He found them…….

 

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to yearn for Him with all their heart’s desire and with all their soul; (‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭15‬:‭12‬ AMP)

 

I think you will agree with me that we are living in crazy times.

As the world has got crazier the church is been tested like crazy

and some of them are buckling under the pressure. What we

believe is being tested like crazy and if we are not rooted in

the right thing we will surely be blown away!

The scripture I shared has been on my heart for some time

now. It was during the time of King Asa that the people made

a covenant to seek the Lord with everything in them.

 

This is a call to you, to me, to everyone else! As the world

has lost it’s mind we need to make a decision.

This is a simple call:

 

To make a covenant to seek the Lord and to yearn for Him

with all of our heart’s desire and with all of our soul!

 

We are living in a time that is demanding us to choose a side.

For those who choose to wait on the sidelines know this:

Not choosing a side is actually choosing. You will be swept

away with everything else……

 

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him [yearning for Him] with their whole desire, and He was found by them. And the Lord gave them rest and peace round about. (‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭15‬:‭15‬ AMP)

 

As they sought the Lord, they found Him!!

Our seeking will not be in vain. As we seek Him with our everything

we will find Him!!!

He will reveal Himself to us.

 

In the craziness happening around us we need God more than ever!

Without Him we are powerless and defeated…..

Will  you seek Him with your everything?

 

Rolain

 

 

O my soul……!

Why are you cast down, O my inner self?

And why should you moan over me and be

disquieted within me?

Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him,

for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help

of my [sad] countenance, and my God.

Psalm 42:5

 

I can’t help but be encouraged as I read this

Psalm. It is clear the author is going through

stuff. But even as he goes through the “stuff”

he does something interesting. He begins to

talk to himself…..I think that is very interesting.

He doesn’t tear himself down, curse himself,

focus on how miserable and pathetic he is…No!

He encourages himself!!!!

He talks to his soul – “Put your hope in God!

Wow…..

 

There is a lesson to learn here. How do we speak

to ourselves? Especially when things are going bad?

It’s so easy to encourage yourself, and speak good

when everything is going well but what happens

when things get crazy??

 

It is said that the average human has 50 000 thoughts

running through his mind on a daily basis…..that is a huge

amount of thoughts right. How much of those thoughts

are positive, encouraging and uplifting???

Look at another verse with me:

 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

my hope comes from Him.

Psalm 62:5

 

What you say to yourself is very important.

Teach yourself to build yourself up.

Teach yourself to encourage yourself in the

Lord.

When everyone abandoned David, he encouraged

himself in the Lord! He didn’t beat himself up, or

tell himself how much of an idiot he was. He spoke

life over himself.

We need to speak to ourselves more often. We

need to speak more life. We need to speak the word

over ourselves. We need to encourage ourselves

to seek the Lord. We need to encourage ourselves

in the Lord.

Tearing yourself down doesn’t do you any good.

It actually makes things worse.

 

Think about something with me for a bit.

People trash talk themselves and tear themselves

down because they think they know who they are

right? There is no one who knows you better than

you. “I always forget things”, you say.

“That is exactly like me”

“I am so clumsy”

“I am horrible with faces”

 

But let me ask you something. Did you create

yourself? The answer would be no.

God is the One who created you and He is the

only One who knows who you really are. So why

do you speak to and about yourself like

you are the one who created yourself??? You

cannot trust your judgement about yourself.

We think we know ourselves but that is not true.

We may be way ahead than the closest people

in our lives but we still are not qualified to make

a final assessment about ourselves. We didn’t create

ourselves, God did. So before you tear yourself down

think about that. You don’t have all the information on

yourself so don’t be so quick to tell yourself who you

are. You are wonderfully and fearfully made….

Don’t forget that….

 

Rolain

 

 

Blown away by God’s grace……!

I would like to share one of my favourite passages of scripture.  It speaks about God’s kindness and grace…. In your own time you can read the whole chapter because it is powerful but I will touch on a few verses that touch me the most:

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in irons, 

Because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the most High. 

