Mount of Olives Church

There are people in this world who keep a running dialogue with God about what’s going on in their lives. “Prayer is just conversation with God,” they say confidently enough. We pray for our friends, for our church, for our families and even for our country. It’s what Christians do. We pray the Lord’s Prayer. We pray before meals. Then we carry on with our day. But I discovered another kind of prayer: The Foxhole Prayer. This is the “last resort” prayer when all seems lost and there is no place to turn. It was a foxhole moment when Gary dragged me to the hospital at 1 AM, Sunday, November 5, 2017. I was in so much pain that I lost the will to live. Yes, that happens, even to Theology students. Later that night in a dark hospital room after surgery, I awoke frightened. I tearfully prayed to my Heavenly Father for help and comfort. I was alone with only God to sustain me. Suddenly, a young nurse came into my room with a small candle, one of those with a battery so it was safe. She smile...

My last blood draw showed my cancer marker was up. That scares me. With every ache or pain I experience, I wonder if the cancer has moved to another organ or into my bones. It is easy for me to focus on the fear, and wonder what the next CAT scan will show. Last night I awakened in that familiar grip of fear, wondering what might be going on in my body. My heart cried out to God, and immediately these words came to mind: “I’m no longer a slave to fear; I am a child of God.” I recognized them as words to a song Miles Smith and his team have sung at church. That sentence resonated in my heart until I fell back to sleep. This morning, upon awakening, the song came immediately to mind, its truth implanted in my heart. I do not have to be a slave to fear! I am God’s beloved child. When I focus on God, I no longer fear. Yesterday my brother-in-law called from Michigan to share the story of Peter walking on water. As long as his eyes were focused on Christ, he did not falter. I told him our s...

“Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if He were you.” ― Dallas Willard This is a powerful definition of discipleship. Dallas Willard calls it a “process of becoming”, which is exactly what happened to the first disciples of Jesus. From the moment Jesus called them to follow Him, a “process of becoming” was launched. While we never truly arrive, being a disciple of Jesus must mean we change and grow to be more like Jesus. As we examine the lives of all of the first disciples, we see significant growth in their outlook, faith and service. Lent is a good time to stop and seriously examine our own spiritual growth. Take a moment and write down on paper how you are different as a Christ follower today compared to where you were ten or twenty years ago. If there is no significant growth, then perhaps the time has arrived to take the steps to grow. Read your Bible and pray daily. Join a small group or serve somewhere in the church. Certainly, making the commitment to go...

Most people do not realize you can actually know for certain you have eternal life and you are going to heaven when you die. The reason so many people do not have this understanding is because they think we have to earn our way to heaven, and it would be rather arrogant to think we have done enough to qualify. So, as a result, most people if asked if they are going to heaven, will say something like, “I hope so.” But the Bible actually teaches we can know this for a fact because heaven is a gift and not something we can earn. Heaven is made possible because God became a man in Jesus, died on a cross and was raised again three days later. Jesus promises if you confess your sins and put your trust in Him as your only Savior, He will wash you so you can stand before a Holy God as if you have never sinned, and this results in heaven; not because of anything you have done, but because of everything God did for you at the cross. This is what the Apostle John writes in his first Epistle: I Jo...

Dr. Billy Graham was doing a crusade at Shea Stadium in New York. The airplanes from La Guardia Airport flew over the stadium; dozens by the hour. On the opening night of counselors training, Graham was talking from the podium as the engines roared overhead. He paused, glanced up and quietly said, "We’ll have to do something about this noise. This just won’t do. He bowed his head and said a simple prayer to the effect, "Lord, we ask You to shift the wind and send these planes in another direction. Thank you. Amen." The counselors were pretty shocked at such a prayer and didn’t really know what to expect. But God did it. He answered their prayers in a wondrous way! The morning newspaper reported the winds had changed during the night, and the airplanes over Shea Stadium had to be routed another way. For several days thereafter, thousands of people came to Christ under Graham’s anointed preaching. At the end of the crusade, the winds reverted to their normal flow, and the ...

The church is a very unique community. It is really a hospital for sinners more than anything else. There is no place in the world like the church. Here is how Charles Morris put it: "The Christian church is a society of sinners. It is the only society in the world, membership in which is based upon the single qualification that the candidate shall be unworthy of membership." - Charles Morris And so, we are unworthy of membership! However, we are to be striving to grow, mature and work at putting away our sinful selves. We are a work in progress, and we can continue in this work because we have been redeemed and forgiven in Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:7 ESV But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, we come into Your house as broken people. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed. We are healthier people when we can admit this, because...

I heard a story of a little girl who walked to and from school daily. One morning, the weather was questionable and clouds were forming, yet she made her daily trek to the elementary school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school, and she feared the electrical storm might harm her child. Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly and with each the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile. When the mother's car drew up beside the child, the little girl got in. Her mother asked, "What were you doing? Why do you keep stopping?" The child answered, "I am trying to look pretty...

“Some Christmas tree ornaments do more than glitter and glow, they represent a gift of love given a long time ago.” - Tom Baker For many, there is a disconnect between the traditions of Christmas and the message and true meaning of Christmas. It is like they think about Christmas and the Christ of Christmas as two separate things. However, when we stop to consider our traditions of Christmas, much of it is a subliminal message of the saving grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. For example, the Christmas tree itself being triangular in shape, represents the trinity. It points to heaven. It is always green which reminds us of the everlasting nature of God Himself. We put lights on the tree because Jesus is the light of the world. We bring this tree into our homes just as we need Jesus Christ in our homes. So, look around, and you will see the message of God’s redemption in Jesus all around us. 1 John 5:11ESV And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life i...

Martin Luther once had a dream where he was in his house and saw Jesus coming up the walk toward his door. Luther examined his surroundings and realized that everything was an absolute mess. Clothes were thrown over the furniture, old food was sitting out, and trash was everywhere. And he thought, "How am I going to let the Lord of Life, Jesus Christ, come into a mess like this?” He hurriedly tried to straighten up but the more he picked up, the greater the mess became. Finally, Jesus was knocking at the door. Luther, resigned himself to the mess and as he opened the door, he said, "Jesus, come on in, if you think that you can come into a place like...” and as he turned, he saw that everything had been put into order, everything in its proper place. The house was immaculate as Christ entered in. This is what Jesus does. He forgives. I have met people who have had a difficult time believing they could be forgiven. Yet, this is what Jesus does. He does this through the work of ...

Give some thought today to the idea that God has made a big investment in our world and in each of us individually. Many people who invest in the stock market will sell their stocks when the market goes down. Aren’t you glad God is not like those stock market investors? Here is how Erwin Lutzer put it many years ago: "God’s investment in us is so great he could not possibly abandon us." This is so important to realize. God came as Jesus and gave His very life for you and me. No one has ever made an investment like that. And then, He remains with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. So, when you get to the point when you wonder about your value to God, remember the investment He made in you. 1 John 4:9-10 ESV In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Pray with me: Hea...

It has been said, “Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.” This is very true. Too many people remain in constant struggle and difficulty because they constantly make excuses for themselves. They always have a reason as to why it is not their fault or responsibility, but something else or someone else’s. This is a dead end. We’ll never get anywhere in life until we can say when we are wrong – “I am wrong.”  1 John 1:8-9 NRSV If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Once we admit to our brokenness, we can be restored because of Jesus Christ. When we are wrong, everything gets better when we can say, “I am wrong.” Try it.  Pray with me: Heavenly Father, our pride and hubris often keeps us in bondage. In our arrogance, we damage so many things. Help us to be honest about our damaged condition. And from t...

1 John 4:4 RSV Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. What does this passage of scripture mean? It can be a little confusing. When it says in the first part – we have “overcome them”, John is referring to evil spirits and forces in the world. Then, it says “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world”.  The He who is in you is Jesus Christ. He lives in the heart of every believer through the power of the Holy Spirit.  And the one who is in the world is the devil. So, the passage is saying that Jesus living in you is greater than the devil who is trying to destroy the world. In these days of a worldwide pandemic, it can sometimes appear that the devil and death are winning. But they are not. Jesus is greater and ultimately will reign forever and ever. Once again, Easter is our assurance that Jesus, who is living in us, is greater than the devil. So, let us take comfort in knowing th...