When the year is not going the way I want it to go…..

I can’t believe we are already in March. Time is moving at an unbelievable pace.

As I look at the past two months I can say “things” have happened but I can also

see how there have been a lot of things that haven’t happened as well.

I have goals I want to accomplish which I have made throughout the year.

At the end of the year I review them and see how much progress I have made.

But as I look at the past two months I know I haven’t made as much progress as I thought

I would make.

These two months haven’t been smooth sailing as well. The enemy has tried to get me off

my game and his plan worked for a time. I am still recovering from his attacks…..

 

So yes, March is here and it doesn’t seem like much has happened as far as accomplishing

goals goes……So what do I do?

Does change only happen at the start of the year?

Do I have to wait for a new year to make the change?

Or can something be done now? Can a turn around happen today?

 

“For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, 

And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” 

Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of 

salvation.”

2 Corinthians 6:2

 

Today is the day according to that word. I don’t have to wait for end of the year to make

the changes that need to be made. I don’t need to wait for end of the year to tweak things

and try again.

We all have today to start anew.

Today is another opportunity given to us. We don’t need to beat ourselves up.

 

You don’t have to wait for end of the year to make the changes you need to

make. You don’t have to wait for the end of a year for YAH to turn your life around.

Today is the day. Today is the accepted time.

Don’t be despaired because things are going all wrong for you. You can cry out to the Lord right

now for mercy, for help!

Today, His mercy is available to you, His grace, His empowerment to do what He has called ‘

you to do. When we fall we can get up and try again.

 

We need His grace to live out this life.

We need His grace to move to the next level.

 

Be encouraged today friends.

There is a new hope today!

Bless you.

 

Rolain

When the woman put her trust in God…….

“Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel

grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

And she said, “let your maidservant find favor in your sight.”

So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer

sad. “

1 Samuel 1:17, 18

 

This story is very close to my heart. Hannah’s story encourages

me every time I read it.

I want to touch on something that I noticed as I read her story

again.

 

How many of us can identify with Hannah? She was trusting God

for a child. In the meantime she was been ridiculed and verbally

abused by Peninnah. How hard that must of been.

 

Let’s look at another important point.

 

“This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice

to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh.”

1 Samuel 1:3

 

The bible doesn’t tell us the exact amount of years they went to

worship. All we know is that Hannah couldn’t have children.

But every year she went to worship and every year she had to deal

with the onslaught of words from Peninnah. That must of being so

hard to deal with.

 

But there is something I want you to see.

When Eli spoke to her she did something amazing. Let’s look

at the scripture,

 

“Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel

grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

And she said, Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.

So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer 

sad. “

1 Samuel 1:17, 18

 

“She went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad”

 

That act really spoke to me.

She believed the word. She had faith she had her answer and

changed her attitude and behavior!

 

I haven’t been doing that enough.

I should live with an attitude of faith.

If I am going to receive what God has promised me

there has to be a change of heart, there has to be a change of attitude,

and a change of behavior. I can’t have faith and walk around like nothing

is going to happen. I can’t have faith in God and live like God hasn’t

heard me. That was such a powerful revelation for me.

Hannah didn’t hesitate when she heard the word.

And look at what happened when she did that,

 

“Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the 

Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. 

And Elkanah knew his wife, and the Lord remembered her.

So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived 

and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “

because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

1 Samuel 1:19, 20 (emphasis mine)

 

Not only did she change her attitude and behavior but she

worshiped the Lord with her husband!

Worship is so important in the life of a believer.

In her mind her prayer had been answered and that’s

why she worshiped the Lord!

I don’t know about you but that blows my mind.

What are you worshiping God for today?

If you have your answer worship!

If you don’t see your answer still worship!

We need to live a life of worship.

We don’t just worship when we get stuff,

we also worship Him because He is God!

 

What did their worship sound like?

I think they were worshiping the Lord for giving them a child.

They were worshiping Him because He heard their prayers.

That is amazing.

 

Even the words she spoke changed!

Her faith in God had an impact on what came out of her mouth.

Your faith should be spoken out, friends.

