Tag: Trust

Christian

Will Being Ecumenical Bring Unity?

Cindy Dawson

Whole denominations are built on the belief that it does. But is ecumenism really the enemy of the cross? Satan has always tried to make people believe that there are many paths to God. But that is not true. There is one way to God, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. (John 14:6)

Ecumenism is defined as an intentional mindset of openness, humility, and cooperation aimed at fostering unity among different Christian denominations.

Unity, on the other hand, is anchored in biblical truth and Christ-like love, rather than just superficial uniformity or compromise.

“True Biblical unity can only be realized ‘in the bond of truth,’ and never at the expense of Biblical truth.” Bill Streich

” … I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” Jude 1:3.

“Contention for the faith (Jude 3) preserves the purity of the gospel in Christian fellowship,” Streich wrote, “and delivers those who have been deceived by false religious systems. We must speak the truth in love!”

As one who was once deceived by Word of Faith teaching, I heartily say, AMEN!

Can the Church be in unity with false teachers? Absolutely not! The moment ecumenism opens its arms to false teaching, it has crossed the line into disobedience. The Bible commands us to refute and avoid false teachers, not to compromise with them. Romans 16:17 Titus 1:9

Ecumenism has been called a slippery slope. It leads to compromise. The goal becomes less about contending for the faith and more about making people feel welcome. Ecumenism blurs the line between truth and false religion, which is perilous for the people in the pews!

“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.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4: 11-16

Becoming a “mature Christian” requires that our leaders speak the truth in love. Unity comes from Christian maturity, not compromise. When we become mature, Paul says, “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.”

If we justify unbiblical actions by calling them compassionate and loving, it might make everyone comfortable, but it always comes with a price, and the price is truth. The Bible says,

 “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:6

Can Ecumenism impact the salvation of souls?

I would argue that it can because some “Christian” ministries teach another Jesus. (e.g. Prosperity Gospel, NAR, Word of Faith)

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, this you tolerate very well! “

“13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-14

Ecumenism is not mentioned in the Bible. I contend that it is man’s way to bring about the unity of the Church. Or maybe it’s an attempt to fill the pews. You decide.

God says, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.” 1 Corinthians 3:19

May God’s Word guide our church leaders, not the wisdom of this world.

Reflect on this. Questions and comments are welcome.

In His Love, Cindy

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Caution! It May Be a Trap!

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Thursday, 2/26/26

 “Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such people are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” Romans 16:17-18 NASB

There is a lot of information in these verses.

  1. The unsuspecting are people who are not aware of the presence of danger. They feel no suspicion.
  2. The Greek word for hindrances in this verse is skandalon. It means a “stumbling block, a trap, an obstacle, offense; something that causes sin”.
  3. Such people are deceivers.
  4. The Bible says we are to turn away from them.

Commentary: “False teachers excel at laying traps through the teaching of false doctrine…” Jeremiah Study Bible Notes

The word scandalon occurs 15 times in the N.T. It occurs three times in the following verse:

Jesus said, “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes!” Matthew 18:7 NASB

In His Love, Cindy

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

How Do I Show My Love for Jesus?

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Tuesday, 2/24/26

I was reading the 14th chapter of John, and something jumped out at me because Jesus said it three times in this one chapter.

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth…” John 14:15-17 NASB

“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.” (verse 21)

“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. The one who does not love Me does not follow My words…” (verses 23-24

That Jesus repeated this three times in this short passage tells me it is very important. That brings the question to mind: what commands?

I would say that includes everything Jesus taught us and told us to do. The red letters might be a good place to start!

In His Love, Cindy

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

How Do I Grow In Christ?

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Sunday, 2/22/26

“As I look back, I see more clearly that every step, the missteps as much as the faithful strides, has been held within the hands of a gracious God. The longer I walk with Him, the more I realize that growth in Christ is not about achievement but surrender; not about strength but dependence.” Bruce Cooper, The Clarity That Comes With Age

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 Read full chapter

In His Love, Cindy

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Teaching Our Children Faith

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Friday, 2/20/26

There is nothing more loving you can do for your children than to instill in them a love for God’s Word and teach them to pray by your example.

“We will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.
 He decreed statutes for Jacob
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
    to teach their children,
 so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,
    and they in turn would tell their children.
 Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.” Psalm 78:4-7

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

After God’s Own Heart

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Friday, 2/13/26

“After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’” Acts 13:22

“To be a person “after God’s own heart” carries a double meaning. First, it means modeling our heart after God’s heart—growing to love what He loves and hate what He hates.” dailyarmor.blog

My thoughts: The key to being a man or woman “after God’s own heart” is to be surrendered to His will and to put your trust in Him alone. I want God to say, “I have found her to be a woman after my own heart. She will do everything I want her to do.”

