A day full of promise!

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today if you will hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts, as [happened] in the rebellion [of Israel] and their

provocation and embitterment [of Me] in the day of testing in the wilderness,

Where your fathers tried [My patience] and tested [My forebearance] and

found I stood their test, and they saw My works for forty years.”

 

“Then while it is [still] called Today, if you would hear His voice and when you hear it,

do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion [in the desert, when the people provoked

and irritated and embittered God against them].”

Hebrews 3:7-15

 

Today is not just another day. Today is the day. We can’t change what happened in our past.

The future is too far away to make any meaningful change. What we have is today.

The Israelites sinned against God in the wilderness. they murmured, they complained,

they doubted, they envied, they tested God. He gave them chance after chance but their

hearts were hardened.

I don’t what your past has been like but know that “Today” the Holy Spirit is calling.

The past is the past. He wants to do something new in your life starting today.

You might be riddled by guilt but TODAY is a new day! The Lord is calling out to you.

 

Today is our second chance.

We messed up and messed up some more but today is our second chance.

A day can make all the difference when God is involved.

I have made mistakes,

I have made some bad decisions,

I have done a lot of dumb things in my life but as I read this scripture I believe God wanted

me to know today is a new day.

I don’t have to keep looking back at those things.

You don’t have to let the things of the past hold you back any longer.

God is calling you today!

And all you have to do is answer His call.

Don’t let today go to waste. Make the most of it by answering the Holy Spirit. In our own strength,

we will fail but with God, today can be a start of something great!

Amen!

 

Rolain

Strive to be faithful….

THOUGHT OF THE DAY.

“But be faithful, even if you have to die. If you are faithful, I will give you the crown of life” 

Revelation 2:10

 

As sons and daughters of YAH it is required that we are faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).

I was challenged immensely when I read this scripture. After all is said and done, am I faithful to Yeshua,

am I faithful with the talents He has given me, am I faithful with the wisdom He has given me,

AM I FAITHFUL??

 

The Lord is faithful, that’s the truth. He doesn’t fail us, He never lets us down, He is constant, He is our Rock!

 

“Your faithfulness endures to all generations;  you have established the earth, and it stands fast.”

Psalms 119:90 

 

As His children, we need to be faithful too. We won’t do it perfectly like He does, we will fail at it but the

important thing is that we get up and try again.

It’s not easy being faithful and that is why we need the help of the Holy Spirit.

Faithfulness is something that can be worked on and improved. If you are faithful, there is room to be more

faithful but let it always be a desire, a goal.

Always strive to be faithful in all you do……

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

He wants to use you….His power is available

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest 

the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

1 Corinthians 1:17

 

There is a power available to us, a power far greater than we have ever imagined.

When Christ died on the cross and rose again we were delivered.

We no longer had to rely on our own strength. We were empowered by what happened on the

Cross.

But let me tell you, I am convicted reading this because I don’t think I have been using this power enough.

I try at times to use my own strength, to get the focus on me but that’s not what Christ intended.

He is my strength, He is the reason I can do stuff.

 

The men and women of old did mighty acts not because they were amazing on their own but because

they accessed the power of YAH. They were very clear about who the “power” was.

 

I look now at my life and see a severe deficiency. I am not using the power of Christ to its limit.

When I teach I could be relying on the the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and use me more. I don’t ever want to

be okay with using my own eloquence, wit, cleverness and many other things to get by.

There is only one thing that touches and changes the heart of a man/woman and that is the Spirit of God.

I am just a vessel, not the power!

 

And here lies the problem, whenever I think I am the power and not the vessel I empty the Cross of Christ

of its power. When I stand in front of the kids I teach on Sunday or wave a flag for worship and think “it’s me”

I empty the Cross of Christ of its power.

 

The Lord wants to use us to do some incredible things but they can only be done when we lean on His

power, His ability, His strength.

We are called to minister in His power and not our own. I hope you have been challenged by the

word you have read today. To touch people, to do what Christ has called us to do we need His power.

We can’t do it on our own steam.

 

Bless you friends……

 

Rolain

 

 

You are an original and that’s okay……

“We must live in the Holy Spirit and follow after Him. So may we never be arrogant,

or look down on another, for each of us is an original.

We must forsake all jealousy that diminishes the value of others.

