Daily Devotional, Year 3 – September 10 (The Devil Made Me Do It! Part 14: “Satan’s Army of Mockers! CONTINUED”)

By admin On February 16th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – September 10

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The Devil Made Me Do It!

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Part 14:

“Satan’s Army of Mockers! CONTINUED”

To read the first part of this topic, go here…March 18 (The Devil Made Me Do It! Part 5: “Satan’s Army of Mockers!”)

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Back in the 1970’s, a certain saying was popularized…“The Devil made me do it! The Devil made me do it!”

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And this was merely mocking Christians, who were seemingly obsessed with pointing the accusing finger at the Devil.

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Then they could all laugh and mock the notion that some red-suited, pitchfork-wielding cartoonish goat/man is a very active and powerful force controlling the peoples of this world, by sarcastically chanting…“The Devil made me do it! The Devil made me do it!“

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Flip Wilson – Wikipedia – Public Domain

Devil Satan – Wikimedia – No Known Copyright

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SATAN, “THE GOD OF THIS WORLD”

2nd Corinthians 4:4

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But the horrifying fact is, the Devil does indeed cause the vast percentage of the world’s inhabitants to do a great number of things! The Bible calls him, “The god of this world”!

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**After all, the above signature verse (John 8:44, see top of page) reveals a truth that practically nobody realizes or accepts! It is perhaps the most egregious truth in all of the Bible!**

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And also, Ephesians 2:2 reveals that Satan is indeed… “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”

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And let’s face it! To admit that the entire world’s inhabitants are filled with this evil spirit is more than anybody is willing to accept, much less admit!

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Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“A FORM OF GODLINESS”

2nd Timothy 3:5

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Now Satan has created a world that has a form of godliness, and yet is void of the only true Spirit of Godliness, the Holy Spirit.

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And today’s devotional wants to focus on just one area in which Satan has made sin to appear good.

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And that one area of life is the world of comedy.

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Especially in the western nations, the very nations which once lovingly embraced the Christian reformation, the Enemy of Souls has replaced godliness and holiness with worldly behavior. And one very big part of worldly behavior is joking, or “jesting”, as the Bible refers to it! But also, the Bible refers to it as “mockery”.

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Oh yes, this lost world loves comedy! After all, what can be better than to make people laugh!?

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Even the Bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” Proverbs 17:22

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

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“NEITHER FOOLISH TALK NOR JESTING, WHICH ARE NOT CONVENIENT (PROPER)”

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But the fact is, all such worldly entertainment is condemned in Scripture…“all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting…Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:3-8

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If this were the only verse in Scripture concerning this sin, nobody would be confused. But there are other proofs found elsewhere in Scripture.

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JESUS WAS NOT A JOKER! NOR WAS PAUL!

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But perhaps, the greatest proof is the life of Jesus, who was entirely serious during His life and ministry.

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And what about Paul, who exhorts us to “Be ye followers of me, even as I am also of Christ” 1st Corinthians 11:1

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Neither of these two ever engaged in foolish talk or jesting (even though many attempt to wrestle with Scripture to make it seem so!)

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**But this subject has already been dealt with. And part 1 (click here) of this series pointed out these things.**

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Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“BE YE THEREFORE NOT PARTAKERS WITH THEM!”

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But what about the hearers of comedy? What about those of us who listen and laugh at today’s mockers?

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Listen as Ephesians continues… “Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)…And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:7-9, 11

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So here we have a strong command to “have no fellowship” with such worldly behavior, but rather to walk as “children of light…in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth”. Ephesians 5:8, 9, 11.

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

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“BUT NOW ARE YE LIGHT IN THE LORD!”

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Now here’s the great problem with all this.

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You see, God’s people are to be filled with the Holy Spirit of truth, righteousness, and goodness. So then, why do we Christians (including this website’s editor) find pleasure in these comedians who make a living at making a mockery of sin?

