Keep On Believing

When faced with impossible odds and difficult situations we need to keep on praying.

We need to keep trusting and believing that God will come through for us even when our circumstances are

far from ideal. Even when things are going the opposite of what God has promised.

I was so encouraged as I read Luke chapter one. And it’s the story of John’s parents.

“But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will

bear a son, and you shall call his name John.”

Luke 1:13

We know Zechariah has been praying for a child because the angel was there because of his prayer;

“Do not be afraid Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard”

He kept praying and trusting God for a child in spite of the impossible circumstances he and Elizabeth were in;

“And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.”

Luke 1:6, 7

They were advanced in age and Elizabeth was barren but that didn’t stop them from trusting God for a child. That didn’t

stop Zechariah from praying. No matter how impossible it seemed, he kept praying, he kept trusting God.

As the years went by they didn’t stop believing. They did not give up.

And because they didn’t give up they received an answer to their prayers!

And that’s what I want to encourage you with.

No matter how impossible your situation seems, keep praying, keep trusting in the Lord. Don’t give up hope.

God will fulfill what He promised you.

Even though things are going wrong in your life and prayer doesn’t seem to be getting answered don’t stop.

Keep on believing that God will come through for you because He will.

And with that I have come to the end of the post.

Thank you for reading it and I would love to hear what your thoughts are on the topic.

And remember, no matter how impossible the odds seem, don’t give up praying, don’t give up trusting God.

Bless you friends

Rolain

It’s not your burden to carry…..

I have been worrying about a certain situation this week. It actually started last week. It wasn’t too

serious but enough to warrant a response from me. But in the midst of the worrying a few thoughts came

to me. Was my worrying warranted? What does YAH think when I worry?

Surely it’s okay to worry here and there?

 

Reading the word brought some clarity and that is what I want to share.

No matter how bad things are, no matter what comes our way, His desire for us is to always bring

our problems to Him.

He doesn’t want us wasting even a second worrying.

The call to not worry is a command from the Lord.

Let’s look at a few scriptures in light of this,

 

“Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, 

by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants

known to God.” 

Philippians 4:6 (emphasis mine)

 

“Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives

do I give to you. 

Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated

and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

John 14:27 (emphasis mine)

 

There is no suggestion or invitation here. it’s definite, resolute.

And that is so for a reason.

 

We worry about things but the Lord wants to take it all.

He doesn’t want us to waste time worrying because He cares for us and loves us. He wants to help us.

He is stronger than anything we will ever face and He knows that.

 

So as I end I want to make us see that worrying does not accomplish the purposes of the Lord in any way.

Worrying opens the door to anxiety, stress, fear and a lot of other harmful things.

When worry comes we need to take it to Him instantly. Don’t hold on to it.

Whatever you are worrying about today know that it’s not your burden to carry.

It’s the Lord’s burden, He wants it to take it from you. Will you let Him?

 

 

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, 

for I am Your oasis. 

Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, 

humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. 

For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” 

Matthew 11:28-30 (TPT)

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

Because He loves us, He commands…..!

I was thinking about God’s commands today.

Did you know God commands us to follow His commands?

(If you love me keep my commandments. John 14:15)

 

He doesn’t suggest we forgive someone who wrongs us,

He commands us to forgive.

(Bear with each other and forgive one another if any

of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the

Lord forgave you. 

Colossians 3:13)

 

He doesn’t suggest we live pure lives, He commands us

to be pure.

(As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires

you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who

called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:

‘Be holy, because I am holy.  1 Peter 1:14-16)

 

He doesn’t suggest us to praise Him, no, He commands us to

praise Him.

(The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My

praise.  Isaiah 43:21)

 

I could go on and on but you get the picture. There is so much

God has commanded us to do.

But that word, “command” isn’t a word we like too much.

It’s so abrupt, so definite so final!

When we hear the word command walls come up. A lot of people

have commanded us before and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.

So when we hear, God commands, the defenses are raised

instantaneously.

 

But I want to show you what God showed me about His commands.

When God commands, it’s not because He is drunk on power and

wants us to feel His awesomeness!

He doesn’t command for the sake of making life hard for us like

others have done.

He is God and not man.

When God commands, He has our well being in mind.

 

Let me show what I mean.

This is a command. When you see the sign you know exactly

what it means.

This is not a suggestion. They are commanding you to keep

out because they know the danger it will cause to you.

That sign was made with you in mind. It’s a way of protecting you.

And when you see it you don’t complain because you know it’s to

keep you safe.

 

When a parent commands their child not to talk to strangers

it’s not because they love making things hard for their child,

but it’s to protect them.

It’s out of love they command their child!

 

And that is how we need to look at God’s commands.

He has you and me in mind when He commands. It’s because

He loves us, that He commands us.

 

We need to stop fighting His commands.

 

I was fighting one this week. I had an argument with someone

and instead of forgiving them

I brought up reasons why I shouldn’t. I tried to justify myself but

that’s not what God commands.

He commands us to forgive as He has forgiven us. It’s not because

He enjoys seeing me in pain but

because He wants to see me grow and move to another level in my

walk with Him.

 

Are you obeying His commands?

Do you try to run away from the things He has commanded you?

We have an opportunity to do the right thing.

His commands are for our benefit.

He commands because He loves us deeply.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

The war I didn’t see coming…….

“Whom have I in heaven but You?

And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.”

Psalm 73:25

 

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When 

shall I come and appear before God?”

Psalm 42:2

 

These scriptures paint a picture of my love for God. I really

need more of Him everyday. I am nothing without Him.

Where could I go and what could I do without Him???

He really is the love of my life!

 

But I am in a war right now and the results of the war will have

a huge impact on my relationship with God.

The fight caught me unawares. For some time I supplied the

enemy with the arsenal he needed to have an edge on me.

Can you imagine that?!!!

I was totally blindsided by the enemy.

 

You see, the war I am engaged in is not happening on a plain

that is easily recognizable.

The war I am engaged in is happening right at my doorstep, as a

matter of fact it’s happening closer than that. This war of epic

proportions is happening right in my home!

 

How could I miss it? How did I not recognize the enemy’s tactic?

A face to face confrontation wouldn’t have done the trick. I would

have quickly dismissed him. Instead he came slyly into my

home through television, social media, and so on. I used to spend

so much time with Yeshua in the past. When I would get home

I would make sure I spent my time in prayer, and word.

Yes I would do other things but they were not the “main” things.

Spending time with God was on the top of the list.

 

But one day that pattern changed.

I would get home and put on the television.

If there was nothing to watch I would go online.

There was even a time I would forgo church functions to watch

sport!

The war is real friends.

 

When God by His grace opened my eyes to what I was doing

I realized I had to cut things out of my life. The first thing to go was

the television. I had to look to God for help. I couldn’t do it alone.

But that didn’t go without a fight!

What the heck!!

 

I am slowly gaining the ground I lost in the beginning. The fight

has been brutal but I will keep fighting because my relationship

with God depends on it. He is the love of my life.

He is the One I desire above all else and I am not alone in this.

He is right by my side helping me!

I want to fall deeper in love with Him and nothing must stand in

the way of that.

 

Friends, as hard as that was to write the goal is to help you see

how far the enemy is willing to take the battle. Your battle will

be different from mine but you must know that the enemy will

take the battle to your home!

if you are single this post is for you especially, the time you have

now is so important. It is in this time you get deeper with God.

Don’t make the mistake I made by allowing distractions to take

away the precious time I had kept aside for God.

And if you are strong in this area then please pray for me.

I need all the help I can get!

Bless you!

 

Rolain

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

The man in chains……

Paul was one of the greatest apostles that ever lived. He was

a man who obeyed God 110%, no make that 150%, actually make

that 200%……I think you get the picture!  🙂  When I read the

life of Paul I am challenged by his obedience. Let’s look at the

things he accomplished because he was obedient.

 

He got to share the gospel with Felix who was Governor at

the time. He was a man who had lots of influence. 