Therefore He bowed down their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled and fell down, and there was none to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. 

He brought them out of the darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them. Psalm 107:10-14

I understand as humans we sin. We get ourselves into trouble by making really bad decisions. We all make mistakes.

The people in the passage I just shared got themselves into trouble. They made all the wrong decisions. They rebelled against God. They were bound and in chains because they rejected God……

Because of their actions they were abandoned with NO ONE to help! They had no one to turn to but……..

They cried to the Lord!!!!! They cried to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them from their distresses! God had every right to leave them but He didn’t. It doesn’t make sense to the human mind. They were on the wrong, they abandoned God…..but in His grace and love and kindness He heard and answered their prayers!!!! That blows my mind and reminds me how little I know God’s grace!!

And that is the trend we see in the rest of the chapter. We see people getting themselves into trouble and God coming to save them as they cry out to Him! For effect I am going to share another story!

Some are fools [made ill] because of the way of their transgressions and are afflicted because of their iniquities. 

Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses. 

He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction. Psalm 107:17-20

God loves you and cares for you not because you are perfect. He knows your every mistake but still loves you. He knows every mistake you are still to make, bad decisions you are still to make but He still extends grace to you. He has given you a chance to cry out to Him. That is how good He is……!!!!! He doesn’t give up on you. He is waiting on you to turn to Him! It’s scripture like this that humbles me. I don’t understand the beauty of God’s grace and love but I am thankful for it because without it I would be abandoned and dead! I would be in hell with no hope of rescue!!

The last part of the chapter is so powerful. It talks about men who do their business at sea! I would guess these men are sailors and have great experience and understanding of the sea. They are totally qualified to be out at sea. But something happens out at sea! They encounter a storm!!

[Those aboard] mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the deeps; their courage melts away because of their plight. 

They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end [all their wisdom has come to nothing]. 

Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. Psalm 107: 26-28

For a while they tried to rely on what they know to get them out of the storm but that didn’t work! How many of us have tried to get ourselves out of trouble? It says “all their wisdom has come to nothing”.

God is so good because even when they tried to solve a situation in their own strength and failed, God by His grace saved them!!!! As I end I would like you to think about His grace! It is so amazing! He wants you to rely on Him, on His grace. He knows you are human and He wants to deliver you. He wants to save you from sin. No matter what you have done, no matter how bad it is, know that He wants to heal you and set you free. He wants to break the chains that have bound you! It is not to late for you……Turn to Him and He will answer you!!!

Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.   Psalm 107:43

Rolain

 

 

Contemplation of a disciple…..

I was thinking about the disciples yesterday. They seen some crazy things and heard a lot of strange things right? What went through their minds as all these things were happening?

A coin found in the mouth of a fish…. Matt 17:24-27

We all know the story. Peter was asked if his Master paid taxes and his answer was yes. The word continues and says:

“But so we don’t upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the  first fish that bites. Open it’s mouth and you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us.” – Matthew 17:26, 27

 

What went through Peter’s mind? Did he get the revelation that Jesus was His source? Was he confident that ALL his needs would be taken care of if he only trusted God because he found a coin in the mouth of a fish!!?? Exactly as Jesus had said! Was he amazed, perplexed? Did he get it, I mean really get it???

Jesus, talking to a Samaritan woman!  John 4:1-42

Jesus does the unthinkable, He talks to a Samaritan woman. His disciples were shocked. What was on their minds?

“Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. The couldn’t believe he was talking with that kind of woman. No one said what they were thinking, but their faces showed it.”  John 4: 27

 

Did they see the bigger picture? Did they realize that Jesus was seeing a much larger picture? The gospel was not just for a select few but for the whole world!!! Did they realize that? Did they know God loved the WORLD and was about to lay down His life for it?? Did they have a clue?? Did they know how much He loved people? He loved people no matter who they were, no matter their bringing up, what they had done in the past. He had a heart for the lost!!!

The “strange” teachings of Jesus.  John 6:51-56

The disciples had a real battle to decipher what Jesus meant. Some of his disciples abandoned him because of His hard sayings. We read one such saying in John 6:53:

“And Jesus said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you cannot have any life in you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you appropriate His life and the saving merit of His blood]. 

He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has (possesses now) eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day. 

For My flesh is true and genuine food, and My blood is true and genuine drink. 

 

When the disciples heard this, many of them said, This is a hard and difficult and strange saying (an offensive and unbearable message). Who can stand to hear it? [Who can be expected to listen to such teaching?] John 6:60

 

What were they thinking when Jesus spoke these words? How would you have responded if you were in their shoes? “Eat my flesh, drink my blood”!!! They never realized Jesus was speaking about spiritual things. They never realized Jesus knew the future! He was speaking life and they didn’t even know it! How the disciples were tested constantly! We are not called to understand everything about the God we serve but called to trust Him no matter what even when our understanding is limited.

The abundant healing’s Jesus performed. Matthew 8

Part of Jesus mission was to heal us. The disciples saw Him heal people on a daily basis. What were they thinking?

“And behold, a leper came up to Him and, prostrating himself, worshipped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You are able to cleanse me by curing me. 

And He reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed by being cured. And instantly his leprosy was cured and cleansed.”Matthew 8:2,3

Did they ever come to a realization that He was The Healer! Did they ever make the connection that Jesus wanted to heal them soul, body and spirit? He was “willing” to heal and He is still “willing” to heal us today! He is our Healer. He has not changed His plan for us. 

 

The death of Jesus (hope lost) Luke 24:13- 20

“That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jesrusalem. 

They were deep in conversation, going over all these things  that had happened.” 

 

Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that He was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. 

 

The disciples had lost all hope of victory. Their savior had been crucified. What were they thinking? Did they know the story would turn out differently? Did they know His death would save the entire world? Did they give up on Jesus by ignoring what He told them while He was still alive? Did they dare to believe something as crazy as resurrection?

In their darkest hour, when their chances seemed dim, the greatest victory man would ever experience in ALL of history was about to take place. Jesus death signified His love for them and for us, they just didn’t realize it yet. What were they thinking? Did they regret following Jesus? Were they confused? Were they in despair?

When all hope was lost or so it seemed Jesus had a plan. In the midst of death, life was to emerge. You might have lost hope like the disciples but God has a plan. The darkness you see is not really darkness! Trust Him!

 

I honestly could go on and on but I will stop here. The disciples went though a lot. They had a lot to digest, a lot to learn but God was faithful to them! As He was faithful to them He is faithful to us. Let us take comfort in that fact. We may not understand all He is doing, but we must trust Him. It took the disciples a while to get with the program but eventually they did. Each and every one of them was martyred for their faith in a God. Let us trust in The Lord…..Amen

Rolain.

How Are We To See And Read God’s Word?

I think we need to review the way we see the Word of God. I need to review how I see the Word. This is no ordinary book.

Hebrews 1:1,2 says:

In many seperate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets,
[But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. (Amplified)

In these last days God has chosen to speak to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. His Word is so powerful but do we as christians get all we are supposed to get from it?

Hebrews 4:12 gives us a very vivid picture of how powerful God’s Word is:

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. (Amplified)

Is that what happens when we read the Word? Do we desire the Word to expose our deepest thoughts or to sift and analyze the purposes of our hearts?
What is our mindset like when we read the Word? Do we just read for the sake of reading or do we expect God to speak to us? The Word judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. So my other question would be, does all this happen when you read the Word?
We need to review how we read the Word. I have been challenged to change the way I see the Word. I have known this scripture and even quoted it but as I was reading it again I felt God challenge me about His Word.

God wants His Word to change us. He wants to speak to us. He wants us to experience the power of His Word because it is powerful. The first part of Hebrews 4:12 says,

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective];

His Word is alive and full power. It is active, operative, energizing and effective. Are you being energized as you read the Word? Is it being effective in your life?
Together let us change the way we see God’s Word. One word from God can change your life.

Rolain.P