Christian

God Hears Your Prayers

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Monday, 4/27/26

Several years ago, I received an urgent prayer request from an orphanage in Africa asking me to pray for 2 young children with Malaria. Their fever was raging.

Although my heart was breaking, I felt like my prayers did little good. If my prayers were working, wouldn’t I feel something?

Not necessarily. Faith has nothing to do with feelings. It’s not an emotion that can be mustered up. Faith is believing God’s promises, believing His Word, and trusting Him to accomplish His will.

When we feel like our prayers aren’t making it out of the room, we need to remember what God has said in His Word.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 NKJV

Prayer isn’t something we have to do. It’s something we get to do. As the old hymn says, “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.”

ABOUT What A Friend We Have in Jesus : What a Friend We Have in Jesus was written by Joseph M. Scriven. Joseph Scriven’s life was filled with many trials and sorrows. His fiancée died in a drowning accident on the eve of their wedding in 1844. Eventually, he found love again, but his plans for marriage were dashed again when his new bride-to-be died after a short illness in 1855. That same year, he received news from Ireland that his mother was terribly ill. He wrote a poem to comfort her called “Pray Without Ceasing”. It was later set to music and renamed What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Scriven did not have any intentions nor dream that his poem would be published in the newspaper and later become a favorite hymn among the millions of Christians around the world.

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 Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, women

Am I a Light in the Darkness?

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Reflection for Sunday, 4/26/26

 Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15 NIV

“Our call is to engage with the world. Our mission as light in the darkness has not ended. In fact, it is greater now than it has ever been as the time of the end draws near.” Amir Tsarfati

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 Duangphorn Wiriya on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Jews

Offer Gratitude, Not Hatred

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Friday, 4/25/26

God had a plan to bless the world through the Jews. He sent His son, Jesus, born of a virgin, a young Jewish girl named Mary. (Matthew 1:18)

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” 1 John 3:8 NIV

No wonder Satan hates the Jewish people!

The Lord had said to Abram, “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3 NIV (emphasis mine)

This is the blessing:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV

The Jewish people continue to bless the world even today. Although Jews are a small percentage of the population (0.2%), they have made an astounding number of contributions in the fields of medicine, science, art, and music, for which everyone should be grateful.

Here are just a few:

  • Jonas Salk (creator of the first polio vaccine)
  • Albert Sabin (oral polio vaccine)
  • Galileo (pioneered the use of the telescope for observing the night sky. His discoveries undermined traditional ideas about a perfect and unchanging cosmos with the Earth at its center.)
  • Elie Wiesel (political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor) authored 57 books)
  • Albert Einstein
  • Jerry Lewis (who raised more than 2 billion dollars for his Muscular Dystrophy Association Charity, Jerry’s Kids)
  •  Isaac Singer (inventor of the sewing machine)

(This list could go on and on, but I’ll stop here for the sake of brevity.)

Anti-Semetism

The savage attack on the Jewish people by the evil terrorist group Hamas, unbelievably, launched an anti-Semitic campaign around the world. The pro-Hamas demonstrators, when interviewed, showed little to no knowledge of the history of Judaism or the establishment of the Jewish state.

Ignorance allows dictators and terrorists to pursue their objectives while a properly informed public preserves and protects what is important to a free and civilized society.

If you believe such things are important, offer some gratitude, not hostility, to the Jews.”

Cal Thomas, Gratitude and Ingratitude: Jews have contributed greatly to our world

And now, let’s look at another part of the passage:

“I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;”

God said that.

See the article, Jewish Achievement Through History, for more about Jewish contributions to the world.

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

Why Should I Read The Book of Revelation?

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Read for Friday, 4/24/26

I just finished reading the Book of Revelation again, and it makes me wonder why so many Christians don’t read it. These are some of the reasons I found. People say:

It’s not that relevant to my life.

It’s so hard to read.

I don’t understand it.

It makes me uncomfortable.

It scares me.

********************************

John introduces the Book of Revelation by saying,

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” Revelation 1:3 NIV


And consider what Jesus says about the Book of Revelation:

“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Revelation 22:7 NIV (The Greek word translated soon can mean quickly or suddenly, also in v. 12.)

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:12-14 NIV

The first time you read Revelation, some parts might be difficult to understand, but there will be many parts that are pretty straightforward.

Chapters 2 and 3, for example, are messages from Jesus to the seven churches. These messages contain warnings and compliments from Jesus and are still relevant today.

The more you read and study Revelation, the more of it you will understand. For one thing, other books of the Bible will help you determine its meaning, especially Daniel and Ezekiel.

So go ahead and get started. You will be blessed!

Note: Here are three books by Amir Tsarfati that I found helpful for making the connections to Old Testament Scriptures:

Revealing Revelation, Exploring Ezekiel, and Discovering Daniel.

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

Why We Neglect the Bible: A Reflection

Cindy Dawson

For Thursday, 4/23/26

When I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend. His name was Mickit. If I got caught doing something I wasn’t supposed to do, I would say, “Mickit did it!” For example, one day I threw my bracelet out of the car window. Someone said, “Why did you do that?!”

