Daily Devotions

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

DOES THE APOSTLE PAUL TEACH THAT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS DID NOT EXIST UNTIL SINAI?

Some teach that the phrase “until the law” here means that the law did not exist between Adam and the time of Moses. But the balance of the text, coupled with Romans 4:15, proves just the opposite: “Because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.” If there was no law when Cain killed his brother, it wouldn’t have been a sin. Yet Genesis 4:7 speaks of sin lying at the door.

It’s interesting to see references to God’s laws before the Ten Commandments were given on Mt. Sinai. Note how God rebuked His people: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? (Exodus 16:28). Obviously, there was a basic understanding of God’s law already. People were punished for breaking any one of the commandments before Sinai, indicating that the law existed and sin was imputed. God also honored Abraham, who kept His commandments, statutes, and laws (Genesis 26:5).
The law did not exist in written form prior to Sinai. I believe, with the incredible minds God gave people before the Flood, there was no need to write down the law. As the Lord walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, He taught them His law. When sin came and they were removed from Eden, the Lord further explained the sacrificial system. Our first parents simply passed along these truths verbally. The Ten Commandments before Sinai:

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us your law, a picture of your righteous character.

Does the apostle Paul teach that the Ten Commandments did not exist until Sinai?

First Genesis 35:2–4
Second Genesis 31:19–34
Third Genesis 12:3
Fourth Exodus 16:–26
Fifth Genesis 9:20–25
Sixth Genesis 4:8–15
Seventh Genesis 39:7–9
Eighth Genesis 44:8–16
Ninth Genesis 27:12
Tenth Genesis 25:29-34; 27:1–45

Israel had lost sight of the principles of God’s law while in Egyptian bondage. So God wrote that law with His own finger to bring it back to mind.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Romans 5:13 

God bless

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[GeneBalthrop]

Berean……Paul said (not me) …..“by the works of “law”, shall no flesh be “JUSTIFIED”  before God.” ,  do you understand what he meant by that?  Please explain it to us , if you can.  The answer is understanding what is meant by the term,  “works of law” , can you explain it to us? 

Gen 26:5…..The word “law” there is a mistranslation, it should read “precepts” look it up. The commandments, were not changed into,  laws,  (inforced compliances)  until the time of MOSES, Ex 20:20.  Abraham obeyed God by “FAITH” it had nothing to do with any laws?   “For the law is not of Faith” ,  but was made for the “UNGODLY”. 

We obey God through a new and living way, that works through the Spirit , “for by “GRACE”,  you being  saved, and that not of yourselves, (through the works of law),  it is a Gift from God, because the Law (forced compliance), couldn’t save anyone because of the weakness of the flesh,  but the Grace of God, working through the “holy spirit” (anointing) given us, does,  save us, because the Spirit of God shed abroad in our hearts changes the heart and mind in us, something a law (forced compliance) could never do. ,  we are being created unto holyness, by God the Father himself.  We become a new creation in God the Father, we all must be born again, exactly as Jesus said. 

Peace and love to you and yours Berean………..gene

[Berean]

Gene,

works of the law means legalism, that is, seeking to be justified by obedience to the law.
But this is impossible so that no one boasts. Moreover, no one has perfectly met the requirements of the law (except Christ Jesus). All have sinned and come short of the gory of God.
We are justified by grace, through faith that works by love, and not by works of the law (legalism).
Even GOOD WORKS DO NOT JUSTIFY US BEFORE GOD, THEY ARE LIKE STAINED CLOTHES
IF OUR FAITH IN GOD IS TRUE, AND SINCERE, IT WILL PRODUCE FRUITS OF JUSTICE IN OUR LIFE BECAUSE IT IS GOD WHO PRODUCES IN US WILLING IT AND DOING IT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE.

