Tag: Jesus

Christian

Open My Eyes, Lord!

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Friday, 5/8/26

“Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word.  I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and your commands are my chart and guide.  I long for your instructions more than I can tell.” Psalm 119:18-20 TLB

When we are faced with big decisions, we can trust the Lord to give us guidance if we ask Him.

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

Don’t Doubt Your Calling

Cindy Dawson

Encouragement for Thursday, 5/7/26

Do you ever get writer’s block? Do you even doubt your calling because you feel inadequate? That is your enemy, Satan, oppressing you. He’s a liar! Remember this:

“ I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” Philippians 1:6 AMP

Praise the Lord!

And this is my favorite go-to verse:

“Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 AMPC

If you need more encouragement, read this: Don’t Let Satan Stop the Work

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 Steve A Johnson on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

The Greatest Sin in the Church

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 5/6/26

“In my opinion, the greatest sin in the church of Jesus Christ in this generation is ignorance of the Word of God.” J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988)

“Ignorance of the Word of God is the ‘greatest sin’ because it leads to all other spiritual failures.” J. Vernon McGee

These statements are just as true today as they were when Dr. McGee said them. Ignorance of God’s Word results in a lack of discernment. And that is why we see so many false teachers with huge followings, leading people astray.

In 1967, J. Vernon McGee began broadcasting the Thru the Bible radio program (TTB), in a systematic study of each book of the Bible. His teaching often emphasized the importance of personal Bible study.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NASB

Nowhere in the Bible are pastors told to avoid controversial subjects. They must teach the whole counsel of God’s Word, not just the feel-good parts.

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

Featured photo: Daiga Ellaby Unsplash+

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Do You Long for Men’s Approval?

Cindy Dawson

Reflection for Tuesday, 5/5/26

“We wrestle with our natural inclinations— … our longing for approval…”

Bruce Cooper

I know this is true because I wrestle with it myself. I also know that recognition (public approval) often leads to pride. And we all know what pride leads to.

I saw this firsthand when I was in a Word of Faith church. When I became a women’s conference speaker, those around me began to make me feel special and important. At a conference where I was speaking, one woman offered to carry my Bible, purse, and notes around for me. I must be important!

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 NIV

James and John asked Jesus if they could sit on His right and left in Heaven. I think they longed for approval and recognition. Jesus responded by saying,

“… whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” Mark 10:43-44 NIV

Jesus also said, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

So I pray, “Create in me a pure heart, O God …” (Psalm 51:10 NIV) “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” (Psalm 119:133 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 Getty Images on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

David’s Song of Praise

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Devotion for Monday, 5/4/26

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.” 2 Samuel 22:17-18 NIV (emphasis mine)

Do you ever find yourself in a spiritual battle where you think the enemy is too strong for you? Don’t give up! Don’t lose hope! Don’t stop praying! May this verse encourage you today.

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

How To Be a Discerning Christian

Cindy Dawson

Jesus said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 NIV

And the Apostle Paul warns,

“Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

In other words, these servants of Satan look like Christians! I don’t think the Church understands this at all. These false teachers are difficult to identify because they appear to be sincere, loving, and very knowledgeable. So, unless you have developed the skill of discernment, you are at great risk.

In my experience, Christians are more afraid of calling someone a false teacher than they are of being deceived! (Who do you think implements that strategy?)

The Bible warns us about false teachers. But how can we know who they are? The answer is: We must be discerning Christians.

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 when we know the Bible well that we can recognize false teaching. A mature Christian knows the Bible well. This is an important point because an immature Christian can be blown here and there by every kind of teaching (meaning false teaching). That makes sense, right?

Ephesians 4:11-14 NIV says,

“ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their 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 about 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)

 Jesus said, “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.  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?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:15, and 21-23 NIV)

 “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. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. (2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV)

“We can best know what is wrong by first knowing what is right.”

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

What Is Humility?

Cindy Dawson

1-Minute Reflection for Friday, 5/1/26

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking about yourself less.”

C.S. Lewis

Jesus said, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:11 NLT Read full chapter

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 from Getty Images on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Jews

He Watches Over You

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 4/29/26

God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created.

CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31NIV

Get ready for goosebumps!

“Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2 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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

The Centurion’s Humility

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Tuesday, 4/28/26

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. Matthew 8:5-13 NIV Read full chapter

The centurian came to Jesus:

In humility (“I do not deserve to have you come under my roof)”,

Understanding Jesus’ authority (v.9),

And with “great faith.” 

May the Lord teach us to approach Him this way when we come to Him with our needs. May we ponder who He is before we begin our prayer.

Note: In Luke’s account, the centurion sends intermediaries. Both Matthew and Luke are correct. In the 1st century, it was understood that when a representative was sent to speak for his master, it was as if the master was speaking himself.

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

God Hears Your Prayers

Cindy Dawson

2-Minute Devotion for Monday, 4/27/26

Several years ago, I received an urgent prayer request from an orphanage in Africa asking me to pray for 2 young children with Malaria. Their fever was raging.

Although my heart was breaking, I felt like my prayers did little good. If my prayers were working, wouldn’t I feel something?

Not necessarily. Faith has nothing to do with feelings. It’s not an emotion that can be mustered up. Faith is believing God’s promises, believing His Word, and trusting Him to accomplish His will.

When we feel like our prayers aren’t making it out of the room, we need to remember what God has said in His Word.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 NKJV

Prayer isn’t something we have to do. It’s something we get to do. As the old hymn says, “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.”

ABOUT What A Friend We Have in Jesus : What a Friend We Have in Jesus was written by Joseph M. Scriven. Joseph Scriven’s life was filled with many trials and sorrows. His fiancée died in a drowning accident on the eve of their wedding in 1844. Eventually, he found love again, but his plans for marriage were dashed again when his new bride-to-be died after a short illness in 1855. That same year, he received news from Ireland that his mother was terribly ill. He wrote a poem to comfort her called “Pray Without Ceasing”. It was later set to music and renamed What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Scriven did not have any intentions nor dream that his poem would be published in the newspaper and later become a favorite hymn among the millions of Christians around the world.

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 Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog