How important are our prayers to God?

I was not intending to do a sequel to last week’s post but here we are.

I got another revelation this week about prayer during my quiet time that I would like to share.

It really encouraged me and changed the way I see my prayers even more.

 

“And when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down

before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense,

which are the prayers of God’s people.”

Revelation 5:8

 

“Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers

of God’s people.” 

 

So in this passage of scripture we learn two amazing things. 

Firstly, our prayers are not in some random place, or filed away in a place to be forgotten. 

They are not thrown away, discarded or lost. 

On the contrary, they are been treated with care and are obviously precious in God’s eyes

because they are in golden bowls! 

And secondly, our prayers are in the very throne room of God (Revelation 5:8)

 

Our prayers are very important to God. Don’t let the enemy lie to you that your prayers don’t 

mean much to God. The word shows us the truth about how important our prayers are. 

So keep praying and know that as your pray your prayers are in golden bowls in the very throne room

of God! 

 

“The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked but He delights in the prayers of the upright.”

Proverbs 15:8

 

Bless you friends. 

 

Rolain

 

What’s the big idea?

During this Covid-19 period the amount of books I read has increased drastically. I love reading so in this season I have had a  chance to read, read and read. Anyway, this year I was introduced to Myles Munroe. Before 2020 I had never read any of his books but am I glad I found him. In the book I am currently reading there is a chapter he talked about ideas. The way he explained what ideas are, made me realize some very important and critical things that I would like to share with you. Here are a few points he made about them:

• Ideas are more powerful than death and ideas produce everything.
• Everything began as an idea and is the result of the conception of an idea.
• The most difficult thing to fight against is an idea.
• Ideas can be transferred and live on for generations.

There are two more points that are the reason for me writing this post,

• The only way to defeat a bad idea is with a better idea.
• Ideas are destroyed by ideas.    

(This reminds me of one of my favorite movies, Inception! 🙂)

We all have an idea of who we are, about life, about what we are going to do, where we going to live and so on but I realized I was still living with some outdated ideas about myself and what I can do. The source of those ideas predated my days as a Christian.

But I was so encouraged to read that those ideas can be replaced by better ones. The only way to destroy a bad idea that I have been living with for years is by replacing it with a better idea and when I say better I mean with God’s word.

That was so liberating. There is hope. We all have a chance to change. We don’t have to accept the negative ideas we were given about ourselves.

We need to be habitually giving ourselves better ideas. It can’t be a once off thing but a lifestyle. And as sons and daughters of the King we have a true source of ideas in abundance.

I want to live out the ideas the Lord has for me because they are amazing, graceful, and they are truth. He created me so He knows better than I know myself.

What ideas are you living with today that are limiting you, that are keeping you from living to the full potential God designed you to live?

Prayer

Lord, reveal areas where bad ideas are reigning supreme and help us to replace them with better ideas, with Your ideas.

Break the power of fearful and limiting ideas in our lives.

Give us Your amazing ideas from this day on.

Amen!

Blessings to 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

Dried up but not finished…

I love eating fresh chillies. When I go to the supermarket that’s one of the first things

on my list.

Anyway, I bought a packet of fresh chillies a few weeks ago but made the mistake of putting them

in the fridge. A few days later they started turning color. I took them out of the fridge and made

a decision to throw them away. A few days had gone by and I still had not thrown them away. By then

some of them had dried up.

 

But one evening as I was cooking a thought came to me. I decided to try one of the dried chillies and to

my surprise it was hotter than a fresh chilli. I am not talking about a little hotter. I am not exaggerating

when I say it was 6 to 7 times hotter!

(And yes, it was at that time I realized how to make dry chillies……haha)

 

As I pondered on this I was encouraged. The chilli was about to be thrown out. It seemed like it had

come to the end of it’s life but there was so much in store.

Did the chilli even know the potential it had??

It may have dried up but it was brimming with untapped potential.

 

Don’t let anyone count you out. Don’t count yourself out! There is so much God has put in you.

Like the dried up chilli there is so much more in you than you realize.

The chilli was designed that way by God. It’s not a mistake that it gets hotter when dried.

You may think you have reached your max but that’s so far from the truth.

Don’t give up friend. God’s plan is still being revealed in your life.

There is so much more to discover and walk into.

 

Bless you friends…

 

The promise of God on your life under attack…

“And [that same] following night the Lord stood beside Paul and said, Take courage, Paul, 

for as you have borne faithful witness concerning Me at Jerusalem, so you, must also bear 

witness at Rome.

