Daily Devotional, Year 2 – OCTOBER 17 (A World of Lies, Part 8: “It’s a Cuttlefish World! The Enemy Within! Continued: Insufficient Repentance!”)
By admin On February 6th, 2021.
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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – OCTOBER 17
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A World of Lies,
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Part 8:
“It’s a Cuttlefish World! The Enemy Within! Continued: Insufficient Repentance!”
To read Part 1, click here… “January 3 (World of Lies, Part 1: The Femme-Fatale Firefly!)”
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“If I regard iniquity in my heart,
the Lord will not hear me:”
Psalm 66:18
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Cuttlefish – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
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In yesterday’s devotional (click here to read), the problem was discussed of how the Devil would like us to think that somehow, we can restore a nation and protect it without the help of God.
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And it was likewise discussed how the true way to protect any nation comes only through turning back to God.
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And the Book of Jonah was used as an example of a nation that repents and turns back to God.
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F-16 Agressors – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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SACKCLOTH & ASHES
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But today’s devotional asks the question… “So, what’s stopping this nation from doing the same? Just like Nineveh, we too can return to God in sackcloth and ashes, pleading for His divine mercy and protection and restoration!”
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The problem with all this is found in our signature verse…“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” Psalm 66:18
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So this verse reveals that God does not hear the prayers for protection and restoration from those who still pursue sin.
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Hands – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license
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CHURCHGOERS CAN PRAY
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Well, this certainly puts the people of this world out of the running for convincing God to help! To a great extent, they have no regard for the things of God!
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But what about churchgoers? We certainly don’t regard iniquity in our hearts!
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Well, do we? So then, God will most assuredly hear our prayers!
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Won’t He?
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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LOVE OF THE WORLD: HATRED TOWARD GOD
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Well, listen to this next passage…“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4
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So it is impossible to please God if we still are friends with this world.
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ABOVE PICTURE: The False Prophet – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses
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OUR WORDS AND OUR LIVES DO NOT AGREE
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But many churchgoers will gleefully reply… “But I don’t love this present world! I’m a Rapture-Ready child of the King!”
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But God’s reply back is this…“And they come unto thee (Jeremiah) as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.”
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Now if our hearts go after our covetousness, then, we indeed still love the world!
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Audience hands – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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HAVE WE ROBBED GOD?
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But most church-goers will reply… “Well my heart certainly doesn’t go after covetousness!”
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But listen to Malachi…“Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Malachi 3:9, 10
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WE’RE NEW COVENANT CHRISTIANS!
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But then, many will be quick to point out…“But we’re not under that Old Testament law anymore! We’re New Covenant Christians!”
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Okay, so what you’re saying is that since you’re not under the Old Covenant, you can now give less and keep more back to be used for your personal enjoyment. Correct?
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Dore – Moses breaks stones – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
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CHRISTIANS GIVE MORE, NOT LESS?
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But isn’t it just the opposite? Aren’t we New Covenant Christians supposed to give all, and not less?
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Didn’t Christ come to show us how to lay down our entire lives upon the altar of service? Didn’t Paul give us the example of his own life of total dedication, and total self-sacrifice?
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Didn’t Paul commend the church at Macedonia for giving beyond their means?
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Listen… “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.” 2nd Corinthians 8:1, 2
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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain
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REAPING WHAT WE SOW
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And didn’t Christ commend the poor widow who put her last two mites into the offering plate?
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And doesn’t Paul tell us that we can only expect to reap bountifully (spiritually) if we have sown bountifully?
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Listen…But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” 2nd Corinthians 9:6
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Here is a principle which has much to do with the condition of our world today! The fact is, that we who live in this cornucopian society have been given the opportunity to give generously to the Lord’s work. There are many who could have lived frugally, so that we could have given not 20%, but maybe even 40 or 50% or more!
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Tissot – The Widows Mite – Brooklyn Museum – US Public Domain
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ENJOYING THIS SELFISH WORLD
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But instead, many Christians hold back much of their finances, to spend that money on selfish pleasures…
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Listen…“Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” James 5:5
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Yes, we have nourished our hearts, as in a day of slaughter! While the world is starving for the bread of life, we here in this hedonistic society are living in wanton pleasure!
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And so, the question remains…“How can we presume to think that God will answer our prayers for this nation when we are still seeking after the the pleasures and proud pursuits of this selfish world?”
