Final thoughts before 2013 leaves us forever!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, 2013 is about to leave us forever but before it does there are a few things I would like to reflect on. There are thanks I would like to give and I like I said reflect. I would like to reflect my time as a blogger. It has been an amazing journey so far. There were times I wanted to give up, times I had writers block, times when I doubted myself but I am still here. You will see why very soon…..So here we go.

When did you start?
I started blogging at the start of 2012 and what a journey it has been. I have met so many people and I would like to mention a few of those people towards the end of this post.

Why did you start blogging?
I found out  one of my passions was writing just before starting the blog and needed to know if I was any good. So starting Kingspeech was just supposed to be a ginuea pig but it turned out to much more than that thanks to God. He really knows how to take the small and turn it into something big and even now, I feel like I have just started to see what God has in store.  I want to be a writer so this would be a great plattform to learn how to write from more experienced writers. I am still learning…..

But God is faithful. I have learned so much from blogging. The people I have met are all so amazing. Thank you for your encouragement, correction, and instruction. I never considered myself as the teacher but the student and I still do. I need all the teaching I can get.
God has blessed me beyond my wildest expectations….Next year is going to be crazy!!!!!  In a good way  😉

Here is a small list of people who have really inspired and encouraged me on this journey. We don’t accomplish all God has for us alone. God surrounds us with people to do that and I have had A LOT of people who have helped me. The list you see is a small amount, very small mount of people who have helped me. If you liked a post I wrote or commented on a post of mine or are following my blog you are considered in that circle of people who have helped me and encouraged me and I don’t take that lightly. Here is a list of some of the people who have been there for me and have really inspired me, and supported me through this journey,

Heath and Lea
writersfield
Godgirl
wsforchrist
pjgracecommunity
blossingpebble
ashley  

Like I said, this is a very small list of people who have been insrumental in this blog being here. Thank you all so much and I look forward to going through 2014 with you all. God is good and faithful and I pray a blessing over you all. God bless

Love

Rolain

 

A lesson to learn from the Pharisees concerning children…

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, “I’m washing my responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands. you’re the judge and jury.”                                                                                                                                                         The crowd answered, We’ll take the blame, we and our children after us.” Matthew 27:24, 25    (The Message)

The Pharisees were out of control. They had no clue what they were doing. I could of understood if they condemned themselves but they went on to condemn their children. That was not on…..you can’t just say that!!!!                                                                                                                                              But there is a lesson to be learnt from this. The Pharisees actions were going to affect the next generation to come. The problem is, the Pharisees  spoke but the children couldn’t object. They were either too young or not born yet. Whatever the case it was wrong.

I have to confess something though. I am up in arms about the Pharisees response because I read one of my other favourite scriptures a few days ago. This is what it says,

 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

 For He has strengthened and made hard the bars of your gates, and He has blessed your children within you.        Psalm 147:12, 13

What an amazing scripture this is. God has blessed my children within me!!! It’s such a wonderful truth. If you are single and not yet married know that God has blessed your children within you. If you are married and you have kids then know that your kids are blessed and they were blessed by God a long time ago. I hope you can see why I am not happy about what the Pharisees did. Their children had been blessed by God but they were bringing a curse on them. What did they do to deserve that? This a warning to us as well. Yes God has blessed our children within us but we have a responsibility to grow them up in the ways of the Lord. We have to pave the way for them. We need to pray for our kids and teach them and guide them. As a single person you have to watch yourself. What you do determines how your kids will grow up. If you commit adultery you are going to make it harder for them. If you go to jail for murder or if you steal you are just going to make it harder for them. We have a part to play in this. God will hold us responsible if we don’t take this seriously.

I am going to do my part by asking for God’s help in the areas I am struggling in. I will try and live a life of purity. I will seek God and make sure He is always first so that when my kids come I can teach them the way correctly. I know God has great things in store for them and I want to prepare them as much as I can. I want them to trust God completely, I want them to be confident in who God has called them to be. I want them to love God with all of their hearts. I know it’s not just a want of mine but a desire, a declaration. They will do great things for God because He has blessed them. They will love and trust the Lord with all their hearts but I have a part to play. You have a part to play. The word says, “He has blessed your children within you”.

The life you live is not just for you. It’s so much bigger than you. God bless….

Rolain

 

Why were the shepherds chosen???