THAT IS WHY :
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1John 2:4)

 

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.(1John 5:3)

Rev.12:[17] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus(Rev.14:23) 

 

 

[carmel]

Hi Gene,

You:  “for by “GRACE”,  you being  saved, and that not of yourselves, (through the works of law),  it is a Gift from God, because the Law (forced compliance), couldn’t save anyone because of the weakness of the flesh,  but the Grace of God, working through the “holy spirit” (anointing) given us, does,  save us, because the Spirit of God shed abroad in our hearts changes the heart and mind in us, something a law (forced compliance) could never do. ,  we are being created unto holyness, by God the Father himself.  We become a new creation in God the Father, we all must be born again, exactly as Jesus said. 

Me: I WOULD MOSTLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WERE TO PRODUCE SCRIPTURE PLEASE,

NOT YOUR OWN CORRUPTED AND TWISTED WRITING!

PLEASE DO SO!

I AM WAITING!

in the meantime hereunder are these scriptures for you:

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld HIS , GLORY

the glory as of the ONLY begotten of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.

15John bare witness of HIM, and cried, saying,

This was HE of whom I spoke,

HE that cometh after me is preferred before me: for HE was before me. 16 And of HIS FULNESS have all we received, and GRACE FOR GRACE. 17 or the law was given by Moses, but GRACE and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,

WHO IS in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John16:12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:

for he shall not speak of himself;

but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14He shall glorify me:

for he shall receive of mine,

and shall shew it unto you.

15All things that the Father hath are mine:

therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 

 

Peace and love in Jesus Christ

[GeneBalthrop]

Carmel………I have quoted “exact”,  scriptures word for word  in nearly every post,  your problem you fail to look them up.  You had rather use text you can twist to say what they in fact are not saying as do nearly all trinitarians,  and false teachers.

Simple truth for  where you fasely present the spirit “of” Christ, as comming from Jesus, when it is not saying that at all, but what it is saying is this ,  “the spirit that Jesus had is the same Spirit we also recieve and comes  “from God the Father”, the exact same way, our “brother”,  The “man” Jesus recieved it, by being “anointing” with it  at the Jordan river. Just as scriptures and Jesus himself said.  Jesus said he would ask the Father to send the Spirit to us, and it’s the exact same Spirit he had in him. The “Spirit of Christ”, is the Spirit Jesus had in him, it dosen’t mean the Spirit “from” Christ as you falsely present it. 

Carmel your delusions show up nearly every time you post. I know you want to present yourself as a person who knows what he is talking about , but your words are comming from a deluded mind, and your understanding has been darkened by it.

Repent Carmel, start over,  learn to use “all” the scriptures , not just a few you can twist up the meanings,  to meet you deluded understandings .  You need a fresh and unbiased, unindoctrinated,  approach to the scriptures, IMO. 

Peace and love to you and your Carmel……..gene

 

[GeneBalthrop]

Berean……..Commandments, are not “laws”   they are commandments,  and because they are not “laws”, they were  not “forced”on people to obey”,  the commandments were turnned into “Laws”, in  EXO 20:20,  that is when they became “laws” , requiring punishment for any disobedience,  Mose said it best,  Exo 20:20… And Moses said unto the people; Fear not: for GOD is come to prove you, AND THAT “HIS FEAR” may be before your faces; that you sin not.  

Berean,  those people had no “FAITH” nor was the love of God “in” them so God turned his lovibg commandments , into “Laws”,  (forced compliance)  all law works through the operation of fear of the penalties extracted by disobediance od them, even all laws work that way even today laws do.  But you see non of that can “make the “HEART” right.  That was Pauls whole point , Berean.

Peace and love to you and yours Berean……….gene

[carmel]

Gene,

THE OLD STORY Gene,

BLAH BLAH and BLAH

You: Carmel………I have quoted “exact”,  scriptures word for word

  in nearly every post, 

IN THIS CASE 

YOU SIMPLY DIDN’T

JUST BE HONEST AND PRODUCE GENUINE SCRIPTURES PLEASE.

TILL THEN MINE STANDS AS TRUTH!

THAT’S THE ONLY WAY TO DISCUSS THINGS PROPERLY AND JUSTIFY YOURSELF.

You: Carmel your delusions show up nearly every time you post.

AGAIN, IT IS YOU THAT MUST CONTRADICT ME AND PRODUCE SCRIPTURE TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF, OK?

