"Keep yourselves in the love of God ..." - Jude 1:21
The bible is a revelation of the fact that God is love. Many people misunderstand the attribute of God's nature which is love. "God is love" does not mean that everything is sweet, beautiful, and happy, and that God's love could not possibly allow punishment for sin.
Because God is righteous, for sin to be ignored would disqualify His righteousness. Would we ask God to deny His righteousness?
There are many voices on the wind. Certainly God's voice is there, through His Word and the Spirit calling each of us to repentance, challenging us to love unconditionally and to encouraging our evangelism to a world lost in sin.
There are, however, other voices. As mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:1: "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons."
These voices will cause man to turn from God and follow society in pursuit of not being offensive. Folks, we can stand firm in our belief - and still not offend. We can proclaim the loving grace of the Father and the lifesaving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to the nations ... and we can do it with love.
When we preach justice, it is justice tempered with love. When we preach righteousness, it is righteousness founded on love. When we preach atonement (making amends), it is atonement planned by love, provided by love, given by love, finished by love, dedicated because of love. When we preach the resurrection of Christ, we are preaching the miracle of love. When we preach the return of Christ, we are preaching the fulfillment of love.
No matter what sin man has committed, or how terrible, dirty, or shameful it may be, God loves all His children, and prefers forgiveness and redemption over punishment and hate. The love of God is immeasurable, unmistakable, and unending!
So don't take the bait - and be tempted to follow the crowd and react to the world. The voices of the world should be no surprise to Christians - it certainly is not a surprise to God. We are called to rise above the argument and share the light of Christ.
Keep yourselves in the love of God .... ~ Pastor Todd
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
Outdoor Worship at Natural Chimneys
Yesterday at Natural Chimneys Park was the second in a series of outdoor worship services this summer for the Mount Olivet congregation. The rain cleared away for a beautiful morning of worship right next to the towering rocks.
The remaining outdoor services this year are:
Sunday, July 26th and 10:30am on the church lawn followed by a freewill offering meal provided by the youth as a fundraiser
Sunday, August 30th at 5:00pm at Oakdale Park Shelter #3 with a covered dish meal
Sunday, October 4th at 10:30am at the Sangerville Ruritan Hall Shelter, followed by a covered dish meal and a hayride
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Pastor's Penpoint - "God's on Vacation" - June 2015
The writer of Hebrews tells us not to forsake "...the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)
Over nine years ago,Dina,the kids and I spent about ten months at a church in Hot Springs where I offered pulpit supply three weeks out of the month. Julian, one of the older men in the church always had a good story to tell or have me read. One Sunday, he gave me a little article that he had clipped out of a magazine decades before.
I ran across it a few Sunday's ago while looking for something in the pastor's study. I share it now with the hope that it sticks in your heart and mind the same way that it has in mine.
God Takes the Summer Off
"We are sorry to inform you that God will not be available during the summer beginning June 1st. He feels He deserves some time off, so He has canceled His normal duties for the summer.
He has agreed to send the sun and rain occasionally when He happens to be in town,but so far as answering prayers for the needs of your family, please don't count on Him.
God has let church leaders know that they should not plan any outreach efforts or mission trips during the summer - or at least if they do, they will have to do it without Him because He plans to be gone a lot to see relatives, baseball games and the lake. God has expressed the opinion that we should find someone else to take His place.
Then we reminded Him of His promise, "Surely I will be with you always," but He said He didn't realize when He said it that it meant going two or three years without a break. He expressed Hes sincere regret and hopes that it will not cause anyone any inconvenience.
God may be contacted any time after September 1st at which time He hopes to get back into the routine. "Please defer all requests until then," He requested.
Aren't you glad God doesn't take the summer off? As we approach summer, make it your determination to bring yourself and your family to God's House on Sunday. He'll be waiting for us to worship Him."
Luckily, Mt. Olivet doesn't close for summer. We will worship our Lord, who is always here!
~ Pastor Todd
Over nine years ago,Dina,the kids and I spent about ten months at a church in Hot Springs where I offered pulpit supply three weeks out of the month. Julian, one of the older men in the church always had a good story to tell or have me read. One Sunday, he gave me a little article that he had clipped out of a magazine decades before.
I ran across it a few Sunday's ago while looking for something in the pastor's study. I share it now with the hope that it sticks in your heart and mind the same way that it has in mine.
God Takes the Summer Off
"We are sorry to inform you that God will not be available during the summer beginning June 1st. He feels He deserves some time off, so He has canceled His normal duties for the summer.
He has agreed to send the sun and rain occasionally when He happens to be in town,but so far as answering prayers for the needs of your family, please don't count on Him.
God has let church leaders know that they should not plan any outreach efforts or mission trips during the summer - or at least if they do, they will have to do it without Him because He plans to be gone a lot to see relatives, baseball games and the lake. God has expressed the opinion that we should find someone else to take His place.
Then we reminded Him of His promise, "Surely I will be with you always," but He said He didn't realize when He said it that it meant going two or three years without a break. He expressed Hes sincere regret and hopes that it will not cause anyone any inconvenience.
God may be contacted any time after September 1st at which time He hopes to get back into the routine. "Please defer all requests until then," He requested.
Aren't you glad God doesn't take the summer off? As we approach summer, make it your determination to bring yourself and your family to God's House on Sunday. He'll be waiting for us to worship Him."
Luckily, Mt. Olivet doesn't close for summer. We will worship our Lord, who is always here!
