS DRAGON IS NOT DRACO!First, let it be stated, that this Dragon Constellation is not the same constellation commonly referred to as “Draco” (photo to right is Draco, AKA Ursa Minor).
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This Revelation 12 Dragon from Signs Of Heaven, has not been previously recognized.
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But you will discover that it is a very intricate and complex constellation, once you are comfortable locating it.
The Revelation 12 Dragon Constellationcan be located by finding Orion in winter months.
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The Dragonis to Orion’s left, and the Dragon’smouth is right next to Orion’s shield.
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This Dragon’s mouth is the V-like constellation The Hyades Cluster, which is also known as the head of Taurus the Bull.
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The Dragon’s tail-tip is Pleiadesand the lower shaft of his tail is partly of AriesandPisces.
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Then with aid of a dark and starry night, you may begin to connect the mouth and the tail with a very long body in an oval shape.
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The front and back legs are made of a few stars: the front legs partially of stars from Taurus.
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The back legs and rear fin are made of 6 stars from the CetusConstellation.
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BODY HARD TO SEE
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The long oval-shaped body has relatively few stars, but can been seen, howbeit with a dark, starry night. The four stars of the front fins are made partially ofTaurus .
And so, as children of light, we might pay a little attention to what the children of the world are doing and translate those things into a spiritual counterpart.
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And such translating extends also in the furnishings of our home.
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No not our physical home, but it is our spiritual house that we need to furnish with elegant furnishings.
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A SPIRITUAL HOUSE
1st Peter 2:5
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Listen again to our opening Bible passage…
…”Through wisdom is an house builded;
and by understanding it is established:
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.”
Proverbs 24:3, 4
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Yes, while the people of the world are spending so much time, money, and effort in beautifying and enriching their houses and lands…
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…the children of light must rather be spending our time, money, and effort, beautifying and enriching our spiritual house: our heart…
Listen…“Ye also, as lively stones,
are built up a spiritual house,
an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
1st Peter 2:5
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Yes, we are a spiritual house!
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Now, this does not mean that we are to allow our literal homes to be neglected.
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But the main focus of our lives should be on furnishing our spiritual house with the elegance of Heaven.
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MARTHA & MARY SET THE PRIORITY
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Remember the little account of Mary and her sister Martha?
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Remember how Martha was so concerned about the worldly duties of life, while sister Mary sat instead, and spent her time filling her heart with the precious words of life?
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Now what did Jesus say to Martha?
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Listen… “And Jesus answered and said unto her,
Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful:
and Mary hath chosen that good part,
which shall not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41:42.
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Yes, Jesus ever-so-gently scolded Martha, but commended Mary…
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…because Mary made her priority in life, to hear God’s Word, rather than expending her time, money, and energy seeking after the cares and pleasures of the world.
“Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:8
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And one of the first things we must do is to get rid of the graffiti which is on the walls of our heart.
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Yes, by exposing ourselves to the unwholesome words and images all around us, our hearts have become covered with all sorts of degrading graffiti and vile images!
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And this must first be cleaned up.
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And here is a work which no Christian is excused from participating in!
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The Bible makes it perfectly clear that every man, woman, and young person, must become fully engaged in the purifying of the heart!
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Just listen to the Apostle, John…“And every man that hath this hope in Him (of Christ’s Return) purifies himself, even as He (Christ) is pure.” 1st John 3:3.
Now that the walls are cleansed from graffiti, then comes the nice and elegant furnishings.
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Beautiful pictures of heavenly images hanging on the walls of our heart!
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All those precious Bible promises, hanging as “apples of gold, in pictures of silver”, decorating the heavenly halls of our heart! (Proverbs 25:11)
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Elegant furnishings which family and friends and guests alike, may all enjoy!
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These come from fixing our minds on heavenly things!
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Thus, by meditating day and night on God’s Word, we begin to fill our homes with all the elegance of Heaven!
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And before long, our spiritual house becomes a showcase of heavenly splendor, more than enough to “keep up with the Joneses”, in any heavenly neighborhood!
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INTO ETERNITY FUTURE!
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And the really wonderful aspect to all this is, that even though time and elements of nature will eventually pull down, not only our physical dwellings, but our bodies of clay, as well!
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Yet our spiritual home will endure throughout all the ceaseless ages!
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Listen…“Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world…
And the world passeth away…
but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.”
1st John 2:15-17. (Condensed for brevity)
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This above passage very much implies that whatever we devote ourselves to in this life will either be burned up on the last Day or will endure throughout eternity future!
“Dear Lord, Grant me the desire to spend my time here on earth, engaging in the spiritual enrichment of my heart and soul. Let me not be drawn away by the vain pursuits of this life….
Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
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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HOW THE NARROW & WIDE GATES RELATE TO ORION & DRAGON
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This sketch below is when these constellations are in the eastern sky in early winter (However, this constellation group can even be seen as early as July, in the pre-dawn hours).
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In the eastern sky, it’s not so easily seen which gate the Revelation 12 Woman will enter.
But as for Esau and Jacob representing the “Man of Flesh” and the “Man of Spirit”, respectively, just listen to this next verse…
…“Lie not one to another,
seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
And have put on the new man,
which is renewed in knowledge
after the image of Him that created him:”
Colossians 3:9,10
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And just as Jacob was trying to escape Esau, so the follower of Jesus is trying to flee from his or her own fleshy desires.
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But it seems that so many sincere Christians are too often falling into our fleshly lusts: pride, anger, judging, lusting, gluttony, worldly aspirations & pleasures…etc….!
So, here we see that “The New Man” is renewed in knowledge after the image of Jesus.
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This answers just how this New Man begins to thrive within us…through knowledge…through the knowledge of Jesus…through “every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God”…the Bible!
And so, just like the Apostle, Paul, I too, need to do the very same work in my own life.
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I need to crucify the “old man” so that the “New Man” can freely live out His life through me.
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I need to escape from the Esau within….from the “old man” which still wants to “run the show”, so to speak.
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But through the ever-increasing knowledge of the Word of Christ, the “New Man” within me, can become increasingly visible to the onlooking world!
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“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
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What I need, is to wrestle with God, not letting go of Him, just as surely as Jacob wrestled with the angel!
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And I need to wrestle until the Day Dawns, and the Sun of Righteousness arises in our hearts.
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Nevertheless, though it often seems as if we are alone in this struggle, the Bible reveals otherwise… “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.
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Yes, it is God who is working in us, and it is God who allows those fiery trials, both big and little, which will ultimately purify us, as gold and silver are purified!
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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GLORIOUS CROWN CONSTELLATION…
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“A CROWN OF 12 STARS UPON HER HEAD” …
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If you have access to a very dark sky out in the country; if you watch this wreath, you will eventually see 5 more very faint stars, making a total of 12 stars, plus that single star in the middle.
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This wreath now becomes a crown of 12 stars.
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This goes along with Revelation 12, which tells of a crown of 12 stars upon the head of the Virtuous Woman of Revelation 12.
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… “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman…and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:” Rev. 12:1.
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But this crown is not yet upon the head of the Virtuous Woman of Revelation 12Constellation (also known as Ursa Major).
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It is just above her head, as if she has yet to attain it.
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Of course, the 13th star in the middle would represent Christ (Who is our true Crown of our rejoicing).
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Okay, so we have a picture of Christ and His twelve tribes of Israel.
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But also, we have a picture of Christ and His twelve apostles, which is a picture of His Church.
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So, this heavenly crown is a multi-faceted concept.
And so, Christ pronounces the following critique upon His professed followers… “knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:17
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Incredible! This above language is the very language spoken about lost souls!
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This is not the description of saved persons!
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No, the Laodiceans are naked of Christ’s robe of righteousness.
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We are spiritually blind! We are poor and destitute of heavenly riches!
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Yes, the church of Laodicea is full of unsaved persons!
And so, just what is the remedy? What prescription does Christ commend to this wretched church?
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Listen…“I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire,
that thou mayest be rich;
and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed,
and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;
and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,
that thou mayest see.”
Revelation 3:18
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So here we see the remedy!
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Gold tried in the fire speaks of the purification process that God brings His people through, to purify our hearts!
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It speaks of the fiery trials we must patiently endure, so that we may say along with Job, “…when He (God) hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold!” Job 23:10
This is the door of escape which now stands wide open for any man, woman, or child who is tired of living in the midst of this selfish, angry, and hateful world…
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…a world which seems to be growing more selfish, more totalitarian, more angry and more hateful with each and every passing day!
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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”
Philippians 1:12, 13
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This above verse tells of the high, holy, and heavenly habitation which God translates all true worshippers into!
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And yet, the Gospel ship doors will soon close!
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And so there should be no delay to get on-board this spiritual Ark, which is Heaven-bound!
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And the place of embarkment is within your very own soul!
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Yes, this Gospel ship is coming by to get you!
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But please do not refuse! Just come aboard!
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Our ticket required is the Gospel of Salvation!
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Our guide-map is the Bible.
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And our passport is a mustard-seed of grace & faith!
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Bring me out of my Laodicean lukewarmness! Take away all the vain pursuits out of my life, and make me into a single-minded follower of Jesus…
Now as learned in the article, The Five Wise Virgins Stars,
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The Five Wise are in a semi-circle, as if gathered around the Glorious Crown of 12 Stars.
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This symbolizes, the importance of the Christian Race, and the Glorious Crown of Victory, which will be given to each and every one who finally overcomes the world.