I said, “I didn’t do it! Mickit did it!”

I don’t know how I came up with this. But it seemed like a good idea at the time. So why am I sharing this? Because we all have countless excuses for neglecting our daily Bible reading.

Everything we need to know is right there in God’s Word! It is the most amazing book ever written. The author is God Himself! So, why do people neglect it?

I have to work, get the kids ready for school, study for a test, take the car in for service, etc. There is no end to the possible excuses! But when all is said and done, it was our choice.

Now, there is one caveat to this. This is not an excuse for not reading your Bible, but it will help you understand why you do it.

You have an adversary. His name is Satan. He is a liar and a deceiver. There is nothing he wants more than to render the Church powerless by stealing their only weapon…

“The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17)

The Psalmist writes,

“I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119:15-16 NIV

So the next time you think you don’t have time to read your Bible, remember who is telling you this, and why.

May the Lord give us a love for His Word.

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: Getty Images for Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Defending the Gospel

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 4/22/26

“Defending the Gospel is not optional—it is a biblical mandate, and it must be done both boldly AND compassionately.

Paul’s letters are filled with exhortations to guard sound doctrine (1 Timothy 6:3–4), expose false teaching (Titus 1:9–11), and speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). The early Church did not treat doctrinal errors lightly—and neither should we.” Bruce Cooper, Grace, Truth, and the One Gospel: Disagreeing without Disrespecting

“Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all time handed down to the saints.” Jude 1:3 (NASB)

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 Wynand van Poortvliet on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Jews

What is Yom HaZikaron?

Cindy Dawson

Reflection for Tuesday, 4/21/26

Yom HaZikaron is the day of national remembrance in Israel to commemorate all the soldiers and people who lost their lives during the struggle to defend the State of Israel. On this day we mourn and remember our fallen soldiers and all lives lost by terror. Yom HaZikaron, which goes by the Jewish calendar, begins with a siren at 8:00 in the evening. As soon as the siren is heard, Israeli citizens stop whatever they’re doing, wherever they are, and stand firm to honor those they’ve lost. People driving on highways stop their cars in the middle of the road to get out and stand in remembrance. A whole office will stop working and a family having dinner will stop eating in order to spend a minute in respectful silence. MORE


170 soldiers have fallen since Israel’s last Memorial Day. Their names are now added to the 25,648 who have fallen since 1860, when Jews left the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City to establish new neighborhoods in the Holy Land.


“America joins the people of Israel in observing Yom HaZikaron — Israel’s Memorial Day — and in honoring the fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism who have given their lives in defense of the Jewish State. May their memories forever be a blessing.” Ambassador Mike Huckabee

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

Psalm 122:6 NASB

In His Love, Cindy

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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

“A Time to Be Silent, Or a Time to Speak?”

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Tuesday, 4/21/26

Have you ever been in a discussion (perhaps in a Sunday School class or Bible Study) and you really wanted to add your two cents, but you didn’t know if you should? I often have something to say, but that doesn’t mean I should!

I have searched the Scriptures concerning how to know when I should speak up and when I should stay silent. My conclusion:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: … a time to be silent and a time to speak” Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 7b NIV

When the Jews faced national annihilation, the brave Queen Esther recognized her God-appointed purpose and time to speak. Her cousin Mordecai urged,

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:12-14 NIV

Esther obeyed, risking her life to save her people. She knew it was “a time to speak,” and she received God’s abundant blessing.

Proverbs says, “The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
    and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.” Proverbs 17:27-28 NIV

There are times when we should be silent, and times when we should speak up. We may not know what to do in some situations. There are no easy answers. But God has promised to give us wisdom when we ask Him. So that is what we must do. We rely on God’s wisdom and the Holy Spirit to lead us as we seek guidance from God’s Word.

 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6 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

Christian

Are You Equipped to Hear the Holy Spirit?

Cindy Dawson

Reflection for Monday, 4/20/26

In His wilderness temptation with the devil, Jesus fired Scripture at the devil—but He only used ammunition from Deuteronomy. The late Dallas Seminary professor Howard Hendricks used to ask his students, “If your spiritual survival depended on how well you knew the Book of Deuteronomy, how long would you last?”

The Holy Spirit will not bring to mind a verse that we have never read. It is up to us to hide the Word in our hearts so the Spirit can use it to help us fight off the attacks of Satan. (From the Jeremiah Study Bible Online Notes)

Dear Friends, If you make it your practice to read the entire Bible, and then read it again and again, you will discover this truth for yourself. You might be surprised to know that it is not difficult to read the entire Bible in one year when you devote 15 to 20 minutes daily. You can find a 1-year plan you like online. This has been the most impactful practice of my life.

“I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:15-16 NIV (emphasis mine)

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 Alexandra Fuller on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

This Sunday, Reflect on This:

Cindy Dawson

4/19/26

“God treated Jesus as if He had lived my life, that I may be treated as if I had lived His life.”

Harvey Stalker

““For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 AMP

Harvey Stalker quote from Alan Kearns’ Devotional Treasure

This is one of my all-time favorite quotes!

In His Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6

RealChristianWomen.blog