• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

What does it mean to "Count the Omer?" (Leviticus 23:10-17)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "COUNT THE OMER?" (Leviticus 23:10-17)


Many Christians probably are not familiar with these words; "counting of the Omer" However, when we read in Leviticus 23:10-17 the instructions from God, we can see symbolism in our Messiah Yeshua. So, grab your Bibles and read through verses 10-17.

When we look at the context, Passover has been celebrated. This is the time when lambs were sacrificed and their blood placed on the doorposts of the houses in Goshen, in the land of Egypt. As we are familiar with the Passover story, Adonai himself goes through Egypt and takes the lives of the firstborn in Egypt, in all of the houses where blood was not placed on the doorposts.

Goshen, however, was where the Hebrews lived and they DID put the blood on the doorposts, so, Adonai "Passed over" those houses seeing that the "blood of the lambs" was there. How does this point to Yeshua/Jesus? The blood of the lambs was the "substitute" so that death did NOT enter those households that were obedient.

Our LORD and Messiah, Savior was OUR substitute, who took our curse of sin and died in our place. No wonder he is called the "Lamb of God". But then, what follows, is the Moed (time, season) of unleavened bread. We are to eat bread without leaven for 7 days, and together with the night of Passover, they are 8 days. What is special about unleavened bread? Yeshua is known as the "Bread of Life" without sin. Leaven points to sin in Biblical understanding. So, for 8 days, we are to be reminded to be "aware" of sin in our lives. Every time we partake of unleavened bread during this time period (for those who chose to do so) we are to be reminded of "Yeshua" who is the Bread of Life (without leaven) and to reject temptations, and avoid sin.

But there is more. This is the time when the barley grain was harvested in Israel. Barley is a simple grain used for food for cattle, and the very poor made barley bread. Once I made barley bread and it is similar to cornbread, it crumbles easily. A sheaf of barley is waved before the presence of Adonai, in thankfulness of the harvest. Then, the barley can be harvested and prepared for cattle fodder, or for making this simple bread. We remember also that Yeshua/Jesus is the "First Fruits" of the resurrection. He is the first to be "raised from the dead".

Then, we have a time period of 7 sabbaths, (49 days) between this time and it culminates on the Day of Shavuot or Pentecost. We call this time the "counting of the Omer." You might ask "What is an Omer?" An Omer is a grain measure between 2 and 3 litres. We are reminded that the Israelites were provided with Manna for their daily consumption in the wilderness journeys. In the Ark of the Covenant, an "Omer" of manna was kept in remembrance of God's daily provision for his people.

So, we we really count wheat and barley grains during the counting of the Omer? Not really, rather we use this time of 49 days to grow in faith and in maturity, to increase our knowledge of the WORD, and in the "Living WORD" to remember that our ancestors came out of Egypt with attitudes and grumblings, yet 50 days later, at Sinai, they were joined together as "Am Echad" (One People) The goal would be to become more like Adonai, to love and obey His commandments, thus maturing in the faith.

We need to remember that on Shavuot, or "Pentecost" was when the Holy Spirit came down to dwell with all believers. On Sinai, the fire of God came to rest on Mt. Sinai, away from the people. On Pentecost, the Fire of God came to "rest" on believers. This is the culmination of the time of "counting the Omer" looking forward to this time, when we wave two loaves of bread as a "wave offering" The Bread is of course "Yeshua, the Bread of Life" and why 2 loaves? "2" can mean "unity and division" we have been "united" in fellowship with God, and "divided" or "separated" from the lost world.

We can say this prayer each day: "Blessed are you O LORD, our God, King of the Universe who has sanctified us in his commandments and commands us to count the Omer." after that, it is customary to read Psalm 67, then meditate and read Proverbs or other Psalms. Everyone is different. We just take this time to grow in faith.

Yes, many are saying; "This is a Jewish holiday" Well, it started out being for the Hebrews first, then, since we are ALL included in God's community of called-out believers, those who trust in Yeshua/Jesus as LORD and Savior, we have the right and privilege to celebrate the "Counting of the Omer" as well. Once again, we can choose to do, or not to do.
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Healing/blessing Testimonies Unbiblical?

I think some of you may be familiar with Healing/blessing testimonies where a member would walk up to the stage and share a story about trials or hardships where somehow the Lord provided a miracle and got them out of their bad situation.

