God’s Ways To Silence Believers Enemies, Evans Olang

2Kings 6:8-23, “21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” 22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.”23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

The world is hostile. We have enemies in every corner and greater enemies against believers. Other religions are more tolerated than Christians in dealing with challenges that face Christians. While the fierce battle against Christians is to wipe them out of the map, the strategy God has often given believers is not to engage the enemy with the same battle plan as they do but fight God’s battles God’s way. God’s given strategies are many times unconventional in our judgment, they don’t make sense but they are mighty through God and we must learn by the word of God how best to fight.

What God Recognizes, Pastor Phil Sessa

JOB 2:3, “ Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”

What do you see the world recognizes? Money, Fame, Power, Prestige, Talent, etc…. What are some of the things that you have been recognized for in your life? Are they awards you’ve won, degrees you earned, positions you’ve raised too, a certain financial status that you’ve obtained? We must realize that what we value, and what the world recognizes is certainly NOT the same as what God recognizes. Sure almost everyone appreciates recognition for things they have done, but it’s an entirely different ball game when the God of heaven looks upon your life and measures it from his perfect perspective, which is vastly different from yours, perhaps even offensive to you. God is not recognizing Bill Gates in heaven because of a huge earthly success and the plethora of money that he earned. Yes, he worked hard, and did a lot of good with his products and software which most of us are probably using right now to read this devotion.

Confrontation: Who Needs It? Pastor Boaz Olang

1Thessalonians 5:12-16 “…And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and ADMONISH you: And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them who are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore”

Confrontation is not desirable. However, it is necessary and correct delivery, and reception of it is desirable. Typically, there are three ways to face confrontation: respond, react or avoid it. In most cases, the most preferred choice of many is avoidance.  That is, not willing to face up to confrontation. This is because confrontation, of any kind, is most likely to touch on something in us or about us that we fear to face or talk about because a weakness, fault, mistake, negligence, sin, etc. in us may be exposed and/or discussed, with a view to correct, instruct, rebuke, admonish or punish us.

That You May Be Rich, Clothed, And See, Benjamen Leahey

Revelation 3:18-, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” 

By secular standards, true wealth is considered to be the accumulated gain one has horded to themselves.  How sad though, that such a mindset has swept up the church, to the degree that many of today’s big name TV preachers tell the deceived masses that monetary gain is God’ s plan for them, and the surest sign of his blessing. Falsehood and lies I say. Look to our Lord, he had nowhere to lay His head, are we greater than Him?

Daniel: A Man Of True Desire, Pastor Phil Sessa

Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” 

As a Christian we certainly want to live in victory, but as you have found out there are times of temptations which test your resolve in the Lord. From the moment Daniel and his friends are taken captive and exiled, they are required to immerse themselves in the language and literature of the Babylonians (1:4), with its focus on sorcery, astrology and polytheism. This was an alien atmosphere and culture to these displaced Hebrew boys.

Brother’s Keeper or Brother’s Killer? 2of2, Pastor Phil Sessa

Genesis 4:10, “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.”

The first sin committed horizontally (human to human) is the sin of murder. Cain and Abel both brought an offering to the Lord and the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. Cain instantly became upset because God did not respect what h he brought him. God knowing this didn’t try to boost his self-esteem, but rather asked him three questions. First God asked, “Why are you angry?” Secondly, “why has your countenance fallen?” Thirdly, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” Now whenever God asks a question it is never because He doesn’t know the answer, because God is omniscient (all knowing). 

Brother’s Keeper or Brother’s Killer? 1of2 Pastor Phil Sessa

Genesis 4:10, “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.”

Do you have a brother or sister? The one thing that makes a brother or sister is having the same father or mother. However, being a brother is different from being a brother’s keeper. To be a brother requires no effort because it’s based on biology, but being a keeper speaks of a choice, care, responsibility, and a measure of ownership. God placed Abel as a keeper of sheep, and Cain as a tiller (keeper) of the soil. God gave both brothers the same opportunity of on the job training. In the Garden prior to his son’s responsibilities, Adam worked the ground and dealt with the animals. Now his sons would share in that duty, outside the Garden of course because of Adam’s sin.

Driven By Compassion, Evans Olang

Luke 10:25-37, “36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”  37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

One of the comforting words often shared when someone is facing challenges is “if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me”. Many times I wonder the reality of these words. Are they many times said in the moments when there is nothing to say, or something easy to say but don’t mean it or has very little meaning or people don’t just think them through?  And what does “anything” really mean? 

Are You Fit For The Kingdom? Part 4of4, Pastor Phil Sessa

Luke 9:62, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

In Star Wars Episode 1, George Lucas did something phenomenal with his Star Wars films. He went back to the beginning and helped all those that did not read the books to understand how the whole Star War movies began. However, before George Lucas did this with film, Jesus did this sort of thing when he said “Remember Lot’s wife.”