Read Acts 24:10-26

 

Paul shared the gospel with King Agrippa and his wife

Bernice. God brought Paul before powerful men

and women to share the gospel.

Acts 25 and chapter 26

 

By the way he carried himself and his faith in God,

Paul was able to minister to the Roman soldiers

Read Acts 27:42, 43

 

Because of his obedience Paul ministered to a whole

tribe on the island of Malta.

Read Acts 28.

 

During imprisonment in Rome, Paul wrote a lot of

the books in the new testament. It is said he wrote,

Ephesians Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

After imprisonment it is said he wrote Hebrews,

Titus, 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.

 

Now for the crux of the matter. I will share a scripture that I

believe is the key that opened the door to all the ministry he did:

 

After several days of visiting, a prophet from Judea by the name

of Agabus came down to see us. He went right up to Paul, took

his belt, and, in dramatic gesture, tied himself up, hands and feet.

He said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews in Jerusalem

are going to tie up the man who owns this belt just like this and

hand him over to godless unbelievers.”

When everyone heard that, we and everyone there that day

begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to

Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn’t budge:

Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene

and making it even harder for me?

You’re looking at this backward. The issue is Jerusalem is not

what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the

Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that?

Acts 21:10-13

 

Wow right…..Paul had an understanding of obedience. He knew

being obedient allowed Jesus to work through him. And because

Paul was obedient, Jesus did a mighty work in him and through

him!

 

Let’s bring this principle home. God has a plan for each and

everyone of us but we can only walk in that plan when we are

obedient! That revelation hit me hard! I am in a situation where

I have a decision to make. I can either be obedient even though

it’s difficult and uncomfortable or disobey! But the word is very

clear, Jesus works through our obedience!

He has this amazing, uncomprehendible (if there is such a word)

plan for us. It’s just to big to fathom. I don’t think Paul knew all

that God had in store for Him but he simply obeyed, and

trusted! We need to do the same……

I want to live a life of obedience to God and I ask Him to

help me. I rebel a lot and I fight and push back but He wants

me to obey. He wants us to obey!

Will you learn a lesson from the man who lived a life of obedience?

Rolain

 

 

The Compromise of the Calling…..

 

 

We all agree that God has a destiny for each and everyone of us. No matter who you are or how you were brought up or where you lived, God has a destiny for you. Like the people of God you have a purpose and a calling. I would like to make a point but to do so we need to look at a few scriptures. Let us look at Judges 1:19:

The Lord was with Judah, and [Judah] drove out the inhabitants of the hill country, but he could not drive out those inhabiting the [difficult] valley basin because they had chariots of iron.

But the Benjamites did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; the Jebusites dwell with the Benjaminites in Jerusalem to this day. Judges 1:21

Neither did Manasseh  drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and it’s villages, or of Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their villages, but the Canaanites remained in that land.
Judges 1:27

As you read the rest of the chapter you will see a trend. You will see how Israel failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land. They compromised the call of God. They were specifically told to destroy the nations around them but they couldn’t. Why?

The promise God has for us is not easy to attain! We see this clearly shown in the scriptures I just wrote. Walking the path God has for you is not for the faint-hearted! It is hard, and difficult to attain. God was speaking to Joshua and this is what He told him as he was about to get into the promise land:

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you, Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. Judges 1:7

Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for The Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Is it possible that Israel compromised because they didn’t understand what it really meant to walk into the promise land? Did they expect it to be a walk in the park? Did they not know it was going to be difficult?
Walking into what God has for you is not only difficult but impossible!!! In our own strength we don’t stand a chance,it would be better to give up right now.

When Moses told all this to the people of Israel, they mourned long and hard. But early the next morning they started out for the high hill country saying, We’re here; we’re ready – let’s go up and attack the land that God promised us. We sinned, but now we’re ready – let’s go up and attack the land that God promised us. We sinned, but now we’re ready.” Numbers 14: 39-45

We all know the story. The Isralites were defeated. They could not take the land in their own strength. This is what I would like you to see.
God has a calling and purpose for us. In the natural, it is impossible to accomplish it. The only way to walk in your purpose is to trust God. You will accomplish all He has for you when you look to Him and rely Him.
But even with all that said, to accomplish our purpose we need to be strong and very courageous. It takes a strong person, a person who knows who he is in God to accomplish his purpose!

