The doors will open…..

THOUGHT OF THE DAY.

If God opened the first door He will surely open the second,

third, fourth, fifth door……..

 

As God opens doors of opportunity for us we must rest and be

assured He will open the other doors.

 

No matter how impossible it seems know this:

He opened the first door so He will open the second door and

ALL the other doors! Wait on Him!

 

In this moment of waiting be thankful that He has opened

the first door. Meditate on it, realize it was no small thing!

The doors will open.

He is good indeed……

Rolain

 

The true face of grace……

Grace is wild. 

I didn’t understand what that statement meant when I first read it. I asked my friend
who had posted it and got some idea but only now am I beginning to understand what
it really means…….Grace is wild indeed!

As I sit here writing this post I realise I am where I am because of God’s grace. It is
because of God’s grace that I am here.

My life in its entirety is a testament of God’s grace!
Forget intelligence, wit, resourcefulness and so on…..

My life is a testimony of God’s grace and nothing else!

The reason I am alive is because of God’s grace

The reason I have hope and a destiny is soley because of His grace
Looking at my life it doesn’t make sense why I am here doing
the things I am doing. With the kind of past I had I should be
poor, lost, abandoned, without hope, purposeless and so much more….
but His grace brought me here…..

I may not have reached my destination but it’s because of His grace
I am even traveling!!!
Do we really understand how amazing His grace is..???

Because of His grace I am doing things in normal situations I am

not supposed to be doing. Some of those things are:

 

I teach kids every Sunday but when I started I stuttered badly!

God enables me every time I teach. I don’t stutter now! That is grace!

I love writing but I never pursued it at school. I have never went to

writing school.

 

I have lived in a country that has had one of the worst economies in

the world. The country came to a stand still, we ran out of food and

our dollar crashed and yet I am still here……!

 

Because of abuse I had NO self esteem, nothing whatsoever!

I avoided crowds and hated speaking in front of people. I hated

myself but here I am today knowing who I am and helping others

discover who they are in God. I don’t know about you but that

is grace! The person I am today is because of God’s grace!

 

God’s grace is not to be taken lightly. It’s His grace that carries us

everyday!

We have a chance at life and we have favor because of His grace!

We can face giants because His grace is on us.

We can walk through the valley because it’s His grace that leads us

out of it.

 

I have come to the conclusion that the enemy has no concept of grace.

He doesn’t understand it. If he did he would stop fighting. He would

stop trying to fight against God’s people because he would know his

efforts are useless because God’s grace is with us and protects us! He

may not understand but we do…..

If grace has got me this far what more my future?! I can look with confidence at my future because I know His grace is with me. Grace opens doors that I can’t open in my own strength.

Grace enables me to face giants

Grace gives me permission to ask the impossible.

When we are humble we begin to understand grace more fully!

Pride hides the true face of grace!

My desire and prayer is that you will begin to see more of God’s

grace in your life. His grace is truly amazing!
Amen

Rolain

I challenge your faith……

 

And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us. And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes! At once the father of the boy gave [an eager, piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my weakness of faith! (‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭22-24‬ AMP)

“But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us.” 

Not a bad request I must say. The man was being modest.
Maybe he thought His prayer was too much, maybe he thought
Jesus couldn’t heal his son. Whatever the reason he didn’t
see the need to be specific, precise and definite in his request.

Jesus on the other hand saw things differently and He challenged
the man’s faith. Jesus was not cool with “maybe’s and if’s”…..
He wanted faith! After challenging the man’s faith, the man cried out
to the Lord, “help my weakness of faith”!!!

I can relate to this story so much. How many times I have been
afraid to be specific in my request, maybe because I was scared
I would not get what I asked for or I thought Jesus would say no!
But this is the thing, Jesus wants us to be specific!
We either believe God or we don’t, it’s that simple!
It’s either, “Lord heal my son” or “if you can, please heal my son!!”

I have two friends who have been trusting God to go back to
university. It’s been a battle for them. There were times it looked
like God was not going to come through for them, there were
times it seemed like everything was lost but as I write this post
one of them has already left for school and the other friend is leaving
sometime next week!!! What a faithful God we serve!

Your faith in God is not misplaced, when you put your trust in God
He WILL come through for you, He will answer you. The times of
testing will always come, the times of trial will always come but we can
trust Him.

“Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!” 