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Now just as the Five Wise are gathered around this Crown of Victory, the Five Foolish are turned away from the Crown, as if to say, “I’m not interested!”
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And isn’t so often that the vast majority of so-called Christians, have little interest in this crown!
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Quite often, they can be heard saying… “Oh, I got my crown when I got baptized. Jesus won the race for me!”
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This kind of lie is easily believed, since it a lie, made partly of truth!
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Yes, Jesus did get the victory for us.
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But nevertheless, the evidence that I am a true-worshipper of God, is that I will ultimately gain the victory over my sinful flesh, with all its affections and lusts.
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Listen… “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh
Now from the above two verses, it would seem that this church is in deep trouble with God!
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And this trouble stems from the fact that God considers them to be lukewarm, neither cold nor hot!
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God desires no half-hearted followers! No, God is not looking for divided servants.
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Listen…
“No man can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the one, and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon”
Matthew 6:24
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(As you can see in this old painting, these five foolish virgins are spending their waiting time, enjoying the pleasures of this world, instead of working for the purification of their own hearts! They are asleep. spiritually speaking.)
And isn’t it true that we Christians today pride ourselves as being “Rapture-Ready”, when the truth is, we are lukewarm and divided in our service to God?
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Oh, that we were truly ready for the Lord’s Return!
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But if we were truly ready, we would be like Paul, and Peter and John!
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This is what God has been desiring His Church to become!
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But instead of conforming ourselves to become like those godly men, we have become divided in our service to God!
Instead of becoming as dedicated and holy as those three role-models, Peter, James, and John, we have been pursuing much of the same hedonistic pleasures and prestigious careers which this unsaved world seeks after!
But though God has spewed us out (collectively), there is still some very Good News!
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God is still willing to take us back (individually)!
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Oh no, He’s not going to resurrect the fallen churches! Their time has come and gone!
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But God is willing to take us back on a case-by-case basis!
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Listen… “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear My voice, and open the door,
I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with Me.”
Revelation 3:20
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Here is a call for “any man”.
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Jesus stands at the door and knocks, hoping that “if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him!”
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Just as this lady in the above photo is winnowing the grain from the chaff, so too, the Lord has His winnowing fork in His hand, ready to separate the wheat from the chaff!
“Dear Lord, We have done wickedly, by seeking a divided service between Thee and this selfish world! Deliver us from this horrible judgment and purify us, beginning today…
But before we explore these questions, let’s take a look at why these two sets of stars represent these two biblical gates.
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(This sketch, while not 100% accurate, gives a fair portrayal of how this constellation group appears at winter’s end and even into June, when above the western horizon.)
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HOW THE GATES RELATE TO ORION & DRAGON
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This sketch below is when these constellations are in the eastern sky in early winter (However, this constellation group can even be seen as early as July, in the pre-dawn hours).
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In the eastern sky, it’s not so easily seen which gate the Revelation 12 Woman will enter.
Satan spews out the deadly water of his false worldly ideologies…
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…which many of these ideologies have a form of godliness, but in some way are not in harmony…
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…or perhaps these worldly ideologies add to the Bible, which is strictly forbidden (see Deuteronomy 4:2).
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On the other hand, the Strait Gate (narrow gate) is composed of the two brightest stars of the Orion The Reaper’s sickle. The true Strait Gate represents Jesus, the Word of God.
Just think how many radio and television shows are dedicated to criticizing others!
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Yes, in this high-tech world, a person can literally choose to watch or listen to any one of hundreds of critical television, radio, or Internet programs designed to criticize, mock or listen to malicious gossip about people, both small and great!
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“NO NEW THING UNDER THE SUN”
Ecclesiastes 1:9
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But of course, this is nothing new! Judging and criticizing has been going on, since the day that Eve listened to Satan’s accusations against God!
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But the Bible clearly warns us…
“Speak not evil one of another, brethren.
He that speaketh evil of his brother,
and judgeth his brother,
speaketh evil of the law,
and judgeth the law:
but if thou judge the law,
thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
There is one Lawgiver,
who is able to save and to destroy:
who art thou that judgest another?”
James 4:11, 12.
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Yes, the Devil knows how much God hates our proud judging! And so, Satan purposely creates a society conducive to doing just that!
And the really Good News is this: if I overcome this great sin of proud finger-pointing, God has a wonderful promise…
“…If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke,
the putting forth of the finger (finger-pointing), and speaking vanity…
And the LORD shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought,
and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
Isaiah 58:9, 11.
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As this passage promises, if we put away all of our finger-pointing, and return to the Lord, in sorrow and repentance, God will lift us up and restore us to His favor!
Belshazzar’s fateful night – Rembrandt -Belshazzar’s Feast – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, I don’t want to be weighed in the balances and found wanting! Steer me away from all the critical programs, lest I catch that same critical spirit…
“For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee
in a time when thou mayest be found:
surely in the floods of great waters
they shall not come nigh unto him.”
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Waves are used in Scripture to represent both good as well as bad things.
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And in the black sea of the heavens, is seen a constellation of a dragon.
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And this dragon is spewing a wave of water out of his mouth.
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And this article will explore just what all this means.
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And the Reader is invited to come and behold secrets in the Stars, which have been hidden since Creation; but now are being revealed by God, for such a time as this.
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So come along and behold these grand heavenly pictures which our great God has inscribed, in the heavenly scroll, and stretched, even from sky to sky.
Whenever the topic of the harmful effects of TV watching comes up in a group discussion, the following proclamation will undoubtedly be made… “But I only watch the good programs!”
So having laid out this basic concept of the Christian’s great focus in life, let’s get back to the question regarding watching only the good shows.
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Whatever a person absorbs in his or her thoughts, just don’t go in one ear and out the other ear, as some suppose.
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But when we voluntarily choose to sit for hours, immersing ourselves in the words and actions of lost souls, then God may allow them to remain within our hearts.
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This is why God warns… “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1st Corinthians 15:33.
“Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge.” Proverbs 19:27
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So, as disciples of Christ, why would we want to spend hours each day, polluting our hearts with the common lifestyles and worldly-minded conversation of even the best of shows?
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Take for instance, a G-rated movie. Unless the conversations in that G-rated movie are in harmony with Scripture, then that G-rated movie must also be considered unwholesome.
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In other words, are the various conversations and ideologies espoused, in harmony with Scripture?
Now if the Christian has a spouse who has a somewhat different worldview, then the Christian may not be able to lead his or her family away from these things.
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In such cases, unceasing prayers and consecration to God may be all that can be done on behalf of that family.
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But God hears and answers the prayers of a tearful worshiper of God!
So, every true-hearted Christian must ask his or her own self the question:
…”How would Jesus unwind and relax, if He was walking the earth today?
…”Or what about Paul?
…”How would Paul entertain himself, if he were here today?
…”Would these two men unwind with a good movie, or a computer game?
…”Or would they rather go for a walk and pray and give thanks and cry out for a renewed strength and beseech God for a fresh and deeper baptism of the Spirit?”
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Well, Disciple and Follower of the Master, go and do thou likewise!
“Dear Lord, Give me freedom from every besetting addiction in my life, whether they be lusts of the flesh or lusts of the eyes, or the proud ways of Man…
Morning Prayers – Ebenezer Newman – Downard – 1860 – Wikipedia – Public Domain
The Bible speaks of lifeless and “dumb idols” in many passages.
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But all through the Bible, God criticized those lifeless images, saying…
…”Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they speak not:
eyes have they, but they see not:
They have ears, but they hear not:
noses have they, but they smell not:
They have hands, but they handle not:
feet have they, but they walk not:
neither speak they through their throat.”
Psalm 115:4-7
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And so, it has been this way throughout time: lifeless, dumb, useless idols!
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And God makes a further statement regarding these dumb idols…“Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.” Jeremiah 10:5.
And this talking idol is called tele-vision, which actually means, a “talking vision”.
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And it has gained its entrance into homes, quickly becoming the centerpiece of the American home.
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And it’s always teaching. 24/7/365, it teaches us, and it teaches our children! It is even the designated baby-sitter in many or most homes.
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This is because it keeps kids quiet! Doesn’t it?
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Well, that’s because this Pied Piper from Hell entrances both children and adults alike!
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It is so powerful, that one can literally be mesmerized by it for hours!
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ENGRAVES SATAN’S CHARACTER
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And ever-so-imperceptibly, the television engraves the stamp of Satan’s character upon the hearts (our minds) of unsuspecting humans: pride, greed, lust, anger, violence, intemperance, impatience, rudeness, commonness, indifference, selfishness, etc….
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These are among the attributes of Satan’s character.
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And this Mark (or image) is in the forehead (the mind) and it is in the right hand (symbolizing human works).
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Mark of the beast – pub. dom. – Wikipedia
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MARK IN OUR FOREHEADS
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And while Christians swear ever-so-adamantly, that they will never ever allow anyone to put a mark on their forehead or right hand, all the while, the Devil is placing his image and mark, right now,
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IN the foreheads of millions!
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And IN children’s foreheads too!
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And by thus engraving his character upon human minds, he seals individuals with his branding-iron of ownership, so to speak!
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This is the mark of his authority over an unsuspecting person!
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Not only Americans, but more and more of the entire world are in danger of becoming changed into the image of Satan, via, these high-tech talking-images!