YOU NEVER PRODUCED WHAT YOU ARE CLAIMING. AS I SAID ABOVE:

BLAH BLAH and BLAH!

GO AHEAD AND DO THAT and FOR A CHANGE COMMENCE THE NEW YEAR DECENTLY, HONESTLY AND PROVE YOUR TRUTH!

WHY DON’T EVEN ANSWER A MERE SIMPLE QUESTION?

HOW ON EARTH ARE YOU ABLE TO JUSTIFY WHAT FOR YOU IS

THE  TRUTH?

Peace and love in Jesus Christ

 

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

 

HAPPY EVER AFTER

A poem written to celebrate a wedding is called an epithalamium. In ancient Greece, to celebrate a wedding, a poem filled with blessings and predictions of happiness was written in honor of the bride and groom. Boys and girls sang the song for the happy couple at the door of the nuptial chamber. The custom spread to the Romans, and eventually the classical poets developed the epithalamium into a special literary form, which then spread to the French, Italians, and English. Even Tennyson wrote an epithalamium, in honor of his sister’s wedding. Eventually the evolved term to cover musical works—like Wagner’s Bridal March in Lohengrin—and Italian Renaissance paintings depicting Venus and Cupid, gifted to newlyweds to wish them happiness and fertility.

More than once the Bible compares God’s love for His people to that of a bridegroom and the coming of the kingdom of heaven to a wedding celebration. In American culture, Disney-like dreams of a carefree “happily ever after” fill the typical blissful wedding day. But unfortunately, with more than half of all marriages ending in divorce, “happily ever after” remains a fairy-tale just out of reach.

Praise God for the hope of a real Happily Ever After. John received a vision of Christ’s coming, in which an angel said, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” and showed John the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9). On the day Christ comes to take us to that bright city, we will celebrate a marriage like no other, and there really will be no more sorry, nor crying, nor pain.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Isaiah 62:5 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:2-4

God bless

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

THE $500,000 BATH 

In 1851, Maha Mongkut, also known as Rama IV, ascended the throne as the king of Siam (now better known as Thailand). Mongkut was a true monarch, with total power over his five and a half million subjects. But he was also different from previous Siamese kings. Before becoming king he spent 27 years traveling as a Buddhist priest, studying English, French, and Latin as well as Siamese and Sanskrit. This made him friendlier toward the West, inviting European diplomats to his coronation and introducing Western innovations into his kingdom.

Despite his openmindedness about other cultures, in his personal life Mongkut adhered to royal Siamese tradition, having 82 children by 39 wives. Nine thousand women lived in his harem, kept apart from the world in a separate city. Mongkut was also very devoted to Buddhist tradition. This is why he spent half a million dollars for a single ritual bath for his son. The Temple of the Bath is a beautiful pool surrounded by four smaller pagodas, all encrusted with heavy plates of gold and gems. In the center is the fabulous marble and gold swimming pool. The king built the Golden Temple on the Menam River in 1887 at a cost of $500,000. After the solemn bath was administered to the prince, the structure was never occupied again.

The Bible invites us to experience a cleansing bath that removes more than dirt from our bodies. Baptism is a ritual that demonstrates our belief that when we confess our sins to God, we can be assured that Jesus washes away all sin from our hearts. We are plunged beneath the waters to publicly signify our allegiance to our King in heaven. Christ led the way by His own example. But he wasn’t baptized in a gold- and marble-plated pool decorated with gemstones. Jesus was immersed in the muddy Jordan River. This pleased His Heavenly Father.

Baptism symbolizes Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. When we are baptized, we accept the work of Christ for our salvation. Jesus paid to wash away our sins by shedding His own blood. That’s why the most expensive bath in the world is baptism!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38 

God bless

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[Berean]

 

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE PROUD

Tarquin the Proud was the last king of Rome. He became king by murdering his father-in-law, Servius Tullius. He earned the name “Tarquin the Proud” by refusing to bury Tullius’ body and killing several prominent senators known to have supported Tullius. The tyranny that characterized his reign was passed on to his son, Sextus Tarquinius. At his father’s suggestion, Sextus brought down an enemy city by falsely condemning leading citizens to death. The pride and cruelty of this father-son duo was eventually their downfall.

Sextus’ rape of a beautiful kinswoman led to a revolt that resulted in the overthrow of Tarquin the Proud and the creation of a Roman republic. Like Tarquin, Nebuchadnezzar’s pride is legendary. He created a statue similar to the statue in his dream that predicted the fall of his empire—only instead of a head of gold, the entire image was gold. (See Daniel chapters 3 and 4.)

Nebuchadnezzar was claiming his kingdom would continue forever despite God’s revelation to the contrary. God gave him a dream warning of the consequences of his pride: “Your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field … till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:25).
Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar returned to his prideful ways, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built … for the honor of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). Only after spending seven years eating grass could Nebuchadnezzar recognize that “[God] does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth” (Daniel 4:35).

Nebuchadnezzar’s experience needn’t be our own. Though “God resists the proud,” He also “gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Just as Nebuchadnezzar needed to learn that God was in control of his kingdom, we need to learn to give God control of our lives. Let’s learn to echo Nebuchadnezzar’s prayer, as Jesus taught His disciples to do: “Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:19 

God bless

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

 

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

 

APPLE OF YOUR EYE

The human eye is one of the most fascinating and complex organs of the body. It is one of the many features of creation that has baffled evolutionists because of the intricate and interdependent way in which it functions. The dark hole in the middle of our eye is called the pupil. It is black because light entering inside is absorbed. Muscles surrounding the pupil can expand and contract to adjust the size of the hole, permitting more or less light to enter the eye—much like a camera aperture.

Proverbs 7 is another call to purity by Solomon and describes keeping God’s law as the “apple of your eye.” What does this mean? Generally, it speaks of someone (or something) that you cherish above all else. The original Hebrew idiom behind this phrase is literally translated “little man of the eye.” Some believe that it is a reference to the reflection you can see of yourself in someone else’s pupils. Others suggest “apple” was simply the translator’s creative description for what is simply “the dark spot” of the eye.
Whatever the exact origin of the phrase, what is clear to Solomon is that if we are to live a pure and holy life, then God’s law must be central in our thinking. When we allow impure thoughts and pictures to enter our pupils, it pollutes our thoughts. Solomon’s father, King David, allowed this to happen when looking upon Bathsheba. Instead of turning his eyes away, he permitted what he saw to set aside God’s law. It clouded his vision and led him into sin and a horrific train wreck of consequences.

When we keep God’s law as the apple of our eye, we meditate on His precepts and hold the commandments up before us. We not only read them, we also seek to live by them. The reflection of the law in our eyes can be seen by others. Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). Focus on the beauty of God’s law today and it will enlighten your eyes (Psalm 19:8).

Additional reading: Proverbs 7:1–12

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Proverbs 7:1-2 

 

God bless

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

 

WHY DID JOHN THE BAPTIST SAY THAT HE WAS NOT ELIJAH WHEN JESUS SAID THAT HE WAS?

I once read about a brilliant boy diagnosed with autism who has an IQ higher than Einstein had. Some have even called him “the new Einstein.” At only 14 years old, he was already working on a master’s degree in quantum physics. Of course, everyone knows this boy is not actually Albert Einstein, but rather that he shows traits similar to the German-born theoretical physicist.

Likewise, when the religious leaders asked John the Baptist if he was actually Elijah the prophet come down from heaven, the forerunner of Jesus plainly told them, “No.” So why did Jesus say of John, “If you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:14)? Here is how an angel explained to John’s father what his son would be like: “He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:16, 17, my emphasis).

The work of John the Baptist was just like that of Elijah. Facing a generation of Israelites who needed to turn back to God, both prophets spoke strong messages of rebuke, calling for people to repent and change their ways. John had traits very similar to the Old Testament prophet: Both spoke against fallen religious leaders; both challenged the status quo; and both rebuked the immorality of political leaders.
It was a popular belief in Christ’s time that Elijah would physically return to the earth. John was simply saying that he wasn’t a reincarnated or resurrected Elijah, while Christ was saying, “This man is the essence of the Elijah you are seeking.”

