Building on “dry land”.

 

“By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was 

warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he 

was told. The result?

His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between 

evil of the unbelieving world and the righteous of the believing 

world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.”

Hebrews 11:7 (MSG)

 

I love this passage of scripture. It’s pretty amazing if you ask me.

This passage highlights something very important about faith.

 

Noah was warned about a flood he had never seen before. So

by faith he starting building a ship on dry land. How crazy that

must of looked! I don’t think anyone had a clue what he was

doing! Noah stepped out in faith even though he had no

idea what a flood was and to add to that, he hadn’t

ever built or seen an ark before!

 

Before Noah saw a flood he had to build the ark.

He didn’t wait for the rains to start to begin building the ark.

It’s on dry land that he began building the ark!

 

I know it seems elementary but how many of us wait for God

to do something before we step out in faith?

We wait for a sign from God before we start moving.

But the very nature of faith requires us to take that first leap of

faith into the unknown!

 

The crazy thing is,

Those who wait on God to do something before they do anything

really don’t trust Him! (that really convicted me!)

It’s because Noah HAD faith in God he started moving!

He had never seen a flood or an ark but he trusted God!

God’s word to him was enough!

 

Where are you at the moment?

Are you building ships on dry land or are you waiting on the

rains to begin so you can start moving??

 

This is the thing, people will look at you funny.

A lot of people will misunderstand you. They will talk about you.

They will think you are crazy. They will laugh at you.

They will scorn you. They try and talk you out of it.

 

Noah could have gone through the same things but he kept

at it. He got up everyday to build the ark.

It didn’t make sense but he pushed forward.

All he had was a word from God but that was enough for him.

 

We need to start moving friends. We need to start building

ships on dry land.

God’s word is enough. It’s all we need.

The world wants us to believe it’s not enough.

The world wants us to feel, touch, reason things out but is that

what God really wants?

 

“But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory

to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily]

believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those 

who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. 

Hebrews 11:6

 

Let go of the fear friends.

Stand on His word when the uncertainty comes.

God’s word to you may not make sense to the people around you

but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong!

 

I don’t think it was easy for Noah as he built the ark.

He had to fight the outside voices as well as the inner voices.

He clung on to God with all that he had and that made the

difference!

Hold on to the word of the Lord to you no matter how crazy it

sounds!

If you have been waiting for long and you are beginning to doubt

the word, don’t!! He is faithful and He will deliver on His

promise to you!

 

On that note it’s time to end this post.

 

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What We Achieve Alone Versus What We Achieve With God

This post ministered to me today. Without God we cannot do anything. Without Him we will fail again and again……but with God, no matter how hard the task is that He has called us to, we will accomplish it! We will go further and accomplish more because He is with us!

He keeps His promises!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for her

as He had promised.”

Genesis 21:1

 

That is a very powerful passage of scripture! Sarah would not

remain barren because the Lord visited Sarah as He said He would

and because He kept His promise! That’s the God we serve.

He doesn’t take back promises, He isn’t fickle, He isn’t

undecided.

 

In the natural Sarah had no chance. She waited and waited

for God’s promise. For years and years she waited.

It didn’t seem like anything was happening. She may have even

lost hope but it wasn’t over. Because God visited her she had a

chance! It was because the Lord kept His word that she managed

to have a child in her old age!!

 

You have a chance today friends.

 

Your situation may appear grim, it may look like nothing is

changing and it may seem like there is no hope.

But because of the Lord things will change! Like Sarah

the Lord will visit you.

I don’t know what you are going through at the moment but

God is faithful. He will keep His promise to you.

 

“And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also 

conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her

who was called barren. 

For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God 

shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. ” 

Luke 1:36, 37

 

You have a reason to hope in the midst of darkness.

You have a reason to laugh in the midst of pain because

the Lord will fulfill everything He promised you.

That’s who He is, and that is what He does!

 

“For behold, the instant the sound of your salutation reached

my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there

would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from

the Lord. “

Luke 1:44, 45

 

Mary believed the Lord would visit her. She believed He would

keep her promise to her and because she believed she was blessed.

 

“And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that

there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken

to her from the Lord. “

Luke 1;45

 

You are blessed when you believe the Lord will visit you.

You are blessed when you believe the Lord will keep His

promise to you.

 

I encourage you to not let go of the promises of God.

Even when things are dark, even when it seems God

has changed His mind (which He hasn’t), believe in Him.

He will visit you, He will do for you as He has promised!

Amen!

 

Rolain

 

Do not fear change!

 

     “The only thing that is constant is change”

 

How many of you have heard that quote before?

In my church it has become a mantra we live by. The one thing

you can expect in this life is change. We cannot escape change.

Change is a part of life but there is problem or ‘was’ a problem.

I never liked change!

I fought it with all I had. It was crazy.      🙂

 

As time has gone by my relationship with change has improved.

Please note, I have used the word “improved”.

I have gotten much better when change has happened.

And this year I decided I would step it up even more. Instead of

dreading change I would welcome it. I would go with the flow, I

would throw myself into the change that was happening instead

of resisting it.

 

As I look back at all the change that has happened in my life

I can see how difficult it has been.

From a change of friends, to a change in career, to a change

of environment and so on it’s been hard. I guess that is why

I didn’t like change.

 

It’s always been testing, it’s pushed me out of my comfort zone,

it’s made me change the way I think and the way I see things,

it’s pushed me to change how I do things.

 

I want to share a scripture with you,

 

“And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied

on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything

in common;

And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and

their movable goods) and distributed the price among all,

according as any had need.

 And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with

united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including

the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and

simplicity and generous hearts,

Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all

the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily

those who were being saved [from spiritual death].”

Acts 2:44-47

 

What an amazing picture of the new testament saints. Things

were really going well for them.

• They sold their goods and distributed the money among

those who had need

• They assembled regularly in the temple with united purpose
• They broke bread in their homes
• They praised God and the Lord kept adding to their number     daily those who were being saved.

Like I said, things were going really well for them. Some amazing

things were happening in their midst.

Did the saints know things would change?

Did they think the way they were living at that moment in time

would always be?

 

But things did change. Let’s look at another scripture,

 

“And Saul was [not only] consenting to [Stephen’s] death [he was

pleased and entirely approving]. On that day a great and severe

persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem;

and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and

Samaria, except the apostles (special messengers).”

Acts 8:1

 

After Stephen was killed a severe persecution broke out and the

church in Jerusalem had to scatter.

Was the change pleasant? No!

Was it something anyone expected? No!

 

But this is what I want you to see that God showed me about

change. In the midst of the change God was with the saints!

He never left them. Change in this context seemed

disastrous but God’s will prevailed!

 

God showed me He would be with me through whatever change

that came my way. No matter the change

I had no reason to fear because He was right by my side.

He always has a plan in the midst of change.

He won’t abandon me when change happens.

When change happens I need to look to Him to guide me,

help me and preserve me!

 

Be comforted friends. You might be going through change but

know that God is with you in the change and that’s what matters.

The enemy may have other plans for the change but

that won’t come to reality because Jesus is with us.

We don’t need to fear change anymore because we will never

be alone in it!

Remember this when you are going through a change,

Jesus being with you though the change is the most important

thing about change.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain