Bringing Obedience into Perspective.

How do you react when God tells you to do something? Do you do it suddenly or does it take time for you to respond? Do you assess how it will benefit you or what you will lose if you do it? Do you try to make sense of what He told you to do? What goes through your mind?
In the past when God told me to do something I would assess the situation. I would wait for an opportune time at times and then at other times I would simply not do it because it didn’t make sense but yesterday I was saw another side of obedience through the apostle Paul.

Acts 21:12 is where I am going to speak from. The long and short of the story is this, the Apostle Paul is on his way to Jerusalem but on his way he stops at Phillip the Evangelist’s house. As he is there a prophet by the name of Agabus comes to the house and basically prophesies that Paul was going to be arrested and handed over to ungodly people. (Acts 21:12)
After that the people with Paul try to dissuade him from going. What hit me was Paul’s answer to them and I am going to read it from The Message bible.

“When we heard that, we and everyone there that day begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn’t budge; “Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You’re looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that? Acts 21:12,13

Paul knew it was God’s plan for him to go to Jerusalem and that is why he was so stubborn and on top of that he was not looking at what was about to happen to him instead he was looking at what God would do through his obedience!!!! That was more important to him than the temporary discomfort and pain he was about to face!!
In other words, in Paul’s case the issue was not about what he was about to experience, instead it was about what God could do through his obedience!!

To be honest, until yesterday I had never seen obedience like that. The people in the room with Paul were trying to save his life. They had good intentions but their good intentions stopped them from seeing what God could do from Paul’s obedience.

How many times has God told us to do something and we don’t do it because we are focused on the pain, and the discomfort it will cause us?
Like I said in the beginning, I am in this boat as well. There are things God has told me to do that I have shrunk back from because I have looked at the discomfort it will cause me or the amount of work or the amount of obstacles I would have to face. I asked God to forgive me and after that to teach me how to be obedient. I hope you are beginning to see obedience in a new light.

How does all this relate to us in this time, you might be asking? Well, the first thing to note about obedience is, the issue is not about what people will say or what people will think and so on but what the Lord will do through our obedience! That is what God showed me yesterday.

Jesus did the same thing. He knew what He was going to go through yet He carried on. He knew the pain and isolation He would experience but He could also see what God could accomplish through His obedience! That took first place above what He felt. He never allowed His feelings and His discomfort and pain get in the way. Instead He focused on all that God would accomplish through His obedience!

As I was meditating on this principle I had a thought. Could God work in our lives if we are not obedient? Can He operate and do great things in our lives when we walk in disobedience? I don’t have an answer right now but what do you think? I guess I will end the post with this question. Can God work through a person who is disobedient? I would love to hear what your thoughts are on the topic and question…

Rolain

Our Kids Are At War……!!!!

I have been teaching kids for a long time and I teach  kids from the age of 8yrs to kids who are 12yrs. I love teaching them. I love the relationships that I have made. I love the time I have spent with them doing crazy things but as the year’s keep coming and the kids keep on growing there is something changing. I don’t know what it is exactly.

It is almost like the kids are losing interest in the things of God. It is getting harder and harder to get them engaged. I have been crying out to God for a long time and only recently did I see it. I saw how the kids of these days have a lot more to deal with than when I was a kid. The challenges are more sinister than before. The world is also trying to win our children. As teachers on a Sunday we are competing vs Disney or PlayStation or the internet and so on. We cannot teach the way we have always taught. We need to be more creative. The world has really gone full out and that is what is making our kids dull. We as parents just leave them in front of the television and think it’s OK but it’s not. Our kids are at war and we don’t even know it…..

We allow the kids access to internet where they are exposed to porn and violence and whole host of other things. We need to take our place as parents and protect our kids.
As teachers we need to step up. We need God’s creativity and God’s grace. Our Sunday schools are boring and dull. We do the same old thing and expect God to move! We teach the same way we were taught but we don’t realize that things have changed.. We stick to our traditional Sunday school songs but don’t realize that kids listen to a lot more mature music be it hip hop, rock or pop.
There needs to be a serious evaluation of how we do things.

My conclusion is this, kids are faced with so much. What they need on a Sunday is an encounter with God that will turn their lives around for ever. They need something really powerful to nullify the junk that they have exposed themselves to or we have exposed them to. We need to teach them what to eat and what not to eat metaphorically speaking.
As teachers we need to expect the power God in our services. What is the point of having a service when God doesn’t show up. What is the point of having a service if we as the teachers don’t expect God to come down and touch the kids???!
Our kids will begin to change when the presence of God comes down in our services.

