Category: Christian

Christian

How Do I Love God With All My Heart?

Cindy Dawson

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 NIV

Have you ever wondered how we do that? We usually associate love with a feeling. But is loving God a feeling? Is it an emotion? Or is it something else? I searched the Scriptures and this is what I learned:

First, We must love others.

“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” 1 John 4:19-21 NIV

Second, We must know God. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is God’s revelation of Himself. We must study the Bible to know the true God. If we don’t know Him, how can we love Him?

Some Christians today worship their own image of God, an image that serves their fleshly desires (to be financially rich, to have power, to be important, etc. This is worshiping an idol.

Third, We must understand our need for a Savior and accept His gift of grace. Because He loved us, He saved us. He paid a price we could not pay.

“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16-18 NIV

Fourth, We must seek to know and obey His commands. How can we say we love Him if we don’t seek to please Him? For example, are there sins stated in the Bible that we choose to ignore? Are there behaviors described in the Bible that are detestable to God, and yet we dismiss them as not applicable today?

Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15 NIV

If a behavior was detestable to God in the Old Testament, it is still detestable to Him,

“I the LORD do not change.” Malachi 3:6 NIV

Fifth, To love God we must love the truth more than our own opinion.

This must be the cry of our heart:

“Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me…” Psalm 25:4-5a NIV

Sixth, We must trust Him.

“Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10 NIV

Oh for grace to trust Him more!

Please share in the comments other ways we can show our love to God.

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

Friday’s Verse, 12/13/24

Cindy Dawson

“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” 1 John 4:19-21 NIV

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

Verses for Meditation, 12/12/24

Cindy Dawson

“Sing praises to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises.
 For God is the King of all the earth;
    sing to him a psalm of praise.” Psalm 47:6-7 NIV

Do it now!

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

Quote of the Week, 12/11/24

Cindy Dawson

“Nothing makes me happier than seeing a strong believer remain unshaken or unmoved by the tireless efforts of the prince of this world to bring him down! To withstand the pressure and power of the enemy, you need deep roots in the knowledge of the Word of God and a strong faith in it. Both can only be acquired by immersing yourself more in the Word and less in the World!”  Amir Tsarfati

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

Photo by Gary Fultz on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Tuesday’s Verse, 12/10/24

Cindy Dawson

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 NIV

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

Monday’s Verse, 12/9/24

Cindy Dawson

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 NLT

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

Sunday’s Memory Verse, 12/8/24

Cindy Dawson

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NASB

My testimony: I love this verse because God has proved this to be true in my life many times. Even in times when I was devastated by what was happening (like when I unfairly lost my job), God worked it together for good. We may not see it right away, but He promised and He will do it.

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

Holiday Blues?

Cindy Dawson

Do the holidays trigger thoughts of what should have been instead of what is? Are you feeling lonely? The strange thing about depression is that it seems to take your mind captive. You may think you can’t stop the downward spiral.

The next thing you know, you’re driving to the grocery to buy food for the holidays and tears begin to well up in your eyes. You hate it. You don’t want to be sad!

I know all about it because I experienced this one day.

I prayed. I asked the Lord to help me.

Just a few minutes later, my daughter called. (You should know, she loves to cook. I mean really cook, like they do on TV Cooking Shows. I, on the other hand, look for the easiest and quickest recipe possible.)

Christina: “Mom, would you get me a butternut squash while you’re at the store?”

Me: “Do you mean like a real vegetable butternut squash?” (I’m thinking does that come in a package?)

Christina: (starts laughing hilariously) “Yes! A real vegetable butternut squash!!”

We both cracked up and had a good belly laugh! It felt so good to laugh!

Guess what? My mood completely changed right then. 

I learned a valuable, yet simple lesson about holiday blues.

  1. Always go to the Lord in prayer.
  2. Find a way to laugh!

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Mathew 6:8

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22

A book could be written on this subject, and I know that, but this is what happened to me. Sometimes a person needs a word of encouragement, not the whole book.

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving . . . Psalm 25:1-2

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

Friday’s Verse, 12/6/24

Cindy Dawson

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 NIV

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

Verse for Meditation, 12/5/24

Cindy Dawson

 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.'” Matthew 16:24 NIV

This is my favorite rendition of “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” by Linette from Christina’s missionary trip to Kenya.

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