When Things Go South…

God is bigger than our circumstances.

We need to remember this constantly. Even when everything seems to be failing and crumbling around us.

Even when our circumstances are telling us that there is no hope, we need to trust in God.

There is a scripture that I would like to share that has been helping me so much.

“Though the fig trees should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields

yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer’s he makes me tread on my high places.”

Habakkuk 3:17

As you can see Habakkuk was having a difficult time. Things were not going well at all but despite what was

going on around him he chose to focus on the Lord.

The bad circumstances he was facing did not weaken his faith in God.

His faith remained resolute and unwavering.

What are you believing in the midst of difficult situations?

Are you convincing yourself that you are doomed, that there is no way out?

I want to encourage you to look to God. He wants to help you through what you going through.

Let me share one more scripture with you,

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever;

who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry.”

Psalm 146:5-7

The Creator of the Universe is our help!

The word says we are blessed because he is our Helper.

So don’t remain silent as go through the storm. Ask Him for help. Put all of your hope in Him.

Bless you friends

Rolain

Focus On God, Not Giants.

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing

in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and

asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?

Neither he replied, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now

come.”

Joshua 5:13, 14

Instead of focusing on Jericho, Joshua looked up and because he did He saw

the Commander of the Lord’s armies!

A lot of the time we spend so much time looking at the giants standing in our

way. We focus on all the things that are not working, the prayers that don’t seem

to be getting answered, and forget to look at God.

I have been guilty of this many times.

But we should be looking to God who is our Savior and our Strong Tower of Refuge.

He is stronger than every enemy we will ever face even if the giants standing in our

try to appear stronger than they really are.

So when Joshua changed his focus, he saw the Commander of the army of the Lord!

So who or what are you focused on today?

Take your eyes off the enemies in front of you and focus on the Lord who is your very

present help in time of need.

“I lift up my eyes to you,

to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes look to the Lord our God,

till he shows us his mercy.”

Psalm 123:1, 2

This post is inspired by a devotional from my book.

If you would like to get yourself a copy, click here.

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Bless you friends

Rolain

Focus on Him, not the waves…

Life can be really tough right and what makes it worse is when we focus all our energy and attention on

the problems we are facing. We worry, stress out, fear, panic and fret as we dwell upon all the problems

we face but there is a better way.

I was stressing out this week. Things were not going well and I was panicking and anxious but I remembered

Peter.

In faith, Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water but as he was approaching the

Lord the word says he began to be aware of his surroundings (the enormous waves and the wind)

and became frightened and began to sink. (read Matthew 14:27-30) 

 

“Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, 

O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

Matthew 14: 27-31

 

As long as Peter set his gaze upon the Lord he walked on water but when he took his eyes off the

Lord and focused on what was happening around him he began to sink and I know that’s what

was happening to me. But the Lord wants me to keep my eyes on Him in the midst of the trouble that

comes my way.

What are you focused on today?

Are you focused on your problems more than the Lord?

 

Consider  Psalm 91:14, 15:

“Because he has focused his love on Me, I will deliver him. I will protect him because he knows

my name. When he calls out to me, I will answer him. I will be with him in his distress. I will 

deliver him, and I will honor him.” 

 

The enemy would like us to get our minds off Christ. he doesn’t want us being victorious. he loves

it when we are in bondage, in fear, anxious and stressed.

But the Lord wants us to be free. He wants us to receive the answers and solutions we need to

the problems we are facing.

Let’s stop focusing on the waves. Let us focus on the Lord no matter how terrifying the storm is.

He is bigger than any storm we will ever face and that is why He wants us to focus on Him!

Bless you, friends…

 

Rolain

 

How to pursue holiness….

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

The growing continues this year. Life hasn’t reset just because it’s a new year. The battles we were

fighting are still around. The giants are still holding their ground.

But each year brings with it new hope, that life will get better, that YAH will fulfill what He promised.

That the battles we fighting will be finally won and the giants will fall (they will)

Let’s keep sober and vigilant this year. Continue fighting, continue trusting YAH.

 

With that I want us to look at a scripture;

 

“Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you clean the outside of the cup and

of the plate, but within they are full of extortion (prey, spoil, plunder) and grasping self indulgence.

You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside may be clean

also.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed

which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything impure.

Just so, you also outwardly seem to people to be just and upright but inside you are full of pretense and

lawlessness and iniquity. “

Matthew 23:25-28

 

The Pharisees focused on the external a lot. They didn’t give any attention to the inside. They didn’t think

working on the inner man was important.

 

This year may we put more work into the inside. The outside isn’t as important as the inner man.

Let YAH come in and work in you. Don’t be like the Pharisees who thought working on the outer man

was more important.

We want to be like YAH who is holy and who calls us to be holy.

 

We need to take all those ugly things that have taken root in our hearts to the Lord. We don’t

want them being a stumbling block to us. This won’t take a day, a week, a month, a year.

I don’t know how long it will take. All I know right now is that I need to do this.

What about you?

Bless you

 

Rolain

 

 

 

Have you seen what God has in store for you in 2015??

So much has happened this year. A lot of good has happened but bad things have happened as well. As a country we have gone through some really hard times but as I reflect on all that has happened I realize God has brought me this far! Through all the times of testing, trials, challenges, and disappointments, God has been faithful. He has been with me every step of the way. He has been by my side and has not abandoned me.

What has YOUR year been like? Are you looking forward to 2015? Are you dreading it? Do you get fearful when you look at 2015? Can I confess something to you?

In the natural it looks like 2015 is going to be worse than 2014.

It looks like nothing is going to change for me.

It looks like I have come to the end of the road.

It doesn’t look like any doors could open for me.

I know God has a plan for me but going into 2015 I have no idea what He has in store!

 

Can you believe that? I am just being honest. Our country is going through a lot and it looks like things are just going to get worse but…………….

 

I was convicted the other day as I was thinking like this.

Since when did my circumstances determine what God had for me???

My circumstances have rarely being “just right” for God to work, but He has done amazing things! God does not wait for circumstances to get better to work! He doesn’t wait for the drought to finish to provide! He doesn’t wait for the sick person to get stronger to heal! He doesn’t wait for the poor to get rich to bless him!

What He waits for is FAITH! It is faith that compels Him to move on your behalf. So what does that mean?

As you read Hebrew 11 you will see how men and women of God were able to look ahead by faith and obtain the promises God had promised them!

By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. Hebrew 11:5

By an act of faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. Hebrews 11:7 

By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. when he left he had no idea where he was going. Hebrew 11:8

So what am I trying to say?? 2014 was a difficult year and it had it’s fair share of challenges, challenges that could deceive me into thinking 2015 is going to be the same or worse but I can choose to believe different.

You can choose to believe different! 

You can declare what God has shown you by faith! Even if it sounds crazy, and even if it looks like it’s impossible, trust God!

 

2015 is going to be a great year for me!

The doors that were closed in 2014 will be opened for me in 2015!

New opportunities are waiting for me in 2015!

Blessing and prosperity are waiting for me in 2015!

God’s favor is with me 100 fold in 2015!

My country is going to turn around in 2015!

God is going to perform amazing miracles in my country in 2015!

My church is going to a new level in 2015!

Going is going to do something really significant in our church in 2015! Something that will impact the world!

2015 is a year God is going to establish me!

 

My circumstances say I am crazy for speaking like this, but my circumstances are not the god I worship!! I serve a real and powerful God who says,

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29;11

What do you see when you see 2015? You can choose to see 2015 in the natural, what you see is what you get. So if you had a bad year then next year will be the same or even worse and there is no hope!

Or you could choose to believe in God and believe He has a great year in store for you! Your faith will be tested but it will make you stronger.

Can you imagine how Noah felt as he built an ark in the middle of dry ground??

What was going through Abraham’s mind as he traveled to an unknown place. He had no idea where he was going but he trusted God!!!

Your faith in God will set you apart. It may make you unpopular or seem crazy but don’t stop! God will come through for you! Don’t be discouraged, 2015 is going to be an amazing year for you if you only choose to believe in God! That is my declaration! God bless……

Rolain