God will not leave you alone. He will not expect you to finish the race on your own because He knows you can’t do it. We compromise the call of God on our lives when we think we can do it by ourselves in our own strength. The truth is we can’t. God is with us willing to help us. We just need to ask Him for help. As you trust in Him, He will help you and strengthen you.

I can see where God is leading me to next in my walk with Him. I also see it’s going to need me to be strong and courageous as I walk with Him. I also see without Him I will fail, no doubt but in the midst of all that I am confident He is with me. He will not let me down. And so it is with you. As you pursue the desires God has put in your heart know that He is by your side. There will be days when you will feel like giving up but just keep pressing on. He will bring you to the other side! He is good indeed!

Rolain

 

Don’t let your circumstances have the final say….four reasons why!!!!

What is happening around you? What kind of environment are you living in? What are you being exposed to on a daily basis? I ask these questions because these things have an impact on you. They have an impact on the way you think and they have an impact on the way you view life. This is a constant battle I find myself in. It has always been a battle. The challenge is to not let your present circumstances determine your destiny. It’s ok if your present circumstances are positive, but what happens when it’s bad? What happens when everyone is talking negatively, and everyone is discouraged? What happens when your future looks bleak, or you THINK it looks bleak, what then?

Here are 4 reasons why you should not let your present circumstances have the final say in your life –

1. Just because things are not going well now does not mean your future is going to be the same. Your present circumstances are not forth coming attractions of your future. Things will get better, much better.

2. Your present circumstances have the potential to determine the kind of choices you make. Even if things are hard and you see no end to the misery make a choice to trust God. The fact is, there is an end to the hard times. Winters always end! Don’t let the “winter” you are going through right now determine and dictate what choices you will make. Step out, pursue what God has called you to do. Don’t shrink back, don’t fear. I have done the latter two a lot! Because things were hard and seemed bleak I thought my future was pretty much the same. But that is not the case. And this is the battle I fight constantly. God has an amazing plan for us and no matter what the enemy brings our way we need to keep our eyes on Jesus and what He has spoken to us.

3. The next thing I have found is that my present circumstances tend to dictate what I should expect! If things are hard and difficult don’t expect much I am told. Just get by. Don’t trust God for too much…….!

Please, don’t let your current circumstance determine what you expect. Maybe you don’t have the money you need but don’t let that stop you from pursuing what God has called you to do. Don’t allow your circumstances determine your expectations. Expect God to do great things in your life even if things are falling apart in your life. He will come through for you.

4. The last thing is so important. All the points I have mentioned are important but this one needs special consideration. Don’t let your present circumstances dictate your faith in God. Your present circumstances have a way of blurring God’s greatness. It’s hard to see God when things are crazy in your life. It’s hard to see God when nothing seems to be working. Don’t let your circumstances dictate your faith in God. Keep trusting in God. Don’t lose heart. God can be trusted. If everything fails your faith is the one thing that should remain. I have to make a conscious decision to trust God. Even when I feel discouraged, even when nothing seems to be working and even when things don’t look like they are going to change.

I hope this post helped you. In fact I hope it made sense to you! If not, please don’t hesitate to ask me for clarity where unclear or if you need to add something, please feel free to do so.

When I talk about present circumstances I am talking about the difficult times we go through, the hard times, the confusing times. I just thought I should make that clear. I pray your faith continues to be strong in the face of adverse circumstances. God wants us to trust Him because He knows the end. Things will get better, much better. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and winters always come to an end! It’s all because of God’s grace…..Amen

Rolain

The Enemy’s Plan For Your Life…….

God has an amazing plan for you. I am hoping you know this but the enemy also knows God has an amazing plan for you! And his goal is to stop you because you accomplishing what God has for you means less effectiveness for him. One of the enemy’s plans is to get you to settle for less!! God has a grand and amazing future for us but the enemy tries to let us settle for less.
Look at what the enemy tried to do with Hezekiah and his people:

Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me; and eat every one from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree and drink every one the water of his own cistern,
until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.  Isa 36:16,17

There it is, did you see it? The enemy was going to take Israel away to a land LIKE their own land!!!! Is that crazy or what?! But we tend to do that at times.

Things get hard and difficult, we get confused and begin to doubt what God really said to us. In the midst of that we settle for less. We settle for good and not great but don’t fall for his trap. Don’t settle for second best. Settle in your mind and heart that God has reserved only the best for you!! No matter how difficult things get don’t believe the lie. Look to God. Trust Him because your future is in His hands!

Rolain

The Answer To Life’s Difficult Situations.

If there is one thing you need to know about me, it’s my love for wisdom. In the past few months God has been showing me how important wisdom is in my life. I have seen how I can’t go through life without wisdom. Without wisdom I am dead. We all need wisdom to live, but why? I will show you why.

– The first thing you need to know is, wisdom is calling out to us, calling out to you. Are you in a situation that you can’t solve? Are you in a place where you are stumped at what to do? Answer wisdom’s call. She wants to help you. She knows you need her.

Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madame Insight raising her voice? Proverbs 8:1

The thing we need is wisdom! It is the answer to those tough situations we are facing. It is the answer to the complicated situation you are facing. You are not smart enough on your own. A lot of us make the mistake of thinking we have the answers. We do but only through God. On our own we are nothing. On our own we just a clanging symbol. It’s being said, the best of flesh is still flesh! We really do need God to help us. Left to ourselves we will drown.

For wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.
Proverbs 8:11

There is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING that can come close to wisdom.
Are you clever enough to get yourself out of the fixes you get yourself into, No! God wants you to see that outside of Him we are powerless.

I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity; Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.
Proverbs 8:12

Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics; I am both Insight and Virtue to live it out. Proverbs 8:14

Wisdom is not alone. Wisdom lives with sanity, knowledge and discretion. How can we not desire wisdom?
I realized this some time ago. I knew with wisdom comes knowledge, insight and understanding so I always pray for that. How many times have I been in situations where I didn’t have a clue but I know wisdom is with me. As I cry out to wisdom she comes. I am in a situation right now. I have prayed and I have asked people for counsel. Wisdom appears in various ways. I pray, then seek counsel from people that I trust. After that I take it all back to God and lay it out before Him. He is the One who shows me the right way. I will keep on saying we need wisdom because we really do. Without wisdom we are done for. Be careful if you get to a place where you think you can “handle it”!

This is the most important thing you need to know about wisdom.

I love those who love me; those who look for me find me. Proverbs 8:17

That is a promise. If you seek for wisdom you will find it. God is not hiding wisdom from you. He wants you to have wisdom. If you seek for wisdom you will find it. I was so encouraged when I read that and I hope that brings comfort to you. God will answer us when we call to Him.

You can find me on Righteous Road – that’s where I walk – at the intersection of Justice Avenue, Handing life to those who love me, filling their arms with life – armloads of life! Proverbs 8:21

Wisdom brings life. I have been worrying about a certain situation, which has not been helping. At times I struggle with fear then doubt and so on. There is this weight on my shoulders because I have being relying on my own strength but God is very clear to us. When we get wisdom we get life. I don’t need to worry because God is in control. He is the One who fills my arms with life – armloads of life! Wisdom will do that.

Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day’s work. When you find me, you find life, real life to say nothing of God’s good pleasure. Proverbs 8:34,35

We need wisdom every single day of our lives. Ask God for it every morning and every single moment of your life. Fall in love with wisdom. Let it be the thing you value higher than anything else in your life.
I like the way Proverbs 7:4 says it,

Talk to Wisdom as to a sister. Treat Insight as your companion.

Wisdom is the key. It is the answer to everything in your life.
Cry out to God because He is the source of wisdom! He loves you so much……

Rolain