Faith In God Makes The Impossible Possible.

Abraham and Sarah had an impossible situation.

God promised them a son but Sarah couldn’t have children and they were old.

But faith in God made it possible for them to have a child.

As you trust God for the impossible know that your faith in Him makes the impossible

possible. Don’t be intimidated or discouraged when nothing seems to be happening.

We serve a God who does the impossible.

Luke 1: 37 tells us that nothing is impossible with God.

I use an illustration to teach this truth. I attempt to put a needle through a balloon

without it popping.

Click the link below to see how the illustration turns out.

Have a great weekend friends.

Bless you

Rolain

What do we do when we don’t see God’s entire plan for our lives??

“And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir,

but one who will come from your body shall be your heir.”

Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if

you are able to number them. “ And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

Genesis 15: 4-6

 

Happy New Year friends!! I hope you have had a blessed holiday. I am really excited for all YAH has

in store in the new year.

Without further delay let’s jump into the word today.

For a long time I have believed that YAH has an incredible plan for my life. I am not about to settle for

where I am in this season of my life.

And you shouldn’t settle too. Trust Him with your life and watch Him do wonders with it.

 

“YAH has a great plan for your life”

 

I have heard those words many times and I am guessing you have too but my question to you is, have

you fully grasped their meaning? I thought I had an idea but I was wrong.

Let’s take a look at Abraham,

YAH took him outside and told him to count the stars if he was able to.

“So shall your descendants be” YAH told him.

But did Abraham understand what that meant? Did he fully grasp what YAH was telling him?

 

What blows my mind is the fact that YAH spoke to Abraham about having descendants as countless as the

stars but at that time Abraham and Sarah couldn’t have children! (Genesis 11:30)

How crazy was that? It would have made sense for YAH to speak to a couple who could bear children, but no,

instead He spoke to a couple that COULDN’T have children!

He is the God who does the impossible! Why do you think He did that? He wanted to show how powerful

He was.

You may look at your life and think He can’t do the impossible but that’s just not true.

 

Something else that blows my mind about Abraham is that even though he and Sarah finally had a child they

would never be able to have descendants as countless as the stars without YAH’s help. I don’t even think they

knew what the Lord meant by that. They probably had an idea that YAH’s promise would transcended

their lives but I am not sure if they knew to what extent.

We are still benefiting from the promise YAH made to Abraham all that time ago!!!

There is was nothing Abraham could do in his strength to make sure he would have descendants as countless

as the stars, absolutely nothing!

Trusting YAH was the only way to ensure the promise would come to pass.

Every aspect of YAH’s plan for Abraham needed Him. Without YAH the plan would not work.

But there is something very crucial we need to understand about this whole thing, even though Abraham may

not have understood the full extent of what YAH was telling him the word tells us;

 

“And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

Genesis 15:6

 

Abraham didn’t need to have the whole picture; all he needed was to believe the Lord.

 

You may think nothing can happen for you but things can and will happen. You need to believe in the

Lord like Abraham did.

We cannot stop believing in the Lord. He has a plan for our lives and even though we may not see

the full picture we must believe!

 

He has a purpose for your life and He wants to show you what it is. If you have no clue

then pray, ask Him to reveal it to you. He is not trying to hide it from you.

And if you do know the plan know that it’s not the entire picture. There is so much more, more than

you could ever imagine or make up. Trust Him to direct you step by step.

 

“Then He brought him outside and said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to

number them.”

 

As I close remember it’s your faith that is the key. It’s not your strength or willpower but your faith

in the Lord. How much do you trust Him? He will bring everything He has planned for to pass.

Every promise He has given you, He will fulfill……

 

  “And the Lord visited Sarah as He said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken.”

Genesis 21:1

 

Bless you friends.

 

Rolain

The old man who was fully convinced……

 

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would

become a father of many nations, as he had been promised

[by God]: “So [numberless] SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS

BE,”

Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body,

now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was

about  a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness

of Sarah’s womb.

But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the

promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith,

giving glory to God being fully convinced that God had the

power to do what He had promised.

Romans 4: 18-21

 

I have been really impacted by Abraham. There is so

much wisdom we can extract from his story of faith. I read

the above passage of scripture yesterday and it spoke to me

deeply.

As we all know God had an amazing plan for Abraham. He

took him outside and showed him something glorious,

something amazing! (read my last post which went into 

great detail about what God showed him)

But there was a problem, Abraham couldn’t have children

because he was old. His body was dead!

His wife Sarah was in the same boat. She was barren and way

past the age of child bearing. So yeah, that was a problem!

 

What spoke to me though was how Abraham considered all

these factors but still trusted God. He believed what God

promised would come to pass. He never wavered or doubted!

He didn’t allow his dead body and Sarah’s deadened womb to

dictate what he could and could not receive. He didn’t allow

those things to stop him from receiving what God had

promised him.

He considered his own dead body and considered Sarah’s

barren and deadened womb but didn’t allow that to hinder

his faith in God!

 

That blows my mind!

 

The word tells us, ‘He was fully convinced that God had 

the power to do what He had promised.’ !!!!

 

Just because our circumstances are difficult or seemingly

impossible doesn’t mean we should stop trusting in God.

We should be fully convinced that God will come through

for us. I don’t know how Abraham did it because I have

failed in my faith numerous times. There have been times

I doubted God. But I think the important thing is to get up

when we failed. That’s what I did. I got up again and again.

I repented and moved ahead in my faith.

 

The lesson is this: Wherever you are in life, trust God. Everything

may be working against you but God is true to His word.

Stop looking at what’s happening around you. Don’t let that

determine what you should trust God for.

Faith doesn’t wait for the circumstances around you to be

favourable to work. Instead, it just works despite what is

happening around you!

 

There is so much I believe God wants me to do and to be

honest I looked at what was in my hands. I got discouraged

because what was in my hands was very little. It was

insignificant. I wanted to try and think up a plan but I read

the passage of scripture I shared in the beginning and

realised God didn’t want me to look at what I had. He didn’t

want me to rely on my own strength and He most definitely

didn’t want me deciding what I could and couldn’t do based on

what I had or how much I got paid and so on. He wanted

me to trust Him!

 

As I end I would like to leave you with two questions?

 

Are you looking at what is in your hand as you trust God?

Are you allowing what is happening around you to determine

what you should trust God for?

 

Rolain

 

photo credit: google images

 

What faith stands on!

 

Therefore, [inheriting] the promise is the outcome of faith and 

depends [entirely] on faith, in order that it might be given as 

an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid 

and guaranteed to all his descendants – not only to the devotees

and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith 

of Abraham, who is [thus] the father of us all.  Romans 4:16 

 

I would like to share a quick thought on faith with you.  As we

all know Abraham was the father of faith. God spoke to him

about his future. This is what the word says:

 

He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] 

impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because 

he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] 

the barreness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb. 

No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question)

concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was 

empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God. 

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to 

keep His word and do what He promised. 

Romans 4:19-21

 

Abraham had great faith. His faith was unshakable but why

and how? It’s simple, He believed the word God had spoken

to him.

Let me say this:

 

For faith to work it needs the word of God. 

Without the word, faith is powerless! 

 

Abraham heard the word and because of that his faith

was strong. He kept God’s word close to him.

When I hold on to the word in tough situations there is a peace

that comes.

To walk in faith we need to have the word of God. No word,

no faith. It’s as simple as that. Faith stands on the word of

God. Faith needs the Word to live, without it faith will be easily

crushed. Faith is made stronger by the word. You cannot

separate the two. To walk in faith you need to be speak

the word, meditate on it.

 

Are you trusting God for something? What does God’s  word

say about it? Proclaim the word over your situation.

The word of God is the answer to your problem!

As I close remember, faith needs the Word of God to work!

 

No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question)

concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was

empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God.

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to

keep His word and do what He promised.

Romans 4:19-21

 

Rolain

 

 

What it means to have a purpose!

Most Christians know God has a plan for their lives.

But when they  are told God has a plan for them, a purpose,

What does that mean? What does that mean for us??

To answer that question I will look at the life of Abraham

the Father of faith!

 

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your

people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

Genesis 12:1

• For Abraham, having a purpose meant having to leave

the familiar behind! He didn’t know where he was going but

He trusted God. He took everything he owned and moved!

Could that still apply today? Could God be calling us out of

our comfort zones to a place we have never heard of before,

to a place we have never been to before?

Is he calling us out of the familiar? Is it possible to experience

the new if you haven’t let go of the familiar, if you are in your

comfort zone??

 

 

“Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham”!

“Here I am, “he replied.

Then God said, Take your son, your only son, whom you love-

Isaac-and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt

offering on a mountain I will show you.” Genesis 22:1-2

 

Because Abraham had a purpose God tested him!

He told him he was to sacrifice the one thing he loved more than

anything else – his son! God tested with him with something

he held dear to his heart, his son!

Could it be possible that is our story too? Does God want to make

sure He is first in our lives by testing us?? We say we love God and

He is the most important thing in our lives, but is that the truth???

