Tag: DEVOTIONAL

Christian

The $64,000 Question

Cindy Dawson

“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8 NIV

On July 6, I published a post titled “Where is Your Treasure?” It is based on Jesus’ words,

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6: 19-21 NIV

Emma posed this question, “Any advice for someone who needs to be able to support themselves financially and yet, also needs to be careful about how much time is spent on working towards (worldly) success?”

That’s the $64,000 question, isn’t it? Let’s examine God’s Word to find the answer.

The Pharisees asked Jesus’s disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11) Jesus answered,

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 NIV

Jesus is quoting Hosea 6:6 which explains the meaning of the verse a little more.

“I want you to show love,
    not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me
    more than I want burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 NLT

I think Jesus is teaching that we can’t live by a set of rules to be checked off. To please God, we must know God, and allow God to change us into the likeness of Christ. Later, the Apostle Paul writes,

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV

We please God when we seek to be like Him through prayer, Bible study , and obedience.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men . . . It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:17 NIV

That tells me that I should do my job with all my heart, as if I was working for the Lord. If we are honest, conscientious, hard-working, and kind to those we work with, it is a testimony to others. Jesus said,

“. . . let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 NIV

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is . . . giving, then give generously” Romans 12:6-8 NIV

My Thoughts

I believe the answer to Emma’s question is different for every person. Based on my study, here are some thoughts for you to consider as you study God’s Word.

  • We all have responsibilities, some more that others. Some have a family to provide for, others do not. I certainly don’t think the Lord calls everyone to live in poverty. Some are given the ministry of giving. How could they give if they didn’t have resources?
  • We need to be aware of what our spending says about us. If I wear $1,000 sneakers while those around me have holes in their shoes, then something’s not right. I must continually ask God to purify my heart. On the other hand, if I dress similarly to other people I work with, well that seems appropriate.
  • If my job keeps me so busy that I don’t attend church and don’t have time to read my Bible, something needs to change because I am not being obedient to what God has said in His Word.
  • If I make a lot of money, but I am a generous giver, helping those in need and seeking God’s will in giving, well that seems right to me. If I make a lot of money and spend it all on lavish gifts for myself, I need to start reading my Bible!

Prayer

Father, Help me to be more like Jesus. Give me a hunger for your Holy Word and teach me to pray. Create a pure heart in me that I might be pleasing in your sight. I want to know you and walk in love with those around me. Give me a heart like David, a man after your own heart. Then I will know how to walk in your ways and bring honor and glory to your precious name. Amen

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you, today. Your thoughts and comments are welcomed and appreciated.

With Love, Cindy

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Church of the King on Unsplash

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Christian

The Holy Spirit, Our Helper

Cindy Dawson

I went to my office, laid my head down on my Bible and sighed in defeat, “Lord, I don’t know what to do.” As soon as the words slipped from my mouth, I remembered something that I had read earlier in the day.

When King Jehoshaphat was warned that a vast army was coming against him, he was alarmed and resolved to inquire of the Lord. He called a fast for all of Judah and the people came together to seek God.

King Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly and cried out to God in prayer. He ends the prayer with these words:

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you!” 2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV

I quickly found the passage in my Bible and read it over and over. God was telling me what to do: Keep my eyes on Him! I can do that! Immediately my anxiety melted away. My fear disappeared and I felt the comfort only God can provide.

I also remembered, “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8 NIV

What does it mean to keep your eyes on the Lord? Here are some thoughts.

  1. Acknowledge that you can’t fix this in your own strength. Jehoshaphat knew that he was in for a battle that he was not strong enough to win and he didn’t know what to do. The enemy was getting closer every minute.
  2. When we realize that it isn’t within our own ability to fix the problem, only then can we really depend completely on the Lord.
  3. These kinds of opportunities will stretch our faith and bring us closer to God.

You might be wondering what happened to King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah when they fixed their eyes on the Lord instead of the problem.

This is what the Lord said, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. (v15) Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. . . Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.”(v17)

“Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. . .Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord . . . ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.’ As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.” (v18&21)

Take away: They depended completely on the Lord. They worshipped Him. They thanked Him. They praised Him. The Lord threw their enemies into confusion and they were defeated.

Read more about Jehoshaphat’s battle here. (2 Chronicles 20:1-30)

When our battle is too hard, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Let us worship His holiness, thank Him, praise Him, and give Him glory. When you read God’s Word, God Himself will teach you and encourage you because He says,

“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

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 NIV

Thank you for letting me share my journey with you, today. Comments are welcomed and appreciated.

With Love, 

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This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

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Christian

Think You Can’t Hang On?

Cindy Dawson

Is your heart breaking? Are you in deep despair? Is depression crushing you? Even when you think you can’t hang on, God will hang on to you. No matter what life is throwing at you, no matter how weak your faith might be right now, God will hold you fast.

How do I know? I know because He has done this for me. It has been over 60 years since I asked Jesus to be my Savior. Through many trials, through many sorrows, through all my many failings, He never let me go.

He never said, “That’s it! I’m done with her. She’s gone too far now. Enough is enough!”

When I doubted, He held me fast. When I rebelled, He held me fast. When I went astray, He held me fast. When I was in deep despair, He held me fast. When my heart was broken, He held me fast. This is why I love Him and why I praise Him unashamedly.

It is when I acknowledge my own shortcomings, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses that I can grasp the depth of His great love and forgiveness and understand just how much I really need Him.

If you are searching for love, forgiveness, and mercy, come to Jesus. His love surpasses all understanding. He loves you, yes you.

Scripture for Meditation

“If I settle on the far side of the sea, even there … Your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:10)

“Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

“You are not your own;  you were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Love, Cindy

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

Photo by Donald Giannatti on Unsplash

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Christian

When a Preacher Laughs at “Religious People”

Cindy Dawson

With a broad grin, the young preacher said, “I did it because I knew religious people wouldn’t like it!” And the audience chuckled.

I’ve heard remarks like this many times before. Preachers poking fun at their Christian brothers and sisters, referring to them as “religious people”. It’s meant as a put-down to Christians in mainstream churches, and it assures the audience that they have one up on the “unenlightened”.

I must speak out about this because it should be a red flag. It has certainly become a red flag to me.

What these preachers are really saying is that some Christians are not in tune with our superior revelation of the Scripture. It is a put-down that comes from a spirit of pride and self-importance, and it serves an important purpose. It labels all those faithful Christians who have walked with God and studied God’s Word for many years as people who don’t understand what we understand.

In effect, Christians who might caution you about false teaching are literally disinfranchised from the conversation.

It’s our human nature to want to feel smart. People like to feel like they know more and have inside information others don’t have. It’s a seduction, and it’s the oldest trick in the book.

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:1-6 NIV

When I started writing this post today, I really didn’t want to discuss this topic again. (Is that all she thinks about?) So I decided to read for a while, thinking maybe God would lead me in a different direction. Instead, I came across an article that said,

“To critics of discernment in general (Oh, discerners are unloving and way too judgmental.), I would say that silence is compliance.” Pastor Larry Debruyn

If silence is compliance, then I must speak out. If you see a red flag, let it be a warning!

Unsound teaching calls out to anyone with Internet. Hopefully, you’ve never heard these kinds of remarks and have no idea what I’m talking about, but if you do, examine carefully what is being taught. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you today. Comments are welcome and appreciated.

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

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Christian

Why What You Believe Matters

Cindy Dawson

What you believe will dramatically affect your life forever and those around you, too. As human beings, we like to go along with the crowd and just get along with everyone. We tend to believe what the people around us believe and that can be good, or bad.

Take, for example, a student who is surrounded by highly intelligent professors who are atheists. He might become an atheist, too. Why? Because intelligence is impressive and subconsciously he thinks that to believe in God would make him look less intelligent, so he doesn’t even search out the truth. Instead, he believes what is most comfortable.

In the same way, Christians might believe what those around them believe, even when it isn’t Biblically correct.

Why? Because religious beliefs that conform to cultural norms make life easier. In the Apostle Paul’s day, Judaism pressured Christians to conform to the law. Today, political correctness pressures us to conform to secular thought.

For example, some say, “I believe people of all faiths worship the same God.”

That sounds nice, and is very ecumenical, but it isn’t true. And truth is important because people’s eternity depends on it.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Another example is abortion. Being pro-life is unpopular in many circles. (Just ask a politician.) To say, “I think it’s a woman’s choice” may get you off the hook. It’s the easy way out. But is it true? If we don’t do it, but we condone it, are we still innocent?

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. Psalm 139:13&15 NLT

There are preachers today who teach false doctrines and many people follow them. The Bible warns us over and over about it. (If you don’t believe me, search the Scriptures for yourself.) My intention is not to tell you what is false and what is true, but to highlight the need to carefully and prayerfully examine what we hear to see if it’s true.

The Apostle Paul chided the Church at Corinth:

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.  I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”   I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.” 2 Corinthians 11:3-6

Paul insinuates that these false teachers were trained speakers. (Probably very entertaining and popular!) Are we drawn to a preacher by his charisma and personality?

Loving the truth is vital to living a life that brings glory to God. Therefore the importance of studying God’s Word and knowing it well cannot be overstated. If we serve a “Jesus” that we have designed to fit our wants and needs, one who serves our purposes and selfish ambitions, that is idolatry. That is another “Jesus”, not the one who said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11

If a “Jesus” was preached that appealed to human greed, would I blindly accept it?

If a “Jesus” was preached that appealed to my pride and self-interests, would I blindly accept it?

If a “Jesus” was preached that appealed to my fleshly desires, would I blindly accept it?

Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:13-15

The more I study God’s Word, the more I understand that this life is but a whisper. It’s not about me, it’s about the Savior. My purpose is to bring glory to God. The message is simple. It’s not about new revelations and hidden symbolic meanings to make our life here on Earth free of trials and hardships. Jesus sumed up the message of God’s Word like this:

“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

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (and) Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:28-31

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you, today. Comments are always welcomed and appreciated.

All Scriptures are NIV unless otherwise noted.

With Love,

Cindy

My Journey Unscripted

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

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Christian

Are You Going Through Change?

Cindy Dawson

Today is my first day of retirement!

I’ve had a lot of big changes in my life: moving 1,000 miles away from my hometown the day after high school graduation, going 300 miles away from home to college, divorce after 26 years of marriage, then, a big “Empty Nest” when 5 changes to 1, and now retirement. All of these changes came with a lot of emotion.

As I reflect on this new stage of my life, I realize that it is nothing like I imagined it would be when I was young (if I even thought about retirement when I was young).

I know that God has plans for me. And I am excited to follow that path. I will admit that it is a little scary for a “planner, list-maker, organized day” kind of person like me because I don’t know exactly what lies ahead.

But this I know: If there was ever a time to be fully devoted to the Lord, it is now. I have no excuses anymore. I don’t have to get up at 5 am every morning. I won’t come home from school exhausted any more.

I can spend my mornings with my Savior. I can study God’s Word. I can read. I can “stop and smell the roses”.

I hope to improve my writing skills and spend more time preparing my posts. I hope you will notice a difference.

I am thankful for all of my BF’s (Blogger Friends). I will have more time to read all of your wonderful posts and get to know you even better.

I cherish your prayers and I, also, will pray for you.

” The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16 NIV

Jesus said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 NLT

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

With Love, 

AA55AA1F-EA36-49A9-92BE-41FD67348618

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

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Christian

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

Cindy Dawson

In spite of what people think, ignorance is not bliss!

People like to think it is – when the truth is too hard to face. 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

This topic is heavy on my heart because many devout Christians are being led astray because they are naive. When I listen to various popular Bible teachers on YouTube, I’m shocked at how ignorant the audience is of Biblical Truth. I’m shocked at how blind they are to a spirit of pride from the pulpit.

Well, I guess I’m not really shocked since I was taken in by it myself once. Yes, in fact, I had to “unlearn” a lot of teaching, and that is not easy to do.

You’re probably thinking, “What did you have to unlearn? What false teaching did you buy into?

Well, I’m not going to tell you.

Why? Because you must identify false teaching yourself through studying the Word of God. If I told you that a Bible teacher you liked taught false doctrine, I know what you 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 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 would have 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 teach in a middle school! Students will argue about anything, even how to do a math problem! (Are you kidding me?)

Why just today, a student tried to prove to me that you didn’t have to start a 2-digit plus 2-digit addition problem in the ones column. He thought he proved it to me by getting the right answer even when he started in the tens column. You guessed it! There was no regrouping involved. (No carrying.) He hadn’t thought of that!

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

My point is, if you are learning about God from a Bible teacher, instead of 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 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 prophets affect my life?

Yes! It almost shipwrecked my faith. It took many years for me to recover. (That’s a story for another time.)

 “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

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

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

All Scriptures are NIV unless otherwise noted.

Photo by Andreea Popa on Unsplash

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

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Christian

Our Unique Generation

Cindy Dawson

If I compare myself to the Apostle Paul, Joseph in the Old Testament, Corrie ten Boom, or any number of other saints who did great things in their generation, I find myself seriously lacking in many areas. I just don’t measure up. But God had a plan for these people in their generation.

The Bible says, “After David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors…” (Acts 13:36) God had a plan for David that was specific to the generation in which he lived. I believe He has a plan for us in this specific time period.

I don’t live in the same generation as the Apostle Paul, therefore I am not confronted with shipwrecks, angry crowds, horrific prisons, or the prospect of being stoned.

