In hard times we have a chance…trust God!

The Israelites didn’t stand a chance if God wasn’t on their side. They would have died

in Egypt in slavery had the Lord not saved them. They would have been swept away

by the powerful enemies that fought against them in the desert had God not stepped in

and fought for them. They would have been swallowed up by the giants that resided in the

promise land if God had left their side.

 

We don’t stand a chance if we go at life on our own, in our own strength and power.

We need the Lord so desperately friends. This life is hard, painful, disappointing but in spite

of all that God is with us. He is on our side and He will get us through the hard times we are

facing. It doesn’t matter what mountain is standing in our way, we will get over it because the

Lord is our strong tower of Refuge. He is our Protector and Deliverer.

 

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.”

Psalm 34:17

 

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;

He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”

Psalm 34:19

 

We will face hard and difficult times but we need to always remember that the Lord will be with

us through those difficult times. We don’t need to rely on our own ability and strength which is

useless in the day of battle.

We don’t stand a chance if we depend on our strength, intelligence, and ability but we have every

chance in the world when we put our hope and trust in God.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

God has a name for you.

“And they journeyed from Bethel and had but a little way to go to Ephrath [Bethlehem]

when Rachel suffered the pangs of childbirth and had hard labor. 

When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, Do not be afraid; you shall have this son

also. And as her soul was departing, for she died, she called his name Ben-oni [son of my sorrow]; 

but his father called him Benjamin [son of the right hand]. 

Genesis 35:16-18

 

As Rachel was dying she called her son Ben-oni and rightly so in her mind because she was about

to die. Because of the pain she was experiencing she named him but Jacob gave him another name.

A name of blessing which spoke of God’s plan and purpose for his life.

 

The temptation is great to listen to the names people call us because we think they “know” us.

We allow the words of man to define us because we think they really do know us. Either because

they have been friends for a really long time or because they are family but the truth of the matter

is that God is the only One who really knows us. We need to look to Him to tell us who we are and

not man.

 

I am not saying we should stop listening to the encouraging words of friends, family, mentors, teachers

and the other people in our lives but what I am saying is that we need to be very careful we don’t stop

with what they tell us we can be or do.

 

Rachel is a picture of man who makes decisions about us and speak based on what they see.

Jacob is a picture of God and what He sees. Even when it’s not clear to us or anyone else, God knows

the plans He has for us.

He knows all the great things we will do and that’s what He speaks over us.

 

“Jabez was honorable above his brothers; but his mother named him Jabez [sorrow maker], saying, 

Because I bore him in pain. 

Jabez cried to the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and 

that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! 

And God granted his request.”

1 Chronicles 4:9, 10

 

Jabez was given a name by man but he prayed for God to bless him. He was tired of being called

Sorrow-Maker. He knew God had something better for him so he prayed and God granted

his request! I love that so much. You don’t have to live by what man says you can or can’t do.

Just because man thinks you can’t doesn’t mean that’s true. What matters is what God thinks and

says about you!

 

For a long time I lived by other people’s scripts. I was okay with living in the box they made for me. But

when I gave my life to Christ things changed radically. The Lord opened my eyes to what He had in store

for me. He showed me a glimpse of what He had in store which was so much higher and greater than

what man said I could do. Bit by bit the chains began to be broken off.

Don’t let man define what you can do. Let God’s word be what directs you and drives you.

Don’t be limited by all the perceptions and images man has put on you.

 

God has an amazing plan for your life.

Let go of the words that have been spoken over you that have limited you and live

by who God says you are.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

Why you will be victorious today…

“If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side when men rose up against us, 

Then they would have quickly swallowed us up alive when their wrath was 

kindled against us, ” 

Psalm 124:2, 3

 

The chapter continues, painting a picture of what would have happened if God had not been with His people.

God is with us, friends. If He had not been on our side we would have easily been destroyed by our strong enemies.

The enemy would laugh and be victorious if the Lord wasn’t on our side.

We would have no testimony if He wasn’t with us.

We would have no victory, no deliverance, no answered prayers if the Lord wasn’t on our side.

We wouldn’t be able to declare His mighty deeds if He wasn’t by our side.

 

“Then they would have quickly swallowed us up alive when their wrath was kindled against us; 

Then the waters would have overwhelmed us and swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us.” 

 

In short, we wouldn’t have a chance against the devil without Him by our side.

But because He is by our side we can praise Him, we can be thankful. We can declare the mighty

things He is doing in our lives. Because He is on our side we have hope.

Because He is by our side we will have a testimony!

Bless you friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

“Welcome back to reality”?!

“Welcome back to reality” was what a friend said to me a day after returning back from Kenya.

I had gone to Kenya for about two weeks and it was hard going to a place that is improving and growing

while things at home are stagnant.

Kenya is growing rapidly and stuff works which is the total opposite in my country.

 

Anyway, the day after my return one of my friends said “welcome back to reality”

I was really bothered by that statement. When he saw my resistance he said it again. I rejected his

statement completely.

I didn’t want to make the circumstances in my country my reality.

Before I went to Kenya had I made them a reality? Maybe I did but I wanted that to change.

 

What’s your reality? Is it in line with what God promised you or is it something entirely different?

We are constantly being pushed to take on a reality that is not what God has for us. We have settled

for a reality that is way below the level God would have us live at.

 

Think about the man who was crippled for 38 years (John 5:1-17). What was his reality? Did he ever see himself

healed in his reality?

Was hopelessness his reality?

 

We need to take a deeper look at the reality we live by. Who gave us the reality we are currently living by?

It’s so easy to adopt a way of thinking, a way of speaking, a way of living.

 

The good news is this, the reality we are living by can change.

That’s what happened to the man who was crippled. For 38 years he was living in a reality that

was not God’s reality. God wanted him healed and living a full life.

The enemy on the other hand wanted him bound. he wanted him living in hopelessness.

But Jesus came and changed his reality. 

 

We have hope friends.

You don’t have to accept the reality you are living by today.

The limitations people have put on you don’t have to be your reality.

The circumstances you live in don’t have to be your reality.

God can and wants you to live by His truth. His truth is liberating. His truth is full of life,

joy, peace and so much more goodness.

 

What is your reality? Let God determine what your reality is.

There is so much He has in store for you.

Bless you,friends.

 

Rolain

He promised it!

“The Lord made a promise to David. 

It was a sure promise that He will not take back. 

He promised, “I will make one of your descendants rule as king after you.” 

Psalm 132:11

 

Happy new year to you, friends! I hope you had a great holiday and are ready to continue walking

with God in this new year. God has done so much already and in this new year, He will

continue the work He started all those years ago. He has so much more in store for you.

It’s good to be back writing and I am expectant about what God has in store this year.

 

God’s promises to us are sure. He doesn’t take back what He has promised. He doesn’t change

His mind. When He promises, it comes to pass. When God promised David he would have

a son to rule when he died God is the one who brought it to pass in spite of David’s failings and weaknesses.

(remember the mess with Bathsheba)

 

If we are relying on our own abilities and strength to receive God’s promises then we have missed it.

He wants us to look to Him, to rely on Him. He is faithful to fulfill the things He promised us.

So as we go through the new year let’s remember His promises to us are sure. 

There is no “maybe” or “might” attached to His promises. They are sure and that’s enough for us.

Enjoy your weekend friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

The past no longer has a say……..

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Jephthah was from the people of Gilead. He was a strong soldier. 

His father was named Gilead, and his mother was a prostitute. Gilead’s wife

had several sons. When they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave his home. 

They said to him, “You will not get any of our father’s property. You are the son of another

woman.” 

Judges 11:1, 2

 

 

Jephthah didn’t have the greatest story and because of it he was judged and treated wrongly. He didn’t

have a say in who his dad married but he was treated like he did have a choice. He was an outcast through

no fault of his.

 

Our past can be so powerful, so real, so tangible.

 

But there is a truth we must embrace and accept. YAH used Jephthah mightily despite his upbringing.

Yes, he didn’t come from a perfect family but that didn’t stop YAH from using him.

His past did not determine what YAH could do through him.

 

The enemy tries to make us think we are useless and worthless because of our past but

he is wrong. The Lord’s purpose for our lives is stronger than our past, period.

 

I can attest to this for sure. The enemy tried to use my past to derail me and I believed the lie

for a time but YAH delivered me. The past had a vice grip on me that I could not break free from.

I could not accept the good things the Lord had for me because of my past.

But all praise to Him for changing the story……

What He did for me, He can do for you.

 

Don’t believe the lies of the enemy.

The Lord can and will use you if you put your faith in Him. He will take your

life and do the impossible. Don’t let the past dictate what you can and can’t do. Don’t let it

determine who you will become. Don’t let it stop you from accepting all the good things YAH has

for you.

Jephthah could have simply accepted what everyone said about him but he didn’t. He trusted YAH

and was used by Him.

 

Remember, YAH’s purpose for your life is stronger than your past.

 

ACT ON IT  – It’s not enough to talk about something. There needs to be action.

 

YAH used Jephthah in a mighty way even though his past wasn’t great.

 

Think on and write down a few ways your past has impacted your life to this point? 

What can you do today to make sure your past doesn’t dictate your future? 

Have you surrendered your past to the Lord? 

 

Get with a friend or partner, or whoever you confide in after reading this post and

talk about your answers to the above questions

Make sure you are not walking this journey alone.

 

Be blessed friends…..

 

Rolain

Put it all in His hands……

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous

to be moved.”

Psalm 55:22

 

This is something we have to learn continuously.

I have to remind myself to constantly bring it all into His hands. I find myself trying to handle life

on my own but that is not the way it’s supposed to be. The more I try to “handle it” the more

stressed I get and the more wrong decisions I make!

We were never meant to carry the troubles we

are carrying at the moment.

We were never meant to hold on to them.

They were meant to be put in YAH’s mighty hands.

He wants to take on the burden you have right now. The worries, the burden’s you are carrying

right now will crush you.

You don’t have to face the pain alone.

You don’t have to put on a brave face in the face of adversity.

Put it all in His hands!

 

You don’t have to worry about directing your life because He wants to do that. He wants you to trust Him

with your life. Put it into His hands and stop trying to drive!

Bring it all friends, the pain, the fear, the uncertainty, the questions, the shortcomings, the failures,

the confusion, the guilt and condemnation………

Don’t hold on anything, and most importantly don’t own anything!

Sometimes we take ownership of stuff we are not meant to take ownership for.

Put it all in His hands, full of faith He will take care of it.

As I conclude I would really urge you to meditate on Matthew 11:28-30.

 

 

Blessings to you my friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

A word to those who have been abandoned…..

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against

a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me.

But the scriptures must be fulfilled.”

Then they all forsook Him and fled.”

Mark 14:48-50

 

“Then they all forsook Him and fled”

 

Jesus was abandoned by those closest to Him in His time of need.

In His most trying time there was no one to rely on for

support. He was going to endure the cross alone.

Let me rephrase that, no man would be with Him in His most

trying time.

 

You may be feeling alone because you have been ignored, rejected or abandoned

but know you are not alone.

Jesus understands fully what you are going through because He went through the

exact same thing!

He knows what it feels like to be abandoned by the people closest to you.

He knows the deep pain that comes from rejection.

You are not alone friend.

Cry out to Him in your pain.

Man will fail us but not Jesus. He is right there helping us, carrying us!

As I end I want to leave you with a scripture,

 

“Let your character or moral disposition be free from the love of money [including

greed, avarice, lust, craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present

[circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself  has said, I will not in

any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not,

[I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)!

[Assuredly not!]”

Hebrews 13:5, 6

 

Bless you

 

Rolain

Believing God when life is hard.

 

“[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed

that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!

 

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good 

courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. 

Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. “

Psalms 27:13, 14

 

It’s so easy to expect good things when everything is going well

for you. It’s actually hard to be negative when doors in your

life are opened and everyone loves you but what happens when

things go wrong??

What if nothing is working in your life?

What if everyone hates you?

What if things are falling apart?

It’s in those times, when expecting goodness isn’t so easy.

 

I have had a couple of rough weeks and to be honest it’s been

hard to expect the Lord’s goodness. Things have not been going

the way I wanted them to. . I have been public enemy number

one at times. In those circumstances it’s been hard to be

positive.

In my sad state it was easy to start thinking negatively.