Galatians 5:25, 26

 

“each of us is an original”

 

Is this not where the problem’s start, when we compare ourselves to others? Trying to be someone

else is just going to make things worse for you. Jealousy, arrogance, dis-contentedness, frustration and a

whole lot more stem from trying to be someone else.

The word is clear, you are an original!

Let’s look at another scripture;

 

“You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them 

together in my mother’s womb. 

I thank You, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!”

Psalm 139:13, 14 (TPT)

 

We are handsome/beautiful not because we are made like another person but because we are unique.

There is no one on this planet like you and me and that’s a great thing. You are one of a kind.

You are made in the image of YAH!

 

But the world has created a standard of what beauty should be. It has created a picture of what

handsomeness should be and we have bought into it. Not only do we use that measure on others, but

we use it on ourselves. The standard has been reinforced for so long that we don’t know anything else.

We hate and destroy ourselves because of it.

 

I was that person I am describing. Through a series of unfortunate events (abuse, divorce of parents, stuttering)

I hated me. The enemy had done a great job of destroying any good picture I had of myself. There was not a

single trace of self-esteem I could hold on to. I was my own worst enemy. Like I said, I hated me and envied

other people. How I wanted to be someone else.

But when the Lord saved me He changed all that. He showed me I was unique and that was good.

It took a lot of years to get here but He did it. He changed the old picture with a new one. A better picture!

 

You are an original! Don’t let people dictate who you should be. Don’t let the media, your peers and

anyone else for that matter dictate your worthiness. If it’s not based on the word don’t give it any

credence. What YAH says about you should be your standard period!

 

When we live by his truth, then no one is a threat and there is no reason to change ourselves so we can

be like that actor, musician or whoever we are trying to be currently.

We can be confident in who YAH made us to be. And that’s how He wants us live.

 

 

ACT ON IT – Change the way you speak to yourself. Be your biggest fan. Exhort & encourage

yourself, speak YAH”s word over your life.

There is a way to speak to yourself when you mess up without diminishing your value. Find ways of doing

that.

Find two scriptures you can hold on to that talk about your value.

 

Bless you friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

Forty days of fear!

“And the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day; 

give me a man, that we may fight together. 

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine,

they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

1 Samuel 17: 10, 11

 

One would think that would be the perfect opportunity for the

Philistine’s to attack Israel.

It would be an easy battle for them.

Saul and ALL Israel were dismayed and fearful.

But the enemy didn’t attack.

Instead of attacking, Goliath came out morning and evening

for FORTY days!

Yes, forty days!!

 

“The Philistine came out morning and evening presenting 

himself for forty days.”

1 Samuel 17:16

 

That is so crazy to think. It’s like the enemy enjoyed seeing

Israel cower in fear.

They loved seeing the Israelites in fear.

 

“David left his packages in the care of the baggage keeper

and ran into the ranks and came and greeted his brothers. 

 

As they talked, behold, Goliath, the champion, the Philistine

of Gath, came forth from the Philistine ranks and spoke the 

same words as before, and David heard him. 

 

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from 

him terrified. “

1 Samuel 17:22-24

 

And this went on for forty days, morning and evening!

Who knows how long it would have gone on for if David had

not come along.

 

And this my friends, is one of the enemies most effective strategy.

He wants you to live in fear as long as possible.

He wants you to be paralyzed by it.

He wants you to be bound by fear to a point where you can’t

think and you can’t step out in faith.

 

You don’t have to go far to find it. Fear is everywhere. It’s the

headlines you read on your way to work.

It’s in the 8:00 news.

It’s littered on your Facebook page.

 

Because the Israelites were gripped with fear they could not

move in  faith.

Fear blinded them to the truth.

They forgot the Lord Almighty was stronger than the enemy

they were facing.

 

The enemy used fear to stop the Israelites from moving

forward in their purpose.

 

We can’t let fear win friends. If left alone it will steal

everything good in our lives.

 

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, 

of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us 

a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced

mind and discipline and self-control. “

2 Timothy 1:7

 

We need God’s help to overcome fear. God has brought me

so far as I look back at my life. I was so fearful but He continues

to take me to new levels of boldness. This is not an easy battle

friends. But we are not alone facing this enemy.

Fear’s hold on our lives must be broken.

The God we serve is stronger than every fear we face.

He is stronger than the author of fear!!

Take heart.

Blessings to you

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

One thing that can stop God’s power in your life…..

