Category: Christian

Christian, Jews

What is Agape Love? Exploring Its Meaning in the Bible

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read for Friday, 5/2/25

 “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: 4-8a NIV

Commentary: The Greek word for love used here is agape. Agape love is one of the rarest words in the Greek language and is found almost nowhere in Greek literature apart from the New Testament. But it is one of the most common words within the New Testament. It is totally unselfish love. Christ’s sacrifice and His love model what it means to choose love. (Jeremiah Study Bible Notes)

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

Christian, Jews

Servant Leadership: Lessons from Jesus

Cindy Dawson

Verses for Meditation, Thursday, 5/1/25

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 NIV Read full chapter

“The more useful people want to be to Him, the greater responsibility they have to serve others.” David Jeremiah Study Bible Notes

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

Christian, Jews

Quote of the Week, 4/30/25

Cindy Dawson

The difference between faith and fear is focus.” Pastor David Jeremiah

“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:25, 28-31 NIV Read full chapter

Commentary: Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat and walk toward Jesus… What people focus on becomes magnified, especially in fearful circumstances. Peter decided to leave the apparent safety of the boat and rely totally on Jesus – until the wind caught Peter’s attention. Whenever believers divert their eyes from Jesus in the midst of a storm their circumstances assume prominence, and they, like Peter, lose heart and begin to sink. The difference between faith and fear is focus. Pastor David Jeremiah

For more on faith vs. fear see my post Choose Faith Over Fear.

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

Christian, Jews

The Danger of Perverting the Gospel

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read for Tuesday, 4/29/25

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse.”

 “Am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-8 and 10 NIV (emphasis mine)

Comments: “False teachers do not look dangerous; they appear enlightened, compassionate, even Christ-like. But their doctrine subtly shifts the focus from Christ to self—your breakthrough, your destiny, your potential. This is a different gospel, and Paul warns that even if an angel preaches it, we are not to receive it.”

Bruce Cooper, from his excellent post, Smoke and Mirrors: Unmasking the Strategy of Deception. You can read it HERE.

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

Christian, Jews

How Creation Reveals God’s Glory

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read for Monday, April 28, 2025

“The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4 NIV

Photo by Gary Fultz on Unsplash
Photo by Gary Fultz on Unsplash
Photo by Gary Fultz on Unsplash

Commentary: Creation declares the existence of God in such a magnificent way that people are without excuse. Even though I am 73, I still stand amazed each night as I observe the night sky when I take Henry (my Yokie) out before bedtime.

During World War II, a saying developed which said, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” Men may deny the existence of God in peacetime, but in a crisis, they call out to Him.

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

Christian, Jews

Psalm 23: A Source of Comfort

Cindy Dawson

Sunday’s Memory Verses, 4/27/25

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

“Spare no effort to learn this Psalm.” Robert J. Morgan

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

Christian, Jews

All Kids Need Love

Cindy Dawson

The following quote was not made to get a chuckle based on obvious things we all know about children but based on the psychiatric examination of convicted murderers who experienced abuse in childhood.

Children need love, especially when they don’t deserve it.”

Harold S. Hubert

Hulbert, a leading psychiatric expert witness of his time and a child psychiatrist, knew the potential magnitude of the effects of being a child unloved. He testified in the murder trials of men affected by such abuse.

So, what does this mean to us? One doesn’t have to go far to find children who need love. The foster care system in America is overflowing with abandoned children who need love.

Over 390,000 children are in foster care. 25% of these children will attempt suicide.

For the 23,000 young adults who age out of foster care each year,

  1. 80% of males will become incarcerated.
  2. 40% will be homeless within 18 months.
  3. 97% will immediately enter into chronic poverty.

Poverty creates hungry children that need love. Drug abuse produces neglected children who need love.

According to the National Institute of Children’s Health Quality, Over 20,000 babies are born each year dependent on illegal or prescription drugs and suffer neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a type of opiate withdrawal. That’s the equivalent of one baby born every 25 minutes with drug addiction.

Read more about opportunities to cuddle drug-addicted babies HERE.

Children who need love are in our towns and in our schools. These children may not be in your neighborhood, but they aren’t far away.

Jesus said, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10 NIV

Is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart? What is God asking you to do? More than likely, it is something small. Help in your Vacation Bible School? Teach in your Mission Church? Volunteer in a local school as a mentor, or in a hospital for drug babies? Volunteer for CASA? Give a small amount of money to a worthy cause?

Whatever you do, don’t close your eyes to the desperate need all around us.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress …” James 1:27a

There are many ways you can give God’s love to children. All you have to do is ask Him to show you. And remember this:

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35

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

Christian, Jews

Showing God’s Love in Today’s World

Cindy Dawson

Jesus told His disciples,

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NIV

This was Jesus’ last command to His disciples. In a world characterized by violence and hate, the world will see Christ in His followers by their love.

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

Christian, Jews

What Does the Bible Teach Us About the Holy Spirit?

Cindy Dawson

Verses for Meditation, 4/24/25

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NIV

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

“But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.” John 14:26 AMP

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

 “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 NIV

These are just a few of the Scriptures verses that teach us about the Holy Spirit.

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

Christian, Jews

Quote of the Week, 4/23/25

Cindy Dawson

There’s something awe-inspiring about truly studying the Scriptures. The more time we spend in the Word, the more we begin to see the connections—passages that echo across generations, prophecies fulfilled in ways no human author could have orchestrated, themes that thread their way from Genesis to Revelation with breathtaking cohesion. It’s hard to miss the divine fingerprint behind it all.”
Bruce Cooper, Reasoned Cases for Christ, When God Speaks… and When He’s Quiet

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