Daily Devotional, Year 4 – July 18 (Here Come the Thought Police, Part 4: “Conquering By Fear”)

By admin On January 18th, 2023

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Daily Devotional, Year 4 – July 18

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Here Come the Thought Police

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Part 4 “Conquering By Fear”

To read Part 1, click here…August 11 (“Here Come the Thought Police!” Part 1)

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“The fear of man bringeth a snare:

but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe”

Proverbs 29:25

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One very popular thought-leader made the statement, “Tyrants use fear to obtain compliance”.

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Yes, more and more, we see our government using fear to keep the populace compliant.

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Never was this truth more evident than during the Covid lockdowns!

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Politicians with tyranny in their hearts rejoiced in their newly-found powers to place the fearful public under strict authoritarian control!

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“Tyrants use fear to obtain compliance” J ordan Peterson: “Watch QUICKLY before they censor me!”

PHOTO: Covid masks – Aegean Sea earthquake people – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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Even the Bible highlights this principle, way back in the Book of Daniel (among other places in Scripture). Yes, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon used fear to force the citizenry to bow down to his likeness, that 60-cubit high statue made of gold…“whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” Daniel 3:6

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But when the three Hebrews refused to bow, Nebuchadnezzar once again used fear…“Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.” Daniel 3:19

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With a scary-looking, enraged countenance, the king then commanded the fiery furnace to be heated 7-times hotter. And so, here were two more attempts to intimidate the three Hebrews into submission. But as the story continues, the three still refused, and were cast alive into that furnace, and yet Jesus joined them there, bringing them unharmed through that harrowing experience!

Fiery Furnace by Gustave Dore’ courtesy of adelaide.edu.au

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Well, fast-forward to our day! And sadly, and tragically, we are now seeing similar tactics being used in the western nations, the very nations which once rejoiced in the Gospel, but eventually rejected the only true Gospel!

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Yes, even though we live in a so-called “advanced” world-order, there is an emergence of totalitarians who have gained control of various governments around the world. And just like history’s past dictators, this new breed of totalitarians use fear to gain power over the frightened masses, telling them unless they submit to these power-hungry rulers, then the consequences will be frightening:

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“You will lose your job!”

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“Submit to us or the planet will succumb to greenhouse gases!”

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“Your Christian beliefs will offend and discourage certain protected groups, possibly to the point of driving them to commit suicide!”

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“You’ll be branded as ‘a racist’, or ‘an extremist’, or ‘a Nazi’! You will be the object of public scorn and derision!”

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“Capitulate, or government authorities might come and knock on your door to take away your children!”

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“But the fearful, and unbelieving…

shall have their part

in the lake which burneth

with fire and brimstone:

which is the second death”

Revelation 21:8

Fear – Ghost Stories August – 1928 – cropped image – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me grace to hide Thy Word in my heart…

USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – 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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THE NARROW GATE STARS

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 R eaper”.)

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.

Signs Of Heaven