“And the woman [in due time] bore a son and called his name Samson;

and the child grew and the Lord blessed him.

And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in Mahaneh-dan

[the camp of Dan] between Zorah and Eshtaol “

Judges 13:24, 25

 

I used to think Samson as the most arrogant of the heroes of the

bible. I thought he was brash, proud and conceited but I was wrong.

He was humble.

He knew where his true strength came from.

 

Let’s take a look at a scripture,

 

“Samson was very thirsty, and he prayed to the Lord and said, You have

given this great deliverance by the hand of your servant, and now shall I

die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”

Judges 15:18

 

When spending time with God he addresses himself as “servant”.

With all his strength and power he humbled himself before God.

He never once gave himself the glory.

We never read of a time where he praised himself.

Samson was a humble man.

 

Let’s take a look at one more scripture,

 

“And when he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him.

And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon [Samson], and the ropes

on his arms became as flax that had caught fire, and his bonds melted

off his hands.”

Judges 15: 14

 

“The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Samson”

 

That wouldn’t have been possible if Samson was arrogant and proud.

He knew God was the reason for his strength and power and that is why

he was used so mightily.

 

This is the lesson I want you to take from the life of Samson.

With all his strength and power he never became proud and arrogant.

He knew God was the source of his strength.

Because he was humble he was in a position to be used mightily by God.

He put God first in his life and that is why he did what he did.

He never once praised himself.

If he was prideful he wouldn’t have been used.

 

To be used by God we need to be humble. We need to always put Him first.

Pride takes God out of the picture and makes us believe we can do it on our own.

Pride wants to go on its own.

Pride thinks it doesn’t need God or anyone for that matter.

One of our prayers should be to be humble.

No matter how much God does for us we must remain humble.

No matter the great heights He takes us to we need to remain humble.

It’s only when we are humble that we can be used by Him.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

What true wisdom looks like……

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Hey friends!!

I hope I find you all well!

As the year closes I want to talk to you about something I was

thinking about recently.

 

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they

say, behold a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors

and [especially wicked] sinners!

Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her 

deeds) and by her children. “

Matthew 11:19

 

“Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does

(her deeds) and by her children.”

 

I was challenged by this verse. Do I really have wisdom?

After all, wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds and by

her children (fruit)

Wisdom is reflected by action and fruit!

Is there fruit in my life?

I can say I have wisdom but is it translating into works and am I

bearing fruit?

If there is no fruit in my life I am not really wise!

If I am really wise there will be action and there will be fruit

in abundance!

Wisdom will compel us to act, to stand up and make the

change! Wisdom does that.

 

This was hard to receive because I realized I haven’t really

taken the time to meditate on the things I have received.

I haven’t really put acting out what I know as the top

priority.

I need to be more deliberate and determined about applying

the wisdom I have received. It’s not enough to acquire

information.

 

Wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her

deeds) and by her children.

 

I want to really walk in wisdom. I am not content on just knowing

stuff cause that is not wisdom. Real wisdom is followed by action

and fruit! With real wisdom comes change.

If there is no improvement in my life and no fruit to show ‘

then I am living deceived!

 

If you are in the same boat I am in there is hope! We can start

2017 anew. We can make a decision to start again but this

time with a new understanding.

The Holy Spirit will help us if our desire is to walk in real

wisdom. I truly believe it. We may have blown it but we have a

second chance at this.

Have an amazing 2017 friends.

Bless you

 

Rolain

 

 

 

The Promise…..

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also

had been baptized, and [while He was still] praying, the [visible]

heaven was opened

And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove,

and a voice came from heaven saying, You are My Son, My

beloved!

In You I am well pleased and find delight!”

Luke 3:21, 22

 

This is a very familiar passage of scripture we can all agree. Pretty

straight forward as well but there is something else I saw that I

would like to share.

Jesus was about to start His ministry. But before He started He

had to be baptized. Something powerful happened as He got

baptized. The Holy Spirit came upon Him.

As I read this scripture I couldn’t move on. There were some

things which stood out for me.

 

Jesus would not be able to accomplish His mission without the

Holy Spirit. He would not be able to do all the things He did

without the Holy Spirit. He wasn’t getting baptized because it

was a “nice” thing to do.

Without the baptisim of the Holy Spirit Jesus would be powerless

and He would fail His mission.

