It’s time to move…..

Life is constantly teaching us stuff and to grow we need to learn what we are being taught.

Unfortunately there is a lesson I had to relearn this year (this week to be more precise) that I ignored

last year. It’s so frustrating because the lesson had a financial cost. That really got me thinking though.

How many lessons have we ignored that keep coming back but we just don’t learn. For whatever reason

we make a decision to do nothing.

But YAH wants us to learn the lessons that come our way. Those lessons once learned will make us grow.

 

I am reminded of the Israelites. They too didn’t learn their lesson and because they didn’t, they had to go

round the same mountain.

 

“And the Lord spoke to me [Moses], saying, 

You have roamed around this mountain country long enough; turn northward.”

Deuteronomy 2:3

 

It’s time to stop going round the same mountain. It’s time we start learning the lessons we are supposed

to learn. I am tired of going round the same mountain. I want to grow, I want to move.

I don’t learn because it’s hard at times, or because of laziness and so on and so on….

But that needs to stop.

It’s time to move!

 

ACT ON IT – What lessons have you refused to learn because they are difficult? 

Ask the Lord to show you the most critical lesson you need to learn so you can grow.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

 

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Be deliberate about what you think on daily.

What are you thinking about every day? Have you thought about what you think about lately?

I had to train myself with my thoughts. It’s crazy how easy it is to let your mind wander

to thoughts of defeat and hopelessness.

Just last week I was wrestling with thoughts of inadequacy. Someone said something to me and I

had to catch myself in the moment. I was not about to accept the words that were spoken to me.

I was not about to let that word take root in me.

 

You need to know the enemy is not taking a back seat when it comes to

your thoughts. He is trying to get you to think a certain way, in a way that is destructive. He is not waiting

for you to think negatively. He is being proactive in affecting the way you think.

So must we take a back seat then when it comes to our thoughts? No!

We need to be vigilant and proactive.

 

There are so many opportunities to think negatively these days. We need to be vigilant when it comes

to guarding our minds. Let’s look at what the word says,

 

“For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, 

whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and 

gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh

and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. 

Philippians 4:8

 

Let’s take this word to heart. This is our offensive attack against what the enemy is trying to do.

If we are going to protect ourselves against the world’s infiltration we need to be proactive about what we

think about. Like I said before, there is so much opportunity to think negatively about our lives and

everything going on around us. Let’s be deliberate about our thoughts. Have a plan!

 

ACT ON IT: Right down ten things (using the Philippians 4 model) that you can think about on a daily basis.

What do you think about when you think about your life? 

Write down three things you feel YAH has spoken to you about concerning your life. 

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

What was his confidence based on?

“When they had come, he looked on Eliab [the eldest son] and said, Surely the Lord’s 

anointed is before Him.” 

1 Samuel 16:6

 

Samuel thought his job was a success when he saw Eliab.

We must remember Samuel was sent to anoint a king, so the person he would anoint

was not ordinary. He would have something that separated him from everyone else.

So when Samuel looked at Eliab’s physical appearance he was convinced he was the one.

He had the muscles, the height, the intelligence, and was well spoken.

What Samuel saw convinced him Eliab was the one but the Lord said something that made

him change his mind;

 

“But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, 

for I have rejected him. 

For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord 

looks on the heart.” 

1 Samuel 16:7

 

“Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature; for I have rejected him.” (emphasis mine)

 

I like to imagine that Eliab was the “Dwayne Johnson” of his time. He had everything a man would

want. He was a first born, an ultimate warrior, had the voice, and so on. Who wouldn’t want to be like him?

But the Lord rejected him!

The Lord only rejects those who reject Him (Matthew 10:33) so that’s what must have happened here.

Eliab trusted in himself. He didn’t need YAH.

His confidence was in himself. He didn’t look to YAH for help.

We can conclude that Eliab didn’t have a relationship with YAH.

 

There is a lesson we can take from this.

Where is your confidence? Are you depending on yourself, your resources, your education,

your upbringing?

Are those things stopping you from trusting the Lord.

