“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12 ESV
My Thoughts: More true today than ever before.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
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RealChristianWomen.blog
I was once deceived by false teachers. Now I realize that the Word of God is my greatest treasure because knowing God’s Word is our protection against deception. If you know the Bible well you will recognize false teaching when you hear it.
That’s why I warn others to read the Bible before reading books about the Bible. That’s exactly how I was led astray by false teaching: by reading books written by false teachers. Of course, I didn’t know they were false at the time, but in my enthusiasm to learn, I was led astray. And so were many others.
Learning God’s Word takes time and discipline, but it is essential for knowing the only true God. If you want to know God, turn to His Word. Can you imagine how many pages of notes it would take to write down everything the Bible teaches us about God, His attributes, and character?
Countless books have been written about how to intimately know God. Unfortunately, many of these books refer to mystical practices, such as contemplative prayer. But these practices are based on New Age, Hindu, and Buddhist beliefs. I come across these books or quotes by New Age teachers all the time.
If you don’t know the person being quoted, try this. Google: “Is ______ a false teacher?” If a discernment ministry has researched this person it will pop up. This is how I have discovered that several “Christian” writers were in fact steeped in occult beliefs. Of course, you must evaluate what is said and use discernment.
Pagan practices may result in a “feeling” of supernatural power which some mistake for the presence of God. One example is to repeat a mantra, to empty your mind, and to listen for God to speak. However, you will find this nowhere in the Bible. In fact, this is a dangerous practice based on the occult which the Bible warns us against.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1
People want to experience the supernatural. They look for it and are enticed by it.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly].” Philippians 3:10 AMPC
But Paul also said this, “For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.” 2 Corinthians 11:4
That tells me that some will come preaching a different Jesus, calling on a different spirit, and proclaiming a different gospel. This is not the Jesus we want to know. We want to know the only true and living God and Jesus His Son.
What is this different Jesus? It is one who doesn’t proclaim the truth of Scripture and is often in conflict with Scripture. It might be enticing and sound exciting but don’t be fooled by your emotions. Our emotions can lead us to believe what we want to be true instead of what IS true.
In these perilous times and in the days ahead, the truth of God’s Word is our most precious treasure and protection against evil. Do not look to mystics or pagan religions, like Buddhism or Hinduism, to learn how to know God. The Bible will teach you everything you need to know.
You can learn more about the dangers of contemplative prayer here.
“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
“Great peace have those who love your law,
and nothing can make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
All Scripture references are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.
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RealChristianWomen.blog
“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 NIV
My Thoughts: Knowing this truth will change your life.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
RealChristianWomen.blog
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Jesus, Luke 12:48b NIV
My Thoughts: What did Jesus mean by this? Have I been entrusted with much?
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
RealChristianWomen.blog
God has given us His rules for our good; and when we obey them we’re healthier, happier, and holier… The creator knows how we function best, and He is an expert on the care of the soul. Obedience not only glorifies Him, it blesses our lives.”
Pastor David Jeremiah
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Sardar Faizan on Unsplash
RealChristianWomen.blog
“be patient; strengthen your hearts [keep them energized and firmly committed to God], because the coming of the Lord is near.” James 5:8 AMP
My Thoughts: May we reach out to the lost more and more as His coming draws near.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Photo by D O M I N I K J P W on Unsplash
RealChristianWomen.blog
“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.
23 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.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 NIV
My Thoughts: This applies to all Believers, but especially to those who lead others.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash
RealChristianWomen.blog
“And He will be the security and stability of your times,
A treasure of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the Lord is your treasure.” Isaiah 33:6 AMP
My Thoughts: Even in these times, He promises security and stability to those who fear the Lord. That is our treasure.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
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RealChristianWomen.blog
Did you ever stop to think about how effortlessly children can memorize? Ask any toddler the names of the Paw Patrol Dogs or the members of Peppa Pig’s family. They know it all!
Annie at Seeking Divine Perspective commented that she can have trouble remembering Scripture she memorized as an adult, but she can easily spout off the ones she learned as a child. That has been my experience as well. I memorized the 23rd Psalm as a child and I’ve never forgotten it. (That was more than 60 years ago!)
My daughter, who is now 35, can recite many Scriptures she memorized as a child. (She also knows the whole movie, The Little Mermaid! But that’s another story!)
She told me that the thing that stands out to her the most are all the Bible songs she learned and the Christian TV shows for children such as Storybook (still available on Youtube). Many of those songs are Scripture verses and/or foundational truths. For example, Jesus Loves Me, The B-I-B-L-E, and many more.
Here’s the thing: If children have the ability to memorize easily and then remember it into adulthood, why aren’t we taking advantage of it?
Some Children’s Sunday School curriculum seems more interested in entertaining children than teaching them what they need to know. Some curriculum doesn’t include Scripture memorization at all.
Memorizing Bible verses can seem old-fashioned to some, but it is more important than ever. And it can be a lot of fun when you add hand motions or sing the verse. What is “normal” in today’s world is becoming more and more contrary to Biblical teaching. Memorizing Scripture hides God’s Truth in our hearts.
God has clearly said how important it is to teach our children His Word.
“And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your foreheads as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
I have been reading through Proverbs and I thought, “I wish I would have memorized some of these Proverbs before I left home at 17 to attend college. Perhaps then, the Holy Spirit would have brought some of these verses to my mind before I made poor decisions.” Proverbs 2:12-15 stands out.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.”
Memorizing Scripture enables us to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Many times, God has spoken to me by bringing a specific Scripture to my mind.
The Holy Spirit has even used a Children’s Bible Song that I learned as a child to speak to my heart. In fact, that’s how my blog all began. As I lay in bed with Mononucleosis, I couldn’t get this little song out of my head:
This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine! Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine.
That’s when I thought, “I’m a closet Christian!” I realized I never shared all the things God had done for me. And the idea to write a blog was born! You can read about it here.
More Scripture on Teaching Children
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Speaking of God’s words, Deuteronomy 11:19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
Matthew 18:5-6 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
Psalm 78:2-4 for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past— stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.
The world is teaching our children many harmful ideas. May the Lord help us teach our children His ways. May He help us to protect their hearts and minds.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
All Scripture references are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.
RealChristianWomen.blog
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
My Thoughts: I’m reminded of the day, many years ago, when the Holy Spirit brought this verse to my mind in a specific situation. It isn’t easy to do, but it’s God’s way and how we should live.
In His Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Elaine Casap on Unsplash
RealChristianWomen.blog
Real Christian Women 