“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” Hebrews 13:5 NASB (emphasis mine)
“We can grow content as we learn to express gratitude for what we have, rather than complain about what we’re missing … God already has blessed us with so much. Satan schemes to redirect our focus to what eludes us, thus fostering a malignant virus of discontent. Instead, why not take inventory of all that God has blessed you with and thank Him for each and every blessing you note?” NKJV Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes
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.
The 15th chapter of 1 Samuel teaches us a crucial lesson about obeying God. The Lord instructed King Saul to wipe out the Amalekites completely, including all that belonged to them. But Saul spared Agag and the best of the cattle and other animals.
Not only that, but after the battle, Saul set up a monument in his own honor. (v. 12)
The prophet Samuel confronted Saul, saying,
“Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” (v. 19
Saul blamed the soldiers, saying,
“The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder … in order to sacrifice them to the Lord” (v. 21)
But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” (v.v 22-23) (emphasis mine)
What was Saul’s excuse?
“I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.” 1 Samuel 15:22-24 Read full chapter HERE
There we have it in a nutshell! Saul was an arrogant leader who thought he knew better than God. He gave in to the will of the people instead of obeying the Word of the Lord.
My question to you is this: Do we do the same in our churches today? Are we ignoring some of God’s commands to appease the people?
Do we neglect to teach what the Bible says on topics like: Eschatology, the nation of Israel, false teachers, abortion, and/or the sins of homosexuality and transgender ideology?
Jesus said, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26
The Bible 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 (emphasis mine)
And the Apostle Paul states, “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. (emphasis mine)
Is it because, like Saul, we are afraid of the people? Do we avoid controversial topics and give in to a world view that is in conflict with Biblical teaching?
Saul faced the consequences of his actions:
“You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel.” (v. 26) Read full chapter
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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.
“Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?”
“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter 3:3-4a and 3:8-9 NLT Read full chapter
My thoughts: Now is the time to spread the Good News, while Jesus tarries.
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.
“Therefore be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. ” James 5:7-8 NASB
James urges his readers to “stand firm” (lit., “strengthen your hearts”). This expression has the idea of providing solid support, of establishing a person, and thus of enabling one to stand unmoved by trouble. The reason given for standing firm is again that “the Lord’s coming is near.” The day when things will be set right is imminent. This confident expectation will make the faint heart strong. (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)
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
About a month ago, we went off Daylight Saving Time. But Henry, my Yorkie, refuses to change his inner clock. He is still on DST! That means his clock is an hour ahead of our new time.
No matter how many times I tell him, “It’s not time yet!” He just keeps barking at me. (But I just refuse to take him on his morning walk before the sun comes up!)
Henry has firm expectations! For example, He expects lunch at exactly 11:00 DST, baby carrots at 2:00 DST, dinner at 4:00 DST, and a walk at 4:30 DST.
Why am I telling you all this? Well, it reminds me that just as Henry is totally unaware of the time in which we live, many people in the world are unaware of the times in which we live.
Jesus warned the Pharisees,
“When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.“Matthew 16:2-3
We need only to look to God’s Word to interpret the signs of the times.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Then, there’s this: Ezekiel prophesied a physical and spiritual return of Israel to their land (Ezekiel 37). This happened on May 14, 1948. Having Israel as a nation in its own land is important because Israel is prominent in eschatology (Daniel 10:14; 11:41; Revelation 11:8).
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.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 NIV
My Thoughts: To fear the Lord means you wouldn’t dare exalt your own opinions and desires above God’s Word. Trusting God’s Word is the secret to this treasure.
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
I heard a pastor say something that sent shock waves through me. In an attempt to draw unchurched people to Christ, this popular pastor is teaching his flock that the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is not essential to following Jesus. (I find that really hard to accept since Jesus Himself taught from the Old Testament!)
Even more shocking is how easily people accept it! That’s why I feel compelled to write about it. The Old Testament is vitally important because everything in it points to Jesus. The more we study the whole Bible, the better we will know God.
“The Word of God is complete – both the Old and New Testaments flow together as one divine story of redemption. To disregard one and elevate the other is to dishonor the Author who gave us both – the same God who used the Old to confirm and fulfill the New.”
amir tsarfati
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:16 (emphasis mine)
Once the enemy convinces the church that we shouldn’t base our beliefs on the Bible, he can bring forth all kinds of deception and lies that will be gobbled up by itching ears. Without the Bible, the church is destined to embark on a path that gradually resembles the world more and resembles Christ less.
The importance of Bible reading can not be overemphasized. If we read more books about the Bible than the actual Bible, well, we are treading on dangerous ground. But isn’t that what people like to do? It’s the lazy way out. Don’t let someone tell you what the Bible says, unless you have read it for yourself first.
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17
Yes, maybe our churches will grow bigger and faster if we present a message that mirrors a secular worldview, but is that really a good idea?
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.” Matthew 7:13
My purpose in writing this post is not to criticize, but to highlight the vital importance of reading, studying, and knowing God’s Word for yourself, and to warn against any teaching that does not honor God’s Holy Word. A cursory knowledge of the Bible is not good enough. For the Bible is the only criterion with which we can discern truth from error.
I challenge you to read the entire Bible within one year. It’s easier than you think! I have done it for the last seven years. In fact, I plan on doing it every year from now on. Why? It’s both beneficial and easy to do! Once you do it, you’ll want to do it again. I promise!
I’ve been using a chronological Bible reading plan where you study the Bible in the order in which events happened. I found it very helpful in gaining a better understanding of the Biblical timeline. And it requires only a few minutes each day.
“Older women similarly are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor addicted to much wine, teaching what is right and good, so that they may encourage the young women to tenderly love their husbands and their children,to be sensible, pure, makers of a home [where God is honored], good-natured, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” Titus 2:3-5 AMP
My Thoughts: Older Christian women have a lot of wisdom to share. I hope you have an older woman to look up to and turn to for advice. My grandmothers have gone on to be with the Lord. They were wise women, and I miss them so 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
Real Christian Women 