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EVIL COMMUNICATIONS CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER
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Listen to God’s warning… “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1st Corinthians 15:33.
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Yes, O Stranger & Pilgrim in the earth, this verse warns us not to be deceived!
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Evil communications can indeed corrupt the Christ-like character!
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And just think about such a great percentage of people within the many societies, walking streets, riding buses, sitting in restaurants with eyes and ears completely absorbed with the hand-held high-tech talking-images!
But here is the Good News! God has a promise for you and for me!
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Listen to this…
…”Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?…
Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
2nd Corinthians 6:14-18 (condensed)
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Yes, God promises in this above passage, to begin to deal with us as sons and daughters if we will only separate ourselves from all these evil influences!
“And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He (Jesus) is pure”
1st John 3:3
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And once this is accomplished, God will continue a good work in our lives to clean up our defiled soul-temple, and fill our hearts with all precious and pleasant treasures of His goodness and love.
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Oh yes, there will be many fiery trials ahead for God’s people!
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But God promises to bring us through each and every fire of great tribulation!
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And slowly and imperceptibly, we will more and more be transformed into the purified likeness of holy and gentle Jesus!
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ABOVE PICTURE: Most Holy Place within the heart – Signs Of Heaven
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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SATAN’S WAVE OF WATER CONSTELLATION
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“For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee
in a time when thou mayest be found:
surely in the floods of great waters
they shall not come nigh unto him.”
Psalm 32:6
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The majestic waves of the sea.
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One of the most beautiful creations in nature!
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The sounds of the crashing surf!
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The moist wind and spray upon one’s face!
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Truly, standing upon the sand, and facing the ocean surf overwhelms all the human senses!
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It’s quite an exhilarating experience to say the least!
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But the ocean and the surf, and the sand were created by God, not merely for beauty’s sake; but also to teach.
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And these various things in nature were created by God to instruct Mankind in Bible truths, both good and bad.
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Waves are used in Scripture to represent both good as well as bad things. .
And in the black sea of the heavens, is seen a constellation of a dragon.
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And this dragon is spewing a wave of water out of his mouth.
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And this article will explore just what all this means.
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And the Reader is invited to come and behold secrets in the Stars, which have been hidden since Creation; but now are being revealed by God, for such a time as this.
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So come along and behold these grand heavenly pictures which our great God has inscribed, in the heavenly scroll, and stretched, even from sky to sky.
Now there have been many persons who became world-class celebrities, all because they became so addicted to a certain thing, that they eventually became masters at it!
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For instance, one famous musician admitted in a magazine interview, that he was a hopeless addict to his particular musical instrument.
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This magazine article showed him lying, passed-out on his bed, hands and legs sprawled-out and holding his musical instrument in his hand as if it were a bottle of alcohol.
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That photo was taken to tell the whole story! He was addicted and obsessed with his music!
There are many different things in this world, to become addicted to.
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There are certain TV and radio shows, various sports, careers, hobbies, video games, restauranting, exotic places, politics, science and history books…
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…and a vast array of other such pursuits, that one can become addicted to.
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Even coffee or cola!
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And there are also many other intangible addictions, such as pride, anger, jealousy, self-pity (which is a form of self-worship), gluttony, etc….
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Now for the lost people of the world, many of these obsessions may be just fine!
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“Go for the gusto”, they often say!
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But as Christians, we are not to allow any earthly thing to become our master!
Yes, the Christian has been called to come out of this dark Babylonish antichrist-world-empire, with all its lusts and self-indulgent pursuits.
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Listen to the very first Commandment… “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3.
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Whatever thing or pursuit, no matter how wholesome and good it may appear to be, which becomes an “inordinate affection” in a person’s life, in reality becomes a god, or idol to that soul. (Colossians 3:5)
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All sin is addictive! Listen to Jesus…“Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin.” John 8:34
Now in spite of this not-so-great news, there is also some very Good News!
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For those who desire to mortify such inordinate affections and divers lusts, God has a wonderful promise!
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Just listen…“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6.
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Yes, God will continue with us day-by-day, no matter how weak we might be. And He will not give up on even one of His true followers!
And how can this be, that nobody has ever seen the Pleiades as a constellation of a woman?
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This devotional will lightly discuss this great paradox of these two women found in the Pleiades, and what it means scripturally to us:
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Because this constellation, or should we say Constellations, plural, have 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, the Bible holds the key to understanding all this.
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DO THE PLEIADES = GOD’S HOST?
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“Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades,
or loose the bands of Orion?…
Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?…
or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?…
Do you know the ordinances of Heaven?”
Job 38:31-33
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So what does the above verse mean, when it says, “Can you bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades?…
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Listen to this verse from Proverbs…
…”Stolen waters are sweet…
But he knows not that the dead are there;
and that her (the Adulterous Woman) guests are in the depths of Hell.”
Proverbs 9:17, 18.
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All through Scripture, the adulterous woman keeps popping up.
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Actually, there are two women who constantly appear: one being an adulterous Woman and the other is the virtuous Woman.
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One woman symbolizes the apostate portion of the Church and the other woman, the faithful portion of God’s Church.
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Picture right: Jezebel John_Liston_Byam_Shaw wikipedia US public domain
The Horse Constellationseems to be glaring at the Pleiades while he’s trampling the lower part of the Dragon’s tail.
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It’s almost as if the Glorious White Horse is trying to rescue the Pleiades.
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The Pleiades represents the portion of God’s people who have been taken captive by Satan: those who have been deceived by Satan’s lies.
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Listen to what God states in 2nd Timothy…
…”And that they may recover themselves
out of the snare of the devil,
who are taken captive by him at his will.”
2nd Timothy 2:25, 26
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Listen again to Christ’s rebuke to a lukewarm church…
…”Because thou sayest, I am rich,
and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing;
and knowest not that thou art wretched,
and miserable, and poor,
and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:17
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They may still faithfully attend a local congregation.
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They may even hold various church offices. They may be respected members of the community.
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And yet, their hearts have been entangled in worldly pursuits and earthly pleasures.
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And slowly they have become prisoners of Satan, locked into his Babylonish-counterfeit-Christianity.
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This particular Bible truth was brought out in John Bunyan’s amazing allegorical tale, “Pilgrim’s Progress”, in which the pilgrim was shown this “Man in an Iron Cage”, as this above old engraving illustrates.
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Pilgrim’s Progress – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
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“COME OUT OF HER (BABYLON) MY PEOPLE”
Revelation 18:4
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The bottom line to all this, is to come out of Babylon.
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But many are asking the question, “Just how do I come out of Babylon?”
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Well, the answer to this question is actually very simple.
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The Bible is the pure Word of Truth.
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And for those who have been deceived by false teachings and names and doctrines which have been added to God’s Word, we need to make an exodus out of this false system.
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We must return to Christ and Christ alone.
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We must reject the false dogmas, such as the teachings that we must be “back-slapping, giddy and worldly” Christians in order to bring others into the Church.
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!
Jesus came to this Earth and “gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1st Timothy 2:6.
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But He also came to take up His Cross as the example of how we should also love one another.
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And when His ministry was finished, He returned to Heaven.
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But He left instructions for the human family.
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And He says to us all…“For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” John 13:15.
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“The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand…The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches…”
Revelation 1:20
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This concept is written in the heavens! God has placed the stars in such a way, that magnifies this marvelous concept of lifting up the Cross of Christ: self-sacrificing love for Mankind!
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First, Orion, (star-chart left) representing Christ, lifts up the Cross.
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Then, just a little later, the 7 Stars Constellation (star-chart right), representing God’s Church finally lifts up the Cross, seemingly in response to Orion’s prior example.
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These two constellations are the two brightest and most prominent constellations in the winter-night sky.
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And they represent the two greatest concepts of life: Christ and His Church.
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No, not a particular denomination, but God’s True Worshippers, wherever they may be interspersed amongst the inhabitants of the world.
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JESUS, THE LIGHT OF LIFE
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“Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world:
he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the Light of Life.”
John 8:12
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Okay, so the above verse says we must follow Jesus.
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But just how does a person follow Jesus?
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Listen… “Then said Jesus unto His disciples,
If any man will come after Me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”
John 16:24, 25.
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So, Jesus here, tells us the way to follow Him: lifting up the Cross in our own life!
Through the ages, there have always been those who try to promote some church doctrine, based on a literal interpretation of a Bible allegory.
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For example, such misinterpretations gave rise to the impossible idea that God has some nether-world torture-chamber, in which all Christless unbelievers will be tormented eternally by literal fire!
And there have been other similar wrestlings with Scripture, such as the lighting of candles in religious ceremonies, thus misconstruing the allegory regarding the candlesticks in the sanctuary.
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Yes, this too resulted in people taking literally, something which was only meant to be taken allegorically!
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But the candlesticks in the Old Testament sanctuary service actually symbolized the New Testament Church being illuminated by the Holy Spirit. (see Revelation 1:20)
Another similar misinterpretation was the idea of a “holy kiss”, taking it literally.
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But the “holy kiss” was merely referring to the refreshing experience that Christians should feel, when in the presence of the holiness exuded from other true worshippers of God. (see Song of Songs 1:2)
About every 30 minutes or so, there is a humanitarian advertisement on television, concerning the physical and social needs of humanity.
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And so, because we Americans have grown up in front of the television, we are thoroughly conditioned to only think in terms of physical and social needs.