You can’t speak negatively and say you have faith.

You can’t speak negatively and see your breakthrough!

The way you speak must change if you have faith.

You should be worshiping the Lord for the great things He has done for you!

 

As I close I would like you to think about how you are speaking?

What is your attitude and behavior like?

Are you complaining, are you talking about how things

are not going to workout or are you speaking out what you believe?

 

And that is my challenge to you today friends…..

 

Bless you

 

Rolain

 

 

You don’t have to stay as you are!

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah)

he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old 

[previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. 

Behold, the fresh and new has come! “

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)

 

“The old has gone and the new is here!”

 

I love this passage of scripture. It really is good news for us as

sons and daughters of the Most High.

A few weeks ago I did a test that helps you identify what your

God given gifts are. I have done this test several times

throughout my life. In the past I always had a really low

score for administration which wasn’t good.

But when I did the test this time around, my administration

gift wasn’t low any more. It wasn’t in the top three but it was high

enough.

That really left an impression on me. Change had happened and

I have the Lord to thank for that.

The Lord is constantly working on me. Day by day I am being

renewed into the person He created me to be.

Does that mean I won’t make mistakes? No!

Does that mean change is a walk in the park? Heck no!

 

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

[he was pleased and entirely approving].”

Acts 8:1

 

Paul was a mess but God intervened in his life and turned it

around in such an amazing way. Paul is our example.

If God could totally transform Paul into a mighty man of God

who did mighty exploits for the kingdom, He can certainly do the

same thing in our lives.

 

What is your attitude towards change?

 

We need to change our attitudes.

God wants to change us but we need to get our attitudes

right.

If you think you will never change you are wrong. The Lord

has already made you new!

Who you are now can change with the Lord’s help alone.

You cannot change yourself! You need help.

 

The point of this post is to make you see that you can change

because you have already been changed into a new creation.

You may see flaw after flaw as you look at yourself but remember

the Lord is with you. He is with you changing you to be more

like Him.

You don’t have to stay as you are.

 

“The old has gone and the new is here!”

 

God bless you friends!

 

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

 

What is change?

I am back and it feels like I have been away forever but I needed

the break and I am really excited about this next season.

I hope the year has started off well for you.

As the year has started the word on everybody’s lips and mind

is “change”. Some people usually take this time to take a stock of

where they are in life and make the required changes.

With all this talk about change and the pressure to change I think

it’s important to understand what change really is.

Change is not an immediate transformation. Change is

incremental but let me not get ahead of myself.

As I talk about change I would like to talk about Zacchaeus

(Luke 19:5)

 

“And when Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to

him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your

house today.

So he hurried and came down, and he received and welcomed

Him joyfully.”

Luke 19: 5, 6

 

He was the chief tax collector in Jericho. Let me say this, there

is a good chance he was mean, a swindler and so on. Look at the

people’s reaction when Jesus calls him down from the tree.

 

 ^“And when the people saw it, they all muttered among themselves

and indignantly complained, He has gone in to be the guest of and

lodge with a man who is devoted to sin and preeminently a sinner.”

Luke 19:7

 

The people’s reaction tell us a lot about the kind of person

Zacchaeus was. This was more than a bit of jealousy. The bible

doesn’t say “a man complained” but it says “the people complained”.

If one man got upset we could challenge the idea that Zacchaeus

was a mean and unfair man but a group of people responded the

the same. That was not a coincidence.

 

But something happened, Jesus called Zacchaeus and stayed

at HIS house! What a privilege, what an honor! Zacchaeus

was obviously ecstatic. Look at what happens next,

 

 

So then Zacchaeus stood up and solemnly declared to the Lord,

See, Lord, the half of my goods I [now] give [by way of restoration]

to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I [now]

restore four times as much.

Luke 9;8

Something significant happened at that moment.

Zacchaeus declared he would give half of his goods as a way

of restoration to the poor!

What happened was what I call change.

You see, Zacchaeus didn’t declare he would never sin again, no!

That would be real change right? Wrong!

Look at what Jesus says,

^” And Jesus said to him, Today is [Messianic and spiritual]

salvation come to [all the members of] this household, since

Zacchaeus too is a [real spiritual] son of Abraham;

 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Luke 9: 9, 10

I have no doubt in my mind Zaccheaus was a changed man but it

would happen a bit at a time. His transformation would not take

a day but a lifetime.

This is what change is about. It’s allowing the Lord to come and

change you little by little. It’s allowing Him to deal with you

in His way. It’s allowing Him to come and open every closed

room in your heart. It’s giving Him access to the hidden

and locked places within you so He can do His work.

Change will take time friends. Transformation is for a lifetime.

You may have looked back at 2016 and seen all the things that

didn’t go according to plan and the things

that didn’t change in your life, like the habits, mindsets and

so on and got discouraged but know God is still working in your life.

He is working in a way you can’t see at times.

God doesn’t only work within the time frame of a year

but for some reason we think like this. We start at the beginning

of the year with a decision, a resolution about a change we want

to see in our lives and when the change doesn’t happened we get so

discouraged and repeat the cycle once again for another year!!

Surely that is not the way we are supposed to live.

There must be a better way.

As I close I would like you to re examine your definition of “change”

The more important question we must ask ourselves is,

How does God see change?

When He thinks of change what does it look like?

It’s great to be back friends.

God bless you.

Rolain

photo credit: google images

 

 

What true wisdom looks like……

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Hey friends!!

I hope I find you all well!

As the year closes I want to talk to you about something I was

thinking about recently.

 

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they

say, behold a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors

and [especially wicked] sinners!

Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her 

deeds) and by her children. “

Matthew 11:19

 

“Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does

(her deeds) and by her children.”

 

I was challenged by this verse. Do I really have wisdom?

After all, wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds and by

her children (fruit)

Wisdom is reflected by action and fruit!

Is there fruit in my life?

I can say I have wisdom but is it translating into works and am I

bearing fruit?

If there is no fruit in my life I am not really wise!

If I am really wise there will be action and there will be fruit

in abundance!

Wisdom will compel us to act, to stand up and make the

change! Wisdom does that.

 

This was hard to receive because I realized I haven’t really

taken the time to meditate on the things I have received.

I haven’t really put acting out what I know as the top

priority.

I need to be more deliberate and determined about applying

the wisdom I have received. It’s not enough to acquire

information.

 

Wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her

deeds) and by her children.

 

I want to really walk in wisdom. I am not content on just knowing

stuff cause that is not wisdom. Real wisdom is followed by action

and fruit! With real wisdom comes change.

If there is no improvement in my life and no fruit to show ‘

then I am living deceived!

 

If you are in the same boat I am in there is hope! We can start

2017 anew. We can make a decision to start again but this

time with a new understanding.

The Holy Spirit will help us if our desire is to walk in real

wisdom. I truly believe it. We may have blown it but we have a

second chance at this.

Have an amazing 2017 friends.

Bless you

 

Rolain

 

 

 

Let’s talk about airports and purpose…..

As I sat at the airport in Sydney I couldn’t help but notice

how busy the airport was. Our Zimbabwean airport cannot

even begin to compare to the Sydney airport. In fact, I don’t

even have to go that far. I can simply look at O.R Tambo

International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Compared

to us that airport is enormous. So sitting there at the airport,

thoughts of destiny and purpose came to mind!

 

God wasn’t speaking to me about airports only,

He was speaking to me about my life, about His vision

for my life……

 

Having a big airport doesn’t just happen!

 

Before anything can ever happen there has to be a vision for it.

The CEO of the airport in my country MUST get a vision

for a bigger airport! Nothing will ever change if that vision

isn’t there!

 

And that is how it is in our own personal lives. You must get

a vision for your life but not just any vision, God’s vision!

God has a purpose for you. That’s why you were born. Ask

Him to show you your purpose. I believe He will show you

if you genuinely want to know. Without a vision the word says

we perish! Without a vision there is no growth, just stagnation!

 

 

After the vision is there, he will need to think about construction.