Don’t be afraid to trust in the Lord fully! Don’t hold anything back.
He is waiting for you to believe in Him. He is waiting for you to
trust in Him fearlessly! Step up your faith in Him. No matter
how hard it gets trust in Him! As you do that, no matter how long
It takes, He will answer you! That is the best news in the world! Don’t you think so…..😄

Rolain

 

 

Why am I going through this???

 

Ever feel overwhelmed with life?

Ever feel like everything is too much and you just want to tap out?

 

I was reflecting on my life this week (I have been doing a lot of

that lately). A lot has happened already this year good and bad.

Its easy to get discouraged these days. It’s easy to think God has

abandoned you! It’s easy to give up. I say that because as I was

reflecting on my life and the plans I had for this year, things I

want to do, places I want to go to, eveything felt so overwhelming!!

I cried out to God in that time. I asked Him to help me! I looked

to God for some sort of answer to the craziness I was feeling…..

Then it came, the answer,

 

I realised God is in control, He knows exactly where I am. Not sort

of or a bit confused but He knows EXACTLY where I am!

 

Then another thought came to me,

 

God intentionally allowed me to be here because He knew the

next opportunity, the next door will only open when I am here! No

matter how hard it is, how hopeless it seems this is the place that

will make it possible for the other door to open!

I need to be in this space if I am to walk in the next amazing door

God has for me! This place is preparing me for the next place where

ever that “place” is!

 

Think about Jabez:

Jabez was honorable above his brothers; but his mother named him Jabez [sorrow maker], saying, Because I bore him in pain. Jabez cried to the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! And God granted his request. (‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭4‬:‭9-10‬ AMP)

He was in a difficult situation. His story is not just about being named

Jabez. From the day he was born he was called Jabez. Who knows

the ridicule he went through as a teen. All we know it got to a point

that he had enough! He cried out to the Lord!

He needed to be there for God to move on his life!

He needed to be in that place for the next door to open!

Did he enjoy being ridiculed and the struggle?

Did he feel helpless and hopeless?

I would like to think so but dispite all that,

GOD HAD A PLAN FOR HIM!

 

What about Joseph?!!!

He had a dream but he was sold into slavery! After things seemed

to turn around he was then  thrown into prison!

And Joseph’s master took him and put him in the prison, a place where the state prisoners were confined; so he was there in the prison. (‭Genesis‬ ‭39‬:‭20‬ AMP)

But as we all know, Joseph had to be in Egypt!! Joseph didn’t

understand at first but he needed to be there! Yes it seemed like

God abandoned him, yes it seemed like God was cruel and heartless

but the truth is, God was with him every step of his way!

For the next door to open Joseph had to be in Egypt! For

Joseph to accomplish God’s call on his life he had to go to

Egypt!

 

What does all that mean you might be thinking?

You might be in a place that is hard, a place where nothing

seems to be happening, a place that seems like a dead end but

that’s not true! That “dead-end” is where the next door is going

to open! It’s where that next big promotion will come through!

It’s where you will get to know God more!

It’s where breakthrough will come through!

Don’t quit, don’t tap out, but trust in the Lord.

Your promotion is around the corner, amazing things are in store

in that hard, frustrating place!

Things may seem dead and inactive but that’s not true! There is a lot

happening in the background! God is busy, He has gone ahead

of you to prepare the way!

 

So to end my story, after realizing all this I realized I don’t need

to worry! My life is in God’s hands. He knows everything I am

going through.

He has an amazing plan for my life.

I just need to trust Him consistently!

Where I am is exactly where He needs me to be because

the next door will open here and no where else!

And that is the same for you if you will trust Him!

He has only good things in store for you! Amen  😄

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Valentine’s Day and fine china have in common……..

Today is Valentines Day and love is in the air. If you are single then

not so much….haha

But I am a bit disturbed. Fifty shades of Grey was released this

weekend. I am disturbed at the amount of publicity this movie

has generated. This is not a post about what’s wrong with the movie,

because there is too much on that topic.

 

I have noticed how the world is trying to define what love is, what

intimacy is, what connection is! Young people are going in their

droves to watch what the world has to say about relationships,

intimacy and love!!

 

I don’t know about you but that doesn’t sit too well with me. I am

not up for the world shaping my view about love, intimacy,

and relationships! I want God to do that. I want godly men and women

to show us the way, to teach us! I will do my part teaching the truth,

and repacing the lies the enemy is selling us! Because when it comes

to love, and intimacy the enemy doesn’t know anything! What the

enemy knows is how to pervert a good thing!

