Mount of Olives Church

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray with me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This praise song speaks to me about God’s plans for my life. It’s called “Evidence” by Josh Baldwin. It begins: “All throughout my history; Your faithfulness has walked beside me The winter storms made way for spring; In every season, from where I’m standing I see the evidence of Your goodness all over my life” Hindsight, it has been a great tool to help me see my life from a new and clearer perspective. When I’ve felt times of uncertainty, fear, regret, and little hope, God’s promises and my trust in Jesus has revealed that those winter storms will lead to a beautiful spring, full of hope. When I look back at my life, I realize God has placed me exactly where I needed to be, with the...

Although I would never advise a couple during premarital counseling in my office to do as I did, it has worked well for me. About a month after meeting Jennifer, I told her I had no interest in ever dating anyone else. Her response was, “You better not!” I said to her, “You don’t understand. If I had the money to buy a ring, I’d be on one knee asking you to marry me.” Her response was, “Then, save your money!” A week later it was official; we were engaged. Throughout our entire engagement, every day, including September 16, 1995, I prayed, “Lord, I’m young and dumb. I’m impulsive and stubborn. If it’s not Your plan for me to marry Jennifer Adams, You need to make it abundantly clear it’s not Your will. If she is not the one I am supposed to marry, then You need to break us up. Otherwise, I’m gonna marry that girl.” God answered my prayer. On September 16, 1995, we were married. There’s an old saying, “When God guides, He provides.” And, this was certainly true for us. Although I only ...

A sculptor once fashioned a magnificent lion out of solid stone. When asked how he had accomplished such a wonderful masterpiece, he replied, “It was easy. All I did was to chip away everything that didn’t look like a lion.” This is what God wants to do with us. He wants to chip away everything that doesn’t look like Jesus. Can we allow Him to do this work? Too often, we get stuck in the way we have always done things. We often develop what I would call the “routine of religion” and we never change. And yet in God’s great love for you and me, He wants to change us and shape us as He wills. Here is how the Prophet Jeremiah describes the process: Jeremiah 18:1-6 NRS The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to ...

“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.” – Max Lucado Too many times people are afraid to pray, because they think they need to have the right words. They believe they must state things in a theologically correct manner. And none of this is true. In addition, people often avoid prayer because they think God is too busy. They wonder after looking at all the problems in the world today, how could God take time to listen to me and my problems? We have these attitudes because we think God is like we are. Certainly, if we had His responsibilities, we would be overwhelmed. We would not have the time to handle it all; only the most important problems. Well, of course the good news is that God is not as we are. He is almighty and everlasting. He never lacks for anything and has all the power and authority needed to do everything and anything. And since H...

Jeremiah 31:3 "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.'" A few weeks ago, I preached a couple of sermons on God’s love. In one sermon, I contrasted the love we receive and give to others and the love God gives to us. So much of the love we receive and give is what we call “conditional love”. It is based on conditions. It is why people say things like, “I love you because…..” As long as the conditions remain, the love remains. It is also the reason why people will say, “I am not in love anymore.” Regrettably, too often the love has changed because the conditions have changed. Unfortunately, this is how we understand love, and because this is our experience most of the time, it is difficult for us to comprehend the “unconditional love of God”. In 1 John 4:8, it says, “God is Love.” He is the essence of unconditional love. This is who He is. He is the author of love; the only reas...

Framed on my desk, at the Mount of Olives Church office, is one of my favorite poems. It is by Edgar A. Guest, and it serves as a constant reminder to me that when life and situations become hard and difficult, we don’t throw in the towel. Rather, we just start to “tackle” the problem, and before we know it, we are finding solutions.  “It Couldn’t Be Done” By Edgar Albert Guest Somebody said that it couldn’t be done      But he with a chuckle replied That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried. So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin      On his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing as he tackled the thing      That couldn’t be done, and he did it! Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;      At least no one ever has done it;” But he took off his coat and he took off his hat      And the fi...

Most of us never thought the problems and challenges related to COVID-19 would last as long as they have. We never dreamed this would stretch into such a long journey, and yet, it has. The result is we can truly grow tired and weary. This elongated episode has become severely taxing on everyone. However, we are not in this alone. We are not left to ourselves. Here is God’s promise in the midst of all we are facing: Jeremiah 31:25 ESV For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” Pray with me: Heavenly Father, in this very moment, You know the heart and the situation of the person reading these words. Please remind them You will keep Your Word. You will satisfy our weary soul and replenish our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Yours because of Him, Pastor John R. Steward Senior Pastor Mount of Olives Church

Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, wrote in his journals, “One kind of person thinks and imagines that when he prays, the important thing— the thing he must concentrate upon is that God should hear what he is praying for. And yet in the true, eternal sense it is just the reverse. The true relationship in prayer is not when God hears what is prayed for, but when the person praying continues to pray until he is the one who hears, who knows, what God wills.”   Jeremiah 33:3 ESV Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, as we come to You in prayer, the possibility of You changing us is a most wonderful thing. For the closer we are to You, the greater the work of transformation You do. Give us open hearts to receive the work of renewal You want to do in us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.   Yours because of Him, Pastor John R. Steward Senior Pastor Mount of Olives Church

We know we have limits, but just in case we forgot, the Coronavirus comes along and reminds us that we are not as strong as we think. And now, perhaps we have a different point of view. Perhaps now we find ourselves in despair, wondering if there is any solution to our situation, whatever it may be. This is why we need to hear the Prophet Jeremiah’s reaffirmation of the strength we can have through Almighty God. He has no limits. Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord  God ! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, throughout these many days, we have been humbled. We might have had moments of despair. But You remind us that You are not limited, and Your love for us will see us through. Strengthen us in these challenging days with Your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Yours because of Him, Pastor John R. Steward Senior Pastor Mount of Olives Church