However, Jesus told some of the people He healed NOT to tell other people about their miraculous healing - Mark 7:36.

I think the reason why Jesus said such thing so that people would not be drawn into Christianity under the wrong motives such as healing, material prosperity, etc (John 6:26). Because such things don't matter when compared to the saving truth - the Word of God as opposed to the lies and false teachings of the world that wormed its way into "Christian teachings".

Another reason why sharing accounts of Lord's miracle in our lives might be wrong is that it can be a source of pride for the person sharing the testimony. To let everyone know they have the Lord's favor upon them and righteous in their ways. Self-righteousness and conceitedness. I'm not saying everyone feels that way when they share their miraculous healings, financial miracles on the pulpit but it's a very strong temptation to feel that way when you do.

So why put up with it when Lord is telling us NOT to do it that it can mislead (deceive) people into having the wrong intentions for becoming a Christian and also presents itself as a strong temptation to have sinful thoughts?

I wrote this topic because I thought of sharing a testimony but also felt strongly NOT to. I felt strongly I might be doing a wrong thing because I might be only doing it to feed my pride even though it's not in my mind at all... The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? - Jeremiah 17:9

Anyone excited for Spider-Man 4?

Hello folks. Are any of you excited for the new Spider-Man? Yes, Spider-Man 4 has been delayed until 2025.

Spider-Man 4 was canceled in 2010, but a new one may release next year: What’s Going On With Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man 4?
Potential 2025 release: 'Spider-Man 4' Production Update May Confirm Daredevil Appearance, 2025 Release - Murphy's Multiverse.
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Be Ministers to One Another

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16 ESV)

All throughout biblical history we have had people called of God for the specific purpose of the perfecting of God’s people in preparation for them to serve the Lord God with their lives. First we had the prophets of the Old Testament, then Jesus Christ (on the earth), then the New Testament apostles, and then all those gifted of the Holy Spirit who are called of God to be teachers, pastors (shepherds), and evangelists, etc. But all of us within the body of Christ are to help one another to follow Jesus with our lives.

Therefore, you do not have to be in some official capacity within a congregation of followers of Christ to help your brothers and sisters in the Lord to walk with the Lord in obedience to his commands and to serve him in the areas of ministry to which the Lord has called and equipped them. For we all have our specific “body parts,” i.e. our roles (callings of God) within the Body of Christ, and we have all been given specific spiritual gifts (of the Spirit of God) so that we can minister to one another.

And none of us have to have human credentials and titles given to us by other humans in order to serve the Lord and one another in these capacities. If we believe in Jesus Christ to be our Lord (Owner-Master) and Savior, and we have died with him to sin, and we are now living for him and in his righteousness, in obedience to his commands, then we are qualified of God to encourage one another in our walks of faith in Jesus Christ and to help one another to grow to maturity in our relationships with the Lord Jesus.

And this “equipping” of the saints does not come through human marketing schemes and business plans and goals for how to grow people’s “churches” (businesses). For this is about preparing us spiritually to serve the Lord Jesus in the areas of ministry to which the Lord has called us. For you can be a great teacher in the eyes of the world, but if you are not anointed of the Holy Spirit, and if the Spirit of God is not the one guiding you in what to say to the people, then you may sound good, but you are not feeding the flock.

For the whole purpose of this “equipping of the saints” is so that we will help one another to follow Jesus Christ with our lives in pure devotion to him in walks of holiness and righteousness, in obedience to our Lord and to his commands. For we are all necessary to the proper working of the body of Christ and to the spiritual maturity of the saints of God. And it is so we will all warn one another, too, against sin’s deceitfulness, and against those who by human cunning and craftiness, in deceitful scheming, are leading people to follow after false doctrines and not the gospel of Christ that He taught.

But this isn’t just the job of the “preacher,” many of whom today are not following Jesus with their lives but who are following after other humans and their marketing schemes and goals for how to “draw in large crowds of people from the world” into their gatherings. And so many of them, thus, are not teaching the gospel that Jesus taught, because the message of the cross is an offense to them. And so they alter and dilute and misrepresent the truth of the gospel to make it more appealing to human flesh.

So, we who believe in Jesus Christ are to be, first and foremost, followers of God/Christ who are in the practice of denying self, dying daily to sin, and following the Lord Jesus in obedience to his commands (Luke 9:23-26; Titus 2:11-14; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Ephesians 4:17-24). And then we are to be listening to the Lord and following him wherever he leads us, and who are answering to his callings upon our lives, and who are doing what he has called us collectively and individually to do in service to God.

And then we are to be those who are putting into practice, by the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit within us in ministry to the Body of Christ and to the people of the world. And we are to be those who are speaking the truth of the gospel (of God’s Word) to one another, in love, in order that none of us will be led astray by those crafty ones in their deceitful scheming, and so that we all grow to maturity in our walks of faith in Jesus Christ.

And we are to be addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and who are teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom (of God), and who are exhorting one another every day so that none of us will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. And we are to be stirring one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet with one another, for we are to be encouraging (exhorting, urging) one another in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord in faithful service to the Lord, for his glory.

[Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

In Truth

An Original Work / January 10, 2012

Fellowshipping with my Lord, Savior, King.
He is Lord of all; Lord of ev’rything.
He is with me through ev’ry hour of day,
List’ning to me speak, as I humbly pray.
He cares for my needs,
and He intercedes for me,
‘cause He loves me in ev’ry way.

Obey His commands, and do all He says.
Sitting at His feet, daily in His word,
Let His word speak to me in ev’ry way,
Giving comfort and healing through each day.
Oh, how Jesus loves,
And He cares for you,
Which is why He died for our sins, in truth.

Love our Lord God, Savior, and King of kings.
Worship Him in truth, for He reigns supreme.
He created us with a plan in mind
For us to be His servants, and Him mind.
Follow Him in truth;
Go where’er He leads.
Share His love with others, and their needs meet.
Others: their needs meet.

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Paperwork filed for gold-mine exploration near North Star Nature Preserve as county eyes land exchange

Once again, big companies are at it again, defiling our one planet we live on. Seems that the curse in Isaiah 24:4-6 is from greedy corporations wrecking our planet. Article link: Paperwork filed for gold-mine exploration near North Star Nature Preserve as county eyes land exchange - Aspen Journalism

Isaiah 24:4-6: "The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left."


Short summary of the open-access article by Apen Journalism (<20% in length, for fair usage reasons):

In an article published on April 28, 2024, in Aspen Journalism by Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, land near the North Star Nature Preserve is being evaluated as a potential site for a gold mine. The area's management plan is being updated by Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, who are also considering a land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service. A local family, the Boyles, have held a mining claim on Forest Service land near the Wildwood Lane put-in for decades and recently filed a notice of intent to conduct mineral exploration for gold. The claim sits on public land used by thousands of paddleboarders and boaters to access the Roaring Fork River and North Star Nature Preserve. If mineral exploration moves forward, a plan of operations and NEPA review would be required. The Boyles family's primary concern is that any land exchange or management changes may not adequately protect the nature preserve, as commercial use has increased and concerns have been raised about the conservation easement's compliance. The county maintains that management plans have been in line with founding documents, but some argue commercial use conflicts with the conservation easement and resource management plan from 2000.

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is gathering data to update the management plan, which will include public input, and is considering a land exchange with the US Forest Service to improve management efficiency. The Forest Service owns the land at the put-in but may not limit access due to resource limitations, while the county is considering limiting commercial operators and all use to reduce congestion. The Boyles family, who own a mining claim near the put-in, want to ensure they are included in discussions on the land exchange and believe the Forest Service is best suited to manage the area due to potential environmental review requirements. The mining claim, which covers sand and gravel containing gold or other minerals, may undergo exploration using sonic drilling and will include plans for revegetation. The potential land exchange and mining claim developments come as North Star Nature Preserve experiences increased use and concerns about impacts on wildlife habitat and a delicate riparian ecosystem.

Feeling ashamed...

So I feel for sure I need meds.
My intrusive thoughts make me swing between anxiety and depression..

Trying to muster the strength to be honest with my DR so I cn get them.
Trying to muster strength to endure possible withdrawls..

Just trying to be happy is all. That and pass my TEAS feel I won't bc I can't concentrate long enough to study.

Unsealed docs expose collaboration between Archives, Biden White House in Trump prosecution

By September 2021, Stern had decided to draft a criminal referral against Trump to the Justice Department after documents were still not returned, according to an FBI interview summary with a NARA employee, identified as “Person 53” in the court documents.