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Listen to the Wise Man…“Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.” Proverbs 14:9

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So much of today’s comedy is merely a mockery of sin and sinful behavior. So much of today’s comedy derives its humor by mocking people in one way or another. For instance, political humor often mocks some aspect of its opponents: odd physical traits, odd behavior, vulnerable words or statements.

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But all comedy makes light of this sad world full of lost souls in need of Salvation.

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Joker – Jester – Puck Cover- Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“YE KNOW NOT WHAT MANNER OF SPIRIT YE ARE OF!”

Luke 9:55

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And truth-be-told, we need to ask ourselves the question, “If I am enjoying all this mockery, what spirit is indwelling me? Certainly not the Holy Spirit!”

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Listen to Paul in Ephesians 2:2…“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”

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“Uh-oh! If I am enjoying this worldly, unchristlike behavior, could that be a sign that the prince of the power of the air is now working in me too? Am I a true child of God, or merely one of the “children of disobedience” spoken of in Ephesians 2:2?”

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Instead of laughing at all this mockery and jesting I should, “rather reprove them!” (Ephesians 5:11)

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

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THOMAS BROOKS ON JOKING PREACHERS

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**Listen to the Christian reformer, Thomas Brooks in his treatise “7 Characteristics of False teachers”…**

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“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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Here, that reformation crusader-for-truth, Thomas Brooks, presents a stinging rebuke to all those false teachers in both his day, and even more so in our day, who engage in mockery and worldly humor instead of glorifying God with godly fear and trembling!

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Thomas Brooks quote – Courtesy, meetthepuritans.com

ABOVE PICTURE: Thomas Brooks after Unknown artist – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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NOT SOUR, BUT BE CHEERFUL

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On the other hand, being serious-minded does not necessitate being dour nor somber. No, the consecrated Christian will rather strive to be cheerful and warm and loving and sympathetic and kind and filled with thanksgiving to the Lord!

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Nor should he or she fill the atmosphere of others with heaviness or gloominess, but rather be as upbeat and as light and as helpful as possible!

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Family eating meal – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“COME OUT OF HER (BABYLON) MY PEOPLE!”

Revelation 18:4

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Well, time does not permit to go any further on this subject.

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But the Good News is this! Today is still the day of Salvation! And God is calling His people to come out of Babylon, both physically and spiritually. And those who are truly intent on becoming Christlike in every way, will realize that mocking and jesting are “not convenient” (not proper). And all of us must pray for grace to overcome this most pernicious habit, if we ever expect to be overcomers!

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May God give us all the mercy and grace to overcome the world in this area of our lives! And we can expect Satan to oppose our efforts to overcome these things.

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James Tissot – The Flight of the Prisoners – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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TO READ PART 15, CLICK HERE…

October 5 (The Devil Made Me Do It! Part 15: “Hitler in Hell?”)

Adolph Hitler – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to be wise as a serpent regarding this very deceptive world. Let me not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, nor of his power over this world…

Family Prayer Before Meal – Wikimedia – US-Govt. – Public-Domain

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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 HEADS, 10 HORNS, & 7 CROWNS OF THE DRAGON

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” Revelation 12:3

**In Revelation, the Dragon of Revelation 12 is described as having seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns. However, the Dragon Constellation up in the night sky does not.**

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But God has faithfully created the wave of water, in such a way, as to illustrate this same concept of the seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns. Because this wave of water is basically composed of ten stars.

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The main body of the wave has seven stars (#‘s, 1 thru 7). And the tip of the crest of the wave has the other three stars (#’s, 8, 9 & 10). So we have this 7 and 10 numbering. And this gives us a great clue, as to where in the Bible we should look, to find out the riddle as to just what or who do these 7 heads, 10 crowns, and 7 horns represent. Because, the Bible speaks very much about floods and waters as being associated with Satan (the Dragon).

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TOMORROW…

September 11 (Come Out From Among Them, Part 4: “The Powerful Influence of Daily Associations”)

Lunch Break – Wikimedia Commons – Share-alike License

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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 #251 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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