“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
“Understanding Proverbs 22:6 in its original context reveals that it is a warning, not a promise. It is a warning to parents that if they allow their children to have their own way, they will not depart from that foolishness when they are older.”Tim Dinkins
According to Dinkins, the author is saying “Train up a child according to his own will and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
So whether you take it as a promise or a warning, the message is still the same. Teach a child in the way of the Lord. Don’t leave them to their own ideas about life.
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.All that you do must be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NASB
In His Love, Cindy
“God treated Jesus as if He had lived my life, that I may be treated as if I had lived His life.” Harvey Stalker
God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. 8 He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight. 9 He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with his clouds. 10 He created the horizon when he separated the waters; he set the boundary between day and night. 11 The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke. 12 By his power the sea grew calm. By his skill he crushed the great sea monster. 13 His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. 14 These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?” Job 26:7-14 NLT (emphasis mine)
In His Love, Cindy
“God treated Jesus as if He had lived my life, that I may be treated as if I had lived His life.” Harvey Stalker
“And He (Jesus) gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some aspastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ” Ephesians 4:11-12 NASB (emphasis mine)
The leaders are given to the church for the purpose of preparing every member to do the work of ministry––to render service to the Lord, to the church, and to the world.
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24 NASB
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint.As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God. Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:7-11 NASB (emphasis mine)
There are many forms of ministry. Find yours!
In His Love, Cindy
“God treated Jesus as if He had lived my life, that I may be treated as if I had lived His life.” Harvey Stalker
I have avoided writing about Harry Potter for some time now. But today, I saw two different Christian children dressed in Harry Potter apparel, and it weighs heavily on my heart. I know that many Christians will reject my view. But, well, that never stopped me before.
A magical map that revealed the plan for Hogwarts School and tracked its human and ghostly inhabitants and their movements, using the Homunculus Charm. Photo by Klim Musalimov on Unsplash
We all know that Harry Potter is deeply rooted in the theme of witchcraft. When considering whether to allow your children to read these books and watch the movies, ask yourself this question: Is it pleasing to God?
Ephesians 5: 10-11 says, “… find out what pleases the Lord.Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,”
In 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, the Apostle Paul tells us, “So we make it our goal to please him … For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
“Now may the God of peace … equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21
To answer that question, we must search God’s Word. When we do that, we do not search for verses that will allow us to read these books. Rather, we must search for truth regardless of what we might find. Here are some verses to consider:
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21
“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord;” Deuteronomy 18:10-12
As in so many decisions we face in this life, we must ask: Lord, Is this pleasing to you? You will find your answer in the Bible, God’s Holy Word. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks; only the Lord.
In these last days, courage is a rare commodity – one that God expects, requires, and calls His people to demonstrate.
At times, standing for the truth may make us feel as though we are standing alone. Elijah felt exactly that way. Yet the Lord gently corrected him, reminding him that He had preserved a faithful remnant of 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). The same God who preserved a remnant then is preserving one today.
God has never needed the majority to accomplish His purposes. He has always worked through a faithful remnant. Our calling is not to be popular, but to be faithful – to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3), and leave the results to Him.
Amir Tsarfati
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He (Elijah) replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:13-18 NIV Read full chapter
In His Love, Cindy
“God treated Jesus as if He had lived my life, that I may be treated as if I had lived His life.” Harvey Stalker
She thought she was useless to God. She wrote the hymn that brought millions to Him.
Charlotte Elliott was born in 1789 in England and lived much of her adult life as an invalid, confined largely to her bed by chronic illness. She wrestled openly with feeling she had no purpose — that her sickness made her a spiritual burden rather than a contributor.
In 1834, after a conversation with a Swiss minister who told her that coming to God required nothing but coming “just as you are,” something shifted. She wrote it down as a hymn — not as a sermon, but as a confession of her own helplessness turned into an invitation for anyone else who felt the same.
“Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me.”
The hymn made no demands of moral cleanup before approaching God. That was the radical part. Worship culture at the time often emphasized preparation, worthiness, examination. Elliott’s hymn said: come now, broken, as you actually are.
A century later, evangelist Billy Graham adopted “Just As I Am” as the closing hymn for his crusades — sung softly while thousands walked forward to commit their lives to Christ. He used it at nearly every altar call across six decades of ministry, reaching tens of millions of people.
A woman too sick to leave her bed wrote the invitation that moved more people forward than almost any preacher alive.
Share this with someone who feels too broken to start over.
“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
“Small numbers make no difference to God. There is nothing small if God is in it.” ― Dwight Lyman Moody
“For who has shown contempt for the day of small things? But these seven will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—they are the eyes of the Lord roaming throughout the earth.” Zechariah 4:10 NASB
In His Love, Cindy
“God treated Jesus as if He had lived my life, that I may be treated as if I had lived His life.” Harvey Stalker
Nothing could be more relevant to the Church today than the message from Jesus to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. These letters reveal which things He approves of and which things they must repent of. (Revelation, chapters 2 and 3)
These letters are important. And they are just as applicable now as they were then. Jesus tells them they must repent or He will remove their lampstand!
“When the Bible repeats something, it should catch our attention. In Revelation 2 and 3, there is a phrase that is repeated seven times: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In other words, this message is for everyone. God wants every Christian to study prophecy.” David Jeremiah
“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches…” Revelation 2:7,11, 17, 29 and Revelation 3:6,13, 22
May we have ears to hear!
Read Revelation chapter 2 HERE, and Revelation chapter 3 HERE.
The first thing I do every morning is to read and study my Bible. (Well, after I feed and walk Henry, my Yorkie. As you know, he is very bossy.)
When we get back, he gets in his dog bed and sleeps for a couple of hours. And I open my Bible.
This is my favorite time of the day. Do you know why? It’s because the Bible speaks to me every day, and so it becomes more dear to me every time I read it.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV (emphasis mine)
No other book in the world can do that, only the Bible. The word translated as “alive” is the Greek word zao. It is the same word Jesus used when He said,
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 NIV (emphasis mine)
Scripture is life-giving, not merely instructive, because the Bible is God speaking to you and me.
Real Christian Women 