He can have a vision of having the biggest airport in Africa and

even the world, but if he doesn’t start constructing new runways,

breaking down hangars to buid bigger ones and so on, that vision

is not going to happen. He must realise the current capacity

will not be suitable to accommodate the new vision! There

must be a change if the airport is to become bigger. He has

to start thinking global instead of local. He must abandon the

old systems and learn new ones if he is to be recognized globally

and be a force to reckon with!

 

That stands true for you and me. I was seriously convicted

by this point. My current capacity is not capable of

accomodating all that God has for me. I must realise this.

We must realise this!!!

 

I need to understand there must be a tearing down of the

old (old habits, old ways of thinking, old ways of talking) and so

on if I am to grow! I will not become the international airport

God has called me to be if I am comfortable with the old

airport!!! If I don’t see anything wrong with the old then I

am in deep trouble. Change begins when I see a problem

with the old! I hope I haven’t lost you………haha 

 

 

 

The next thing the CEO will need to look at is education.

He has to make sure his staff are on the same page as he is.

They have to be trained but not just by anyone. He has to hire

the best in the world if they are going to have a chance! He has

to eradicate all small thinking at all costs.

He will have to think about sending his staff to some of the

major airports so they can get the vision! If he is to move

in the new vision he must make sure his staff are on the same

page. He has to encourage them. If someone doesn’t want to

get it then he has to cut off that person.

 

Do you have people who encourage you in what God has

called you to do? It’s important you hang out with the right

people.

Do you have a mentor?

If you are around negitive minded people all the time,

beware! They can pull you down, snuff the purpose right

out of you. They can discourage you from pursuing

God’s purpose for your life. Surround yourself with

like minded people, people who believe in you and

people who are not afraid to tell you the truth when

you go down the wrong path!

 

Disclaimer

This is a very broad description of what an airport

might do if they wanted to change. Don’t quote me on

any of the technical steps! I was looking at the airport from a total

outsiders point of view, as someone who has no idea of how or

what makes an airport tick!

I thought I should make that clear in case one of you works

at an airport and thinks, what the heck is he talking about???

🙂

 

As I end be encouraged. God is busy working on your

behalf. His purpose for your life will be accomplished if you

decide to trust Him. Expect Him to do big things in your

life friend because I believe He can and will!

Amen

 

photo credit: google images

 

Rolain

What are you hungry for???

Appetite is an incentive to work; hunger makes you work all the harder.  Psalm 16:26

I have always thought this scripture was talking about the importance of a job. You know, if you don’t work you don’t eat, or something to that effect but there is a much deeper meaning to that scripture. I was so challenged by the revelation I was given in my quiet time. This scripture is talking about something more than jobs, it is talking about life. It is talking about purpose, destiny, the future. Let me put this verse in perspective. This year I decided there needs to be more change in my life but to do that I cannot keep on doing the same thing. That is insanity. If I want a change I need to change what I am doing. With all the frustration I have been having a hunger has been developed. And this is the hunger I think this passage of scripture is talking about. A hunger to be more, and a hunger to do more…..A hunger that is no more satisfied with the status quo but is willing to go against the grain….A hunger that says, it is time to get up and stop living life on the couch….A hunger that is not happy with just getting by but is pushing to do great things, significant things…..a hunger that is pushing forward in the face of insurmountable challenges…….a hunger that is tired of fear and instead stands up against it, that is the type of hunger I think this scripture is talking about!

“Appetite is an incentive to work” says the word. Without appetite there is no incentive to work. If you are not hungry for change, if you are content with everything as they are then there is no incentive. A mechanic fixes a car only when there is a problem, a surgeon operates only when a person is sick. What I mean by that is there is no need to fix a car if it is running smoothly and there is no need to operate if a person is healthy, so it is with us. There is no need for change if we see everything as OK. There is no hunger if you are full!!!! Only when you begin to want more, and be more, and do more does the incentive come. “Hunger makes you work all the harder“…..When you are hungry you will do whatever you can to accomplish your goal. The key to working harder is being hungry. Don’t settle for OK or good. This is why you shouldn’t settle for OK or good because there is no growth without hunger. Hunger is important to get to the next level of your life.