I don’t live in the same generation as Joseph so I don’t have to worry about being sold as a slave, thrown in a dungeon, or having all my brothers hate me. We know that Joseph became ruler over all of Egypt and was highly honored. But …

“In time, Joseph and all of his brothers died, ending that entire generation.” Exodus 1:6

And did things change! The new king didn’t know Joseph and he feared the Israelites, so he made them all slaves. They were mistreated and abused.

My favorite heroine is Corrie ten Boom. She lived during the Nazi invasion of Holland. She and her father and her sister hid Jews in their home during the Holocaust. They were eventually discovered and all three were sent to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. Her father and sister died there. Corrie was eventually released due to an admistrative error.

I don’t live in the same generation as Corrie ten Boom, so I don’t have to face the horrors of the Holocaust.

When Esther was selected to be the Queen, her cousin, Mordecai said, “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

It makes me ponder the question, “What is God calling me to do in my generation?”

This generation is as unique as the generations described above. We have problems that are different than any seen before. School shootings, pressure to conform to the world and its unbiblical views, world starvation, false teachers, teen suicide. The list goes on.

In this unique time, what is God calling us to do?

  • Tell others about Jesus and the Gospel.
  • Share our story.
  • Love others.
  • Read and study the Word of God so that we won’t be seduced by error.
  • Love the Lord.
  • Pray about everything.
  • Forgive others.
  • Love more.

As we become mature in the faith, perhaps God will call us to do something we can’t imagine having the strength to do right now. (Consider how God prepared Joseph to lead Egypt.) But for now, we know exactly what He is calling us to do.

What would you add to this list? Share your thoughts.

P.S. If you haven’t read it, be sure to read The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom.

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

All Scriptures are NIV unless otherwise noted.

Photo by Unsplash

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Christian

What Easter Means To Me

Cindy Dawson

Easter reminds me that because Jesus paid the penalty for my sins, I am free from guilt and shame. Have you ever felt such deep guilt that you couldn’t get over it? Most people probably haven’t done anything terrible enough to bring on that kind of deep shame.

For those who have, love for Jesus runs very deep because it changes your life in a very tangible way. It can’t be explained to someone who hasn’t experienced it. Maybe you could imagine what it would be like when you hear the hymn, Amazing Grace, written by John Newton, a slave ship captain who experienced God’s merciful forgiveness.

Another example is a woman known only as “the sinful woman” found in Luke 7:36-50

This woman came to see Jesus while he dined with some religious leaders. The passage only tells us the bare bones of the story, but we can imagine what might have taken place. I have often wondered, what she was doing at the party?

“But it was acceptable in Jesus’ day for people to come to a party to watch and listen to the conversation. They were not allowed to eat, but they could observe. She was not interested in eating.” (Never Thirsty Ministry)

She was interested in seeing and hearing Jesus.

I have no idea what Jesus and the Pharisees talked about. Maybe Jesus talked about forgiveness of sins. Maybe, as she listened, she believed He was the Christ and she experienced the joy of receiving forgiveness.

Maybe Jesus quoted Old Testament Scriptures such as Isaiah 1:18.

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Maybe He quoted Psalm 103:12.

“… as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

And maybe, He looked right in her eyes as he did, not at the Pharisees, but only at her, and maybe that is why she cried so hard that she could actually wash His feet with her tears.

Verse 44 tells us that Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, 

“… her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Imagine how she felt, knowing He was talking about her.

She probably thought no one would pay any attention to her that evening. But Jesus looked right at her and spoke the words she longed to hear:

“Her many sins have been forgiven.”

Easter means forgiveness and cleansing to me. Anyone carrying around guilt can be set free from that heavy load, just like I was. Only believe.


Luke 7:36-50 Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

What does Easter mean to you?

With Love, Cindy

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

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Christian

Finding Your Starfish

Cindy Dawson

Over twenty years ago, I became a special education teacher. I quickly realized that I couldn’t make a difference in every student’s life. But the Lord planted in me the idea that if I could make a difference in just one student’s life, I had accomplished something wonderful.

That’s when I learned the Story of the Starfish. It made such a huge impression on me that I hung a dried starfish on my desk lamp as a reminder (and it’s still there today).

The Starfish Story – Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”


It’s the same idea the Lord spoke to me about my blog: Don’t pay attention to numbers. Write for individual people.  If just one person is encouraged, that’s something wonderful.

Look around for your starfish – someone you can encourage, or maybe even introduce to Jesus. Now that’s something wonderful!

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

All Scriptures are NIV unless otherwise noted.

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