A Place for The Young and a Place For The Old – Part Two

This is the last post in this two part series I have been doing.

Last week I spoke to the seasoned people and if you want to know what “seasoned” means I encourage you to go back and read last weeks post.

Last week I talked about how we really don’t have an expiry date. In fact the only expiry date we have is when we die. Everything before that is open season.

I also talked about how God can you use anyone no matter how young or old you are. Don’t let your age limit you.

Today I want to talk to the young people.

God wants to use you and He doesn’t care how old you are. This is the time to ignite that fire for him. It’s time to pursue Him with all that you have. Look at what happened to the boy with the few fish and loaves. Jesus used that little boy and look at David, Jonathan, Mary and so many other young people.

Even though there is a lot to do at school and life make sure you are putting God first.

Get rid of the distractions that can so easily hinder you from achieving what God has called you to do.

Parents, make sure you are speaking to your little ones about the great plans God has for them. Make sure they grow up knowing that they are not a cog in a huge machine but that God created them on a purpose to do amazing things. Teach them that God can use them at the age they are now.

Proverbs 22 verse 6 says,

Direct your children onto the right path and when they are older, they will not leave it.” NLT

As I close I want to say one more thing to the seasoned readers.

Last week I spoke about how Caleb went to Joshua and asked for his mountain at the age of 85 years of age. Age was just a number to him. But there is something else in that story I want to show you.

“Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, amd Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him.”

Joshua 14: 6 NIV

I will stop there. When Caleb went before Joshua to ask for his mountain, he didn’t go alone. He went the rest of the tribe of Judah. He managed to pass on his faith to the people he was leading. They too had faith and that is why they went with Caleb.

We all have something to pass on to the next generation. The experiences you have gone through and the lessons you have learned are for a reason. God has put so much in you. Not just to use to accomplish what He has called you to do but to pass on to, to the next generation. There is a whole generation that needs mentors, that need men and women of God to love on them and show them the way. Will you be that person to step up to the plate?

As I end remember that God can use anyone no matter how young or seasoned they are.

Don’t let your age limit you.

Bless you friends

Rolain

What’s It Going To Be, GOD or Giants?

I was watching a live stream this week of an upcoming movie and the presenter was talking about a book he was reading from Eugene Peterson called Leap Over A Wall ( I think)

He talked about how David had a God-dominated imagination while Israel had a Goliath-dominated imagination. And because David had a God-dominated imagination he wasn’t afraid of the giant and that is why he stepped out in faith. He not only took on the giant but killed him. All he saw was how strong God was.

Israel on the other hand had a Goliath-dominated imagination and they cowered away in fear. All they saw was the giant and God was no where in sight. They were not able to get the victory because the giant was so strong in their mind.

And that really spoke to me.

It’s time to switch from a Goliath-dominated imagination where all you see is giants and not God, to a God-dominated imagination where all you see is God no matter the giants that come up against you.

You are sons and daughters of God and your portion is victory but the enemy wants to corrupt your mind. he wants you to believe he is stronger and there is nothing you can do. He wants you to forget about God and to not even consider Him as an option when the fight is at it’s thickest. Don’t let him do that.

Let God be all you see when the enemy rises against you. Let Him be the One you cry out to when you are overwhelmed and have no answers to the trials and tribulations you are facing.

God bless you friends

Have a great weekend!

Rolain

Don’t Give In To Fear.

One of the enemy’s main goals is to put you and keep you in fear.

He wants you bound and paralyzed by it and he wants you to think you

are all alone. But that’s not true. You are not alone. God is with you.

Recently I was reading the story of Nehemiah and I saw something interesting in his story.

As he was doing the work God had called him to do, which was to build the walls of

Jerusalem, he had opposition. There were men who didn’t want him to succeed and they

used fear to try to stop him. Let’s look at a few scriptures.

“For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work,

that it be not done.

Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.”

Nehemiah 6:9

“Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they

might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.”

Nehemiah 6:13

“Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him.

And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.”

Nehemiah 6:19

As you can see, Nehemiah’s enemies were using fear to try to stop him.

But Nehemiah did not let it stop him. Instead, he put his trust in the

Lord to help him.

I share his story to show you that the enemy is still using the same strategy today.

He is using fear as a weapon against you to try to weaken your hands or to get

you to do something rashly or to doubt God and so much more.

But like Nehemiah you must bring your fears to the Lord.

Make a decision to choose trust in God over fear no matter how intense it is.

Because at the end of the day you have nothing to fear because God is with you.

He is on your side and He will never let you down.

God bless you friends!

Have a great weekend.

Rolain

What Are You Holding Onto In Difficult Times?

When you are in a difficult place, what are you holding onto?

Are you holding onto God’s Word or man’s word?

God’s Word is sure, reliable, trustworthy and dependable and that’s

what you should be holding onto.

In the book of Acts chapter twenty-seven we read a very interesting story.

Paul is imprisoned and is on his way to Rome because he appealed to Caesar.

They boarded a ship and reached a place called Fair Havens but instead of staying there

until the seas become a bit more calm the centurion decided to proceed with the journey.

Paul warned them that he could foresee loss of cargo and even loss of life.

But the centurion decided to listen to the captain of the ship which makes total

sense because the captain had experience and he probably sailed those seas hundreds of times.

But look at what happened when they listened to the captain’s advice,

“We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo

overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither

sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope

of being saved.”

Acts 27:18-20

The captain’s advice was wrong even though he was the most experienced and even though

he probably sailed those seas hundreds of times.

As we face the storms of life we need to hold on to God’s Word over any other word.

That’s the only word that can and will get us through the storm.

Man’s word will fail and disappoint but not the Word of God.

After that Paul told all the men that an angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him that no

soul would be lost. Paul held on to the word of the Lord and encouraged the men to do so.

And what the angel spoke came to pass. There were no souls that were lost. Everyone reached land

safely.

“The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached

land safely.”

Acts 27:44

We can depend on God’s Word because it is sure, trustworthy, reliable and dependable.

“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word

has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.”

1 Kings 8:56

Bless you friends

Rolain

In the darkness, God has a plan.

I was encouraged today as I read the story of Joseph. With all that is going on with the pandemic, it’s easy to get discouraged but I was reminded that God is working in our lives in the midst of intense darkness.

So let’s get into it.

We all know the time Pharaoh had dreams and when no one could interpret the dreams someone remembered Joseph and he was summoned to interpret them. He told Pharaoh seven years of plenty would come followed by seven years of famine.

The seven years of plenty came and Joseph who had been promoted to second in charge stored away grain. He stored away so much that it became impossible to keep track of how much they were storing.

Then the seven years of famine arrived and this is what I want to focus on. The famine didn’t just affect Egypt but the whole world.

 

“And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.”

Genesis 41:57

 

It was a difficult time for the world but in that dark time God had a plan. There were some very important and key things that God was doing in that seven year famine period. I want to highlight two things.

 

1. Israel reunited with Joseph, who he presumed had died.

Since the famine affected the whole world, Israel was affected too and had to send his sons to buy grain which in turn led to the discovery of Joseph. That is important because it leads us to the next key thing that happened.

       2. Israel’s entire family relocated    to Egypt because of Joseph.

Joseph made plans for his whole family to move to Egypt so they would be provided for during the famine. And that is also important because it was a fulfillment of what God told Abraham,

 

“Then the Lord said to him, know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.”

Genesis 15:13, 14

 

We know God was talking about Moses and the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

So do you see?

In the seven year famine period, God was working and setting some big things up. And the famine had a part to play in the grand scheme of things.

God was setting pieces in place for Israel’s next chapter and that encouraged me because in this season of Covid-19, God has a plan too.

You may not see it or understand but He is working. You don’t need to stay discouraged or hopeless because He is in total control.

His plans and purposes for your life are working out in the midst of the darkness.

And that’s my encouragement to you. He will fulfill what He has promised you and this season will end.

Bless you friends

Rolain

Who can rescue us in times of trouble?

On this earth there will be trials, challenges and struggles. That’s a given.

We have an enemy who wants to take us out, who doesn’t want us to complete what

God put us here to do.

And even today, you may be going through some extremely difficult things with no answer in sight,

the bills keep coming but the account balance is on zero, trouble after trouble comes your way….

I want to encourage you that we serve a God who rescues and His name is Jesus.

 

There is a story I would like to talk about that enforces this important truth.

 

“But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the burning furnace. And then

what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Daniel 3:15

 

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were in serious trouble. The king made an image and

commanded everyone to bow down to it but the three Hebrew young men refused. The king

gave them another opportunity and in his eyes he thought he had won. He didn’t know the

God they served. He didn’t know their God was a God who rescues;

 

“And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” 

 

We are not alone in this. The Lord is with us as we face all the trials and tribulations that come

our way. When the three Hebrew young men were thrown into the fire the king jumped from

his seat because he saw four men and fourth Man looked like the son of God!

Jesus was with them in the fire. He never abandoned them and He won’t abandon us.

 

And even as I write this I am reminded of so many other stories of how God saves His people.

When Peter was in prison and Herod had planned to execute him the next day, surrounded

by soldiers, the angel of the Lord led him out of the prison to freedom.

 

The Israelites were being chased by the Egyptians who had a change of heart after letting them go.

