Tag: forgiveness

Christian

More Thoughts on “Your First Love”

Cindy Dawson

Formerly titled What Easter Means to Me

In September, I wrote the post, “What Does It Mean to Forsake Your First Love?” I have continued to contemplate this question. Perhaps today’s post will give us greater insight into what our first love looked like.

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.” Revelation 2:4 NIV

Of the 2,565 posts I have written so far, this one, first posted in 2021, is my favorite:

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 of us who have been forgiven much, love for Jesus runs very deep because it changes our life in an indescribable 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.” (Never Thirsty Ministry)

She was there to see and hear Jesus.

I have no idea what Jesus and the Pharisees talked about. Maybe Jesus talked about the forgiveness of sins. Perhaps, as she listened, she believed He was the Messiah and 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 guilt can be free from that heavy load, just like I was and just like slave ship Captain John Newton. Receive God’s gift of salvation by trusting in His son, Jesus, and giving your life to Him.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-8 KJV

Please watch this fascinating story about the song Amazing Grace.

In His Love, Cindy

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

Did you know? The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)

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Christian

Forgiving Can Be Hard

Cindy Dawson

Monday’s Meditation, 10/5/26

“Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NIV

Getting you to hold unforgiveness toward someone is one of Satan’s dirty tricks. I know it can be hard. I’ve had to forgive some big things myself, but God has forgiven me of some big things as well.

There is only one way to forgive the unforgivable, and that is with God’s help. Ask Him for help. He will not turn you away.

In His Love, Cindy

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

The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)

Photo by Sangia on Unsplash

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God

The Depth of God’s Mercy

Cindy Dawson

Devotion for Thursday, 6/18/26

This is the story of a man who lusted for what he should not have seen and the sin that spiraled out of control.

King David was a man after God’s own heart, a good man who trusted God in all situations. He was surrendered to God’s will. He was a musician and wrote songs praising the Lord. Yet he lusted after a woman he should not look upon – Bathsheba, a beautiful woman married to one of his elite military commanders, Uriah the Hittite. David saw her bathing, and he sent for her, committed adultery with her, and she became pregnant.

David tried to cover his tracks by summoning her husband Uriah, who was away at war. He assumed Uriah would sleep with Bathsheba, and it would look like he was the father of the child.

However, Uriah refused to go home while the soldiers under his command were at war, and he slept outside the palace instead. David was so desperate to cover up his sin that he sent Uriah to the front lines, where the battle was fiercest, so that he would be killed. And so he was. The sin of “lust of the eyes” spiraled out of control and ended in murder.

“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:16

Yet God called David “a man after my own heart.” How could David, a man of God, fall to such depths of sin?

“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.” Acts 13:22

“There is no limit to the depths of sin a person is capable of once he or she starts to walk away from God. Committing just one sin often makes people callous to bigger sins, until they find themselves doing things they never imagined they would do.”

Pastor David Jeremiah

Nathan the prophet visits King David

Nathan said to David,

“There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,  but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.”

Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.  

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!  He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!“ (2 Samuel 12:1-7a)

The consequences of David’s sin were severe. The child born to him by Bathsheba became sick and died; and calamity never left David’s household.

Broken-hearted over what he had done, David cried out to the Lord, repented of his sins, and was forgiven. In his sorrow, David wrote Psalm 51.

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” (vs. 7)

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” (vs. 10-11)

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (vs. 17)

Once forgiven and the weight of his sin lifted, David wrote this Psalm:

 “The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
 He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:8-12

David experienced the overwhelming power of God’s forgiveness and mercy – forgiveness for sins which were evil in the sight of the Lord. Forgiveness is an indescribable experience that leaves one changed forever. It brings with it a deep understanding of God’s mercy and love. It brings relief from shame, relief from guilt that is too heavy to carry. And it is available to us today.

“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

May we forever praise Him and bring glory to His Name.

“You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.”

Corrie ten Boom, Holocaust survivor and author of The Hiding Place

All Scriptures from NIV

Read the story of David and Bathsheba from 2 Samuel 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

Christian

A True Story You Won’t Forget

Cindy Dawson

Devotion for Monday, 6/15/26

Once there was a very popular preacher. So many people crowded into his church services that the church had to be enlarged. He frequently preached at other churches, as popular preachers often do.

The preacher wrote beautiful Christian songs that were popular with churchgoers.  Soon, he began a series of weekly prayer meetings in addition to regular services.

What made this preacher so special? I believe it was his life journey.

All the experiences in our past have shaped us into the person we are today. This preacher, at one time, was a vile sinner, cruel and having a hardened heart; a man without compassion or mercy.