Only He knows!

 

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

Do not be afraid, Abram.

I am your Shield,

your very great reward.

But Abram said, Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I

remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of

Damascus? And Abram said, You have given me no children;

So a servant in my household will be heir.

Then the word of the Lord came to him: This man will not be

Your heir, but a son who is your flesh and blood will be your heir.

He took him outside and said, Look up at the sky and count the

stars – if indeed you can count them. Then he said to him, so shall

your offspring be.

Abram believed the Lord, and He credited to him as righteousness.

Genesis 15:1-6

 

Because Abram had a purpose he had to trust God! He had to think

bigger and grander! God’s purpose for our lives is huge but faith

in God is the key. God’s plan for your life will not make sense to

a carnal mind a natural mind! You need faith to see it and accept it!

We know without faith it is impossible to please God. He wants us

trust Him.

Something you need to look out for as you walk in God’s purpose

for your life:

 

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had

an Egyptian slave named Hagar, so she said to Abram, “The Lord

has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave;

perhaps I can build a family through her.” 

Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

Genesis 16:1-5

 

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see what really happened.

Sarai knew what God had promised her along with Abraham but

what really happened? In Genesis 15 it tells us Abraham believed

God and it was counted to him as righteousness but in chapter 16

we read something different. Sarai suggests to Abram that he

sleep with Hagar and he agrees!  Why would Abram agree to that?

He clearly heard from God!

Did he think God had abandoned him?

Had he lost so much hope that he resorted to trying to make things

happen in his own strength?

Was he tired of waiting on God?

Did he focus on his old aged body and Sarah’s deadened womb and

let his carnal mind take over?

We really don’t know but what we do know is he agreed to go

along with Sarah’s plan! They had lost hope in God and set out

to accomplish God’s plan in their own strength!

They were discouraged and dejected!

 

There are things God

will allow and take you through to strengthen you. Like I said before,

it is by faith and faith alone you will accomplish God’s purpose for

your life. Yes, you will need to step out and do things but you will

need faith! If Abraham the Father of Faith could lose hope in God

and rely on his own strength what does that mean for us? It means

we have to be humble and admit we can’t do this alone!

God wants you to walk in the purpose He has for you. Don’t be

afraid.

Trust Him to lead you because He knows the way! He made the way!

Everything He does for you is because He loves you! Your purpose is

amazing and glorious! Be bold and confident as you step into it!

Rolain

 

I see nations……

Last year I started speaking about how God sees nations when He looks at us. We were not put on this earth just to live for ourselves. The picture, the plan is so much bigger than we could ever imagine! Abraham’s story is an amazing one. In Genesis 17:1 it says,

When Abram was ninety nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am the Almighty God; walk and live habitually before Me and be perfect (blameless, wholehearted, complete).

As we read this chapter we see Abram who was 99 years old get an amazing promise. His life seemed like it was over but it was not. He was past the age of bearing children or so it seemed, but it was only the beginning….God was saying things like:

As for Me, behold, My covenant (solemn pledge) is with you, and you shall be the father of many nations. Genesis 17:4

And I will make you exceedingly fruitful and I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. Genesis 17:6

And God said to Abraham, As for you, you shall therefore keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. Genesis 17:9

To the outsider it looked like things were pretty much finished. Abram’s life was almost over but that was not the case. God had a plan….What is also interesting to note is, yes God said He would bless Abram but God was thinking hundreds of years ahead!!! He had a plan for his posterity…And that is how God thinks. We see the same pattern in the life of King David. He had a desire to build a house for God but God wouldn’t let him because of the blood he had shed but look at the promise He made to him because he had the desire:

4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.           2 Samuel 7: 4-17

Yes, He has a plan for you but He also has a plan for your posterity! I get so excited when I hear that God has blessed my children within me. I am just the beginning, the introduction to the real story that is about to unfold! I didn’t come from a Christian background. My parents brought me up the best they knew how, they even sent me to church when I was a child!!! I thank God for that. So in a way I am paving a new way, setting a new path. You might think its all over but don’t believe the lies. God has so much more in store for you. The other thing I would like you to start doing is seeing yourself as a nation because that is how God sees you!!!  God has a plan for you and your posterity. Your life is just the introduction to a much greater and wonderful story.  Let us be like David who prepared all that Solomon needed to build the house of God. David used the relationships he had, the resources he had to make sure his son would accomplish what God had called him to do. We need to do the same thing King David did. Even if you are single, what you do now matters. Let us look to God to help us………Amen!

Rolain

Who’s Story is This?