But as they fled they were stopped by the Red Sea. On one side were the Egyptians and on the

other side, the Red Sea. It seemed like there was no where to go but God Almighty made a

way for them and parted the Red Sea! He rescued them in an amazing way.

 

Then there was Daniel. Some jealous people wanted to take him out so they got him thrown into the

lions den. It seemed a sure thing that his life was over but God rescued him in the lion’s den.

 

And this is the God we serve. He is the God who rescues.

Listen to what the king said after the Hebrew young men came out of the furnace,

 

“There is no other god who can rescue like this.”

Daniel 3:29

 

And let’s read what King Darius declared after Daniel was rescued from the lions,

 

“He rescues and He saves: He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. 

He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” 

Daniel 6:27

 

So as I close, remember the God who rescues. Call on Him and know He will act because

 

“There is no other god who can rescue like this.”

 

I will leave you with one of my favorite all time songs, Came to my rescue

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

A beauty to unveil……

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

He has also set eternity in the human heart;

yet no one can fathom what God has done from

beginning to end.    

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

“He has made everything beautiful in its time”

 

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you had

an amazing holiday so far!   🙂

Let’s get started…..

This scripture has really ministered

to me in this season. There are a lot of things I am

waiting on God for and at times I get frustrated, I

get discouraged, I lose sight of things but this verse

brought a lot of things into context. In 2016 I have

resolved to wait on God. There is a reason He wants

me to wait….let me not get ahead of myself. Let me

explain what I am taking about.

 

The world has conditioned us to think “instant”but God

teaches us to wait. I want you to see

there is a “time” that has to pass as you wait on God. When

you wait on God you put yourself in a position to see His

beauty unravel in your life.

We are too impatient at times.

Let’s look at a passage of scripture for a moment,

 

“He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as

a slave.

His feet they hurt with shackles;

He was put in chains of iron,

Until the time that his word [of

prophecy regarding his brothers]

came true,

The word of the Lord tested and refined

him.

Psalm 105:19

 

This passage of scripture in my opinion perfectly

illustrates what I am trying to say.

God gave Joseph a glimpse into his future but

there was a “time” that had to pass. Was it easy,

heck no. He was sold as a slave to a foreign land to a

foreign people. He was in chains and shackles and it

was painful. In the time of waiting he was being refined.

The word tested him. Waiting is never easy friends.

But we see something amazing in the midst of his trials.

God was making something beautiful. At first it seemed

like there was only ugliness but God had a plan. He was

creating something beautiful of his life. Joseph had to wait on God.

Was he confused, most probably, but he continued to trust

in God.

 

Because God loved Joseph he made him wait!

 

Just because something hasn’t come to pass in our lives

doesn’t mean God has abandoned us even though at

times it feels like it. Like Joseph, God makes us wait

because He loves us. He makes us wait because He

wants to give us His very best!

Making us wait is His way of showing His love for us.

 

Waiting is one of the processes God uses to bless us.

 

As I have waited on God I feel like my love and trust in

Him have been tested to the core. There is nothing like

waiting on God to reveal where your faith and heart are at.

 

When I got that revelation, I saw impatience for what

it really is.

Impatience stifles God’s beauty in our lives.

If we are impatient we are saying we don’t trust Him.

We must stop being impatient. We must learn to wait

on God.

The way God sees waiting and the way we see waiting

are very different. We must see waiting as an expression

of love, a very real love that God has for us.

 

I want to see His beauty in my life and even though it’s

hard I will wait on God. I don’t want to disqulaify myself

from His goodness because of impatience. He loves me

and that is why He makes me wait.

My life is in His hands. I have waited for a long time

already but if He is calling me to wait even more

then I will do it because I trust Him!

 

My encouragement to you friend is, keep on waiting.

God loves you so much and has only the best for you.

Don’t give up or let up. Wait on the Lord. He will come

through on His promise. He will not let you down. He is

making something beautiful in your life.

Will you wait?

 

photo credit: google images

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

Remember God today!

And when, in time to come, your son asks you, what does this

mean?

You shall say to him, by strength of hand the Lord brought us out

from Egypt, from the house of bondage and bondmen.

Exodus 13:14

 

And it shall be as a reminder upon your hand or as frontlets

between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought

us out of Egypt.

Exodus 13:16

 

Out of all the miracles God performed this is the most talked about.

God has constantly reminded His people to remember what He did

at the Red Sea.

God delivered His people in a mighty way!

His people were called to remember what He did and He told them

to tell their kids. It is clear God didn’t want His people to forget.

The Red Sea moment was a reference point for the Israelite’s!

When they lost hope they would remember what God did for their

ancestors at the Red Sea, and in Egypt! We too are His people and

He is calling us to not forget!

