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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – January 11

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How a Joke Killed!

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Part 2-a:

“An Antichrist Spirit”

To go to Part 1, click here…JANUARY 10 (How a Joke Killed! Part 1)

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“But fornication, and all…foolish talking…jesting…

Let no man deceive you with vain words:

for because of these things cometh the wrath of God

upon the children of disobedience.”

Ephesians 5:3, 4, 6

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On the morning of that fearful day, Lot, tried to warn his sons-in-law to flee from the wrath to come!

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But they thought he was just joking!

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Listen… “And Lot went out,

and spake unto his sons in law,

which married his daughters,

and said, Up, get you out of this place;

for the LORD will destroy this city.

But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.”

Genesis 19:14

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Yes, perhaps Lot was the type who enjoyed a good gag, previous to this solemn moment!

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After all, why else would his sons-in-law conclude his was merely joking?

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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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PART 1: THE THINGS OF THE WORLD

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Back in Part 1 (click here), it was discussed how jesting and humor is fine for the world!

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But “foolish talk and jesting” is very wrong for Christians who are trying to follow Jesus, who never engaged in such ungodly behavior!

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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! – Kunstnerfest på Skagen – 1888 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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IMPENDING JUDGMENT WARNING!

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But also, we who are trying to warn this world of the impending Judgment of God, should never mingle our straight testimony with humor and foolish talk!

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We just don’t want to give an uncertain trumpet call! Salvation is a very critically life & death matter!

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The eternal destiny of souls is hanging in the balance! And our day-by-day behavior must reveal our message of warning, “to flee from the wrath to come!”

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People are watching us, whether we know it or not!

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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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“BE…SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK”

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Now before we get too far into the main point of this discussion, we must look at one aspect of joking and jesting, which often becomes sin in those who engage in such ungodly behavior. 

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The Bible says… “Wherefore, my beloved brethren,

let every man be swift to hear,

slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

James 1:19

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The very nature of jesting requires a quick, clever response, giving the jester very little time to consider what he or she is saying!

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And so, jesting, quite often makes light of a comment which might have been an opportunity to speak in a tender, loving, Christlike manner.

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Or by making a rapid response, the jester might say something which is offensive.

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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! – Kunstnerfest på Skagen – 1888 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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WHY DO SPONTANEOUS JOKES HAPPEN?

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So how is it that some people are so gifted in this area that they can just pop off one spontaneous joke after another?

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Ephesians 2:2 reveals a very unpopular truth…

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Listen… “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 2:1-3 Condensed for brevity

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This verse reveals the antichrist spirit which now works within us, before we are truly Born Again!

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Paradise Lost – G Dore – Wikipedia – public-domain

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 SATAN WHISPERS

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What most of us are not aware of, is, that just like a gossiper, Satan also whispers into the ear of the jester, giving them something to say.

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A gossiper is seldom lacking in gossip to say about somebody else. And likewise, the jester is seldom lacking a joke or a jest or a quip.

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But if only the spiritual curtains could be pulled back, evil angels would be seen, orchestrated some morsel of gossip, or some little joke or jest!

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Eve and the Whispering Serpent – Signs Of Heaven – Share-alike License

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SOME VERY GOOD NEWS!

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Now there is some very Good News in the midst of all this bad news! Yes, if we have been used by Satan in the past, there is much hope for the future!

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Yes, the Lord can turn our failure into victory and transform our life of sin into our testimony of God’s love and mercy!

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And God can deliver us from such overpowering habits, such gossiping or as this pleasure of the mind called “joking”, “jesting”.

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Oh yes, it may take much resistance to finally get Satan to cease from whispering these jests in our ears! 

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But we have a commission to warn the world of the coming Day of God! And only a loving, Christlike character will allow Christ to work in us and through us, to sound the trumpet, that the great Day of God has finally arrived!

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

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TO GO TO PART 2-b CLICK HERE… 

Daily Devotional – JANUARY 12 (How a Joke Killed! Part 2-b: “An Antichrist Spirit”)

Laughing – (color added) – Fotothek df roe neg – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Take away all my worldly affections! Purify my heart, and transform into the likeness of Thy dear Son! Let me be a beacon of light to this lost world…

Family Prayer Before Meal – Wikimedia – US-Govt. – Public-Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… ““Vanity Fair” & The False Prophet”, or you can also read… February 15th . . . . THE TWO IMAGES.

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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FIVE WISE VIRGINS STARS

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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. 

Wikipedia Star-Chart – Corona Borealis

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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)

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer constellation – Five Wise Virgins Stars & The Glorious Crown – Corona Borealis – signsofheaven.org – Not for profit uses! – Wikipedia Star chart with constellations drawn in by this website.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Five Wise Virgins Stars”

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TOMORROW…

JANUARY  12 (A World of Lies, Part 13: “Snapping Turtles: As The World Turns Ugly”)

Alligator Snapping Turtle – Wikipedia – Share-Alike License 3.0

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20 MINUTE+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #376 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

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