What God Does With Our Rough Starts

No matter how bad a start you have had in life know that God is stronger and greater than your past. No matter how dark your past has been, how painful and hopeless it was, know that God will turn it around. You can look forward in hope because He has better things in store for you. Don’t let the negative things you experienced in the past make you think that things will not change. They will change because God is in full control of your life and He has an amazing future in store for you.

I think of Mary Magdalene.

She had a rough start. She had been demon possessed and was a prostitute but her life was turned around when she met Jesus. He cast out the seven demons that had possessed her (Luke 8:1, 2). Her life was never the same after she met Jesus.

She was the first person to see Jesus after He got resurrected (John 20:14-17)

We don’t know much about her life after Jesus ascended to heaven but I would like to guess she was used mightily by God. Her life was never the same again because Jesus turned her darkness and rough start into something beautiful.

As I come to the end of the post I want to encourage you to be expectant for what God has in store for you. No matter how rough your start has been know that God has something better for you.

Don’t allow the enemy to lie to you that things will never change because it’s a lie. You can be expectant for things to change because God is the One who is orchestrating things in your life. Put all of your hope in Him. Trust Him with your life!

Bless you friends

Rolain

Don’t let your past be a stumbling block.

““But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”

But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭9:13-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 

Before the Lord appeared to Saul he had done some terrible things. He was killing and imprisoning God’s people and who knows what else. But despite all those things the Lord had a plan for his life. Yes Paul did some crazy things in the past but the Lord had a new future for him. Paul’s past didn’t stop the Lord from using him mightily.

If you have had an unpleasant past know that it doesn’t have to determine what your future is going to be like. The Lord has a wonderful future in store for you.

But here lies the challenge: Can we let go of the past?

The enemy wants us to hold on to it. That’s one of the strategies he uses to derail us.

There was a time the past was a reference point for everything I did. When new opportunities came I looked at them through the lens of the past. “I can’t do that because of my past” were the consistent thoughts I was having. But thanks to the Lord who was patient with me and changed all that.

Stop letting the past determine your future. The Lord has amazing things in store for you despite your past. No matter how dark your past has been, the Lord wants you. He wants to give you a second chance. Like Paul, will you say yes to Him?

Remember, there is no sin that is too much for God. No matter what you have done, there is forgiveness and grace. Don’t let the past keep haunting you. There is healing, forgiveness, grace and second chances in the name of Jesus.

Say yes to Him today!

Bless you friends

Rolain

What the past teaches.

The past has not been easy. It’s been difficult and at the time it was hard to make sense of all that was

happening. But the past as difficult as it was revealed an important truth, a truth that helped me face

the storms and trials of today.

 

As crazy as the past has been I am still here. When I was going through it all with no idea of how things were

going to turn out God carried me through it. No matter how dark things got God always carried

me through and continues to.

 

The lesson is this; If God could deliver me back then, He will do it again today. 

 

Learn a lesson from the past. The Lord will be there for you as He was back then. Whatever storm you in

now, know that God will deliver you like He did before. Look at all the things He has brought you through

and be at peace knowing He will do it again and again.

 

Sometimes we go through some really intense times and think this is the time when our luck runs out but

listen to me, it won’t happen. God will never let you down no matter how many times the enemy tries to

destroy you.  he won’t win. And that’s the lesson the past teaches.

God will always be victorious. He will always bring you through the darkness.

 

Bless you, 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

Do we really understand His faithfulness??

“For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are

everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all

generations. “

Psalm 101:5

 

“His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations”

 

This verse has been on my heart this week. The Lord is so

faithful. This past week has been interesting because I have

been reminded about the things I am trusting God for. Those

things haven’t come to pass as yet. Nothing seems to be

happening. I have asked God the “why” question and the

“when” question and as I have done that the scripture I shared

has been bubbling in my spirit. Even in the “hard to understand

times” God is faithful!

 

“His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations”

 

It may “seem” like nothing is happening at the moment but

the Lord is faithful! He really is….

 

The word says “His faithfulness and truth endure to ALL

generations!”

God was faithful to Abraham when He told him to

leave his home to go to a place he didn’t know.

 

“The Lord had said to Abraham, “Leave your native country,

your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land

that I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

 

A hundred and one things could of gone wrong for Abraham.

Leaving what you know to go to a place you have

never seen and never heard of is crazy right.

But Abraham obeyed and went and God’s faithfulness protected

him as he went. God blessed Abraham, protected him and

directed his every step. Abraham had favor where he went.

That was God’s faithfulness operating in his life.

 

The Lord was faithful to Adam and Eve when they ate of the

tree that God told them not to eat. They were doomed when they

ate the fruit. The enemy had won if it wasn’t for God’s

faithfulness to Adam and Eve! (Genesis 3)

Without God’s faithfulness we would be doomed.

 

“His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations”

 

Generations later we see God’s faithfulness in the life of Hannah.

She was barren and because of that she was constantly

ridiculed by Peninnah. It seemed like Peninnah would be

victorious. It seemed like her negative words would ring

true in Hannah’s life.

