Mark 4:35-40 "On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”" A Christian's faith has to be based on God's Word. The disciples witnessed so many great miracles that we might say they should have had the strongest faith possible. And Jesus never gave them reason to doubt Him. So, if beforehand the Lord told them : “Let us cross over to the other side,” that should have been enough for them and know the storm would not be able to stop them. On the contrary, they should have fought against it, knowing in their hearts that if Jesus said they would cross over to the other side that nothing would be able to stop them. But the storm caused them to doubt that they will make it. And in accepting the doubt, they they lost their faith and soon fear conquered their hearts, even to the point where they lost sight of their Lord's Word. That's why, Jesus had to calm the storm, in their place,. Then He pointed out why they failed: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”" For Jesus the storm was no surprise, He prepared an important lesson for His disciples and he decided to take a nap, getting out of their way, so they would have the chance to act by faith. What if Jesus hadn't been in the same boat with them at the time? What would they have done? Despair might be the best teacher there is in many cases. But to face trials and succeed, we need to prepare ahead of time. We have to strengthen our faith while we sail on calm waters, to be able to face the storms and calm them down, instead of panicking. Faith is not going to growing while we are despairing. While the waves were filling the boat in and the wind was tossing them violently around, the disciples were not remembering or standing on all that the Lord had taught them. At least they remembered that He could save them enough that they rushed to wake him up. However scolding Him that He would let them perish. It seems incredible to tell to the Lord of Life that He did not care for their lives. And, as a matter of fact, I doubt that their voices were calm and or very nice when they said it. Now, I wonder how much we really believe what God's Word says and how determined we are also to fight against doubt? How often when doubt comes do we really keep on believing? To be able to own and keep a firm faith in what the Bible says, doubt can have no place in our lives. Many times, our flesh doesn't even need the enemy's help to cause us to lose what we would receive by faith, as our own human natures do a pretty good job even by itself. We need to recognize doubtful thoughts and block them before they give birth to more. We have to work build our faith, "brick by brick" with every trial and every test we face in our daily lives – no one else can do it for us. It is the personal challenge we all face that will determine what we build, walls of faith or walls of doubt. Or that will determine who wins: doubt or faith. Doubt is overcome by believing in our hearts and proclaiming the truth of the Scriptures, in all our challenges and trials and as often as it is needed, so that we can stand firm and stay strong in our faith, receiving what God's Word says we will in all the circumstances and challenges of life. We must choose and build a lifestyle of faith or without even trying, we will live a lifestyle of doubt. "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:6 Carmen Pușcaș
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AuthorsSince we became Christians, the authors of this site, over the decades, with the help of the Holy Spirit, have learned deeper biblical truths and how to have a closer walk with Christ. Through the websites that we are writing on, we try to share with the readers who might be interested, messages about living life with Jesus Christ as Lord. BLOG LIST BY DATE
(THE DATES ARE LISTED IN FORMAT DD/MM/YYYY) OUR CHOICES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE 5/1/2021 "COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY-LADEN" 8/12/2020 BEING THANKFUL 22/11/2020 WHAT DEFINES OUR LIVES AND US? 31/10/2020 IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD 18/09/2020 "THE REST" WE FIND IN THE LORD 13/08/2020 HOW WE CAN FILTER OUR IN-TAKE 24/07/20 JESUS IS OUR ANCHOR IN STORMY TIMES 9/07/2020 CHOOSING TO REJOICE 23/06/2020 STRESSFUL TIMES AND OUR EMOTIONS 26/05/2020 BIRTH PAINS OF A ONE WORLD ORDER 12/5/2020 TEST ALL THINGS 22/04/2020 IN STRESSFUL TIMES 31/03/2020 STANDING FIRM IN UNCERTAIN TIMES 15/03/2020 GOD SENDS HIS ANGELS TO HELP US 28/02/2020 GOD KNOWS! 14/01/2020 OUR SAVIOR HAS MADE THE WAY 23/12/2019 FALL IS IN THE AIR 30/09/2019 WHY IS IT SO CHALLENGING TO REMAIN CONSTANTLY VICTORIOUS IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK? 18/7/2019 LITTLE THINGS 01/07/2019 IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE 17/5/2019 FULL JOY 6/3/2019 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UNEQUALLY YOKED? 1/2/2019 LIFE AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY 15/1/2019 FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT 4/12/2018 THE PRODIGAL SON 11/10/2018 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 HOW DID JESUS ANSWER TO TEMPTATION 26/1/2018 GOD'S LOVE IS IMMEASURABLE 6/6/2018 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 THEN THEIR EYES WERE OPENED... 26/3/2018 ENDURANCE! 