Hello, friend. The premise of my writing — no, really of my entire life — is that God, the Creator of the Universe, wants to be in a relationship with people, His creation. That’s why He made us in the first place. And it’s the only way we will be truly fulfilled in life. Because relationship with God is what we were made for.
But there’s a big obstacle to that relationship. It’s called sin. Sin is anything that goes against God. And people choose sin. Again and again…and again. No one is exempt. Romans 3:10 says “There is none righteous; no, not one.” And later in the same chapter, verse 23 tells us that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
So how can we have any hope of a fulfilled life in relationship with our Creator?
We have no hope of restoring that relationship on our own. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 64 that all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. Yep, that bad! Do you think we can work our way toward God with our best efforts amounting to filthy rags? Of course not. So, left to our own devices, we are utterly without hope.
And without hope, we rightly deserve the penalty of sin, which is death — complete separation from God, now and forevermore. The Bible tells us in Romans 6 that the wages of [i.e. payment for] sin is death. What can be done?
Here is where God’s amazing love and unmatched grace comes in. In the Bible, Romans 5:8 tells us that “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Why would He do such a thing, while we were still sinners, enemies of God? According to John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
What exactly does that mean, “He gave His only Son”? There is an entire section of the Bible devoted to Jesus’ life and ministry, but the answer is summed up beautifully in I Corinthians 15:3-4: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures.”
God sent Jesus to earth to pay the penalty we rightly deserved. Jesus died, once and for all, in my place and in yours.
Why? Because of His great love. For me and FOR YOU! He wants to be in a relationship with you that much.
How can you enter into this relationship with Him? It’s very simple:
- Acknowledge your sin. Confess to God in prayer that you are a sinner, utterly without hope apart from His grace.
- Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Let God know that you believe He sent His Son to earth to die in your place for your sins, and that He was buried and that He rose again, defeating sin and death once and for all.
- Confess to Jesus that you want Him to be Lord of your life. You want to do things His way, not your own anymore. You will still sin, because people will always be imperfect creatures as long as we live on this earth. But your desire to live in sin will be replaced by a desire to know God, love Him, and serve Him.
Now you can rejoice, and thank God for His salvation! He promises that “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
If you have taken these steps, I congratulate you on your very first divine encounter! It’s the first of many divine encounters God wants to have with you. I promise you, it’s the very best decision you could ever make, and I welcome you wholeheartedly as a fellow child of God! If you’ve just made this decision, please email me at jennifer@adivineencounter.com so I can rejoice with you, pray for you, and send you some helpful follow-up information. You might also find these links helpful as you begin your Christian walk:
- What is Jesus’ First Priority for Those Who Follow Him?
- Identity in Christ – Who Are You?
- What Are the Primary Aspects of a Christ-Following Life?
If you aren’t yet ready to make this decision, that is also understandable. It’s important to be certain of your commitment before entering into this relationship with God. If you have questions I can answer, or if I can serve you in any other way, please email me at jennifer@adivineencounter.com. I would welcome the opportunity to communicate with you more about this important decision.
May God bless you as you continue to seek Him!
Ready to read more? Here’s a great place to get started!
Katrina says
Thank you for writing this blog ! I found you thru pintrest and I thank Jesus so much for this. You are the first blog I’ve ever decided to follow and I feel like I can trust your links. Thank you so much for being the Lord’s instrument of knowledge and peace for me.
Jennifer Clarke says
Welcome, Katrina! I’m glad you found me. 🙂 I’m humbled by your words, and I take your trust very seriously. I seek only to point others to our Lord, and as one of my readers, I ask that you let me know if I ever stray from that priority. Isn’t it amazing how God uses His children to encourage and sharpen each other? The body of Christ is a beautiful thing. Thank you for reading, and I look forward to more interactions with you in the future!
Mutoto Robert says
Wow that’s good infact the body of Christ is beautiful and this celebration let us have new things in our life please God bless you
Moira says
Thank you for your beautiful blog. I found you through pinterest also. For a long time now, I’ve felt sure of Our Creator’s love. And at times, I’ve felt close to Him and blessed with grace. I struggle with accepting that Jesus is God. I can believe miracles. I can believe Jesus is the Son of God. I stumble though with worrying that to worship some one who was at least part human is an affront to God. I ask God to help me with this quandary and I feel that he’s slowly leading me in a direction (although) I’m not sure what it is. Thank you for the opportunity to write this.
