When the fire becomes too much…….

 

“SO, SINCE Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Jesus was on a mission here on earth. He was here to fulfill

the call of God on His life. Was it easy??

Far from it. He encountered some really hard times. The

Pharisees constantly opposed Him. People left Him because

they didn’t understand Him. His disciples didn’t believe He

was who He said He was. There was constant doubt, fear, and

who knows what else. Why am I sharing this?

 

I am am sharing this because in life we walk through the fire.

But as we walk through it we need to remember what Christ

went through. There will be times the fire becomes too much

and in those times we NEED to remember Christ. We need to

patiently suffer the things we are facing. Why? That is what Christ

did. He could of given up or commanded an army of angels to

come and take out the people who were trying to kill Him but

He patiently endured the suffering.

 

As Austraila is around the corner I have been in a fire. It’s totally

unrelated to my trip but involves something very close to my heart.

It doesn’t even make sense. I am literally in a fire and it feels like it’s

too much. I wanted to give up. I wanted to throw in the towel.

Then there were days when I thought I could shrink back.

Crazy right. But then I read the scripture I shared in the

beginning of this post and a few things were revealed to me.

In the fire I need to hold on. In the fire I got to keep the main

thing the main thing. There is a purpose in the fire. God is testing

me.

 

“Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly].”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭AMP‬‬

 

I read this and was like what????

Firstly, I must not be amazed in the fire. There is a purpose in the

fire. The next thing the word tells me is to rejoice!! If I am sharing

Christ’s sufferings then I should rejoice! If I endure there will

be a glory that will be revealed and that is why I am to rejoice.

I will triumph, I will win says the word. The fire won’t consume

me. Even when the fire seems too much, even when it seems

too strong for me I must rejoice. There is a glory that will be

revealed if I hold on.

Are you in a fire right now? Are you on the verge of giving up?

My word to you is hold on. Jesus has a plan in the fire.

He will bring you out of it. The fire is meant to make us stronger,

not so we can go through it alone but stronger in our faith in

God. Christ knows exactly what we are facing. We are not in it

alone. Be encouraged…….

 

photo credit: google images

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

Walk and live in Him……

“Walk by the spirit!” I have heard that been said so

many times but if I am to be honest I didn’t fully

understand what that meant. I thought I did

but I really didn’t. Walking and living by

the spirit is not just about speaking in tongues or

praying 24/7 even though those things are extremely

important. I am going to bring a bit more understanding

and hopefully it will help you walk and live by the spirit.

 

This is what the word says about walking in the spirit:

 

But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the Holy Spirit

[responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit];

then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and

desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

Galatians 5:16

 

It is very clear that as Christians we are supposed to

walk and live in the Spirit. So how do you walk and live

in the Spirit?

Let’s look at another scripture:

 

For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the

[Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are

opposed to the flesh (godless human nature);

for these are antagonistic to each other [continually

withstanding and in conflict with each other],

so that you are not free but are prevented from

doing what you desire to do.  Galatians 5:17

 

As we desire to walk and live in the Spirit we need

to understand something, there is a war going on

in us, a war between our flesh and the Holy Spirit.

We need to understand this. They are in conflict

with each other.

In other words, the flesh hates it when you allow

the Spirit to move through you, the flesh hates

anything Spirit which would be prayer, reading

your word, spending time with God, fasting,

meditating on His word and a whole lot more

and it is the same for the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit

hates flesh. He is opposed to it.

 

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify

the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

 

That is God’s desire for us, that we would

walk by the Spirit.

The question is how?

 

Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are

clear (obvious): they are immorality,

impurity, indecency,

Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealously,

anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions

(dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects

with peculiar opinions, heresies),

Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the

like. I warn you beforehand, just as

I did previously that those who do

such things shall not inherit the kingdom

of God. Galatians 5:19-21

 

As I read that scripture I realized

something, walking in the flesh is simply

doing any of the

things mentioned in the scripture above.

This scripture gives us great insight into

how the flesh operates. As I read it I

realized I had given the flesh a lot

of leeway in my life…..!

