Be Initiative, Evans Olang

Genesis 39:1-23, “And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.” 

What would you do if what you always dreamed for wasn’t coming to pass?  instead of things getting better, you got  further and further away from it. Joseph is a good example, he had a dream at the age of 17 and his dream was not that one day he would fail but that one day he will be great and that his family and many people would bow to him. Talk to any teenagers today and hear all their dreams and desires of success. You must have had dreams at that age too. Joseph had a good dream but he was naive, boastful and insensitive towards his brothers. He did not even realize that the dream was not about him but a picture of Christ. In his case, a lot of character building was needed before God fulfilled all that He planned.

Daring Faith, Part 2of2, Evans Olang

Matthew 14:22-33, “28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

I love reading about Peter, he was a regular guy like any of us. He had weakness and strengths. Peter was an ordinary fisherman who walked with Jesus. His walk with Christ changed his life and I don’t believe anyone can walk with Christ and not be changed.

Daring Faith, Part 1of2, Evans Olang

Matthew 14:22-33, “28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

The subject of faith is often preached on, taught and abused at the same time. The many faith teachings are more about what God can do for you financially and health wise. And if you’ve listened to the same, be enlightened that there is more to faith than that. Teachings on faith today mostly dwell on the byproducts of faith. We find that often times too many of us have enough faith for breadcrumbs and not enough for a whole loaf, what He has promised. Faith enough to get us by and nothing to challenge us to grow more faith in God.

Do You Hear What I Hear? Pastor Phil Sessa

Matthew 1:18-20, “18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit ”.

In this day and age there are a lot of voices speaking, but none as important as the voice of the Lord.

God And Sinners Reconciled, Pastor Phil Sessa

2Corinthians 5:20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

Merry CHRISTmas! I love saying that. We live in an age where the world wants us to be culturally tolerant, and politically correct. All other religious “holidays” are not really holidays if we agree that the word holiday is really the word HOLY DAY. How is Kwanza, or Ramadan holy? Kwanza does not focus on Christ, because the focus is on culture and man not on Christ the Lord.

But For A Moment, Part 2of2, Evans Olang

Esther 4:14, “… Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

We know of opportunities that present themselves when least expected. At the very moment they present themselves, you weigh the possibilities of being the person to rise to the occasion while looking at who you are. I watched a comedy where this young man was afraid of swimming, he did not feel he could do it because he was just too terrified. On one particular day, he saw this girl fall in the pool drowning, he swallowed his fears and jumped into the pool to rescue the girl not knowing that he had fears before. But for a moment of time, he stepped into the occasion and did what he was afraid to do so as to rescue someone else.

Who Craves Your Spirit? Part 3of5, Pastor Phil Sessa

Numbers 11:17, “And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.” NIV

What comes to mind when you hear the word burden? Perhaps your job, your family situation, a medical condition, recent news, responsibilities, etc…. Moses found himself with a heavy burden upon him as the children of Israel were crying and complaining that they had no meat to eat.

Who Craves Your Spirit? Part 1of5, Pastor Phil Sessa

2Kings 2:9, “When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied”

It has been said that the highest form of emulation is imitation. When a small child puts on his dads big shoes what is that child showing? “I want to be like my dad” , the child displays without saying a word. Dad is most likely the man the child spends the most time with, although unfortunately that is not always true in this day and age. It has also been said, “Show me your friends, and I will show you yourfuture.” This whole thing with relationship influence is at the heart of discipleship. Jesus said come “FOLLOW ME and I will MAKE YOU fishers of men.”

Trade In Discouragement For Encouragement, Evans Olang

1Samuel 30, vs. 6, “… but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” (KJV)

Believers fight the spirit of discouragement many times. The man of God Elijah was suicidal because of discouragement. The Israelites became discouraged when they faced challenges in the wilderness. It’s the same thing even leaders face today, discouraged from failing and discouraged by other people. Discouragement is the absence of courage. It deprives courage, hope or confidence.