Christian Family Services Ministry

2-22-2021 – A Word to the Wise – ON SIN

I want to address a type of sexual sin that is rarely addressed, and a consequence that goes with it. I give this forewarning so some who want to avoid thinking about it, will be able too.

I will address only one of this class of sins but the results are the same for the whole class. The scripture reference is Leviticus 18 and all of the examples fall into the same category.

Now I will address a biblical incident in the light of the Leviticus passage and it will clear up the interpretation of a long standing incident.

In Genesis 9 we read of this incident, but let me retell it and see if it makes more senses.

A couple of years after Noah left the Ark he planted a wine vineyard. He got good and drunk one afternoon and passed out.

His wife, we do not even know her name, was overcome with sexual desire and standing at the door of her tent which was next to her husbands, was only partially dressed.

Ham was passing by and she invited Ham in, undressed and proceeded to have sex with him. When finished as he was leaving she told him to tell Shem and Japheth of the good time he had and invited them in as well.

Ham did tell them of his adventure, both boys were shocked, went to her tent with a blanket not even looking at her, covered her up and left.

Ham’s sin is classified as ‘uncovering the nakedness of his father’.

As you look at Leviticus 18, this whole class of sin is addressed. What is of great interest is verses 19-23. Apparently this class of sin is equated and in the end the same as devoting self, and the result, to the evil god Moleck. Ultimately such newborns were offered as living burnt sacrifices to Moleck.

But read that whole section look at this whole class of sin which scripture sees as similar.

Noah understood this about his nameless wife, and the child Canaan became representative of the consequence. As always you are free to disagree about the example, or even the interpretation as applying to the example.

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2-19-2021 – A Word to the Wise – Our help is in the Lord, if the Lord who was on my side….. February 14, 2021

I am diabetic, I use insulin and have for over 30 years. As was usual I checked my level on my G6 before bed, it was high, I injected insulin, however there is a problem, the needle bent unknown to me until I looked down saw that it had bent and the insulin not been injected so I supposed. I redid it.

Went to bed. At 2 am. The Lord woke me up. Get up. “Look at your G6. It showed 140 B/S, ok no problem. Look at it again. The arrow showed straight down it was dropping fast. I had doubled the amount of insulin. I knew immediately.

I quickly drank 32 oz. of milk, no impact, 32 oz of juice, now it had hit 100 still straight

down. I got Lisa and Mary up it was now 70 still dropping the G6 alarms went off. Downed 15 dextrose tablets. What to do the roads were iced over Lisa said the device estimated 15 more minutes, and now at 55 B/S. Then 50……

If the Lord had not got me up when He did, even 5 minutes it would have been too late to do anything. There had been no warning symptoms, only the Lord. Our help is in the Lord. Has the Lord ever rescued you?

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2-3-2021 – A Word to the Wise – I WANT TO ADDRESS RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS THAT OFTEN OCCUR:

To be direct discussing the difficulty will bring to light many examples from every person’s life. My examples come from dealing with a Server, while I am an Exhorter. But this occurs between any two individuals who do not have the same gift. That does not imply one should marry a person that has the same gift for that creates even more severe problems.

First, I will give and example out of my life, but it is only an example, you the reader will immediately have your own examples and the mistakes you encounter in much the same manner that I have.

Some of these examples will sound astoundingly ‘dumb’ but that only reflects the degree it might affect a relationship.

In the 9th grade I was required to take Algebra. Almost from the first day a term was used that I could not comprehend which led to a failure in the class twice. In fact twenty years later the Lord gave me a problem to solve which required a knowledge of Algebra. I did the assignment and the result was astounding.

I know this is going to sound ignorant on my part you will laugh until you understand the same thing has happened with you.

The word was ‘set’ that term reflects an important process in Algebra. I still do not understand the concept sixty years later. Do not laugh and try to ‘educate’ me. That is not the point.

Let me give you some examples that others have difficulties with. Almost universally Prophets do not understand paradox. It does not compute to them. The rest of us find it simple. We often find examples of paradox in scripture. Example Mark 1:40ff.

The Server does not process emotions (in fact several of the gifts have this problem) so when one of the emotional gifts encounter this difficulty it seems incomprehensible.

A book was written several years ago with the theme that some people have emotional IQ’s approaching zero. I concur.

Example, when you say love to a Server, it means action, do something. With a Mercy it means feel something. In real life the Mercy, and Exhorter find it impossible to bridge the gap for the physical gifts when discussing a feeling.

Starting to see the complexity of the problem? An example from my marriage. Do not mention this to my wife it would be like talking to me about ‘sets’ or a Prophet about paradox.

On second thought I better not tell the story I can just hear you laughing about it and calling her and she would be devastated. (I have managed to be married 57 years by keeping silent at times.)

But that shows you how deeply we may be affected by what others consider a problem easy to solve. These situations are not easy and in fact have been the root cause of many marital break ups.

As a counselor it has led to giving strange unusual odd, weird projects for clients to do. Years ago I encountered such a difficulty with a person and gave them a very simple task. They trusted me, did what I ask and after doing it they understood. (Since this person has a sense of humor and I would rather you laugh at them than me the assignment was to go to church barefooted! They did not understand why, but did it and it help solve the problem.

“See that was so much easier than telling my embarrassing moment.” However, if when that person looks back and sees the difference between what they were and what they are they would be astounded that such a simple task led to major relational changes.

My dilemma at this point is to give more serious examples of these type roadblocks caused by these situations, or just leave it for you to see it in your own relationships.

After consideration I have an example. I was raised in a situation that required that you wash clothes and then hang them outside to dry, after all it is free. My daughter thinks I am crazy, (and the HOA agrees they outlaw outdoor cloth lines) my wife has a different solution. She puts them in a dryer until they are 85% dry then hangs damp clothes on door knobs, chairs and other objects to finishing drying. None of the three of us comprehend the strange behavior of the other and any attempt to confront the odd behavior leads to a major battle.

Our purpose here is say all of us do and say things that may not make sense to others. It requires compassion and empathy on the part of each one of us when living with others.

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2-1-2021 – A Word for the Wise – Seven things occur in the realm of the intellect, which affect anger: ON ANGER

1. A person has to decide not to give oneself permission to get angry. Anger is predicated on a willful decision. This decision may be made in an instant of time, in days, or even years. Even as young children when hurt or disappointed, we struggle with the decision whether to be angry and act out or not.

2. The mind must choose to take responsibility for its anger. Even if the other party is 99.9% at fault for an offense, we must take full responsibility for our anger and its expression.

3. One must choose to see anger through the eyes of the one offended. Usually we excuse our anger, failing to feel what the other person sees and feels by our acting out. We detach ourselves from the pain we cause. We must choose to see, hear, and feel the results of our anger.

4. One should search for past offenses, which are similar to those in childhood. Situations, which were never resolved, and that are re-experienced or re-enacted in the present with attitudes, or behaviors, like those in the past.

5. Anger is often an indicator of past guilt over offenses towards others. Our anger is reminiscent of these sins.

6. Forbearance is a characteristic, which powerfully affects the angry mind. Scripture tells us to be slow to speak. Forbearance with others acts out this biblical injunction and stems the angry tide.

7. The chief trait, however, that protects the mind from the type of activity which leads to or breeds anger, is the quality of humility. Humbling one’s self removes the breeding ground for anger.

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