2016 Christian Random Thoughts

Lucia

Well-Known Member
Happy New Year!!!

Shimmie graciously asked me to start off the new thread.
This is still Shimmie's pet project and she's OP and main resource.
More info on 2nd post.
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The year of the Jubilee.
How many of us know that this year is the designated year of the Jubilee and what the Jubilee actually means.
The dictionary defines jubilee as:
a special anniversary of an event, especially one celebrating twenty-five or fifty years of a reign or activity."jubilee celebrations"
synonyms: anniversary, commemoration.

So basically it's a really BIG party!

Here's a brief biblical/religious history:
The ancient Jewish tradition from Mosaic Law was in the 15th year to pardon all debts, release all slaves, return lands, and pardon debts, and most importantly remission (absolution) of sins.
This tradition was revived in 1300 A.D. by Pope Boniface VIII with extraordinary jubilees in between and after the Protestant Reformation of 1500's became mostly a Catholic celebration.

From Leviticus 25:8-17

8 You shall count seven weeks of years—seven times seven years—such that the seven weeks of years amount to forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month let the ram’s horn resound; on this, the Day of Atonement, the ram’s horn blast shall resound throughout your land. 10 You shall treat this fiftieth year as sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to your own property, each of you to your own family. 11 This fiftieth year is your year of jubilee; you shall not sow, nor shall you reap the aftergrowth or pick the untrimmed vines, 12 since this is the jubilee. It shall be sacred for you. You may only eat what the field yields of itself.
13 In this year of jubilee, then, each of you shall return to your own property. 14 Therefore, when you sell any land to your neighbor or buy any from your neighbor, do not deal unfairly with one another. 15 On the basis of the number of years since the last jubilee you shall purchase the land from your neighbor; and so also, on the basis of the number of years of harvest, that person shall sell it to you. 16 When the years are many, the price shall be so much the more; when the years are few, the price shall be so much the less. For it is really the number of harvests that the person sells you. 17 Do not deal unfairly with one another, then; but stand in fear of your God. I, the Lord, am your God.


Here's my take on it every year we make New Years resolutions, then some or most of us don't follow through on them. We have the best of intentions to change our lives but it's not easy we all know that. Why because the world tells us to only make secular goals to get more stuff we don't need and completely forget or ignore anything spiritual. (I mean spiritual as in of God, Jesus, Holy Spirit) and the enemy is hard at work day in day out.

What was the reason the Israelites took 40 years to make what was roughly a 2 week journey?

They kept forgetting about God, they did not keep on believing. They mistakenly thought I believed in Egypt but now I'm in the desert, what can God do?
They would not let go of their oppressed mentality, they would not let go of the "old ways" and their sins, some did not ask God for forgiveness or forgive themselves holding on to guilt and shame. Actually, that's the enemies way of establishing strongholds, through doorways to keep us in defeatist oppressive patterns unable to see the way and the light.

How does this affect us?
The enemy is attacking us from all sides. Our job as Christian women is to hold it down, keep it (home, husband, family and kids) together but to serve others the way we should at our bests, we have to heal ourselves first. Our men, children and society are broken because a lot (not all) of us as women are broken and/or fragmented. You cannot give what you do not have. Forgive others, ask God to forgive you, then forgive yourselves. There is a saying "physician heal they self" so ladies I say heal thyselves in Jesus name, just ask Him.

What if we could start anew and be renewed, be revived as never before. This is what the jubilee means to me it's a chance to be freed and celebrate. It's the opportunity for all of us to let go of the pain, suffering, anger, resentment, shame, guilt, depression, anxiety, stress and whatever earthly, physical, emotional, or spiritual thing that is tormenting us. There is nothing you have done or have had done to you that cannot be forgiven and healed by Jesus.

Take all of it, confess it, and that burden will be lifted off your shoulders, take it all and lay it down at the foot of the cross. You have the chance to be renewed every day, every hour, every minute, every second we make a choice on how we react to what is thrown at us by the enemy. Offer it all up to the Lord our God the Father, Jesus God the Son, and the Holy Spirit and lay it down.
Don't stay stuck in the enemies repetitive patterns and endless vicious cycles, break free. I say to you in Jesus name my sisters in Christ.

Confess it! and take it to Jesus at the foot of the cross and lay all your burdens down at His feet,

lay it down,

lay it down,

LAY.IT.DOWN!


-Now after that look at your prayer life, if needed take your prayer life up a notch, and you will see Jesus move in your life. Nothing happens in the physical world that doesn't happen in the spiritual world first, so pray without ceasing and ask Him for all your needs.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Mathew 7:7-8

The Answer to Prayers. 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

This is the year to break through, break free and celebrate!

