Tag: love

Christian

Is My Sin Too Great for God to Forgive?

Cindy Dawson

Today’s post isn’t for everyone. If you grew up in church and lived life on the straight and narrow, this post may not interest you. But if you made major detours from the right path like I did, this is for you. Or if you know someone who thinks their sin is too great for God to forgive, pass this on.

In your past, did you commit a sin that haunts you? You may have asked Jesus to forgive you, but you can’t forgive yourself. I’m not talking about some little thing. I’m talking about something big, something that you can’t believe you were capable of.

Let God’s Words speak to your heart today:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,     slow to anger, abounding in love… he does not treat us as our sins deserve     or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth,     so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west,     so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children,     so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;  Psalm 103:8-13

Though your sins are like scarlet,     they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,     they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

All of us are capable of doing things that we would like to forget (usually done to save ourselves from pain or trouble). We justify our behavior in our mind. “I had to do it. There was no other way. I needed this.”

King David committed adultery and murder. Yes, a man “after God’s own heart” did this! In Psalm 51:14-17 David wrote,

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,     you who are God my Savior,     and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord,     and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;     you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;     a broken and contrite heart     you, God, will not despise.

A Prayer

Dear Lord,     I stand in awe of your great love. You forgive my sins and remember them no more. Great is your love, O God. Who can understand your great mercy? Without it surely I would die in anguish, but your forgiveness and mercy washed over me and made me clean.

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7 NLT

No matter how great your sin, God will forgive you. God isn’t waiting to judge you. He isn’t waiting to condemn you. He wants to receive you – with mercy, with love, with open arms.

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

What Kind of Worshiper Am I?

Cindy Dawson

Those bad Pharisees! I can’t believe how stubborn they were! I’m glad I’m not like one of them!

We tend to see the faults in others before we see our own. Isn’t that true? I’m pretty sure that’s called pride. So as we examine what the Bible says about worship, let us look inward, at our hearts.

Jesus talked about two kinds of worshippers – “true worshipers” and those who “worship me in vain.” Do we really understand the difference? Let Jesus explain.

To the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus said,

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” John 4:23-24 NIV

But when Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, He said,

“You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
 They worship me in vain;” Matthew 15:6-9 

The Greek word translated “worship” in the first passage is proskuneo. It means to prostrate oneself in worship, to reverence, to adore. To lie prostrate implies total surrender.

The Pharisees put on a show of reverence, but were not totally surrendered to God. It is interesting to note that Jesus did not use the same word for worship in Matthew 15:9. He used the word sebomai, which means to revere. There is a big difference. The Pharisees honored God, but they were not surrendered to His will. Their hearts were somewhere else.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” Romans 12:1 NLT

Let us examine our hearts. What kind of worshipper am I? Is my worship pleasing to God? Am I surrendered to His will? Or, do I worship Him in vain? Do I give Him reverence, but cling stubbornly to my own will? Do I worry more about how I appear on the outside, or the condition of my heart?

Am I totally surrendered to Jesus?

“If we will only surrender ourselves utterly to the Lord, and will trust Him perfectly, we shall find our souls “mounting up with wings as eagles” to the “heavenly places” in Christ Jesus, where earthly annoyances or sorrows have no power to disturb us.”

– Hannah Whitall Smith

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

1st Photo by NATHAN MULLET on Unsplash

2nd Photo by Rachel Pfuetzner on Unsplash

Christian

Friday’s Verse, 11/20/20

Cindy Dawson

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” 1 John 4:16 NLT

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Focus on Christ

Cindy Dawson

As Christians, we may debate the meaning of certain passages. And I’m pretty sure none of us have it down 100% because Paul said, “Now we see through a glass darkly.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV)

But there is one thing I think we can all agree on. We must love – love our brothers and sisters in Christ, love our enemies, love our neighbor, and love God.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 NIV

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? .” Matthew 5:43-46 NIV

“Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31 NIV

Whatever is going on in my spiritual journey, the Lord always brings me back to this truth: God wants me to walk in love. There is nothing more important.

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJV

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2

We need to keep our focus on Jesus. He will perfect our faith. That means we will grow spiritually and develop a stronger faith if our focus is on Him. We should always be growing spiritually. The evidence of this will be a life that loves.

“If I had the gift of being able to speak in other languages without learning them and could speak in every language there is in all of heaven and earth, but didn’t love others, I would only be making noise. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy and knew all about what is going to happen in the future, knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would it do? Even if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, I would still be worth nothing at all without love. 3 If I gave everything I have to poor people, and if I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn’t love others, it would be of no value whatever.

4 Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, 5 never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. 6 It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. 7 If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.” 1 Corinthians 13: 1-7 TLB

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Shaira Dela Peña on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Quote of the Week, 11/4/20

Cindy Dawson

“Love is extravagant in the price it is willing to pay, the time it is willing to give, the hardships it is willing to endure, and the strength it is willing to spend. Love never thinks in terms of “how little,” but always in terms of “how much.” Love gives, love knows, and love lasts.”

Joni Eareckson Tada

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Friday’s Verse, 10/30/20

Cindy Dawson

“His compassion never ends. It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction.  Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day.” Lamentations 3:22-23 TLB

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Monday’s Verse, 10/19/20

Cindy Dawson

“For all God’s words are right, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good; the earth is filled with his tender love.” Psalm 33:4-5 TLB

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Misqal Novio Reeza on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Tuesday’s Verse, 10/6/20

Cindy Dawson

“But the eyes of the Lord are watching over those who fear him, who rely upon his steady love. He will keep them from death even in times of famine!” Psalm 33:18 TLB

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Mehdi Babousan on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Tuesday’s Verse, 9/29/20

Cindy Dawson

“The Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 147:11 NIV

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by David Brooke Martin on Unsplash

Christian

Sunday’s Verse, 9/20/20

Cindy Dawson

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 NIV

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash