He promised it!

“The Lord made a promise to David. 

It was a sure promise that He will not take back. 

He promised, “I will make one of your descendants rule as king after you.” 

Psalm 132:11

 

Happy new year to you, friends! I hope you had a great holiday and are ready to continue walking

with God in this new year. God has done so much already and in this new year, He will

continue the work He started all those years ago. He has so much more in store for you.

It’s good to be back writing and I am expectant about what God has in store this year.

 

God’s promises to us are sure. He doesn’t take back what He has promised. He doesn’t change

His mind. When He promises, it comes to pass. When God promised David he would have

a son to rule when he died God is the one who brought it to pass in spite of David’s failings and weaknesses.

(remember the mess with Bathsheba)

 

If we are relying on our own abilities and strength to receive God’s promises then we have missed it.

He wants us to look to Him, to rely on Him. He is faithful to fulfill the things He promised us.

So as we go through the new year let’s remember His promises to us are sure. 

There is no “maybe” or “might” attached to His promises. They are sure and that’s enough for us.

Enjoy your weekend friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

“I don’t understand”…….

   image credit: google images

 

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the

man void of understanding;

and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had

covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was

broken down.  Proverbs 24:30, 31

 

This is a very familiar passage of scripture. As I read it

something jumped out at me that I didn’t see before. People

who know this scripture talk about it in context of laziness

but there is more.

 

The lazy man was not just lazy but was void of understanding!

Those two things are not the same.

Look at the effects of not having understanding:

 

His vineyard was all grown over with thorns

The nettles had covered the face thereof

The stone wall thereof was broken down!

 

To own a vineyard you had to have some sort of wealth.

This man had wealth. He knew stuff but…..

What happened??

How could he let things just decay like that?

My pastor taught me that

the problem in the world today is not a knowledge problem.

We have a wisdom problem!  And I think that applies here.

In all his “knowing” the man didn’t apply what he knew. He didn’t

pursue understanding! In other words, he didn’t seek to

understand what was going on. He was wealthy but he didn’t seek

to understand how to use it!

 

I was challenged when I read that scripture. Laziness is deadly

but not having understanding is just as deadly. The man’s walls

were broken down!

We need to make it a goal to get understanding. Don’t settle

for knowledge only but seek understanding!

 

As I looked at my life after reading this scripture I saw areas

where I was like the man who was void of understanding.

Laziness crept in because he had no understanding!

I asked myself, do I have understanding?

It’s not enough to just know about something? It’s not enough

to have information, because that is all it will ever be, information.

Understanding comes when you apply what you know.

 

It’s not too late to get understanding. There

is so much going on today. A lot of people don’t have understanding

and it’s destroying them. Their walls are broken down, with thorns

all grown over. We have a chance……

 

Am I void of understanding or

Am I seeking to understand?

 

Where are you at?

 

Rolain

 

 

What did He mean when He said that…..??

Photo credit: Google images

 

“They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? 

[What are we to do to carry out what God requires] John 6:28

Personally, I think this is a great question. The people who asked the question had just being rebuked by Jesus (see John 6:24-27).

The question is great but that is not what caught my attention! Jesus reply is what caught my attention. Look at it for a minute:

“Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He sent [that you cleave to, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger]. John 6:29

Our WORK according to the Lord is to believe in Him! I love how the Amplified says it,

“that you believe in the One Whom He sent [that you cleave to, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger]”

That can’t be all God expects from us! There has to be more surely!

There is more, but the main thing is to trust Him, to believe in Him!

This is how Jesus answer looks like in our lives:

In 2015 I believe this is what God is calling us to. Yes, we believe but we need to go deeper. We can’t say we believe but in the same breath try to work things out in our strength, or try figure how things will happen! I am so guilty of doing that.

How many times I have pushed God out of the driver’s seat

How many times I have tried to figure out life on my own

How many times I have forsaken the counsel of God because I thought I knew better

 

2015 may seem uncertain but believe in Him! Your work is to believe in Him.

Your future may look bleak but believe in Him!

Our job is not to figure out how things will happen, how God’s promises will manifest in our lives, No!

The “how” is what God is responsible for!

Your WORK is to believe [cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in Him]

Personally, there are a lot of things I am unclear about. There are a lot of things I have been wondering about! How will God bring that to pass, how will that happen, how how how????

But the word is clear. Our job is to believe, and we believe because

He is able!

He has a plan and a purpose for us (Jeremiah 29;11)

He loves us.

He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

 

So with that I charge you to believe! No matter how bad things are or confusing they seem, or unclear, BELIEVE!

The “HOW” is His responsibility!

He can be trusted!

Rolain

 

 

 

What happened when God said, Yes!!!

“They set out and went to Bethel to inquire of God. The people of Israel said, “Who of us shall be first to

 go into battle with the Benjaminites? God said Judah goes first.” 

The people of Israel marched out against Benjamin and took up their positions, ready to attack Gibeah.

But the Benjaminites poured out of Gibeah and devasted twenty-two Israelite divisions on the ground. 

The Israelites went back to the sanctuary and wept before God until evening. They again inquired of God,

 Shall we again go into battle against the Benjaminites, our brothers? 

God said, Yes, Attack. 

 

And they again inquired of God. The Chest of God’s Covenant was there at the time with Phineas son

 of Eleazer, the son of Araron, as the ministering priest. They asked, 

Shall we again march into battle against the Benjaminites, our brothers? 

Or shall we call it quits? 

And God said, Attack. Tomorrow I’ll give you the victory. 

Judges 20: 18-28

 

This is a very interesting story. It is interesting because,

The Israelites were told to attack the Benjaminites and only after the third attempt were they successful!

THEY SOUGHT THE LORD for direction and it was The Lord who

told them to attack!!!! God told them to attack and they got defeated twice…… A lot of people were killed

during the first two attempts! Was there confusion, yes! But God told us to attack, must have been the thought

on people’s minds. Did we make a mistake hearing God’s voice, must have been another thought. But this is the

point, God had told them to attack!

 

I didn’t get it at first. How could that be? How could God tell them to do something only to fail? I asked

God to show me the lesson He wanted me to learn from this story. The lesson is this,

There may be things you are trusting God for. You may have even heard Him say yes, but that doesn’t

mean instant success. There will be times where you will doubt what God told you to do. But there is a reason.

God wants you to trust Him.

Just because God said “yes” doesn’t mean no problems and trials, and challenges, and questions. Keep on fighting,

Keep pressing on towards what God told you to do. You may be in a place where nothing seems to be working.

Maybe God wants you to keep at it. Don’t lose hope. He has not abandoned you.

You may have lost a lot as you followed what God told you to do and you are now regretting stepping out.

Your story is not over. There is a reason you are going through what you are going through.

He can be trusted…..

Rolain

 

 

The unknown truth about the rich and the poor……

It has been four days, four days since I read that specific scripture. I have not been able to shake it. God wanted to show me something and I think I see it now. The scripture I read is in Proverbs 22;2 and it says,

The rich and the poor shake hands as equals – God made them both. 

God made the rich and the poor and they are equal. The rich have abundant possessions and are wealthy but they are still equal to the poor, to the man and women on the street who have nothing, who struggle just to get a single meal a day, who have to beg to get by day by day, the rich and the poor are equal! We don’t treat the poor like they are equal though. In fact, we demand they beg! How dare they come and embarrass us as we walk. Our money is our weapon against them! They are not our equals. We are superior over them. They must jump when we say jump. We think by having more than them makes us more superior, we are wrong……Lord please forgive us. We are equal! We need to treat them as such.

In the movie “The Dark Knight Rises” we see this kind of erroneous attitude at work. John Daggett who is very wealthy confronts Bane because plans have not gone according to plan.

Daggett tries to assert his authority over Bane because he is wealthy but it doesn’t work. Bane kills him. It’s this kind of attitude that the world has and even Christians. The attitude that looks down on the poor because they have nothing not realizing that God says we are equal!! I was that person. Yes, I had made a point to give to the poor as much as I could but I always saw them as inferior. But I see now, that was wrong. We are equal. The reason God has given what He has given me is so I can be a blessing. Why the poor are poor is none of my business, God just wants me to be a blessing. He wants me to see the poor the way He sees them. He wants me to treat them with respect and He wants me to honor them. They are human beings after all. They have families as well. They have problems and they have doubts, and they have dreams. They have desires and aspirations!!

Just know God has made the poor and rich alike. They are equal. Let us treat them the way God would like us to treat them. God bless….

Rolain

What are you hungry for???