Who is this story really about? Is this life about what I am doing or is it about what God is doing through me? Is it about what you are doing and what you want or is it about the amazing things God is doing through you?? My life, our life should be about God. It should be God’s story! This story should not be about what I can do in my own strength but about what God is doing because I trust in Him completely!!!!

Rom 4:1-3 – says,” Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own.” (MSG)

Abraham trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own. God is not impressed with our masculinity and our show of strength! He hates it!!! He wants me to rely on HIS strength…..
There are times that I thought God was so impressed with my macho-ness but He was not.

The word says “Abraham entered into what God was doing for him and that was his turning point”.
Am I focused on what I am doing to make things right in my life or am I focused on what God is doing in my life because that is so much more important?!
This life is not about me but it is up to me. This life is about me trusting God in every single area of my life.
It is only by “trusting Him to do it” that gets me set right with God, and not on any other grounds!!

Another thing to note is in Rom 4:18 which says: When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. (MSG)

Are we living our lives on the basis of things we see we can’t do instead of looking at the things God said He would do and is doing? Are we avoiding things in our lives because they seem to be out of our reach, too extravagant and impossible to attain instead of bringing those things to God and trusting Him to make a way??? Are we going around saying what we can have and what we can’t have because we are the ones judging what is attainable or not attainable instead of running after what God said we can have no matter how outrageous it is???!!!

The conclusion is this, “Abraham was declared fit before God because He trusted God to set him right!
He knew his life was God’s story and not about him!
There needs to be a mindset change. God is the One who is making me right. I don’t have the power to do that. God is first and I am second!!! God is in charge, not me. We are second and God is first!!! This is His story and not our story!!!!

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

Is Your Faith Really Faith?

I have spoken about faith a lot. Without faith it is impossible to please God but I read something that made me ask the question, is my faith really faith? As I write this, my prayer is you will see faith in a new light.
It was whilst reading the book of James that I questioned if my faith was really faith. This passage of scripture is very popular. I have read it many times but this time round it was different. I was really challenged by what I read. This particular portion of scripture speaks about faith and works. In James 2:14 it says:

What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no [good] works [to show for it]? Can [such] faith save [his soul]?

It then goes on to say in James 2:18:

But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith.

According to James who was inspired by the Holy Spirit, real faith works hand in hand with action. You cannot have one or the other. It is not just believing and doing nothing. He paints a picture of two people. It almost seems like a competition is taking place. It is “faith” which is faith without action vs “works” faith with works. And in this competition “faith” without action loses. He is saying our faith is not really faith until it is accompanied by action (works)! Believing is not enough because according to James 2:19 he says:

You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as make a man’s hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]!

There are a lot of things we are trusting God for but we need to realise that sitting and waiting is NOT faith! In the things that we have faith for there is a part we have to play.
Please understand, I am not advocating we do things in our flesh and not trust in God. What I am saying is, in the things we are trusting God for there is a part for us to play. Let me give you an example.

Saul and Jonathan and the army of Israel were trapped by the Philistines but to make matters worse Saul and Jonathan were the only ones with swords (1 Samuel 13:22). Saul and Jonathan had “faith” in God. Saul’s “faith” led him to enquire of the Lord through the priest Ahijah (1 Samuel 14:18,19) while Jonathan’s “faith” led him to act. Jonathan’s “faith” led his nation to victory ( 1 Samuel 14:23).
I hope you see as Jonathan stepped out and did his part God STEPPED UP and did His part and that is how it is supposed to be, that is real faith! Our faith needs to be accompanied by works!

James 2:21 says:

Was not our forefather Abraham [shown to be] justified (made acceptable to God) by [his] works when he brought to the altar as an offering his [own] son Issac?
You see that [his] faith was cooperating with his works, and [his] faith was completed and reached its supreme expression [when he implemented it] by [good] works.

You may have faith that God will turn your life around but know you have a part to play. You may be trusting God to bring your destiny to pass but know you have a part to play. You need to act. If you don’t know your part ask God. He will show you what you need to do. You may trusting God for healing, also know you have a part to play. It might be changing your confession. (Some of us make things worse for ourselves by speaking death over ourselves.) It may be changing how you eat. I don’t know, but what I do know is you have a part to play. You may be in poverty and trusting God for financial breakthrough but you have a part to play. You may need to give more, maybe pay your tithes (which a lot of christians don’t do), it might be saving money….etc
Are you starting to see it? I really hope you can. God is faithful and will not abandon us. When we do our part which is a sign of our faith in Him, He will do His part which is the main part, which is the miracle part. I will end with James 2:26 which says:

For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead.

Rolain.