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he says, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. John 1:19-21 

God bless

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[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

UNIQUELY YOU

No doubt you’ve heard the American folk song that begins “Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play …” Contrary to these well-known lyrics, North America doesn’t have any antelope— but it does have the pronghorn. Although it is often called an antelope, the pronghorn is its own species, and they are unique in many ways. If you ever see a pronghorn on the prairie, you can be sure it saw you first.

Their exceptional eyes have a 320-degree field of vision and can pick up movement up to three miles away. Another defense mechanism is its speed. It can be argued that it is the fastest land mammal in the world. It can sprint 65 mph and can sustain a speed of 35 mph over rough terrain for miles!

The African cheetah, often called the fastest land mammal, can sprint over 70 mph—but only in short spurts. Over a long distance, there is no other land mammal that can match the pronghorn’s speed. In addition, when a herd of pronghorn must run, they do it in an oval-shaped formation, similar to a flock of birds. But while the pronghorn is a great runner, it is not a great jumper. When it encounters a fence, it ducks underneath!
Another unique feature of the pronghorn is its horn, which is neither an antler nor a true horn. True horns, like on a goat or cow, are made up of a living bone core surrounded by keratin. They are not shed annually and are often curved, but never branched. Antlers, on the other hand, are made of bone with a velvet coating, and they are shed annually and are branched. The horns of a pronghorn are a bit of both—they are made of bone surrounded by keratin like a true horn, but they are branched like an antler. In addition, the keratin covering is shed annually, which is something no other animal does.

God specializes in unique creations! Each species has its own quirks and oddities—and no person is just like another. God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you … I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). Can you imagine God carefully shaping each of us in our mother’s womb, giving each of us our own unique traits? Truly, we are His amazing creations!

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13 

God bless

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[Berean]

 

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.(2Chr.7:14)

 

Here is a song (in French, sorry) based on 2 Chronicle 7:14

 

God bless

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

ISN’T SALVATION BY KEEPING THE LAW THE WAY OF MOSES, WHILE GRACE CAME THROUGH JESUS?

The contrast presented in this verse was not meant to put down the law. After all, it was Christ who gave the law to Moses and who said that He came to “fulfill the law” (Matthew 5:17). Through the personal appearance of Jesus on the earth, through His life, death, and resurrection, the fullness of grace and truth was poured out onto our world.

The apostle John certainly does not mean that grace and truth didn’t exist before Christ came, but that the “fullness” of grace was revealed in Jesus. All of the laws and teachings in the Old Testament pointed forward to Christ. John uses superlative expressions like these to describe the coming of Jesus into the world: “glory,” “full of grace and truth” (verse 14), “His fullness,” “grace for grace” (v. 16). It was like twilight giving way to noonday brightness!

But note that grace has been in the world from the beginning. Paul speaks of “grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy 1:9). Jeremiah spoke of “grace in the wilderness” (Jeremiah 31:2). Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), and so did many other Old Testament characters.

The law served to lead men to salvation by faith in the Messiah. Notice Christ’s words to the disciples on the road to Emmaus: “ ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25–27).

But the fullness of grace appeared in the person of Jesus. The law revealed the will of God, but the grace and truth of Jesus gives the power to keep it. “Where sin abounded [exposed by the law], grace abounded much more” (Romans 5:20).

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17 

Blessings

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

 

THE LAST LIVING DRAGON

Flying dragons are prominent in many legends and stories from around the world. Often there is a kernel of truth in legends, and this appears to be the case with flying dragons. Paleontologists have found amazing fossil evidence all over the globe of giant flying reptiles called pterosaurs, or “winged lizards.” Pterosaurs were flying reptiles, some with a wingspan of around 40 feet. That’s about the size of a small Cessna airplane!

They appear to be the largest flying animals that ever lived on Earth. The biggest of the pterosaurs weighed around 550 pounds. By comparison, the heaviest flying bird alive today, a kori bustard, is only 44 pounds. The bones of a pterosaur were lightly built and hollow to aid with flight.

