What did He mean when He said that…..??

Photo credit: Google images

 

“They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? 

[What are we to do to carry out what God requires] John 6:28

Personally, I think this is a great question. The people who asked the question had just being rebuked by Jesus (see John 6:24-27).

The question is great but that is not what caught my attention! Jesus reply is what caught my attention. Look at it for a minute:

“Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He sent [that you cleave to, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger]. John 6:29

Our WORK according to the Lord is to believe in Him! I love how the Amplified says it,

“that you believe in the One Whom He sent [that you cleave to, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger]”

That can’t be all God expects from us! There has to be more surely!

There is more, but the main thing is to trust Him, to believe in Him!

This is how Jesus answer looks like in our lives:

In 2015 I believe this is what God is calling us to. Yes, we believe but we need to go deeper. We can’t say we believe but in the same breath try to work things out in our strength, or try figure how things will happen! I am so guilty of doing that.

How many times I have pushed God out of the driver’s seat

How many times I have tried to figure out life on my own

How many times I have forsaken the counsel of God because I thought I knew better

 

2015 may seem uncertain but believe in Him! Your work is to believe in Him.

Your future may look bleak but believe in Him!

Our job is not to figure out how things will happen, how God’s promises will manifest in our lives, No!

The “how” is what God is responsible for!

Your WORK is to believe [cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in Him]

Personally, there are a lot of things I am unclear about. There are a lot of things I have been wondering about! How will God bring that to pass, how will that happen, how how how????

But the word is clear. Our job is to believe, and we believe because

He is able!

He has a plan and a purpose for us (Jeremiah 29;11)

He loves us.

He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

 

So with that I charge you to believe! No matter how bad things are or confusing they seem, or unclear, BELIEVE!

The “HOW” is His responsibility!

He can be trusted!

Rolain

 

 

 

Things to ponder on Christmas day…..

It is Christmas day! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day. I have been pondering on some things today, things I would like to share with you!

The birth of Jesus gives us hope and I would like you show you how.

Jesus could have chosen any family to live with but He chose Joseph and Mary! They were simple people. He could of chosen to be born into a rich family, one with influence and power but He didn’t, why?

He could of chosen to be born in a palace, a place of prominence but instead He was born in a manger!

He could of chosen to reveal Himself to men of power, and men of prominence solely but His glory was revealed to shepherds as well.

Jesus settled down in Nazareth but this is what Nathanael had to say about Nazareth:

Nathanael answered him, [Nazareth!] Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip replied, Come and see! John 1:46

The question I ask myself is, why???

And even through out His life we see this same pattern, Jesus using seemingly useless things to spread the good news!

On Christmas day today I would like you to see your importance. You may look at your life and think, “How can God use me, I have nothing, I AM nothing”

Consider this, He has a plan for you! 

You may look at the coming year and think, “it’s not going to work out, it’s going to be a bad year”

Consider this, He will turn things around for your good. You will have a great year!

Christmas is evidence that Jesus has given us a glorious second chance at life. 

It is evidence that things WILL turn around in your life.

It is evidence that winter’s do come to an end! 

It is evidence we serve a God who really loves us.

It is evidence God has an amazing plan for our lives! 

It is evidence the enemy will not and cannot have the last say in our lives! He is defeated! 

 

Merry Christmas. Honor Him by remembering all He has done for you! He is so good….!!!!    Amen!   🙂

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is Christmas still relevant today?

I love Christmas!

But I have a question.

What does Christmas really mean?

(Deep in thought……)

Christmas is about Santa Claus

It’s about giving and spending time with family. It’s about food (lots of it) haha

It’s also about the birth of Christ! For Christians this is the main purpose of Christmas.

It’s that time of the year we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

But as I reflect on Christmas a few things come to mind:

The 2014 Isla Vista killings – where a man shot and killed six people and injured thirteen others before committing suicide! I can only imagine what the families are going through!

The disappearance of Malaysian Airlines earlier this year which resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives! Hundreds of families will spend Christmas alone!

The death and loss caused by ISIS. There are people still fleeing for their lives. There are people still losing loved ones. There are lots of people living in fear because of ISIS.

The kidnapping of 200 girls by the Boko Haram.

