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

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – AUGUST 3

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Apocalypse Now! Part 1: “Silencing The True Gospel”

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“And the dragon was wroth with the woman,

and went to make war

the remnant of her seed,

which keep the commandments of God,

and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” 

Revelation 12:17 

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“Here is the patience of the saints:

here are they that keep the commandments of God,

and the faith of Jesus.”

Revelation 14:12

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These two above verses are both from two different chapters of the Book of Revelation, given to the Apostle, John.

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And they both speak of commandment-keeping persons. And yet the first group have, “the testimony of Jesus”, while the second group, “keep the faith of Jesus”.

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Isn’t this an interesting difference?

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John on Patmos – Wikigallery – public domain

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WHY THE DIFFERENCE?

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But why is this difference even mentioned concerning these two groups of commandment-keeping people?

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Well, perhaps we need to examine the events surrounding each group and see if this gives us a clue as to why one group has, “the testimony of Jesus” while the other group keeps, “the faith of Jesus”.

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

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REVELATION 12 DECLARES THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL

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Listen to the first group in context… “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 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. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:14-17

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Here in Revelation 12 is a chapter which describes the Gospel story in signs which are in the heavens. The Dragon, the Woman, and Michael and His angels, all represent the three groups of players in the war in Heaven. Satan, the Church, and Christ, the eternal Son of God and His heavenly host!

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Early Winter in the east – Orion, Revelation 12 Woman (AKA Ursa Major) – Revelation 12 Dragon (AKA Hyades, Pleiades, etc.) – Goodly Horse in Battle with Rider (Camelopardelis, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, etc…) – www.signsofheaven.org – Not for profit use!

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THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

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Now this above scenario of a woman fleeing from the dragon into the wilderness is the story of the Church through the ages.

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Oh yes, God paints this picture in allegorical symbols. But with a little comparing of scripture with scripture and spiritual things with spiritual, this passage quickly unseals itself. And of course, Michael represents Christ, the eternal Son of God.

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And as we all know, the persecuted Church through the past 2,000 years has been proclaiming the Gospel, even sealing their testimony by their blood, quite often!

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Burned at the stake – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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SECOND PASSAGE FOR END-TIMES

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But when we come to the second passage we notice that it makes no mention of having, “the testimony of Jesus”, but instead, having, “the faith of Jesus”.

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And, upon reading these words in context, it is discovered that this second group comes out of a terrible trial…

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Listen… “And the third angel followed them (the first two angels), 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, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name….” Revelation 14:9-11

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Now if we stopped right here we might get the idea that those who received all this torment were hopelessly condemned to an eternity of further torment!

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PURGING OUT THE ‘OLD MAN’

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But listen as the Lord continues to define just who has received the fire & brimstone…

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Listen… “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Revelation 14:9-13

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Here is the battle which has been going on in the hearts of God’s saints! Christ and Satan have both been dueling for supremacy and control over these sorely tried and tempted ones! 

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So, this second group has emerged victorious from this Mark of the Beast message. They have been purified by fire. Both the world and the world-loving churches and denominations have persecuted the saints to the degree that they have been compelled to walk totally by faith, having nothing else but Christ to cling to!

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No longer does their old sin nature worship the beast and his image in their flesh! The “old man” of sin has been thoroughly crucified from out of their hearts, by fiery trials! They have patiently allowed God to perform His fiery purifying process on their heart! This is the patience of the saints! The dross has all been burned away! They now come forth as purified gold! And finally, these purified ones are able to live by the faith of Jesus! They walk, even as He (Jesus) walked, during His earthly sojourn!

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SECOND GROUP: THE FAITH OF JESUS

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But the problem is, this second group of victorious Christians are no longer said to have “the testimony of Jesus”.

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Oh yes, they “keep the commandments of God”.

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And yes, they have, “the faith of Jesus”.

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But unlike the first passage in Revelation, there is no mention of them having, “the testimony of Jesus”.

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ABOVE PICTURE: “Thy Word have I hid in my heart” Psalm 119:11

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So why the difference? What has changed? After all, throughout the history of the Church, Christians have been proclaiming the Gospel to the world, as far as possible.

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

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TOTAL APOSTASY

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Well, the best thing to do is to merely allow Scripture to define Scripture…

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Listen… “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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As this above passage foretells, the day is coming when the churches will no longer tolerate sound doctrine! And instead, they will heap to themselves teachers who will scratch their itching ears with false teachings. And this condition will obviously eliminate those faithful Christians who bring the truth, in all its undiminished brilliance. Truth will be in short supply in the church-world. A total apostasy is foretold!

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Audience hands – cropped & altered – Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain

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BUYING & SELLING THE GOSPEL

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Now, Revelation 13 also builds on this same theme…

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Listen… “And he (the 2nd Beast, the False prophet) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the (1st) beast, or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:16, 17

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Now this above passage foretells of the same day in which no man can buy or sell the truth…

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Listen…“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” Proverbs 23:23

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Yes, buying the true Gospel is something that should never be traded away!