Appetite is an incentive to work; hunger makes you work all the harder.  Psalm 16:26

I have always thought this scripture was talking about the importance of a job. You know, if you don’t work you don’t eat, or something to that effect but there is a much deeper meaning to that scripture. I was so challenged by the revelation I was given in my quiet time. This scripture is talking about something more than jobs, it is talking about life. It is talking about purpose, destiny, the future. Let me put this verse in perspective. This year I decided there needs to be more change in my life but to do that I cannot keep on doing the same thing. That is insanity. If I want a change I need to change what I am doing. With all the frustration I have been having a hunger has been developed. And this is the hunger I think this passage of scripture is talking about. A hunger to be more, and a hunger to do more…..A hunger that is no more satisfied with the status quo but is willing to go against the grain….A hunger that says, it is time to get up and stop living life on the couch….A hunger that is not happy with just getting by but is pushing to do great things, significant things…..a hunger that is pushing forward in the face of insurmountable challenges…….a hunger that is tired of fear and instead stands up against it, that is the type of hunger I think this scripture is talking about!

“Appetite is an incentive to work” says the word. Without appetite there is no incentive to work. If you are not hungry for change, if you are content with everything as they are then there is no incentive. A mechanic fixes a car only when there is a problem, a surgeon operates only when a person is sick. What I mean by that is there is no need to fix a car if it is running smoothly and there is no need to operate if a person is healthy, so it is with us. There is no need for change if we see everything as OK. There is no hunger if you are full!!!! Only when you begin to want more, and be more, and do more does the incentive come. “Hunger makes you work all the harder“…..When you are hungry you will do whatever you can to accomplish your goal. The key to working harder is being hungry. Don’t settle for OK or good. This is why you shouldn’t settle for OK or good because there is no growth without hunger. Hunger is important to get to the next level of your life.

What are you hungry for in your life?

This is the question I asked myself. Am I hungry for change, am I hungry for God, am I hungry to succeed in all I do? Am I hungry??? I don’t want to live a “full” life. I want a change. A year from now I don’t want to be the same person I am now, I don’t want to live the kind of life I am living now, I don’t want to be praying the same prayers I am praying now, I don’t want to see the same way I see now, I don’t want to be at the same level of fitness I am now . I don’t want my life to be at the same place……!!!!

Before you can answer the question, “what are you hungry for in life” you need to ask yourself if you are hungry at all??? Without hunger nothing happens. Nothing great happened without hunger, passion!!!Get hungry. Whet your appetite by thinking more outrageously, praying bigger prayers, seeing a bigger picture. Pray big, speak big and trust God. Change happens when you make a stand and say “ENOUGH”!!

As I end I will leave you with this question, what are you hungry for?????                         🙂

Rolain

Is Doing Something Great For God the Most Important Thing?

Solomon was the wisest, richest, most prosperous man that ever lived! He was the son of one of the greatest kings that ever lived. What a resume!! God had amazing plans for Solomon no doubt.
But somewhere down the line he missed it. There is a very important lesson to learn from his life.
Solomon had it in his heart to finish off the temple his father David wanted to build for God. But as Solomon was building God says something pretty profound to him. It could of been a warning. Whatever it was it was profound. This is what God told him:

The word of God came to Solomon saying, “About this Temple you are building – what’s important is that you live the way I’ve set out for you and do what I tell you, following my instructions carefully and obediently.
Then I’ll complete in you the promise I made to David your father. I’ll personally take up my residence among the Israelite’s – I won’t desert my people Israel.”  1 Kings 11-13

Wow right!! Could it have been possible that Solomon thought building the Temple would bring him closer to God??? Did He think God would love him more because of what he was building??? Did he think God would be even more pleased with him because of this “great work” he was doing because it was great!!!????

How many of us are like that. We rely on our works and think that’s enough but it’s not. Your destiny is not determined upon how much you do. It is determined on your obedience to living according to God’s word. So for example, you may travel around the world meeting the needs of orphans. That doesn’t mean God is more pleased with you than with the person who followed the call of God to serve in his local church to be a kids minister!!! Being a pastor doesn’t mean God loves you more than a young person who serves in his youth group!!! What matters is if you are following the path God has laid out for you and if you are listening to Him!!!

And this is what I think God was trying to tell Solomon. Let us determine to be people who do what God tells us to do and who follow the path God has laid out for us.

Rolain.

Words & Hands…..

I love the book of Proverbs. It has some really practical but powerful advise. I would like to share a bit of what I got from the chapter I was reading.
Proverbs 12:14 says:

From the fruit of his words a man shall be satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hands shall come back to him [as a harvest].

Here we have two principles that if applied will get you far in your life. The first part of the verse speaks about words. By YOUR words you will be satisfied with good! How are you speaking? Could you say you are been satisfied with good things? If not check what is coming out of your mouth!!

The next thing talks about what we do with our hands. Know that, whatever work you do will come back to you. What kind of work are you busy doing? Does it add to you and people around you or does it take away? Let us invest our time in doing things that will make an impact for good in the lives of other people and ourselves.

