Tag: Bible

Christian

Don’t Kick Against the Goads

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Bible Study for Monday, 8/10/26

Jesus said that. Do you know what it means?

The Apostle Paul testified,

“About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.  We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 

‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” Acts 26:13-14 NIV Read full chapter

The NLT says it like this:

‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’

That helps, but I needed more to understand. Then I found this:

“An ox goad was a stick with a pointed piece of iron on its tip used to prod the oxen when plowing. The farmer would prick the animal to steer it in the right direction. Sometimes the animal would rebel by kicking out at the prick, and this would result in the prick being driven even further into its flesh. In essence, the more an ox rebelled, the more it suffered.” (Gotquestions.org)

Ah! Now I understand! If Saul continued to resist and fight against the Gospel, he was only hurting himself. Paul’s rebellion against God was a losing battle. His actions were as senseless as an ox kicking “against the goads.”

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 jone lam on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

God’s Word: My Personal Testimony

Cindy Dawson

For Sunday, 8/9/26

More and more each day, I sense that God is speaking to me as I read His Word. I have known this to be true in my intellect for many years (decades). The Bible is God’s Word. But something has changed, and I’m not sure how to describe it. Imagine the difference between getting a letter from someone you love and actually being with that person and hearing their words in person. That’s what it is like. That is my testimony.

You may be wondering why I would share this with you. I share it because I want to encourage you to read your Bible every day. Even if it is not something you really want to do, do it as an act of discipline. The more you read God’s Word, the more precious it will become to you. Read Psalm 119 HERE.

These are some of my favorite verses from Psalm 119, written by King David, whom God called “a man after my own heart”

“I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119:16

“Open my eyes that I may see
    wonderful things in your law.” v. 18

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

“The law from your mouth is more precious to me
    than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” v.72

“Your word, Lord, is eternal;
    it stands firm in the heavens.” v.89

And I have many more!

I know what you’re thinking. But you DO have time, and I can prove it. If you get up 20 minutes earlier each morning to read your Bible, you can read it cover to cover (OT and NT) in one year. I tried it nine years ago, and I have done it every year since. It has become my favorite time of the day!

Ask the Lord to give you a love and hunger for His Word. The reward will be amazing!

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 Aaron Burden on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Choose to Trust the One Who Loves You

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Friday, 7/24/26

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV

“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”
― George Muller

“George Mueller was a Christian evangelist and director of the Orphanage at Ashley Downs in Bristol, England during the 1800s. He is best remembered for his complete trust in God’s provision, never soliciting the community for financial donations nor accepting any government support. With this unique dependence on unsolicited gifts, his institution is estimated to have received and disbursed over £113 million in today’s money by the time of Mueller’s death.” CompellingTruth.org

Note: That would be over $151,453,900!

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 wisconsinpictures on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Encouragement

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Cindy Dawson

Devotion for Monday, 7/13/26

This post from Alan Kearns at Devotional Treasure impacted me in a powerful way.

“One may mourn over the loss of a loved one or of possessions, one can also mourn over sin, and the results of it in life…”  Alan Kearns

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn – Repost

In His Love, Cindy

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 Dima Kapralov on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Bible and Scripture, Christian

Transform Your Morning

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Sunday, 7/12/26

The first thing I do every morning is to read and study my Bible. (Well, after I feed and walk Henry, my Yorkie. As you know, he is very bossy.)

When we get back, he gets in his dog bed and sleeps for a couple of hours. And I open my Bible.

This is my favorite time of the day. Do you know why? It’s because the Bible speaks to me every day, and so it becomes more dear to me every time I read it.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV (emphasis mine)

No other book in the world can do that, only the Bible. The word translated as “alive” is the Greek word zao. It is the same word Jesus used when He said,

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 NIV (emphasis mine)

Scripture is life-giving, not merely instructive, because the Bible is God speaking to you and me.

In His Love, Cindy

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

Encouragement

How To Encourage Someone

Cindy Dawson

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us… if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;” Romans 12:6,8 (Emphasis mine)

The Bible commands us to encourage one another. The following is a list of ways we can encourage someone.

HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE ENCOURAGER

1. Listen. Listening is better than talking. We need to give the person we want to encourage focused attention. That means we are carefully listening to them, not just waiting for our turn to talk. (Ouch!) Having someone listen is the best medicine for a hurting heart.

2. Provide affirmation before offering help. This validates their feelings and struggles.

3. Be compassionate and caring. The thing your friend needs most may not be answers, but just someone to talk to, someone who cares, so they can share their hurts or worries safely.

4. Do not pretend to know what they are going through or tell them what happened to you.

5. Write them an encouraging note. Believe it or not, two or three sentences can turn a person’s day around. I have received many encouraging notes over the decades, and I have kept many of them to this day.

6. Pray for them and let them know you are praying.

Maybe the Holy Spirit will lead you to pray in a certain way. Or maybe He will guide you in what to say. Or maybe He just wants you to show love and compassion. If your friend wants your advice, she will probably ask for it.

For some, being an encourager is a spiritual gift, but it is something we must all do. Let the Lord guide you to those who need your encouragement.

I can’t tell you how many times a comment someone left on my blog turned my day around. Many times, the Holy Spirit is encouraging me through their message, but they probably had no idea how timely it was. In fact, this happens quite often.

“Encourage the disheartened” 1 Thessalonians 5:14

To be disheartened means to have lost hope, courage, or enthusiasm. It is a state of feeling discouraged, demoralized, or dispirited, often as a result of experiencing setbacks, failure, or unexpected difficulties. (Dictionary.com)

The definition of encouragement is: “The act of inspiring others with renewed courage, a renewed spirit, or renewed hope.”

Look around. People who need encouragement are all around you. Ask God to help you reach out to them.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Note: I have learned a lot about encouragement from David Jeremiah’s book, The Joy of Encouragement. I think you would, too.

In His Love, Cindy

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: Getty Images for Unsplash+

RealChristianWomen.blog

Bible prophecy, Christian

Why Is the Church Silent on Bible Prophecy?

Cindy Dawson

For Your Reflection, Tuesday, 7/7/26

I have been reading in my Bible about the kings and prophets of Israel. Much of it is prophecy, and I have found it fascinating because it explains a lot about our times. And there are many lessons for the Church in these pages, too. I am referring to all the books of the prophets, plus 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles.

As I finish up this important study, I wonder why so many pastors ignore Bible prophecy. How is it even possible?

“Out of the 216 chapters found in the entire New Testament, did you know there are 318 references to the Second Coming of Christ? That means if you were to omit passages about prophecy, you would have to remove one out of every thirty verses in the New Testament. You would also have to skip 23 of the 27 New Testament books because that’s how many mention it. For every prophecy about the birth of Christ, there are eight about His Second Coming. Considering prophecy’s prominence in the Bible, how could any believer call it unimportant?”

Dr. David Jeremiah

And that’s just in the New Testament! Bible Scholars estimate that 27% to 28% of the Old Testament is prophecy. That’s a lot of the Bible to ignore! So I did some research to find out why.

One Christian author, Steve Lampman, suggests that fear is to blame (And we know where fear comes from: SATAN). Steve says,

“Fear of showing their lack of knowledge on the subject. Fear pastors may have of offending or scaring church members. Maybe the fear that people will stop coming and stop giving to support the church. Or maybe it’s the fear of them looking like a fringe group who take things to an extreme when other churches pulpits are silent on the subject. … There are many pastors who remain silent on Bible prophecy because they don’t understand and were never taught it in seminary. ” 

Steve Miller also attributes fear as the reason prophecy is not being taught in the church:

  1. A fear of generating Controversy and Division
  2. A fear of being viewed as sensational
  3. A fear of the Complicated and Unknown

Before I began this research, I didn’t expect to find that fear would be the culprit behind this neglect. But it seems to be so.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 NASB

In His Love, Cindy

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 HAN Mengqi on Unsplash

SOURCES:

https://www.stevelampman.com/why-pastors-dont-teach-on-one-quarter-of-the-bible/

https://www.davidjeremiah.org/age-of-signs/why-should-we-study-prophecy?srsltid=AfmBOooICL-F6DS0vS-arwcCS94Vm3ZDbUrF2rm4-diS3rqKwm4BgO1m

https://harvestprophecy.com/why-are-some-churches-reluctant-to-teach-bible-prophecy

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Israel & the Jews

Are You an Obadiah?

Cindy Dawson

Reflection for Monday, 7/6/26

“Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.” 1 Kings 18:3-4 NIV

A MESSAGE FROM AMIR TSARFATI

“As the man in charge of Ahab’s household, Obadiah found himself serving in the highest levels of a corrupt and godless government. Yet when Jezebel began slaughtering the prophets of the Lord, he quietly hid one hundred of them in two caves, fifty in each, and provided them with bread and water.

What a reminder for us today.

God may place you in a position of influence where you are surrounded by ungodliness and compromise. He hasn’t put you there for fame, success, or fortune. He has placed you there to serve Him in places where others have no access and to be a faithful witness in the midst of darkness.

When I was appointed deputy governor of Jericho at the age of twenty-one, I knew it was my faith that led the colonel to choose a lieutenant as his second-in-command. My promotion defied both logic and military convention, yet the governor sensed something in me that made him trust me more than others. I never hid my faith from him, even though he was an Orthodox Jew.

You may not be an Elijah- with all the bold confrontations, dramatic moments, and public displays of power.

But maybe, just maybe, you’re an Obadiah.

And that is no less significant in the kingdom of God.

Courage, faithfulness, and truth are rare commodities these days.

The Bible is filled with ordinary men and women whom God used to make an extraordinary difference in the lives of many.

Be one of them.”

A Message from Amir Tsarfati, on his Telegram Channel

Telegram is the one-stop shop for daily updates from Amir related to current events in the Middle East and what’s taking place around the world. Connect with Amir and Behold Israel HERE.

In His Love, Cindy

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

Bible and Scripture, Christian

Embrace Truth

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Tuesday, 6/30/26

“For myself, I long ago decided that I would rather know the truth than be happy in ignorance. If I can not have both truth and happiness, give me truth. We’ll have a long time to be happy in heaven.”
― A.W. Tozer

Jesus said, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 NIV

“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 NIV

“All your words are true;
    all your righteous laws are eternal.” Psalm 119:160 NIV

The Old and New Testaments both affirm that the words recorded in the Bible are God’s words and that they are true. There are over 100 verses that affirm this. We thank God for this precious gift, the Bible!

In His Love, Cindy

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

truth

Truth Matters to God

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 6/24/26

God calls His children to study, understand and defend the truth because the truth does matter to God. Faith, in and of itself, is not what God is looking for. It’s not enough to be sincere or intense. Faith, in and of itself, has no magic power. It’s a faithful, reasonable trust in the truth that matters to God. Trust placed in the correct and true God of the universe is what matters to God. That’s why God is so particular about truth and calls us to have an accurate understanding of who He is. And that’s why God has called us to treat heresy very seriously.

J. Warner Wallace

This quote was taken from the article, How Should Christians Respond to Heresy?

“Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.” 2 John 9-11 NIV (emphasis mine)

In His Love, Cindy

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 Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash+

RealChristianWomen.blog