“Stern approached [Per. 53] to formally draft a letter to DOJ raising concerns about PRA materials from the TRUMP administration which remained unaccounted for by NARA,” the FBI memo stated.

In his interview with the FBI, Person 53 noted in his “years of experience,” he “understood NARA never had to make such a referral to DOJ…to accomplish such an ask.”

When he circulated the draft letter internally, Stern told colleagues he had been in contact with “DOJ counsel” about the matter and was continuing to communicate with the White House Counsel’s Office, showing the Biden administration was in the loop about the efforts to repossess Trump’s documents.

The Biden administration concealed this from the American people.
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NOTHING

I have always had a problem to understand nothing. According to Science nothing does not exist, there always something. We do not know if anything exists outside or the Universe. Of course there is a theory that there are many universes. Also we are told that nothing is impossible with God. Yet He can not lie, cheat, steal or do anything contrary to His nature. Then there is the question of the laws of science and physics. Where do they come from?
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Schrödinger's cat.


Thankfully in this case the cat lived.

Jasher 36:28-35 Vs. genesis 36:24

Lots of strange things going on here. In genesis 36:24, the account of anah feeding his fathers mules in the wilderness, and subsequently discovers a “hot spring”, and it’s left at that…. Why would such a mundane thing even be mentioned? That would be like someone writing a book about my life and randomly mentioning something like “on this day, Chris entered into a subway terminal, where at the bottom of the stairs, he found a man playing a guitar.” But if there were more to the story somewhere else, that might shed light on the actual significance of the seemingly mundane and insignificant events. The book of jasher tells a much mor complete and lengthy story. Which I won’t get into, but you can research it for yourself at jasher 36:28-35 key figures in the Bible quote from jasher, as well as 1 Enoch, so to say that these texts have no place in attempting to make sense of things is in my opinion, close minded.

4th Circuit Court of Appeals says state health-care plans can’t exclude gender-affirming surgery

The decision came from a set of cases out of North Carolina and West Virginia, where state officials argued that their policies were based on cost concerns rather than bias. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit rejected that argument, saying the plans were discriminating against trans people in need of treatment.

It’s the second ruling in favor of trans rights this month from the 4th Circuit, a once-conservative court that has become a trailblazer in the realm of transgender rights. The court was the first to say trans students had a right to use the bathrooms that align with their gender identity and the first to recognize gender dysphoria as a protected disability. Earlier this month, the court said a federally funded middle school could not ban a trans 13-year-old from playing on the girls’ track and field team.

Other states have banned hormonal treatment and surgery for trans minors; some have restricted care for transgender adults as well. Multiple other states have similar laws against insurance coverage for transition-related treatment.

The ruling could be appealed to the Supreme Court, which recently allowed Idaho to enforce a ban on gender-affirming care for minors. But the conservative-led court has been reluctant to engage on this issue, letting multiple 4th Circuit rulings in favor of transgender rights stand. The court also generally waits until there is disagreement between circuit courts before getting involved.

Reportedly, US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan for ~$20,000 each; may go to Ukraine for parts, decoys or use

Very Nice!

Kazakhstan, which is upgrading its air fleet, auctioned off 117 Soviet-era fighter and bomber aircraft, including MiG-31 interceptors, MiG-27 fighter bombers, MiG-29 fighters, and Su-24 bombers from the 1970s and 1980s.

The outlet cited reports from the Ukrainian Telegram channel Insider UA and the Russian news site Reporter saying the US purchased 81 of the aged, unusable warplanes.

The Kyiv Post reported that the motive behind the US purchase remained undisclosed but that the aircraft could be used in Ukraine, where similar aircraft are in service.

Kazakhstan, formerly part of the Soviet Union, has maintained close ties to Russia and historically was one of its strongest allies. But the relationship has shifted since Russia invaded Ukraine, with Kazakhstan aligning itself more with the West, drawing the fury of some in Russia.

One Russian TV commentator, Vladimir Solovyov, said his country "must pay attention to the fact that Kazakhstan is the next problem because the same Nazi processes can start there as in Ukraine."

  • Poll
Who would be best vice president for Trump? poll

Who would be best vice president for Trump?