As I was getting these insights I couldn’t help wonder if I really

understood the role of the Holy Spirit in me.

 

“However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is

profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away.

Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper,

Advocate, Intecessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you

[into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him

to you [to be in close fellowship with you].”

John 16:7

 

I have not fully understood the role of the Holy Spirit in my life.

I have taken Him for granted but I see now.

I was wrong!

 

But it makes sense right, all the sense in the world! It makes

sense how God uses the foolish, the broken, the weak, to do

great things.

I have issues, major issues, flaws, weaknesses……..

I don’t do the right thing a lot,

I think wrong,

I get afraid at times,

I struggle speaking to strangers about Christ,

I struggle with self esteem,

I am lazy,

I am selfish…..the list goes on and on

 

We are broken but God knows that and He has the answer….

 

Let’s look at one man who had major issues, Peter.

He was afraid, he doubted Jesus a lot, and he denied the Lord

three times. He had issues like we do but….

 

“But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and

adressed them: You jews and all you residents of Jerusalem,

let this be [explained] to you so that you will know and

understand;

listen closely to what I have to say.”

Acts 2:14

 

He was bold!

 

“And [Peter] solemnly and earnestly witnessed (testified) and 

admonished (exhorted) with much more continuous speaking and

warned (reproved, advised, encouraged) them, saying, Be saved

from this crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation.

Therefore those who accepted and welcomed his message were

baptized, and there were added that day about 3000 souls.”

Acts 2:40, 41

 

He wasn’t afraid anymore. He spoke with power and authority,

something he didn’t have before.

 

“But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I

do have, that I give to you: in [the use of] the name of Jesus Christ

of Nazareth, walk!

Then he took hold of the man’s right hand with a firm grip and

raised him up. And at once his feet and ankle bones became strong

and steady, “

Acts 3:6, 7

 

I could give you more examples but you get the idea. There

was an amazing transformation in Peter’s life. He wasn’t perfect

but there was a change. He was spirit-filled!

He did amazing things for God because he had the Holy Spirit

living in him.

May we get a revelation of what it means to be spirit filled.

As I end I would like to share one more scripture:

 

“And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead

dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the

dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable)

bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11

 

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me, lives

in you. I missed it somewhere but I see now.

I want to walk in the same power Jesus did? I need Him…

Without Him there is no power, no impact, no fruit!

What about you?

Will you seek Him, cry out to Him?

We all need Him if we are going to impact this world for Christ!

God bless you friends……

 

Rolain

 

photo credit: google images

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When evil is all I see…..

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

 

“All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by

anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart

has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].

Proverbs 15:15

 

This scripture spoke to me this morning. There have been a

few things on my mind which have got me in quite a panic,

things that have the potential to turn my life upside down.

The feelings come and go but today as I read Proverb I saw

where I erred. God doesn’t want me to stay in fear. He doesn’t

want me to be anxious. He wants me to bring all those feelings

to Him.

 

I don’t help myself when I allow anxious thoughts and

forebodings to control me.

I looked up the word “foreboding” and this is what I

found:

 

Foreboding – A feeling of coming evil

 

My days are made evil when I allow those kind of thoughts to

control me! Expecting to lose, expecting bad things to happen,

expecting God to not come through do real harm!

As sinners we have a natural proclivity to be negative but we

can’t allow it. We must fight all things negative with everything

in us. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can be positive,

with His help we can begin to see light when darkness threatens

to overwhelm us.

 

“but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of

circumstances].

Proverbs 15:15

 

That’s the kind of attitude I want. He is glad because he knows

God is faithful in the storm.

Hell has broken loose in his life but he is glad because he knows

God will not let him go and that hell has no power over him!

He knows God is fighting for him.

He knows he will win because God is with him.

Nothing can shake him!

 

Regardless of the circumstances, regardless of what’s

happening around him he is glad because he knows,

God is his Strong Tower!

“Things will turn out alright“, is his conviction!

 

So with that said, I know what I should do. God has yet

to fail me. He has been faithful to me in the darkest of nights.

He has proved Himself again and again……

Even though things are hard at the moment I will refuse to

see disaster.

Instead I choose to see God because He will come through

for me! He will not let me slip, He will not leave me to be

taken out by the enemy! I will live and not die because He

is faithful!!!!

 

What about you friend?

 

Rolain

 

photo credit: google images

 

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