But we are called to walk and live

in the Spirit.

 

But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the

work which His presence within

accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness),

peace, patience (an even temper,

forbearance), kindness, goodness

(benevolence), faithfulness,

Gentleness (meekness, humility),

self-control (self-restraint, continence).

Against such things there is no law

[that can bring a charge]. Galatians 5:22, 23

 

Walking and living by the Spirit

is fighting against the flesh. It’s about

getting rid of the idols in our lives, working

on that crazy temper, getting rid of envy,

and so on.

It’s about walking in love when we want to

hate, it’s about forgiving someone when

you want to hold a grudge………..

We are not perfect so this fight we are in

is a life long fight! We need the help of the

Holy Spirit to win. This is one fight you

will not win by yourself!

 

Look at one more scripture with me:

 

And those who belong to Christ Jesus

(the Messiah) have crucified the flesh

(the godless human nature) with its

passions and appetites and desires.

Galatians 5:24

 

This is what walking and living in the

Spirit looks like. It’s about crucifying

the flesh with its passions and desires

daily! Is it easy, heck no!

But it’s a fight worth fighting. We want

the Holy Spirit to have total control.

That is the goal…..

May we call on Him to help us walk

and live in the Spirit.

Amen

 

Rolain

 

 

 

God had a plan for her on that field….!!!

“And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields

and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I

find favor.”

Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” So she went out,

entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters.

As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz,

who was from the clan of Elimelek. Ruth 2: 2, 3

 

I read this scripture a few days ago when I saw something

AMAZING…!!! Ever wonder where your life is going?

Ever wonder if anything good is going to happen to you?

Ever wonder if things will turn around?

Ever think God has abandoned you on your journey?

Ever think your life was doomed, that all hope was lost

for you?

 

There is good news…….

 

Ruth had gone through a lot. She had lost her husband

and she moved to a foreign land. Her life looked bleak

but in the midst of all that God directed her steps:

 

“Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” So

she went out entered a field and began  to glean

behind the harvesters.

As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging

to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek. Ruth 2:3

 

Let’s think about this for a minute. Out of all the fields

in the land, Ruth “happened to work on a field belonging

to Boaz”…!!!!

God is so good….There is no other explanation to give.

God directed her to the field of Boaz….!!!

Naomi didn’t lay out a plan before hand for Ruth.

Ruth didn’t know a thing about Boaz but somehow

“it turned out that she was worked in a field belonging

to Boaz“!!!!

Let me say this, as He directed Ruth I believe He is

directing our steps. The “field” we are in is not some

field! There is a reason we are working in that “field”…!

 

Who was Boaz?

 

He was a relative of Naomi who had the power to

help them. The NIV study guide explains it like this:

Guardian-redeemer – The Hebrew word for guardian-

redeemer is a legal one who has the obligation to redeem

a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55)

 

He was later to be married to Ruth (she had no clue at

the time)

 

They had a son named Obed who was the father of Jesse,

the father of David!  Ruth 4:16

 

She was part of the genealogy of Christ! Matthew 1:5

 

Ruth thought she would go and work in a field but

God had a much bigger plan for her. He directed her

steps in such an amazing way. She had no idea where

she was but God did. He led her to the field of Boaz.

She had no idea the impact that would have on her life!

 

I was encouraged when I read that. How many of us are

like Ruth just working in “some” field? The thing is, it

wasn’t some field…..It was the field God had directed

her to. He cared about her life and there is no man who

could have done what God did for her.

 

Because God guided her a few things happened:

 

“So Boaz said to Ruth, My daughter, listen to me. Don’t

go and glean in another field and don’t go away from

here. Stay here with the women who work with me.

Ruth 2:8

Ruth had favor in the place God directed her into.

 

Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and

follow along after the women. I have told the men

not to lay a hand on you.  Ruth 2:9

Ruth was protected as God led her.

 

As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men,

Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand

her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles

and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.

Ruth 2: 15

She began to experience blessing and prosperity when

she walked in God’s leading.