Now when daylight came, the Jews formed a plot and bound themselves by an oath and

under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they had done away with Paul.

They were more than forty [men of them], who formed this conspiracy [swearing together this oath

and curse].” 

Acts 23:11-13

 

I know I have shared on this verse before but this week God has been speaking to me afresh concerning

this passage of scripture.

Paul had a clear word from God about where he was going. But we see that the very next day

an attack was launched against Paul and that is what I want to speak about.

 

The enemy is not afraid to attack the word God has spoken to you. The enemy wants to destroy the

work God has started in you. he doesn’t want you getting to the place God has planned for you.

he has declared war on you, on the calling God has on your life.

 

After reading Paul’s story I was shown how the enemy was attacking the word of God given to me.

When it comes to finances let’s just my faith has been nonexistent.

I would worry about how my needs would be met and how I would survive the month but God began

to help me through a group of men I am accountable to. He gave me scriptures to stand on and declare

and for a season I was energized and full of faith but somewhere down the line that stopped.

 

I started falling back into worry and fear and that is when God showed me what was happening through

the story of Paul. The enemy was attacking the word God had given me and I didn’t even realize it.

 

I will not let the enemy steal the word God has given me anymore and not just in the area of finances but every

area of my life. He has promised me health, long life, fruitful relationships, restoration, purpose realized

and so much more.

 

I don’t know where you are at today but know that the enemy is attacking the word God has given you.

 

“And he [satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every 

tree of the garden?” 

Genesis 3:1

 

satan had the audacity to challenge the word Eve was given.

he is trying to steal the word God has given

you.

 

Don’t let him steal it. The word God has given you is to carry you and protect

you.  It is to act as a way out of the storm you are in. It’s your light in the darkness.

Without the word you are left vulnerable, hopeless, lost and defeated. The enemy knows this.

 

The way to stop the enemy from stealing the word God has given you is by reading His word and

declaring it! Don’t stop declaring and reading the word no matter how bad it gets, no matter how hopeless

it appears to be.  That’s the mistake I made. I stopped declaring and the enemy took full advantage.

 

God’s word over you will come to pass. It will accomplish what it was meant to do and that is to

nullify the lies of the enemy, to break the chains you are bound by. The word will release you into all

of what God has destined you for. There is so much in store for you. It’s time to walk into it.

Take a stand against the enemy. God is with you.

 

Bless you, friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

God is not deaf, so tell Him what you going through…

“As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon

will I utter my complaint and moan and sign, and He will hear my voice.” 

Psalm 55:16-17

 

When we pray God listens but not only does He listen, He responds (He saves)!

Don’t hesitate when you are in trouble.

Don’t hesitate when you are confused and looking for answers.

Don’t hesitate when you are fearful.

 

Bring your requests to Him with full assurance that He hears you and will save you.

 

I was in trouble a few days ago and armed with this revelation I prayed. I asked God for help and

He heard me. I know He heard me because He helped me. The trouble I was in He fixed.

I don’t know where you are today but let me tell you that God hears your prayers.

God is not deaf. He knows what you need. He knows the battles you are facing.

He knows your every desire.

The enemy, on the other hand, wants us to believe that God doesn’t care, that He has forgotten about

us. But it’s not true.

Pray to Him always, no matter how small or insignificant you think your request is.

And if you don’t get an answer then go back to Him and ask Him why. There is always a reason

for unanswered prayer.

 

“O You Who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come.”

Psalm 65:2

 

Because He hears our prayer we go to Him. He wants to hear our prayers.

So today make your requests to Him known.

 

Bless you!

 

Rolain

Is Jesus ever late?

“[As for me] I am poor and needy, yet the Lord takes thought and plans for me.

You are my Help and my Deliverer, O my God, do not tarry!”

Psalm 40:17

 

Is the Lord ever late?

As I think on this question there are things I am trusting Him for. Some of those things

are things that need to happen in the next few days and the next month. Some of the other things

have passed the timeline I made for them.

 

Is the Lord ever late?

 

As I continued to meditate on Psalm 40:17 Jairus came to mind.

His daughter was really sick and if nothing was done she would die. He decided to go to Jesus for help.

If there was anyone who could help He could. (Mark 5:22)

Everything seemed to be going well. Jesus had agreed to go to see his daughter but on the way,

some of his friends met him and told him not to worry the Teacher any longer. His daughter

didn’t make it. She had died.

Jesus was late?