  • 1 Nikki Haley

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • 2 Ron DeSantis

    Votes: 3 23.1%
  • 3 Greg Abbott

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • 4 Kristi Noem

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • 5 Sarah H. Sanders (gov of Arkansas)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6 Governor Youngkin (VA)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 7 Marco Rubio

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • 8 Ted Cruz

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 9 can't make up my mind or other

    Votes: 5 38.5%

Who would be best vice president for Trump?

I guess I should mark #9 because I can't make up my mind between 2 through 8, although I am leaning toward Greg Abbott, who basically saved our country by blocking off the illegals!

Yay, Abbott!

Also, I wouldn't want the Congress to be without Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio. I've heard the latter can sometimes look kind of RINO-ish but he has a lot of interesting things to say and I can't say I have studied him (voting record) thoroughly. I don't have many doubts about Cruz, though
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Pray by saying, "O Heavenly Father, In Jesus Christ's Name, & By The Power & Grace Of The Holy Spirit, we Rebuke & Bind the radical islamic demonic sp

Pray by saying, "O Heavenly Father, In Jesus Christ's Name, & By The Power & Grace Of The Holy Spirit, we Rebuke & Bind the radical islamic demonic spirit that could lead to terrorism."

Police officer hiring in US increases in 2023 after years of decline, survey shows

“I don’t think it’s all about money. I think it’s about the way people perceive their job and feel they are going to be supported,” Wexler said. “You have West Coast departments that are paying six figures, but still seeing major challenges in hiring.”

Our country has paid a heavy price by giving into wokeness.

My Scientific Prayer

If E = mc2 then we can divide and conclude that...

Mass (m) = Energy (E/c2) --- Making this eternal stuff

And there are three varieties...

Natural E/c2 - All mass is basically cooled plasma --- And bang! Back to plasma!
Mental E/c2 - Mentally, A mathematical formula, and a mind to study these things
Spiritual E/c2 - E (motivation, warmth, love) / c2 (faith, hope, charity, joy)

Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught him? - Isaiah 40:13

Even if we could... What could I do with basic silica sand save make sand castles? I used to like the feeling that I knew everything... But a living creature consists of trillions of cells! And somehow a spirit is nested in all of that! I like to pray something like...

My Dear Heavenly Father
Hallowed be thy name
By kingdom come thy will be done
As in earth as it is in Heaven
Give me today my daily bread
Forgive me my debts as I forgive my debtors
Lead me not into sin but deliver me from evil
For thine is the power... The Glory... The light and the energy!
To associate into mass. To disassociate in plasma!
To create and to make alive! To destroy and to make dead!
However to your will and to your liking!
Remember me in your imaginations
And help me put your light and energy to work
Spiritually... Naturally... Intellectually!
And remember me in times of blessings!
In Jesus name! Amen!

As Biden abandons 'Bidenomics,' Harris makes a different case before Black voters

Harris' job approval rating is also upside down with voters. She had a 52% disapproval rating nationally in a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll in March. A bare majority of Black voters, 51%, approved in the same poll.

People just couldn't be fooled by the Biden rhetoric because they knew their pay was not keeping up with the high price of groceries and rent. Also remember in the debates when Kamala called Joe out for opposing the busing of black children to white schools?

Tithing 10%?

Malachi addressed the nation of Judah in 3:

9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you [plural] and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Malachi prophesied to the nation of Judah after the Babylonian exile. He challenged the whole nation collectively to tithe. If they did, God would bless the nation collectively with timely rain. Malachi did not promise a particular individual that if he tithed, God would rain on his plot of farmland as some prosperity gospel pastors suggest.

Jesus addressed the Pharisees and their associates in Matthew 23:

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
They tithed 10% legalistically. Paul did the 10% when he was a Pharisee. After his conversion, he was less legalistic and more flexible, 2 Corinthians 9:

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
More generally, Jesus said in Matthew 6:

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Should Christians still tithe 10%, or is giving something we should do freely without a specific requirement?

Take good financial care of your family. Pay down your debts. Give to your local church. 10% is a good rule of thumb but don't fixate on the number. Give to others as well. Look to your heart. Do you spend your money on your selfish purchases or on others who have needs?

Saving money in the bank or investing it in the stock market is okay until an opportune time. We are to give everything, our time and money, to Jesus. I have been practicing this since I called myself a Christian decades ago :)

Is tithing important?

