Dr. David Jeremiah Presents
Living inthe Ageof Signs
Online Destination
Living in the Age of Signs
Online Destination
Sign 2
Do Not Grieve
Today’s Audio Devotion:
Do Not Grieve
Everyone knows what it feels like to experience grief or pain and to inflict grief or pain on another person. Ephesians 4:30 is an important verse about the Holy Spirit being a person rather than an impersonal force. Only a person can be grieved.
To determine what can grieve the Holy Spirit, we only need to read the verses surrounding Ephesians 4:30. Paul warns against unwholesome speech (verse 29) and actions such as bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice (verse 31, NIV). Instead, we are to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving toward others as God is toward us (verse 32). So acting in a carnal or sinful way can grieve the Holy Spirit, but acting like God—being “imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1)—will please the Holy Spirit. What should we do when we know we have grieved the Spirit? We must confess our sin and receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).
Don’t delay confession when you realize you have sinned and grieved the Spirit. It is the only way to continue to experience His filling.
We may grieve the Spirit as truly by not joyfully acknowledging His wonders as by not praying to Him.
Robert Murray M’Cheyne
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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).