15/02/2018 CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY 25/1/2018 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 OUR JOY IN THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH 6/12/2017 MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN TODAY 15/11/2017 THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 18/9/2017 IS BAPTISM BY WATER A COMMAND OR NOT? 26/8/2017 THE DANGER OF UNHEALTHY FEAR 26/6/2017 HEALING IS GOD'S WILL 26/6/2017 WHAT DO WE TRUST IN? 13/6/2017 "NO ONE AND NOTHING CAN SNATCH US OUT OF THE HAND OF JESUS OR FATHER GOD!" 11/4/2017 "BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN..." 7/3/2017 "GRACE UPON GRACE"24/2/2017 TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, FROM HIM MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED 6/2/2017 WHAT MAY HARDEN THE HEART?31/1/2017 WHO PAID MORE? 30/1/2017 IT IS HARD KICKING AGAINST THE GOADS 30/1/2017 JESUS SET ME FREE... AGAIN! 10/1/2017 LIVING TO PLEASE GOD! 6/12/2016 NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH US OUT OF GOD'S HAND! 2/12/2016 WHY DO WE HIDE GOD'S WORD IN OUR HEARTS? 9/11/2016 GOD'S WORD IS POWERFUL 1/11/2016 DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE 24/10/2016 TRULY BELIEVING - ELIMINATING DOUBT 15/10/2016 ARE THE OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES FOR US, THE GENTILES, TOO? 14/10/2016 CHOOSING FAITH INSTEAD OF DOUBT 11/10/2016 LORD GOD IS MY REFUGE! 6/10/2016 GOD'S PROVISION FOR THE AGED 17/9/2016 DOES IT MATTER HOW WE LIVE? 7/9/2016 PAUL'S THORN IN THE FLESH 26/8/2016 "WALKING ON WATER" 23/8/2016 WHATEVER IS TRUE... 5/8/2016 LIFE WITH JESUS IS WONDERFUL 29/7/2016 ANSWER TO PRAYER 23/7/2016 WHY PRAY? 22/7/2016 HAPPY OR SAD? 21/7/2016 THE IMPORTANCE OF TRULY ”KNOWING” GOD 21/7/2016 WE NEED GOD'S PRESENCE 21/7/2016 GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE US! 21/7/2016 THE TRUE MEANING OF FOLLOWING CHRIST 21/7/2016 THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD 21/7/2016 FLESH OR SPIRIT? 21/7/2016 Archives
January 2021
CATEGORIES BIBLE, THE WORD OF GOD ARE THE OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES FOR US, THE GENTILES, TOO? 14/10/2016 GOD'S PROVISION FOR THE AGED 17/9/2016 GOD'S WORD IS POWERFUL 1/11/2016 THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD 21/7/2016 WHY DO WE HIDE GOD'S WORD IN OUR HEARTS? 9/11/2016 CHRISTIAN LIVING "BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN..." 7/3/2017 BEING THANKFUL 22/11/2020 DOES IT MATTER HOW WE LIVE? 7/9/2016 DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE 24/10/2016 FLESH OR SPIRIT? 21/7/2016 FULL JOY 6/3/2019 GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE US! 21/7/2016 HAPPY OR SAD? 21/7/2016 HOW WE ARE MADE AND CHOOSING HOW WE RECEIVE 24/07/20 IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD 18/09/2020 IS BAPTISM BY WATER A COMMAND OR NOT? 26/8/2017 IT IS HARD KICKING AGAINST THE GOADS 30/1/2017 LIFE WITH JESUS IS WONDERFUL 29/7/2016 LITTLE THINGS 01/07/2019 LIVING TO PLEASE GOD! 6/12/2016 LORD GOD IS MY REFUGE! 6/10/2016 "NO ONE AND NOTHING CAN SNATCH US OUT OF THE HAND OF JESUS OR FATHER GOD!" 11/4/2017 NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH US OUT OF GOD'S HAND! 2/12/2016 OUR JOY IN THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH 6/12/2017 OUR CHOICES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE 5/1/2021 PAUL'S THORN IN THE FLESH 26/8/2016 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 THE PRODIGAL SON 11/10/2018 THE TRUE MEANING OF FOLLOWING CHRIST 21/7/2016 TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, FROM HIM MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED 6/2/2017 WHATEVER IS TRUE... 5/8/2016 WHAT DEFINES OUR LIVES AND US? 31/10/2020 WHAT MAY HARDEN THE HEART? 31/1/2017 FAITH & TRUST CHOOSING FAITH INSTEAD OF DOUBT 11/10/2016 DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE 24/10/2016 TRULY BELIEVING - ELIMINATING DOUBT 15/10/2016 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 "THE REST" WE FIND IN THE LORD 13/08/2020 "WALKING ON WATER" 23/8/2016 WHAT DO WE TRUST IN? 13/6/2017 WHY IS IT SO CHALLENGING TO REMAIN CONSTANTLY VICTORIOUS IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK? 18/7/2019 FEAR THE DANGER OF UNHEALTHY FEAR 26/6/2017 GOD, FATHER, SON & HOLY SPIRIT CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY 25/1/2018 "COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY-LADEN" 8/12/2020 GOD SENDS HIS ANGELS TO HELP US 28/02/2020 GOD KNOWS! 14/01/2020 HOW DID JESUS ANSWER TO TEMPTATION 26/1/2018 MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN TODAY 15/11/2017 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 THE IMPORTANCE OF TRULY ”KNOWING” GOD 21/7/2016 THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 18/9/2017 WE NEED GOD'S PRESENCE 21/7/2016 GRACE "GRACE UPON GRACE" 24/2/2017 WHO PAID MORE? 30/1/2017 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 HEALING HEALING IS GOD'S WILL 26/6/2017 JOY, HAPPINESS CHOOSING TO REJOICE 23/06/2020 FULL JOY 6/3/2019 HAPPY OR SAD? 21/7/2016 OUR JOY IN THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH 6/12/2017 PERSEVERANCE AND STRENGTH STANDING FIRM IN UNCERTAIN TIMES 15/03/2020 "BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN..." 7/3/2017 CHAINS OF SMOKE 11/11/2019 ENDURANCE! 15/02/2018 HOW DID JESUS ANSWER TO TEMPTATION 26/1/2018 IN STRESSFUL TIMES 31/3/2020 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 PRAYER ANSWER TO PRAYER 23/7/2016 WHY PRAY? 22/7/2016 SALVATION THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 18/9/2017 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 TESTIMONIES, DREAMS, ETC JESUS SET ME FREE... AGAIN! 10/1/2017 VARIOUS FALL IS IN THE AIR 30/09/2019 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UNEQUALLY YOKED? 1/2/2019 IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE 17/5/2019 OUR SAVIOR HAS MADE THE WAY 23/12/2019 |