Is it possible for such a person to have a complete turnaround? Can a hardened sinner become a saint? Can a depraved evildoer become a man (or woman) of God?

Ask the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair,  anointing them with costly perfume. When an indignant Pharisee questioned Jesus about allowing this sinful woman (probably a prostitute) to touch him, Jesus said this:

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”Luke 7:47 NIV

Have you guessed the preacher’s identity yet? You won’t find him on YouTube or TV. He was born in 1725.

Before he gave his life to Christ, he was the captain of slave ships. I can only imagine the horror of such ships. Still, it is well documented that slave ships provided such wretched accommodations that many men, women, and children died before arriving at their intended destination. In the words of a former slave, Olaudah Equiano, “The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying rendered the whole scene of horror almost inconceivable.”

Who was this forgiven reprobate turned preacher-songwriter?

His name is John Newton, and he wrote these famous words:  Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.”

This celebrated hymn touches my soul because I know that what God’s grace and mercy did for John Newton, He did for me.

As you listen to Amazing Grace, thank God for his mercy and forgiveness. The more we have been forgiven, the more we love Him. That’s what Jesus said.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 KJV

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Titus 3:5 NIV

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 Austin Neill on Unsplash

From Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton by Al Rogers

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Love Is Strong Spiritual Warfare

Cindy Dawson

One morning, I walked into the Women’s Bible Study, and they were having a potluck that no one had told me about! Maybe I was being overly sensitive, but I was very offended.

The Bible study teacher recognized that I was upset, and the next time I saw her, she gave me an index card with some Scripture references. She probably had no idea that it would change my life. As I opened my heart to God’s Word, something wonderful happened! The Truth set me free! These are the Scriptures:

“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to OVERLOOK AN OFFENSE.” Proverbs 19:11 (emphasis mine)

“He who covers over an offense promotes love…” Proverbs 17:9a

“A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Proverbs 12:16 (emphasis mine)

This happened to me over 30 years ago. The devil has used the same tactics since the beginning of time. He has used it on me. He will use it on you. 

Read about David in 1 Samuel 17:28-33 below. Notice that David had to overlook the offenses thrown at him before he could kill the giant. Satan tried to stop God’s plan for David, but he couldn’t do it because David overlooked the offense.

“When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”  He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.  What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.

David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

David didn’t get angry and sulk. Instead, he refused to be offended.

Over the years, God has continued to reveal to me how powerful it is to walk in love, and that means overlooking offenses.

  “(Love) is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 1 Corinthians 13:5 AMP

The devil will send offenses our way, but when we choose God’s way and walk in love, Satan’s attack will not prevail.

Has anyone ever offended you? Insulted you? Put you down? If so, consider this: Love is strong spiritual warfare!

Consider this:

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

“He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:21-23

Following Jesus and walking in love is spiritual warfare. When we love others, we are defeating Satan and his dirty schemes. This is how we wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God!

Addendum: Recently, I ran into my former Bible Study teacher at Panera Bread. I went over to her and told her how what she did that day had changed my life. I hope it encouraged her. (She may not even remember it.) Sometimes, God doesn’t reveal the result of our obedience. For JoAnn, it came over three decades later.

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

All Scriptures from NIV unless otherwise noted

Photo by Raychan on Unsplash

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Christian

This Sunday, Reflect on This:

Cindy Dawson

4/19/26

“God treated Jesus as if He had lived my life, that I may be treated as if I had lived His life.”

Harvey Stalker

““For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 AMP

Harvey Stalker quote from Alan Kearns’ Devotional Treasure

This is one of my all-time favorite quotes!

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

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Christian

Discover Joy Through Forgiveness

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Tuesday, 9/30/25

“Oh, what joy for those
    whose disobedience is forgiven,
    whose sins are put out of sight.
Yes, what joy for those
    whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Romans 4:7-8 NLT

Those who trust and follow Jesus can have this immeasurable joy!

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Forgiveness: Overcoming Satan’s Tricks

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Monday, 8/18/25

“Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NIV (emphasis mine)

My Thoughts: One of Satan’s dirty tricks is to encourage us to hold unforgiveness in our hearts. Don’t do it! He’s a liar!

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

When God Forgives You …

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Monday, 8/11/25

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
 He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:8-12 NIV

I love these verses. We can’t be reminded of this too much!

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Forgiveness Through Christ: A Promise for All

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotional for Thursday, 7/24/25

“Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” Romans 4:7-8

This is the promise of all promises for everyone who is ashamed of their sins and has repented, trusting and following Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Maybe you have walked the straight and narrow path your whole life. Or, maybe, like me, you haven’t. But know this: If you belong to Jesus, you’ve been forgiven.

In His Love, Cindy

Before you go, please visit my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

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