The last say.

“When the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, 

and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and by force and power

made them cease. 

Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped. It stopped until the second 

year of Darius [1] king of Persia.” 

Ezra 4:23, 24 

It seemed like the enemy had won over the people of Israel by stopping the building of the temple.

It seemed like he delivered the deadly blow. But as I read the rest of the story I realized something that

brought me some encouragement that I want to share with you.

The enemy is constantly trying to stop us. “he roars around like a lion” the bible tells us. he may appear

powerful but he is not. It may have appeared like the enemy was powerful when he stopped the building

of the temple but that’s not the case.

God has the last say on all things and that’s what really matters.

It seemed like the enemy had the last say when the building of the temple was stopped but God was the

One who had the final say.

The building would continue and be completed! (Ezra 6:14, 15)

As I read the story I know God spoke to me. The enemy doesn’t have the last say in our lives.

It may appear so but the truth is, he is not powerful enough to have the last say.

What the Lord has started in us He will complete. The enemy will make us fall at times but the Lord

will pick us up always.

What has the enemy seemed to stop in your life?

What has he seemed to put a period to in your life?

his periods are really comma’s in our sentence of life.

Keep believing. Keep trusting. Keep hoping.

If you are in a place where the work in your life has seemed to come to a standstill know there

is so much more the Lord needs to do that no one can stop.

His plan for you hasn’t stopped just because the devil has thrown a spanner in the works.

Setbacks will be overcome and that’s our story!

Be blessed friends!

Rolain

O my soul……!

Why are you cast down, O my inner self?

And why should you moan over me and be

disquieted within me?

Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him,

for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help

of my [sad] countenance, and my God.

Psalm 42:5

 

I can’t help but be encouraged as I read this

Psalm. It is clear the author is going through

stuff. But even as he goes through the “stuff”

he does something interesting. He begins to

talk to himself…..I think that is very interesting.

He doesn’t tear himself down, curse himself,

focus on how miserable and pathetic he is…No!

He encourages himself!!!!

He talks to his soul – “Put your hope in God!

Wow…..

 

There is a lesson to learn here. How do we speak

to ourselves? Especially when things are going bad?

It’s so easy to encourage yourself, and speak good

when everything is going well but what happens

when things get crazy??

 

It is said that the average human has 50 000 thoughts

running through his mind on a daily basis…..that is a huge

amount of thoughts right. How much of those thoughts

are positive, encouraging and uplifting???

Look at another verse with me:

 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

my hope comes from Him.

Psalm 62:5

 

What you say to yourself is very important.

Teach yourself to build yourself up.

Teach yourself to encourage yourself in the

Lord.

When everyone abandoned David, he encouraged

himself in the Lord! He didn’t beat himself up, or

tell himself how much of an idiot he was. He spoke

life over himself.

We need to speak to ourselves more often. We

need to speak more life. We need to speak the word

over ourselves. We need to encourage ourselves

to seek the Lord. We need to encourage ourselves

in the Lord.

Tearing yourself down doesn’t do you any good.

It actually makes things worse.

 

Think about something with me for a bit.

People trash talk themselves and tear themselves

down because they think they know who they are

right? There is no one who knows you better than

you. “I always forget things”, you say.

“That is exactly like me”

“I am so clumsy”

“I am horrible with faces”

 

But let me ask you something. Did you create

yourself? The answer would be no.

God is the One who created you and He is the

only One who knows who you really are. So why

do you speak to and about yourself like

you are the one who created yourself??? You

cannot trust your judgement about yourself.

We think we know ourselves but that is not true.

We may be way ahead than the closest people

in our lives but we still are not qualified to make

a final assessment about ourselves. We didn’t create

ourselves, God did. So before you tear yourself down

think about that. You don’t have all the information on

yourself so don’t be so quick to tell yourself who you

are. You are wonderfully and fearfully made….

Don’t forget that….

 

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

 

 

 

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……….