Daily Devotional, Year 3 – November 16 (Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets, Part 6: “Why All the Negativity?”)

By admin On February 17th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – November 16

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Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets,

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Part 6:

“Why All the Negativity?”

To read Part 1, go here…April 1 (Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets)

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“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,

and sound an alarm in My holy mountain:

let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:

for the Day of the LORD cometh,

for it is nigh at hand;

A day of darkness and of gloominess,

a day of clouds and of thick darkness…”

Joel 2:1, 2

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DESIRING TO HEAR “SMOOTH THINGS”

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Back in the days of the Old Testament prophets, God’s people did not want to hear all the negativity which those spokesmen of God had to say to those rebellious people…

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Listen to the assessment from God…

“That this is a rebellious people…

Which say to the seers, See not;

and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,

speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:”

Isaiah 30:9, 10

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Just like so many faithful churchgoers today, they just did not want to hear all the negativity directed at them.

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And so, there is a rebellion in God’s house against all such hard and difficult words, either read from the Bible or spoken from the pulpit.

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Evangelist Preaching – Church – Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TURNING AWAY THE EARS FROM TRUTH

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This disdain for the “hard sayings of the Bible” is why Paul foretells of the future time of church-wide apostasy…

“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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Yes, the day is coming (and now is) when those in the churches will no longer endure sound doctrine.

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musician ear-plug – Public Domain – by Kick The Beat – Wikimedia

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AS IN JEREMIAH’S DAY, SO TOO IN OUR DAY!

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But just as Jeremiah was warning God’s people of the coming judgment upon them, so too, God is now warning us of the world-wide Judgment which has already begun “at the house of God!” 1st Peter 4:17

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**Yes, God gave the world several “wake-up calls”, one on 9/11, and the other on May 21st, 2011.**

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**But in spite of those two “warning shots across our bow”, the church has gone back to sleep!**

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And in light of this fact, why in the world would we Christians ever imagine that Judgment Day would be filled with a nice soft and smooth message from God?

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Did we really believe that God would “High-Five” His people for all our faithfulness to His command for us to “purify your hearts even as Christ is pure”? (Paraphrase of 1st John 3:3)

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Do we actually believe that we have been faithful watchmen on the walls of Zion?

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New York – September_11_- Photo_Montage by UpsateNYer – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike-lic.

Judgment Bus New Orleans 2011 – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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COMPROMISED CHURCHES

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No, but rather, today’s churches are filled with such things as “Christian” comedians,

soft sermons,

prosperity-driven gospels,

alluring women,

sensual singers,

ungodly music,

charismatic speakers with well-timed jokes,

raucous laughter in the sanctuary,

mingling with secular programs,

social-club activities,

sports teams,

and many other abominations.

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Should these kinds of world-loving ways in God’s holy house be commended by Him?

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Singers – No Angels Concert – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

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

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PROSPERITY-DRIVEN AND PLEASURE-ORIENTED LIVES

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Or how about the personal lives of today’s parishioners:

copious novels, newspapers, television-watching,

secular radio and Internet,

clubs, parties, and social events,

plays, operas, movies,

time-consuming hobbies,

sports,

proud and ambitious career-choices,

nicer cars, bigger houses, more recreational vehicles,

gardens and lands,

frequent-costly-restauranting,

expensive vacations,

and a host of similar pleasures and proud/ambitious pursuits.

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And we think these kinds of pursuits will make us “Rapture-Ready” as many erroneously suppose?

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It’s not that these things are bad in themselves!

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But together, they can easily crowd out the things necessary for our soul-health!

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GOOD NEWS!

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But there is Good News, believe it or not! Even in this fearful hour when God’s anger against us is great, nevertheless His hand is outstretched still…

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Listen to the New Testament Book of James…

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“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 remedy for all spiritual maladies.

This is the prescription for a 100% devotion to God and His Word!

And the medicine to restore our soul’s health and happiness!

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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

Prayer – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to get ready to meet the soon-coming Savior! Give me such a Spirit of meekness and deep, heartfelt gladness to hear Thy faithful rebukes, that I may become wise and watchful…

Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

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WINTER CONSTELLATIONS LOCATION

The sketch to the right 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.

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.**

TOMORROW

November 17 (How Do I See These Signs Of Heaven? Part 6: “Ye Must Be Born Again!”}

Nicodemus – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THIS 90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM, A QUESTION/ANSWER CALL-IN, TALK SHOW.

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CLICK HERE TO LISTEN…The Open Forum Harold Camping February 12, 2003

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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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