 

As I read this story I cried out to God. I asked Him to

guide my steps like He did for Ruth. She had no idea

what God had in store but He led her to the field of

Boaz…!!!

You may be like Ruth, just working on some field,

not expecting anything from God, thinking He has

left you or thinking His plan for you IS the field…!!!

That is so not true…!!! God has more planned for

you beyond field. Ruth may of thought she was

just working in some field but she was exactly

where God wanted her to be….! She may of thought

she didn’t deserve anything from God but He had

something so amazing for her….She may of seen

herself as a foreigner but God saw her as a

daughter, beloved and precious daughter who

deserved only the best!!!

Don’t lose hope where you are. God is directing your

EVERY step. Like Ruth, He cares for you

Like Ruth, He has an amazing plan for you

Like Ruth, His favor is on you

Like Ruth, He has not abandoned you

Trust Him as He leads you

It’s not an easy thing to do but it’s worthwhile

Stretch your faith

He has a plan for every step you take

Your life is not meaningless

There is so much more in store

Amen

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They threw down their crowns……!

And the four living creatures, individually having six wings, were full of eyes all over and within [underneath their wings]; and day and night they never stop saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty (Omnipotent), Who was and Who is and Who is to come.                                                                                                               

And whenever the living creatures offer glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him Who sits on the throne, Who lives forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities),                                                     

The twenty-four elders (the members of the heavenly Sanhedrin) fall prostrate before Him Who is sitting on the throne, and they worship Him Who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne, crying out,          

Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and dominion, for You created all things; by Your will they were [brought into being] and were created.        Revelation 4:8-11

 

This passage of scripture intrigues me. It intrigues me and fascinates me so much. I envy the four living creatures. They get to be in God’s presence all the time. They get to see Him face to face……I know God has a purpose for me on this earth but I can’t wait for the day when I will see Him face to face. To be in His presence for eternity!!!!                                                                                                 What an honor it must be for the four living creatures! What has the presence of God done to them? How do they see? How do they speak? What do they think of God?

As I was meditating on the passage of scripture a thought came to me. The word says,

“Day and night they never stop saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty (Omnipotent), Who was and Who is and Who is to come.”

If I had to say Holy, holy, holy for a whole month non-stop I think I would get bored. I am just trying to be honest. So how did they do it? Before the earth was created and for eternity they will be crying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord so how is that possible? Maybe I am being crazy for trying to reason it out with my mind but it’s a thought I had. Don’t shoot me down just yet.   J

Then the answer came to me:

“He then went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him Who sat on the throne. And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] prostrated themselves before the Lamb.” Revelation 5:7, 8

Is it possible they have been able to cry Holy, holy, holy from the beginning of time because God revealed a new aspect of Himself to them???

Is it possible their praise has been a reaction to what God has shown them that they have never seen before??

In other words every time the four living creatures cry Holy, holy, holy it is because God showed them something new about Himself that they didn’t know and they will continue for eternity because God is so big that no one can ever say they know God fully!!! We can never get to a place where we can say we have seen ALL of God!

I want to be like the four living creatures where I see God working all the time. I don’t praise God enough not because He is not working but because I am distracted! I want to be able to see more of God at work in my life and in people’s lives and respond in praise to Him! Why wait till I get to heaven to start crying Holy, holy, holy! I can start now by being more sensitive to what God is doing, because He is working all the time!

The last thing I want to touch on is the twenty four elders. The word says,

The twenty-four elders (the members of the heavenly Sanhedrin) fall prostrate before Him Who is sitting on the throne, and they worship Him Who lives forever and ever, and they throw down their crowns before the throne, crying out, Revelation 4:10

They threw down their crowns. I think those crowns were significant. They meant something. They had meaning and they were precious. They were a gift from the Master but the twenty four elders were so overcome by God that nothing was more precious and important than God!! Yes, the crowns are important but for eternity they will throw them to the ground as a sign and declaration that God is the only One who is important!!  In worship, it’s not what we have that is important but the God we serve and the twenty four elders understood this. Nothing and I mean nothing came close to God no matter how precious it was. Can we be like them? The word says they “threw” down their crowns! They didn’t carefully place them down but threw the crowns!! May we get an understanding of how awesome our God is!

