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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, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: 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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But with ears longing to receive non-judgmental permission to continue pursuing this proud and selfish world, the vast majority of pulpits are filled with preachers who will avoid those Bible verses which condemn their proud and selfish ways.

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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? 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 the filthy pollutions of the world, such as “Christian” comedians, soft sermons, prosperity-driven gospels, alluring women, sensual singers, charismatic speakers with well-timed jokes, 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 television-watching, newspapers, secular radio, parties and social events, plays, operas, movies, time-consuming hobbies, clubs, sports television, 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 hedonistic 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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Oh well, perhaps a few of these things such as a nice garden, or an occasional costly restaurant, or a camping trip or day at the park with the family, etc., might be okay, as long as we don’t allow these innocent pleasures to further fuel the fires of more earthly desires!

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Yes, we must be faithful to our great commission to purify our hearts and grow in the knowledge of God’s Word, and not allow the Bible to be put on the proverbial “back-burner” of our hearts!

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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,

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know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?

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whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world

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is the enemy of God… 

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Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.

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Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;

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and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

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Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:

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let your laughter be turned to mourning,

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and your joy to heaviness. 

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Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

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and He shall lift you up.”

James 4:4, 8-10

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Here is the remedy for all spiritual maladies.

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

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And this is what we need in this time of the great “Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men”! 2nd Peter 3:7 

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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 repentance. Give me a love for correction and chastisement. Make me glad to hear Thy faithful rebukes, that I may become wise and watchful…

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

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Fleeing to the Mountains: The Abomination in the Church, Part 1”, or you can also read this shorter article…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

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

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VARIOUS SIGNS SPOKEN OF…

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Now as far as those who search Bible prophecy concerning “signs of the End”, most of us were expecting extraordinary heavenly phenomena; you know, such things as giant asteroids or other colossal cataclysmic occurrences.

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VARIOUS SIGNS MENTIONED…

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But you see, God has mentioned various constellations in Scriptures: Orion, The Pleiades, Mazzaroth, etc.. But He also spoke in Revelation of “great signs” in the heavens: a woman with child, a dragon who swept a third of the stars, and Michael who fought against that dragon (see Revelation, Ch. 12).

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The Bible also speaks of other signs in the heavens, and it is the purpose of Signs Of Heaven website, to introduce these wonderful signs and to reveal the many Bible passages which explain them. And if you are one of the fortunate ones to receive this amazing message, then you too can begin to proclaim this heavenly love story to anyone willing to listen.

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Comet Hale-Bopp-29-03-1997 wikipedia share-alike license

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“LAY UP…TREASURES IN HEAVEN”

Matthew 6:20

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“My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” Proverbs 8:19-21. This above passage speaks of a pathway which leads to riches and treasures.

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Yes, God is just now revealing the long-awaited signs, as it is written, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” Luke 21:25. And God is just now opening up a pathway to the stars: a figurative gate to Heaven itself!

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Arcturus (the star that wise-men follow!)”

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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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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 #318 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names, details, and tags, etc.. Most Images cropped & reduced in size.