Dr. David Jeremiah Presents
Living inthe Ageof Signs
Online Destination
Living in the Age of Signs
Online Destination
Sign 2
NOEL—Ways to Celebrate the Season: Love and Laughter
Today’s Audio Devotion:
NOEL—Ways to Celebrate the Season: Love and Laughter
Comedian Milton Berle said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” As we come to the last letter of our NOEL acronym, let’s use love and laughter for L. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul bragged on the people for their “labor of love” (1:3). He said their love was good news to him (3:6). Then he prayed for their love to “increase and abound” (3:12). He said God had taught them to love one another (4:9) and that they should do so more and more (4:10).
We love our friends and families, despite all the ups and downs that come with close and sometimes complicated relationships. The Lord teaches us how to love one another. Let’s do so more and more. Let’s display our love with laughter. Not hurtful, sarcastic laughter, but the laughter of fun and fellowship. Especially at Christmas. The people in Psalm 126:2 said, “We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them’” (NLT).
Let your love and laughter be contagious this season.
If God is God…then laughter fits life.
Charles Swindoll
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Some 2,600 years ago, God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream. In this dream, the king saw a five–part statue made of five different metals (see Daniel 2). Each section represented an empire, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. Four of these empires have already risen and fallen in history—a clear fulfillment of Daniel's prophetic interpretation. The fifth and final empire indicates a future Europe—a ten nation coalition that will unite under the Antichrist's rule.
You can read about the King's dream and Daniel's interpretation in Daniel 2, but let's take a quick visual look at what you will find:
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King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon
Daniel's words to the king are clear. "You are this head of gold" (Daniel 2:37–38).
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Medo–Persian Empire
The Medo–Persian Empire conquered Babylon in 539 BC and remained in power for approximately two hundred years (Daniel 5:28).
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Grecian Empire
Greece's Empire succeeded the Medo–Persians (Daniel 8:21).
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Roman Empire
When the Grecian empire was conquered by Rome, all the lands and peoples of the previous kingdoms were assimilated into the Roman Empire through the strengths of the "iron legions of Rome" (Daniel 2:40).
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Future European Coalition
This empire has not yet risen. Daniel foretells a time when the Roman Empire—Europe—will consist of ten kingdoms or leaders. The future Roman Empire will be present on the earth when God sets up His earthly kingdom (Daniel 2:44).