Yes, but in the meantime, don't forget justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

See also

  • In Matthew 23:23, was tithing a lighter commandment?

The Sabbath – the fourth of the Ten Commandments

2022.08.20 The Sabbath – the fourth of the Ten Commandments.jpg


The seventh day Sabbath is God’s gift to humanity. It was blessed and sanctified by God after He had created the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them. It was written into the Ten Commandments by His finger, was kept, and taught by Jesus Christ, and was observed by the apostolic church. A memorial of both creation and redemption, it should be faithfully celebrated by believers now as a day of rest, worship, and well-doing.

The Sabbath, as outlined in Genesis 2:1-3 and Exodus 20:8-11, falls on the seventh day of the week, which is Saturday. However, it's important to note that according to Genesis 1:5, God declared that a new day begins at sundown, not at midnight. Therefore, the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday.


Here’s where the Sabbath was first instituted by God:
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:1-3 ESV)


Here God defines when a day commences and finishes, from evening to morning:
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:5 ESV)


Here’s the fourth commandment:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11 ESV)

So very tired…

I don’t even know where to begin…. Childhood perhaps? I was beaten severely during my elementary school days. I was always told to show the other cheek like Jesus so the proper thing to do was accept the beatings without fighting back and so that’s what I did. For years. By the time I was 8 I began to desire death to escape as God never saved me regardless of how much I prayed and begged and cried before bed and on the bus to school. I told my parents who put me in therapy where I was drugged to the point of not feeling anything for years. During that time many things happened to me but we won’t go into detail. Just know life did not ease up. I eventually got off the drugs and regained my senses. This entire time I’ve been attending church with my parents and reading the Bible with them. I’ve also been praying nightly and trying to build a relationship with God. Finished our high school and joined the U.S. Navy. Lost my contract due to a paperwork issue and granted a job as a mechanic. I’m no good with my hands so this was a horrible job choice. But I do my best, get first in my training school and get my dream orders to Japan with a meritorious promotion. Next thing I know NCIS is investigating me for child pornography. Turns out a ex called them and said I was producing child porn in my barracks and distributing it on base when she heard I was doing well. Even though I was cleared of the allegation after several months, I was still stripped of promotion and my orders were rescinded. The news I was investigated for the above crimes made it to duty station even though I was proven innocent… needless to say my 4 years in were a living hell. I get out of the military and here I am nearly a decade later, several failed businesses and meaningless jobs deep into this life and I’m only 30. I’ve lost faith in Gods goodness. I no longer trust him and I’ve never “felt” him or heard him. There has never been peace or joy…. Only pain. I’ve prayed for death for years and obviously it’s never been granted…. I’m just so tired yet when I ask for strength, beg for rest, plead for mercy, it doesn’t come. Even now I’m trying to build a business that will pull my family out of this massive hole of debt. There is no escape for me. I’m too cowardly to kill myself, I can put the gun in my mouth but can never pull the trigger. God has turned his face from me since I was a child despite his “promises” in the Bible… I’m just… tired. I’m hurting. Full of self hatred. No confidence in myself since my first memory. Wishing for death. I’m Mad. Furious. Hopeless. Abandoned… how do you go on? How do you trust God and move past the pain he’s put on you when there’s been no purpose? I’m sorry for the rambling I just have no one to vent to or talk with. I apologize for the length of this post.

Just Are You

“And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying…” (Revelation 15:2-3 ESV)
“The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say…” (Revelation 16:4-5 ESV)
“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty…” (Revelation 16:12-14 ESV)

Just Are You

An Original Work / August 26, 2013
Based off Revelation 15-16


Great and marvelous are Your deeds, O God.
Just and true Your ways, King of all the earth.
Who will not fear You; glorify Your name?
You are righteousness. Praise Your Name!

Just are You, O Lord, our Eternal ONE,
For You judge the earth in Your righteousness.
They have shed the blood of Your righteous ones.
You give their reward. They’re to blame!

Kings of all the earth gather, one accord;
Make haste to engage in a mighty war.
They oppose the Lord and His holy saints.
They serve wickedness, to their shame!

Jesus comes again, to some unforeseen.
Blessed are those who wait for Him at the gate.
They’ll not be ashamed. “Glad” be their refrain.
When He comes again, He’ll remain!

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