But when all seemed lost, when it seemed like Jesus was late something incredible happened.

 

“Overhearing but ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not

be seized and struck with fear; only keep believing.”

Mark 5:36

 

Jesus continued on to Jairus’s house and brought his daughter back to life!!

When it seemed like He was late, He really wasn’t.

Help us, Lord, to wait on You when all seems lost, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense!

 

The last story that came to mind was of Lazarus and his sisters. (John 11)

He was very sick and on the brink of death so his sisters sent for Jesus.

He loved this family very much. (John 11:5)

So you would think Jesus would go immediately but He didn’t.

 

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [They were His dear friends, and He 

held them in loving esteem.]

Therefore [even] when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He still stayed two days longer in the same 

place where He was.” 

John 11:5, 6

 

By the time He got to Lazarus, He found out he had been dead for four days! I think it’s almost definite

that the sisters thought Jesus was late, extremely late! I can imagine them seeing their brother getting worse

and worse and feeling so powerless. Where is He? Why is He late?

That’s what I think they were asking themselves.  And eventually, their brother died.

What emotions were they going through?

 

I can identify with that because there have been things in my life I have been trusting God for that haven’t

come to pass yet and it’s been years, like over fifteen years of waiting on the Lord. Earlier in my walk with

Him I thought He didn’t care. I thought He enjoyed seeing me suffer. I thought He enjoyed getting my

hopes up only to crush them but I was so wrong. As I have grown in my walk with Him I have begun to

understand that the Lord is never late! His word shows us this truth so powerfully. There are so many stories

of Him coming through for His children at just the right time. Their idea of early might have been

wrong but God always came through at the right time.

 

What are you waiting on Him for, today?

As we ask the Lord to not tarry may we understand that He is never late. He comes through

at the right time. It may not be when we expect it but it’s at the right time.

He knows what you need. He has heard your prayers. He will not ignore you and He does not delight in

getting your hopes up. He wants to give you what you are trusting Him for.

Don’t lose heart and give up. The Lord will not tarry.

He loves you!

 

Bless you

 

Rolain

 

 

And the fans waited in anticipation….

THOUGHT OF THE DAY.

What a world cup this has been! There have been surprises at every corner and the team you thought

had a chance is probably gone home. Anyway, I was watching the France vs Belgium game the other

day and I remember the feeling and emotion I had. What a game it was, the suspense, the action, the

spectacle.

But then I saw something that triggered a thought. I saw something to this effect;

I saw fans standing in anticipation. In the frame I saw, there was no one sitting. The expectancy from

both sides was palpable.

They were waiting for a goal.

This is a great picture of how we should be waiting on the Lord. Your expectancy as you wait should

be palpable.

 

No one goes to watch a game like this, feeling meh;

 

 

Fans are energetic, excited, and expectant, something like this;

 

I learned a lesson seeing those fans. There is a way to wait upon the Lord. Having an attitude of

whatever happens, happens is not the way we wait. We should be waiting with an expectancy and

excitement that YAH will come through, that He is answering our prayers because He is!

 

“In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my request before You and wait

expectantly.” 

Psalm 5:3

 

Have a great weekend friends…..

 

Rolain

What do we do when life doesn’t go the way we expect??

Living out God’s plan for my life has not gone anything like I expected!!

There have been turns, twists and surprising additions but nothing like I expected.

There have been difficult things I had to wrestle with.

There have been disappointments.

And as I write this post I still don’t have the full picture of YAH’s plan for my life!

Can anyone else identify??

 

Even though there is a lot I am still in the dark about concerning YAH’s purpose for my

life one thing remains, my faith in Him!

When we talk about purpose we need to talk about faith. Without faith in YAH we will

not accomplish His plan for our lives.

We may not make sense of what’s happening but we need to trust Him.

It may not happen like we imagine but we must trust!

 

And this is the thing, faith must be exercised every step of the way.

Think about the Israelites for a bit. YAH had a plan for them;

to take them out of Egypt (bondage) to bring them to Canaan (a land

flowing with milk and honey).  (Exodus 3:17)

A trip that was supposed to take eleven days took forty years! (Deuteronomy 1:2)

They consistently doubted YAH’s goodness, mercy and faithfulness.

They had a crazy amount of things happen to them along the way and things could have

turned out differently for them if they only trusted but as we know it didn’t.

They didn’t get into the promise land because of their unbelief.