~ Pastor Todd
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Pastor's Penpoint - "Relational Renewal" - May 2015
It occurs to me that Mt. Olivet is moving to a focus on being a relational church. In other words, our practice should be to value relationships over programs and time spent together growing in Christ over the mere doing business of the church. We should do this for a variety of reasons, but the main reason is that we can honestly believe that the best way to make disciples is through relationships with others. We do this through giving and receiving sacrificial love and through truly learning how to love God with all of our hart, mind, soul, and strength, and through learning to love our neighbor as ourselves. Programs and processes seem efficient and they are valuable and needed, but they should not replace relationships as the glue that holds a church together.
Over the past several months, I have been drawn on Philippians 2:1-5 and I really think that it is the missing key to how we are to have relationships with one another. It tells us that is we have received anything at all from the Holy Spirit, then there should be a result that turns us toward others with Christ as our example. We should be unified (remember we are "United Brethren in Christ") together and we should put the needs of others ahead of our own. We should consider others better than ourselves and we should be one in spirit and purpose. All of this would take a miracle, but with the Spirit of God at work within us, living this way actually becomes natural. Putting one another first - ahead of ourselves - is actually the normal way that Christians should live. This means that we spend time together, we communicate with one another, we forgive each other, and we actually see each other. We listen. We care about others beyond what we can get from one another.
So often, human relationships are based on us sizing each other up according to what we think that we can get from a person. But, God does no see us this way. He says that we each have inherent value because He created us and we are loved by Him. We should see one another the same way.
Church, how are our relationships? What about the people that you see in our church or community but you do not know very well? How might God use you to be a blessing to others in desperate need of encouragement? Praying that this year will be a time of relational renewal as we learn to value others, love sacrificially, and put the needs of others above our own.
~ Pastor Todd
Over the past several months, I have been drawn on Philippians 2:1-5 and I really think that it is the missing key to how we are to have relationships with one another. It tells us that is we have received anything at all from the Holy Spirit, then there should be a result that turns us toward others with Christ as our example. We should be unified (remember we are "United Brethren in Christ") together and we should put the needs of others ahead of our own. We should consider others better than ourselves and we should be one in spirit and purpose. All of this would take a miracle, but with the Spirit of God at work within us, living this way actually becomes natural. Putting one another first - ahead of ourselves - is actually the normal way that Christians should live. This means that we spend time together, we communicate with one another, we forgive each other, and we actually see each other. We listen. We care about others beyond what we can get from one another.
So often, human relationships are based on us sizing each other up according to what we think that we can get from a person. But, God does no see us this way. He says that we each have inherent value because He created us and we are loved by Him. We should see one another the same way.
Church, how are our relationships? What about the people that you see in our church or community but you do not know very well? How might God use you to be a blessing to others in desperate need of encouragement? Praying that this year will be a time of relational renewal as we learn to value others, love sacrificially, and put the needs of others above our own.
~ Pastor Todd
Monday, April 20, 2015
Cleanup Day
A big thank you to all who came out Saturday and worked most of the day doing a thorough cleaning of the church, inside and out; scrubbing, shampooing, mopping, blowing leaves, pressure washing, painting, and even picking up trash along Freemason Run Road. You made a big difference!
Annual Homecoming Service at Mt. Olivet
Our annual Homecoming Service will be held on Sunday, April 26th at 10:00am. The guest speaker will be Pastor Greg Cummings and a covered dish meal will follow the service. Please come out and join us for worship and fellowship.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Pastor's Penpoint - "Let's Get a Few Things Straight" - April 2015
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. (Job 19:25)
Often, we just have to say it plainly and with great conviction ...
"What a THRILL to know that my Redeemer lives!" Jesus Christ is as alive today as He was right after the resurrection. In fact, He is just as much alive today as He was before the Crucifixion, and even before He came to earth and was laid in the manger.
What difference does it make whether we serve a living God or one made of stone? Isn't it just a practice we believe in? Is it a crutch to help us along our way? No! Absolutely not!
A living God knows right where you are day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute. He sees your every need, hears your every cry, and longs to hold you close to Himself.
He is present to walk with you through the valley. He provides a song in the night. He takes your feet from the muck and mire and plants them on a rock. He blesses you with hope and gives joy for life's journey. A god with no life is unable to do these things. He cannot see, or hear, or reach, or touch, or provide. He simply cannot.
But my God is alive! The joy and the assurance that we celebrate on Easter doesn't end when the holiday is over and the decorations are all packed away. Why? Because Christ is alive. So rejoice, my friend, and live each day with the hope and joy that Easter brings. Walk with Christ. Talk with Him, and allow His joy to penetrate your heart and fill your soul. Don't live in defeat and agony as if Christ is still on the cross, or in the tomb. HE is alive! He IS alive! He is ALIVE!
~ Pastor Todd
Often, we just have to say it plainly and with great conviction ...
"What a THRILL to know that my Redeemer lives!" Jesus Christ is as alive today as He was right after the resurrection. In fact, He is just as much alive today as He was before the Crucifixion, and even before He came to earth and was laid in the manger.
What difference does it make whether we serve a living God or one made of stone? Isn't it just a practice we believe in? Is it a crutch to help us along our way? No! Absolutely not!
A living God knows right where you are day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute. He sees your every need, hears your every cry, and longs to hold you close to Himself.
He is present to walk with you through the valley. He provides a song in the night. He takes your feet from the muck and mire and plants them on a rock. He blesses you with hope and gives joy for life's journey. A god with no life is unable to do these things. He cannot see, or hear, or reach, or touch, or provide. He simply cannot.
But my God is alive! The joy and the assurance that we celebrate on Easter doesn't end when the holiday is over and the decorations are all packed away. Why? Because Christ is alive. So rejoice, my friend, and live each day with the hope and joy that Easter brings. Walk with Christ. Talk with Him, and allow His joy to penetrate your heart and fill your soul. Don't live in defeat and agony as if Christ is still on the cross, or in the tomb. HE is alive! He IS alive! He is ALIVE!
~ Pastor Todd
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