“Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; but in the seventh year, there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord” (Leviticus 25:3-4). He also ordered the release of all debts (Deuteronomy 15:1).

Rabbi Jonathan Cahn has taught us the principles of the Shemitah through his book and through teaching us on the show. The Hebrew translation of Shemitah is “to release.” Here is the main thought I want you to grab from this writing:  What you release this Shemitah year, will be released from you – when the Lord returns.

This Shemitah year is no ordinary Shemitah year. This year marks the end of a period of time that many believe immediately precedes the Second Coming of the Lord. We know that His coming is near because we are watching for it and we can see the signs, like the Bible says.

Every soul that calls themselves by the name of Christ “Christian” must take a new look at their own hearts and lives and be brutally honest in their evaluations. It’s time to read the Bible again, and this time, ask the Holy Spirit to show you real Truth, beyond what you have heard and known previously.

You can spend your whole life in church, hearing things that are taught, repeated and accepted without question, that may or may not be accurate or acceptable in the mind of God. The errors of the “Love of Money” doctrine, preached strongly in recent years, that Jim has pointed out comes to mind.  But there are also things we may have accepted into our own personal lives through the conditioning of our culture that need to be weighed by the Word of God – and dealt with. We’ve accepted some things as the new normal that God still calls sin, and I’ll give you a few examples:

• Anything outstanding between you and others of His flock.

When you hear or say things like, “it is what it is” or “that’s just how it is” or “I can’t do anything about that” when it comes to hard feelings between brothers and sisters in Christ, just be aware that you have allowed a new normal.

Matthew 5:23,24  “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

• What we watch on television.

It seems that most television today has an evil theme, even the commercials.  If you can find a decent program, chances are that some form of immorality, greed, or lust will find its way into your eye and ear gates in the commercials! If your heart isn’t being pricked by the evil on television, you may need a new, softer heart – one that is not hardened to the things that offend God.

Ezekiel 11:19,20 19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.…”

• Unwholesome Talk

Not only have some (within the Church) embraced gossip as an acceptable new normal, they have taken it upon themselves to call out the failures and shortcomings of others, in the name of God, of course, and encouraged others to participate in judging, name-calling, and slander.

Ephesians 4:29-32  “Let not any hateful words come out of your mouth, but whatever is good and useful for improvement that you may give grace to those who hear, Neither be grieving the Holy Spirit of God, for you have been sealed in him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, fury, rage, clamor, and insults be taken away from you with all wickedness, And be sweet one toward another and affectionate, and be forgiving one another, just as God in The Messiah has forgiven us.”

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but only an example of what we may have accepted that is not acceptable to God. It’s time to self-correct. Who wouldn’t rather self-correct than have the Hand of God perform the correction?

In this Shemitah year, every one of us should be seeking the Lord with all our hearts, all our strength, and all our souls. It’s time to ask the Lord what offends Him and clean up the sin in our lives.

Sometimes, only fasting and prayer, along with Bible reading, can reveal these things to us and give us the strength to correct them.

I’m sure that God is working in all of His people and I would like to hear some of the ways He has worked in you individually. Let’s share what we hear and encourage one another to get ready to meet Him face-to-face!

Love,