When nothing seems to be happening, keep praying…..

“And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is

heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his

name John.”

Luke 1:12, 13

 

This scripture spoke to me deeply today. As I read it something jumped

out at me. Something I didn’t see before.

We know the story of Zacharias and how he didn’t believe the angel Gabriel.

We know because he didn’t believe he would not be able to speak until his son

was born.

 

But there is something else in that story that we need to see and learn from.

 

“Do not be afraid, Zacharias for your prayer is heard; “

 

Zacharias had prayed for a son! His wife was barren and well advanced in years (doesn’t

that sound familiar??)

 

“And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances

of the Lord blameless.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.”

Luke 1:6, 7

 

The word doesn’t tell us how long they were praying for. All we know is Zacharias prayer to YAH

for a child was heard!

 

That really encouraged me to keep praying! Time has passed but that doesn’t mean YAH has

forgotten about me.

It doesn’t mean He has forgotten about US!

He has heard our prayers……period!

Why it hasn’t come to pass yet, only YAH knows. But don’t lose hope, don’t give up.

People may be talking about you, and looking at you funny because your breakthrough hasn’t

come yet but hold on to hope. Yeshua will come through for you.

John’s mom Elizabeth said something amazing during her pregnancy;

 

“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take

away my reproach among people.”

Luke 1:25

 

The Lord took away her reproach among the people. There was a time when people looked

down upon her because of her bareness but that all changed when YAH heard their prayers

and answered them!

 

He will take away your reproach! You may be looked down upon because you haven’t got your

breakthrough but it is coming. Keep on praying in faith and EXPECT an answer.

Zacharias prayed for a child but after some time stopped believing he would receive the child.

Let’s trust YAH no matter how hard it gets. No matter how hopeless it seems keep on praying and

believing you have your answer.

 

I want to share one more amazing scripture before I close;

 

^“And Mary said, My soul magnifies and extols the Lord,

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

For He has looked upon the low station and humiliation of His handmaiden.

For behold, from now on all generations [of all ages] will call me blessed and

declare me happy and to be envied!”

 

That is the God we serve friends. He doesn’t enjoy seeing you being humiliated.

In the place that you are right now, He will answer you.

In your low station keep praying. Trust Him to come through for you.

Bless you friends…..

 

Rolain

 

 

 

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One way to ensure your faith is alive and active……..

“So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up),

by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead).

But someone will say [to you then], you [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works.

Now show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can],

and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith.”

James 2:17, 18

 

The book of James was part of my daily reading this week.

I am always so challenged when I read the scripture I just shared.

But something happened this week that brought it to life for me.

I was at training this week and after we were done we prayed.

The guy praying thanked God for divine healing.

He thanked God for keeping us healthy and he also prayed that

God would keep us in good health!

 

We always pray but this week the prayer struck something in me.

I realized I was looking at faith and action working hand in hand.

We have a desire to be healthy and fit so we train but our faith is

in God to grant us a healthy life!

 

That got me thinking about faith and action.

James 2:18 is not suggesting faith works if there is action. It’s telling

us that faith only works when there is action!

Faith without works is dead!

 

One person acting out of his or her faith can do more than 100 people

professing their faith without action!

 

It’s so true friends. I want to be that person who shows they have faith by

their works.

I really needed to be reminded of this truth!

 

Now, it’s not my place to tell you what action you need to take.

That’s between you and God. You are the one who knows what steps

God wants you to take.

As I read this verse I knew almost instantly the things I needed to be doing

right now that I was not doing.

Now remember, you can’t just act for the sake of  doing

something. God will ask you to do something specific for the thing you having

faith for. Allow Him to show what that thing is.

He may want you to be patient and wait,

He may want you to give into something,

He may want you to befriend someone,

He may want you to start writing that first chapter of that book,

He may want you to serve in a specific area at your church,

and the list goes on and on……

You need to be sensitive to His leading.

Remember, don’t act for the sake of acting.

That could do more harm than good.

God is surgical in the way He works.

What action is it that God wants you to be doing right now?

 

One thing is crystal clear though,

 

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

James 2:26

 

We have work to do friends……

Bless you.

