Wait A Bit More!

What are you waiting for? How long have you been waiting?

Waiting is not an easy thing to do. It actual is a big step of faith because you are giving up your control so God can be in control.

I love how Psalm 27:14 describes waiting on God,

“Wait patiently for the Lord.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

Words like, be brave, be strong and courageous are used. That should give you an idea of how hard it is to wait.

But I want to encourage you to keep on waiting. No matter how long you have been waiting, no matter the obstacles, the closed doors and unanswered prayers you have faced, keep waiting on the Lord. Don’t throw in the towel. Keep standing in faith that God will come to your rescue.

He will come through for you.

He will answer your prayers.

He will breakthrough on your behalf.

I would like to share a scripture that encouraged me this week

“I waited and waited and waited some more, patiently, knowing God would come through for me.

Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry. He stooped down to lift me out of danger from the desolate pit I was in,

out of the muddy mess I had fallen into. Now he’s lifted me up into a firm, secure place and steadied me

while I walk along his ascending path.”

Psalm 40:1, 2 TPT

Wait a bit longer friend.

God will come to your rescue. the word says, “AT LAST, he bent down and listened to my cry.” (emphasis mine)

It may seem like nothing is happening right now but things will change. He knows exactly where you are.

Don’t give up. God is good and He is faithful. He will not abandon you.

He knows you are waiting on Him so He will not waste your wait.

As you wait on Him be confident and assured that He has got you. Stand strong in faith as you wait on Him.

If you don’t know, I unveiled my book cover of my latest book this week.

It is almost finished so in the meantime

I created a free version (teaser) of my upcoming book. If you would like to get a copy of it please click here to get it.

And after you read it I would really love to hear your thoughts on it.

Bless you friends

Rolain

Remember God!

You may be going through some intense times at the moment but I want to encourage you to remember God.

Always remember God through everything you are going through.

When the enemy has knocked you to the ground, remember God and call to Him. He will pick you up always.

I think of Job in his most intense time. He had lost everything and his closest friends abandoned him but in that intense fire

he remembered God.

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.”
  Job 19:25 NLT

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives”

The enemy wants you to forget God.

He doesn’t want you remembering God. He wants you in fear, anxious, stressed and so many other negative emotions.

But you can’t let him win. He is a defeated foe.

“I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

Psalm 16:8 ESV

We need to always set the Lord before us. He is the One who is fighting for us. He is our strength.

As I close I want to share one more scripture,

“I love you, O LORD my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my

rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 18:1-3 ESV

Remember God!

Bless you friends

Rolain

Why the Delay God?

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, let us go back to Judea.”

John 11:5-7 ESV

As I read this scripture I couldn’t help but think why Jesus stayed two days longer where He was instead of going to Lazarus immediately? After all the Word tells us that He LOVED Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

Why did He delay?

Because He was about to something amazing. He knew Lazarus would die but He wanted to show everyone His glory. But He was the only One who knew what was about to happen. Mary and Martha on the other hand didn’t. And that must have been hard for them. They knew Jesus loved them so they expected Him to respond immediately but that’s not what happened.

“So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

One thing we can be sure of is that Jesus did not delay because He was trying to be mean or because He enjoyed seeing people suffer. He loved this family.

As you wait on the Lord you need to remember that the Lord makes you wait because He loves you. Even in the midst of delays He loves you and Has a plan. Behind the delays there is love and I know that’s a difficult statement because delays are not an easy thing to deal with. It’s easy to think God has abandoned us or He doesn’t care about us when delays happen. But He does care and He loves you deeply. He knows exactly what you are feeling, the fears, the confusion, the anxiety, the frustration…

He knows it all. In John 11:35 we read a very popular verse,

“Jesus wept.”

He wept because He knew what the sisters were going through. He could identify with the pain they were feeling.

As you wait and as you face delays know that God loves you so much. He understands everything you are feeling and going through. Trust Him in the wait. Trust Him when the delays come.

The Lord has a plan in the wait and in the delays. Don’t lose hope. You are not alone in the wait. He is right by your side. His purposes for your life will be accomplished as you wait on Him in faith! And always remember that He loves you so much.

God bless you friends

Rolain

It’s Just A Matter Of Time.

When it comes to God’s faithfulness, it’s just a matter of time.

He WILL come through for you and He HAS heard your prayers. Nothing can stop God’s faithfulness in your life. The fact that you are here is proof alone that He is faithful.

Don’t entertain the enemies lies about God’s faithfulness. The enemy will try to make us believe that God is not really good, that He doesn’t care for us, and that we can’t really trust Him because He is not reliable. There are so many other lies he tries to tell us but we must NOT give in to them.