What are you hungry for in your life?

This is the question I asked myself. Am I hungry for change, am I hungry for God, am I hungry to succeed in all I do? Am I hungry??? I don’t want to live a “full” life. I want a change. A year from now I don’t want to be the same person I am now, I don’t want to live the kind of life I am living now, I don’t want to be praying the same prayers I am praying now, I don’t want to see the same way I see now, I don’t want to be at the same level of fitness I am now . I don’t want my life to be at the same place……!!!!

Before you can answer the question, “what are you hungry for in life” you need to ask yourself if you are hungry at all??? Without hunger nothing happens. Nothing great happened without hunger, passion!!!Get hungry. Whet your appetite by thinking more outrageously, praying bigger prayers, seeing a bigger picture. Pray big, speak big and trust God. Change happens when you make a stand and say “ENOUGH”!!

As I end I will leave you with this question, what are you hungry for?????                         🙂

Rolain

The mystery of The “Sand” Revealed…..!

You might be wondering what “sand” I am referring to! And no, this post is not about sand. Instead the sand I am referring to is the sand Naaman took with him……It had a lot of significance as I am about to show you.
With that said I would like to share one of my favorite bible characters with you. As I have already said, his name is Naaman. (2 Kings 1)
He was the commander of the army of the king of Syria.
The bible says he was a mighty man of valor but he was a leper.
This is not why he is one of my favorite characters. He is one of my favorite because he had an encounter with God which changed the direction of his life forever. God used Elisha to heal him of his leprosy.

When he experienced the power of God he made a decision to follow Him. He then makes a weird request to the man of God Elisha. He asks him for ‘two mules’ burden of earth!!! (2 Kings 5:17)
This is what he says,
For your servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offerings nor sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord.
In this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master [the king] goes into the house of [his god] Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant in this thing. (2 Kings 5:17,18)

Naaman made a decision and he was committed to that decision and nothing was going to change that. The “sand” signified a change. It signified a change of heart. He chose God and he was not turning back! I get so challenged when I read his story. As I have made a decision to follow God I ask myself, am I as determined as Naaman? Am I committed and focused as him?
Are you as determined and focused and set as Naaman? He was an alien but when he saw God’s power he made a decision. He was probably more committed than most people in Israel at that time.

In this day and age we need to have the same determination and commitment. We cannot serve God halfheartedly!!! It’s either God or something else. Let us be like Naaman and make a wholehearted decision to serve God with everything within us!!!

Rolain

What is the state of your well?

How is your well? You might think that is a weird question but it’s not. It is a very serious question. I was very challenged when my Pastor spoke about this. It really got me thinking about my life.
You take you wherever you go. And there is nothing you can do about that. Who are you as a person? Are you disciplined, do you have an uncontrollable temper, do you use vulgar language, do you lie all the time? You take you wherever you go.

But who you are depends on the state of your well. John 4:14 says:
But whoever takes a drink of water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life.

Jesus said your well will be flowing and bubbling continually within you. But is it? Are your waters clean?
If you are a son or daughter of God and you lie blatantly or cheat, or steal or hurt others then your well is polluted. It has been corrupted. Whenever you take or pay a bribe you are polluting your well. When you gossip about someone you are polluting your well. When you sleep around you are polluting your well. When you watch pornography you are polluting your well. (I have experienced this first hand). When you beat up your wife or abuse your children physically and verbally you are polluting your well. When you cheat you are polluting your well.

The list goes on and on. Is your well clean? What are you doing now that is polluting your well? You need to stop. God’s plan is for your well to be flowing and bubbling continually. Your credibility as a son or daughter of God is damaged when you continually pollute your well. But the great news is that, it’s not too late. If your well is dirty it can be restored to it’s intended purpose. There is hope. Get back to the Word, pray to God. Seek after Him. Set your heart to seek Him. As you do those things your well will become clean. It’s not too late. Clean your well.
And as you do that you will not be ashamed to take you wherever you go. That is a benefit of cleaning your well. So as i close i leave you with this question, what is the condition of your well?

Rolain. P