 

Rolain

A word to those who have been abandoned…..

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against

a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me.

But the scriptures must be fulfilled.”

Then they all forsook Him and fled.”

Mark 14:48-50

 

“Then they all forsook Him and fled”

 

Jesus was abandoned by those closest to Him in His time of need.

In His most trying time there was no one to rely on for

support. He was going to endure the cross alone.

Let me rephrase that, no man would be with Him in His most

trying time.

 

You may be feeling alone because you have been ignored, rejected or abandoned

but know you are not alone.

Jesus understands fully what you are going through because He went through the

exact same thing!

He knows what it feels like to be abandoned by the people closest to you.

He knows the deep pain that comes from rejection.

You are not alone friend.

Cry out to Him in your pain.

Man will fail us but not Jesus. He is right there helping us, carrying us!

As I end I want to leave you with a scripture,

 

“Let your character or moral disposition be free from the love of money [including

greed, avarice, lust, craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present

[circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself  has said, I will not in

any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not,

[I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)!

[Assuredly not!]”

Hebrews 13:5, 6

 

Bless you

 

Rolain

What God does with your little…….

“By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman

as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made

a promise would do what He said.

That’s how it happened that from one man’s dead and shrieveled

loins there are now people numbering into the millions.”

Hebrews 11:11-12

 

I really love those pictures! They are so powerful.

The first picture is one of an old woman (Sarah) who was way past

the age of bearing children but because she believed God would

follow through on what He promised her, gave birth to a child.

 

The next picture is just as amazing. The picture is of an old man

whose loins are dead and shriveled. Naturally, it is impossible

for the man to have children, he is just too old!

But from this man (Abraham) there are people numbering into

the millions!

All because He trusted the Lord!

 

You may think you don’t have much and your life is going nowhere

but that contradicts what the word says!

Abraham and Sarah could not have children period!

It was impossible for them to have children but because they

trusted in God’s word to them they were able to have a child and

not just one but millions!

 

As you look at your life you may see nothing that indicates greatness

and the fulfillment of God’s promise but have faith.

Your little is exactly what God needs to move!

Don’t let your present circumstances trick you into believing

“this is the way things will always be!”

 

Your life may be one big mess at the moment but that doesn’t mean

It will remain like that for the rest of your life.

Things will change. Your life will change if you choose to reject

the lies of your present circumstances.

It will change if you trust God’s word for your life above the voices

of your peers, the government, and so many other “well meaning”

voices that have told you how your life will be.

 

Just the other day I was looking at my life. I was discouraged as I

looked at the problems.

I was discouraged at the amount of work that there is still to be

done.

I am nowhere near perfect, not even close!

“Is this it”, I asked myself?

Have I reached my limit? Is this where my potential ends?

Is this the life I should accept?

 

But that is when I read the scripture I shared with you

earlier (Hebrews 11:11-12)

That gave me hope.

That encouraged me to keep trusting the Lord where I am.

My life is not over!

I have not reached my limit!

There is still so much in store for me.

There are new heights to be reached, new places to see, fresh

blessings to walk in to!

I will not let up, I will trust in the Lord even more today than I

did in the past.

 

Don’t call it quits friends. You are not washed up!

Your story is not ending, it has just begun!

The Lord has so much in store for you even if your circumstances

don’t say it.

He has so much in store for you even if you have nothing in your

hands.

Even when your life seems like it will always be a mess know

that things will turn around!

It may seem like nothing is happening but things WILL happen!

What’s happening around you is not a good indicator at all.

Faith is what you need! It’s only by faith that you can receive

all that He has for you. Doubt and fear will only set you back.

Trust in Him! Believe in the word He has spoken to you.

 

“That’s how it happened that from one man’s dead and shrieveled

loins there are now people numbering into the millions.”

 

Amen….

 

Rolain

 

He will not embarrass you……

“Don’t embarrass me by not showing up;

I’ve given you plenty of notice.

Embarrass the wicked, stand them up”

Psalm 31: 14-18

 

That’s my prayer at the moment.

There are decisions I have made, and declarations I have uttered boldly.

It would be quite embarrassing if God didn’t come through for me!

 

But, is it possible for God to embarrasses His children??

For Him to embarrass us would mean He isn’t able to

show up for us.

 

As I meditated on this scripture today the more and more I realized

how unlikely it would be for me to be embarrassed by Him.

 

Let’s look at some scriptures to illustrate my point,

 

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might

humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a straight and

right way for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.

 

For I was ashamed to request of the king a band of soldiers and horesemen

to protect us against the enemy along the way, because we had told the king,

The hand of the our God is upon all them for good who seek Him, but His

power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”

Ezra 8:21, 22

 

Ezra declared the goodness and greatness of God to the king and because

of that Ezra didn’t get soldiers and horsemen to protect the families on

their journey.

 

“So we fasted and besought our God for this, and He heard our entreaty. “

Ezra 8: 23

 

“We left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to

Jerusalem;

and the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the

enemy and those who lay in wait by the way.”

Ezra 8:31

 

God showed up for His people and because He did His people were

not embarrassed.

What are you trusting God for?

What have you been praying to Him about?

 

Remember, He will not embarrass you by not showing up for you.

He is faithful and true and He will show up for you.

 

As we wait on the Lord, lets remember that He will always show up for

us. It may not be in the time frame you are expecting and it may not be

in the way you are expecting but He will always show up.

Don’t abandon the prayer.

Don’t think He has abandoned you.

He will show up!

 

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

It’s about people not fame……!

“At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all

who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.

And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases,

and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons

to speak, because they knew Him. “

Mark 1:32-34

 

Talk about a successful ministry! Yeshua had the whole city

at His door. Miracles were taking place, people were being

touched, diseases were being cured, demons being cast out.

It’s the desire of many ministers that their ministry flourish

like what we read in this passage.

 

Let’s look at another scripture,

 

“Now in the morning having risen a long while before daylight,

He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He

prayed.

And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.

When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking

for You.”

Mark 1:35-37

 

Yeshua was popular. He was the talk of the city. I can only imagine

what His followers were thinking!

 

“We made it to the big leagues”

“We are going to be so rich’

“What am I going to do with all the silver and gold?”

“I didn’t know signing autographs was so much fun”

‘This good news stuff works”

 

I imagine those are the kind of thoughts they were thinking.

 

It’s always nice to have a whole city at your door eager to listen

to you and it’s cool being the talk of the town;

but the story didn’t end there.

Let’s read on,

 

“But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I

may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come

forth.”

Mark 1;38

 

I can see the disciples expressions! I can see looks of shock

and  disbelief!

 

“The WHOLE town is looking for You and you want to leave”, they

must have thought!

 

I don’t even think they went back to say goodbye. Yeshua said,

“Let us go into the next towns,”

 

There is no mention of a farewell.

 

There is such an important lesson in this story.

The gospel is not a broad way show.

Following Yeshua will not bring us popularity, it will

bring persecution, ridicule, and hardships. (Acts 14:22)

Yeshua came to save  mankind! He didn’t come to be famous.

 

If you are in ministry so you can be recognized, then you have

missed the point completely.

If Yeshua came to be popular He would have stayed in that

city. But His calling far exceeded being popular.

He could of been a mega super star but that paled in comparison

to saving a soul. That was much more valuable than any distinction

man could ever give!

 

What is your motive for serving? Are you looking for the

applause, the recognition, for the accolades??

If you never get recognized for the work you do in the

ministry would you stop serving?

What’s more important to you as you serve,

getting applause or seeing a soul transform under the power

of God??

Yeshua didn’t come seeking fame and popularity.

He came to serve!

Let us follow His pattern and put people being transformed

and changed as the main thing.

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

Pursuing the wrong things…….

THOUGHT OF THE DAY.

“He who tills the land shall be satisfied with bread, but he who follows

worthless pursuits is lacking in sense and is without understanding. “

Proverbs 12:11

 

As I read this verse a few days ago a thought came to me.

Am I following “worthless pursuits”?

In other words, what things/activities am I using my time on that have

no benefit to me in any way??

 

A few things came to mind.

 

The word is very clear, he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense and is

without understanding.

I know God has things for me to do and understanding would be to pursue

those things with reckless abandon.

