TOXIC TRIO

TOXIC TRIO

I used to follow some of the teaching ministries of the megachurches until I realized I wasn’t getting the results they promised. After studying the Bible on some of the major demons, I could see that some of these mega preachers were operating under the influence of what I call the toxic trio: Leviathan, Jezebel, and Balaam. Leviathan is the father of pride and is like a snake; Jezebel is a charming spirit, and Balaam manipulates for money. I saw these demon spirits clearly in the megachurch set-up, but you will see them in many other categories of life as well.

 

Job 41 tells us many characteristics of Leviathan. A Leviathan spirit is arrogant. And sometimes Leviathan is called a snake. A snake can be very quiet and a master of camouflage. I’ve come upon rattlesnakes a few times and not known they were there until I was right up on them!

 

Sometimes the term “Leviathan” is translated “crocodile.” I watched crocodiles when I lived in Africa. They appeared slow moving, lying on the water’s edge or napping in the grass. Then when they see something, they can move amazingly fast! In a movie, I watched one crocodile barely raise his eyelids to get focused on the exact position of a young wildebeest on the far bank. Then with a sharp whiplash of the tail, he slid his reptilian body into the water. He was hidden for a time underwater as he crossed, then with a violent thrashing, he launched with unbelievable power, up out of the river, his open mouth dripping water. Then with a sharp snap, he closed down on the wildebeest’s leg. The crocodile pulled the struggling beast into the muddy water then began to roll, over and over until the wildebeest’s leg twisted off and tore away from its body. That’s gruesome, but a leviathan spirit is just that gruesome when it targets one of us.

 

A Leviathan spirit loves to be in a position of authority, telling his or her version of truth. When we look closer, we see that the truth has been perverted and twisted in some way. They make something sound kind of true, but there’s always a vicious motive, and often a lying spirit is a Leviathan’s companion. The Leviathan’s motive is to tear people up and abuse them without the victims even knowing it. They also work to tear up the body of Christ, humiliating some people, and praising others, all to split us up.

 

Some of the most pious-looking, soft-spoken, likable preachers are not as humble as they might seem. They convince themselves that they are right. Pride blinds them from being able to take correction from their fellow Christians, and they think they are above the law. They become unbudgeable.

 

Job 41:15-17 says: “His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.”

 

Job 41:33-34 says the spirit of Leviathan “is made without fear. He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.”

 

Isaiah 27:1 says: “In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent.”

 

We see that a Leviathan spirit has a big ego and feels that he or she is beyond reproach. But to entice followers in the church, a Leviathan spirit often collaborates with a Jezebel spirit, the smooth-tongued, delightful, charming spirit. Jezebel is oh so convincing. In a man or a woman, the Jezebel spirit is the one who promises the world. “Follow me, and I will give you everything your heart desires.” A Jezebel tells you he or she has all the answers and that pleasures await if you will just follow.

 

In 1 Kings 21, Jezebel saw that her husband was sad. He had a problem, and she was going to be his savior to get that problem solved. 

 

“Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, ‘Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?’

 

“And he said unto her, ‘Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it:’ and he answered, ‘I will not give thee my vineyard.’

 

“And Jezebel his wife said unto him, ‘Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite’” (vv. 5-7).

 

The thing Jezebel didn’t tell her husband is that she planned to kill Naboth to get the vineyard! People operating under a Jezebel spirit are usually delightful in public, but horrific when you get to know how they really operate. They will tell you they will get you prosperity, long life, and many blessings, but they neglect to tell you what they have done to get your attention in the first place and that the prize is not what you think it is. Remember, this spirit of Jezebel works in social categories, businesses, health institutions, and so many other areas besides the religious organizations.

 

Then there’s the spirit of Balaam. Balaam would do just about anything for money. In Old Testament times, people paid the prophets to speak what they, the people, wanted to hear. People under the spirit of Balaam do the same thing today. In Numbers 22, we see where King Balak wanted Balaam to condemn the Israelites. Balak sent his men with money for the message they wanted to hear. Balaam was a God-fearing man so he prayed to God about what he should do.

 

Balaam was not a bad person. But money got the best of him. He tried his best to wait on God, but he slipped up. God told Balaam, “IF” the messengers came back in the morning, he could go with them. But Balaam was already counting his gold. Instead of waiting for the messengers, he conveniently left out the “if” and jumped up and went with them, seeking the money above the will of God.

