Christian

Useful to God

1-Minute Devotion for Monday, 6/22/26

“I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible.” D.L. Moody

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 

A Little-Known Story About D.L. Moody

The first meeting I ever saw him at was in a little old shanty that had been abandoned by a saloon-keeper. Mr. Moody had got the place to hold the meetings at night. I went there a little late; and the first thing I saw was a man standing up with a few tallow candles around him, holding a negro boy, and trying to read to him the story of the Prodigal Son and a great many words he could not read out, and had to skip. I thought, ‘If the Lord can ever use such an instrument as that for His honor and glory, it will astonish me.’ As a result of his tireless labor, within a year the average attendance at his school was 650, while 60 volunteers from various churches served as teachers. It became so well known that the just-elected President Lincoln visited and spoke at a Sunday School meeting on November 25, 1860. (Wikipedia)

In His Love, Cindy

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

Christian

Understanding the Bible: Why You Should Read All 66 Books

If you want to know the Bible, you have to read the Bible, all of it, not just your favorite parts. If you don’t know the Bible well, you are vulnerable to deception. And that is exactly why so many Christians are deceived by false teaching.

The Bible consists of 66 books: The Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books). If we are to understand the whole counsel of God’s Word, we must read and study all of it.

Every book of the Bible contributes to our knowledge of God. The Old Testament contains well over 400 verses and allusions that point to the coming Messiah. 

You can read the whole Bible in one year by reading for about 15 minutes per day. This is not difficult to do! I highly recommend it! I have been doing this since 2019, when my pastor shared a one-year Bible reading plan. It changed my life!

It seems like most Christians would rather read a book by a well-known minister rather than read their Bible, but remember this: Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. You will be surprised by how much you will learn!

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV (emphasis mine)

In Psalm 119, King David wrote:

“I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.” vv15-16 (emphasis mine)

“Your statutes are my delight;
    they are my counselors.” v 24

“Your word, Lord, is eternal;
    it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through all generations” vv89-90

“If your law had not been my delight,
    I would have perished in my affliction.” v92

“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.” v105

“You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.” v114

“Great peace have those who love your law,
    and nothing can make them stumble.” v165

Read the full chapter HERE.

No wonder God called David “a man after my own heart”! (Acts 13:22)

Ask God to give you a love for His Word.

God bless you, friends, as you seek to know Him more!

In His Love, Cindy

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

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Christian

The Seriousness of Sin and the Magnitude of Grace.”

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 6/17/26

God desires that His children not only receive His grace but understand why it is precious. Through the Son, believers learn to value mercy because they see what it cost…In Christ’s submission to the Father’s will, the depth of divine mercy is revealed. The Father’s justice and compassion meet perfectly in the cross. In that sacred union, the believer learns both the seriousness of sin and the magnitude of grace.”

Bruce Cooper, from KNOWING THE FATHER THROUGH THE SON: THE DOOR THAT NEVER CLOSES

“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

In His Love, Cindy

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

Photo: Getty Images for Unsplash+

Christian

Protect Your Children From Transgender Politics

Call to Action for Sunday, 6/14/26

Children who call themselves trans are victims of lies and a political agenda.

This recently promoted ideology is ludicrous and dangerous. It has no scientific basis, yet many states have a strict policy on the promotion and affirmation of so-called transgender care. You can check on the transgender laws in your state HERE.

Do you know what your child’s teacher believes? Is that teacher a trans activist? You’d better find out. Trans activists believe that sex and gender are two completely different things. And gender trumps “sex assigned at birth”. In other words, gender is “how you identify”. So it doesn’t matter if you were born male (or female). The only thing that matters is how you identify now.

Some states require schools to provide restroom and locker room access in accordance with a student’s gender identity. Some states require schools to use the name and pronouns the student chooses while keeping the child’s legal name in a segregated, confidential file. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

These facts will shock you:

Historically, gender dysphoria only affected a small percentage of children, less than 0.01 percent, and almost all the cases were boys. Today, the U.S. has seen an estimated 1,000 percent rise in gender dysphoria over the past decade, and the UK has reported a more than 4,000 percent rise in girls demanding gender “treatments.” And 70 percent of “sex reassignment” surgeries were done on girls.

Kali Fontanilla, Capital Research Center, April 17, 2023

If that doesn’t scare you, it should! What is going on? You have to wonder how this ideology could have captured our children’s psyche so quickly. Some have suggested that the influence of teachers and TicTok is responsible. Other experts attribute this phenomenon to peer contagion, a form of social contagion—the thesis that attitudes, beliefs, and behavior can spread through populations as if they were somehow infectious. (Joe Carter)

 This is the social contagion thesis; that sociocultural phenomena can spread through, and leap between, populations more like outbreaks of measles or chicken pox than through a process of rational choice.”

Paul Marsden, Research Psychologist

Consider your own youthful behavior. Did you dress like your friends? Style your hair like your friends? Did you adopt the moral standards of your friends? Did you copy their behaviors? Listen to the same music? Did you smoke because your friends did? Well, that list goes on and on.

I know that when I reflected on my own youthful behavior, I realized how much I was influenced by my friends. Weren’t you? Don’t expect your kids to be any different. Unless you are proactive, they will be highly influenced by society, their teachers, and friends.

One thing I know, there is a powerful force pushing this agenda. It didn’t just happen by chance.

See: “AAP faces pressure over trans youth care, guiding docs to keep parents in the dark about child’s sexual health” 2026 ***

https://apple.news/AW5axl9AOQwm0tk3rKHkZ9w

As parents, what can we do to protect our children? What does God’s Word teach us?

#1 Be knowledgeable and informed. Don’t think it could never happen in your child’s school. Don’t be naive.

 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” Romans 16:17-18 ESV (emphasis mine)

#2 God calls us to be holy. That means to be separate, set apart from the world. We should love our neighbor, but don’t expect to fit in with those who love the world.

“Be holy, because I am holy. … live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.” 1 Peter 1:17

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2

#3 Find ways for teens and younger children to be influenced by Christian adults, such as grandparents and Sunday School teachers.

 “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds … Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 11:18-19

 “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Deuteronomy 4:9 (emphasis mine)

#4 Know your child’s friends.

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:20

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

#5 Prayerfully consider removing your child from public school.

“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.” James 1:5

Last Thoughts

Researching this topic has been shocking and disturbing. The genital mutilation of children is demonic and evil.

The purpose of this post is not to debate the legitimacy of transgender care. Instead, it is to warn parents of a growing danger and help equip them to protect their children against this movement, which is being actively promoted by Teacher’s Unions, Universities, the corporate world, and the government.

“The Lord’s promises are pure,
    like silver refined in a furnace,
    purified seven times over.
Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed,
    preserving them forever from this lying generation,
 even though the wicked strut about,
    and evil is praised throughout the land.” Psalm 12:6-8 NLT

In His Love, Cindy

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

All Scripture references are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.

Sources:

Click to access ED-DCL-Fact-Sheet.pdf

https://capitalresearch.org/article/trans-inc

Joe Carter, The Gospel Coalition, May 15, 2023

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Christian

What I Don’t Know Can’t Hurt Me, Or Can It?

Despite what people might say, Ignorance is not bliss!

When the truth makes us uncomfortable, do we ignore it? Selah* (Pause and calmly think of that.)

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.  For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” Romans 16:17-18

Many devout Christians are being led astray because they are naive. That means they are unsuspecting (easily deceived, exploitable, ripe for the picking). By definition, they don’t know they’re deceived.

I was taken in by the Word of Faith teaching myself once. In fact, I had to “unlearn” a lot of teaching, and that is not easy to do.

We must learn to identify false teaching for ourselves through studying the Word of God. If I tell someone that a Bible teacher they like teaches false doctrine, I know what they would think because it’s what I used to think: “They don’t understand because they’re in a dead church.” OR “They don’t have revelation.” OR, my favorite: “They’re just religious.”

I assure you, I am not dead or religious! (Isn’t that judging someone’s heart?)

All this stems from pride – the false assumption that I have revelation of the Scripture others don’t have. Selah

I would venture to say that all those “old, religious people at the church down the street” have more experience walking through trials with the Lord at their side than some of us ever will.

How I wish I could talk to my grandmother about God, again. She would be about 130 years old now. If only I had known to seek her wisdom when I was a youth and she was still around.

But, alas, when we’re young, we think we know it all. I know this because I used to teach in a middle school! Students will argue about anything, even how to do a math problem! (Are you kidding me?)

You can think you’re right “till the cows come home”, but that doesn’t make you right.

My point is, if you are learning about God from a Bible teacher, rather than from the Bible, be careful. Check the Scriptures given to see if they have been taken out of context. (That happens a lot and is the basis of much of the false teaching accepted today!)

