Yesterday's topic/ heading was The Ancient Boundary Stone. (Again this could get winded, but I promise the story I am going to share from this study is worth the reading.)
Prov. 22:28 "Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by
your forefathers."
Our purpose is not to condemn or dishonor people from our heritage but to recognize barriers in our present caused by bondage from our families' past.
She asks you to read Exodus 20: 1-21. I'll not write it all out, but it's the 10 Commandments.
Verse 2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the __________. answer is "land of slavery."
An ancient boundary stone was similar to a fence. It served as a visual reminder of what belonged to the landowner and what was beyond the legal limits. It reminded people when they were crossing the line. God's commands are the ultimate ancient boundary stones. They are not the 1o good thoughts for the day. Those who live beyond the boundaries will return to bondage. Not only will they return to bondage, they will leave a well-trodden path for the next generations to follow in their footsteps.
The tie between generational bondage and generational sin is what creates such a difficult cycle. Someone moves the ancient boundary stone and decides to abide by his or her own set of rules. Life beyond the boundary stone leads to bondage. Bondage leads to sin. Sin leads to more bondage. The cycle does not stop until someone has enough courage to move back the ancient boundary stone God ordained.
(oooo, ahhhh that's good too)
She goes on to have you read Ex. 20:5. It talks about punishing generations for what people before them did. She says how harsh that verse sounds, but it doesn't mean how you think it means.
She says, "In Exodus 20:5, I believe God says He will be able to review or take a census of all the times the effects of the parents' sins can be seen in the next several generations."
The boundary stone was moved way way back in my family. My dad was a drunk growing up, his dad was a drunk when he was growing up and I'm sure his father was too. I replaced the stone starting with my family.
When Matt and I were dating, a buddy of his invited him to go fishing. Matt went and had a good time. He told me about his day and that he had had a beer while fishing. Now Matt didn't know this part of my family history yet, but he soon realized that I would not date, marry, kiss, hold hands with or talk sweet nothings to a man that drank.
He never drank a beer again. (Don't get me wrong, if you have a beer or what ever, I am NOT judging. I am just saying for me and my house. AND just to clarify further, he did not get drunk.)
So that's a boundary stone that has been moved back to its proper position and another stone that is being replaced starting with me is divorce. My dad's parents divorced and my mom's parents divorced!!! Talk about a stone being moved, I think it's lost somewhere. I had to find a new one and put it back!!
Here is the story that has forever changed everything for me. It's just so powerful!!
I have kept an excerpt from "It's Always Something" by the late Gilda Ratner.
When I was little, my nurse Dibby's cousin had a dog, just a mutt, and the dog was pregnant. I don't know how long dogs are pregnant, but she was due to have her puppies in about a week. She was out in the yard one day and got in the way of the lawnmower and her two hind legs got cut off. They rushed her to the vet and he said, "I can sew her up, or you can put her to sleep if you want, but the puppies are okay. She'll be able to deliver the puppies."
Dibby's cousin said, "Keep her alive."
So the vet sewed up her backside, and over the next week the dog learned to walk. She didn't spend any time worrying, she just learned to walk by taking two steps in the front and flipping up her backside, and then taking two steps and flipping her backside again. She gave birth to six little puppies, all in perfect health. She nursed them and then weaned them. And when they learned to walk, they all walked like her.
Beth says to laugh, but to take it very seriously.
She's right. I giggled for about a second and then I got hit square between the eyes. God told me to always remember this little story. I hope you will remember this little story.
Beth goes on to say how she lived a life of a victim and was bound and determined to not let her girls grow up and feel the same way. They aren't she says.
If you have never done this study, DO IT!! I'm doing it alone and am learning a ton!! Buy it used, it's really cheap and worth it.
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For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. -Corinthians 5:14