Christian

What Is Real Freedom?

Cindy Dawson

It is a blessing to live in a free country. In America, we have the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and more. But that freedom can’t even compare to the freedom that we have in Christ.

This is because to live without Christ is to live in darkness.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 6:12

“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:34-36 (emphasis mine)

“Satan is the ruler of the kingdom of darkness. Spiritual darkness has a power over non-Christians. It controls their thoughts, words, and actions, and they cannot break that control without Christ.”

Pastor David Jeremiah

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Ephesians 2:1-2

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” John 3:19-21

The Bible has a lot to say about darkness and light, freedom and bondage. To not be in Christ is to be without hope and without God. It is to walk in darkness, be a slave to sin, and be unable to know the truth.

True freedom is to be in Christ. His arms are open wide to whosoever will come to Him.

The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” Psalm 14:2

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture from the NIV

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Israel & the Jews

God’s Promise to Israel

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Friday 7/3/26

“He remembers his covenant forever,
    the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
    the oath he swore to Isaac.
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
“To you I will give the land of Canaan
    as the portion you will inherit.” Psalm 105:8-11 NIV (emphasis mine)

“It is completely inconsistent to say you love the King of the Jews but despise the Jews of the King. So don’t let the ignorant antisemites of our day bully you into silence. If God has not cast off Israel – and He hasn’t – we shouldn’t either.” From the book UNTIL HE COMES by Amir Tsarfati and Barry Stagner

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Is God Calling You?

Cindy Dawson

For Your Reflection, 7/2/26

“He (Jesus) called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:2-6 NIV

We must not take these verses lightly. The Lord places great importance on the education of children. And I have to tell you, there is nothing that gives me more joy than when one of my former students (from my 2 to 4-year-olds class) comes up to me at church to give me a big hug. And that’s why I found the following quote by D.L. Moody so interesting.

Although the exact date of this quote is unknown, it is believed that toward the end of his life, after decades of ministry, D.L. Moody said this:

“If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God.”

It was said of D.L. Moody, “Judged by the lasting results of his work, he shares honors with Lincoln as our greatest contribution to humanity in the nineteenth century.” Reverend D.W. Philpott, D.D., Chicago Tribune, February 5, 1928

If you think God is calling you to Children’s Ministry, say, “Yes, Lord. Send me.”

By the way, I was 6 years old when I asked Jesus into my heart. My daughter, who is now in full-time ministry, was only 4 years old when she gave her life to Jesus.

Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Bible and Scripture, Christian

Understanding True Bible Study

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 7/1/26

“So skilled is error at imitating truth that the two are constantly being mistaken for each other. It takes a sharp eye these days to know which brother is Cain and which Abel. We must never take for granted anything that touches our soul’s welfare.”  A.W. Tozer

Many, if not most, Christians study books by well-known “Christian authors” and call it a Bible Study. I beg to differ. That would be a book study. Some of the most popular “Christian” books are filled with errors. A Bible Study group studies the Bible, not books about the Bible.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Bible and Scripture, Christian

Embrace Truth

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Tuesday, 6/30/26

“For myself, I long ago decided that I would rather know the truth than be happy in ignorance. If I can not have both truth and happiness, give me truth. We’ll have a long time to be happy in heaven.”
― A.W. Tozer

Jesus said, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 NIV

“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 NIV

“All your words are true;
    all your righteous laws are eternal.” Psalm 119:160 NIV

The Old and New Testaments both affirm that the words recorded in the Bible are God’s words and that they are true. There are over 100 verses that affirm this. We thank God for this precious gift, the Bible!

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Bible and Scripture, Christian

Is the Church Transforming Lives?

Cindy Dawson

Reflection for Monday, 6/29/26

“Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society’s own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender.”

It might surprise you to learn that these words were written by AW Tozer in 1955, over 70 years ago! This is called Progressive Christianity, which (in a nutshell) adopts modern cultural values at the expense of biblical authority, including the advancement of LGBTQ+ propaganda.

I am not surprised by this because, after all, hasn’t this always been the way the devil works? In the Garden of Eden, the serpent tempted Eve to sin. How? He said,

“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,  but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. Genesis 3:1-3

This trick is as old as dirt! And it is often the exact way the devil tempts us! He leads us to believe that sin is not really sin, even though the Word of God clearly says it is. For example, the Bible clearly says that homosexual behavior is sin, but many churches ignore this truth to the detriment of those in bondage to it.

“God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” Romans 1:26-27 Read Romans 1.

The Bible says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 NIV

The Bible says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

If we ignore God’s Word and support worldly wisdom, we are denying the power of God to save.

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin… 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness”. Romans 6

This is why we must love the truth. God’s Word is truth.

It is not loving to suppress truth and go along with the devil’s lies. It is cowardice.

You won’t find the worldly media telling stories about people who have been set free from homosexuality, but there are many. You just have to look for them. Google it!

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture from the NIV

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

God Will Comfort You

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Sunday, 6/28/26

As I walked Henry, my Yorkie, early this morning, I noticed that the behavior of the robins had changed. The baby birds are hatching, and their parents are on the watch!

In the quiet of predawn, I remembered that I am under the watchful eye of the Savior. Just like these robins guard their hatchlings, God is guarding me. Just like He has done many times before, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind these words of Jesus:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 NIV

Baby robins are hatching!

Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.” John 14:26 NASB

The Holy Spirit will bring you comfort and peace by reminding you of what God’s Word has said. This is God’s promise for all who trust and obey Jesus, our Savior. What He’s done for me, He will do for you.

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

That’s Not What I Expected!

Cindy Dawson

Sometimes God has a plan that is nothing like our expectations.  If only we would trust Him, but instead we think we know what He should do. Learn how God just might do things in a completely different way than you expect!

Meet Naaman, the Commander of the Army of the King of Syria, a valiant soldier and highly regarded by the King. Naaman was wealthy and respected by everyone; he had prestige and servants, and he lived in grand style. I’m sure he had the best clothes, a beautiful home, and (you get the picture). Oh, he did have one little problem. He had leprosy.

His wife had her own personal servant girl, of course. Fortunately for Naaman, she was an Israelite. Even though she had been captured by a band of Syrian raiders, this little girl had compassion for her master. 

She said to her mistress,

“If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:3

Naaman reported this to the king. The king, anxious to see his best general cured of this egregious disease, sent Naaman to the King of Israel.

“So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.” 2 Kings 5:5 NLT

Naaman expected the King to cure him of his leprosy, but that is not what God had in mind. In fact, when the King of Israel discovered what Naaman wanted, he panicked, thinking the King of Syria was trying to pick a fight. (See how this is not going as expected?)

When Elisha, the prophet, heard about this, he sent for Naaman. So Naaman gathered his entourage, his horses and chariots, and paraded to Elisha’s door.

Naaman must have thought pretty highly of himself, making a grand arrival with all those horses and chariots, and lots of money. But Elisha doesn’t even bother to come out and greet him! Instead, Elisha sends out a messenger who says,

“Go wash yourself in the Jordan River seven times.” 2 Kings 5:10

Naaman expected the Prophet of God to dramatically wave his hands in the air and call on his God to cure him in some spectacular display. But once again, he did not get what he expected. 

Naaman expected to be treated with honor and respect, and when he was insulted, he refused to do what Elisha said and stomped off in a rage.

I know what you’re thinking: What!? How can Naaman be so stubborn? Doesn’t he want to be cured? 

But don’t we do the same thing? We pray for something, but it isn’t answered the way we expect. So we think our prayer isn’t being answered at all. Or, maybe we don’t like the way it is being answered.

It isn’t surprising that Naaman got angry. The Jordan River is a dirty, muddy river. You wouldn’t want to bathe in it either, especially if you tend to think rather highly of yourself. (Ouch!)

Only after his servants convince him, does Naaman agree to go and dip himself in the dirty river. When he followed God’s plan, he was completely cured, and his skin became like that of a young boy. Things turned out even better than he expected!

Naaman exclaimed,

“Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.” (v 15)

And he vowed to never worship any other god but the Lord.

Read the whole story of Naaman in 2 Kings chapter 5. (There’s a lot more to the story!)

And remember: God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we expect!

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

DOES THE LIGHT HURT YOUR EYES?

Cindy Dawson

Devotion for Friday, 6/26/26

I have read so many great posts by the bloggers I follow! From time to time, I want to share some of the most provocative and inspiring ones.

DOES THE LIGHT HURT YOUR EYES? BY Steve Brewer, The Brew Is Amazing

“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion [apostasy] occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”  (2 Thessalonians 2:1–4, NIV 1984). 

My Musings – What was true then is still true today.  The great apostasy or falling away from the truth of God’s Word must occur first.  The world has nothing to fall away from, so this must refer to a great part of the Church. 

A time when the truth does not move or convict as it once did.  An outright rejection of some or all of the truths contained in the Holy Scriptures that were once accepted by faith.  Claiming that what may have been true in the past is no longer so.  Or perhaps, asserting that it really doesn’t mean what was believed for all these centuries.  Are we really so much more enlightened than those who came before with our doubting, distorting, disputing, and denying? 

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17–18, NIV).

 “Jesus told them, ‘This very night you will all fall away on account of me.’” (Matthew 26:31, NIV).  

My Advice –These are the words Jesus spoke to the eleven on the night He was betrayed.  And they all did, for a time.  Today, are we on the edge of “this very night” that Paul spoke about? As we see many denominations and congregations crumbling before our eyes, bowing to the pressure to conform to the culture rather than calling for the culture to be transformed, we must ask ourselves, “Where do we stand?” As the day gives way to night, we must

“choose for [ourselves] this day whom [we] will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14–15, NIV 1984).  

Stand firm, or fall away.  The time is fast approaching when the world will demand that you choose.  But more than they, so will the Master.

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

Photo by Richmond Fajardo on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

For Writers and Other Servants of God

Cindy Dawson

Wisdom for Thursday, 6/25/26

As Christian writers, sometimes we don’t feel like writing. It happens to all of us sometimes. But I have found that God honors our determination to obey Him. The same is true for teachers and pastors. Even when we don’t feel like doing our job, God is still faithful to help us. In fact, it’s often during those times when we feel the least capable that God helps us the most.

“Obedience means marching right on whether we feel like it or not. Many times, we go against our feelings. Faith is one thing, feeling is another.”

D.L. Moody

The Apostle Paul said, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

To learn more about Jesus, read Who Is Jesus? A message for the Skeptic

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

Photo by Getty Images on Unsplash+

RealChristianWomen.blog