Rolain.

Are You Out Of Order?

Every year in my church my pastor releases a word for the year. It’s not just a word he conjures up but it’s a word from God. He prays and seeks the Lord for His direction. This year was declared a year of divine order and peace. This is a year where God wants our lives to be alined to His will. Everything out of order in our lives must be brought to order. So with that in mind God has shown me a lot of things that are out of order in my life. It has been a hard year I must say but at the same time a year of growth. There is one thing I would like to share that I think a lot of people may not realise.
It was an area God showed me that needed dealing with and it is an area where a lot of people need to deal with.

Let us read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-8 which says:

Now we charge you, brethren, in the name and on the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that you withdraw and keep away from every brother (fellow believer) who is slack in the performance of duty and is disorderly, living as a shirker and not walking in accord with the traditions and instructions that you have recieved from us.
For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate our example, for we were not disorderly or shirking of duty when we were with you [we were not idle].
Nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and struggle we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden or impose on any of you [for our support]. (Amplified)

2 Thessalonians 3:11,12:
Indeed, we hear that some among you are disorderly [that they are passing their lives in idleness, neglectful of duty], being busy with other people’s affairs instead of their own and doing no work.
Now we charge and exhort such persons [as ministers in Him exhorting those] in the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that they work in quietness and earn their own food and other necessities.
(Amplified)

When I read this it really hit me hard. I had started my own company and I had a few challenges and because of the challenges I shrank back. I was afraid and with fear came procrastination and laziness. But God is gracious and He showed me what I was doing. He showed me that being idle was being out of order.
The gospel if you didn’t know advocates hard work! I have had to relearn this principle. You cannot be effective as a christian if you don’t want to work hard.
Another thing God showed me through this scripture is that when I neglect the work I am supposed to be doing I am also out of order! There are things God has called me to do and by neglecting them I am not honouring Him!
So I was out of order. I have asked Him to help me in this area. I want to accomplish all God has for me but I need to be in order.

So where are you? Are you out of order? Are you a slacker in your work and idle? Are you neglectful of your duty?
If so it is time to get in order. We will not be known as disorderly but instead we will embrace hard work. We will be all God has called us to be.
Amen!

Rolain.P

5 Practical Things To Do To Get Closer To Your Purpose.

1 – Read Your Word: This is your starting point. One of the main ways God speaks to us is through His Word. His plan for your life is in the Word. Get hungry for the Word. It is the key.

2 – Pray: What is prayer? Prayer is simply talking to God. How much time do you spend talking to God? A relationship is pretty much ruined without proper communication and that holds true for your relationship with God. He knows what you going through but He wants you to speak to Him about it. He wants to hear what challenges you facing. He wants you to speak to Him about the deepest issues of your heart.
The thing is this, prayer is a sign of faith. When you come to God in prayer you are declaring your faith in Him.

3 – Do the small things faithfully: The best way to explain this step is with a scripture. Luke 2: 51, 52 says,
And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was [habitually] obedient to them; and his mother kept and closely and persistantly guarded all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favour with God and man.

Jesus was the Son of God yet He submitted to His earthly parents. He could of just done His own thing but He didn’t. He was obedient to his parents. They were like any other parent in that time so I am guessing Jesus had chores to do, He was sent to the shops, He was probably asked to clean the house at times and so on. I am guessing He was reproved as well when He was naughty. But in the light of all these things we see that He was obedient to do the menial things. He was obedient to do the small things. To accomplish your destiny you will need to do the small things as well.

4 – Learn: If you know what you called to do there is a season of learning. There is a time to practice. You don’t get up one day and find yourself just doing great things. It starts with you practicing. You need to learn as much as you can about what you want to do. And there is a time to become skillfull at what you doing.
I would suggest you read as many books as you can. Speak to as many qualified people as you can. If possible get to do what you want to do part time. That will be a very eye opening experience for you.

5 – Have a Mentor: We all needs mentors. We have never been on this road before and that is why we need mentors because they have been on this road we have just started on. They can help us identify the traps we just can’t see. Because they have been on this road we have just started on they have acquired experience. We need that experience. We need the wisdom they have gained. Insanity is described as doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. So a mentor keeps us from insanity because he or she keeps us from doing the same things that made them fail by showing us a different way. Do you have a mentor? A mentor is someone you trust and someone who you know will tell you the truth no matter what. He or she will not be afraid to confront you and show you the ugly parts of you. That is a true mentor.

And those are the 5 practical things you can do to get closer to your destiny. They will really help you on your journey to accomplishing your destiny.

Rolain.P