Our kids are at war and we have a responsibility whether you are a parent or teacher. Our kids need us. They need  our help. Will you take their side in this war??? You have a responsibility of revealing God’s amazing power, and love, and mercy, and greatness and I could go on and on and on……. What God means in your life is what kids will pick up on whether you are a parent or a teacher. How passionate are you about God? How much do you love the Word? Do you watch television endlessly or do you talk about people behind their backs when your kids are around? (Talking behind someones back is bad either way)! Men do you beat your wives in front of your kids? Women, do you disrespect your husbands in front of your kids? All these things and more build a child’s idea of you and God. There is a statement my pastor keeps on saying, What you do in moderation, your kids will do in excess!!! If you are lukewarm in your love towards God your kids will be cold. If you drink one or two beers then your kids will be alcoholics!!! Do you get the picture?

I don’t know where all that came from. I was supposed to conclude a long time ago. I get so passionate about this. Our kids are the future and we need to see it. They are at  war and we need to stand with them in this time. They need to know we are for them. God bless.

Rolain

Set Yourself Apart.

God spoke to Jacob: “Go back to Bethel. Stay there and build an altar to the God who revealed Himself to you when you were running for your life from your brother Esau.”
They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they’d been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem. Then they set out. A paralyzing fear descended on all the surrounding villages so that they were unable to pursue the sons of Jacob.
Gen 35:1-5

Something amazing happened here as Jacob and his family consecrated themselves. They were about to go to Bethel and Jacob made a call to his family to get rid of all the gods they had. They were some people who thought God was not strong enough to protect them so they had a few other gods just in case! But to meet with God we cannot worship other gods. We need to destroy all the other things that are blocking us from really seeing God. Let us put aside the idols and the things that hinder us.

As the people set themselves apart by getting rid of the idols, a paralyzing fear went out across the surrounding villages! Remember that prior to this the sons of Jacob killed Hamor and his son Shechem and all the other men in the village and because of that other tribes wanted to annihilate them but as they set themselves apart a fear went out to the surrounding villages.

As we put God first this year, as we set ourselves apart,  know that God will fight for you. He will go before you and pave your way. The enemy will not touch you. God bless.

Rolain

 

Faith Under A Microscope.

In this post I would like to take a deeper look at faith. As Christians we know without faith it is impossible to please God. What does it mean to have faith and to walk by faith? I am going to look at Abraham who was the father of faith. We can learn a lot from the way he lived.

The first act of faith he did that I would like to look at is recorded in Gen 12:1 – God told Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.
I’ll make you a great nation and bless you. I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing. I’ll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I’ll curse. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

What an act of faith but how does that apply to us now? Abraham was obedient and he trusted God to such an extent that he left what he knew to venture into the unknown. He left the familiar. He left friends, family, familiar surroundings and who knows what else all for a land God promised him!
This year, if you want God’s best you need to leave the familiar behind, WE need to leave the familiar behind. Only you know what is familiar to you. It could be how you pray, the friends you hang out with, the amount of money you give and so on. I am sure Abraham’s decision was a huge sacrifice. I don’t think it was an easy decision to get up and leave everything he ever knew! Sacrifice always precedes destiny! In the natural, you cannot be great if you don’t sacrifice and so it is in the spiritual. To accomplish what God has for you will require sacrifice and that is what faith is about. We sacrifice in faith knowing that God can be trusted, knowing God is true to His word!

Gen 13:8,9 is the next thing we will look at.
Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we’re family. Look around. Isn’t there plenty of land out there? Let’s separate. If you go left, I ‘ll go right; if you go right I’ll go left.

Abraham trusted God and that showed in his decisions. Abraham as the oldest could of chosen first but he knew God was his Provider. He knew God was his source. He knew which ever way we went God would be there for him. When Lot chose and went his way God spoke to Abraham and said,

After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, “Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. Gen 13:14,15

God gave Abraham everything including the land Lot had chosen! Lot did not rely on God, instead he depended on what he saw! He depended on himself and we read later how he lost his wife and had to flee for his life!

Do you see God as your source or do you rely on yourself? God wants us to trust in Him completely. Abraham had faith in God and it showed in the way he did things and in the decisions he made. Another example of this is in Gen 14:21, 22 which you can read in your own time for further study.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Let us walk in faith this year. God bless.

Rolain

Are You Holy or Common??

I was in a service where the Pastor was speaking about holiness. It was a very powerful word. One thing that caught my attention was when he said the opposite of holy is common! That really struck me. How many times do we treat ourselves as common? I have seen how this attitude has crept into the body of Christ. I also realized why the world is so unholy. They take what God calls holy and treat it as common! Take pornography for instance. God created sex so we could enjoy it in the context of marriage but pornography takes this amazing gift God has given us and twists it and perverts it and makes it common! The media has made sure they portray sex as common. What was considered as a “No Under 18″ movie in the  90’s is now probably “No Under 15 or 12”! Another thing pornography does is desecrate the body God gave us. People  do horrific things with their bodies all in the name of pornography and that is just one example! How do I know this because I was hooked on pornography and I have seen how they have totally destroyed God’s gift. They have made it common!!! This is just one example but there are a lot of areas in life where people treat things as common.

We are a Holy Nation, a Holy Priesthood and God has called us to holiness but every time we treat something as common we reject holiness! I know that is a hard saying but that is the truth. How many times have we treated our friends as common?? We don’t see them as we are supposed to see them but instead we see and treat them as common! I know in my life there are things I have treated as common. The call to holiness is a serious one. What are you treating as holy in your life? Do you treat yourself as common? People do that by talking down on themselves. They have only bad things to say about themselves but God created you and you are not common. You were made with a purpose. You are wonderfully  and fearfully made. How do you treat your kids? They are not common! God has amazing plans for them. Encourage them and bring them up in the admonition of the Lord. Men, how do you treat your wives? Women, how do you treat your husbands? Kids, how do you treat your parents? I could go on and on but I think you catch my drift!Where are you treating things as common? Who are you treating as common? Ask for God’s help. Let us be holy in 2013!

Rolain

Blog Of The Year Award 2012!!!

I know this is a bit late but when I got the award last week I was busy and never got the time to create this post. I would like to thank Tarisai of Writersfield who has nominated me for this award! I am so grateful and thankful to  you for your wise words and all of your help. God bless you in this new season. God is doing great things in your life and it is only the beginning. Put Him first in everything.        I would like to also take this time and honor some special people.  I have been deeply impacted by these people and I am really looking forward to what they have to share in 2013! Your blogs have been a source of inspiration and a source of strength and fun! How many times I was dealing with something and God led me to a post which had the answer……So without taking up to much paper let me continue 🙂

The following are the rules for this nomination!

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award.

2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award –writersfield and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5 You can now also join the award’s Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience if you choose to

6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Yes – that’s right – there are stars to collect!

Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!

When you begin you will receive the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!

There are a total of 6 stars to collect.

Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

The Nominees for “Blog of the Year 2012” are,

1. The Crunchy Christian.

2. It’s a God Thing…

3. Blossoming Pebble.

4. Understanding The Mission of Jesus.

5. Made For Victory.

6. Eryn Wong.

7. The 1 Saved By Grace.

8. PJ Grace

9. Overwhelmed By Joy.

10. Sweet Dreaming.

God bless you all….

Rolain

Inspiring Blogger Award!!!

I would like to thank Tazein Mirza Saad at Transcending Borders Blog for nominating me for this award. Her story is really inspiring and she is very transparent about her experiences. I believe you will be inspired and challenged by this woman of transparency and faith.

Rules for receiving the Award.

1.Display the award logo on your blog

2.Link back to the person who nominated you.

3.State 7 things about yourself.

4.Nominate 15 bloggers of the Nomination and award requirements.

5.Notify the bloggers of the nominations and award requirements.

7 Things To Know about Me.

1. I live in Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa.

2. I am 31 years old. I was born 27 October 1981.

3. I am a very health conscious person. I believe the way I look after myself in the way I eat and exercise plays a vital role in accomplishing my God given purpose.

4. I love kids and I have been teaching kids from 8yrs to 12yrs of age for 7 years.

5. I love reading.

6. I worked at a Thai restaurant for 9 years.

7. I love how the mind works and I facilitate for The Pacific Institute based in Seattle.

Here are the nominees…

1. The Crunchy Christian

2. Writersfield

3. Blossoming Pebble

4. Shearline

5. Sparky Laurie

6. PJ Grace

7. Ashley

8. Overwhelmed By Joy

9. Understanding The Mission Of Jesus

10. Made For Victory

11. Eryn Wong

12.Women’s window

13. The 1 Saved By Grace

14.It’s A God Thing.

15. Khameithang

16. Mustard Seed Budget

17. Moment Matters

Holiness Is Deliberate…..

This was something God spoke to me about a few weeks ago. God is holy and He has called us to be holy. (1 Peter 2:9)  But what does being holy mean to you?
When I think of holiness I think of consecration. I think of being set apart. But this is the thing, a lot of people don’t understand about holiness. Holiness doesn’t just happen. It is a very deliberate thing. God strengthens us as we cry out to be holy but He doesn’t just make you holy with a click of a finger! Instead, He reveals areas of your life that you need to surrender to Him. He also asks you to give up things that He knows will defile you.

This is a partnership. I like the way someone illustrated this life we live. He said, we think God is looking at us with all of our sin and shaking His head but instead He wants to stand with us looking at our sin and discussing how it needs to be dealt with!

I like that illustration very much. Holiness is deliberate. Once we understand this principle we will live our lives very differently.
God understands how weak we are so He is not expecting us to do things in our own strength. Instead, we are to look to Him and cry out to Him for help. We need to get accountable, read the word, pray, fellowship but most importantly of all trust in the Lord and rely on His strength to help you be holy!

So as I end please remember, Holiness is deliberate!!!

Rolain.P

What Does Your “Strong Room” Look Like?

I have been doing some reflecting this new year and I have seen a lot of
areas in my life that need help. Today I wad reading a book that really
challenged me which I think will challenge you.  The author in this chapter                                     was speaking about “strong rooms“.

– The first point he made was, “You will end up being who you choose to train
and do life with! If an athlete works out in a “strong room” with championship
winning coaches and competitors who are doing everything they can to be the
very best, that athlete is in the best position to reach his or her potential. But if
an athlete, no matter how great, trains in a weak room, with coaches who aren’t
creating champions and people who don’t have the commitment skills, work ethic,
or the desire to win, that athlete will most likely fail to reach his or her potential.”

In light of what the author has just said I have realized who I hang around is very important if I am to grow and succeed. I need to ask myself, are my friends pushing themselves to be the best in what they do? Do I hang around people who are better than me academically, spiritually, financially and so on? The main question would be, what am I doing to grow myself on a daily basis? Who am I speaking to? These are the questions that we need to ask ourselves. Where are you on this scale?

– He goes on to say, “If you are looking at your skills on a one-to-ten scale, you cannot hang around the “two’s” and expect to become a “nine”. Any way you look at it, you are the sum total of the people you spend time with.

The most important thing I got from this statement was, what am I? Do I inspire people? Do people leave me feeling better or feeling worse than when they came to me? I want to be that person who inspires and challenges. Are you that person? Do people leave better off after they have spent time with you?

– You can apply this to all areas of your life. What does your “faith room” look like? Are you following people who trust in God no matter what? Do you have friends who love the Lord and who have made Him the center of your life?What does your “personal growth room” look like? Do you have a strong set of coaches-people with strong intellects that are directing you towards the best books to read, the best classes to take, and the programs to watch and listen to?What does your “relationship room” look like? Do you have a coach who’s been happily married for twenty-five years or more? Are you surrounded by couples who don’t have the word divorce in their vocabulary and are continually working on their marriage and interpersonal communication skills? What does your “financial room” look like? Do you have a coach who has the kind of resources and lifestyle you aspire to and who wants to help you achieve them? Do you “train” with people that have similar financial goals, are reducing their debt, want to see you become wealthy, and have a phenomenal work ethic? What does your “parenting room” look like? Do you know someone with children who are nice to other kids, love Jesus, get good grades and respect their parents? Make them your coach.

That was a lot of stuff to share but I thought it was important. I need to evaluate what my “faith room, personal growth room, relationship room, financial room and last but not least my “parenting room” looks like.  How do you think you are doing in all these rooms?

I also realized this is not just going to happen. It is me, making a decision to speak to those specific people. It is not going to happen all by itself. It all depends on the need to succeed. Do I want to succeed or not?

This has been about me but it is also about you. As we have started the new year let us make some decisions. We want to succeed and accomplish our destiny but we need to start making some changes in the way we do things. What are you doing everyday that makes you grow? What are you reading or what are you listening to? What are you exposing yourself to that is totally new from what you know? Do you spend time with people that challenge you in the areas of your life where you are struggling? In other words if you struggling financially are you following people who are not, if you struggle eating healthy you are friends with someone who is a health freak?!

If I could say it another way, if you playing any sport you would be thrashed senselessly!!! These are the type of people we need to spend time with. This is a new year and I am really excited and I hope you are.

God bless!

Rolain

Carry Your Cross???

Happy new year to you all!!!! This is going to be a great year. With that in mind I would like to speak about what the cross means to us especially in 2013. What comes to mind when you think of the cross?

It is interesting to note that if you asked anyone in Jesus’ time what it meant they would tell you death! The cross meant death. There was nothing good about the cross.

Jesus tells us to carry our cross, but what does that mean?

Do understand that the cross means death today!!!

A lot of people don’t truly understand what the cross really means. The cross means death to the flesh but life to the spirit. We cannot give in to what the flesh wants. We cannot keep on feeding it if we want God’s best. I have been so challenged by this word as well. As we look forward in the New Year let us carry our cross. The cross signifies death but at the same time life in the spirit! let us aim to have a spirit filled 2013!!!!

Rolain.