When talking about God’s faithfulness it’s not a question of ‘IF’ God is going to come through for us or ‘IF’ we will see His breakthrough in our lives or ‘IF’ He will hear our prayers. Because of His faithfulness He has heard and answered our prayers, and breakthrough is guaranteed!

I think of the Israelites who were slaves for about 400 years (Acts 7:6, 7). Was there a time in that period as they were crying our to God that they doubted Him? Did they think He didn’t care about what they were going through and that He didn’t hear their prayers? I don’t know.

But one thing I do know is that for the Israelites it wasn’t a question of ‘IF’ God would deliver them and hear their prayers, it was a matter of ‘WHEN’. And at the right time God did deliver His people out of bondage because of His faithfulness.

I also think of Abraham and Sarah who had to wait a long time until God’s promise to them were fulfilled. Then there was Hannah who was barren and had to endure ridicule for a season but through it all, God came through for them. He was faithful to them. He never let them down.

So as I come to the end of this post I want to encourage you to not doubt God, don’t give up just because your situation doesn’t seem to be turning around, don’t listen to the negative voices that are trying to get you discouraged and trying to get you to make you lose your faith in God. Don’t let fear overwhelm you because after all is said and done,

God is faithful forever!

And there is nothing that can ever change that truth.

Bless you friends!

Rolain

Empty The Tank!

I love to run and what I like to do is name parts of the course depending on how difficult it is or depending on an experience I may have had on a run. There is one part of the course, the last 50 meters or so that I have called “empty the tank”. And as the name implies, I empty the tank. No matter how long or how far I have run or how tired I am I sprint that last part. I empty the tank literally. There should be nothing left after I have finished the run.

I share that story because as far as purpose is concerned we need to empty the tank. We need to be doing everything God has called us to do. We don’t want to get to heaven to find out we completed a small percent of what God had planned for us.

Paul did everything God had called him to do.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”

2 Timothy 4:7

God has so much in store for you. So if you don’t know what He has in store for you seek Him for answers because He wants you to know your purpose. God wants you to succeed in your purpose so you are not alone in this.

We are living in the end times and there is no time to waste. We can’t afford to be distracted or not be serious. Nothing should be left in the tank when we are done.

Bless you friends!

Rolain

When People Let You Down

“Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary that you come with

swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there

teaching every day.

But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.”

At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.”

Matthew 26:56 NLT

“At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.”

Jesus’ closest friends abandoned him when He needed them the most. In His darkest hour

there was no man standing with Him. But His trust was not in man but in His Father.

And even though man let Him down and deserted him, His Father didn’t.

That is a truth we can hold on to when people let us down, because it will happen.

When people let us down, God will not fail us. He will never leave us or forsake us.

He won’t desert us.

And that is why we need to trust in the Lord completely.

Who is your faith in when things get difficult?

Are you trusting in people or in the Lord?

I am also reminded of Paul who had people abandon him as well,

“The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me.

Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them.

But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might

preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear.

And He rescued me from certain death.”

2 Timothy 4:16 NLT

Once again we see this amazing truth in action.

When Paul’s friends abandoned him the Lord remained by his side.

He delivered him from the enemy.

In a dark time of Paul’s life when it seemed like he was alone, he really wasn’t.

The Lord was with him.

So as I conclude I want to encourage you to trust in the Lord completely.

He will not fail or forsake you ever. He will remain faithful to you.

And remember that when people let you down, He won’t.

Bless you friends

Rolain

Then God showed up…

 

The children of Israel were trapped. The Egyptians were behind them and in front of them was the Red Sea but the Lord showed up. He split the sea and drowned the enemy.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were in serious trouble. The king was going to throw them into the burning furnace because they refused to bow down to his image. And he did throw them into the fire but once again the Lord showed up. He saved them.

The Lord loves to come through for us – fact.

No matter what comes our way, the Lord will always be there to save us. What are you facing today? Call on Him for help. He will rescue you from the most intense of fires. Put all your hope in Him and see His mercy, power and faithfulness on display in your situation. He is good!

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

God sees what you are going through.

Thought of the day

“I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy and steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction, You have taken note of my life’s distresses, And You have not given me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭31:7-8‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

 

You have a reason to hope and praise the Lord because what you are going through hasn’t gone unnoticed. He sees everything you are going through. He knows all the things that are stressing you out, big and small.

You are not going through the valley alone. He is with you always.

“You have taken note of my life’s distresses”

And not only does He see but He acts. He is fighting for you and making a way for you. He is a shield around you. Don’t panic or fear. The Lord will bring you through the difficult things you are facing because He is faithful and because He loves you so much.

Bless you friends

Rolain

Plans gone wrong!

“Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!”

‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭17:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 

Ahitophel’s advice could have ended David’s life if it was followed but God stepped in and delivered him by frustrating Ahitophel’s counsel and plan.