 

Can you believe that was the introduction??!!  😁

Lets move on…..

 

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with

your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner

and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing

will hinder your prayers.  1 Peter 3:7

 

I have been reading a book titled “Hero” by Fred Stoeker.

I shared some very intersting thoughts he had on the 1 Peter 3:7

on Instagram. Being it Valentines Day I thought it would be

appropriate to go over some of those points for those of you

who never got the chance to read them, so here goes!

 

In in the original Greek language, the term for “weaker partner”

can also be translated “fine china” which I think is a better

translation in this context.

How would you handle fine china? With respect as you tenderly

appreciate its finest points. You don’t slam fine china around

or put it through the blast of the dishwasher.

– end of statement –

 

Fine china….

I like that. Let me talk to the men for a little bit…..What would our

relationships look like if as men we treated the women in our lives

as fine china and not some bust up, rusty tin can??

Rusty bust up tin cans are thrown around, and disgarded!

They are not treated with any respect.

Rusty bust up tin cans are treated as COMMON!

Rusty and bust up

This Valentines Day I would like you to think about your relationship.

Are you honoring God in your relationships? Are you treating the

women in your life like fine china or a rusty busted up tin can?

Honor God by honoring the women in your life by treating

them like fine china. I am not saying it’s easy, I am not saying

it’s a walk in the park. What I am saying is we need to honor God

by honoring the women in our lives! On that note I will

sign off….Happy Valentines Day and remember, somewhere out

there a duck is looking your way……😁😁

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

This life we live as Christians…..

I was thinking about this life we live as Christians and the God

we serve.

It is a truly amazing journey we are on. Think with me on what it

means to serve the Lord God Almighty!

On this journey we are on:

God calls us to trust Him completely! Not when it makes sense or

when the conditions are right, no! In every situation He says, trust Me!

 

While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.” (‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭49-50‬ NLT)

 

We serve a God who calls us to jump out of boats to walk on water!

He does that so He can increase our faith! Peter had to learn a lesson

on faith that he could only learn by stepping out of the boat!

 

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” (‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭28-31‬ NLT)

 

We serve a God who confronts us about the fears we have!

And suddenly, behold, there arose a violent storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered up by the waves; but He was sleeping. And they went and awakened Him, saying, Lord, rescue and preserve us! We are perishing! And He said to them, Why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great and wonderful calm (a perfect peaceableness). (‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭24-26‬ AMP)

Why did He confront them about their fears? He did it because He

wanted them to realise He was bigger than any fear they ever had.

And that’s the truth, God wants you to know He is bigger than any

and every fear you have and will ever have…..

 

We serve a God who has great and amazing plans for us even if it

seems impossible!

 

And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace (free, spontaneous, absolute favor and loving-kindness) with God. And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great (eminent) and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David, And He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages; and of His reign there will be no end. [Isa. 9:6, 7; Dan. 2:44.] And Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband? (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭30-34‬ AMP)

For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. And the angel left her. (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭37-38‬ AMP)

God’s plan for Mary was impossible in the natural but she still

believed God!

Like Mary we are to believe God no matter how outrageous it seems

in the natural. He has a great and amazing destiny for each of us!

We just need to trust Him!

We serve a God who calls the least qualified.

Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak (terebinth) at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, and his son Gideon was beating wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage. (‭Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭11-12‬ AMP)

Gideon said to Him, Oh Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Behold, my clan is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. The Lord said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall smite the Midianites as one man. (‭Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭15-16‬ AMP)

 

Gideon didn’t see himself as much because his family was poor

but God saw someone He could use. Gideon may have been looked

down upon by his community because his family was poor but God

had a plan for him! God can and will use anyone! Gideon’s story

reminds me of one other hero who God used mightily.

But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” (‭Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ NLT)

But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” (‭Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭13-14‬ NLT)

But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The LORD never appeared to you’?” (‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ NLT)

But Moses pleaded with the LORD, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” (‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ NLT)

But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” (‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ NLT)
Let me say this, whoever you are, no matter what you have been

through, whateveryou think you are lacking know this, GOD HAS A

PLAN FOR YOU!

He will not rest until you are walking in the purpose He has for you!
This is the God we serve! He is so good!