 

“So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because

the Lord had kept her from having children.

Year after year it was the same – Peninnah would taunt Hannah

as they went to the tabernacle.

Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not

even eat.”

1 Samuel 1:6, 7

 

But God was faithful to Hannah! He answered her prayer and

granted her heart’s desire by giving her a child, Samuel!

Year after year it seemed like nothing was happening for

Hannah. There was no relief from the taunting. But God is

faithful and even in that dark time God’s faithfulness prevailed.

Because of God’s faithfulness Hannah had a child and

a testimony! (1 Samuel 2)

 

“And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from

God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home

is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be

His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear

from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or

crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelation 21:2-4

 

God’s faithfulness is everlasting. Even in the end of time we see

His faithfulness!

 

Throughout scripture we see God’s faithfulness. Generation after

generation we see His faithfulness at work. His faithfulness

was at work then and it’s at work now. I know things don’t

seem to be happening right now but God is faithful.

Last month I went on tour to Zambia and I was involved in

a very serious car accident. I was supposed to be dead. At the very

least I was supposed to be seriously injured but because of

God’s faithfulness I escaped unscathed.

When my country came to a standstill in 2008 with no food

in the country and our dollar crashing it was God’s faithfulness

that kept me. When I didn’t know where the next meal would

come from God was faithful. So no matter what is happening

or not happening at the moment I know God is faithful!

 

Why I am sharing this with you? I am sharing this with you

because no matter what you going through know that God

is faithful. Troubles will come in their droves but

God is faithful and He will deliver you from them all!

He was faithful yesterday, He is faithful today and He

will still be faithful tomorrow!

His faithfulness will outlive us all!!

Because He is faithful your darkness will turn to light.

Because He is faithful everything will turn out alright.

The enemy will not win over you because of God’s faithfulness!

You will have a testimony because of His faithfulness.

Because of His faithfulness your posterity is blessed!

 

It will take all of eternity

to write of God’s faithfulness so as I close my hope is that you

will get a revelation of God’s faithfulness in your life.

I hope the very few stories I have

shared will encourage you to rely on His faithfulness in your hard

times. In the dark know He is faithful.

His faithfulness might not manifest itself in the way we expect and

the time we expect but know this, He is faithful!  That truth is

irrefutable! Have a blessed day friends…….

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The truth about the past.

The past has the potential to destroy your future if you let it. But this does not apply to everyone. Not everyone grew up in an abusive,broken, home. There are a lot of people who grew up in a loving caring home. Those people are really blessed.
If your past has been dark then read on. If your past has been great then read on as well. You might get something you can pass on.

My past was not really great. The memories i have are mostly bad. And as i grew up and especially when i became a christian i was told to look forward and not look back to the past.
It was a really hard thing to do. Then a few years later i learnt about conditioning. And it made sense why it was hard. My mentor taught me that the way i saw my life was determined by the way i was conditioned as a child. When i speak of conditioning i am speaking about how you were spoken to and treated when you were a child.

How we were conditioned can not be taken lightly. Here i was as a grown man still struggling with thought patterns instilled as a child. I could not understand it. I was born again but still thinking small. I knew what God had called me to but still struggled with thoughts of insecurity. Why and how?
The past is the reason. The past cannot just be ignored. It needs to be dealt with.
I was taught that as humans we move towards the most dominate picture in our mind. So as a child the negative things that were said and did to me were the most dominate. But i was not taught how to change the picture. So i went through life having all the potential to be a new person but always reverting back to that negative picture that had been created when i was a child. Do you understand? What i am trying to show you, is that you have a picture in your mind of who you are. That picture was created by you according to how you were treated and how you were spoken to. Once you have that picture, everything is filtered through that it. A good example of this would be a boy who is a genius but has grown up being told he is stupid and useless. By the time he is a teenager his dominant picture is one of useless and stupid. He is last in his class. He never passes any of his tests. Why? He has the potential to do much better but because of the way he has been conditioned he cannot see the potential.
Ignoring the past in this case will not work. He will need to change the picture he has.

See how powerful the past is. You cannot just ignore it, it needs to be dealt with. People would tell me i was destined for great things but i was conditioned to see myself as dirt, as useless. And that is what i would revert back to. That is how the past affected me. If you going through the same thing know that there is a way out. That picture can change.

What you need to do is begin to change the picture that you have of yourself. First, take a look at yourself. Assess yourself. What is the most dominate picture? Is it positive or negative? Is it hindering you or pushing you forward?
Once you do that you need to create the picture you want with your words. Speak positively to yourself. Never talk down on yourself. Hang around people that encourage you and see greatness in you. Read books that strengthen you as a person. Invest in yourself.
This is a process. It takes time. But the results are worthwhile. Don’t let the past destroy your future. Turn around and deal with it. Ask for God’s help. He is more than willing to show you those things that you can’t see that are eating at you.

Your future is bright. You have so much potential in you. Do you see it? The time to change is now.

Rolain.P