Jennifer Clarke says
Welcome, Moira! I’m so glad you found my little corner of cyberspace. 🙂 More importantly, I’m so glad you shared your testimony of God’s leading in your life. It’s truly a breathtaking demonstration of His personal care for you, and His desire to be known by you. God says in Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” I want you to know that I’m praying for you to keep seeking Him, and I trust that as you do, God will fulfill His promise to be found.
If you’d like to know more about Jesus, I suggest that you read the book of John in the Bible. It is packed with evidences of Jesus’ divinity, including Jesus’ own testimony that He and His Father are one and the same (John 10:30). It’s one of those things we can’t really comprehend. But I’m glad to have a God whose ways are fathomless to me! How could I worship a God I fully understood? If I could fully understand God and His ways, I think that just might mean I’m pretty close to being God myself! I don’t say that lightly or blasphemously, but simply to point out that not being able to fully understand God is actually a wonderful thing, making Him even more worthy of our worship.
Thank you again for reading my blog, and for sharing so thoughtfully from your heart. It would thrill my own heart to have more interactions with you in the future!
Amanda says
Jesus was God manifested in the flesh. That’s why when Jesus says if you’ve seen me you seen the father.
Jennifer Clarke says
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Amanda. That is indeed what the Bible records Jesus saying.
Moira says
Thank you, Jennifer. I love the Book of John and it does touch my heart. And thank you for your encouragement. It’s good to know (in a non-superficial) way other pilgrims. : )
Jennifer Clarke says
I’m glad you’re familiar with the gospel of John, Moira. I know God’s Word will continue to impact your life as you seek after Him. It’s a true honor and blessing in my life to be able to share with others! Thank you again for taking the time to get in touch! May our God open the eyes of your heart to know Him more fully.
Patrick says
Thanks Jenifer for this teachings coz my heart has been desiring to have an encounter with our maker am glad feel free coz now have the knowledge you r a blessing to many
Jennifer Clarke says
Hi, Patrick, and welcome! I pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened, and that God would continue to draw you close to Himself, granting you faith to believe in His Son Jesus Christ as your Savior. Thank you for taking the time to say hello!
Jill says
God led me to your blog via Pinterest as I, too, believe there are no coincidences. You write beautifully and He is clearly using you to get out His message. I’ve been a Christian all of my life and I have been actively seeking God the past four years. My entire life has been a series of trials. Most recently I lost my job 5 months ago and I’m still unemployed. My struggle is hearing God’s voice. I pray to the Holy Spirit to open my ears, open my eyes and to open my heart so that I may hear God’s voice. I understand that it’s not going to be on my time frame – God’s timing is perfect. I’ve been waiting a very, very long time. How do I know if He’s talking to me and I’m not hearing Him or if it’s my situation that He’s not revealing answers to because of His timing?
Jennifer Clarke says
Welcome, Jill! I’m so glad the Lord brought our paths together. My heart understands your time of trial so well; my husband and I were going through a difficult and painful bout of unemployment this time last year. One thing I know is that He doesn’t want His plans for you to remain forever a mystery. If you are His child, and you are submissive to His leading, He will make His leading clear to you. It often helped me to pray something like this: “Lord, I don’t understand what’s going on, but I just want what you want for our family. Nothing more, and nothing less. Nothing sooner, and nothing later. But I’m trusting you to show me what that is. So please don’t let me miss anything.” You can claim the truth that when you trust Him with all your heart, and acknowledge Him in all your ways, He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). And then rest in that truth. At His mercy is a safe place for His children. Spend time applying and interviewing and networking and job-seeking; be intentional about your job search, believing that God will keep open the doors He wants you to walk through. I just asked God to lead you, to provide for you, and to grant you His peace. I truly thank you for taking the time to share your story here. Please keep in touch!
Linda VanDeusen says
Good morning Jennifer!
What a beautiful blog you have! I’m adding to my list of Christian women blogs. Even though I’m 47 this is my second marriage and I want to learn how to be a good Christian wife. So I’m starting from scratch. I just need some guidance. So I will be following along with much interest.
