Give Me A Chance, Part 3of3, Evans Olang

1Samuel 17:1-58, “Then he took his staff in his hand; and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook…”

Here was a man with one cry, “give me a chance”, 1Samuel 17:32, “Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with the Philistine“. David made up his mind to please the Father. Everyone including the king did not feel David was ready for he was young, inexperienced, no training on war, but God readied him for this battle. Him and God were majority.

Give Me A Chance, Part 2of3, Evans Olang

1Samuel 17:1-58, “Then he took his staff in his hand; and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook…”

The bible is interesting in the sense that it could take time and dwell on something, fully describing it. Here is an example, 1Samuel 17:4, “And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath from Gath, whose height was six cubits and spans” through vs. 7 the bible describes nothing but how the giant was dressed for battle. The bible wants us to see something about this man. Just reading how equipped he was, I can see why the Israelites were afraid of him. This is no ordinary sizable man. I wondered why the bible wouldn’t just say he was a giant and a champion. I believe the Lord wants us to know that our enemy is not a wimp as many may think. He is prepared for you and I at any given moment. Goliath was more qualified, trained, prepared, ready, equipped, eloquent, developed, sophisticated, protected, confident, threatening and a fighter, what chance did David have? All the trained men, who have all that it takes to battle could not face the giant. I even wondered why the bible did not even take time to describe how Saul was dressed for the battle.

Give Me A Chance, Part 1of3, Evans Olang

1Samuel 17:1-58, “Then he took his staff in his hand; and chose for himself give smooth stones from the brook…”

We often run into people with hidden potentials yet to be discovered. In the entertainment industry, people continue to be discovered because of their talents. I have come across stories of people sharing their humble beginnings. Often times you hear about a struggle involving rejections, written off, words spoken that they were not good enough but later they broke through.

The Sound Of Abundance Of Rain, 4of4, Evans Olang

1Kings 18:21-43, “41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

It is hard to understand God’s ways but He sure can be trusted. I do not think Elijah expected the blessing of the rain to delay, after all, he called on God earlier for fire and from heaven it immediately came. Waiting for the rain appeared to be taking long. He could not doubt God’s Word to make it happen. He had enough trust in God to take Him at His Word. Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”, Romans 3:4, “…let God be true but every man a liar”. When you know God’s ways rather than His works, you can choose to trust when it does not make sense, when it is not clear or even when things seem delayed. God can be trusted.

The Sound Of Abundance Of Rain, 3of4, Evans Olang

1Kings 18:21-43, “41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” 

In reforming the Israelites by first rebuilding the broken altar, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and Asherah to prove to the entire crowd the true God. Fire fell on Elijah’s sacrifice upon seeking God. Note the order, before God showered them with blessings, Elijah offered an excellent sacrifice that pleased the Lord. We seek to please God first (Psalm 103:1, Matthew 6:33) while we trust God to shower us with blessings too. Let us give Him what He requires of us.

The Sound Of Abundance Of Rain, 2of4, Evans Olang

1Kings 18:21-43, “41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” 

In talking about drought in the last year, who would not want the rain of God’s blessings in this new year? Ahab and the people expected that Elijah would, in this solemn assembly, bless the land, and pray for rain; but he had something else to do first. The people must be brought to repent and reform, and then they may look for the removal of the judgment, but not until then.

I am always amazed how majority of televangelist tell us to claim and receive blessings, but rarely do we hear about restoring and reforming things lost and bent out of shape. Building what it will take to maintain blessings. No one pours precious stuff in leaking vessels, it will all leak out.

The Sound Of Abundance Of Rain, 1of4, Evans Olang

1Kings 18:21-43, “41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” 

One disappointing thing I experienced in school was writing an essay only to be told I missed the whole point. All the work done, hours spent in writing only to miss the whole point. If you were to be asked to write a report or an essay about the year we just concluded, would you miss the whole point in reflecting about your life and what you encountered? When I missed the point, the only way to escape it was to do it again and get it right. If you missed the whole point of last year in your life and its challenges, you may have to repeat the class in the new year, I hope you do not.

Our Resources In Christ, Part 4of5, Evans Olang

Ephesians 1:18, “that you may know …, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”

If a child was to appear in public hungry, sick and with rugged clothes, that child would not be bringing shame to himself but to his father primarily. Everyone will be asking, “whose child is this?” They may want to blame the father until they find out that the child may have neglected or even refused to receive everything the father has provided and in that he or she is bringing shame to his name.