It was so easy to tear myself down.

But that was not where God wanted me to stay.

He wanted me to focus on His goodness.

 

The enemy wants us depressed. He wants us to feel hopeless.

He wants us to believe nothing good will happen in our lives.

He wants us to believe God doesn’t care about us.

He wants us to experience God’s goodness period!

But the Lord wants us believe we will see His goodness in the

land of the living!

What are you believing today?

Do you believe you are finished?

Do you believe nothing good will happen for you?

Do you believe your circumstances won’t change?

 

The word for us today is to wait, hope for and expect the Lord!

It’s not easy to do those things but we have to be brave and

courageous!

We must expect the Lord’s goodness!

 

The author writes,

“what, what would have become of me had I not believed that

I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living?”

 

We can’t let the bad circumstances steal our hope?

We can’t allow the fear in the world to shape our expectations.

We can’t let the bad things that happen to us in life take God

out of the picture.

No matter how bad things are God wants us to believe we

will see his goodness!

He wants us to believe things will get better.

He wants us to believe that bad situation will turn around.

My encouragement to you is to expect the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living!

Wait, hope for and expect the Lord!

He wants us to expect His goodness because He will

turn the bad to good. He will turn that bad situation into

good. He will not let that

winter last forever. He will answer our prayers.

He will give us that breakthrough we are trusting Him

for.

What will you do today???

 

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

When the woman put her trust in God…….

“Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel

grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

And she said, “let your maidservant find favor in your sight.”

So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer

sad. “

1 Samuel 1:17, 18

 

This story is very close to my heart. Hannah’s story encourages

me every time I read it.

I want to touch on something that I noticed as I read her story

again.

 

How many of us can identify with Hannah? She was trusting God

for a child. In the meantime she was been ridiculed and verbally

abused by Peninnah. How hard that must of been.

 

Let’s look at another important point.

 

“This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice

to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh.”

1 Samuel 1:3

 

The bible doesn’t tell us the exact amount of years they went to

worship. All we know is that Hannah couldn’t have children.

But every year she went to worship and every year she had to deal

with the onslaught of words from Peninnah. That must of being so

hard to deal with.

 

But there is something I want you to see.

When Eli spoke to her she did something amazing. Let’s look

at the scripture,

 

“Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel

grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

And she said, Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.

So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer 

sad. “

1 Samuel 1:17, 18

 

“She went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad”

 

That act really spoke to me.

She believed the word. She had faith she had her answer and

changed her attitude and behavior!

 

I haven’t been doing that enough.

I should live with an attitude of faith.

If I am going to receive what God has promised me

there has to be a change of heart, there has to be a change of attitude,

and a change of behavior. I can’t have faith and walk around like nothing

is going to happen. I can’t have faith in God and live like God hasn’t

heard me. That was such a powerful revelation for me.

Hannah didn’t hesitate when she heard the word.

And look at what happened when she did that,

 

“Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the 

Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. 

And Elkanah knew his wife, and the Lord remembered her.

So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived 

and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “

because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

1 Samuel 1:19, 20 (emphasis mine)

 

Not only did she change her attitude and behavior but she

worshiped the Lord with her husband!

Worship is so important in the life of a believer.

In her mind her prayer had been answered and that’s

why she worshiped the Lord!

I don’t know about you but that blows my mind.

What are you worshiping God for today?

If you have your answer worship!

If you don’t see your answer still worship!

We need to live a life of worship.

We don’t just worship when we get stuff,

we also worship Him because He is God!

 

What did their worship sound like?

I think they were worshiping the Lord for giving them a child.

They were worshiping Him because He heard their prayers.

That is amazing.

 

Even the words she spoke changed!

Her faith in God had an impact on what came out of her mouth.

Your faith should be spoken out, friends.

You can’t speak negatively and say you have faith.

You can’t speak negatively and see your breakthrough!

The way you speak must change if you have faith.

You should be worshiping the Lord for the great things He has done for you!

 

As I close I would like you to think about how you are speaking?

What is your attitude and behavior like?

Are you complaining, are you talking about how things

are not going to workout or are you speaking out what you believe?

 

And that is my challenge to you today friends…..

 

Bless you

 

Rolain