Friday, November 4, 2011
Ordination Service - October 30, 2011
We just experienced a great day in the life of Mount Olivet, the ordination of Pastor Todd Lilley. We were also honored to have Bishop Phil Whipple officiating.
Pastor's PenPoint - "The Rightness of Scripture" - November 2011
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. (Psalm 19:8)
Stan bought his grandchildren a new toy. After glancing at the directions, he set the booklet aside to get busy building. A few frustrating hours later, Stan humbly opened the instructions again and followed the steps to assemble the toy. Soon he was done, and the grandkids were playing happily.
O.K. ... I admit it ... this could easily be me, except the grandfather part. I hate to read directions, which usually creates a lot more work and less than stellar results.
Stan knew that the manufacturer had a plan for putting together the toy. But he assumed he could figure it out too. Many people take the same approach to the Scriptures that Stan took to those directions. In stead of treating God's Word like a manual to live by, they glance at it occasionally when they aren't sure what to do next.
This has certainly been a wonderful, emotional and God centered couple of weeks. While true my going through the process of ordination had a huge impact on me ... it also had an impact on the church. This was a wonderful day in the life of the church; when the affirmation the members and Administrative Board relayed to the denomination and the Bishop resulted in another piece of God's plan for Mt. Olivet being laid in place.
Further, the planning that we are doing not only for our annual ministries and programs, but for the coming years is another step toward a permanence in seeking God's plan ... or in this case, reading in God's instructions!
The Bible is like God's diagram of Himself. He teaches believers who He is, what He thinks, and how He acts. Knowing the ways of the Lord ensures that we make wise decisions, which honor Him.
The Bible is like God's diagram of Himself. He teaches believers who He is, what He thinks, and how He acts. Knowing the ways of the Lord ensures that we make wise decisions, which honor Him.
The Bible is also God's instruction book for living. I advocate reading it every day because believers cannot be spiritually successful or victorious without it. In the above passage, we read that if a person wants to be righteous, his or her life must comply with the rightness of Scirpture. Of course, the only way to know what those principles are is to read, study, and meditate upon the Word.
God's Word is our most valuable possession. Casting it aside is as foolish as tossing away a wallet full of money. Among the Bible's riches are stories teaching us how to serve the Lord and principles about pleasing Him. And there is a wealth of instruction for building a righteous and meaningful life.
I pray blessings on each and every person who calls Mt. Olivet home. Thank you also to those who have affirmed me, our family and the call for us to join Mt. Olivet in the business of Kingdom building.
You ready??? Let's get back at it!
~ Pastor Todd
Stan bought his grandchildren a new toy. After glancing at the directions, he set the booklet aside to get busy building. A few frustrating hours later, Stan humbly opened the instructions again and followed the steps to assemble the toy. Soon he was done, and the grandkids were playing happily.
O.K. ... I admit it ... this could easily be me, except the grandfather part. I hate to read directions, which usually creates a lot more work and less than stellar results.
Stan knew that the manufacturer had a plan for putting together the toy. But he assumed he could figure it out too. Many people take the same approach to the Scriptures that Stan took to those directions. In stead of treating God's Word like a manual to live by, they glance at it occasionally when they aren't sure what to do next.
This has certainly been a wonderful, emotional and God centered couple of weeks. While true my going through the process of ordination had a huge impact on me ... it also had an impact on the church. This was a wonderful day in the life of the church; when the affirmation the members and Administrative Board relayed to the denomination and the Bishop resulted in another piece of God's plan for Mt. Olivet being laid in place.
Further, the planning that we are doing not only for our annual ministries and programs, but for the coming years is another step toward a permanence in seeking God's plan ... or in this case, reading in God's instructions!
The Bible is like God's diagram of Himself. He teaches believers who He is, what He thinks, and how He acts. Knowing the ways of the Lord ensures that we make wise decisions, which honor Him.
The Bible is like God's diagram of Himself. He teaches believers who He is, what He thinks, and how He acts. Knowing the ways of the Lord ensures that we make wise decisions, which honor Him.
The Bible is also God's instruction book for living. I advocate reading it every day because believers cannot be spiritually successful or victorious without it. In the above passage, we read that if a person wants to be righteous, his or her life must comply with the rightness of Scirpture. Of course, the only way to know what those principles are is to read, study, and meditate upon the Word.
God's Word is our most valuable possession. Casting it aside is as foolish as tossing away a wallet full of money. Among the Bible's riches are stories teaching us how to serve the Lord and principles about pleasing Him. And there is a wealth of instruction for building a righteous and meaningful life.
I pray blessings on each and every person who calls Mt. Olivet home. Thank you also to those who have affirmed me, our family and the call for us to join Mt. Olivet in the business of Kingdom building.
You ready??? Let's get back at it!
~ Pastor Todd
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