 

This post is different because I am rambling. I have been thinking about this passage for most of the day and this is what I have been coming with. I am going to leave it like this and hope you get the message behind the post. I am still trying to understand what it means for me. All I know right now is, I want to be more aware of what God is doing in my life and respond, like the four living creatures I want to cry out Holy, holy, holy day and night because I saw something about God I had never seen before; I want to be like the twenty four elders who threw their most precious gifts at God’s feet! Everything paled in comparison to God! Such passion, such devotion!!!!God is worthy of all our praise and may we see more of Him at work in our lives and respond!!!

Rolain

Living a life of passion.

I want to be someone who is driven by passion. I don’t want to waste away in the dark because I have no convictions and no drive…….I want to be so passionate that it will be what wakes me up in the morning. So passionate that I will not want to be idle! So passionate that the thing I am passionate about consumes my entire being. So passionate that every fiber of my being is infected! So passionate that people get uncomfortable around me….

Jesus was a passionate person. He was driven by passion.
He was passionate about God. So passionate that he obeyed Him even to death! He didn’t have to die but He did. Yes He loved us but He loved God,  loved Him enough to die!!!
He was passionate about the church, so passionate that He sat down and made a cord of whips and drove people out of the temple…..!
He was passionate about people. He was so passionate that it didn’t matter who they were or what time they would come to Him. He always made time for people. His heart broke for people, He wept for people, He gave His life to save people!
I hope you are starting to see how passionate He was. He wants us to have that same passion! A passion that cannot be extinguished. A passion that impacts the world! Jesus impacted the world forever because He was passionate. The Pharisees tried to stop Him but their efforts were futile! A passionate person cannot be stopped. We live in a world that needs the light of Christ. But that light will shine through passionate people. People who are passionate for God! People who are willing for God to use them. People who are passionate about the things God is passionate about! Are you that person?

Rolain

They truly missed it……….

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium (judgement hall, governor’s palace). And it was early. They themselves did not enter the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled (become ceremonially unclean), but might be fit to eat the Passover [supper].
John 18: 28

I was reading this verse when it occurred to me how far off the mark the pharisees were. They did not enter the Praetorium because they didn’t want to defile themselves!! If they defiled themselves they would not be able to partake of the Passover meal. Are you serious???!!!!  Didn’t they know the Passover was a shadow of Christ? They had the Messiah with them, the sacrificial Passover lamb but they didn’t realize it!!!!

That got me thinking about the Pharisees. How did they get so blind? We can learn a lot from them for sure. The one thing that came to mind was law and tradition. To the pharisees everything was about law and tradition. You had to do this and do that. Wash your hands in this way, pray this way, you have to, you have to……
And because of that attitude their hearts became hardened. Grace was not part of their vocabulary.
We need to be careful. Are we living by law or by grace?

Now a great crowd of the Jews heard that He was in Bethany, and they came there, not only because of Jesus but that they also might see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also,  John 12:9, 10

The Pharisees were out of control and they were supposed to be spiritual leaders!!!
Another attitude that contributed to their crazy behavior was the fact that they thought works was enough! They relied on their own strength to get them to heaven. They thought by doing, they could obtain salvation. They prayed, tithed, went to church, memorized scripture, fasted, all because they thought it would impress God…..How wrong they were. Our works in the sight of God, are like filthy rags! Works are not enough.

Something else to notice about is this, to the pharisees everything was about what you could see. They focused all their attention on the external instead of what was on the inside. They measured themselves and other people on outward appearances!!! They ignored the heart. They never searched their own hearts. They never realized their hearts and become hardened. What a shame.

All these things blinded them. They blinded them and hardened their hearts. Let us be careful how we walk. Ask God for wisdom. Let us not be like the Pharisees who missed God. We can easily be misguided just like the them. Let us be aware of the enemies devices…….

Rolain