How important is it to remember?

To answer that I would like to share something a friend shared

with me a few days ago,

 

“God is the God of the impossible.

Reasoning your way out of an impossible situation

is not as effective as reminding your way out of it! – Unknown

 

That stopped me cold in my tracks. How many times I have

tried to reason myself out of a situation. The more effective

way is to remember our way out of it!

That brings me so much peace right now because as I began

to think on it some more I realized God wants us to remember

the great things He has done for us. I believe

we all have our “Red Sea moments” that we can look back to for

strength! Don’t forget those times the Lord came through for

you! Those are the things He wants you to remember. He

performed those miracles so you could remember them when

your faith was been attacked!

As I think back on my life I see the small and the big things

God did for me and I know those are the “Red Sea moments”

God wants me to always remember!

When I am in doubt, when my faith is weak that is when I

need to remember!

 

Fight to remember! Write down what God did for you. Tell

people what God did for you!

When the storms come remember what you wrote. God’s

miracles in your life are not just for you but for your kids.

They are to be a testimony for generations to come!

How great it would be if your great great great kids could

talk about how God came through for you! How amazing it

would be if they used God’s miracles in your life as a reference

point for their own lives!

 

Last year is long gone but we are still here because God is with us!

He kept us with care! His hand is on us and we must make sure

we don’t forget!

Fight to remember the miracles, fight to remember the goodness

of God in your life. He is so good!

Rolain

Who doesn’t need counsel…??!!!

We are all on a journey, a journey God has mapped out for us. But for that plan to take shape in our lives there is something we need. For us to be successful and accomplish what God has called us to do it’s important we realize the importance of advisors, counselors, and mentors in our lives. I will not say it is a must have but it is very important.
King David as mighty as he was had counselors.

Jonathan, David’s uncle, a wise and literate counselor, and Jehiel son of Hacmoni were responsible for rearing the king’s sons. 
Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend. Ahithophel was later replaced by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar. 
Joab was commander of the king’s army.  1 Chronicles 27:33-34

King David surrounded himself and his family with wise people. Even though he was king and even though He had a relationship with God he still had people who he could go to for counsel. This is a lesson for us too. We need to surround ourselves with wise people. We don’t need to be afraid to ask for counsel from people we deem as wise! We were not created to be an island. God created community for a reason.
Surrounding yourself with wise people is a very intentional thing. You have to go out and ask people. You have to humble yourself and go to someone who has been through more and ask for help.

I haven’t got to where I am by myself. There were times I just had no idea what I supposed to do but God brought people in my life who brought clarity to me. Your destiny is about other people and INVOLVES other people. You were not created to be a one man army! Reading the scripture I shared with you was a good reminder for me. If King David needed counselors and he was a man after God’s heart how much more do I need counselors?

Do you have someone who you can go to for advise and counsel from time to time. I don’t think it’s supposed to be all day everyday. God is the first point of call. King David always turned to God first and it seemed as he walked the road God marked out for him, God brought wise men into his life. Like I said in the beginning, having counselors is important. Counselors and advisors come in many forms these days. There is nothing that states your counselor or advisor must be someone who lives in the same area as you or must be someone who you can talk to face to face or must be the same colour or age or gender! Ask God to show you why certain people are in your life! Don’t limit yourself. One of my mentors is dead. I learn from him through the material he has left behind. Another counselor of mine lives on another continent who I have never met face to face! God wants you to accomplish your destiny. To make sure you accomplish it God sends you people to help. We just need to be humble enough to admit we need help and ask for help. God will not leave you alone.

Rolain

You will not be disappointed…..

Thought of the day.

We really need the word in our lives. It is the main authority or should be the main authority in our lives. With that in mind I would like to share a scripture with you. It’s an amazing scripture and it’s in Psalm 22:4, 5 and it says;

Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted (leaned on, relied on You, and were confident) and You delivered them.                                                                They cried to You and were delivered; they trusted in, leaned on, and confidently relied on You, and were not ashamed or confounded or disappointed.   (Amplified)

I love this scripture because it tells us about who God is. He is our God and He can be trusted-that is a fact! As God came through for our fathers, He will do the same for us. As He delivered them so it is with us. As they trusted in God they were not put to shame or confounded or disappointed so it is with us. Yes they must have had their fair share of trials and challenges and failures but overall they were never put to shame, confounded or disappointed!

The conclusion is this, call on God because He will deliver you!

Trust in God because you will not be ashamed or confounded or disappointed!!!

As our fathers put their faith on the line God responded to their faith, so it will be with us. No matter what you trusting God for please know He will not let you down. He will respond to your faith. As He was faithful to our fathers He will be faithful to us…Amen!!!

Rolain