What does God see when He looks at us?

“God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob [for he is forgiven], neither has He seen 

mischief or perverseness in Israel [for the same reason]. The Lord their God 

is with Israel, and the shout of praise to their King is among their people.” 

Numbers 23:21

 

This is a pretty amazing verse if you ask me. Balak hired Balaam to curse

the people of Israel but things were not going according to his plan.

Blessing was happening instead of cursing. Balaam could only speak what YAH

told him. But that’s not the amazing bit, whats amazing are the words YAH put in

Balaam’s mouth to speak (declare).

 

Up to this point Israel had rebelled against YAH in so many ways. They were back

in the desert because they failed to believe YAH could take them to the promise land

even though they were by the “door”.

 

They complained, tested, grumbled, and worshipped other gods (the golden calf) so you would think

YAH would allow the cursing to happen as a way of punishment for all the wrong things they

had done to that point. But that is not what happened.

 

Instead of allowing Balaam to curse them, He let him bless them!

He had forgiven them completely. Through all the bad they did and all the bad they were

going to do YAH still forgave them. He didn’t hold their sin against them.

This is a picture of how merciful our God is. We deserve worse because of our sin

but that’s not what we get.

The Israelites failed YAH so many times and yet He still loved them, He still forgave them,

He stopped Balaam from cursing them.

Do we really understand how great YAH’s love is for us?

I think the enemy lies to us that our sin is unbearable to YAH and because it’s so

unbearable, He will keep His distance from us. That’s a lie.

 

I am not saying it’s okay to sin, what I am saying is that YAH loves us no matter what.

There are consequences for sin and that is shown by the Israelites who never made it into the

promise land because of their unbelief.

 

But to say that the Lord hates us and can’t stand us because of sin is a lie. When He sees

us, He sees His children. He loves us so much.

You may have messed up and are continuing to mess up but know that you can repent.

Confidently cry out to Him when you fall. He doesn’t disown you when you sin. He picks

you up and that’s how much He loves us

We are truly blessed….

 

Rolain

 

 

Expect Him to move in your life today…..

“Expect the Holy Spirit to move.

Your faith will never rise higher than your level of expectation”

 

This statement was a wake up call to me this week. It was a wake up call to be expectant.

Am I expectant all the time? Not really.

Sometimes the cares of the world weigh me down and I get stuck. But YAH doesn’t want me there.

He is great and mighty and cares for me and wants to be there for me…..

 

The level of my expectation needs to rise. The higher my expectation the higher my faith level.

The woman with the issue of blood comes to mind. She wasn’t like, “oh well, let me see if I can get

a healing. If Yeshua heals me, great but if He doesn’t, at least I tried.”

What!!! Crazy right??!! The woman had a high expectation. She wasn’t thinking, “what if”.

She was going to get her healing full stop! (Luke 8:43-48)

 

Friends, we need to raise our expectancy level. We can’t have a ‘whatever happens, happens’ approach to YAH.

Expect the Holy Spirit to move in you and through you because He is going to move! (that’s for me!!)

Another friend of mine shared her thoughts about expectation,

 

“The definition of expectation is, “a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in

the future.” 

Our expectations for Yeshua can be set high.”

 

We need to turn the level up of our expectation. We can’t be mediocre about this. Our expectation will

always be challenged but let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us live expectant every single day.

What areas in your life is your expectation low or non existent?

Bring those areas to Him. Let Him breath new life into those dead areas.

I have found that because of deferred hope/disappointments our expectations can be hampered but I believe

YAH wants us to be expectant in Him again. No matter what has happened in the past we need to live expectant.

We need His help to do this.

Let me share a scripture with you,

 

“Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the

power that worketh in us.”

Ephesians 3:20

 

Nothing is impossible for Him, so be expectant!

Expect, hope and trust without restraint!

That’s my challenge and your challenge in this season!

Bless you friends….

 

Rolain

Living life in your own strength…..

“Moses told [the Lord’s] words to all the Israelites, and they

mourned greatly.

And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of

the mountain, saying

Behold, we are here, and we intend to go up to the place which

the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.

But Moses said, why do you transgress the command of the Lord

[to turn back by way of the Red Sea], since it will not succeed?

Go not up, for the Lord is not among you, that you be not struck

down before your enemies. “

Numbers 14:39-45

 

The twelve spies had got back from scouting Canaan and

ten of the twelve brought back bad news. Joshua and Caleb

where full of confidence that God could bring them into the

promise land but the other ten thought otherwise. Anyway

after the news Israel in it’s entirety complained and grumbled.

Talk of going back to Egypt was going around and the people

were about to stone Joshua and Caleb when the Lord intervened!

 

They would not inherit the land God promised them because

of their lack of faith. Their children would be the ones who

would enter the promise land.

Anyway to cut a long story short, the people were very sorry

for how they reacted and decided to take up their weapons

and take the land God had given them. Moses told them it

was too late and they had to turn back but they thought it a

small feat to attack the Canaanites and Amalekites.  So off they

went without Moses and the ark of God (His presence) and

lost! (Numbers 14:44, 45)

 

The Israelites took for granted God’s presence with them.

They thought they could storm the Canaanites in their own

strength but they were dead wrong. It was because of God

they were able to destroy nations stronger than themselves!

 

This Sunday I was reminded who is really in control. Like

the Israelites I forgot who was really in control. I had become

proud. I forgot the reason I do all I do is because of His grace

and mercy on my life. There is no other reason behind it. I am

able to teach because He enables me to!

 

“My glory is great because of His aid”

 

That sums up everything.

The reason I write, the reason I am

able to teach, the reason I am where I am is because of Him.

It’s not because I am smart or because I “know” people!

It’s not because I grew up in the right neighborhood.

It’s not because I am eloquent and so on and so on….

 

I am able to do all that I do because of God. It’s all Him!

Without God I would lose. The enemy would win hands

down.

My enemies in the natural ARE stronger than me and I could be

extinguished if I was alone. But I am not alone!

The Lord is with me and He is the reason I win, He is the

reason I succeed. He is the reason I am still here.

 

We need God friends. I hope you realize just how much you

need Him in your life. He does so much and at times we can

take it for granted. We can think it’s because of our strength

but it’s not. He is the One who has carried us this far.

The Israelites thought their strength was enough but they

were so wrong! They needed God desperately if they were

ever going to enter the promise land.

As I close I want to encourage you to always seek His guidance.

He is the reason we win and He is the reason we are alive.

Don’t forget that friends!

Bless you

 

Rolain.

 

 

 

 

 

Building on “dry land”.

 

“By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was 

warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he 

was told. The result?

His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between 

evil of the unbelieving world and the righteous of the believing 

world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.”

Hebrews 11:7 (MSG)

 

I love this passage of scripture. It’s pretty amazing if you ask me.

This passage highlights something very important about faith.

 

Noah was warned about a flood he had never seen before. So

by faith he starting building a ship on dry land. How crazy that

must of looked! I don’t think anyone had a clue what he was

doing! Noah stepped out in faith even though he had no

idea what a flood was and to add to that, he hadn’t

ever built or seen an ark before!

 

Before Noah saw a flood he had to build the ark.

He didn’t wait for the rains to start to begin building the ark.

It’s on dry land that he began building the ark!

 

I know it seems elementary but how many of us wait for God

to do something before we step out in faith?

We wait for a sign from God before we start moving.

But the very nature of faith requires us to take that first leap of

faith into the unknown!

 

The crazy thing is,

Those who wait on God to do something before they do anything

really don’t trust Him! (that really convicted me!)

It’s because Noah HAD faith in God he started moving!

He had never seen a flood or an ark but he trusted God!

God’s word to him was enough!

 

Where are you at the moment?

Are you building ships on dry land or are you waiting on the

rains to begin so you can start moving??

 

This is the thing, people will look at you funny.

A lot of people will misunderstand you. They will talk about you.

They will think you are crazy. They will laugh at you.

They will scorn you. They try and talk you out of it.

 

Noah could have gone through the same things but he kept

at it. He got up everyday to build the ark.

It didn’t make sense but he pushed forward.

All he had was a word from God but that was enough for him.

 

We need to start moving friends. We need to start building

ships on dry land.

God’s word is enough. It’s all we need.