Don’t you?

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Warriors of God: Embrace the Call to Courage

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for Wednesday, 2/11/16

“Warriors war; they aren’t content to let lies and falsehoods go unopposed. They are by nature those who have a deep abiding desire and passion to make a difference for good and righteousness and holiness in this dark, fallen, deceptive world. Are you a warrior of God?”

Pastor Claude Stouffer, from his post, God’s Got Your Six – Encouraging Words for God’s Warriors

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Grab Hold of Courage!

Cindy Dawson

1-minute reflection for Tuesday, 2/10/26

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].” 2 Timothy 1:7 AMP

All open doors offer two choices: to walk by faith or to be controlled by fear (timid). Persecution, infighting, and false teaching threatened the Ephesian church that young Timothy shepherded – and will threaten Christians in the last days. The fearful will drop out. But those who grab hold of the courage (power), compassion (love), and self-control (self-discipline) that God makes available will stand fast until God completes His work in them. (Jeremiah Study Bible Notes)

My thoughts: This is courage: having the strength to act despite fear, danger, or difficulty, choosing to face challenges, persevere, and stand up for the truth of God’s Word.

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

My Struggle With Unbelief

Cindy Dawson

“But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”  But Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”  Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”
Mark 9:22-24 NASB (emphasis mine)

Have you ever prayed those words? I have.

Jesus’ disciples were unable to heal the demon-possessed boy. The demon would throw the boy into fire or water and try to kill him. Then the father cried out to Jesus.

The father recognized his lack of faith. He cried out, “Help my unbelief!” This is the cry of a desperate father! He knows he needs Jesus’ help to overcome his unbelief.

I know what that feels like. I was once this desperate for God’s help to believe. In the 90s, I became so involved in the Word of Faith movement that I became a teacher myself. I taught two women’s Bible studies and even taught on the radio.

When I finally realized that the Word of Faith teaching didn’t line up with the Bible, I left that church. Eventually, I recognized just how false the teachings of Kenneth Copeland and other “Prosperity Gospel” preachers really were. I had been teaching false doctrine! I was devastated.

I had prayed often, telling God that I surrendered to Him. That was the prayer and desire of my heart. I had risen early in the morning to read my Bible before getting my kids off to school. So why had God let me be so deceived?

Unbelief was crouching at my door. I became more and more overcome by doubt. I couldn’t understand how God could let this happen to me. It didn’t line up with the faith message I had been taught. I began to fear that I would stop believing in God. That scared me, so I began to pray every night, “Lord, help me overcome my unbelief. Please don’t let me fall away.”

I prayed this over a long period of time. God answered my prayers. Over the years since that time, I have learned the true meaning of faith, which means to trust God in every circumstance.

After many years, I have come to understand why God allowed this to happen to me. He is using it for good. My heart cries out for those who are deceived by false teaching.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NASB

Although God warns us about deception and false teaching, many people are deceived. In fact, the Word of Faith movement is spreading globally, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.

This is why the heart of my ministry is to encourage others to LOVE THE TRUTH. Read and study your Bible daily.

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

How Important Is the Bible to You?

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Friday, 2/6/26

In many countries with high levels of persecution, owning a Bible carries a great risk, including imprisonment, severe punishment, or even death. 

In North Korea, ownership of a Bible is considered a serious crime, punishable by imprisonment in labor camps or even execution.

In the Middle East & Central Asia, nations like Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and parts of Central Asia, importing or distributing Bibles is illegal.

In China, only registered churches are legal, and it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to attend. These registered churches are highly monitored by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). For this reason, many Christians meet secretly in homes, but this is very dangerous.


Even in countries where owning a Bible is not technically illegal, social, religious, or tribal pressure can make it extremely dangerous to have one. In some areas, possessing a Bible can lead to being disowned, losing custody of children, or violent attacks from the community. 

According to a 2025 report, over 100 million Christians still lack access to a Bible due to these restrictions. 

Call to Action:

  1. Pray for persecuted Christians.
  2. Reflect on the danger these Christians are willing to risk to own a Bible.
  3. Don’t neglect personal Bible study.

“I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.

 I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119:15-16 (emphasis mine)

Source: Open Doors

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog