A Man In The Making, Part 1of3, Evans Olang

Exodus 3:1-12, “And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed”

Always people want to be in comfortable places, comfortable home, job, ministry etc. When you talk about comfort, you will be referring to being set, nothing else to worry about, relaxed nothing further to pursue. I love comfort just like anybody else but I believe God brings us to certain levels that our comfort is disrupted not by what He tells us but by what He reveals to us to see.

God Can Give You Favor With The Ungodly, Pastor Phil Sessa

Colossians 3:22, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord”

We all desire to be liked by others. As you look through God’s Word you will certainly see that God’s people especially His leaders, were not always given positive treatment as some were mocked, threatened, beaten, and even killed.

Who Craves Your Spirit? Part 4of5, Pastor Phil Sessa

Numbers 14:24, “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.”

“I have come to make a difference. I’ve said it, I mean it and now I’m here to represent it.” This quote comes concerning his mission. This person is Evans Olang. When I first met Evans, it was his spirit that stood out to me.

Zealous For God, 2of2, Evans Olang

Numbers 25:1-18, vs. “10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”

Phinehas act in killing Zimri turned God’s wrath from the Israelites from more people dying. At this point about 24,000 had died. Who knows if Moses confronted him on his action and God had to come on Phinehas’ rescue. Vs. 10 says “10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal”. Phinehas had God’s zeal and in that he acted.

Zealous For God, 1of2, Evans Olang

Numbers 25:1-18, vs. “10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood,because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”

Recently I penned a number of messages from the book of Numbers 21 dealing with the bronze serpent (Title: Killing Serpents, Delivering Savior), and Numbers 22-24 dealing with Balaam (Title: Who is standing on your way?) As I continued to read through Numbers 25, something struck me from this passage in line with a recent conference I will mention in the message.

Killing Serpents, Delivering Savior, Part 2of2, Evans Olang

Numbers 21:4-9, vs. “8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”

Simple instructions to the Israelites, if bit, look to the bronze serpent on the pole and you will live. It does not make sense but that is the simple instruction, faith in the basics. They didn’t have to do anything, only look and you will live. Killed by serpents or delivered by a serpent both from God.

Killing Serpents, Delivering Savior, Part 1of2, Evans Olang

Numbers 21:4-9, vs. “8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”

The story of the Israelites gives an account of how the Lord brought them out of the land of Egypt. There are times they trusted God, and then moved from trust to murmuring and complaining. Always comparing their current situation to the old. I don’t think of any people God performed miracles in their midst like the Israelites.

Take The Land Now, Part 3of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

Joshua 14:11 – 12, “11 As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said”

We live in a day and age whereby one will work and work for somewhere between fifty five to sixty five plus years and then move into retirement. The thinking is that after giving the best years to work; now, one can sit back and enjoy the fruit of those labors. However, when does one “retire” from serving the Lord? Is there an age that one should say, “Well Lord I have put my time in these many years, and now I will rest from ministry?” When Moses sent out the spies to spy out the Land, Caleb was a much younger man at the time, with much strength and vigor.

King Asa 4of4: Man’s Reliance On God Is For God’s Glory, Part 2of2, Evans Olang

2Chronicles 16:1-14, “10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time. … 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians”

If there was anyone who could have made use of God’s provision by allowing himself to be an outlet, channel, instrument by which God would glorify Himself was Asa. Yet in some of the later decisions he made in his life cost him dearly. The bible says vs. “9…In this you have done foolishly…” perhaps to indicate that what he did was not necessarily sin because even at the end he was still considered a righteous man, but because he chose some things God had provided over God being the object of his living he finished poorly.