The warrior’s cry!

I wait quietly before God,

for my victory comes from Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will never be

shaken.

Psalm 62:1, 2

 

There is no doubt that David was a mighty man of war.

He killed his tens of thousands. He also had a crazy army.

Men who killed giants, killed lions, took on a whole army

single handedly……! David and his army were feared in the land

but as we look at the scripture above, David doesn’t rely on

any of that. For the scripture to make sense let’s look at

the context:

 

So many enemies against one man –

all of them trying to kill me.

To them I’m just a broken-down wall

or a tottering fence.

They plan to topple me from my high

position

They delight in telling lies about me.

Psalm 62:3, 4

 

So get this, there are people who want to kill David.

And it isn’t just one man but many! They are telling lies

about him behind his back and they want to topple him.

He is in some very serious trouble. Life threatning stuff

but instead of using his strength and power to take on his

enemies, he waits quietly before God!

 

He waits silently before God!

 

The enemy is strong, very strong but instead of

fighting, he waits silently before God!

Was it easy for him to wait? I don’t think so.

 

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

for my hope is in Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:5, 6

 

Another translation says,

Patiently wait for God alone, my soul!

For He is the one who gives me confidence.

Psalm 62:5

 

You can almost feel the battle he is fighting on

the inside. There is the one side that wants

to do something, to fight, but he silences that part.

The warrior sees more benefit in waiting silently

before God than resorting to his weapons and fighting!

His waiting reflects his incredible faith in God! It takes

a lot to wait instead of fight.

 

Can you picture it?

There is David, waiting quietly

before God even though there are men trying to kill

him!

Lies are flying behind his back but he

waits silently before God!

The enemy has gathered together, planning his

dimise, strategizing how to take him down but

David quietly waits before the Lord!

His conviction is strong:

 

“my victory comes from God,

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will never be shaken.”

 

“My victory and honor come from God

alone.

He is my refuge, a rock where no

enemy can reach me. “

 

His conviction is our conviction and our truth!

We may be in a dark place, a hopeless place but we

need to wait quietly before God.

The victory is coming!

The enemy may have us surrounded, too strong for

us, but instead of fighting back in our own strength

we need to quietly wait before God.

He will deliver us from our strong enemy!

In the storm know that God is with you. He has

not abandoned you. Don’t lean on your own understanding

but lean entirely on Him!

Our victory comes from God and only God!

Amen!!

 

photo credit: google images

 

Rolain

 

I was totally clueless until…..

Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 

Mark 13:5

 

The disciples asked Jesus about the end times and it’s

interesting to me what He said to them.

There is no doubt in my mind that we are living in the end

times. This week in our weekly bible study as a church,

Mark 13 was the main focus. There are a few things that stood

out in that lesson that I would like to share with you.

 

In talking about the end times, Jesus warns us against being

deceived. In the end times the enemy will try and deceive as

many people as he can. Are you deceived?

Before you answer the question I want to ask you another question,

How does one know he or she is deceived???

 

Jesus made it very clear that in the end times the enemy would

try his very best to deceive us. We are in the end times so the

enemy is at work trying to deceive us.

Just last week God uncovered deception in my heart. The thing

about deception is this, it’s subtle. It creeps in like a thief in the

night without a trace. That is what happened to me.

I was deceived about the way I thought about life. I had a way

of looking at life that was wrong but I didn’t even know it!

Who knows how long I was deceived. All I know is that it was

years!!!!

Yep, that long and I didn’t even know I was deceived. Anyway last

week on my off day as I was spending time with God reading

His word, the light came on! It was like scales fell off my eyes

and for the first time I saw clearly. I saw right through the lies

and deception. I couldn’t believe I never saw it.

 

Jesus knew how real the danger was. How many times in that

passage does He warn us to watch and be alert??!!!!

 

“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform

signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

Mark 13: 22, 23

 

How do you guard yourself against being deceived?

Be in the spirit, be in the word constantly, pray

as much as you can! I wasn’t doing these things that much.

Yes I would pray but not enough.

I would read my word but not enough

 

The word of God will expose deception in our lives.

 

Watch what you listen to and what you see. Left unchecked

you will be deceived.  Let me give you an example:

Things in my country are critical at the moment. People are losing

their jobs, corruption is at an all time high. Things don’t look

good.

The enemy is deceiving people by making them believe the

situation is hopeless. Christians are not tithing because things

are difficult but they have been deceived. God is the One who

provides for us and makes a way and that is why we can tithe

in the most trying of times. He is the God who makes a way in

the wilderness! But see how easy deception comes.

We need to watch and be alert! We can all be deceived. No one

is exempt.

I encourage you to look at your life and ask the Holy Spirit to

reveal any deception that is in your life. Remember what I said

in the beginning. It is hard to detect deception.

Anything that does not line up with the word of God is deception!

As I end I will leave you with this;

 

What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ 

Mark 13:37

 

photo credit: google images

 

Rolain

The arrogance of man….

And Saul built an altar to the Lord;

It was the first altar he built to the

Lord.  1 Samuel 14:35

 

Saul built an altar to God. It was probably the only

altar he built to God.

Why he built the altar is not really clear but the point

is this, he built an altar.

Saul building that altar almost seems out of context.

In fact, it’s so out of Saul’s norm that the word says,

 

“It was the first altar he built to God.”

 

Building an altar meant on a very rare

occasion Saul remembered God, he honored God!

It was one of those very rare occasions where

Saul put God first, where Saul stopped to thank

God.

The altar that Saul built tells us a lot about where

his relationship with God was. He didn’t build altars

which meant something.

 

On the other hand let’s look at David.

Building an altar wasn’t out of context for him.

He built countless altars to God. That also said

something about his relationship with God.

David was a man after God’s heart. God was the

most important thing to him….

 

David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-5)

David kills Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-23)

In both these situations David repented to God.

He confessed his sins and asked God to forgive him.

His heart broke because of what he did.

 

David counts his people (2 Samuel 24:1-9)

After counting the people the word says:

David felt ashamed after he counted the people

and said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in

what I did! Lord, I beg you, forgive me for my

sin. I have been very foolish.”

2 Samuel 24:10

 

Once again David humbled himself before God.

He confessed his sin to God quickly!

 

David wants to build a house for God.

(2 Samuel 7:1-18)

Even in peace David still sought the Lord.

He never forgot Him!

 

This is what I am trying to show you,

We need to be like David who built countless

altars to God. He loved God so much. Yes,

he sinned many times but he always turned 

to God. No matter how bad things got he

always turned to God and even in good times

he still turned to thank God!

 

Saul didn’t put God first a lot of the time.

Some would say he was proud. He believed

he could make it on his own. He was a skilled

warrior who was a “head taller” than everyone

else. (1 Samuel 9:2)

Whatever the case we must aim to be like

David who humbled himself before God.

He never relied on his own strength. Instead,

he relied on God and ALWAYS turned to

God, always……

The goal is not to be David but it’s to take

those things that made his relationship

with God stronger and apply them to

our lives.

The goal is not to discredit or attack

Saul but it’s to look at his life and

learn from his mistakes. We all sin

so attacking Saul would be foolish…

 

God wants us to put Him first….

Pride will always resist God.

We need to be humble and allow

God to lead us.

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

 

The Danger of Comfort!!!

I love quotes a lot. One of my favorite quotes says,

“Ships in the harbor are safe, but that’s not what ships are built for”.

You will agree with me that this is a very popular quote. As I was thinking about it I decided to go and try and find stories of ships that were destroyed in the harbor. I couldn’t find even one story. I searched and searched with no luck. Seriously, I could not find anything. I didn’t find a headline that said, SHIP DESTROYED WHILE IN HARBOR! Nothing. Interestingly enough I found more than enough stories about ships that were destroyed out at sea. Then it hit me. We are scared to take risk at times. We prefer to be comfortable and we prefer to be safe but this is the thing, we are not made to live in the harbor. We are meant to be out there taking risks. We are meant to be stepping out like Peter in faith!!! It’s out at sea that we see God. Actually it’s where God meets us! It is out in the sea that we see the miraculous. Being in the harbor is safe and comfortable but there is no growth. Someone once said comfort breeds laziness and I think he is right. Out at sea is pain and sorrow, and fear of the unknown but better that than lazying around in the sun, thinking about what could of being and moaning over chances not taken because of fear!!!! Enough of saying, “I wish I could of” or “what would of happened if I” or “If only I”…….ENOUGH!!!!!!
You were NOT created to live in comfort and safety  but you were created to impact the world. You were created to grow and change the world around you. Amen……

Rolain

What Is Truth?

What I am about to share with you is a revelation I got from my quiet time. There are “truths” that we live by but do you know there is a higher “truth” you can live by?
Let us start in Mark 4:38-41.
Jesus and the disciples are at sea and they encounter a storm of hurricane proportions! The boat is sinking and the disciples skill and knowledge of the sea have come to nothing. They cannot save themselves so they wake Jesus up who was sleeping.
What I want you to see in this passage of scripture is that there were two truths the disciples were faced with. One truth was, the boat was sinking. Their lives were in danger! The word says:

And a furious storm of wind [of hurricane proportions] arose, and the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled. Mark 4:37

The other truth was, Jesus was with them and He could save them and that is why they woke Him up.
And it is the same for us. We have “truths” that are real like the boat sinking, it could not be denied but then we serve the Creator of the Universe! We serve the King of Kings. You can live by that TRUTH or the other “truth”.
We find another example of this in the next chapter of Mark. It is the story about the woman with the issue of blood. To read her story go to Mark 5:25-34.
She had lived with a “truth” for so long. She had suffered with a flow of blood for twelve years and there was nothing doctors could do for her. She had spent all she had and on top of that she was getting worse! But she heard about Jesus and all the things He had done. She chose to believe Jesus who is the “TRUTH” we need. And when she chose to believe the “TRUTH” she was healed! The word says:

For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health.
And immediately her flow of blood was dried up at the source, and [suddenly] she felt in her body that she was healed of her [distressing] ailment. Mark 5:28,29.

What I am speaking about is not easy. It needs faith and can only be done by faith. When I saw this I saw things in my life I didn’t want to keep accepting. I have just accepted things for so long but not anymore. Jesus is the “TRUTH” I need to believe. His arms are open and He wants me to trust in Him. Will you trust in Him? Will you step out of the boat in faith? As the disciples and the woman believed the “TRUTH” the other “truth” had lost its power. You have real “truths” that are happening in your life right now but please know that there is another “TRUTH” you can live by. He is The Truth and no other “truth” is higher than Him. All other “truths” have to bow down to Him. You don’t have to keep on living in poverty or in sickness or alone or without hope!

Will you join me as I apply this principle? I said at the start of the post that I just got this revelation. It is new to me but I will apply it because I trust God’s word. I have presented a principle from the word and it is up to you to believe it. Let us do this together. Let us choose the right “truth”!

Rolain.P