Author: Cindy Dawson

Christian

Parenting Teens Isn’t For Wimps

Cindy Dawson

Do your kids have secrets they don’t share with you? Well, I don’t know about you, but I certainly didn’t tell my parents everything I did! And I was a “good” kid (well, at least until I went away to college).

In the day we live it is more important than ever to talk to your kids and build up trust so they will tell you about school and their friends. Your kids need to be unafraid of how you will respond. They need to be able to voice their concerns to someone they know loves them.

If they say something shocking, don’t overreact! Take a deep breath and try to continue the conversation calmly so that you can discuss what they said. (Kids have been known to try to shock you.)

Consider this snippet of a real conversation a mother had with her young married daughter, Jane. (Names have been changed.)

Mom: “Are you going to church?” (not the first time Jane got this question!)

Jane: “Not really.”

Mom: “You need to go to church! It’s really important. Blah, blah, blah”

Jane: “I don’t know if I even believe in God!”

Mom freaks out and starts yelling! “You’re not my daughter! I don’t have a daughter!”

Jane storms out of the house and they don’t speak to each other for over a year.

Now here’s the back story: Jane was a Christian, but she was seriously questioning her belief in God. She accepted Jesus as a child, but she never had the support she needed to grow and mature in Christ. She needed someone to voice her concerns to.

Jesus didn’t abandon Jane. He watched over her for many years until she found her way back to Him. (He is the most faithful friend you could ever have.) Not many years later, Jane did go back to church and eventually even became involved in ministry.

So, if your child says something shocking to you that makes you want to scream, consider it an opportunity for them to think through what they said with someone who loves them.

“Be merciful to those who doubt” Jude 1:22 NIV

 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

The demands on parents today can be overwhelming, especially on moms. I know what it’s like to lose my cool. We’ve all done it!

My advice is to prepare yourself ahead of time for how you will respond to some outrageous remark from your teen because it will probably happen eventually. When something comes at us out of the blue and we are caught off guard, that’s when our response may be less than stellar.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

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

STAND WITH ISRAEL

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com

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Friday’s Verse, 10/27/23

Cindy Dawson

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Colossians 3:1-2 NLT Read full chapter

In His Love, Cindy

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

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

Photo by Ben Vaughn on Unsplash

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What Is the Truth About Palestine?

Cindy Dawson

I highly recommend the following video by Bible Teacher Amir Tsarfati. He explains common misconceptions in the world today concerning Israel and Palestine based on Biblical truth and historical fact. It is not only important, it is also very interesting. You will not be bored!

Previews of what you will see:

Watch The Deception of the Nations here.

In His Love, Cindy

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

Did you know? The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)

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Verse for Meditation, 10/26/23

Cindy Dawson

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1 NIV Read full chapter

In His Love, Cindy

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

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

Photo by Dalton Smith on Unsplash

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Quote of the Week, 10/25/23

Cindy Dawson

You cannot be a discerning person if you are not studying your Bible.”

Rev. Rodgers Atwebembeire, Gospel Coalition, Africa

In His Love, Cindy

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

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

Photo by Humble Lamb on Unsplash

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Tuesday’s Verse, 10/24/23

Cindy Dawson

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

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

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

Photo by Mateus Campos Felipe on Unsplash

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How To See the Latest News From Israel

Cindy Dawson

To see the latest and most accurate news and developments concerning Israel go to Amir Tsarfati’s website, Behold Israel. Click on the NEWS tab and sign up for his Telegram page. There is a lot of information here you will not see on TV news. Amir Tsarfati is a believer in Jesus Christ, Bible teacher, and author who lives in Israel.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.” Psalm 122:6-9 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

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

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

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Monday’s Verse, 10/23/23

Cindy Dawson

“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:7-8 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

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

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

Photo by ethan on Unsplash

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Sunday’s Memory Verse, 10/22/23

Cindy Dawson

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

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

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

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What Does God Say About the Bible?

Cindy Dawson

Should we interpret the Bible through the lens of our culture? Do God’s Words mean something different today than when they were written? We must look to the Word of God itself for the answers. What does God’s Word reveal?

Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 (emphasis mine)

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16 (emphasis mine)

We may want to interpret verses in a way that is more acceptable to our culture…

But God says, “I the Lord do not change.” Malachi 3:6

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

In his article on Postmodernism Christian Movements, Bruce Cooper describes Progressive Christianity as: “a contemporary Christian movement that seeks to reinterpret traditional Christian beliefs and practices in light of modern perspectives and societal changes.”

To twist the meaning of Scripture to suit ourselves will only dull our Sword and contribute to our own demise! In effect, we shoot ourselves in the foot!

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8

If we don’t prepare ourselves by reading the Word daily, we will be like a soldier going into battle without the intelligence report or battle plans! Jesus explained it this way:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-27 (emphasis mine)

Notice that in verse 24 Jesus said, “Therefore”. That means that the “house built on sand” analogy does not stand alone, but is in reference to the preceding verses which say,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23

Pause and reflect on that for a moment!

We live in a time of great deception. Our culture believes things that shock the senses! It is becoming increasingly difficult to speak the truth because we don’t want to be called a hater or be hated. Jesus said,

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” John 15:18-20 NIV

Today, in light of current events, those verses mean more than ever.

How amazing that the Bible, written 2,000 years ago, is so pertinent to the world today and all its problems!

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

More Scripture About God’s Word:

Sources: Reasoned Cases for Christ, Postmodernism

In His Love, Cindy

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

Did you know? The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)

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