And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night. Matthew 2:8

Have you ever wondered why God chose the shepherds to proclaim the good news on that historical day? Wise men, I can understand.Wise men had been trained. These men were taught and taught by the best. They were wealthy and influential. So I can understand why they would be used but shepherds??? They were just commoners. They were not considered special people. I don’t think they were rich and influential. I could say they were ordinary men providing for their family and trying to make a living. But these are the men that were chosen. And as I read that I get excited because there is hope. That is one of the miracles of Christmas. It is not about how popular you are or the type of car you drive or the kind of house you live in. You are chosen because God in His grace chose you. Why He chose the shepherds we will never know but we know this, we have been chosen as well.

17 And when they saw it, they made known what had been told them concerning this Child,

18 And all who heard it were astounded and marveled at what the shepherds told them.

The shepherds went out and told people what had been told to them and people believed them. God will use anyone and that’s the truth. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Christmas time marks the start of something new. You will never be the same because of what Christ did for you. When He was born everything changed never to be the same….Like the shepherds He can use you…..The question is, do you believe that????

Rolain

Why has God given me passions and desires???

This week has been a great one. Great because I have been thinking a lot. Thinking about next year, thinking about this year and so on. One of the thoughts I had though have been about the things God has given me. For example, my passion for kids. Not only my passion but the gift of being able to connect with children. It’s not something everybody has I know. I see now that it’s a gift from God. This is what I wrote in my journal yesterday:

20 December 2013

Lord, I have been wondering. What purpose do You have for me concerning children? I see the gift you have given me with children. It’s not normal. Does your plan revolve around kids church or is there more? I would like there to be more and not just with the kids in kids church but in the world. This gift you have given me is for a reason. You called me for something very specific concerning children and I want to be open to all that You have for me concerning children. I love kids so much especially  our kids at church. 

This is what I am trying to show you, the things you are great at, things you are passionate about that no one else is, God has a plan. The passions and interests and likes and desires you have are not for nothing. God wants to use them to do great things. Don’t take those things for granted. Ask God what He would have you to do with the passions and desires and likes He has given you. It is not an accident that you like what you like and love what you love and are passionate about the things you are passionate about. I take comfort in that. I am hopeful that God will show me what else He has me to do with all the passions and likes and interests He has given me.  And I pray the same thing for you. There is so much more God has planned for you. The gifts God has given you are for a reason. The desires and passions you have are for a reason. God wants to bring them to maturity. He is going to use them in your life to do great things….

Rolain

God has a plan for your kids…….

13 And this you do with double guilt; you cover the altar of the Lord with tears [shed by your unoffending wives, divorced by you that you might take heathen wives], and with [your own] weeping and crying out because the Lord does not regard your offering any more or accept it with favour at your hand.

14 Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows].

15 And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth.     Malachi 2: 13-15

There is a lot to address in this passage of scripture but I am going to address one thing. I am going to focus on verse 14 and 15 to be more precise. What I am about to share with you is true and I have seen it in action. These scriptures are addressing one purpose of marriage. There are many reasons God has created the institute of marriage but I would like to focus on this specific one. Marriage is something God created and it is not to be taken lightly. In verse 15 we read,

“And why [did God make you two] one?” (Husband and wife)

“Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth. ”

Marriage is bigger than husband and wife. God has a plan for your kids as well. Your children are not ordinary. God had a “godly offspring” in mind when He brought you together. And if you are still single He has the same thing in mind for you. He has a plan for you as an individual and as a family and then He has a plan for your children. It’s is your job as the parent to train up the child in the way he or she should go. The responsibility you have must not be taken lightly. If you are single how does this apply. Well for starters, be careful who you choose. Who you choose is going to determine a lot. How do you know if you have chosen the right mate? That is an entire discussion all on it’s own.

As a couple you have to be solid. Protect your marriage. God brought you two together because He has a plan for you and He has a plan for your kids and their kids and so on. A lot of parents think their kids are ordinary but that is not the truth. They are going to do great things and you have a responsibility to show them that. Make them see it. Teach them, instruct them. Their future is bright. Don’t force your agendas onto them. God’s call on their life is very unique.

If you are a young person and you don’t know your parents for whatever reason I want you to know you are not a mistake. God brought your parents together because He sought a “godly offspring” (you) from them. They might not even known what they were doing through ignorance but God knew. He has a plan for you. Don’t lose heart, you are not forgotten. God has an amazing plan for you. He has an amazing woman for you if you are a guy and an amazing man for you if you are a woman but He doesn’t stop there. He already has a plan for your kids!!! Wow, that is truly amazing.

Please, don’t treat your kids like they are normal because they are not. He has a plan for them. Bring them up in the admonition of the Lord. Like I said in the beginning, there are many reasons God created marriage. This is just one of them. God bless you and your family…..

Rolain

A Christmas tale about a broken bridge…..

Christmas is around the corner. I love everything about Christmas, from the carols being played all around, the spirit of giving, the joy, the food, the weather, kids waiting in anticipation for their gifts from Santa, the Christmas trees, the Christmas decorations and more……I could go on and on. Christmas is about all those things but it goes deeper than that.
To know and understand the real meaning of Christmas we need to go back a few thousand years to the time of Adam and Eve.

They lived in harmony with God. They had an amazing relationship with God. God communed with them on a daily basis. Everything was perfect until the enemy deceived them. The bridge between man and God was broken and it looked like the enemy had won. Man no longer had direct access to God. The relationship that man had in the garden of Eden was broken. The communication line had been severed or so it seemed. The intimacy was lost. Man was truly abandoned or so it seemed, but………

God had a plan all along. His son Jesus was the embodiment of that plan. Jesus came to repair what had been destroyed. He came to restore a long lost relationship. Because of what Jesus did we were restored. Because of Jesus we were saved. The enemy who thought he had won found out he actually lost the battle! He was defeated. The bridge was repaired never to be destroyed ever again. Man could finally come freely to God.

This is why Christmas is so important. It’s not just about Santa and all the other things I mentioned. It’s a reminder to us about a relationship restored. Realize, the bridge has been repaired. You and everybody else can come to Him. He made it possible and this is what Christmas reminds me off. I have been challenged to engage God more starting this Christmas, actually starting now leading to Christmas and after. The world needs to know the bridge has been repaired. The lost need to know, the lonely need to know, the abandoned need to know. When Christ was born it signified a start of something new. Things would never be the same. It is true for you as well. Because Christ came and died for you things will never be the same for you. You are in a better place. And Christmas is a time to remember that. The bridge has been repaired. Christ is waiting. You can come to Him any hour of the day. Bring your worries to Him. Bring your pain, bring everything to Him. He is waiting for you to come to Him. Re-establish communication with Him. This is a call to us all. I am reminding myself! I have let so many things distract me from Christ. When I could of prayed I watched television, or hung out with friends, went onto Facebook, picked up a novel, got lost in my own thoughts……I did everything but spend time with Him. But the bridge has been repaired and Christmas reminds us of this. Will you heed the call? Will you focus on Him, draw near to Him?

As I end I would like to leave you with a statement that really spoke to me from a fellow blogger and friend. She hit the nail on the head when she made the statement. Here it is:

The
world makes us think that presents
and gifts are essential in Christmas
season, but the truth is, Jesus
didn’t come to just give us another
festive season, He came to give us a
life that is full of wholesomeness,
awesomeness and happiness.

Rolain

A word to the rejected, outcasts, and nobodies…..

At that time Jesus began to say, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [and I acknowledge openly and joyfully to your honour], that You have hidden these things from the wise and clever and learned, and revealed them to babies [to the childish, untaught, and unskilled].
Yes, Father, [I praise You that] such was Your gracious will and good pleasure.  Matt 11:25,26

We serve an amazing God. He really does great things. This is the will of God, to call the childish and the untaught and unskilled. Can you imagine if God chose us according to the world’s criteria?? A lot of us would be in some serious trouble!

For [simply] consider your own call, brethren; not many [of you were considered to be] wise according to human estimates and standards, not many influential and powerful, not many of high and noble birth.
[No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

You may be unpopular and made fun off but know God has a plan for you. You may think you are a nobody because of where you stay but know that God has a plan for you. People may think you are a complete loser because you can’t talk properly but God has a plan. Your teachers may have written you off but God hasn’t. This is the way He works. He takes the foolish things of the world and uses them to do great things. He uses them to confound the wisdom of the world. Listen to what Jesus says at the end of Matthew 11;26, Yes, Father, [I praise You that] such was Your gracious will and good pleasure. 

Looking at my life I see this truth so clearly. I was nothing and I was a nobody. I was made fun of at school because I stuttered. I wasn’t good at sports, I wasn’t good at academics and to top it of I was being abused at home. My dad was an alcoholic and abusive, please note, WAS. My parents had a divorce. So from the world’s perspective there was no hope of me doing anything of worth. I was written off but praise God, He didn’t. He had a plan for me all along. He took this nothing (me) and lifted me up and continues to lift me up higher. The amazing thing is He is doing that for you too because that is the way He works. You are not a nobody. You are special in the eyes of God.

Rolain

Christianity – A part time thing???

What does this walk that we walk really mean? Is it something to take lightly? This question is very easy to answer for people who have just come to know the Lord. They are on fire, passionate and crazy. But something happens to those who have walked the walk for sometime. The storms and the trials begin to change them. Some get stronger but some begin to fade away. The continuous fighting begins to wear them down. This walk we have been called into is not an easy one. Look at how Matthew puts it,

Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life – to God! – is vigorous and requires total attention. 
Matthew 7:13, 14 (The Message)

What a sober reminder of the responsibility we have. This walk requires our TOTAL ATTENTION!!!! This is not a part time gig. It requires effort and perseverance.
Let us put aside the things that so easily beset us declares the word. Let us get rid of the things that distract us. God wants our full attention!

Jesus continues on by saying:

These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. Matthew 7:24 (The Message)

We are to focus on Christ because His words save us! They are exactly what we need. We must not take this walk for granted. If you are tired and on the brink of giving up I want to encourage you to keep holding on. Things are going to turn out right. Even though things are hard and difficult, God is going to bless you. Your fighting is to an end. It is making you stronger. You are being prepared. It is a privilege to be called of God but it comes with responsibility. He wants every part of you, not half but everything……….

Is prayer enough????

In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part. Matt 6:14,15 (The Message)

For years I have been taught how important it is to add action to prayer. My pastor believes it and so do I. I find it so challenging though. It is not an easy truth. Prayer is not enough by itself. A lot of people think it is but it’s not. People say, prayer is powerful but what does that mean? How is it powerful?
The word you just read is the answer. In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do.
Please understand, our part is not to do everything. If it is then what is the point of prayer??!! We don’t need God then…
and besides, we wouldn’t be successful. We are not perfect and if we had to rely on ourselves we would fail dismally and not accomplish anything!!! Prayer and action go hand in hand. If you are praying for a breakthrough in your health do you know you have a part to play in the answer? To be healthy you must start at eating right. Then there is exercise and and then there is change of mindset. Please remember, your part is not to do everything because if that was the case then why would we need prayer, why would we need God??? But God wants you to do something!! He wants us to do something….I am praying for financial breakthrough but I understand I have a part to play. Being undisciplined with the money is not the answer. Being wasteful is not helping. I am in a way shooting myself in the foot!! I know I need to tithe, give to the poor, save money (a work in progress)!!! That is my part and God will show you your part in the answer to the prayer you just prayed!

The word says, if you refuse to do your part you cut yourself off from God’s part….!!!! That is a pretty harsh truth and it is one I am learning constantly. God is good and He gives us grace to do our part so don’t be afraid, or feel intimidated. He delights in our prayers and He hears our prayers. He loves our prayers. No matter how big the prayer there is always something you can do. Your prayers are not insignificant. Your action just goes to confirm that you believe God has heard your prayer and He has answered you! Prayer on it’s own is not enough. You have a part to play and God in His mercy has extended His grace to you so you can do your part!!!! Amen

Rolain

You have got competition…..

I had an amazing time at kids church today. It was one of those weeks where the kids were very responsive. It was great. My responsibility at kids church is to lead praise and worship and I love it. After church though one of the other leaders came to me and told me I had competition…….I know, you probably wondering, and that affects this story how????  🙂

For the past year I have been leading praise and worship at kids church. On any given Sunday we have two teams that teach. One team will teach the really small kids and another team will teach the older kids. I lead praise and worship for the older kids, but this week I was teaching the younger kids and I was not able to go and lead praise and worship like I usually do. So one of the leaders came to me when we were done and told me I had competition. He told me how one of the other leaders led the kids well in praise and worship. I went on to tell the leader that it’s not a competition because it really isn’t. I have been taught that as a leader you need you be able to duplicate yourself. I am glad when there is someone else who can do what I do. A leader without followers is not a leader. What is the point of being the only person who can do a specific thing? In Africa this is our biggest problem. We don’t want to teach others what we know because we are afraid we will lose our job. We are afraid we will lose the attention. We are afraid we will seize to be important. And that is why we don’t grow. We can be so much better than we are now and I believe there are people who are starting to see how important it is to pass down the knowledge they know. A real leader has followers, people he is leading. It’s not a competition. It is about extending the vision, it’s about growth.

When I used to work at a Thai restaurant the head chef was like that. He was afraid to teach other people what he knew. Instead he would teach them a portion of what he knew but not everything or he would teach them the wrong thing. He thought he was being wise but he was wrong. As leaders it is our job to duplicate ourselves. It’s a shame to be the only one!!!! Please remember, it is not a competition. God will bless you because you liberally gave what you know. I am here because someone stepped out and taught me what they know. They did not hold back. Are you like that? Do you freely give what you know? A leader is not a leader if he doesn’t have followers. And a leader has not succeeded if he is the only one that can do what he can do. There is a much bigger picture at work here. It is not a competition. Be eager to teach others and watch and see how God will bless you.

Rolain