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But never do we hear the government producing TV ads, stressing the importance of the needs of the soul! And yet, the soul is infinitely more important than one’s physical needs!
And even in the Christian community, there is emerging the same kind of confusion regarding humanitarian social justice.
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Just like these already mentioned examples of trying to take spiritual metaphors, and twist and wrestle them back into literal worldly concepts.
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Yes, there is an emerging effort to turn Christianity into some sort of giant humanitarian project.
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And this has an especially great appeal to younger people, who have been thoroughly indoctrinated by society to think only of the physical and social needs of humanity.
Now make no mistake! Lucifer couldn’t care less about whether a man goes to Hell with a full stomach or an empty one!
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As a matter of fact, because Lucifer is “the god of this world”, he is happy to see his loyal citizens of this selfish world, performing good deeds! It only makes his secular world-system that much more deceiving!
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Listen… “For men shall be lovers of their own selves…having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2nd Timothy 3:2, 5.
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Yes, Satan loves his world to have a form of godliness.
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It just confuses people, as to the true nature of this planet, Lucifer’s selfish, evil, antichrist world-system!
And as we search out what all this means, we find that feeding the hungry is actually all about sharing the “bread of Life”: sharing Jesus with the world. (see John 6:35)
And even though God desires for the Gospel to be preached to those locked up in the world’s prisons, there are multitudes walking about in society who are prisoners of Satan.
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FOLLOWING PAUL’S GODLY EXAMPLE
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Take note of Paul’s ministry! Paul’s main focus was on the care of the spiritual needs of the churches.
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Oh yes, the churches helped out their own, who were poor and weak.
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But even more than working for others, Paul knew that the first and foremost ministry was that of his own transformation.
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Yes, in his own words, Paul exhorts us…
…”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,”
Philippians 3:8
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Now Paul realized that God had raised him up to be a spiritual role-model. This is why he encouraged Christians thus…“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1st Corinthians 1:11
And if we really want to get down to the bottom line, the primary objective for the Christian is to loose his (or her) own bands of sin!
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And yet, there are many who unknowingly place more importance on the physically hungry, and upon the physically thirsty.
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These have just not sat down and considered how infinitely greater is the gift of eternal life, than any earthly consideration!
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This old painting is a very nice attempt to show what all Believers will one day experience when on resurrection morning, they leave this dark world, and enter into life-everlasting!
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Because if we only give some earthly food and water, that person will eventually die.
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But if we share the bread of Heaven, and the water of eternal life, as Jesus says…“I am the bread of life: he that comes to Me shall never hunger; and he that believes on Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
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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7 MAJOR STARS OF ORION…
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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.
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To find the seven major stars of Orion (one star on each shoulder and one star on each foot…
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…plus the three stars which make his belt), you can locate on just about any clear night regardless of the blackness of the night.
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To find Orion’s other stars, you need more star-visibility…a darker, moonless night, and possibly away from city lights.
Suppose that Jesus and His Father, along with a Holy Angel, were going to come to your house for dinner tonight, and make an assessment as to just how you have been doing with your Christian life!
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And if that wasn’t enough, they even requested that you provide some nice music to listen to, after dinner.
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And so, you frantically went through your collection of music, trying to decide just what Jesus and His Father and the Holy Angel might like to listen to.
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And then, as the hour drew near, you got your house in order, and everything perfectly set in place!
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Finally, at the appointed hour, you heard somebody knocking at the front door…
Well, perhaps you should have already decided this question long ago, the very first time that you chose the kinds of music which you desire to listen to!
For instance, the Bible does not expressly condemn gambling. And yet, there are a number of principles laid down in Scripture which can very easily apply to gambling.
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One such principle is found in Proverbs… “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” Proverbs 13:11
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And so, this above proverb reveals that wealth obtained by frivolous means (such as gambling) will probably not be blessed by the LORD.
Likewise, music, though not specifically defined in the Bible, can be easily defined by merely applying general principles found in God’s Word.
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For example, the Bible says…“Be ye followers of me (Paul), even as I also am of Christ.” 1st Corinthians 11:1
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So now we have a principle which should cause us to study everything we can in Paul’s writings, in hopes of gaining a greater and greater insight into Paul’s life, so that we can better follow his sterling example!
We humans are a very fickle and changeable race of people! Fads and fashions come and go, even as the seasons change!
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But Heaven is not like us! No, Heaven operates on timeless and unchangeable principles.
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Oh yes, God is a lover of variety!
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For instance, while there may be great celestial choirs, singing great swelling strains in Heaven, and yet we also read of David, alone with his harp, singing soft praises to God!
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And the Bible speaks of…“…psalms and hymns and spiritual (sacred) songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” Colossians 3:16
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But even though there are varieties of music, there will not be all the fads and crazes that we so often see down here!
…”But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
James 3:17
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Now this above verse speaks of purity, and being full of good fruits.
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And so, not only should the words be pure, but the music should likewise be pure, if it is to convey the wisdom of Heaven. (And don’t miss the two words, “gentle” and “peaceable”, either!)
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And we must keep in mind that music is a language, in which can easily convey many sentiments and emotions!
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Thus, as a language, music can speak of things pure and holy, or it can speak of things sensual, earthly, and unholy!
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ABOVE PICTURE – winter – Orion the Good Shepherd – www.signsofheaven.org
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CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!
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Now here is another principle which is so powerful…“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:” Galatians 2:20.
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This above verse is a testimony by Paul, that he was so dead-to-self, that it was no longer Paul, but Christ living out His life through Paul!
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And the more that we submit our will to Christ, the more that Christ might live out His holy life through us!
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In other words, what kind of conversations would Christ engage in?
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What manner of dealings with others would He engage in?
Well, these are just a few examples of how the Christian is to apply the principles laid down by God, in His Word, to the kinds of music that glorify God.
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And for those who encounter difficult questions or need to make perplexing decisions, the more we have hidden God’s Word in our heart, the easier it is to discern between good and evil!
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Listen…“And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent” John 17:3
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
Dear Lord, Help me to glorify Thee in all that I think, say, and do…and in the music I listen to…
Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain
And yet, at the very conception of the radio industry, the Christian community immediately joined with the world in making music recordings.
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This was a fatal error, which immediately linked Christianity with the world!
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Now there are, no doubt, many Christians who will argue the benefits of commercially-produced Christian music… “Oh I get such a blessing from listening to Christian radio”, many will swear!
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Or you might hear….“Well, I can swear up and down about all the many benefits of Christian music, and how it has improved things!”
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But the fact is, the Christian community is in terrible shambles, compared to what it was in the days of the early Church!
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IDOLS OF OUR OWN MAKING!
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And just look at the Christian music-world! It is filled with idolatry!
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We now have Christian music idols who have gained both fame and fortune through the various media.
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And it has created a bridge between the Christian world and the secular world!
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And much of the music has taken on a worldly appeal, filled with sensuality and earthiness!
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Rock Music Christian CHURCH – wikimedia public domain
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THE TWO ADULTEROUS SISTERS IN EZEKIEL
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And it reminds us of God’s rebuke to His people, comparing us to the two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah…
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…each sister representing either the liberal or conservative portions of today’s church-world.
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Listen…“And when her sister Aholibah saw this (the whoredoms of her sister),
she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she…
She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours,
captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously,
horsemen riding upon horses,
all of them desirable young men….
And that she increased her whoredoms:
for when she saw men portrayed upon the wall,
the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion (richly red in color)…”
Ezekiel 23:11-14
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Yes, just like these two corrupt sisters, we conservatives and liberals in the Church, have linked up with the world, and our children too!
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Both, famous musicians as well as popular preachers have too often become modern-day idols, receiving praise and trust that should only belong to God!
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ABOVE PICTURES: The Pleiades: Mystery Harlot & Captive Angel Constellations
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GOOD NEWS!
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But there is some very Good News in all this! Yes, those who have chosen to get into the Ark, and leave this present world, have the command to…
…”Put no more trust in a mere human,
who has only the breath in his nostrils.
What is he really worth?“
Isaiah 2:22 (CSB)
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In this very same verse from Isaiah, Chapter 2, God’s people are commanded to flee from the world, as they cast their…
“idols of silver, and his idols of gold…
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 terribly the earth”
Isaiah 2:21, 22
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And as the sanctified Believer separates his or her own self from those counterfeit aspects of the Gospel, the Lord will supply our every need and every joy, which the unsaved can only dream of!
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But remember this, O Stranger and Pilgrim, the time is very short! God is now ready to give us the fullness of Christ!
photo – music headphones – psychic-Ganzfeld – Wikipedia – Public-domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to crucify to myself, this idolatrous world with its all affections and lusts. Help me to put on the “New man”, which is renewed in wisdom and knowledge…
Now, many Christians recognize that the “Pre-tribulation Rapture” is only just a theory, built upon virtually no biblical foundation nor scriptural support.
And so, as lovers of truth, let’s spend a few moments looking at just a few “loose ends”, which raise some doubts concerning this so-called “Futurist Viewpoint”
First of all, let it be known that Futurists mostly believe that the Rapture takes place prior to Chapter 4 of Revelation.
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So, one very glaring inconsistency immediately arises in Chapter 16, when Christ says…
…”Behold, I come as a thief.
Blessed is he that watcheth,
and keepeth his garments,
lest he walk naked,
and they see his shame.”
Revelation 16:15.
Now why would Christ insert this warning way back in Chapter 16, when the Rapture supposedly took place prior to Chapter 4?
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That would be like putting a “BRIDGE OUT” sign at the bottom of a river, wouldn’t it?
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But God does nothing in a willy-nilly manner!
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This warning has been put in Chapter 16 for a very good reason!
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So that is just the first loose end.
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5 APOCALYPSE “NOW” VERSES
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Next, there are five warnings in Revelation, that it is not for some future time:
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1.“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS.” Revelation 1:1
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2.“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for THE TIME IS AT HAND.” Revelation 1:3
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3. “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be HEREAFTER;” Revelation 1:19
4.“And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants THE THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY BE DONE.” Revelation 22:6
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5. “And he saith unto me, SEAL NOT the sayings of the prophecy of this book: FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND.” Revelation 22:10
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So both of these verses reveal that “the sayings” of this book must “shortly be done”, and we are not to seal these sayings, because “the time is at hand”.
And so, has not the current popular theology done exactly what God warned us NOT TO DO?
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They have, in essence, “sealed up” those prophecies!
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Theologians have told us that the last 19 chapters were to be delayed by 2,000 years from the time these warnings were written.
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Thus, the last 19 chapters being postponed for 2,000 years later doesn’t exactly sound like these last 19 chapters were part of the above warnings, “the time is at hand”, does it?
Theologians don’t seem to give much thought as to just why the Church was persecuted, tortured, banished, and many even murdered for a period lasting well over a thousand years…
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…and all this persecution was brought upon God’s people by the apostate, antichrist church/state system of Europe!
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Did God just forget about, or did He simply ignore this 1300-year period of Christian persecution, known as The Dark Ages?
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Torture devices – The Wheel – Calas Chapbook – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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JUDGMENT DAY COMING QUICKLY!
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Now having said all this, it actually does seem very likely that the Book of Revelation will have a very dramatic climactic finale in the near future.
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Yes, Judgment Day is at hand!
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And the time just before us will be a time when God’s people will no longer have the earthly support we have long enjoyed.
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This is also known as “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (see Jeremiah 30:6, 7).
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And the encouragement today is for Christians to prepare ourselves for the final battle!
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Because Christians WILL NOT be removed prior to the soon-coming tribulation.
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ABOVE PICTURE: The armor of God – theheavensdeclare.net -use by permission only
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Now these are just a few of the many “loose ends” which make this Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory, at best, just an un-provable theory!
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And if the Reader will read the many other related devotionals and articles on this website, many other loose-ends will be high-lighted.
So Joel tells us that the day is coming, in which…
…”The Sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the Moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.”
Joel 2:31.
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BLOOD MOON MAY BE A SPIRITUAL EVENT
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So the very first question to be answered, concerning the Moon is: “Just exactly how will the Moon be turned into blood?Will the Moon be turned into literal blood?”
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Probably very few people actually believe that the Moon will be turned to actual, literal blood.
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ALLEGORICAL BLOOD-MOON?
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God lets us know that He often speaks parabolically, so that false brethren and abject unbelievers cannot see these things…
…”Therefore, speak I (Jesus) to them in parables:
because they seeing see not;
and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”
Yes, the fearful message which the world has been waiting for, God has inscribed in the Moon.
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Now of course, this seems too incredible to believe.
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“How could God possibly bombard the Moon’s surface with meteors in such a precise way!?”
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Nevertheless, it is true! And if the Reader will go to the articles titled, “Moon Into Blood Trilogy”, this most fearful message can begin to be explored!
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In a very real sense, the Moon is a fulfillment of the following prophecy…
…”And the third angel followed them,
saying with a loud voice,
‘If any man worship the beast and his image,
and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,'”
Revelation 14:9, 10
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Perhaps you could say that the Moon itself, presents the Message of the Third Angel, which reveals that bloody “Mark of the Beast”message of Revelation 14!
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CONCLUSION…
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Okay, so it appears that the Moon turning to blood has a number of different fulfillments.
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And thus, it also is with many other Bible prophecies.
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And while most of the world may (or may not) ignore God’s final warning…
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…yet those who take heed, must begin to put on the full armor of God, so that we will be able to stand in the evil day.
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And having done everything necessary, to stand…
…”Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
There are three faces in the Moon, etched by God Himself.
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These faces present, not only the condition of God’s house, but also, the condition of the Human Heart.
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The first face is that of a man.
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The other two faces are those of a scavenger and also a predator.
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The first face represents the True Worshipers.
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The other two represent the two classes of Christians that existed in Jesus’ day: the Pharisees, and the Sadducees.
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The Pharisees were the Proud Scorners.
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The Sadducees were locked in by unbelief.
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They didn’t believe much of the Bible.
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While the second face representing the Pharisees, as they professed belief in the Bible, loved the sins of pride, the 3rd face (Sadducees) continually sought after the things of the world.
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Yes, these faithless ones (represented by this 3rd face), didn’t believe that being Christ-like could bring the joy necessary to be content.
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So, this 3rd face is a Seeker, so to speak.
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Just as the little furry critters are constantly seeking after food, so too, many Christians are constantly seeking after, and nibbling of the things of the world.
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Now, it’s not to say that Christians do not enjoy the things of the world.
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But Christians are not to make the things of the world of much importance.
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Their chief desire is to seek the things of Heaven.
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Do you get the point of these two beasts of the Earth?
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And while the Moon does not deal directly with all aspects of the Revelation 13 Antichrist Beast (7 heads, 10 horns, etc.).
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Nevertheless, the Moon exposes the Beast Within: the Beast within the human heart.
Now the title of today’s devotional isDon’t Eat Your Pork! And so, just how does this fit in with our existence in the world as an individual Christian?
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And here in 2nd Corinthians, God even proclaimed that
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness?…
Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean [thing];
and I will receive you,
and I will be a Father unto you!
And ye shall be My sons and daughters”
2nd Corinthians 6:14, 17, 18
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So here God makes this command so clear, that none need stumble! Come out from among them and be ye separate!
“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22
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Unfortunately, our teachers and leaders have misguided us, by telling us that it’s okay to co-mingle with unbelievers!
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And while it’s true that we must work among unbelievers and attend family get-togethers, yet we must always be on guard against the conversation leading into sin!
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The Bible warns us…“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1st Corinthians 15:33.
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Yes, as this above verse warns, it won’t be long before our ungodly fellowship will result in the corruption of our heart and leads into the spirit of worldliness!
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Those who use that lame excuse, “I have non-Christian friends because I want to convert them”, usually end up being converted themselves…converted back into worldliness!
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DON’T EAT YOUR PORK!
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And so, our mantra-for-the-day of,“Don’t Eat Your Pork”, is actually speaking of fellowship with unbelievers, either in the Church or out of it!
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Now this doesn’t mean that we must go to some mountain-top or live in a cave!
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No, our great Role-Model, Jesus, presents the proper way to deal with unbelievers.
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And we must, more and more, imitate Him in all matters of life! Rather, in all matters of the heart!
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And so, as the children of God, it is high time to claim the promise,
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing];
Now just as a side note, there are many who feel that pork or shell-fish or whatever else considered unclean, are not the healthiest of foods. And so, that is an entirely different matter.
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But don’t eat your pork, in a spiritual sense!
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However, in light of the many diseases in today’s world, people might think twice about consuming the exotic creatures thought to be the origin of these viruses, especially in this day when healthier alternatives are readily available.
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Once again, the Bible is proven to be a reliable truth-source for all matters of personal conduct and lifestyle choices!
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And the original God-prescribed diet of fruits and vegetables (see Genesis 1:29) is probably the healthiest diet for Man.
There was a popular saying back in the 70’s, which cried out in a mocking tone, “The Devil made me do it! The Devil made me do it!”
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And this worldly saying, “The Devil made me do it…the Devil made me do it!”, has had its effect on us for over four decades, making us ashamed to give any credit to Satan, for all the evil in the world!
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But truth-be-told, this saying, “The Devil made me do it!”is a very valid and accurate statement in many instances of everyday life!
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Yes, the fact is, the Devil makes a whole lot of people do a whole lot of things in this, his satanic majesty’s kingdom!
As this above passage reveals, it is not flesh and blood that causes us problems! It is not people who instigate trouble!
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No, it is the principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and the spiritual wickedness in high places, who are causing many or even most of the problems in this world!
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Oh yes, the evil agencies often work through unbelievers and apostate Christians. Make no mistake about that!
This truth concerning the prince of the power of the air, is why the Bible tells us…
“this is that [spirit] of antichrist,
whereof ye have heard that it should come;
and even now already is it in the world.
They (Antichrists) are of the world:
therefore speak they of the world,
and the world heareth them.”
1st John 4:3, 5
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And so, armed with this knowledge, how can we possibly be angry at those around us, who assail us?
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No, our true enemies are those unseen spirits who come against us through unsuspecting people, who are unaware that they are being used by Satan!
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And we must also keep in mind that whenever we ourselves are not fully consecrated to God, those same unseen powers may come through us, to persecute others!
The Good News in all this, is that God wants to help us put on the armor of God, so that we can withstand all the attacks by the evil one!
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And so, knowing the perilous situation that we all are in, every one of us must put on that armor of light, and be ever-so watchful and vigilant!
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Because our adversary is constantly watching and waiting to use us for his own evil purposes. And he is continually begging permission to sift us, just as he did to those two wonderful servants of God, Job and Peter.
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So, let’s put on that armor and stay in unceasing prayer and Bible contemplation! Okay?
“Dear Lord, Help me to fully understand just who it is that is causing me troubles. Let me not grow angry with people! But help me to be fully armored up against the fiery darts of the Devil…
The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
ISIL – Execution of man – September 2014 – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Teach me to number my days, that I may live my life in wisdom and reverence. Help me to understand how fragile this world is and its inhabitants are…
Prayer – Mother and Daughter – Wikipedia – (cropped image) the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
John Chapman, born in 1774, spent his adult life as a vagabond, traveling around Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois, planting and caring for apple orchards…
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…while being somewhat of a missionary and evangelist, preaching the doctrines of a self-proclaimed prophet, Emanuel Swedenborg.
Now this article is not to disparage the folksy legend of Johnny Appleseed. (But to set the record straight, the gospel Chapman preached is currently known as the “Jesus Only” gospel, which denies the existence of the Father and the Holy Spirit.)
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But this historical folk-hero story does make a somewhat appropriate introduction to a great problem which often occurs when people try to interpret the Bible literally…
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…when the Bible should be interpreted spiritually, and quite often, allegorically.
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Listen…
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.”
1st Corinthians 2:14
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Those who are void of the Spirit of God cannot discern the spiritual nature of Scripture, to a high degree. Nor do they even desire to do so!
but unto them which be disobedient…even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”
1st Peter 2:7, 8
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The Bible uses many things in nature to present spiritual truths. For instance, John Chapman quite possibly read many passages such as this one…
“Now he that ministereth seed to the sower
both minister bread for your food,
and multiply your seed sown,
and increase the fruits of your righteousness…”
2nd Corinthians 9:10.
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And from such similar passages as this, John Chapman perhaps took a literal connotation and began his mission to plant literal apple seeds throughout the land.
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Johnny_Appleseed_stamp_5c_1966_issue_
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GETTING INTO REAL TROUBLE
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But there are many readers of the Bible who have ended up in a lot more trouble than Johnny Appleseed, by ignoring the true meaning of certain allegories.
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At least Johnny lived a somewhat healthful life!
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But there have been many who have read about wine in the Bible, and have taken such passages literally, and eventually became drunkards.
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There have been others who have read the parable of the Ten Virgins, and have begun advocating polygamy, when in fact that parable is speaking of churches, not literal women!
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And there are many today who look at passages concerning dancing, and have taken this metaphor concerning the joy we have in Jesus, as permission to engage in today’s sensual dances!
“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie:”
2nd Thessalonians 2:11.
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God has written the Bible in such a way, that it reveals to each person whatever is the ruling force within each particular individual’s heart.
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Listen to David…
…“With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful;
with an upright man Thou wilt show Thyself upright;
With the pure Thou wilt show Thyself pure;
and with the froward (crooked)
Thou wilt show Thyself froward (unsavoury).”
Psalm 18:25, 26.
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For those who wish to prove the Bible is not the Word of God, they will have no trouble finding supposed error within its pages.
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For those who wish to have a God who will endlessly torture all those who reject their church, there are certain verses which seem to confirm that idea of so-called, “Eternal Torment” (which name is never found in Scripture).
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For those who wish the “bad guys” to be someone else, the Bible will seemingly point the accusing finger at “the other guy”.
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For those who wish to find an excuse to sin, the Bible will appear to supply excuses.
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For those who don’t want to be bothered with Bible study, the Bible will almost seem to give the necessary permission to be excused from Bible study.
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For those who want to go after worldly enterprises, earthly riches, or amusements and pleasures, the Bible supposedly contains all the necessary encouragements to do so.
In other words, for those who wish to find the Jesus of their own making(for there are many Jesuses, howbeit false ones), there are enough relevant passages in which to do so.
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No, it’s not that the Bible has lies in it. Every Word of God is true and pure.
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But God has written it in such a way, to judge each and every person, as to show just exactly what is in a person’s own heart.
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Listen…
“For the Word of God is (living), and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12.
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Yes, the Bible is a discerner of each and every human heart! It cuts both ways, either to save or to destroy.
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GOOD NEWS!
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Well, there is Good News to be gleaned concerning these things. Yes, if I perceive that I have been deceived into believing lies, by my own misinterpretation of Scripture, God is allowing me time to amend my ways!
Now the question to be answered is this: “Are all of the books of both the Old and New Testaments living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword?”
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And the answer which comes back is, “Yes, all the books of the Bible are “living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword!”
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So that means that Isaiah is, “living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword”!
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And that means that Nehemiah is also, “living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword!”
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As a matter of fact, every single book of the Old Testament is, “living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword!”
And as this passage from Hebrews says, God’s Word pierces, “even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
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Again, the question begs an answer, “Are Jeremiah and Ezekiel ‘piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart?'”
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And the answer comes echoing back, “Yes, of course they are!”
“piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”?
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Yes, all 22 Chapters of Revelation are!
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The reason for asking these repetitive questions is that there are many who try to diminish the Book of Revelation, at least the last 19 chapters, as not concerning the Church!
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And the same teachers attempt to diminish the power of much of the Old Testament as well, saying that it mainly concerns literal Israel, and not Christians.
Oh yes, many things must be spiritually discerned. Many of those Old Testament precepts and laws must be seen in a spiritual context. But they are as relevant as anything in the New Testament!
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For instance, the Book of Isaiah says…
…”For by fire and by His sword
will the LORD plead with all flesh:
and the slain of the LORD shall be many.”
Isaiah 66:16
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We must view this above verse spiritually, to determine that “flames of fire” actually symbolize God’s ministers (see Hebrews 1:7).
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And God’s “sword” actually symbolizes His Word, as has already been discussed.
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So this verse actually says that For by fire (God’s ministers) and by His sword (God’s Word) will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the [spiritually] slain of the LORD shall be many.
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And we now begin to see this verse from Isaiah 66 actually concerns God’s living and powerful Word and its ability to slay our old, selfish nature!
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN
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THE GLITTERING SWORD CONSTELLATION
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“In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword
shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent,
even leviathan that crooked serpent;
and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
Isaiah 27:1
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This constellation is made of most of the constellations in this website.
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The upper portion can be seen in the winter, while the lower blade is visible in the warmer months. (This constellation is actually in a semi-circle, as it appears in the night-sky. These pictures, however, show it as it would appear straightened out.)
But then, Paul puts the crowning touch on this description, by adding…“having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:” 2nd Timothy 3:5-7
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Okay, so if these silly women in these last days are actually churches, which are ever-learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth…
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…then those evil ones who “creep in”have “a form of godliness”, but deny the Holy Spirit’s power to change lives, must be speaking of Satan’s so-called, “ministers of righteousness!“
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Listen… “And no marvel;
for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers
also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;”
2nd Corinthians 11:14, 15
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So, it says here that there are “ministers of righteousness” who are in reality, merely emissaries of Satan, howbeit in disguise!
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THE TIME WILL COME FOR ITCHING EARS
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So, just why God decided to put all this about silly women into allegorical language is somewhat of a mystery!
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After all, the Bible makes this church-wide apostasy very clear in other places, such as this…
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,
and shall be turned unto fables.”
2nd Timothy 4:3, 4
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So, here is a very plain statement about the apostate condition of the churches in these last days.
The fact is, we have ministers and teachers who can almost quote the New Testament by memory, and yet, it has no soul-saving effect on either the parishioners nor on those ministers and teachers who preach about it!
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So, what is the problem? Why do these men sound so holy at times, and yet there is no, “righteousness and true holiness”? (Ephesians 4:24)
“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other…Ye cannot serve God and mammon!”
Luke16:13
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But make no mistake, the vast majority in Christendom today, are trying to hang on to the pleasures and pursuits of this world and, at the same time, have Jesus too!
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And such a religion can never have the true Jesus! We will only end up with a spurious “jesus” of our own making!
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So, those who belong to the apostate churches, which Paul describes as, “silly women”, may study the Bible each morning, but will never ever receive the knowledge that will save our soul!
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Sadly, we are joined to our many modern-day idols, and we just won’t let go!
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GOOD NEWS!
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Now there is some very Good News! Yes, God is giving us some extra time, to prove that we really mean business with Him.
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Yes, God has allowed just enough time for us to really get busy and study, and pray, and contemplate the precious words of Jesus!
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And if ever there was a time to fall prostrate before Him and plead for mercy and grace to become a true follower of Jesus, it is at this present fearful hour!
Tissot – women on the HMS Calcutta – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to separate as far as possible, from all unnecessary ungodly influences! Help me to lay all down upon the altar, and serve the Lord with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind…
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN
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WIKIPEDIA STAR-CHART
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This constellation was identified on May 22nd, 2014. It is simply five stars, two from the Serpens Constellation, and three from the Hercules Constellation.
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What gives this constellation impetus and significance is that it appears as five evenly positioned stars, in a slight oval pattern, as if they were sitting in a meeting, listening, or perhaps watching someone.
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Second, they appear to be gathered in front of The Crown of Revelation 12 Constellation. (just below Corona Borealis in this Wikipedia star-chart, in which the editor of this site sketched in these two constellations)
In John Bunyan’s great allegorical tale, Pilgrim’s Progress, there happened along the path of the Pilgrim, a character named, “Ignorance”.
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And this man might otherwise be called a “simpleton”, or even a “dolt”.
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Now why should this character even be mentioned?
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Well, a very popular radio Bible commentator was airing his program today, in which he made the following comment… “A Christian should have plenty of hobbies, and interests! I do! After all, you don’t want to be a dolt!”
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Now this usually very nice and pleasant man didn’t realize just who he was calling “a dolt”!
And so, with such “exceeding great and precious promises” before us, it is really not a problem to lay down our life on the altar of service and self-sacrifice.
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Listen… “I (Paul) beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Romans 12:1, 2
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This above passage says that laying down our entire life on the altar of sacrifice is our reasonable service!
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You could say that worldly-minded Bible teachers who condemn all the totally dedicated Christians as being “dolts” are likewise condemning Jesus and His followers as being “dolts”!
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So, before you or I make some similar condemnation of God’s people, maybe we should first consider if our remark likewise applies to Jesus, or to Paul, or to John, etc….
Now to be fair to this radio minister, amidst the pile of false gospel ministries on TV and radio, there were some reasonably good ministries in decades past.
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The problem with these was that the advice they gave was often mingled with a worldly bent.
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Thus, the Jesus they preached was a compromised Jesus.
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Their Jesus was not pure as the true Jesus is pure.
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But God is calling us out of Babylon, out of both the church and out of the worldliness of this present world-system.
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Yes, God wants the world to behold and admire Christ shining out from within His people.
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Therefore, God is no longer willing to wink at our worldly compromises.
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He wants a pure and undefiled Church. Otherwise, the world could never clearly behold Christ in us!
And so, the Church will shine right here on earth, in these last moments!
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Therefore, O Stranger & Pilgrim, we have our work cut out for us!
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Let’s get busy and transform our hearts and conform our lives into the image of the Holy Christ!
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Let’s flee to the mountain strongholds of God’s Word, and unceasing prayer!
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ABOVE PICTURE – (This is not a star-chart, but merely a concept picture since this mountain is not in this position, but is actually in the fall months)
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to put away the vain pleasures and pursuits of this lost world, so that I might get into the race that is set before me…
Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN
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A HEAVENLY HOBBY
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“And there shall be signs in the sun,
and in the moon, and in the stars…
And when these things begin to come to pass,
then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Luke 21:25, 28
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FIRST FIND ORION & 7 STARS
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The very first step in finding these many constellations, should be to find the two main constellations…
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…Orion, and the 7 Stars (aka, The Big Dipper).
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These two constellations represent Christ (Orion), and His Church (7 Stars).
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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).
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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.
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Then, once you are comfortable finding these two constellations, you can begin to locate the next closest constellations, and so on.
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “why Signs?”
This above passage sings of Mount Zion, in the sides of the North!
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But if one looks to the Northeast in late Summer and into Fall, there is a constellation which God created to be a heavenly picture of the Heavenly Mount Zion.
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And it is commonly known as “Cassiopeia”.
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But God has created it to symbolize the true Zion, which, of course, is in Heaven.
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Listen… “But ye are come unto mount Sion,
and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to an innumerable company of angels,”
Hebrews 12:22
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Yes, Jerusalem and Mount Zion here on earth are merely earthly types, to represent the true Heavenly Jerusalem and Mount Zion.
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LOCATING HEAVENLY MOUNT ZION
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But if the Reader will go out in August and well into November, this wonderful constellation can be seen in the northeast night-sky.
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But don’t wait too long! Because once it enters the western sky, it flips upside down and can no longer be seen as a mountain.
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Now, this constellation is the very same constellation as the Mount of Blessing Constellation in the Valley of Decision Constellation Group.
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And it represents the favored mountain to which the people of God are to climb.
Yes, that day has now come, and God is revealing this wonderful Sign Of Heaven, which appears as a beautiful diadem and an ensign in the night-heavens, sitting as a glorious city on a hill.
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And God’s people and anyone who is tired of this sad, selfish, hateful and hopeless world are now invited to come to Zion, “the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation,” Isaiah 33:20
And this devotional is focusing particularly on the Book of Revelation, Chapter 9, which speaks of locusts in this manner…
…”And the fifth angel sounded…
And he opened the bottomless pit…
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth:
and unto them was given power,
as the scorpions of the earth have power.
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth…
but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
And to them it was given that they should not kill them,
but that they should be tormented five months…”
Revelation 9:1-5 (condensed)
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So, this above passage from Revelation speaks of a composite beast, which arises out of the bottomless pit, and torments men who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads!
The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is just that: the Revelation of Jesus Christ!
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Yes, the Book of Revelation is the Gospel, written in types and symbols, describing how the Gospel of Salvation works in the Church, in history, and within individual Believers!
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LOCUSTS NOT BLACK HELICOPTERS
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And yet, more often than not, the Book of Revelation is mangled into pieces by those who attempt to look out into the world for the understanding of Revelation!
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After all, it’s much more exotic to look at locusts in Chapter 9 and try to find something out in the world that resembles locusts, such as black helicopters!
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But when the Bible student looks into the Bible, then he or she quickly begins to understand what locusts truly symbolize!
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Listen… “That which the palmerworm hath left
hath the locust eaten;
and that which the locust hath left
hath the cankerworm eaten;
and that which the cankerworm
hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.”
Joel 1:4
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As this verse reveals (and other verses, too), God uses locusts to symbolize the varied ways in which God destroys the riches of His disobedient people: both spiritual and/or material riches!
John the Baptist came eating “locusts and wild honey”.
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Yes, this was his true, physical diet! Locusts and wild honey!
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Oh, perhaps he ate other things as well.
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You see, locusts and wild honey symbolize the Law and the Prophets!
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Yes, the law is spoken of as honey in Psalm 19.
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And so, that’s what the Old Testament prophets were all about!
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They were given to destroy any hope in the minds of His chosen people, of seeking for, and acquiring earthly riches and desires!
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And when John spoke, he spoke as an Old Testament prophet, with fiery words and pointing finger, completely arresting the attention of everyone who heard him!
Yes, these are just two of the ways in which God tries to get our attention in hopes that we will begin to…“seek My (God’s) face and turn from their wicked ways!” 2nd Chronicles 7:14
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And so, this is one small example of how we are to uncover the true meaning of the Revelation of Jesus Christ!
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And this little devotional will hopefully help the Bible student to understand just how the Bible must be studied, if one is going to rightly dissect the Word of Christ!
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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THE HOLY GHOST RIDER CONSTELLATION
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This newest Signs Of Heaven Constellation (Fall, 2013) is by far the faintest of constellations, but is a very incredible and awesome one in a number of ways (which this article will explain).
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It is primarily comprised of the Camelopardalis Constellation (head and upper back), plus about 5 stars from the Cassiopeia Constellation (his leg), plus some random stars.
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It appears as an outline of a rider. Only the back of his head is detailed.
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And his back and the back of his legs are also detailed.
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Both sides of his arm are visible, and his hand is gripping the horse’s mane, and that is detailed by three stars (which are also part of the horse’s mane).
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The rider is in a position vaguely similar to a race-horse jockey.
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The two brightest stars in this constellation, are from the Cassiopeia Constellation, and are part of his leg.
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All the rest of the stars are very faint, and must be viewed on a very starry night.
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Since this constellation has just been revealed, there may be more to this constellation in the coming months.
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But if you can locate the Goodly Horse in Battle Constellation, then you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating this Rider Constellation, provided you have excellent star-watching conditions.
There are many today who look for Anti-Christ, as if he is one individual to come upon the world-stage in these last moments of history.
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Many suppose him to be some genius businessman.
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Others look for some charismatic religious figure.
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Still others are looking for a totally satanic individual.
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But if one goes deep into God’s Word, we get a somewhat different perspective on this subject.
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And so, today’s devotional will touch on this subject, so as to get a little more clarity as to just what or who to look for, as the coming Anti-Christ.
There are many who mistakenly believe that the Antichrist Beast is going to be one singular individual.
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And because they are so locked into this idea, they tend to ride rough-shod over this passage from Revelation Chapter 17, which explains what this Beast actually is…
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Listen… “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not;
and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit…
And here is the mind which hath wisdom.
The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
And there are seven kings…
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings,
which have received no kingdom as yet;
but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
These have one mind,
and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”
Revelation 17:8-13
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So, this Antichrist Beast, which, by the way, is in the image of the Dragon of Revelation 12, is a composite of various kingdoms and various kings.
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This Beast seems to be more closely resembling this present world-system, headed up by that serpent of old, the Devil, and Satan, as he has controlled various kings and kingdoms over the past millenniums of time.
And this is what the Mark of the Beast is actually all about, when you really think about it.
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This present world-system, and all its loyal citizens comprise Satan’s Antichrist Beast.
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Listen to Scripture…
…”Little children, it is the last time:
and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come,
even now ARE THERE MANY ANTICHRISTS;
whereby we know that it is the last time.”
1st John 2:18.
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From this verse it becomes evident that an Antichrist is not some hideous monster. It is not some diabolical Dr. Evil.
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No, there are many Antichrists.
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And they are merely the people of this fallen world ruled over by “the god of this world”… Satan!
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Just listen… “and this is that [spirit] of antichrist…They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.” 1st John 4:3, 5.
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Okay, so antichrists are of the world, speak of the world, and the world listens to them.
But to this concept, (that an antichrist is merely a worldly person), many might protest, saying, “Satan doesn’t have any power in my life!”