Pterosaurs often had necks as long as 10 feet and legs as tall as seven feet. To someone watching from the ground, the long legs trailing behind a flying pterosaur might have looked like a dragon’s pointed tail. Pterosaurs also had large brains and eyes, with a long, thin beak and toothless jaws.
On their heads were bony crests, which some believe acted as a rudder in flight. Other scientists have surmised that the hollow chambers in the skull could have contained chemicals like the bombardier beetle that sprayed a fiery liquid from their mouths. We can’t tell from the bones, but it is even possible that some of these extinct dragons were red.

Some of these creatures may have survived the flood. In the 5th century B.C. the Greek historian Herodotus wrote about “winged serpents” living in Arabia. But the Bible tells us that at least one dragon still exists today—the dragon also known as “the Devil and Satan” (Revelation 20:2).

While some people believe that the devil is just a religious legend, the Bible makes it quite clear that he not only exists, but seeks to “deceive the whole world” and destroy those “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:9, 17). But the devil is not left unchecked, nor will he prevail. After being bound for a thousand years, he too will become extinct: “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone” (Revelation 20:10).

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, Revelation 20:2 

God bless

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[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

CROCODILE EYES

Crocodiles are among the largest and longest-living reptiles on Earth. Just like a tree, they have growth rings in their scales. By counting these rings, scientists can tell the age of a crocodile and know that some males can live up to 70 and even 100 years. Female crocodiles rarely grow larger than 10 feet, but males can weigh over 2,000 pounds and measure over 20 feet in length. Like all reptiles, crocodiles are “cold-blooded” and must lie in the sun to get warm or laze in the water to cool down.

But, incredibly, they can also shut down or speed up blood flow to regulate their body temperature. A full-grown crocodile has a brain about the size of a walnut. Despite this they seem to be smart, learning how to quickly find prey. Powerful muscles snap the jaws closed when a crocodile grabs prey. Its jaws can open and shut, but cannot move from side to side. In other words, crocodiles cannot chew.

Saltwater crocodiles actually live in both salt water and fresh water and can swim for miles and stay underwater for up to 4 hours. A female crocodile will build a big compost nest, where she will lay up to 80 eggs. Amazingly, a baby crocodile’s gender is determined by how deeply the eggs are buried in the nest and the temperature. Unlike most reptiles, a female crocodile will defend its nest to the death from any animals. When the mother crocodile hears the babies hatching, she runs over to dig them out of the nest, and then carries her babies safely to the water in her mouth.
Crocodiles have three eyelids: two leathery, protective eyelids and one clear or translucent one. They also have very good vision and can see almost 180 degrees. But in spite of this they can’t see anything below their nose.

Like the crocodile, some people are blind to obvious truth right under their noses. Jesus explained this to His disciples regarding His parables. The hardhearted religious leaders did not want to hear truth. Christ said, “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). When our hearts are seeking to obey the Lord we will be able to see truth, even when it’s right under our nose.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. John 9:39 

 

God bless

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

[Berean]

Here is the Daily Devotional

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT SOME SINS LEAD TO DEATH AND OTHERS DON’T?

All sin leads to death (Romans 6:23). And since “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), we are all doomed to eternal death. Yet Jesus provided a way out by offering His perfect life in exchange for our sinful lives.

Part of receiving Christ as our Savior is to repent. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). We also must confess. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Notice the context of 1 John 5:16: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14, 15).
If we see someone struggling in sin and prayerfully lead that person to God’s throne of grace, we know that person will be forgiven. But if a person adamantly refuses to listen to God or one of God’s representatives, the Lord will not forgive him. We cannot ask God to forgive another on their behalf. They must themselves confess and repent of their sin.