 

Leviathan is a power-monger, twisting the truth for it’s own pleasure, which is to tear apart and devour all that is godly. Jezebel entices people by promising great things. Balaam’s priorities are money and celebrity. The TOXIC TRIO, Leviathan, Jezebel, and Balaam bring more than triple trouble to the world today. But we can spot them, and God promises that they will be taken down, and we can be a part of it.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

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HOW TO DEAL WITH LOSS

HOW TO DEAL WITH LOSS

Several years ago, we hit hard times and had to cut down expenses. I cut back our TV service, which meant we lost all the sports channels. My roommate Jane said, “Carolyn, I gotta tell you, I’m really having a problem with this. I miss not having baseball.” At that moment, I realized that the loss of anything is like the death of it and as long as we live on this earth, grief and loss are realities. So how can we deal with them in the most positive way?

 

Trying to ignore the loss of someone or something is just as devastating as letting ourselves get overwhelmed by it. It’s better to face the loss head-on and admit to it. We especially need to acknowledge our emotional reactions, speaking them out loud, even writing them down, to answer the question, “How do I really feel about all this?” Most people know we need to give the grieving process time before we can move on.

 

Sorrow is universal. There’s plenty of studies on it, but still much to be learned about how it works, how long it takes, and the effects it has on a person. The one thing we do know is that it’s a process and it varies with situations and people.

 

We can see from the Bible different examples of grieving. Signs included tearing one’s robe, weeping, having disheveled hair, putting dust and ashes into one’s hair or shaving the hair or beard. Other indications of sorrow included wearing black or sad-colored clothing, removal of ornaments or neglect of person, fasting or abstinence in meat or drink, and wearing sackcloth. Sackcloth was made of goat or camel hair and was course and uncomfortable.

 

All of these reactions are manifestations on the outer man, of what is being felt on the inside. One Bible dictionary said that men were generally more silent in grief and women more vocal and demonstrative.

 

The grieving process hasn’t really changed much over the years. Just one example I can think of is female friends who’ve done something to change the style or color of their hair after a divorce. I don’t know if it’s even a conscious decision or an extension of the inward, inherent grief reaction.

 

In the Bible, the days of mourning also varied. In the case of Jacob, it was 70 days (Gen. 50:3). In Saul’s case, only 7 days (1 Sam. 31:13). In Moses’ time, the official period of grief was 30 days.

 

For everyone, there comes a time when the major grieving must discontinue, not the memory but the extended deep sorrow and negative effects on everyday life.

 

When Moses died and the allowable 30 days was over, God told Joshua it was time for him to get up and get going. I think that a lot of times we need someone with insight to help us get going too, to wake us up out of our grief and get us to move on before the sorrow destroys us or makes us someone nobody wants to be around.

 

I know I needed a push when my dog Spike passed away. I was so sad I couldn’t see getting a new dog and had convinced myself that I couldn’t get one because of our old cat. My friend Miki kept pestering me with pictures of rescue dogs that needed homes, and I kept pushing the idea away. Then, my roommate, Jane, rescued an abandoned starving chihuahua from an alley by our house. We made two failed attempts at giving him away and finally got the message: “Keep the dog!” My time of grief was supposed to be over, and God was working through insightful people, forcing me to move on.

 

When God pushed Joshua, it was a new thing for him. Moses was gone, and now he had the responsibility to lead God’s people. I’m sure it was a little intimidating. Any time we have to embrace something new after losing something we loved, it’s hard. But we don’t have to do it alone. God told Joshua: “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

 

When we lose our loved ones, our homes, our jobs, our 150 channels, it’s normal, and it’s right to grieve those things.

 

The most positive response to loss is to recognize and face the loss head-on, acknowledging it for what it is and letting all the corresponding emotions come to the surface and come out. Then lastly, wake up to know the loss has opened up an opportunity to seek and trust the Lord to fill the gap.

 

In Isaiah 48:6, God promises He will show us new things, hidden things that we’ve never known before. “I have shown thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.”

 

We put our hope in God and the Lord Jesus Christ that when the grieving process has run its course, there will be something wonderful and new to enjoy. And one day, all grief will be gone.

 

“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” (Rev. 21:4). What an amazing and awesome promise to all who have chosen to believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

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REVELATION, UNDERSTANDING, INSPIRATION

REVELATION, UNDERSTANDING, INSPIRATION

The late prophet, Kim Clement, explained that truth has three parts: Revelation, Illumination, and Inspiration. Revelation is something revealed. God has revealed Himself and His ways in the manual for life, the Bible. But the Bible is only words in a book until those words are illuminated. Illumination is when the proverbial light bulb goes on, and we all of a sudden understand what we’ve read or heard. It’s that “ah-ha” moment. It’s when things flow together and understanding takes place. This can only happen when God’s light turns on in a person’s heart.  