The world wants us to believe it’s not enough.

The world wants us to feel, touch, reason things out but is that

what God really wants?

 

“But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory

to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily]

believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those 

who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. 

Hebrews 11:6

 

Let go of the fear friends.

Stand on His word when the uncertainty comes.

God’s word to you may not make sense to the people around you

but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong!

 

I don’t think it was easy for Noah as he built the ark.

He had to fight the outside voices as well as the inner voices.

He clung on to God with all that he had and that made the

difference!

Hold on to the word of the Lord to you no matter how crazy it

sounds!

If you have been waiting for long and you are beginning to doubt

the word, don’t!! He is faithful and He will deliver on His

promise to you!

 

On that note it’s time to end this post.

 

Bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will you hold on…???

I had an amazing couple of days this past weekend.

The month of April in my country

marks the end of the first school term so that means holiday

time and holiday camps! And since I serve in our kids ministry

I went for camp with the kids I teach.

This was one of the best camps I have been on. Yes, I was

involved in the planning and organizing of it but I still had fun!

The kids we went with had a blast! As a leader it was a privilege

serving the children.

But what stood out the most for me was how God came and

ministered to me and the other leaders. I have been trusting

God for a lot of things and I have to admit it gets hard. It’s

hard holding on in faith and this weekend my faith was tested.

But in the testing God used the three days I was on

camp to re-adjust my focus.

This is what He spoke to me about:

 

“Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed Him, for they

were all expecting Him.

Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell

at Jesus feet, pleading with Him to come to his house

because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

Luke 8:40-55″

 

We all know the story very well but there are a few things

that I saw that jumped out at me that I would like to point out:

 

– Jairus came to Jesus because he had faith in Him. He believed

Jesus would heal his daughter. Jairus was desperate! He may

of tried a few doctors but with no luck.

 

– Jesus stopped walking when the woman with the issue of

blood touched Him. I am sure Jesus knew how desperate and

serious Jairus’s situation was but He still stopped?? How do we

know the woman with the issue of blood had that problem for

twelve years and how do we

know she used all her money on physicians with no change?

We know all this because one of the disciples must of taken

the time to speak to her. He must of spent some time asking

questions or Jesus must of simply listened to a healed ecstatic

woman tell Him how she had spent

all her money on physicians with no results and tell Him how

long this went on for!

Whatever the case, Jairus was waiting! What was on his mind as

all this was happened? Did he push Peter to speak up…?

 

“When they all denied it, Peter said, Master, the people are

crowding and pressing against you.” Luke 8:45

 

Where was his faith then?

Did he convince Peter of the absurdity of Jesus question? We

don’t know…..!

Then it happened….!

 

“While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the

house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. ‘Your daughter is

dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Luke 8:49

 

What exactly was going through Jairus mind? It was faith

and desperation that led him to Jesus but was that faith

still there? Did Jesus take His time with the woman knowing

Jairus was desperate?? Did He want Jairus to endure

in his faith???

Having faith and enduring in your faith are two completely

different things. We do well when we trust God but is that enough?

We must also learn to endure in our faith. That’s the lesson

I learned on camp.

Jairus had faith in Jesus but his faith was tested. He had to

learn to endure in his faith he soon found out.

Don’t lose hope along the way! Jesus has not forgotten your

faith! Jairus may of felt like Jesus didn’t care or had forgotten

him but He didn’t!

 

“But Jesus, on hearing this, answered him, Do not be seized

with alarm or struck with fear;

Simply believe [in Me as able to do this], and she will be

made well.     Luke 8:50

 

When Jairus faith was failing, Jesus was right there

to encourage him. Jesus wants us to endure in our faith.

You may be trusting God for something and weeks,

months and years have passed without anything happening

but be assured,

something will happen as long as you endure in your faith!

Don’t give up in your faith. Don’t let fear cloud the truth

about your faith.

The truth is, God will come through!

God has heard you and will not let you down!

He wants to help you more than you will ever know!

Your faith is precious to God!

Your faith pleases Him.

As long as you have faith, the enemy will always lose!

 

At the end of the day, Jairus got his daughter back. Jesus

did a miracle in his life because he endured in his faith no

matter how bad things seemed!

