The storm of life

24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. Luke 8:22-25

In Luke 8:22-25 the disciples encounter a storm, despite the fact that some of them were  fishermen which means they had been at sea many times, the disciples were described as being in jeopardy. (see Luke 8:23) See it doesn't matter how experienced we are at things sometimes experience doesn't cut it. We cannot control the waves and turn of every point of our lives as much as we think we can or as experienced as we think we are we will always fall short. For example, if you have an athlete who is competing in a sport lets say racing, they are experienced in this area, they train, they eat well, they get enough sleep and then the big day comes it only takes one unfortunate event such as an injury to destroy all their efforts and the situation becomes a disaster. You see no-one can plan the direction of their life. No one can eliminate all their weaknesses likewise no-one can control the storms of life only Jesus can, its not about us controlling the storm our way no matter how much we know or think we know by experience (i.e. to remove the injury) Jesus brings calm in a completely different way and by a different approach and that is by faith in Him not what we see and it is only Jesus who is capable of producing a great calm from a raging storm. (Luke 8:24)

When we trust Jesus through whatever we are going through (life) by faith and give Him our all, He will produce a great calm even if the way does not seem most favorable, remember as believers we live by faith and not sight. (see 2 Corinthians 5:7)

God bless you

Jaleen :) 

P.S please check out this post if you want to become a Christian or know more

Feeling far from God?

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

For Christians who have been saved through Christ the verse above can be the most comforting and reassuring when going through many trials, attacks and tribulation as I know it has been many times in my own walk. God's love can protect us from anything it is so wonderful to know that no matter how unloved or far from God we may feel His love has the power to exceed it all. God's love has been shown to everyone in the world since the beginning of time and He has given every being an opportunity to be saved from sin. It doesn't matter how big our sin is Jesus already knew all the sins you would commit in your lifetime as He came to earth to give his life as a living sacrifice for us all, yes that includes you. (see Romans 6:10) But how will we react to this opportunity? The Bible gives us two ways we will either accept and believe by faith that Jesus has washed all our sins away and stop serving sin by doing so we will cross from death to life (see John 5:24) or we will reject this offer and be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. (see Revelation 20:15) There is no middle ground you cannot be in the middle, you are either saved or not, there is NO lukewarm stage that is to not be saved. (see Revelation 3:16)

You can be saved though by believing by faith in Jesus Christ that his sacrifice was enough to cleanse us from our sin and then turn away from our sin to serve Christ - repentance and belief (see John 3:16)

As Christians though who have these beautiful promises that we can never be separated from God we must not use this as an excuse to be lazy, we need to keep drawing near to God in prayer despite the attacks and we must be careful because we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (see Phillipians 2:12) so that we do not get distracted or deceived and lose our way. (see Matthew 24:24)

A helpful verse for me to remember is though I am free to make choices. Not everything is beneficial (see 1 Corinthians 10:23) and the best thing is to be in God's will and led by the Holy Spirit.

Be encouraged,

Jaleen x

P.S please check out this post if you want to become a Christian or know more

Don't look back!

But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:26

In this passage Lot, his wife and his two daughters were told to flee from the wicked Sodom and Gomorrah by two angels because the Lord was going to destroy it (see Genesis 19:13)

When I was reading this chapter the other day God showed me something I didn't realize before. How many times we look back at past sins or our sinful past in general and think that we are missing out or whatever else could have been if we continued in our sin when we clearly know that the end of that path is destruction? But this is a tactic of the enemy. When God has instructed us to do something, we may have to change seasons and a change definitely takes place as we transfer from sin to God. So why are we still looking back as if we want to walk back in our old ways of life? We cannot make progress with God if we are still longingly looking at our sin even though we might not boldly declare to participate in it we need to make sure our hearts are not clinging onto sin but are grasping onto God by faith in the sacrifice that Christ made and all that He has achieved for us. We need to be rejoicing always in our new way of life and in the fact that Jesus has bought us eternal redemption. (see Philippians 4:4-8) If we still want sin or hold onto it we cannot be for God. (see Matthew 6:24)

It is so important to be content in God and to be walking with Him daily, renewing our minds too so that we do not give into sin and temptation. God is faithful and He promises to help us always. (see 1 Corinthians 10:13)

So let us pray for a heart that desires what God desires and that what breaks God's heart would also break ours. Let us pray that we will stay in God's will and let go of any sin no matter how pleasurable it is to us and for the Holy Spirit to govern our thoughts and actions forevermore, in Jesus' name, Amen.

God answers prayer and He answers it in a loving way (see Matt 7:9-11)

He is a loving and patient Savior who doesn't want anyone to perish which is why He has given us this moment to repent. (see 2 Peter 3:9) We don't know if tomorrow will come today is the day for repentance (see James 4:13-17) But time is running out you must repent now and you will be saved. (see John 3:16)

Love in Christ

Jaleen :)
P.S please check out this post if you want to become a Christian or know more

Day 5: Stand firm

Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a]10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Sometimes, I don't feel like reading or coming to God or doing the things I know I should be doing to encourage believers and it gets hard. I feel like I am unworthy because i struggle with sin and I feel like who am I to be blogging anyway.. STOP! 

I am worthy because of Christ, I am forgiven because of Christ, I have an inheritance because of Christ and everything He did for me on Calvary over 2000 years ago, my whole identity is found in Christ who delivered me from every sin I've committed and will ever commit so why do I get these times of unworthiness? Its because I lose focus temporarily by focusing on other things such as my sin (this is a tactic of the enemy) instead of the one who overcame my sin! I need to keep focused and stay focused on Christ and his sacrifice for me and so do you! Hebrews 12:2. We cannot afford to keep taking our eyes off our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it makes us vulnerable to attack by the enemy. Stay firm in the faith of Jesus Christ, as believers we are all going through trials 1 Peter 5:9 but we CAN succeed through Christ. Let us remain firm in the faith in Jesus Christ as believers that He has washed all of our sins away and we are worthy purely because of His sacrifice. CHRIST IS ENOUGH! Stay focused on Him.

Be encouraged,

Jaleen x

P.S please check out this post if you want to become a Christian or know more

Day 3 - Struggling

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives lifehas set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

This morning I was reading a devotional from an app on my phone and I felt to share what I read as it really spoke to me. It was talking about how powerful elephants are when they are fully grown yet it only takes a small rope to restrain one of these great creatures without the elephant even trying to break free. This happens because from the time the elephant is young he is tied to a large tree by a rope and no matter how hard it strains and pulls maybe for weeks or months the rope has such control over it the elephant gives up. 

And when it reaches its full strength and size, the elephant will not even try to get free it still believes it is still held captive and as if it can't break free. And isn't it the same with us? Satan uses the same trick to hold us captive. We have been freed by Jesus from sin if we truly are in Christ Jesus and walk according to the Spirit yet we can still feel bound. We need to fix our eyes on Christ and reflect on His sacrifice for us and how he took away all our sin if we truly want to be free. 

Be encouraged,

Jaleen