Bondage & Generational Curses

(Leviticus 18) Is a good chapter for us to read. It gives us a clear picture of God’s love for us, for the bondage that sin can bring into our lives, and for the destruction that can come about as a result of aligning ourselves with the wrong people and things. The chapter covers sexual laws.

Egypt, remember, represents idol worship, exaltation against God, and slavery, or bondage and affliction; even murder. The Egyptians worshipped many false gods. Pharaoh was considered a god. And, the Israelites were not really the only ones who were enslaved by them. Nubians and Libyans were enslaved by them as well. There were three types of enslavement in Ancient Egypt: Chattel slavery, bonded labor, and forced labor. There’s a great bit of information on it in wikipedia . Chattel included human beings that were owned. Bonded labor is a person given into slavery as security against a loan, or other debt. Forced labor is any work relation in which people are forced to work for free against their will. Today’s greatest forced labor happens in the human sex trafficking arena. Now we have a little background on bondage and slavery.

In (Verses 1-5), the LORD tells us that we are not to do the things they do in Egypt, or in Canaan. We are not to follow their statutes. We are to follow the LORD’s. “You shall follow my rules (or, just decrees), and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” The really important part in that statement is that if we do them, we will live; because by them we will live. That tells us that by not doing them, we will bring about death in our lives. If you read about what modern researchers have discovered about the ancient Egyptians, you can see they married their own sisters and brothers, and had all kinds of infirmities and health problems as a result. The first thing the LORD says, in (verse 6), is “None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the Lord.” He then goes into more detail about exactly what He means by this.

(Verse 21) “You shall not give any of your children to offer them(make them pass through the fire) to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.” This has to do with human sacrifice, with murder of their children. Molech was a Canaanite deity; a false god. They sacrificed their children to him to appease him.

(Verses 22-23) “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.” In (verses 24-30) the LORD talks about the land becoming polluted by these practices, and vomiting the people who practiced those things out. We can see by that, why He will make a new earth and new heavens. The word abomination is defined as something causing shame, disgrace, disgust, and hatred. The word perversion is defined as distortion, misrepresentation, deviance, and falsification. Google, using Oxford Languages dictionary

When we look at the destruction that adultery and child molestation causes, we can see how these things can become generational curses. Thankfully, we have laws that protect children from abuse. And, today we have interventional therapies and counseling available to help victims to heal and overcome their past. When we live the way God wants us to live, we will have better lives; because that sort of destruction will not be part of our lives. Jesus is the truth, the way, and the life; just like the LORD, God Almighty is.

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Saturday Silly-March 18, 2023

OMG! I have to tell you about my Naked Juice experience. I bought some recently, and enjoyed it tremendously, by the way. But, I hadn’t realized that it was a blend of juices; one of them being carrot juice. I was pleasantly surprised, but, oh my goodness…I thought to myself, “you know, this stuff might be too potent for a little old lady like myself. What if it gives me x-ray vision? I really don’t think that I want to see that well in today’s world.

I went to bed later that evening…Suddenly, I saw myself drinking that Naked Juice drink again. The next thing I knew, there I was, in church on Sunday morning. I was on the phone with the police because I thought someone had stolen my pants. You see, there I was in front of the mirror in the ladies room, and I was naked from the waist down. AAGGGHH! Hmm, I could swear I heard some muffled snickering and laughter coming from Heaven…Jesus…was that you funning me?!

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Atonement & Sabbath Rest

(Leviticus 16:29-34) “And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever. And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” And Aaron did as the LORD commanded Moses. ** That word “afflict” in this passage means “fast.”

(Romans 3:20-26) tells us that the shed blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, has made atonement for once and for all time, for all men.

In (Isaiah 58), the LORD speaks clearly to us about true fasting, and the Sabbath. Jesus talks about fasting in (Matt. 6:16-18). And, this is in keeping with what he tells us in (John 4:24) –“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The Israelite priests made atonement for the people once a year. But, through Christ Jesus we can come boldly to the throne of grace, because He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins when we confess them to Him. There’s a good reason to do that, and ask His forgiveness, just as soon as we know we’ve sinned. None of us knows when our last breath will be taken; nor, when our last moments on Earth will be. I’d rather enter the gates of Heaven rejoicing than mourning an unconfessed sin. I’ve found that it also helps to slow me down, and keep me from that sin as well. Another thing that helps is to immediately make it right. The practice of making it right gets us in the habit of doing it right in the first place. And, that’s where the Sabbath rest comes into play. Your spirit truly can be at peace then, because you’ve made peace with the LORD. (Psalm 51:5) (1John 1:9)

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Think It Through

(Leviticus 10:8-10) “Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”

I’m not Jewish, so I’m not going into the regulations for the sacrifices and offerings that God outlined for the priests. However, according to (1Peter 2:9), we are considered to be a “Royal Priesthood” by the LORD. This is why the passage of scriptures above stands out for me. I believe, first, because the sacrament (the body and blood of Christ Jesus)is holy, we should not come to church drunk or high on anything. Secondly, your ability to understand, and learn anything in that condition is hampered. Wouldn’t you rather be able?

The part about distinguishing between the holy and the common, the clean and unclean is the important part for us on a daily basis. I can remember my grandmother, and my mother, telling me, “We don’t do that; we do this.” My aunt would always say, “nice girls don’t do that.” It comes down to being different from the “world”; set apart by our standard(s) and boundaries. God made his standard and boundaries very clear in (Leviticus 10). In (Philippians 4:8) Paul says to us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” That is God’s standard. If you look at the “world”, there really don’t seem to be a lot of boundaries. More and more, “anything goes,” is the prevailing attitude. We have to realize that our actions do not just affect us. They have the power to affect others; and on a large scale. It comes down to being mindful and thinking ahead; thinking things through.

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Wash Your Hands & Feet First

(Exodus 38:8) “He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.”

The bronze basin was set outside, between the tabernacle door and the altar of burnt offering, for Aaron and the priests to wash their hands and feet before making a sacrifice. There are a couple of things that come to mind when I read this passage. First, it tells me that we are to be clean when we present ourselves to the LORD. It’s a good reason to confess and ask the LORD for forgiveness, before we offer up that sacrifice of praise in church on Sunday morning. King David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me .” (Psalm 51:10) I don’t even want to begin to try to count the trips, slips, and stumbles my feet may have made during the week; not even during the day. Thank God, my hands are not as dirty as they could be-because He’s the One who’s kept me from doing some of the stuff I’d like to do. But, then, thinking it, or saying it, is just like doing it. It’s in the heart; so it needs to go! Thankfully, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess our sins to Him. (Matt. 5:8)

The second thing I think about is the bronze mirrors of the ministering women, who ministered at the entrance of the tent of meeting. This tells me that we need to minister to one another; and, in such ways that help us to see when we err, and still reflect back to us the image the Lord created us to have. That holds true for the menfolk, as well. We all need to remember that we all are brothers and sisters in the Lord. (James 5:7-9) (1Thess. 5:11) (Hebrews 10:25) (Romans 14:19) (Romans 15:14)

Finally, I think about Jesus at the last supper. He said, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” (John 13:8)

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Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, March 14, 2023, 11:19 a.m.

Laodicea, He Loves! Even You!

(Revelation 3:14-22) (ESV) gives us the Lord’s message to the church at Laodicea. These people became wealthy, and began to trust in their wealth, thinking they needed nothing more. Basically, that’s an attitude of arrogance and exaltation against the LORD. He is the one from whom all things come. If it weren’t for God, you wouldn’t even take your first breath. They were neither hot nor cold when it comes to the things of God. They also apparently had the attitude that they were better than others; untouchable. The story of the rich farmer comes to mind when I read this passage. (Luke 12:16-21)

The Lord makes His feelings about their behavior and attitudes very clear to them. When I read that He will spit them out of his mouth, I have to think about the sacrament. The bread and the wine represent Jesus body, broken for us (torment), and His blood shed for us (death). (Luke 22:19-20) (Luke 16:19-31) Now, imagine your reaction if you found out that none of the Gospels were true; and, that Jesus was a lie. Wouldn’t your instinct be to spew that bread and wine out of your mouth? Thank God, and praise Him; it’s all true! And, it proves itself daily. They say that truth is self-evident. Thank you, Jesus! And, thank you, Heavenly Father, for your Son! (John 3:16-17)

(Rev. 3:17-22) “You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

That song, “Blinded by the light,” comes to mind. We can look so long and so hard at what “we’ve done, we’ve gotten, we’ve achieved” (our own light), that we blind ourselves to truth and reality. Our loving Lord admonishes us, helps us to see clearly, and correct our attitudes and actions. To truly reign, or rule, a king or queen must know compassion and humility. I think about King David and Mephibosheth. (2Sam. 9)

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Philadelphia’s What I Want To Be

(Revelation 3:8-13) this message is to the church at Philadelphia. (3:8) “Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” In (John 10:9), Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture.” That’s pretty clear in regard to who can keep us from the Word of God, and from the things of God. It’s also an admonition to keep His Word, and hold fast His Name. Jesus tells us that those who are of the “Synagogue of Satan,” who had apparently been persecuting the church, will be made to bow at our feet.

Verse 10 tells us the we will escape the “hour of testing” that’s about to come on the whole world. That tells us that some definitely will be left behind during the tribulation. (John 16:2) (Daniel 11:33) (Matt. 24:9)

In Verse 12, we’re told that those who overcome will be made a pillar in the temple of God, and that God’s Name, Jesus’ new Name, and the name of the new Jerusalem will be written on those overcomers. (Proverbs 9:1-6) comes to mind. “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she also has set her table. She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in town, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” (Rev. 21:1-7)

The church at Philadelphia and the church at Smyrna are the only two against whom Jesus didn’t have a complaint. When we think about tribulation and persecution, it’s easy to give in to fear. But, Jesus warned us that we would have tribulation; and, we do. Even the peer pressure in school can be an excruciatingly painful experience for some. But, Jesus also told us to take heart, and rejoice; because He has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

In (Romans 8:38), Paul tells us “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And, that is what it’s all about! Know that you know, that you know, that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. And, nothing can keep us from Him, because He’s with us always via the Holy Spirit.

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C’Mon Sardis, You Can Do It!

(Revelation 3:1-6) (ESV) Jesus is speaking to the church at Sardis in this passage of scripture. His complaint is that they look alive, but are really dead. When I read this, I think about the term , “the frozen chosen.” Some people go through the motions, but are not really connected to their actions. I was reminded of my early days in my faith. I didn’t really understand God’s Word with my heart. I tried to see the logic in it. God doesn’t always make sense. “Turn the other cheek? What”!! Surely that can’t be what you mean, Lord.” (Matt. 13:3-9)

More than anything else, though, what hindered me in my faith was not knowing Jesus’ heart. Jesus was not a wimpy, wishy-washy, little preacher. Jesus came in authority, and with authority. He knew who, and whose, He was; and, still is today. The more time we spend in the Word of God, and especially in the Gospels, the more of Jesus nature we discover. We begin to see more clearly what His whole purpose is. He said that He came to save the world; not to condemn it. Saving us from the confusion, trepidation, and fear that false teaching and “cultism” causes, and the frustration of the futility of trying and failing to “live up” to unreal expectations, is what God’s written Word, and Jesus Christ, our Lord, are able to do. That’s why it is so important to spend time with the Lord; in prayer, praise and worship, and in study of the Word. (John 10:9-16) (2Cor. 11:14)

Jesus warns that He will come like a thief in the night when He comes against those Sardinians. That’s an interesting statement. At night is when one least expects company; and it’s certainly a bad time for something bad to happen. Apparently, there were also some who had “soiled their garments.” This is suggestive of them mingling their faith with idolatry, and committing sins against the LORD. (Matt. 24:43-45)

This makes me think of the Saturday night party-hardy girl, and the Sunday morning choir girl. Often times, we make the transition into that new life harder than it has to be. It comes down to making that choice, and running right to the Lord for help when we need the strength to stick with it. That’s a matter of growing up into the authority and power Jesus means for us to have. Nowadays, the devil gets rebuked in Jesus’ Name. (Acts 19:11) (Acts 8:7) (Mark 16:17)

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Saturday Silly-March 11, 2023

Hey, Sis, how’s the search for a house going,” the caller asked. The two sisters had decided to purchase and share a home together. “Well, I haven’t really found anything interesting this morning,” replied the first sister. “What are you doing,” she asked the caller. “I just got off the bus because I spotted some of those large landscaping rocks. They’re for rent; can you believe it?” “Really,” replied the first sister; “why would someone rent out landscaping rocks?” “Well, that I won’t know until I call the number on the sign,” replied the caller. “I went up to the house behind the rocks, thinking the residents there were the ones renting the rocks out… but the house was vacant.”

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Be Careful, Little Eyes & Ears

(Revelation 2:19-29) (ESV) “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule* (shepherd) them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Jezebel was a Sidonian princess, who married Ahab. She and Ahab instituted the worship of Baal and Asherah on a national scale. The whole nation of Israel was involved in this. God is very clear about idolatry, sexual immorality, and child sacrifice. They were going up to the “high places” and committing all kinds of sexually immoral acts in their orgies. They were also eating food sacrificed to idols. (Jer. 7:18-19) Not only was she an idol worshipper, but Jezebel also set out to destroy any of her competition, including the prophet of God.

When God speaks of those who commit adultery with her, He’s telling us that we cannot eat from the table of the LORD, and then also from the table of demons, or idolaters. He’s very clear about the consequences. We will reap what we sow. (Matt. 6:24) (1Cor. 10:21)

The Lord makes mention of the “deep things of Satan,” here; which causes me to think about Satan worshippers, as well. But, this obviously tells us that idolatry is a ploy of Satan’s; and is just as dangerous. If we look a little more closely, we can see that this is a warning to us, as well. You can’t get into idolatry and not encounter, at some point, even darker and more ungodly and Satanic things. Do you really want to go there?! We have to be very careful, and discern the truth correctly. What seems harmless at first, can be fatal in the end.

Those of us who hold fast and conquer that evil will be given authority over the nations; to shepherd them. This is a picture for us, of what a true king/queen really is and does. There are different opinions on what the morning star in this passage of scripture is. But, Jesus calls Himself the bright morning star, in (Rev. 22:16) The divine nature is that one which has mastered both good and evil. I believe it does have to do with the Divine Nature of Christ Jesus.

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