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Well, just listen to this…
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
Ephesians 2:2.
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So by this statement, we see that the spirit of Satan, the “Prince of the Power of the Air” now works in the children of disobedience, i.e., the people of the world!
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And so, when we partake of a worldly spirit, we may just be partaking of the spirit of Anti-Christ.
And just one last proof, that there are no neutral fence-sitters in this world.
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Listen to Jesus… “He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.” Matthew 12:30.
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So this above verse really “spills the beans”, as they say!
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In other words, Jesus is revealing here that everyone in this world who is not for Christ, is against Christ! In other words if I am not pro-Christ, then I am anti-Christ!
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And of course, there are many in the Church who, as Jesus said…
“This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth,
and honor Me with their lips;
but their heart is far from Me.”
Matthew 15:8.
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ANTI-CHRIST IN THE MIRROR!
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And so, there is really no need to look any further than one’s own mirror, when trying to discover who Anti-Christ is!
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The Bible reveals…
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh:
and these are contrary the one to the other:
so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
Galatians 5:17
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Yes, as this verse reveals, the flesh, with all its affections and lusts, is very Anti-Christ in nature!
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The flesh is always clamoring for selfishness!
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And so, here is the struggle which begins, once the Spirit of God plants His seed within the human heart!
Here is a star-chart from Wikipedia, in which the editor of this site has sketched in this Cross/Scepter Constellation.
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The stars in this star-chart are accurately placed, and this Cross/Scepter Constellation stands out in brilliance, among the other stars in the night sky.
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The sketch below is the Summer Constellations, as seen when looking west.
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Well, if you look just to the south (south is to the left in this sketch) of Arcturus, you will see what appears to be a scepter.
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But this scepter also appears as a Cross.
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And this constellation has been named, the Cross/Scepter constellation.
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It can be seen in January, in the pre-dawn hours.
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Each night, it appears a little earlier, as it slowly inches its way westward.
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Finally, this constellation dips below the western horizon, in the fall, not appearing again till January, back in the eastern sky.
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Now, as earlier stated, this wonderful prophecy (“there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel”) has its greatest fulfillment in the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
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Jesus is represented by that glorious Star.
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And His death on the Cross is truly His scepter of authority.
In yesterday’s devotion (click here), Part 1, it was discussed that “the god of this world” works overtime to divert Christians from the task of overcoming the world & flesh!
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And it was noted that Satan has introduced a Christless Bible prophecy, which uses history books and newspapers to interpret Bible prophecy.
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So, not only does this counterfeit prophecy teaching method greatly eliminate Jesus out of Revelation, but it also largely eliminates the spiritual soul-purification which true Bible prophecy always accomplishes!
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Newspaper reader – Santa Cruz Argentina – Wikimedia – Share-alike Lic.
Now, this Part 2 will hopefully encourage us to turn off all the worldly chatter, all the noisy din and clamor, and simply immerse ourselves in thoughts about Christ, and contemplation about Christ’s Word!
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Now why has this website begun to say, “Christ’s Word”instead of “God’s Word”?
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Listen to this…
“Let the WORD OF CHRIST dwell in you richly in all wisdom…”
Colossians 3:1
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As this above verse reveals, theWord of God is also called the Word of Christ.
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That is, so often we forget to read the Bible in attempt to fill our heart with the character of Christ.
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To rightly understand just who Christ is, and how He lived, and what His thoughts are, and why He did so many things differently than the world does things!
And so, the point is, we don’t need to feel guilty about closing ourselves in with Christ!
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Listen…“Thou (God) wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed upon Thee,
because he trusts in Thee!”
Isaiah 26:3
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To keep our minds fixed on the Word of Christ, hiding all those precious promises in our heart, is what true Christianity is all about! That is the very definition of perfect peace!
Now, we shouldn’t get the idea that we must have the literal image of Christ before our eyes every moment!
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No, but Christ can be revealed as we behold a little flower, or a butterfly, or hear the innocent laughter of children playing.
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The image of God’s love and His Gospel is written on all of nature!
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And to admire the beauty and wisdom and even the occasional fearfulness of nature, can be just every bit as much of what beholding Christ is all about!
And when at work, the Christian is constantly translating the Word of Christinto every aspect of daily labor and on-the-job dealings with fellow workers or clients.
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Honesty, patience, kindness, faith, temperance, charity, meekness, protectiveness of others, etc., are just some of the virtues which must be translated into practical, everyday situations.
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This too, is what it means, “to behold Christ!” Because these qualities are what Christ is all about!
“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”
Ephesians 5:14
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Christ is willing to give us all the treasures of love and wisdom and peace and purity and virtue!
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It only remains for us to decide to fully engage ourselves in the pursuit of that wonderful heavenly Prize: Christ in us, the very essence of perfect peace!
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THE END
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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN
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“Then the moon shall be confounded,
and the sun ashamed,
when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion,
and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously.”
Isaiah 24:23
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During an eclipse, the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, preventing that sunlight from shining on the Moon’s face.
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This is an incredible object-lesson about when the child of God allows the world to come between him and his Lord.
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Like the eclipse, that person no longer reflects the light of Jesus, because his or her love of this dark world of sin has eclipsed the light from the “Sun of Righteousness” (see Malachi 4:2).
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And so, this is just one of the many poetic truths seen in the Moon. (For more on this subject of an eclipse, you may link to the article… “Lunar Eclipse & Spiritual Eclipse”)
A radio Bible teacher was recounting a conversation which he had many years earlier with an elder pastor, who offered a bit of ‘sage advice’.
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And at some point in the conversation, the elder pastor remarked… “I can fill up my church, by preaching on Bible prophecy, but I can empty the same church by preaching on the Book of Romans!”
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And then, the elder pastor concluded his complaint by saying… “One thing you’re going to find out in your pastorship is, that most parishioners are more interested in Anti-Christ, than they are interested in Christ!”
Another person said basically the same thing, but in a slightly different manner…“Far too many people who would travel over land and sea, to attend a Revelation seminar, wouldn’t even walk across the street to study about Jesus!”
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Yes, the sad truth is, that we current-day Christians mostly have itching ears, and long to have them scratched by spending our time hearing things which, at best, bring little profit to the soul!
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The modern media has conditioned us to love things which are exciting and titillating. And this has greatly dwarfed our ability to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His words of life!
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“The full soul loathes an honeycomb;
but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”
Proverbs 27:7
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And isn’t this above proverb so true! When our lives are filled up with so many “other things”, it’s so hard to enjoy things which are plain by comparison!
And so, the Enemy of Souls works around the clock, attempting to distract us, by any possible means!
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And that is one great reason why we are surrounded by this “cornucopia world”, filled with so many attractions! So many seemingly nice people to be with! So many hobbies to enjoy!
And the fact is, if one studies the Book of Revelation, by searching only the Bible, it will be discovered that those prophecies of Revelation are really about the heart, and our relationship with Christ!
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Yes, Revelation is written in veiled, allegorical language, to reveal Jesus Christ, and His Gospel!
Oh yes, the entire Bible is prophetic! But it is prophetic as it reveals Christ and how He deals with sin and sinners!
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But far too many Bible prophecy seminars seem to divorce themselves from Christ and His Gospel!
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They don’t understand that the locusts, and scorpions, and horses, and swords and heads and crowns and fire, smoke and brimstone, and all the many other symbols found in Revelation, are all revealed by searching the Bible and the Bible only.
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And by carefully and prayerfully searching out all the types and symbols, one discovers that they are just what the name of that Book reveals: The Revelation of Jesus Christ!
USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Open my eyes to rightly understand this very personal message which is found in all 22 chapters of Revelation. Help me to search the Scriptures for all related passages which give spiritual insight into that unsealed book…
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THE END
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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN
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“ARCTURUS AND HIS SONS”
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So what does this verse, “there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel”,have to do with us today?
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After all, this prophecy of Balaam (left) was fulfilled in the coming of the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus Christ!
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Well, if a person will go out at night, starting in January, and continuing through the warmer months, they might locate the star, Arcturus.
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This star was spoken of in Job… “Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?” Job 38:32.
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This star is the host star for this Signs Of Heaven website.
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And the star, Arcturus, also seems to fulfill the previous verse as well…“…there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel….” Numbers 24:17.
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As earlier stated, this passage seems to find a double fulfillment, not only concerning Jesus, but also, as we look into the heavens.
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This star just happens to lead an entourage of constellations, which span the spring, summer, fall and winter skies, telling the beautiful, wonderful Gospel story.
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This is the only known place in all the Earth and heavens in which God has created a pictorial account of the Gospel.
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And no, this has nothing to do with the Zodiac.
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But this revelation showcases the biggest and brightest constellations in the heavens, revealing an entirely different interpretation of those constellations from that of the ancient Babylonian and other pagan culture interpretations.
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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
There are many who come into Christianity, thinking that God brought them in, so that He could use their talents in some way.
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WORLDLY WISEMEN CONTROL TODAY’S CHURCH
TO READ PART 3, GO HERE…
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TOMORROW: 
“Remember the sabbath day, 
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And ever-so-imperceptibly, the television engraves the stamp of Satan’s character upon
A teenage boy, whose family lived on about the 5th or 6th floor of an apartment building began to get obsessed about throwing things off his balcony. 
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Now, in the New Testament, there was not nearly the emphasis on clean and unclean meats! 
the Pilgrim, a character named,
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