Christian

Feeling Rejected?

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Tuesday, 8/4/26

Rejection wounds the heart like no other sword. If you have been rejected by someone you love, you know what I’m talking about. This wound can take a long time to heal. But healing will come. David knew where to turn. He wrote,

“When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.” Psalm 27:10 NKJV

David was rejected by his family. His father didn’t even invite him to meet the Prophet Samuel when he came to anoint the next king. All of David’s brothers were there, but David was not included. (1 Samuel 16)

David’s own son, Absalom, whom he dearly loved, conspired to take the kingdom away from David. (2 Samuel 15)

There are more examples of David facing the pain of rejection, but the one that speaks the loudest is the rejection of Jesus, the Messiah.

“He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” Isaiah 53:3 NIV

When we face rejection, we crave the comfort of someone who understands. That person is Jesus. We are never alone in our suffering.

“You may not be intellectual or well thought of in your family circle; you may be despised by others for your faith in Christ. Perhaps you had only a little share in the love of your parents, as David did. But remember that those who are rejected of men often become beloved of the Lord.” Alan Redpath.

I have felt the pain of rejection more than once in my life, but I know Who understands and heals my heart.

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

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 Daniel Martinez for Unsplash+

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

The Light Within You

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Monday, 8/3/26

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.  Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness.  See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.  Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” Luke 11:33-36 NIV

Each of us is controlled either by light or darkness. The frightening thing is that some people have so hardened themselves against the Lord that they cannot tell the difference! They think they are following the light when, in reality, they are following the darkness. The scribes and Pharisees claimed to “see the light” as they studied the law, but they were living in the darkness. NKJV Wiersbe Study Bible

How can we ensure the light within us is not darkness?

Ask God to create in us a pure heart.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 NIV

Love the truth. Love God’s Word.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

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

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 Zac Cain on Unsplash

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Christian

Why Israel Remains God’s Chosen People

Cindy Dawson

Devotion for Sunday, 8/2/26

The Jews are still God’s chosen people and always will be. This is clearly stated in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

As I began studying the book of Luke this morning, I noticed that the first chapter stated this truth three times!

“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:30-33 NIV

“He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.” Luke 1:54-55 NIV

“His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David
 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
 salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
    and to remember his holy covenant,
     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him without fear
     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” Luke 1:67-75 NIV

Some people falsely claim that the Church has replaced Israel. But God’s Word is clear. His Covenant and promises to Israel are everlasting. They are forever! Nothing anyone says can change this fact.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of this debate. God has clearly said,

“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 12:3 NIV

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

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

Should the Church Preach Politics?

Cindy Dawson

One Sunday morning, I attended church virtually. The pastor delivered a powerful message that pointed to Christ. After that, another church service started. That pastor presented a powerful message, too, but powerful in a different way. I listened for a while, but I could hardly believe what I heard coming from the pulpit. It sounded more like a political rally than a church service.

I think we should carefully consider whether the local church should take a political stand. The United States is very divided right now along political lines.

The political preacher I referenced above really got under my skin because his beliefs were the opposite of mine. I know of another case where a Sunday School teacher took a political stance, but not everyone in this adult class agreed. This caused conflict between class members.

The temperature of political talk in the U.S. right now is hot! You can easily get into an argument, even with people in your own party! Emotions are high, and people are opinionated and outspoken.

So the question arises: Is the local church the place for political discussion and persuasion?

The U.S. is pretty much divided 50/50 politically. The way I figure it, a politically opinionated church will turn off all visitors of the opposite side. Do we really want to do that? Is our purpose political persuasion or sharing Christ? Does political persuasion turn people of differing opinions away? You bet it does!

I would suggest that preaching politics only encourages people who agree, and does nothing to change anyone’s mind.

The local church should be open to people of all political persuasions in an effort to lead people to Christ, disciple them, and teach the Word of God.

The point is this: If a church takes a political position, it shuts the door to about half of the people who might potentially attend and be led to Christ. Wouldn’t that slam the door in the face of many lost souls?

Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus preach politics, nor does He command His disciples to do so. He is our example. His purpose was to save the lost, not to change the government. The Roman government of Jesus’ day was brutal and cruel, yet Jesus did not set out to change it. He was changing hearts.

We are commanded to love: Love our neighbor, love the Body of Christ, and even love our enemies. Our assignment is clear.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

The only hope for our nation is Jesus Christ. And not Jesus Christ dictated from Congress or the White House, but Jesus alive in us and our neighbors. And the only way for that to happen is for you and me to focus on making disciples by loving and reaching to people of all walks of life and background, regardless of their lifestyle, choices or political opinions. And, in order to do that, we have to tone down our politics and turn up our Jesus.”

Daryl Fulp, Missionary

Let us strive to obey the commands that Jesus has given us, and put our trust in Him alone.

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

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 Ernie Journeys on Unsplash

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Christian

This Story Could Transform the Way You See Others

Cindy Dawson

Devotional for Friday, 7/31/26

Do you see others the way Jesus sees them? After you read this story, you may change your answer.

As I waited for my daughter in the Walgreens parking lot, I noticed a young man walking up and down the busy street carrying a sign that said, “Homeless”. I tried to dismiss the idea of talking to him, thinking my daughter would walk out of the store any minute.

But she didn’t. I kept waiting, and finally, I grabbed a $5 bill out of my purse and stepped out of my car to talk to him. I asked him if he was from around here. He wasn’t. I asked him about his parents. He said his father was deceased and his mother wouldn’t have anything to do with him because of drugs. I asked him what brought him to town, and he said he was here for the methadone clinic. I gave him the $5 and told him I would be praying for him. He seemed very grateful. His name is Michael.

I rarely do this kind of thing. I give to the poor through other means. The thing is, I can’t get Michael out of my mind. God keeps reminding me to pray for him. I don’t know what makes him special; I just know that I’m supposed to pray for him. I may never see him again, but if I do, I trust God to help me know what to say and do.

The next day, I ran across the following story, and it made me think about Michael in a completely different way.

As a man explored caves by the seashore, he found a canvas bag full of hardened clay balls. Apparently, someone had rolled the clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn’t look like much, but intrigued, the man took the bag. 

As he strolled along the beach, he threw the balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could. He thought little about it until he dropped one and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Delighted, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each one contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so balls he had left.

Then it struck him. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 balls with their hidden treasure out into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

This story made me think. Michael is like one of the clay balls. He doesn’t look like much on the outside, but there is treasure on the inside for the simple reason that he is loved by God. And God has a purpose for his life. We can look at someone and think we see all there is to see. But the truth is, there is always a lot more that we don’t see.

I pray that this story will change the way we see others, making us more approachable so that we can better love like Jesus. Because isn’t judging what makes us unapproachable? It’s something to think about……

May we be transformed!

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NLT

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40 NIV

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

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, Encouragement, forgiveness

Lord, Help Me Forgive

Cindy Dawson

Devotion for Thursday, 7/30/26

Are you struggling to forgive someone? Does it seem impossible?  You can do it. God will help you. Remember this: Unforgiveness will destroy you, not them. Even science know that.

There is an enormous physical burden to being hurt and disappointed … Forgiveness, however, calms stress levels, leading to improved health.”

Karen Swartz, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Adult Consultation Clinic at The Johns Hopkins Hospital

We can forgive others when we understand the depth of God’s forgiveness of our own sins. Crucifixion is the most brutal kind of execution. Yet Jesus pleaded with the Father to forgive them. He suffered heart-breaking rejection at the cross, yet He loved and forgave those responsible.

They crucified him and Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”    Luke 23: 34

Nothing we have to forgive can compare to His example of forgiveness. He suffered and died so that we would be forgiven for all the sins we have ever committed and even the ones we will commit in the future; He asks us to forgive others in return.

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25 NIV

Paul knew that the sin of unforgiveness would give the devil a foothold. 