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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REAPING THE WHIRLWIND
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But now, God has unleashed His fury! Now, God has let loose the winds of strife! We are now beginning to drink of His cup of fury!
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And we think that if we elect some capable one to be our leader, that he (or she) is going to somehow fix the problems all around us! Or we think that God is going to hear our prayers for His blessings while we continue to seek after all the cares and pleasures of this life!
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Gay Parade – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – GNU Free Documentation License
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IN THE EYE OF THE STORM
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Well, God may indeed hold back His cup of fury for a short season while we make up our minds about just which world we are going to live for.
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But once each and every case has been decided, then judgment will render her full wages to us.
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People on Times Square – cropped image – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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ANY GOOD NEWS HERE?
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If there is any Good News here, then it can only be discovered at the foot of the 
Cross.
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Yes, it is still the day of Salvation! And any one who will, can come and plead with God for Salvation.
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And the pleading should continue until that man, woman, or child has gained the victory over the flesh and the world….
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Girl Praying – Wikimedia – Public Domain
Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain
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PRESCRIPTION FOR RECOVERY
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Listen… “Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the 
world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God…
Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;
and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:
let your laughter be turned to mourning,
and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and He shall lift you up.”
James 4:4, 8-10
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Here is the prescription for renewal and restoration! Here is the pathway to safety! Here is the kind of prayer that any human can pray! But this prayer must continue until the Book of James no longer condemns our heart in the least little jot or tittle!
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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain
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PARADISE IS WAITING
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And for those who do overcome, the promise is made…“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5
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Here we have a promise for those who truly become a follower of Jesus, as He leads us up and out of this present evil world, and into the everlasting Promised Land of Heaven, where we will be ever joyful and forever young!
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WATCH THIS SHORT BUT AMAZING VIDEO…
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TO READ PART 9, CLICK HERE…
OCTOBER 18 (A World of Lies, Part 9: It’s a Cuttlefish World! Yellow Journalism Today!
The Yellow Press by L.M. Glackens
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to see and understand the great deception, which is the Planet Earth! Help me study Thy Word that I may become wise as a serpent, but harmless as a dove…
Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven) or you can also read this much shorter article…OCTOBER 10 (Taking Back This Nation For God! Part 2: If My People…)
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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THE NARROW GATE STARS
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This most amazing phenomenon is seen throughout the winter. Although it can be observed most of the winter, it is seen best when it is the western part of the sky, at winter’s end (The end of winter being the final scene of this heavenly Gospel story). Orion , the Dragon, and the Glorious White Horse are beginning to descend into the western horizon (sketch to right is Winter Constellations descending into western horizon. This can actually be seen as early as December, in the pre-dawn hours).
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And at this point it is apparent that the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation is veering toward the two bright stars, known as Castor and Pollux (sketch to below left). But the Wide Gate Stars are composed of the two brightest stars of the Auriga Constellation, known as the star, Capella, and the star, Menkalinan. The two stars, Castor and Pollux, make up the concept of the Orion’s Narrow Gate Stars.
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This can even be observed into June in the western sky (for a short time just after dark). While a dark night is best for seeing the Woman Constellation, the 4 stars which comprise the Narrow Gate/Wide Gate Stars can be seen even under mediocre conditions. It begins with the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation (AKA Ursa Major) going towards these two doors.
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The sketch to left shows, the two doors are each composed of two bright stars. The two bright stars that comprise the Narrow Gate are the two brightest stars of the Orion the Reaper’s sickle. The two stars that comprise the ‘Wide Gate’ Stars are the two brightest stars of the wave of water that comes out of the Dragon Constellation’s mouth (for explanation of “Wave of Water”, just click here). The stars that make up the ‘Narrow Gate’ are about half the width of the Wide Gate (see sketch to right).
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(For more information on Orion’s sickle, just click here,“Orion The Reaper”.)
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Editor’s note: These sketches on this page are merely sketches. The stars are not in their exact place. However, they are close enough to find them in the night sky. But as with most stars, it takes persistence to finally locate them.
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)
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TOMORROW…
OCTOBER 18 (A World of Lies, Part 9: It’s a Cuttlefish World! Yellow Journalism Today!
The Yellow Press by L.M. Glackens
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY
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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 IS STUDY #655 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING …
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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain
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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on the provided image credit link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing names, details, and tags, and all other necessary info on any particular photo.