 

“He who tills his land shall be satisfied with bread” is what the word tells us.

When I focus specifically on the things God has for me and I do them things will

happen for me.

But when I take my focus off those things and fix them on

worthless pursuits is when things become tricky.

 

Let’s look at another version of this verse,

 

“A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat. People who waste time will always

be poor. (Good news translation)

 

I love this translation.

Worthless pursuits are sure to do one thing, and that is to waste our time.

We need to stop following worthless pursuits if we are going to accomplish

the purpose Yeshua has for us.

 

This my challenge to me and my challenge to you!

We need to take a look at what’s eating our time and cut it out of our life.

We need to stop following worthless pursuits.

There have been a few things I have cut out of my life but there is still

so much more to be cut out.

What about you?

What worthless pursuits are you following?

Ask Yeshua to help you with this. Without Him you won’t be able to stop

anything.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

There will be rejoicing again…….

“The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents and private dwellings

of the [uncompromisingly] righteous: the right hand of the Lord does valiantly

and achieves strength!”

Psalm 118:15

 

I love the picture this verse paints. What a statement right?

 

This verse is prophetic for me in this time. There were seasons in the past

where the sound of rejoicing had been heard in my home.

But not at the moment.

There are things I am waiting on God for, things I am praying for

and that is why this verse spoke to me.

 

The victorious rejoice, the sick woman who has had her prayer for healing

answered rejoices, the man who has finally gotten a job rejoices, a young

man or woman who has received a full scholarship to the university of their

dreams rejoices.

 

Like I said before, this verse is a prophecy, a prophecy for the person who is in the

dark right now, for the person who is crying out to God for an answer, for

a miracle!

It’s declaring that, even though things may seem to be falling apart

in your life and things may seem like they are never going to get better,

and the pain will never go away, don’t despair because the day of rejoicing will

come. The day of rejoicing will come friend.

 

The healing will come, the breakthrough will come, the answer will come,

salvation will come!

That is a promise!

Let’s read that verse again,

 

“The voice of the rejoicing and salvation is in the tents and private dwellings

of the [uncompromisingly] righteous: the right hand of the Lord does valiantly

and achieves strength!”

Psalm 118:15

 

No matter what the enemy throws at us there will be rejoicing and salvation in our

homes. No matter how hard he tries to keep us down he will not succeed. Let’s

look at another amazing passage of scripture,

 

“When the Lord brought back the captives [who entered] to Zion, we were like

those who dream [it seemed so unreal].

Then were our mouths filled with laughter, and our tongues with singing.

Then they said, among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them.

The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad!. “

Psalm 126:1-3

 

I love this passage of scripture! The people of Israel condemned themselves when

they forsook the Lord.

They were taken captive because of their unfaithfulness to God.

Their enemies thought they had won. They thought they had eradicated them

for good. But that was not the end of the story for them.

He delivered them from the land of their captivity!

He turned their mourning and their darkness into rejoicing, into laughter!

There was singing and laughter where there was once dismay, pain and crying.

Where there was guilt and condemnation there was now favor and grace!

Where there was hopelessness there was now hope!

 

This was their testimony,

 

“The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad!”

 

Your winter will end. The sound of rejoicing and salvation will be in your home!

You will not die, but live!

Believe in God’s word. No matter what you facing today believe there will be rejoicing

and salvation in your home. You will be rejoicing because God has been good to you.

There will be rejoicing because your prayers have been answered.

You will rejoice because the Lord has been faithful and continues to be faithful to you!

As I end I want to leave you with one more scripture,

 

“I shall not die but live, and shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts

of the Lord.”

 

Bless you friends……

Rolain

 

Because He loves us, He commands…..!

I was thinking about God’s commands today.

Did you know God commands us to follow His commands?

(If you love me keep my commandments. John 14:15)

 

He doesn’t suggest we forgive someone who wrongs us,

He commands us to forgive.

(Bear with each other and forgive one another if any

of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the

Lord forgave you. 

Colossians 3:13)

 

He doesn’t suggest we live pure lives, He commands us

to be pure.

(As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires

you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who

called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:

‘Be holy, because I am holy.  1 Peter 1:14-16)

 

He doesn’t suggest us to praise Him, no, He commands us to

praise Him.

(The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My

praise.  Isaiah 43:21)

 

I could go on and on but you get the picture. There is so much

God has commanded us to do.

But that word, “command” isn’t a word we like too much.

It’s so abrupt, so definite so final!

When we hear the word command walls come up. A lot of people

have commanded us before and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.

So when we hear, God commands, the defenses are raised

instantaneously.

 

But I want to show you what God showed me about His commands.

When God commands, it’s not because He is drunk on power and

wants us to feel His awesomeness!

He doesn’t command for the sake of making life hard for us like

others have done.

He is God and not man.

When God commands, He has our well being in mind.

 

Let me show what I mean.

This is a command. When you see the sign you know exactly

what it means.

This is not a suggestion. They are commanding you to keep

out because they know the danger it will cause to you.

That sign was made with you in mind. It’s a way of protecting you.

And when you see it you don’t complain because you know it’s to

keep you safe.

 

When a parent commands their child not to talk to strangers

it’s not because they love making things hard for their child,

but it’s to protect them.

It’s out of love they command their child!

 

And that is how we need to look at God’s commands.

He has you and me in mind when He commands. It’s because

He loves us, that He commands us.

 

We need to stop fighting His commands.

 

I was fighting one this week. I had an argument with someone

and instead of forgiving them

I brought up reasons why I shouldn’t. I tried to justify myself but

that’s not what God commands.

He commands us to forgive as He has forgiven us. It’s not because

He enjoys seeing me in pain but

because He wants to see me grow and move to another level in my

walk with Him.

 

Are you obeying His commands?

Do you try to run away from the things He has commanded you?

We have an opportunity to do the right thing.

His commands are for our benefit.

He commands because He loves us deeply.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

The war I didn’t see coming…….

“Whom have I in heaven but You?

And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.”

Psalm 73:25

 

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When 

shall I come and appear before God?”

Psalm 42:2

 

These scriptures paint a picture of my love for God. I really

need more of Him everyday. I am nothing without Him.

Where could I go and what could I do without Him???

He really is the love of my life!

 

But I am in a war right now and the results of the war will have

a huge impact on my relationship with God.

The fight caught me unawares. For some time I supplied the

enemy with the arsenal he needed to have an edge on me.

Can you imagine that?!!!

I was totally blindsided by the enemy.

 

You see, the war I am engaged in is not happening on a plain

that is easily recognizable.

The war I am engaged in is happening right at my doorstep, as a

matter of fact it’s happening closer than that. This war of epic

proportions is happening right in my home!

 

How could I miss it? How did I not recognize the enemy’s tactic?

A face to face confrontation wouldn’t have done the trick. I would

have quickly dismissed him. Instead he came slyly into my

home through television, social media, and so on. I used to spend

so much time with Yeshua in the past. When I would get home

I would make sure I spent my time in prayer, and word.

Yes I would do other things but they were not the “main” things.

Spending time with God was on the top of the list.

 

But one day that pattern changed.

I would get home and put on the television.

If there was nothing to watch I would go online.

There was even a time I would forgo church functions to watch

sport!

The war is real friends.

 

When God by His grace opened my eyes to what I was doing

I realized I had to cut things out of my life. The first thing to go was

the television. I had to look to God for help. I couldn’t do it alone.

But that didn’t go without a fight!

What the heck!!

 

I am slowly gaining the ground I lost in the beginning. The fight

has been brutal but I will keep fighting because my relationship

with God depends on it. He is the love of my life.

He is the One I desire above all else and I am not alone in this.

He is right by my side helping me!

I want to fall deeper in love with Him and nothing must stand in

the way of that.

 

Friends, as hard as that was to write the goal is to help you see

how far the enemy is willing to take the battle. Your battle will

be different from mine but you must know that the enemy will

take the battle to your home!

if you are single this post is for you especially, the time you have

now is so important. It is in this time you get deeper with God.

Don’t make the mistake I made by allowing distractions to take

away the precious time I had kept aside for God.

And if you are strong in this area then please pray for me.

I need all the help I can get!

Bless you!

 

Rolain