God respects a person’s choice and will not force someone to accept Jesus. When a person continues to turn from the wooing of the Holy Spirit, they are in danger of committing the unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:31). While we should continue to pray for all those we love, not knowing whether they have reached this point, we cannot prevent others from sin leading to death if that is their final choice.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 1 John 5:16 

God bless

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

 

[Berean]

salut à tous ☀️

 

Voici la dévotion quotidienne

CONCENTRER

Chaque jour, vous êtes bombardé de milliards de bits d’entrées sensorielles, dont vous ignorez la plupart. Si vous essayiez de vous concentrer sur chaque son, bruit, lumière, image, mot, odeur et conversation qui vous arrivait, vous deviendriez fou. Vous avez été créé avec un système de filtrage spécial dans votre cerveau appelé le système d’activation réticulaire (RAS), qui vous permet de vous concentrer sur ce qui est le plus important. Imaginez-vous marchant dans un aéroport très fréquenté.

Il y a des centaines de personnes qui passent devant vous, beaucoup de bruit à cause des conversations, des annonces faites par haut-parleurs, des avions à réaction qui décollent, des lumières clignotantes, des petites boutiques faisant la publicité de leurs produits et de petits restaurants avec une odeur de nourriture qui flotte. Combien de cela remarquez-vous? Probablement pas grand-chose, surtout si vous êtes concentré sur votre objectif. Soudain, sur le système de sonorisation, votre nom est annoncé. Au milieu de tout ce bruit et de cette confusion, votre cerveau capte cette information. Comment peut-il faire cela ?

Grâce à un faisceau de nerfs de la taille de votre doigt qui s’étend de votre moelle épinière supérieure profondément dans votre tronc cérébral, Dieu vous a créé avec un secrétaire interne qui aide à filtrer des millions de bits d’informations qui vous parviennent à tout moment. Le RAS vous aide à être éveillé, à vous concentrer et à vous fixer des objectifs. Lorsque vous décidez que vous devez vous rendre à une certaine destination, cette partie de votre cerveau vous aide à rester sur la bonne voie. Il est également réglé sur les «drapeaux rouges» ou les entrées «danger» qui attirent votre attention et vous protègent.
Le Seigneur nous a donné la capacité d’apprendre à nous concentrer sur ce qui est le plus important. Nous ne sommes pas des victimes impuissantes de notre environnement. Nous pouvons choisir de penser aux bonnes choses. Paul écrit à ce sujet lorsqu’il dit : « Enfin, frères, tout ce qui est vrai, tout ce qui est noble, tout ce qui est juste, tout ce qui est pur, tout ce qui est beau, tout ce qui est de bon rapport, s’il y a quelque vertu et s’il y a quelque chose de louable, méditez sur ces choses » (Philippiens 4:8).

Le diable a beaucoup de stimuli à vous envoyer aujourd’hui. Sur quoi allez-vous vous concentrer ?
TEXTES BIBLIQUES CLÉS
Ces choses que vous avez apprises, reçues, entendues et vues en moi, faites-les, et le Dieu de paix sera avec vous. Philippiens 4:9 

Dieu vous protège

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

 

[Berean]

Hi to all

Here is the Daily Devotional

HOW CAN THE LORD SAY, “I NEVER KNEW YOU” WHEN HE KNOWS EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING?

In these verses, God is referring to knowing someone as a personal friend. We get to know Him as a friend when we talk with Him daily, read His words, follow Him gladly, and freely share with Him our joys and sorrows as with an earthly friend. Jesus also says, “You are my friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14). If we truly love Jesus, we will keep His commandments.

The people being addressed in Matthew 7:22 have rejected His Holy Spirit. They have embraced a theology of salvation in sin or salvation by works—neither of which needs Jesus. They are self-made people who did not take time to become acquainted with Jesus, even though they appeared to be doing His work.

Jesus doesn’t argue the fact that they performed many works in His name, maybe even miracles. It is possible to do good works and still lose out on salvation in the end. In this Scripture, He explains that He did not really get acquainted with them or know them as personal friends. These people were never converted and never placed their trust in His grace to save them.
Also, if we don’t know Jesus as a personal friend, if we are not working out of love for Him, our motives will be skewed. We could be doing works out of pride or envy, or possibly working from a belief or hope that we can earn our own salvation. Either pathway is wrong.

God wants us to have a special relationship of friendship, trust, and love. Then good works will flow naturally out of our intense love for our Redeemer and our desire to please Him.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:22-23  

 

God bless

https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional

 

 

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