Respect those “old Christians” you may think are “dead” or “religious”. It’s wise to listen to the elderly with respect.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I wish I knew then what I know now.”? Selah

“Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” Job 12:12

Did my journey with false teachers and false prophets affect my life?

Yes! It almost shipwrecked my faith and took many years for me to recover.  So, no, ignorance is not bliss.

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.  They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT

Dear Lord, Guide us and teach us to walk with you in Truth and humility. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 *The Amplified Bible translates selah as “pause, and calmly think of that.”

In His Love, Cindy

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

Christian

God’s Protection, Psalm 91

1-Minute Devotion for Friday, 6/12/26

“Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:3-4
NIV

This word picture of God’s protection is rich with meaning. It warms my heart and encourages my soul every time I read it. The “fowler’s snare” is a metaphor for hidden danger, unexpected spiritual traps, and the deceptive schemes of the enemy. Pestilence brings to mind a deadly disease that spreads over a wide area.

A mother bird will spread her wings over her babies to protect them from storms and predators. She will allow herself to be wounded to protect them. She keeps them warm and sheltered, and the baby birds feel safe in her embrace. Such is God’s fierce love for humanity.” Jeremiah Study Bible Notes

In His Love, Cindy

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

Photo by Samantha Kennedy on Unsplash

Christian

When I Am Afraid

A Personal Story for Thursday, 6/11/26

“In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8 NIV 

Many years ago, when my son was a baby, I found a long snake skin in my home on two different occasions. I prayed this verse over and over every night until I fell asleep. We lived in this house for nine years and never saw a live snake. The Lord kept us safe. This is what I learned:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
     In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.” Psalm 56:3-4 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

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

Christian

Why I Memorize Scripture

Quote of the Week for 6/10/26

“Nobody can take away from you those texts from the Bible which you have learned by heart.” Corrie ten Boom

In His Love, Cindy

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

Photo: Getty Images on Unsplash+

Christian, DISCERNMENT

Battling Cultural Deceptions

2-Minute Devotion for Tuesday, 6/9/26

When I see the beliefs that have taken hold of our culture, I wonder how people can be so utterly deceived. I learned a lot about the views of college students by watching videos of Charlie Kirk at colleges around the U.S.

Students confronted Charlie on topics like abortion and transgenderism. They claimed unborn babies are not human and can be aborted. They claimed a man can be a woman and a woman can be a man. Science proves these beliefs are false, yet college students, brainwashed by propaganda, believe these lies.

Deception is the devil’s ultimate weapon.

“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NIV

God’s Word is our only protection against it.

“Indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:3-5 NIV Read full chapter

How do we gain wisdom and understanding? By loving God’s Word.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

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

Christian

Why Reading the Bible Matters

Years ago, when I left the Word of Faith movement, I was looking for the real truth, so I read the New Testament three times in a row. Before this, I had based what I believed mostly on books recommended to me by church leaders, books available in our church bookstore.

On reflection, I would say that many Christians who follow false teaching do so because of books they read about the Bible, which are often based largely on the author’s experiences and less on Bible study. These teachers often take verses out of context.

In case you’re wondering, the first teaching that I questioned was what is often called the prosperity gospel. It teaches that God wants you to be rich, and if you give enough money, you’ll get back at least ten times as much money. These preachers are living extravagant lives. For more about this, read my post, What Does the Bible Say About the Prosperity Gospel? HERE

As I read and reread the New Testament, I learned that, more than anything else, the Bible emphasized loving others. These are some of the verses that stood out to me:

“The message you heard from the very beginning is this: we must love one another.” (1 John 3:11)

“And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

“Above everything, love one another earnestly, because love covers over many sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

“Be under obligation to no one—the only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law.” (Romans 13:8)

“My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.” (1 John 3:18)

“No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in union with us, and his love is made perfect in us. We are sure that we live in union with God and that he lives in union with us, because he has given us his Spirit.” (1 John 4:12-13)

“Do all your work in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)

“Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another. Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.” (Ephesians 4:2-3)

“To conclude: you must all have the same attitude and the same feelings; love one another, and be kind and humble with one another. Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing; instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when he called you.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 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. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a

Friends, READ YOUR BIBLE every day.

In His Love, Cindy

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

Scriptures are from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

Photo by Brooke Cable on Unsplash+