“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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A missionary arrived in a foreign land and was trusting a ‘guide’ to get him to his final destination. As the guide continued to wack away at all the underbrush, the missionary finally asked, “Where are we? Where are you taking me? Where is the path?” The guide simply turned to him and said, “I am the path.”
And so it is with God…He truly is our Path.
I read this story in Dori Drabek’s blog, Celebrate His Love. It reminds me of the Scripture that says,
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 NASB
We are all following a path somewhere. It may be a path to wealth, popularity, knowledge, or something else. But if God’s Word (the Bible) is guiding our path, we can be sure of this:
These are just a few of the promises to those who love God’s Word.
“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 NIV
We must not rely on books about the Bible instead of studying the Bible itself. Or perhaps we think listening to TV preachers can replace Bible study. I know there are excellent Christian books out there, but unfortunately, many best-sellers are not sound. And many popular preachers do not present sound theology.
There is another problem, too. Many new Christians are led astray by false teaching in their eagerness to learn all they can about their new life in Christ. Those who write or recommend these books should consider the words of Jesus.
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.” Mark 9:42 NIV
If that doesn’t make you want to be discerning, I don’t know what will!
Every word about God or that supposedly comes from God must be carefully tested and examined in light of the Bible.”
Tim Challies
One of the wisest things I ever did was to read the Bible in a year. This was an idea presented to my church by our pastor in 2018. I highly recommend it!
You can do this easily right from your cell phone with the Bible App, YouVersion. Most of the time, I read my actual Bible and use the app to check off the chapters as I read them. Occasionally, I listen to the chapters read aloud from the app. And sometimes, I read right on my phone.
Many different Bible reading plans are available in the translation you prefer. My favorite plans are: “as it happened” – a one-year chronological walk through the Bible and “NT in a Year” from the Bible Project. I am reading them both right now.
I have to confess, I’m 6 days behind schedule but hopefully, I will catch up. But even if it takes me longer than a year, I still will have read the whole Bible (and the NT twice)! It has been easier than you would think. I hope you will join me and read the Bible in a year.
It is only through knowing God’s Word that we can be sure we are on the right path.
“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from The Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book.”
Abraham Lincoln
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” 1 Chronicles 29:14 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” 1 Chronicles 29:17a NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“Who is wise? Let them realize these things.
Who is discerning? Let them understand.
The ways of the Lord are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.” Hosea 14:9 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“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
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:27 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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The Bible warns us about false teachers. Yes, they exist today. But how do we know what is true and what is false? This is an important question. The answer is we must be discerning Christians.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about The Skill of Discernment. (Read it HERE.) Since then, I came across an excellent comparison that I want to share with you. In his book, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, Tim Challies compares spiritual discernment with identifying counterfeit currency.
Challies writes, “We can best know what is wrong by first knowing what is right. Experts on counterfeit currency know this as well. They train others first to know the traits of genuine currency because such knowledge will make apparent what is fraudulent.”
Experts in counterfeit money study every aspect of their currency including how it feels and every detail of its appearance and color. Only after they do this are they shown counterfeit currency. And guess what? They know immediately what is not real!
In the same way, it is only after we know the Bible well that we will be able to recognize false teaching. A mature Christian is a Christian who knows the Bible well. This is an important point because the Bible says that the immature Christian can be blown here and there by every kind of teaching (meaning false teaching). That makes sense, right? Ephesians 4:12-14 NASB says,
“… for the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the [b]knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature [c]which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 [d]As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness [e]in deceitful scheming;“
One thing about children, they’ll believe almost anything. And like children, immature Christians will believe almost anything, especially if it sounds good.
So the question is: How well do you know the Bible? How many times have you read it from cover to cover? How many times have you read the New Testament? Are you reading the Bible for yourself? Or do you rely on books about the Bible?
I challenge you to read the Bible from cover to cover at least twice before you read the Christian Best Sellers. Otherwise, how can you discern if what you are reading is true? Maybe you are thinking, “Oh I just know.” – I wouldn’t be so sure of that. But don’t take my word for it. Consider what the Bible says.
“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” The Apostle Paul (Acts 20:29-31 NIV) Read full chapter
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. …21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Jesus (Matthew 7:15, and 21-24 NIV) Read full chapter
“2 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” The Apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV) Read full chapter
Remember this: “We can best know what is wrong by first knowing what is right.”
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104:24 NLT Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry.
11 It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:8-11 NLT Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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Real Christian Women 