Without faith in YAH we will fail. I want to share a scripture that

emphasizes the importance of faith in the life of a believer;

 

“Thus says the Lord: Cursed [with great evil] is the strong man who trusts in and

relies on frail man, making weak [human] flesh his arm, whose mind and heart turn

aside from the Lord.

For he shall be like a shrub or a person naked and destitute in the desert; and he

shall not see any good come, but shall dwell in the parched places in the

wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.”

Jeremiah 17:5, 6

 

Before I carry on I want to say something. The price for relying on our own

strength or another man’s strength is steep. The message is very clear for

those who don’t put their trust in YAH.

This is not a scare tactic to get you to trust In YAH.

 

He wants us to come to that revelation on our own. He wants us to realize

that we can call to Him when things are not going our way. He wants us

to know that we can call on Him always! He loves us deeply and He

can be trusted. His desire is to see us accomplish all that He has planned

for us.

Let’s carry on;

 

“[Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord,

and whose hope and confidence the Lord is.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spread out its roots by the

river; and it shall not see and fear when the heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. 

It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease

yielding fruit. “

Jeremiah 17:7, 8

 

God has amazing things in store for us but we need to walk by faith.

Things may not go as we expect but faith in Him will keep us steady.

We may have no clue about the next step but faith will keep us moving.

Faith in YAH will preserve us when the fire comes, when the doubts rise.

We don’t need to see the whole picture to accomplish our purpose, we

need faith!

Let’s always walk in complete trust no matter what comes our way!

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

A story about coffee and blessings…..

“Be intentional about being blessed”

 

Coffee led me to this revelation……  🙂

I am serious. Let me explain.

Someone owed me coffee about two weeks ago. It’s a long story but all you

need to know is someone owed me coffee.

A day passes, two days pass, a week then two weeks and still nothing.

I hadn’t collected the free coffee! (that’s insane right??)

In fact I was reminded to collect the free coffee last week but I forgot to!! (unacceptable for sure!!)

I was then reminded yesterday and I was what the heck???!!!

It’s a free coffee! One would think I hated coffee but that’s not true.

I love coffee.

Let me rephrase that,

I loveeeeeeee coffee!!!!

 

It was at that moment when  a thought came to me,

“Be intentional about being blessed”

 

I was supposed to get a free coffee but I let busyness get in the way.

I thought it was a good excuse but it’s not.

To get the coffee I had to be intentional.

There were things I had to do to receive the coffee……!

In this case I had to simply go and remind a friend to buy me the coffee but I didn’t.

 

I started thinking if there were other areas of my life I was doing the

exact same thing!

God wants me to have so much but if I let busyness and other excuses to get in the

way then I am the one who loses out.

 

Being intentional looks different for every person.

It could be declaring what God spoke over you

It could be obeying Him in that thing that He told you

It could be trusting God for something

It could be spending more time with Him

It could be waiting on Him

It could be reading more of the His word.

 

Remember, blessings are not just material things. They are also spiritual.

Blessings could be a new level of influence, a new gift, dominion and so on.

 

Whatever it is, be intentional.

God has so much in store for you but you need to desire it,

you need to get hungry, pursue Him with all that you have,

speak, declare, prophesy, but don’t just sit there doing nothing.

Open your mouth, lift up your hands, move your feet, whatever He is telling

you to do, DO!

 

Elisha was very intentional about being blessed. He followed Elijah everywhere.

He had to be separated from Elijah by a chariot and horses of fire (2 kings 2)

 

The blind man who was begging near Jericho was intentional about being blessed.

Let’s read his story,

 

^“As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

 And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant.

They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.

And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!

But those who were in front reproved him, telling him to keep quiet;

yet he screamed and shrieked so much the more, Son of David, take pity and

have mercy on me!”

Luke 18:35-42

 

The blind man wasn’t silent as Jesus passed by. The Amplified says he screamed and shrieked

so much the more!!! I hope and pray you understand the message I am trying to get across.

Being intentional is going to be different for each and every one of us.

God will show you what you need to do.

 

But before anything else, be intentional about getting to know Him.

That must be the most important goal and desire in  your life.

If that’s not your main desire then the other stuff is pointless, it has no meaning.

It’s better you forget everything I have said in this post.

God will bless someone who loves Him and wants to be used by Him.

He will bless someone whose desire for Him far outweighs the desire for stuff.

He will not bless a selfish person.

He will not bless someone who is looking out for himself.

It’s the people who love Him with all of their heart, soul and mind

that make a real impact in this world!

Let’s be more intentional about being blessed!

Blessings to you friends!

 

Rolain