Daily Devotional, Year 4: August 15 (Sodom Rising, Part 18: “Planet Earth: Earthly, Sensual, Devilish!”)

By admin On June 10th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 4: August 15

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Sodom Rising,

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Part 18:

“Planet Earth: Earthly, Sensual, Devilish!”

To read part 1 of this article, click here… “August 22nd (Sodom Rising!)”

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“This wisdom descendeth not from above,

but is earthly, sensual, devilish”

James 3:15

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When Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the lush and well-watered country surrounding Sodom, he decided that affluence and convenience was paramount to keeping separate from the ungodly influences which awaited him and his family in that wicked city.

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Oh yes, Lot probably made vows, when he took his family to Sodom! Lot probably lived in the country to begin with, a-ways away from the immorality and corruption of city-life. But perhaps the city began to expand closer and closer to his family, or outlaws made it impossible to live in the country, forcing them into the city.

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But most likely, his move into that wicked city was merely a matter of convenience.

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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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“…let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:”

Mark 13:14

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But the day finally came when God’s warning came to Lot…“Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” Genesis 19:17

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Lot took his wife and two daughters and fled from the impending destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah and the two other cities.

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But as we all know, it was the constant contact with the sin and sensuality of Sodom which caused Mrs. Lot to look back at her life in that doomed world and become eternally lost! She became a pillar of salt!

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Mrs. Lot Flees , turns to salt – www.christianimagesource.com

Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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Planet Earth: “Earthly, Sensual, Devilish!”

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We live in a very sensual world!

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Well, that’s an understatement, if ever there was one!

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And if ever our western societies weren’t obsessed with sensuality, that day has long passed!

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Woman in Mediterranian – Wikigallery – US Public Domain

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“And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness”

1st John 5:19

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Everywhere we turn in this high-tech, state-of-the-art super-society, we see and hear sensuality almost on a 24/7/365 basis! Television, Internet, newspapers/magazines, billboards, movies, radio, library books, are literally teeming with sensuality!

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And one might imagine that the church-world would be denouncing this world’s sensuality, but they are not, to a great extent.

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Oh yes, to a certain degree, today’s conservative churches are decrying the current societal downward spiral into immorality. And yet, they do not understand their own sensuality, nor the underlying spirit behind sensuality.

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Woman applying make-up – Wikimedia – Share-alike License 2.0

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“…earthly, sensual, devilish.”

James 3:15

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Today’s signature Bible verse reveals that underlying spirit…“This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” James 3:15

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Here is seen that sensuality is not only “earthly”, but is also, “devilish”!

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Such a revelation as this should make any Christian tremble at the thought of having such a spirit of sensuality indwelling their body!

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But this verse also makes clear that sensuality is “earthly”. In other words, this whole world is sensual…and devilish!

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But because Christians have grown up in this sensual world, we more or less think of sensuality as just an integral part of living.

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And because we are also “flesh and bone”, like the animal kingdom, we are also dependent upon the needs of the flesh, just as they are.

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Dancing woman – Wikimedia – Creative Commons License

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“And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away”

1st Corinthians 7:31

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So just how are we Christians to strike the proper balance in our lives, between satisfying our earthly needs and yet striving to become spiritual beings?

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Well, let’s return to James, Chapter 3 and get a proper context for verse 15.

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Listen to this entire passage in context…

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?

let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts,

glory not, and lie not against the truth.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,

then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated,

full of mercy and good fruits,

without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

James 3:13-18

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As this entire passage reveals, James is speaking in the context of envy and strife, and the self-deception which can overtake a religious person, caught up in this type of sin.

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But then, James gives the true wisdom from above…“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:15-18

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The first and foremost virtuous aspect of heavenly wisdom is that it is pure.

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And so, we immediately see the direction we must travel in our quest for heavenly wisdom: purity of heart.

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Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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“These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit”

Jude 1:19

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Now, as we look out in the world and behold today’s church-world (via Internet), it is not so hard to see that sensuality has crept into much of the worship. From sensual fashions to sensual music, to “foolish talk and jesting” from the pulpit, sensuality has become greatly accepted in the modern-day churches. (Ephesians 5:4)

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Oh yes, there exists a few churches which attempt to maintain a high degree of piety in their worships. But even there, the attempt at holiness is often compromised and marred by joking and jesting in the pulpit.

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And quite often, worship music has a sensuality about, in spite of the quasi-Christian lyrics.

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But when we consider that sensuality is devilish, it should cause any honest-hearted Christian to flee this devilish spirit which indwells the unsaved of the world!

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Church music – Singers & Dancers – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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RUN, CHRISTIAN, RUN!

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Well, in spite of the growing tide of sensuality and immorality rising up all around us, the Bible counsels us…”And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:2, 3

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Yes, the Prophet Habakkuk, upon beholding the overwhelming and corrupting influence of evil in these last days (see Habakkuk 1:4), he hears God’s counsel for His people to, “RUN!”

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**But where can we “RUN”? After all, it is no longer the day in which we can simply pack up and move to mountains, as Abraham did! That’s now illegal!**

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Picture – Lot Escapes – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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“His foundation is in the holy mountains”

Psalm 87:1

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But the Bible does reveal some mountains which we can flee to…”As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth even for ever” Psalm 125:2

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Here are the true holy mountains which every true worshiper of God can flee to…”He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty: they shall behold the Land that is very far off.” Isaiah 33:16, 17

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Here is a wonderful promise for God’s people in these last moments of earth’s history! That there will be abundant heavenly bread and copious waters of grace to be enjoyed as we “hide thyself, as it were, for a little while, until the indignation be overpast” Isaiah 26:20

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And as we flee from the sensual world (and sensual church-world), and instead surround ourselves with every available spiritual and heavenly influence, our love for this sensual and devilish world will begin to evaporate!

ABOVE PICTURE: Hide Thyself in thy Chambers – inspired by Tornado Over Kansas by Curry

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TO READ PART 19, CLICK HERE…

June 17th (Sodom Rising? Part 19: “Internet Censorship: Hate Speech or Love Speech?”)

Duct Tape Mouth – Wikimedia – Share-alike license

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to move away from the overwhelming tide of sensuality, whether in society or in the Church…

Prayer – Mother and Daughter – Wikipedia – (cropped image) the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

The info and pics of the constellations on this site are all taken from Wikipedia and from The Internation Astronomical Union (click here to view their site)

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THESE SIGNS ARE MENTIONED

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From time to time, the Book of Revelation mentions stars. But when we get to Revelation Chapter 12, it speaks of two “great signs in heaven”. First, it speaks of the sign in heaven of a woman with child. Then it speaks of the sign in heaven of a great red dragon, with a tail that sweeps one-third of the stars and casts these stars down to the earth. So we get the sense that this phenomenon that the Apostle John was seeing, was closely intertwined with the starry host of the heavens. And these two signs in heaven, a woman, and a dragon, are a big part of this website, Signs Of Heaven.

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And so this phenomenon that the Apostle John was seeing, was closely intertwined with the starry host of the heavens.

What really gives validity to this idea, is that God created the Universe in such a way, that if one looks at the major constellations, then this Revelation 12 scenario can be seen. So please read on. And if you really want to see this heavenly battle, you just might. It will take some real effort on your part. But through prayer, faith, and study of the site, God may just graciously open your eyes to see this amazing story written on the heavenly scroll above. But don’t wait! This heavenly scroll will soon be rolled up, just as it is written… “And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;” Revelation 6:14

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.