As you can see, God does a lot of amazing things

for us….It’s not easy at times but the

reason He does all He does is because He is good and because He

loves us!

Rolain

Why we need to be still…….

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (‭Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ NKJV)

I was meditating on this verse last night so I would like to

share some insights I got as I was doing that:

 

The word says, “Be still”

Stop all the fretting and worrying!

Stop the voices of fear and doubt!

Silence everything!

Being still is proclaiming to the enemy you believe God is bigger

than what you are facing right now!

It is you proclaiming, that God is bigger than your fears!

It is you proclaiming God is bigger than your storm because

if you can’t take the time to be still but have the time to fret

and worry then what are you really saying???

That’s what being still means.

Because in stillness we will see God for who He really is!

We will see God exalted!

In stillness we see God!

In stillness we will know Him!

It’s hard to see Him when we are scurrying about. It’s hard to see Him when we are striving in our strength!
It’s hard to see Him when our minds are racing wondering what to do!

Being still requires us to make a deliberate effort to silence the loud voices!

No matter how loud and convincing the voices are, they need to be silenced.

In stillness EVERY voice is silenced, every voice except God’s!

In stillness truth is revealed and lies exposed!

Be still and know I am God!

Rolain

 

 

He didn’t want to go that way………!

And Judah said to his brothers, What do we gain if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites
[and Midianites, these mixed Arabians who are approaching], and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers consented.

Then as the Midianite [and Ishmaelite] merchants were passing by, the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the well. And they sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph [captive] into Egypt. (‭Genesis‬ ‭37‬:‭26-28‬ AMP)

We know the story of Joseph very well. He had a dream from God and was not shy to tell anyone! His brothers hated him for the dreams he had been given and his parents rebuked him but the fact remains, God had great plans for him!

God had great plans for Joseph but he was thrown into an empty well by his brothers! What kind of thoughts did he have sitting in that dark empty well???
I can imagine him crying out to his brothers for mercy, pleading to them, begging them to set him free!

If that was not enough his brothers sold him into slavery!! The word gives us a clue into what happened that day:

“They said to each other, “We are being punished for the bad thing we did to our younger brother Joseph. We saw the trouble he was in. He begged us to save him, but we refused to listen. Genesis 42:21

God had a plan for Joseph that is very clear but,
he was first thrown into an empty well then
sold into slavery!!

Did he lose hope?? I would think so……! Was he confused and felt abandoned by God, maybe?

But look at what the word says about Joseph in the darkest time of his life:

He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold as a servant.
[Gen. 45:5; 50:20, 21.]

His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron and his soul entered into the iron,

Until his word [to his cruel brothers] came true, until the word of the Lord tried and tested him. (‭Psalm‬ ‭105‬:‭17-19‬ AMP)

God had a plan for Joseph but God knew Joseph had to go Egypt if he was to accomplish God’s call on his life! And the only way Joseph could get to Egypt was as a slave!!! Just imagine if God showed Joseph all that before it actually happened?? I think Joseph would have refused. If Joseph had any say in the creation of his purpose, he would of chosen the most comfortable path! He would of chosen the easiest path! So,

Are you confused at how your life is going right now?
Do you think God has abandoned you?
Does anything make any sense right now in your life?

Just know that God is in control of your life and He loves you! He is guiding you!
Let me share one more scripture with you:

And the patriarchs [Jacob’s sons], boiling with envy and hatred and anger,sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him, [Gen. 37:11, 28; 45:4.] 

And delivered him from all his distressing afflictions andwon him goodwill and favor and wisdom and understanding in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
[Gen. 39:2, 3, 21; 41:40-46; Ps. 105:21.] (‭Acts‬ ‭7‬:‭9-10‬ AMP)

In all the difficult things Joseph went through, God was with him!
God delivered him from ALL his distressing afflictions!

In your dark times, in your trying situations, in your times of testing,
God is with you and He will deliver you! You are not alone!

Joseph thought he was alone in the empty dark well but God was with him, crying with him!
He thought he was alone when his brothers sold him into slavery but God was with Him!!
When he felt rejected because his brothers sold him into slavery God was with him!

As Joseph headed for Egypt he may of thought his dreams were finished but little did he know they were just beginning! You may feel like it’s end of the line for you but it’s actually the beginning! The enemy is lying to you! Your story is just beginning! Trust the Lord because He is with you!

Rolain