Women and girls who have been trafficked and haven’t been rescued!

The list goes on and on!

As I thought on this I thought to myself,

Surely Christmas is more than gifts, food, Santa Claus, and family? Those things are important but what does Christmas offer to the person who has lost everything?

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭10-11‬ NKJV)

We were lost doomed to die but Jesus came and changed that. He reversed our death sentence to one of life! When I think of Christmas, I think of the hope it brings!  A hope that the world desperately needs. A hope WE desperately need!!

Christmas offers hope for everyone! No matter how bad things are, no matter how hopeless they seem, there is hope! Don’t be discouraged, don’t lose heart. You have been given a second chance!

Christmas is a beacon of hope to all that need hope!

Bad things have happened and are still happening but the birth of Jesus Christ is the answer to the pain and the terror that has happened.

When you think of the birth of Jesus Christ, His death and what He accomplished should come to mind! You cannot separate those two powerful, world changing events!

He came to give us life, peace, joy, a reason to live again, hope and a whole lot more!

If you are in pain, if you are alone, if your future looks hopeless know this:

There is hope for you……

You have a second, third, fourth chance!

God cares for you and looks after you.

Christmas represents HOPE for everyone!

Merry Christmas to you all.

Rolain

If God wasn’t for me…….

This week has been a very testing week for me. It is said, you know more of who you are in times of hardships and trouble and I agree. On Monday I was called in by the officer in charge of my case. If you have no idea what I am referring to then please read this here.

Meeting with him was not the problem. It was the conversations I had after I met him. I met with one of my friends and he talked about jail and how the police were trying to pin the case on me. Fear gripped my heart after that! I started thinking about all the bad things that could happen. I could go to jail, I won’t be able to travel until the case is resolved, and many other thoughts……

But in the midst of fear God has been speaking! He has been using people and His word!! Today I was deeply ministered by the story of Peter walking on water which was written by Anna. Click here to read her post! It is so powerful! I was also ministered by a word I read which has really helped me in this time!

“If God hadn’t been for us – all together now, Israel, sing out!          Psalm 124: 1

That is how it starts. Let me share a few of the things that jumped out at me as I read the scripture:

“If God hadn’t been for us when everyone went against us,

we would have been swallowed alive by their violent anger,

swept away by the flood of rage,

drowned in the torrent;

We would have lost our lives in the wild, raging water.”

 

If God wasn’t for us we would be in deep trouble. We would be helpless and we would have no hope! That would be our testimony IF God wasn’t for us! But He IS so our story is different! Because God is for us we have a chance!

Because God is for us we will live!

Because God is for us we will not drown!

Because God is for us we will win!

Because God is for us we will be saved!

I was was so encouraged as I read that. No matter how bad things appear I know God is for me and because of that I have a good ending! I will not be left alone, I will not lose.

“Oh, blessed be God!

He didn’t go off and leave us.

He didn’t abandon us defenseless,

helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs.” Psalm 124:6

I am at peace as I read this. I am not alone in the storm! He is with me every step of the way and He is with you too…..!!! Don’t lose heart! Your story is not finished. The enemy will not have victory over you. He will not have the last laugh! Never!!!

Your testimony starts with, “Because God is with me…..!!!!

Look at what the last part of the chapter says,

 

“God’s strong name is our help,

the same God who made heaven and earth.”

 

The One who created heaven and earth is the One who is helping you!!!! Think on that, meditate on it! What a powerful truth!

The Creator of heaven and earth is the One who is helping you!

I am lost for words……! We truly serve an amazing God! Look to Him, and trust in Him! He is with you…..Amen!

Rolain

 

Looking after the other “Temple”…..

I have already spoken about how my year has been and what I am expecting for 2015. But in this post I am going to speak about something else that is very close to my heart. It’s a passion and desire I have had for many years.

A passion that has brought me joy and has grown me as a person.

And that passion is “Fitness and Health”!

I am passionate about being healthy and staying fit! The origins of that passion can traced back to about 2012 when I was introduced to a group of doctors who worked for something called “Maximized Living”. They are chiropractic doctors but with a difference and they changed my whole perspective on health and fitness.

According to these guys, nutrition, exercise, right thinking, and adjustments all play a part in what you call health! I am not a doctor so I will not even attempt to explain all they do. All you should know is because of them my view on health has changed drastically!

I used to drink soda’s before I met them (Coca – Cola, Pepsi and so many more but it’s been at least 2 years from the last time I had a soda.

I loved all things sugar but once again in the past two years my sugar intake has dropped significantly! I stopped having sugar in tea or coffee.

Honey has been a great substitute! But the battle continues. My desire is to stop ALL artificial sugars! That is the goal.

I have done lots of 5 kilometer runs and even purchased exercise equipment since meeting the maximized doctor’s! I have attempted Crossfit but I am not ready for that yet. There is some work to do till I can do Crossfit! 🙂

These are just a few of the things that have changed since I met Maximized clinic but what does all this mean and what am I trying to say?

My goal is to get you to think about your temple, your body!

We are the temple of God and it is our responsibility to look after it!

A lot of people have not made the connection yet! What you do with your temple will determine how far you will go in your calling!

I have heard it being said, How can you lead and look after the body of Christ when you can’t even look after your own body?

Crazy huh???

There is some truth to that statement. How we look after our bodies is connected to God’s purpose for our lives!

God wants us to live a long and fruitful life but how will that be accomplished if we eat and drink junk and don’t exercise???

How will that happen if you don’t look after yourself??

Please understand what I am saying. We have a part to play in how long we live but it’s God who has the ultimate say. I have heard of people who are health freaks die at a young age. God is the one who has a say on how long you live but you have a responsibility to look after your body.

Let me give you an example of how this plays out in real life. I am a kids leader and as a leader I have to be fit and energetic all the time. But what happens if I don’t exercise and I don’t look after myself? It will be hard to give of myself fully! I won’t be able to jump with them and rum with them and play with them because I am so unfit! So as a leader it is my responsibility to stay fit and eat healthy and think healthy!

I hope that has given you a clear picture of what I am trying to say! Our health is important. So as the new year comes there are a few things I need to do concerning health and fitness. I need to step up and eat better than I am doing now! What I eat has changed so much but I could do better. There are enemies that have to go down! Giants that need to be slayed!

Red velvet cupcake!

I need to make another point clear. I am not talking about total abstinence!! It is okay to have a slice of cake once in a while. It’s okay to have that cheesecake occasionally! It’s okay to spoil yourself but there needs to be a balance! I am serious, a better word would be, I try to be serious during the week and then I spoil myself during the weekend! But even during the weekend I don’t go over the top!

This “enemy” is going down! haha!

As 2015 fast approaches what are some of your health and fitness goals? If you have any??

Just remember to go at YOUR pace! Do what you can do. If your goal is to cut out one teaspoon of sugar compared to the 15 teaspoons you usually have then by all means do so! Haha…..Don’t change anything because someone is pressuring you. It needs to be what you want, a personal conviction.

It took me a long time to change the mindset I had and even now, change is still happening but it has been so worth it! And it’s just the beginning! I am getting healthier as I get older.  What will your testimony be?

As I conclude I would like to leave you with a thought:

She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.  Proverbs 31:17 (Amplified)

It’s interesting how the Amplified describes strength! Strength here is described as spiritual, mental and physical fitness! So if that is what strength is the question is,

Are you preparing yourself like the Proverbs 31 woman? As a Christian you are complete when you are working on all three areas. You cannot just focus on the spiritual! And you can’t just focus on the mental part. It has to be ALL three! You are the temple of God and you have a responsibility to look after it! But focusing on the spiritual is not enough. You need all three!

With that thought I will leave you friends!

God bless

Rolain

Have you seen what God has in store for you in 2015??

So much has happened this year. A lot of good has happened but bad things have happened as well. As a country we have gone through some really hard times but as I reflect on all that has happened I realize God has brought me this far! Through all the times of testing, trials, challenges, and disappointments, God has been faithful. He has been with me every step of the way. He has been by my side and has not abandoned me.

What has YOUR year been like? Are you looking forward to 2015? Are you dreading it? Do you get fearful when you look at 2015? Can I confess something to you?

In the natural it looks like 2015 is going to be worse than 2014.

It looks like nothing is going to change for me.

It looks like I have come to the end of the road.

It doesn’t look like any doors could open for me.

I know God has a plan for me but going into 2015 I have no idea what He has in store!

 

Can you believe that? I am just being honest. Our country is going through a lot and it looks like things are just going to get worse but…………….

 

I was convicted the other day as I was thinking like this.

Since when did my circumstances determine what God had for me???

My circumstances have rarely being “just right” for God to work, but He has done amazing things! God does not wait for circumstances to get better to work! He doesn’t wait for the drought to finish to provide! He doesn’t wait for the sick person to get stronger to heal! He doesn’t wait for the poor to get rich to bless him!

What He waits for is FAITH! It is faith that compels Him to move on your behalf. So what does that mean?

As you read Hebrew 11 you will see how men and women of God were able to look ahead by faith and obtain the promises God had promised them!

By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. Hebrew 11:5

By an act of faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. Hebrews 11:7 

By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. when he left he had no idea where he was going. Hebrew 11:8

So what am I trying to say?? 2014 was a difficult year and it had it’s fair share of challenges, challenges that could deceive me into thinking 2015 is going to be the same or worse but I can choose to believe different.

You can choose to believe different! 

You can declare what God has shown you by faith! Even if it sounds crazy, and even if it looks like it’s impossible, trust God!

 

2015 is going to be a great year for me!

The doors that were closed in 2014 will be opened for me in 2015!

New opportunities are waiting for me in 2015!

Blessing and prosperity are waiting for me in 2015!

God’s favor is with me 100 fold in 2015!

My country is going to turn around in 2015!

God is going to perform amazing miracles in my country in 2015!

My church is going to a new level in 2015!

Going is going to do something really significant in our church in 2015! Something that will impact the world!

2015 is a year God is going to establish me!

 

My circumstances say I am crazy for speaking like this, but my circumstances are not the god I worship!! I serve a real and powerful God who says,

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29;11

What do you see when you see 2015? You can choose to see 2015 in the natural, what you see is what you get. So if you had a bad year then next year will be the same or even worse and there is no hope!

Or you could choose to believe in God and believe He has a great year in store for you! Your faith will be tested but it will make you stronger.

Can you imagine how Noah felt as he built an ark in the middle of dry ground??

What was going through Abraham’s mind as he traveled to an unknown place. He had no idea where he was going but he trusted God!!!

Your faith in God will set you apart. It may make you unpopular or seem crazy but don’t stop! God will come through for you! Don’t be discouraged, 2015 is going to be an amazing year for you if you only choose to believe in God! That is my declaration! God bless……

Rolain

 

 

 

The conclusion of the believer’s story.

As believer’s we go through so much.
Trials, testing times, challenges, hard times, times of confusion, are all among some of the things we face.
Is this the kind of life God has sentenced us to??
Does He enjoy seeing us confused?
Does He laugh wickedly when we are bowed down in pain?
Does He look forward to seeing us helpless??

Psalm 118:15 says:

Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs in the camp of the saved? 

Another translation says it like this:

From the tents of God’s people come shouts of victory: “The Lord is powerful! (‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭15‬ CEVDCUS06)

Yes there is pain, confusion, testing times, trials and so on but at the end of the day there will be rejoicing in the camp of the righteous!!!!

Did you hear me?

THERE WILL BE REJOICING IN THE CAMP OF THE RIGHTEOUS!!

The pain, the trials, the testing times WILL come to an end!

Victory is our portion!!

Breakthrough is our portion!!

The enemy will not have the last say in our lives. God will have the last say and because of that we will rejoice and shout! We will come out triumphant because God is on our side!!

Don’t listen to the negative voice that says:

There is no way out

You will never win

You will die

The winter is never going to end

You are going to lose

No one loves you

God has abandoned you

You will never get well…….!

It’s ALL lies!! Lies I tell you!

Let’s read that verse again:

From the tents of God’s people come shouts of victory: “The Lord is powerful! (‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭15‬ CEVDCUS06)

God will come through for you. He will not leave you! The enemy will fail, his scheme’s will fall in a heap! He will be defeated and you will shout, you will sing in triumph because of the great things God has done for you!!

But this is the thing, we should be be praising Him in the pain, in the midst of the trials! One way or the other shouts, and triumphant songs will be heard in the camp of the saved!!! We will shout in faith! We will sing those triumphant songs in faith because we know He is with us!!

No matter how bad it looks know it will change! Shouts of victory will ring out in your camp! You will not die but live and praise the Lord for all He has done for you! Amen

Rolain

God is not racist…..??!!!!

After this, I saw a large crowd with more people than could be counted. They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands, (‭Revelation‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬ CEVUK00)
Two things come to mind when I read this scripture:

God is not racist. God loves all races, nations and tribes! There is no nation that is superior to another. There is no superior race. God has a plan for you whoever you are. It doesn’t matter where you were born, what colour you are, what tribe you are from, He has called you!!!!
It’s people that place limitations on us, not God.
God is the One who breaks the limitations!

The other thing that came to mind was, The gospel is for everyone! It’s not for a select few! It’s a one size fits all kind of gospel. God wants you, whoever you are. You may think you are not redeemable but you are. God’s spirit is roaming the earth and He is calling everyone to Him! Did you hear me, EVERYONE!!!!
The gospel is for everyone! Turn and repent.
He is calling the poor, the rich, the lost, the hopeless, the murderer, the fearful, the weak, the ignorant, to Him.

This is the God we serve! He is amazing in the things He does! Amen!

Rolain

Blown away by God’s grace……!

I would like to share one of my favourite passages of scripture.  It speaks about God’s kindness and grace…. In your own time you can read the whole chapter because it is powerful but I will touch on a few verses that touch me the most:

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in irons, 

Because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the most High. 

Therefore He bowed down their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled and fell down, and there was none to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. 

He brought them out of the darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them. Psalm 107:10-14

I understand as humans we sin. We get ourselves into trouble by making really bad decisions. We all make mistakes.

The people in the passage I just shared got themselves into trouble. They made all the wrong decisions. They rebelled against God. They were bound and in chains because they rejected God……

Because of their actions they were abandoned with NO ONE to help! They had no one to turn to but……..

They cried to the Lord!!!!! They cried to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them from their distresses! God had every right to leave them but He didn’t. It doesn’t make sense to the human mind. They were on the wrong, they abandoned God…..but in His grace and love and kindness He heard and answered their prayers!!!! That blows my mind and reminds me how little I know God’s grace!!

And that is the trend we see in the rest of the chapter. We see people getting themselves into trouble and God coming to save them as they cry out to Him! For effect I am going to share another story!

Some are fools [made ill] because of the way of their transgressions and are afflicted because of their iniquities. 

Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses. 

He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction. Psalm 107:17-20

God loves you and cares for you not because you are perfect. He knows your every mistake but still loves you. He knows every mistake you are still to make, bad decisions you are still to make but He still extends grace to you. He has given you a chance to cry out to Him. That is how good He is……!!!!! He doesn’t give up on you. He is waiting on you to turn to Him! It’s scripture like this that humbles me. I don’t understand the beauty of God’s grace and love but I am thankful for it because without it I would be abandoned and dead! I would be in hell with no hope of rescue!!

The last part of the chapter is so powerful. It talks about men who do their business at sea! I would guess these men are sailors and have great experience and understanding of the sea. They are totally qualified to be out at sea. But something happens out at sea! They encounter a storm!!

[Those aboard] mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the deeps; their courage melts away because of their plight. 

They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end [all their wisdom has come to nothing]. 

Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. Psalm 107: 26-28

For a while they tried to rely on what they know to get them out of the storm but that didn’t work! How many of us have tried to get ourselves out of trouble? It says “all their wisdom has come to nothing”.

God is so good because even when they tried to solve a situation in their own strength and failed, God by His grace saved them!!!! As I end I would like you to think about His grace! It is so amazing! He wants you to rely on Him, on His grace. He knows you are human and He wants to deliver you. He wants to save you from sin. No matter what you have done, no matter how bad it is, know that He wants to heal you and set you free. He wants to break the chains that have bound you! It is not to late for you……Turn to Him and He will answer you!!!

Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.   Psalm 107:43

Rolain