-Ladies get your "War Room" on, and Bring It!


 
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Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
@Lucia

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU so much for this beautiful start into the 2016 New Year for each of us who love the Lord Jesus Christ...our loving Saviour.

The Lord spoke to my heart about you and He indeed never misleads. God knew that you had something of value to share which is straight from His heart and from yours.

I pray that all who reads your heartfelt message is blessed beyond words. In Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen... I thank you again and again.

Love to everyone,
Shimmie :love2:
 

Laela

Sidestepping the "lynch mob"
Happy New year to all the believers of Our Lord Jesus Christ on this site, not only the CF (especially you in Lurkland :wave: )

I enjoyed a Word from service last night that God will RESTORE Sevenfold what the enemy has taken from his people! Mom, who is in another state and heard a different minister's sermon, said he preached the same message. So I receive the Word of Restoration. It ties in with the Jubiliee message, which I also receive.

For the study-hards, I'll share a link that you may find useful that ties these two messages: http://www.markbeast.com/70jubilees/summary-2015.htm

We already have what God has for us through Grace when Jesus died for us; only our Faith is required for positioning and restoration. I pray for restoration of relationships, attitudes and a refreshment of God's Holy Spirit on this site, In Jesus' name.

Our Father God is Great and I am excited and look forward to revelation for what He has in STORE for us this year. Stay faithful! :)
 

mensa

Well-Known Member
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 2:5

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 14:14

This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12
 
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Shimmie

"God is the Only Truth -- Period"
Staff member
Note to all..

I've been trying to tag as many members as possible. I started at 5:00 a.m. and of course my mind wasn't as alert. Please don't feel left out. This thread is for everyone tagged or not tagged.

With love,
Shimmie
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
So as I was going down memory lane and looking at old posts from my church and Pastors, my sadness about the church closing turned into praise. Praise because God knew exactly what I needed when I needed when He sent me there back in 2012!!! Looking at those posts reminded who I was back when I walked in those church doors, I came right when they had just moved to that location and their first year anniversary was just a few months away. It was there for the first time that I began developing my own personal relationship with God. It was there that I met my SO, and now have this beautiful relationship!! I am glad that I got to be apart of that ministry and experience such a loving church. I am embracing 2016 with arms wide open and looking forward to where God leads me and SO to next!!! My sadness and sorrow has turned into gladness and thankfulness in realizing that everything has a season, and I am looking forward to seeing what this next season brings!!
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
Visited another church yesterday, and enjoyed a good service. This is also a church that has a lot of areas to serve in as well. SO didn't get to make it, so hopefully we can go next Sunday together. Not having a church home is very daunting, even though I was visiting another church more so for a break the church that closed was my home. Now that it is gone and having to go out and visit all these other churches just feels.... Blah, I'm at a stage in life where hopping around and visiting different churches isn't fun anymore.
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
Went to a books store today and found a 1984 edition of the NIV translation Bible just hiding behind about Bible like it was waiting for me! I happily picked it up and bought it! I had bought an NIV Bible last month which was the 2011 version and just noticed how very different a lot of the scriptures were. Glad I found a 1984 version!!
 

Lucia

Well-Known Member
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...wed-benghazi-attack-because-america-mired-sin
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In the latest email alert from the "40 Days to Save America" campaign, Rick Scarborough says it is time for Americans to wake up and realize that the attack in Benghazi, Libya was just the latest proof that God has lifted his hand of protection over this nation because America is mired in sin:

In Isiah 5:5, God warns Israel of the punishment which will befall the disobedient nation: “Now I am going to tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard, I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed. I will break down its wall and it will be trampled.”

And again in Deuteronomy 28:25: “The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: Thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.”

Like Biblical Israel, America is mired in sin – 1.2 million abortions a year, the assault on God’s institution of marriage, an explosion of pornography, children robbed of their innocence, skyrocketing rates of divorce and out-of-wedlock births, the Church persecuted – need I continue?

And yet we blithely go on as if there was no connection between this and the way we violate God’s commandments? Too many Americans act as it the Bible’s prophecies are charmingly poetic, but bear no relation to today’s events?

How many more 9/11 attacks, how many more wars, how much more turmoil – how many more Benghazis – will it take before we finally begin to make the connection between our behavior as a nation and the horror unfolding before our eyes?

The hedge is being taken away, leaving us naked and exposed to our enemies. And that is precisely why our 40 Days call to prayer is vital to our survival as a nation.

- See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...ecause-america-mired-sin#sthash.IYu4hK2n.dpuf
 

Itsmytime

Well-Known Member
I'm reading the entire bible for the first time. I've read the New Testament several times but never the full bible. The Old Testament is almost like a soap opera at times. I find myself reading more than the assigned 3 chapters.