Jesus knows where you are at. He has not forgotten about

you. He says,

 

“Simply believe [in Me as able to do this], and she shall be

made well.” Luke 8:50

 

Believe He is able to help you.

Believe He has heard you because He has.

 

As I sign off I want to encourage you to endure in your faith.

That is what I was challenged to do on camp!

God bless….

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why “perfect” doesn’t work with God……!

In the past two weeks I have been feeling inadequate, not enough, useless, for the purpose God has for me. A door of opportunity has opened up for me but instead of proudly walking through it I have had doubts and more doubts! I have second guessed my ability and come up with a conclusion:

I am not the right person for the job. I am unequipped and unqualified for this. 

But as I had that thought I was reminded of Jesus and the disciples! Jesus had chosen them, entrusted them with the job of spreading the good news after He was gone! They would be His hands and feet, they were to be His voice! They had some VERY big shoes to fill….

These are the men Jesus called:

– They couldn’t stay up and pray with Jesus in His most trying time!  Matthew 26:45

– They fled and abandoned Him when He needed them the most. Matthew 26:56

– Peter denied Him.  Matthew 26:74, 75

– They struggled to understand what Jesus was saying a lot of the time! Matthew 15:16

– They couldn’t cast out a demon because they lacked faith.                 Mark 9: 17, 18, 19

– They fought among themselves.   Luke 22:24

 

This is what Jesus had to work with. These men who had so many faults, these men who let Him down so much, these are the men who turned the world upside down for Jesus. They gave their all for Him! These were the men Jesus commissioned to spread the good news! Despite their flaws Jesus used them and He still does the same thing today!

God knows your faults, your weaknesses, your failings, but He has CHOSEN YOU!

Don’t think He has made a mistake because He hasn’t!

Whatever your weakenesses know that He wants to use you! Will you let Him use you??

Don’t believe the lie that God can’t use you because you are not perfect! We are far from perfect but God can still use us!

As you can see, my fears and anxieties were very irrational. After having those feelings I realised something, God wants me to trust Him every step of the way. He knew I wasn’t qualified but He wanted me to trust Him to guide me.

I have a sneaking feeling this won’t be the last time He calls me to something out of my depth! My purpose is way out of my depth not because He is mean but because He wants me to trust Him. If I can accomplish my purpose in my own strength how would God be glorified?

God’s calling is always bigger than you, it is always out of your depth! With all your faults and short comings He wants you to trust Him! He has an amazing plan for your life…..!

Rolain

 

 

Has The Song of Your Heart Died???

 

The first term of bible school has finished but there is so much to reflect on, so much I have learned! As the lecturer was teaching on being jammed full of God he was talking about the song in our heart. “When we are full of God we have a song in our heart” he said. He is so right. I remember having a song when I first became a Christian. As time went on that song began to get softer and softer until it died!!! How it died I don’t know. I served God, I read my bible, I thought about Him but the passion had gone!! How……..???

I have seen how it is my responsibility to stay full of God. It is not God’s responsibility but mine. It is your responsibility to be full of God.

I thought the song would just continue with no deliberate effort but the song died. I was so wrong!

 

But things have changed now. I am not going to make the same mistake. I need God my whole life. We NEED God! It is my responsibility to stay edified.

One way of staying full of God is by continually ministering to God, by praising Him and worshiping Him and thanking Him!

We need to pay attention to our spiritual condition. How is your spiritual condition? Are you on empty or getting there?

One way of testing your spiritual condition is by watching what comes out of your mouth. Do you complain and murmur a lot? We hinder ourselves from receiving from God by murmuring and complaining.

 

Praise is the highest type of prayer we can give to God. When we thank God we are demonstrating our faith in Him. Giving thanks to Him will strengthen you. It will put things into perspective, small problems, BIG GOD!!!

 

My desire is to be jammed full of God. When I am full of God there will no space for nothing else! And that is the same for you. I looked up the definition for saturate and found out that part of the meaning is to, infuse or completely fill. May God completely fill you and infuse you with Himself!!!!

The song is getting louder and louder and so it should. And remember, you are responsible for your spiritual condition!!! Amen

 

Rolain