Jennifer Clarke says
Welcome, Linda! I’m so glad you found some truth here today. None of us have the answers to life’s problems, and so my heart’s desire is to point women toward the Savior who does have the answers. As we encounter Him, we learn to trust Him; and as we trust Him, He directs our paths. I’m taking time this morning to pray for you and your walk with the Lord, as well as your marriage. You can claim this promise from Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek Me and find me, when you seek Me with all your heart.” Thank you for stopping by, and for taking the time to get in touch!
Terry says
Thank you and i want to kw more about God i want to get closer to him.
Jennifer Clarke says
Hello, Terry, and welcome! Are there specific questions I can answer for you? If you haven’t already done so, I would encourage you to read the book of John in the Bible, as it gives great insight into the life and teachings of Jesus. Thank you for reading!
Larry Green says
Thank you for your faithfulness to Christ. May God bless you and your family.
I love learning from you,
Thanks,
Larry
Jennifer Clarke says
Hi, Larry! His faithfulness compels ours, don’t you think? 🙂 Thank you for your kind words. You encourage me to press on in this ministry.
George Kyalo says
I have been greatly impressed by your teachings and also be blessed for voluntarily showing us God’s divine encounter. Eager to meet you for you have greatly mentored me,be blessed abundantly,ready to be in part of you to spread these Good News Worldwide.
Jennifer Clarke says
I’m so glad you were blessed here, George. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
Blessed says
GOD BLESS YOU BLESS.THANK YOU.
I WAS LOOKING FOR THE PRAYER OF REPENTANCE AND HERE I FIND YOUR BLOG.
I HAVE READ. I REPENT AND RECEIVE GIFT OF SALVATION .THANK YOU TO GOD BE THE GLORY.BLESSINGS BLESSING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.I WANT TO KNOW GOD AND GET CLOSER TO HIM.
Jennifer Clarke says
Amen! What wonderful news, my friend! I would encourage you toward getting to know God in a couple of ways:
1)Pursue relationship with God. It’s what you were made for, and it’s the only thing that will bring true fulfillment. Make it a priority to get to know God by reading the Bible and praying. Memorize Scripture. Listen to Christian podcasts. Saturating your mind with God’s truth is an important part of knowing Him and getting closer to Him.
2)Develop fellowship with other believers. If possible, find a local church that preaches the Bible, one where its members are growing in their faith and serving each other and the community.
I hope these thoughts are helpful to you. I will pray that God would help you to know Him, love Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.
Yesi says
Thank you your writing is always timely! God bless you and God bless your home ,and family abundantly!!
Jennifer Clarke says
I’m so glad you were blessed here. Thank you for stopping by!
EMEKA says
Thanks for this inspiring and captivating piece of gospel. It’s good one to start my relationship with God through your teachings.
Douglas Ahrens says
My name is Douglas Ahrens, I was a counterfeit Christian and I had been deceived by Satan and headed for a a path of destruction, having the words, but denying the power there in, falling deep in the lust of world, to which I was a prisoner, my life was a lie, and I finally awakened to io, by my Wife Ann and I tried to pray with the aid of the book by John Eldridge ” Walking With God ” ! I am was living a lie deceiving myself, and telling stories to my Wife Ann, she woke me up, when she said God at first for her to stay and now He’s said for her to go, then she asked me if I wanted her to go, and I said that the thought had crossed my mind! But, God brought her into my life for a reason, to straighten my path, and I was deceived by Satan ever since I was in the second grade, and he’s been deceiving me for this long and never woke up to it, I really Love my Wife wholeheartedly, I have never loved any other woman, like the Love I have For her, and I don’t want to lose her ever. She sparked my desire to Believe and Serve God. And I repented my sins to the Lord and He has set me Free, and wherever Jesus goes, I will Follow, I choose to be Strong in the Lord, and be Faithful like Abraham!! And that session I watched on the Holy Spirit, it was a Pentecostal ministry, and they believed in speaking in Tongues, by the Holy Spirit, I have a lot more to learn, that’s why I am taking the Prayer,- 5-day Challenge
Francis says
God has truly spoken to me through you and for that I am grateful.May he continue blessing you even more in your writing and even in your life.Thankyou!