 

As Jesus said: “He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt. 13:23). In the New Testament, the Greek word for ‘understand’ is ‘sunesis’ or ‘suniemi,’ and it means “to put together, mentally to comprehend, understand.”

 

The Lord wants us to be illuminated with understanding, and like Matthew 15:10 tells us: “Jesus called the multitude, and said unto them, ‘Hear, and understand.’”

 

But without the light of the Lord illuminating what we hear or read, this is what happens: “Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Acts 28:26-27).

 

Sunesis is what brings everything together and makes the Bible alive and real, and not just words on a page.

 

So, first, we have the revelation, then the spiritually-illuminated understanding, and the final part is inspiration.

 

The word ‘inspire’ comes from the Latin combination of two words: ‘in’ or ‘into,’ and ‘spirare,’ with means ‘to breathe.’ So inspiration is “a breathing into.” When we sneeze into the air, we make the molecules of air and dust in front of us take action. The sneezing moves the particles with force, and sometimes we can even see it. So when we breathe or speak into the air, we make particles in the air move physically.

 

When the things that come out of our mouths are inspired by the Lord, they move both physical and spiritual entities. It’s a principal God set up for us to be able to “will and to do of His good pleasure” in the world (Phil. 2:13).

 

God gets us moving first by revelation from the Bible in written, spoken, or living form. Then the understanding is something that comes by Him bringing things together to put light on what was revealed. Then inspiration is what we do with it, taking it into the world. These three in combination (Revelation, Understanding, and Inspiration) bring us to a higher, more positive spiritual level in life.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

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SEEING BEYOND FACE VALUE AND NOT BEING SO QUICK TO JUDGE

  

SEEING BEYOND FACE VALUE AND NOT BEING SO QUICK TO JUDGE

I’m studying Vasari’s book about the lives of the artists in the Renaissance period. I’m on the chapter about Giotto. At first glance, I wrote him off as a very primitive artist, especially when compared to Michelangelo, Raphael, or some other art masters that came later. But I decided to give Giotto a chance, so I found a great website (wikiart.com) where I could take a closer look. I was so elated when I saw how he could communicate so many facial expressions and different body positions before somebody even discovered the idea of perspective and other techniques for figurative painting.  

 

I spent all afternoon just looking at many of his paintings and blowing them up so I could get a closer look at the wonderful details. I thought about how important it is for us to stop judging people at face value, according to how they look. If we always believe our first impressions about people, we’re probably looking carnally and not seeing the truth. Jesus never did this when he lived as a man on earth, and he doesn’t do it now. He only judges if God shows him something because God sees the heart. We need to look at people the way Jesus does. Like it says in 1 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said unto Samuel, ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’”

 

We can see in the Old Testament many examples of how God worked through people who had physical or mental infirmities, like Moses who had anger issues, Jacob who had a limp, the lepers who saved a whole city, and many others. God didn’t care about how people looked or how poor their mental health was. If people wanted to serve Him, He would show them how. It’s the same today.

 

People criticized Jesus for his interaction with Zacchaeus. We see the story in Luke 19: 1-7:

 

“And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 

 

“And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 

 

“And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, ‘Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.’ 

 

“And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying that he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.”

 

Jesus didn’t judge Zacchaeus by the way he looked, how short he was, by the money he had, or by any other standard, but only that the man really wanted to see Jesus. So Jesus went to spend a little time with the man at his house. Have you ever had Jesus come to your house? He will if you want him to. You may think I’m crazy, but Jesus comes to our house a lot in the evenings to just hang out and be with us. That’s what he did with Zacchaeus, and he even tells us in Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” We can take that literally as well as spiritually. When he comes to our house, he brings a peace that fills the whole living room. Jane says that everything just always feels sweet when he arrives. And he doesn’t even care that we’re in our pj’s or have bad hair. He doesn’t care about any of that carnal stuff.

 

When I first looked at Giotto’s paintings, I only briefly looked at a very small photo and quickly dismissed it as primitive. But at a closer look, I saw his heart and his tremendous talent. The heart and talent is what Jesus sees, and it’s what God sees. Let’s walk in the image of the Lord and see people like true believers are supposed to see each other.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

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