Daily Devotional, Year 2, March 3: (Babylon = Baby-Land! Part 3: Jesting)
By admin On January 15th, 2021.
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Daily Devotional, Year 2, March 3
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Babylon = Baby-Land! Part 3: Jesting
To read Part 1, just click here… ” MARCH 1 (Babylon = Baby-Land! Part 1: Music)”
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“When I was a child, I spake as a child,
I understood as a child, I thought as a child:
but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
1st Corinthians 13:11
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In the first two devotionals (click here), the comparison was made between the rantings of babies, and the rantings of we Christians, when somebody attempts to take away one of our cherished idols!
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And so, for lack of time, we will not attempt to set up this comparison once again, as was done in Part 1 (click here).
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Baby yelling – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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“FOOLISH TALK AND JESTING”
Ephesians 5:2
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But instead, let’s go right into this issue of “jesting”, since it is also one of those tender subjects, 
just as music-listening is a tender and very touchy subject.
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Yes, we live in a culture almost totally immersed in joking and jesting!
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And with the advent of high-tech devices, we can now simply push a button, and hear the best-of-the-best comedy! Television thrives on comedy!
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And young people are especially drawn to comedy like the proverbial “duck-to-water”!
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JESTING, A SENSITIVE ISSUE
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And also, many people we meet daily, seem to have the gift of jesting!
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And we’ve all experienced how those who are given to jesting can immediately turn a serious conversation into a fit of laughter by making just one little well-timed jesting remark!
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And society reveres the art of jesting! This is one area in which the Christian will be censured for attempting to counsel another Christian away from this practice!
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Even the most popular radio Bible teachers will call down the harshest condemnations and cruel mockings against all those who dare criticize this almost sacred sport!
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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! Kunstnerfest på Skagen 1888 – Wikimedia – public domain
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FOOLISH TALK & JESTING CONDEMNED
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But listen to that well-known Reformationist of yesteryear, Thomas Brooks… “They preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart…False teachers handle holy things rather with wit and trifling, rather than with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul-murderers. They are like evil surgeons, that skin over the wound—but never heal it…False teachers are hell’s greatest enrichers.”
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Thomas Brooks had some pretty scathing words against those who joke in the pulpits, wouldn’t you agree?
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ABOVE PICTURE: Thomas Brooks after Unknown artist – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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PAUL CONDEMNS JESTING, ETC…
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Now this next passage from Ephesians pronounces a judgment upon those who engage in the various behaviors spoken of here…
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Listen, as this passage continues… “Neither filthiness, NOR FOOLISH TALK NOR JESTING, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, NOR UNCLEAN PERSON, nor covetous man, who is an IDOLATER, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” Ephesians 5:4-7
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Yes, as this above passage reveals, not only God’s wrath, but His Salvation is not evidenced by those who insist on walking in uncleanness!
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ALL SIN DIFFICULT TO UPROOT
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Now don’t think for a moment that giving up these unchristlike habits will be easy!
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No, Satan will constantly whisper some really funny jest into our ear, just at an opportune moment!
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And for those of us who are given to jesting, it will require a struggle to overcome these old worldly habits, especially considering that making people laugh is considered to be among the highest virtues of this antichrist world we live in!
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Devil Goat – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU
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And also, as this passage about foolish talk and jesting warns, there will be many who try to deceive us concerning these things!
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It clearly warns, “Let no man deceive you with vain (empty) words!” There is no shortage of so-called Christians who will try to convince you that God loves joking Christians!
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And so, we must overcome the inevitable oppositions by those in the Church who attempt to deceive the Church into believing that comedy and jesting is a healthy and wholesome practice! “God loves a cheerful Christian! We don’t want to be old sour-pusses!”
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Yes, these kinds of criticisms are some of the flaming arrows which false brethren will shoot at the faithful Christian, who strives to be transformed and conformed into the image of Jesus!
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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! – Kunstnerfest på Skagen – 1888 – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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OUR DIVINE ROLE-MODEL
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But dear Christian, just keep your eyes on Jesus!
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And no matter what arguments or philosophizing, which the world, or even which worldly Christians may assail you with, hold fast to Him! Hold on tight to Jesus! Remember that Jesus did 
not engage in comedy and jesting! No, Jesus did not attempt to imitate the world! His behavior was in total harmony with holy Heaven! He was warm, but He was also serious! He was sympathetic, but He never engaged in foolish talk or jesting!
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Christ knew the seriousness of His mission to save souls! And He never tried to set His hearers at ease, by engaging in comedy or levity!
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He was filled with inner joy and peace and love, which are far more attractive qualities than being a comedian or a joker who make frivolous jokes and shallow quips about many serious matters!
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THE BATTLE BEFORE US
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And it will be a battle to overcome these earthly and sensual and devilish practices, make no mistake!
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Yet, by-and-by, the Lord will replace all those silly jokes and jests and foolish quips with a cheerfulness and warmth and agape love, which will melt the hearts of those yearning for Salvation; and we will deliver those who are pressed down under the heavy weight of sin and Satan!
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TO READ PART 4, CLICK HERE…MARCH 4 (Babylon = Baby-Land, Part 4: Why Does God Allow Suffering?)
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Munch – Det Syke Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
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“Dear Lord, Help me to study Thy Word, until I have the mind of Christ. Then I will know Thy will, and thing as you think, and do as you do…
Pray for Our Nation sign – Wikimedia – Share-alike-lic.
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READ MORE…
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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “February 20th (“Picture of a Very Grave Man, Part 1″)“, or you can also read… “March 1st (A Designer Jesus!)“
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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“And there appeared a great wonder (sign) in heaven; a woman…And there appeared another wonder (sign) in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads…And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” Revelation 12:1, 3, 15
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LOCATION…
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The Wave Constellation is primarily comprised of the Auriga Constellation plus one star from Taurus, plus one more star. The Winter Constellations are depicted in this below sketch to the right, and shows this constellation group as they are seen in early winter, as they rise in the eastern skies. The Woman is in the north. The Dragon and Orion are farther south from the Woman.
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WINTER CONSTELLATIONS-SEEN IN FALL: This sketch to the right is how this constellation group appears in the eastern sky in fall. This is the four primary constellations of the Winter Constellations. They can be seen in this position, in the late fall above the eastern horizon. The Woman of Revelation 12 is commonly called Ursa Major or The Big Dipper and appears in the north. Orion the Soldier is the at the bottom is to the south of the Woman. The The Dragon of Revelation Constellation’s mouth isThe Hyades Cluster, and the tip of his tail is Pleiades, and his Wave of Water is primarily the Auriga constellation. The Glorious Horse Constellation head is of Perseus Constellation and his rear end is Cassiopeia Constellation.
(Editor’s note: It is impossible to make this chart accurate, and visually correct, because the dome effect of the sky makes these constellations look different than they appear when placed on flat paper.)
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READ MORE…
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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… Flood Waters of Satan-Introduction
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW…
“MARCH 4 (Babylon = Baby-Land, Part 4: Why Does God Allow Suffering?)”
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Munch – Det Syke Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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