The enemy is always planning against you but his plans will come to nothing. They will not come to fruition because the Lord is protecting you. Like He did for David the Lord is stepping in and frustrating the enemy’s plans.

Remember Haman who had plans to eliminate the Jewish people. (Read the book of Esther)

It seemed like his plans were rock solid but God stepped in again and frustrated them.

“Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.” “Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered. So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.”

‭‭Esther‬ ‭7:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 

The truth is this: No weapon formed against you will prosper.

Don’t be afraid of the plans the enemy has against you and the weapons he creates to take you out because the Lord will guard you and make sure you are safe. The only plans that are coming to reality are the ones the Lord has made.

I pray and declare that all His good plans over your life come to pass. There is no plan that the enemy has created that is strong enough to succeed over you.

So don’t lose heart. The Lord will be your Shield wherever you go!

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

Is the door really closed??

As I considered my options I couldn’t help feeling discouraged. It seemed like I would not

get the breakthrough I was looking for. Should I even keep trying to pursue this opportunity

I asked myself?

 

I have been seeking the Lord for the next steps in my career and I took the step and tried something

new but I was stopped dead in my tracks. Did I hear God wrong?

Was this the direction he wanted me to go in?

 

We all have doors the Lord wants us to go through but there are times when it seems like the door is

tightly shut. At times it feels like the doors the devil has closed can’t be opened again but the Lord helped me

to see the truth.  The devil is not that powerful. He doesn’t have the power to close a door and keep it closed.

 

“And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Philadelphia write; These are the words

of the Holy One, the True One, He Who has the key of David, 

Who opens and no one shall shut, Who shuts and no one shall open; 

I know your [record of] works and what you are doing. See! 

I have set before you a door wide open which no one is able to shut;”

Revelation 3:7-8

 

“And the key of the house of David I will lay upon his shoulder; he shall open and no one shall 

shut, he shall shut and no one shall open.” 

Isaiah 22:22

 

From God’s word, it is clear that when God opens a door, the devil has no power to close it and when

a door is closed he has no power to open it. So just because the devil closes a door doesn’t mean

it will stay closed. That door will be opened. We must not let him deceive us into believing the door

can’t be opened. When I got this understanding I continued pressing forward. I did not give up.

I have faith God will breakthrough for me.

 

Before I go any further I want to add something,

The only time we should stop trying to go through a door is if God has said no but other than that,

we need to by faith keep going through the door. So what I am writing about are the doors the devil tries

to close. Those are the doors we need to bust open.

 

All doors the enemy has closed are meant to be gone through. It can be so discouraging when

things don’t seem to be working out but don’t stop praying and moving in faith.

 

The enemy is always trying to close doors that God wants us to go through. In the book of Ezra,

we read how the Israelites started rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. They were making progress but the

Samaritans opposed them. (Ezra 4:4) They didn’t want the Israelites to finish so they wrote and sent

a letter to the King of Persia who was the ruling power at that time. The letter was malicious and was

the enemy’s way of closing the door on the Israelites. The Samaritans got their wish because the

king commanded the building of the temple to be stopped immediately.

The door had been closed.

 

“Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped.” 

Ezra 4:24

 

But that was not the end of the story.

All the doors the enemy closes can be opened. He has no power to keep any door closed. Always remember

that.

 

In the next chapter the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah prophesied to the Israelites. They encouraged the

people to start building again which they did. The Samaritans tried to stop them again this is what

happened;

 

“Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province [west of] the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates,

the Apharsachites who are [west of] the River, keep far away from there. 

Leave the work on this house of God alone; let the governor and the elders of the Jews build this house

of God on its site.” 

Ezra 6;6-12

 

You can read all of the good things the king decreed but the point is this,

 

The enemy tried to close the door of opportunity on the Jews but he had no power to do anything.

The door God opened for His people would stay open no matter how hard the devil tried.

 

Don’t give up when the door seems to be closed on you. If God has not closed it then the

door is still open. The devil has no power to close and keep a door closed.

It is only God who has that power.

 

What to do when a door seems to be closed by the devil? 

 

The bible is very clear on what we are to do when that happens.

 

“Keep asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; 

keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. 

For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking

finds; and to him who keeps on knocking [the door] will be opened.” 

Matthew 7:7-8

 

Don’t give up on the things God has put on your heart. Keep asking, keep seeking and

keep knocking.

Don’t be discouraged when things don’t work out. Keep looking to God. Keep praying to Him.

Things will work out for you. He will breakthrough for you!

Don’t let the devil deceive you in thinking the door can’t be opened. It’s not true.

Every door that he “closes” is not really closed!

Be encouraged today friends.

Bless you.

 

Rolain