Lot's story had me like:eek:.

I apologize if I offended anyone...its just all so new to me.
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
I am sitting here in awe at the mysterious ways God work, and how he places us in the right places at the right time.
There is a reason my friend told me about the church she was visiting
There is a reason I started visiting there, felt led to join and a few weeks later the church I was attending closed. I feel it was opening up another ministry door for me and SO, that me feeling led to venture out was opening up the next chapter for our lives.
Me and SO talked about there needing to be some fire starters at this church, since the church is just starting up. And now people who were members of our old church that left prior to the church closing that we haven't seen have started attending and adding something extra.
I'm just soooo amazed at how everything is unfolding. How one door closing, is the opening of another door and another chapter.
 

Maracujá

November 2020 --> 14 years natural!!!
I saw something on my timeline on FB yesterday that just made me pause, I don't know if any of you can confirm this: apparently the First Lady of Afghanistan is Christian AND she's also an activist for women's rights. Right now she's fighting to open up an university for women. Is this true?
 

kanozas

se ven las caras pero nunca el corazón
I saw something on my timeline on FB yesterday that just made me pause, I don't know if any of you can confirm this: apparently the First Lady of Afghanistan is Christian AND she's also an activist for women's rights. Right now she's fighting to open up an university for women. Is this true?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...ghanistans-first-lady-breaks-taboos/?page=all
She's christian, brought up in a christian family. Before Afghanistan's revolution and war, the 50's - 70's saw a very cosmopolitan place with a high university attendance of students, including women. It was nothing to see the latest fashions of mini skirts and such in Kabul. Religious fundamentalism is such a step backwards. It's barbarian, imo.
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
I have been feeling really burdened and like I have been losing my mind!! Thankfully this week I am feeling much better than what I have been. Between nursing school, all these tests I have to take, SO thinking I have to foot the bill because of all his situations and issues. I have been feeling mentally and physically drained. There was a point where all the week before last I had a headache for a week and just felt sick! I don't know what to do some times....
 

kanozas

se ven las caras pero nunca el corazón
I have been feeling really burdened and like I have been losing my mind!! Thankfully this week I am feeling much better than what I have been. Between nursing school, all these tests I have to take, SO thinking I have to foot the bill because of all his situations and issues. I have been feeling mentally and physically drained. There was a point where all the week before last I had a headache for a week and just felt sick! I don't know what to do some times....


Can you explain? Are you paying money for his screw-ups?
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
Can you explain? Are you paying money for his screw-ups?

I wouldn't say paying money for his screw ups. But it's like now he doesn't have a car and the car he was borrowing broke down. And now it's like he expects me to drive him everywhere he needs to go, when I am telling him and showing him that I have a lot on my plate with nursing school and trying to get a job so I can work. Like I can't take on my load and his load at the same time.
 

kanozas

se ven las caras pero nunca el corazón
I wouldn't say paying money for his screw ups. But it's like now he doesn't have a car and the car he was borrowing broke down. And now it's like he expects me to drive him everywhere he needs to go, when I am telling him and showing him that I have a lot on my plate with nursing school and trying to get a job so I can work. Like I can't take on my load and his load at the same time.


I am very pro-marriage and traditional marriage, at that. I'd say that he needs to learn how to help himself rather than having you do all of this for him. There's nothing wrong with giving your SO a ride in an emergency situation but you have to let him know how much is on your plate. If you two are planning on marriage, get all the problems out on the table now. Tell him exactly what you said here and explain it further to him. Your last sentence is the absolute truth and no man worth his salt would put a potential wife/SO in that situation. Let him feel that burn. He is a MAN...and he needs to know how to take care of himself. He should be providing for YOU. If he cannot and will not comprehend, you should definitely reconsider if this is the man for your life.
 

mz.rae

Well-Known Member
I am very pro-marriage and traditional marriage, at that. I'd say that he needs to learn how to help himself rather than having you do all of this for him. There's nothing wrong with giving your SO a ride in an emergency situation but you have to let him know how much is on your plate. If you two are planning on marriage, get all the problems out on the table now. Tell him exactly what you said here and explain it further to him. Your last sentence is the absolute truth and no man worth his salt would put a potential wife/SO in that situation. Let him feel that burn. He is a MAN...and he needs to know how to take care of himself. He should be providing for YOU. If he cannot and will not comprehend, you should definitely reconsider if this is the man for your life.
Thank you so much!!! This conversation really has me thinking about the roles of a provider, and that it's way more than just being about money and material possessions.
 
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