“Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NLT
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Tag: Jesus
Sunday’s Memory Verse, 8/18/24
“When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who watch over my way. Psalm 142:3 NIV
Read full chapter
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Take Courage!
You have probably read Jesus’ parable about the bags of gold in Matthew 25. (You can read the entire passage below.)
Three servants are given bags of gold. The first two servants double what they were given. But the 3rd servant met his master without earning anything.
“The bags of gold (Greek talanton) represent all the opportunities God gives people to serve Him, including their wealth, reputation, abilities, and learning. This parable warns believers to diligently take everything God has given and invest it for His glory as they await Christ’s second coming.” (David Jeremiah Bible Study Notes)
I want to direct your attention to the servant who was given 1 bag of gold. This is what he had to say when the master returned.
“Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground.” verses 23 & 24 (emphasis mine)
What jumped out at me today was that the man said “I was afraid.” Are you afraid to do what God has called you to do? The man in the parable didn’t trust his master. (I would venture to say he didn’t know his master or he would have trusted him.)
Sometimes it takes courage to do what God calls us to do. He has given us gifts and talents to bring Him glory. Do we trust Him?
Without courage, we may be tempted to bury our bag of gold in the ground because we are afraid. Courage comes when we know and trust Him.
Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV (emphasis mine)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.” Psalm 56:3-4 NIV
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;” Isaiah 41:10 NIV
The Parable of the Bags of Gold
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 25:14-30 NIV
Take Courage! Do not be afraid. Trust God to lead you and give you wisdom as you do everything He wants you to do.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Friday’s Verse, 8/16/24
“The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” John 14:21 NASB
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Verses for Meditation, 8/15/24
“If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.” Psalm 119:92-93 NIV
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Tuesday’s Verse, 8/13/24
“Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 NIV Read full chapter
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
Monday’s Verse, 8/12/24
“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.” Psalm 68:5-6a
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Sunday’s Memory Verse, 8/11/24
“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
8 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Romans 4:7-8 NLT
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
How to Handle Backlash for Your Beliefs
(Previously titled Speaking the Truth Might Be Met With Anger)
It was a rough week! I was unprepared for the backlash I would receive when I shared with a fellow Christian my belief that a certain teaching was unBiblical. Instead of engaging in a dialogue, she attacked my character. I wasn’t expecting that.
Stating your beliefs can cause a torrent of judgment to rain down on your head when someone doesn’t like your view. It can feel traumatic, even when you know the accusations aren’t true. A vicious attack on your character can quickly cause you to grow weary and lose heart.
If this happens to you, the first thing you must do is PRAY. Next, read your Bible to see what God says about it. These are some verses the Lord brought to mind:
Paul said, “I care very little if I am judged by you or any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.” 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 NIV
“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” Romans 14:4 NIV
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12 NIV
The Bible says we are to “speak the truth in love”. (Ephesians 4:15)
This means that we must speak the truth with gentleness because we love one another.
Some of you are standing against false beliefs that will bring attacks against you, too. Subjects like abortion, transgender ideology, and even doctrinal differences can elicit a strong response. Be strong! The fight for Truth is a spiritual battle.
If you are being judged unfairly, you’re in good company. Jesus was falsely accused of many things including blasphemy, inciting rebellion, violating the Sabbath law (by healing on the Sabbath); threatening to destroy the Jewish Temple; practicing sorcery, and exorcising people by the power of demons.
To the Galatians the Apostle Paul said,
“Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Galatians 4:16 NIV
Be strong and courageous! You are not alone!
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV (emphasis mine)
Comment from Bereancrossroads:
“Ad hominem and even abusive ad hominem fallacious attacks are used by people who have no logical arguments. Quite common these days. The Bible says for us to come and reason together and we can do that from the Scripture especially among brethren. If the person does not want to, then we pray for that individual.
Our worth is not what people say or do to us but who we are in Christ Jesus! 😀✝️✝️✝️📖🙏”
(An ad hominem attack is an argument that attacks the person making a statement instead of the statement itself.)
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Friday’s Verse, 8/9/24
“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
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Pray for Israel
RealChristianWomen.blog
Real Christian Women 