“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12 NASB Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.” Psalm 91:14-15 NIV
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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As I was walking my dog and listening to the Bible on my phone app, the following verse jumped out at me.
“You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.” Deuteronomy 12:4 NIV
I’ve read Deuteronomy several times, but I didn’t remember reading this verse before. I hurried home to look it up in my Bible.
In Deuteronomy chapter 12, God is warning the Israelites not to be influenced by the religious practices of the pagans in how they worship the Lord.
Reading these verses made me think about how worldly influences have invaded the Church today. Everything from pop psychology to New Age thinking has seeped into our churches.
2 “Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. 3 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.” 4 “You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.“Deuteronomy 12:2-4 NIV Read full chapter
There are a lot of so-called “Bible teachers” that are teaching questionable things. I have been researching some of these teachers to find out their roots. Who do they learn from? Who has influenced their ministry? If a Bible teacher is rooted in New Age beliefs (and many are), don’t we want to know about it? The only way to know is to do a little research. Just because a book is in the Christian bookstore doesn’t mean it’s theologically sound.
I know this post will make some people angry. They will immediately come to the defense of their favorite teachers. The fact is, false teachers also teach a lot of things that are true. Their questionable teachings are often surrounded by good things like the love of Jesus. Consider the words of the Apostle Paul:
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 ESV
But Jesus said we must be careful what we listen to.
And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to.” Mark 4:24 NASB Read full chapter
Some argue that the false things they teach can be weeded out. But that isn’t true because everything they teach is rooted in their false beliefs. We must be rooted in Truth.
“…if the root is holy, so are the branches.” Romans 11:16 ESV
If there is a worm in your apple, are you going to eat the apple and spit out the worm? No thanks, I’ll stick to apples without worms!
Paul said, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Galatians 5:9 ESV Read full chapter
It’s my prayer that we will hold dear the Truths of the Bible and reject all that is false.
“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” Romans 16:17-18 ESV
It is not those who stand for Truth that causes division. It is the false teacher that causes division!
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 ESV
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-8 ESV
Read more verses that warn about false teaching here.
I pray that God’s Word will speak to your heart today and that you will hold fast to the Truth of God’s Holy Word, the Bible.
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be at your side.” Proverbs 3:25-26 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”
Peter Marshall
Peter Marshall was born in Coatbridge, Scotland, a poverty-stricken coal-mining community, where he was reared by his mother and stepfather. From an early age, he decided he would be a missionary to China. To meet the educational requirements, he enrolled in evening classes while working in the mines by day, but his progress was slow. In 1927, a cousin offered to pay Peter’s way to the U.S., where he could receive proper ministerial training. He graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1931. He went on to become pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, and was appointed as Chaplain of the United States Senate in 1946.
Catherine Marshall wrote a biography of her husband, A Man Called Peter (1951), which was a popular success. It was adapted as a movie and released in 1955 and was nominated for an Oscar. You can watch the movie here.
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
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“Many plans are in a person’s heart,
But the advice of the Lord will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 NASB
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give me glory.” Psalm 50:15 TLB
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 NIV
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
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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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