“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 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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Faith is synonymous with trusting God. Faith is not a power we can use like a magic wand to get anything we want. This is an important distinction. Yet many so-called Bible teachers teach the concept of faith incorrectly.
For many years, I followed the Word of Faith teachers who teach a false concept of faith. Once I began to see the Truth, it was very difficult to erase that false concept from my mind.
The first thing I did was read the New Testament from cover to cover three times in a row. As I read, I paused whenever I saw the word “faith” and interpreted its meaning from the context. I had a lot to learn, and a lot to unlearn. As I read God’s Word, I had to stop thinking of faith as personal power and substitute the definition “trusting God”. It took a lot of work and a lot of time.
“…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word…” Ephesians 5:25-26 NIV
Jesus Heals a Sick Woman
“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.” Matthew 9:20-22 NIV
It was her trust in Jesus, her belief that He was able to heal her, that brought her healing. “If I only touch his cloak”! Make no mistake. She was not depending on herself or any power of her own.
Blind Bartimaeus
“As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” Mark 10:46-52 NIV
Just like the woman with the issue of blood, if you read this verse about faith in context, you will clearly discern that it was trusting Jesus that healed him.
In fact, if we study the Bible as a whole we will learn that everything in it points to one thing: Jesus.
Faith is trusting God and His plan, even when we don’t understand it. When my daughter went to Africa to work in a children’s hospital, I learned a lot about faith. It was most definitely about trusting God. It was never about my own power to bring about what I wanted. You can read about my experience here.
To have faith is to trust God and believe His Holy Word, the Bible.
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 Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 147:11 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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“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
43 Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.” Psalm 107:6-9, and 43 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 do not consecrate myself to be a missionary or a preacher. I consecrate myself to God to do His will where I am, be it in school, office, or kitchen, or wherever He may, in His wisdom, send me.”
Watchman Nee
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 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. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NIV Read full chapter
Lord, We pray for discernment as we learn your ways. May your Word always guide us and keep us on the narrow path. Thank you for giving us your Word. Your Word is Truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.” Psalm 111:2-3 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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“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done.” Proverbs 19:17 in all English translations
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 call discernment a “skill” because, like any other skill, it can be developed and improved. This is how you develop discernment: READ AND STUDY THE BIBLE. Understand the Bible as a whole. Read all of it. Don’t pick and choose the verses that you like and that support your belief.
“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 NIV Read full chapter
Spiritual discernment is good for more than just making monumental decisions according to God’s will. It is an essential, day-to-day activity that allows thoughtful Christians to separate the truth of God from error and to distinguish right from wrong in all kinds of settings and situations. It is also a skill – something that any person can develop and improve…”
Tim Challies, Canadian Blogger and Author
As I researched the topic of discernment this week, I found many instances where someone already said what I want to express, and it seemed prudent to quote that person, rather than saying it in my own words. It just couldn’t be improved upon. So you will find several quotes in this post. I hope they will give you something to think about.
Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.”
Charles Spurgeon (19 June 1834 – 31 January 1892)
That’s an interesting quote. Especially when we consider today’s movement to be more ecumenical and to embrace unity in the Church. Yes, God wants us to be in unity, but not at the expense of good theology, and certainly not at the expense of staying true to the Word of God.
You see, almost right sounds really good. It sounds so close to the truth that it can be easy to mistake it for the truth. It might even come packaged with Bible verses and sincere sermons/speeches from the pulpit. It tickles ears because it sounds Christian. And when it comes from a person in authority, such as a pastor or professor, it’s not questioned because, “Hey, he studies the Bible a lot more than I do.”
Jason Foster, Christian Journalist
“For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires…” 2 Timothy 4:3 NASB Read full chapter
The Bible teaches that there are many false gospels out there. They aren’t always obvious because many of them are, yes, almost right.
Jason Foster, Christian Journalist
The first step to developing your discernment is to love the Truth, to love God’s Word, and hold it dear. We can’t have discernment if we don’t study the Bible.
“And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may [a]display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment],10 So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].” Philippians 1:9-10 AMPC
Spiritual discernment is the great need of our day. Jesus, Himself warns us:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
Many books have been written that claim to teach new insights into God’s Word. Some of them are Best-Sellers. Some are written by people with a huge following. But none of that makes them true. Only when the teaching clearly lines up with God’s Word can it benefit you. The need for discernment is paramount. Make sure you are developing yours by being a student of the Bible. Only then can you discern what is false and what is true.
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
100 Bible Verses About False Teachers
Christians Must Be Discerning by Jason Foster
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“The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24 NIV
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 