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Mark of the beast – pub. dom. – Wikipedia

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BUYING THE GOSPEL

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And while Revelation 13:16, 17 may be speaking of a time of literal financial distress for God’s people, it also speaks of the hour when the true Gospel is completely cut off.

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And this likewise speaks of the time when it will be all but impossible to proclaim the true Gospel to the world! In that sense too, Christians are selling the truth to anyone willing to buy the truth…

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Listen…“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” Isaiah 55:1, 2

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And so, these two verses from Revelation, which allude to the day in which, “the testimony of Jesus” is no longer attributed to God’s commandment-keeping people. Satan has successfully cut off all possibility of the true Gospel being proclaimed.

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And aren’t we already seeing the Internet Giants slowly but surely closing off the true Gospel on the world-wide-web?

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Mall witnessing, Panama City, Panama

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“GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY!”

Proverbs 25:25

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But the very Good News in all this is, God’s people will finally be purified to the degree that they will walk even as Jesus walked!

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This is the ultimate fulfillment of what it means to keep God’s Commandments!

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Yes, God’s people will finally understand that keeping God’s commandments is not some little laundry-list of ten little rules to be legalistically obeyed! But instead, they will finally understand that Jesus’ glorious life is the true fulfillment of God’s Law! And having previously hidden God Word in their hearts, they now shine as the Sun in the day “when the towers (the fallen churches) shall fall!” (see Isaiah 30:25)

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And now, God’s glorified people no longer need to speak literal words. Their purified and glorified Christ-like lives, shining as the sun, will do all the speaking for them!

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John The Apostle – by Alonzo Cano – 1635-1637 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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CANCEL CULTURE IS TOTALITARIAN TERROISM

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SINCE THE WRITING OF THIS DEVOTIONAL, BACK IN 2015, THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING MOVEMENT IN SOCIETIES AROUND THE WORLD TO CAUSE CITIZENS TO FEAR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE PREVAILING “POLITICAL CORRECTNESS” OF THAT SOCIETY, FOR FEAR OF RETRIBUTION.

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AND WHILE THIS TOTALITARIAN CONTROL ALWAYS BEEN PRACTICED IN OTHER LANDS, IT IS EVEN NOW BEING IMPLIMENTED IN THE WESTERN NATIONS.

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AND FURTHERMORE, THIS GROWING INTOLERANCE OF FREE SPEECH IS BECOMING SO PREVELANT HERE, THAT THE PUSH IS EVEN NOW BEING MADE TO CAUSE SOME CITIZENS TO LOSE THEIR LIVLIHOOD SHOULD THEY REFUSE TO PUBLICLY BOW DOWN TO THE “SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIORS” FOR THESE “POLITICALLY/SOCIALLY CORRECT” MAXIMS!

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Duct Tape Mouth – Wikimedia – Share-alike license

Censored rubber stamp.svg – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…AUGUST 9 (Apocalypse Now! Part 2: Tormented With Fire!)

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

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“Dear Lord, Help me to endure the fiery trials which God brings upon me, to drive out and crucify the “Old Man” of sin out of my heart! Make my life an open book, for all to read the wonderful story of the Gospel of Jesus…

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READ MORE…

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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… The Crown of Revelation 12: What Is “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”?, or you can also read this shorter article…“August 12 (Mark Now Given, Part 2: Silencing Christians)”

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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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7 STARS IMITATE THE CROSS OF ORION

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 This phenomenon begins in late October, in the pre-dawn hours. It then begins a little earlier each night, and lasts for several months, until they both appear to lie down once again.

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This Wikipedia star-chart to the left, has this Orion Constellation sketched in. You must locate Orion, when it is mid-sky, between east and west. You’ll be facing southward most likely, unless you are far south. Try to imagine it as a Cross on a steep hill. The 3-star belt of Orion becomes the crest of the hill. The 3 very faint stars that make up Orion’s head become the very top of the Cross.

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Next, locate the 7 Stars Constellation. This 7 Stars Constellation is seen by facing northward. It stands upright a little later in the night. Eventually, Orion will lay down and no longer be seen as an uplifted Cross! Beginning in November, the 7 Stars (AKA Big Dipper) can be seen as a Cross a little bit later in evening.

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When you are comfortable in locating Orion & The 7 Stars Constellations, then show a friend. This can be a great witnessing tool!

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ABOVE CHART: The Cross of Orion Constellation star-chart

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

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READ MORE…

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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… ‘7 Stars’ Imitate ‘The Cross of Orion’

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TOMORROW…

AUGUST 4 (The god Of This World, Part 1: That Other Guy Named Shakespeare!)

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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing details & tags, and all other necessary information on any particular photo. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.