Mount of Olives Church

When I was a young boy, I went fishing with my family on the lakes of Minnesota. I learned to be patient, swat mosquitos and listen to “fish stories”. Another thing I learned was that sometimes fishermen use a very light line strength, as they consider it more sporting. A two-pound line will break if you hang anything over two pounds on it. The fascinating thing about a two-pound test line is that if you twist two of the two-pound lines together, they will hold five or six pounds; and if you twist three lines together they may hold twelve or more pounds. The strength is increased exponentially. What is true in the natural world, is true in the spiritual world. The natural world can inform us in the spiritual world. When we pray together in AGREEMENT (that is, are of one mind, in harmony), it is stronger and more powerful. Jesus illustrates this principle in the books of Matthew and Ecclesiastes. Matthew 18:19-20 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth ...

Ecclesiastes 7:10- 12 Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon writes a great deal about the need for wisdom in our lives. In this passage, it begins by urging us not to look back and only focus on the “good old days”. Certainly, we can learn from the past and we should. However, too many people are stuck in the past. As a result, they refuse to change, and life never gets any better. It is often important to “reinvent yourself”. Perhaps it is time to learn a new skill, so you are more competitive in the job market. If your family and/or marriage are in crisis, it might be time to seek help from a pastor or Christian counselor. It is easy to complain about...

During these days of the Coronavirus, it has been difficult to learn patience. As a people, we don’t do so well with waiting, as we have been conditioned by our fast-moving culture. And yet, patience is a spiritual trait that is worthwhile to develop. A man observed a woman in the grocery store with a three-year-old girl in her shopping cart. As they passed the cookie section, the child asked for cookies and her mother told her, "No." The little girl immediately began to whine and fuss, and the mother said quietly, "Now Ellen, we just have half of the aisles left to go through; don't be upset. It won't be long." The man passed the mother again in the candy aisle. Of course, the little girl began to shout for candy. When she was told she couldn't have any, she began to cry all the more. The mother said, "There, there, Ellen, don't cry. Only two more aisles to go, and then we'll be checking out." The man again happened to be behind the pa...

Quite often, in our lives when difficult times come, we think we need to bury our emotions and remain strong. The trouble is, this eats us up on the inside. We were never designed by God to do this. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of His dear friend Lazarus when He died. By doing this, Jesus gives us permission to feel our feelings and let them out. We will be better able to handle the challenges of this moment when we do. Perhaps there is a safe friend who will not talk you out of your feelings; with whom you can share the pain you are experiencing. Give them a call and share your pain, and watch how much smaller it becomes. The book of Ecclesiastes seems to indicate our emotions are normal and it is perfectly fine to express them. Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, this really is a time to weep and to mourn. The challenges of this period have been great for so many. Remind us that You did not...