The word is very clear about what YAH is looking at? He is not impressed with our show of strength.

He wants us to look to Him. He wants a relationship with us.

While Eliab was wrapped up in himself, David his brother was in the field getting closer to YAH.

His relationship with YAH was getting stronger and stronger.

He trusted the Lord completely. The Lord was his consuming passion night and day. He

communed with the Lord daily. He sang songs to Him.

 

The Lord called him a man after His own heart.

The Lord wants our hearts friends not our “strength”.

He is not impressed when we try to go at life on our own steam.

He wants to be first in our lives, not second.

He wants our hearts set on Him and nothing else.

 

ACT ON IT – Is the Lord first in your life?

What is stopping Him from being first?

 

Bless you friends

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are an original and that’s okay……

“We must live in the Holy Spirit and follow after Him. So may we never be arrogant,

or look down on another, for each of us is an original.

We must forsake all jealousy that diminishes the value of others.

Galatians 5:25, 26

 

“each of us is an original”

 

Is this not where the problem’s start, when we compare ourselves to others? Trying to be someone

else is just going to make things worse for you. Jealousy, arrogance, dis-contentedness, frustration and a

whole lot more stem from trying to be someone else.

The word is clear, you are an original!

Let’s look at another scripture;

 

“You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them 

together in my mother’s womb. 

I thank You, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!”

Psalm 139:13, 14 (TPT)

 

We are handsome/beautiful not because we are made like another person but because we are unique.

There is no one on this planet like you and me and that’s a great thing. You are one of a kind.

You are made in the image of YAH!

 

But the world has created a standard of what beauty should be. It has created a picture of what

handsomeness should be and we have bought into it. Not only do we use that measure on others, but

we use it on ourselves. The standard has been reinforced for so long that we don’t know anything else.

We hate and destroy ourselves because of it.

 

I was that person I am describing. Through a series of unfortunate events (abuse, divorce of parents, stuttering)

I hated me. The enemy had done a great job of destroying any good picture I had of myself. There was not a

single trace of self-esteem I could hold on to. I was my own worst enemy. Like I said, I hated me and envied

other people. How I wanted to be someone else.

But when the Lord saved me He changed all that. He showed me I was unique and that was good.

It took a lot of years to get here but He did it. He changed the old picture with a new one. A better picture!

 

You are an original! Don’t let people dictate who you should be. Don’t let the media, your peers and

anyone else for that matter dictate your worthiness. If it’s not based on the word don’t give it any

credence. What YAH says about you should be your standard period!

 

When we live by his truth, then no one is a threat and there is no reason to change ourselves so we can

be like that actor, musician or whoever we are trying to be currently.

We can be confident in who YAH made us to be. And that’s how He wants us live.

 

 

ACT ON IT – Change the way you speak to yourself. Be your biggest fan. Exhort & encourage

yourself, speak YAH”s word over your life.

There is a way to speak to yourself when you mess up without diminishing your value. Find ways of doing

that.

Find two scriptures you can hold on to that talk about your value.

 

Bless you friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

Don’t take your “foot off the pedal”….keep hoping and trusting!

“One day some men from the tribe of Judah went to Joshua at Gilgal. One of those men was Caleb

son of Jephunneh. He said to Joshua, “You remember what the Lord said at Kadesh Barnea. He was

speaking to the prophet Moses about you and me. 

Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me to look at the land where we were going. I was 40 years old then.”

Joshua 14:6, 7

 

Caleb is officially one of my favorite bible characters now. I get pumped up every time I read

his story. He was one of the spies that was sent out to spy out the promise land and he was one

of two spies who believed YAH would deliver the Canaanites into their hands.

His faith in YAH was crazy!

His story challenged me so much. In Joshua 14, he goes to Joshua to ask for the mountain YAH promised

him all that time ago.  Let me rephrase that, he tells Joshua to give him the mountain YAH promised

him. There was no asking…..

 

The crazy thing about this story is that Caleb was promised the mountain when he was 40 years old.

And at the age of 85 he was ready to take what YAH promised him. (Joshua 14:10) He waited 45 years for

the Lord’s promise. His faith didn’t waver in all that time. He held on firmly to what the Lord promised him.

 

I don’t know about you but my faith is stirred every time I read that. The Lord is faithful and will

not fail to fulfill what He promised us. We need to make sure we don’t give up and falter in our faith.

If you do falter then get back up. Put your hope in the Lord again. Don’t stay down, don’t

stay discouraged.

No matter how long it has been, hold on to your faith. Hold on to the Lord’s promise.

Caleb didn’t let his age stop him from possessing the Lord’s promise.

At 40 his faith was in YAH and at 85 his faith was still in YAH and stronger than ever!

Don’t let anything stop you from trusting YAH.

 

He never gave up or lost hope. He was patient and confident in the Lord’s faithfulness! His trust

was not in himself, no. His faith was in the Lord.

 

“So give me the mountain country the Lord promised me that day long ago. Back then you heard that

the Anakite people lived there. And the cities were large and well protected. 

But now with the Lord helping me, I will force them out, just as the Lord said.” (italics mine)

Joshua 14:12

 

Wow! That faith!

 

It’s not too late. The Lord has not forgotten about you so don’t throw in the towel! Hold on to the promise

even though it seems like it’s not going to happen.

To be honest with you, there were things I stopped praying about but after reading about Caleb I am back.

That’s what the Lord wants, for us to keep holding on to the promises He has made. No matter what people say,

hold on to the promise.

Don’t let go it. The Lord is faithful and will fulfill what He promised!

 

ACT ON IT – Firstly, write down the things YAH promised you.

Secondly, Go boldly to YAH and ask Him for those things you have stopped praying about

Thirdly, Talk to someone about it.

And lastly, Is there something you need to start doing? Caleb’s faith was in the Lord but he

had to go fight. What do you need to do today as a demonstration of your faith in YAH?

 

And that is it friends. Hold on to the promise of the Lord until he brings it to pass. There will be plenty

opportunity to give up but don’t. The Lord is is faithful to us always!

Bless you.

Rolain

Run to Him always……

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Be glad that you are His. 

Let those who ask the Lord for help be happy

Depend on the Lord and His strength. 

Always go to Him for help. “

Psalm 105:3, 4 (ICB)

This is something so easy to do but do we always do it?

Do we go to the Lord for help ALL the time?

I don’t. I catch myself at times striving in my own strength, worrying, fretting, and panicking.

I forget to go to Him always.

But the word is clear, “Always go to Him for help”

Don’t hesitate, ask Him for help. Even if you made the mistake, the wrong decision, go to Him

for help. He is our strength and able to help us in every situation we going through no matter

how difficult and complex.

“Some sat in gloom and darkness.

They were prisoners suffering in chains.

They had turned against the words of God.

They had refused the advice of God Most High.

So he broke their pride by hard work.

They stumbled, and no one helped.

In their misery they cried out to the Lord.

And he saved them from their troubles.

He brought them out of their gloom and darkness.

He broke their chains.”

Psalm 107

Psalm 107 is one of my favorite chapters in the bible. It shows us how merciful YAH is and

in the midst of our weaknesses and failings He extends grace to us and helps us.

Yes, we are weak, and yes we are going to make mistakes but don’t let guilt and condemnation

stop you from asking Him for help. The enemy is behind that. He wants you to keep silent.

He doesn’t want to see you delivered, freed and helped.

ACT ON IT  – The action point is simple today: Think about areas in your life you haven’t asked YAH for help

and cry out to Him. Ask Him for help right now!

Make sure you write down the things that come to mind so you can have a record of how YAH helped

you in difficult times.

If you can’t go to Him for help because you feel guilty and condemned then meditate on the following two

scriptures (there are so many more)

1. Romans 8:1

2. Psalm 103:8-12

And that is all I have to share with you today. He is our Helper!

Bless you friends.

Rolain

The past no longer has a say……..

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Jephthah was from the people of Gilead. He was a strong soldier. 

His father was named Gilead, and his mother was a prostitute. Gilead’s wife

had several sons. When they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave his home. 

They said to him, “You will not get any of our father’s property. You are the son of another

woman.” 

Judges 11:1, 2

 

 

Jephthah didn’t have the greatest story and because of it he was judged and treated wrongly. He didn’t

have a say in who his dad married but he was treated like he did have a choice. He was an outcast through

no fault of his.

 

Our past can be so powerful, so real, so tangible.

 

But there is a truth we must embrace and accept. YAH used Jephthah mightily despite his upbringing.

Yes, he didn’t come from a perfect family but that didn’t stop YAH from using him.

His past did not determine what YAH could do through him.

 

The enemy tries to make us think we are useless and worthless because of our past but

he is wrong. The Lord’s purpose for our lives is stronger than our past, period.

 

I can attest to this for sure. The enemy tried to use my past to derail me and I believed the lie

for a time but YAH delivered me. The past had a vice grip on me that I could not break free from.

I could not accept the good things the Lord had for me because of my past.

But all praise to Him for changing the story……

What He did for me, He can do for you.

 

Don’t believe the lies of the enemy.

The Lord can and will use you if you put your faith in Him. He will take your

life and do the impossible. Don’t let the past dictate what you can and can’t do. Don’t let it

determine who you will become. Don’t let it stop you from accepting all the good things YAH has

for you.

Jephthah could have simply accepted what everyone said about him but he didn’t. He trusted YAH

and was used by Him.

 

Remember, YAH’s purpose for your life is stronger than your past.

 

ACT ON IT  – It’s not enough to talk about something. There needs to be action.

 

YAH used Jephthah in a mighty way even though his past wasn’t great.

 

Think on and write down a few ways your past has impacted your life to this point? 

What can you do today to make sure your past doesn’t dictate your future? 

Have you surrendered your past to the Lord? 

 

Get with a friend or partner, or whoever you confide in after reading this post and

talk about your answers to the above questions

Make sure you are not walking this journey alone.

 

Be blessed friends…..

 

Rolain

When the enemy seems to be winning the war…….

“When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent to Jobab king of Madon,

and to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph,

And to the kings who were in the north in the hill country and in the Arabah

south of Chinneroth and in the lowland and in the heights of Dor on the west;

To the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites,

the Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites below [Mount] Hermon in the land

of Mizpah.

And they went out with all their hosts, much people, like the sand on the seashore in number,

with very many horses and chariots.”

Joshua 11:1-4

 

Jabin wanted to eradicate the Israelites from existence. I think he heard all the stories

surrounding these peculiar people.

 

“When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent to Jobab king of Madon,

and to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph, (italics mine)

 

What did he hear?

– YAH parting the Jordan river so His people could pass (Joshua 3:14-17)

– Jericho’s massive walls crumbling when the people shouted (Joshua 6:20)

– The sun and moon not moving from their positions for a full day! (Joshua 10:12, 13)

– Rock missiles falling down from heaven crushing the southern kings. (Joshua 10:11)

 

He saw how the southern kings failed in their endeavor to eliminate YAH’s people. But he

had a plan, he would muster up the largest army ever to do the job. His goal wasn’t to cripple the

“enemy” no, he was thinking total annihilation!

YAH’s people didn’t stand a chance or so he thought. This is how the word of God described his army;

 

“And they went out with all their hosts, much people, like the sand on the seashore in number,

with very many horses and chariots.”

 

His army was compared to sand. Sand is uncountable and so was his army, innumerable,

“incontestable.”

 

I am sharing this story because this is a picture I believe of what it is like between me, you and the enemy.

The enemy is constantly trying to attack us because we have a purpose. There is no such thing as

an “easy road” if you are a son or daughter of YAH. The enemy doesn’t want you accomplishing what

YAH has for you at all costs.

He wants to take you out however he can. He is going to play dirty, and unfairly.

But we don’t have to fear because the Lord is fighting for us. The enemy will not be victorious.

The worst thing to do is try to live this life on your own, in your own strength because by yourself

you will lose.

It makes sense why the battle is so intense.

We need to know there is a battle but we also need to know that the God who fights for us has already

defeated the enemy.

 

The Hebrew word satan means “an adversary, one who resists”

That’s his very essence, to resist, to be an adversary.

 

It’s a fact we will face opposition when we are out to accomplish something significant for YAH

Think about Paul who had a mammoth task from Yeshua. This is what he said,

 

“For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and 

promising one], and [there are] many adversaries.” 

1 Corinthians 16:9

 

Be assured that no matter what the enemy tries, no matter the horde that is in

your way, know this;

 

“The Lord is a Man of War; the Lord is His name.”

Exodus 15:3

 

Satan is a defeated foe and he doesn’t have the last say, far from it!

The “Man of War” has the last say and He is on your side. When you are surrounded by the enemy

call out to Him. When the enemy seems to be winning in your life cry out to the Lord. He will

come to your rescue!

Pursue the calling YAH has for you. He is with you every step of the way.

God bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

No matter how hard things are, the Lord has a plan.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Joshua spoke to the men who had spied out the land. Joshua said, ‘Go into the prostitute’s

house. Bring her out. And bring out all the people who are with her. Do this because of the

promise you made to her.

So the two men went into the house and brought out Rahab. They brought out her father,

mother, brothers and all those with her. They put all her family in a safe place outside the

camp of Israel.”

Joshua 6:22, 23

 

Rahab’s life was going one way before the spies came. She was a prostitute and as you might

of guessed, she was welcomed by some and rejected by others!

Her life must have been hard I can imagine.

But despite what people saw YAH saw something entirely different.

She had made so many mistakes with no way out but that was all about to change.

The Lord had a plan for her life and despite her past, her mistakes, bad decisions and people’s

opinions of her that plan was completed.

YAH turned her life around in a way no one could ever imagine.

 

The word today is simple;

YAH has a purpose for your life, full stop!

Don’t let your past hinder what YAH has planned for you.

Don’t let the opinions of others stop you from trusting the Lord for something amazing.

Don’t let your current situation deter you

Rahab was a prostitute. In the eyes of everyone around her she wasn’t much but not so in

the eyes of YAH. He saw something different.

The Lord sees you differently to what man sees.

It doesn’t matter if you not strong enough, smart enough, rich enough and so on,

the Lord has something amazing planned for you.

And that’s all I have to share today.

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

The glory of weakness!

“I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. 

But the Lord said to me, “My grace is enough for you.When you are 

weak, then my power is made perfect in you.” So I am very happy

to brag about my weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all

kinds of troubles. 

All these things are for Christ. And I am happy, because when I am 

weak, then I am truly strong.” 

2 Corinth 12:8-10

 

This scripture spoke to me today. It really is an amazing scripture. We have been taught

to be strong. Weakness is not an attractive trait to have at all according to the world’s

standard. So as much as we can we put up a front. We try to appear to be strong but we got it backwards

friends.

It’s when we are weak, that Yeshua’s power is made perfect in us!

In our weakness we are truly strong!

I don’t know how that works exactly but isn’t it great??

 

“So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and 

all kinds of troubles.” 

 

Trials, troubles, sufferings are part of life but it’s in those times we see YAH’s grace

the clearest. It’s in those times we see His hand moving on our behalf working all things

together for our good. It’s in those times we see His power.

 

We need to embrace our weaknesses. Bring your weaknesses to the Lord without hesitation.

He knows everything about you.

Hiding weaknesses is not an attractive trait in the Lord’s eyes. He wants to show Himself strong

on your behalf but He can’t do that if you are trying to be strong.

He is waiting for you to cry out to Him.

That only happens when you acknowledge you are weak.

Remember, when we are weak, then we are truly strong!

 

Have a great holiday friends.

I pray you have an amazing Passover weekend or for some of you easter.

Grace and peace to you!

He is our Deliverer!

 

 

Rolain