The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians, “I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11)

Our obedience to Christ protects us from the devil’s schemes.  You may not find the power to forgive within yourself, but through Christ, you can. Forgive as an act of your will. Your feelings will eventually change. The first step is to tell God that you forgive this person. 

Meditate on God’s promises, instead of meditating on the injustice. The more time you spend in His Word, in prayer and meditation, the less that injustice will have power to hurt you.

Those who won’t forgive show they have not accepted the fact of their own sinfulness and need for God’s forgiveness.

Thank Jesus for what He has done for you. It will destroy the power of the wrong to upset you. Peace and joy are already given to the child of God; God’s Word reveals how to live in it. We must trust and obey. When we choose to forgive, we begin to heal.

I have experienced things that were hard to forgive, but whenever those things cross my mind, I refuse to think about them. I consciously begin to think about something else. Sometimes that can be difficult. Ask God to help you. I’ve had to forgive some big things, but God has forgiven me of some big things as well.

There is only one way to forgive the unforgivable, and that is with God’s help. These Scriptures will strengthen and empower you to do it.

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35 NIV

May God’s Word strengthen you today.

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

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, CURRENT EVENTS

The Value of Human Life

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 7/29/26

“To diminish the value of one category of human life is to diminish us all. Slavery, which treated Blacks as something less than human, to be bought and sold if convenient, cheapened human life and mocked our dedication to the freedom and equality of all men and women. Can we say that abortion — which treats the unborn as something less than human, to be destroyed if convenient — will be less corrosive to the values we hold dear?” President Ronald Reagan

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
    ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
    and see that they get justice.” Proverbs 31:8-9 NLT

Not that long ago, we could not have imagined that the world would demand the right to kill their babies. Do not be afraid to speak up for their right to live.

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

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, Encouragement

Getting Inspired To Inspire Others: For Teachers

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Tuesday, 7/28/26

(This is a post I wrote before I retired as a special education teacher.)

School is getting ready to start here. Hello Middle School! I know I’m supposed to show the love of Christ, but that isn’t always easy. Sometimes I think my students need a kick in the pants. I have expectations, you know! 🤔

God showed me something profound about expectations. Wolfgang von Goethe* said,

“If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”

This I know: Some children desperately need someone to believe in them.

Even if you teach in a public school, you can still teach children to be kind, to treat others as they want to be treated, to forgive, and many other Christian values. As Thumper so famously said,
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”

You can set an example for them by being non-judgmental, loving, patient, and kind.

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good.” Titus 2:7 NIV

Pray for Christian teachers in the public schools. They are missionaries!

*Wolfgang von Goethe is considered the most influential writer in the German language. Did you know his poems were set to music by many famous composers, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, and others?

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

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

¹”Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,” Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/33242

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

I’m At the End of My Rope!

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute devotion for Monday, 7/27/26

Have you ever said that? Have you ever felt overwhelmed, desperate, and alone? When that happens, we must turn to Jesus because He is always watching over us.

In Psalm 142, David is hiding in a cave, overwhelmed by the dangerous situation he is in. Saul and his men are out to kill him! He cries out to the Lord in desperation. He believes that his enemies are too strong for him, but not for God.

“When my spirit grows faint within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.” Psalm 142:3 NIV

The Hebrew word translated “grows faint” also means to be overwhelmed. (Strong’s)

“Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
    no one cares for my life.” (v.4)

“Listen to my cry,
    for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong for me.” (v. 6)

We are comforted and strengthened when we remember that wherever our path may lead us, the Creator of the Universe is watching over us! We are never alone. Nothing is too hard for our God. So we put our trust in the Lord, knowing that He is fully aware of our situation and that He loves us.

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

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

Building Harmony

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Sunday, 7/26/26

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12-14 NLT

Verse 13 is valuable for meditation because fellow Christians and church members didn’t become perfect the minute they were saved. In fact, we are all at different levels of sanctification. May we love one another and build each other up.

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.”

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

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 Kelli McClintock on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog