Mount of Olives Church

Job 16:2-5 "Miserable comforters are you all! ... I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul’s place … but I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief." In the book of Job, we see a man lose everything, and he did not know why. His family was gone, as were his crops and livestock. To Job’s friends, the source of his problems seemed clear. Having listened and observed (they were critical), they identified mistakes and recommended changes. Job understood their point of view but was frustrated. They missed the point. Having endured great difficulties, he urgently needed to be encouraged and comforted. Instead, he felt attacked. Job’s plight should make us conscious of a common problem. Most of us have opinions about world events and how others react. It can be easy to criticize and judge. We observe mistakes we think others are making and develop ideas about how they should change and react instead. But the Bible warn...

“Advent: the time to listen for footsteps – you can’t hear footsteps when you’re running yourself.” Bill McKibben We live such busy lives. Normally, we have very little time except to carry out all of our responsibilities. During this COVID pandemic, many have reported they have had more quality time with family. This is one good thing which has come out of all of this. But during this Advent season, we are being asked to stop and listen for God’s footsteps coming into our lives and our world through our Lord Jesus Christ. When we fail to stop and listen to His voice, we become shallow believers with no real depth. As a result, we miss out on so many things. We could miss out on experiencing the greatness and goodness of God. During Advent, make up your mind to take new steps to grow in Christ. There are a number of things you can do. Start to read your Bible; start with the Gospels. Have a dedicated time for prayer. Make up your mind and commit yourself to going on a Cursillo weekend ...

"If plan A doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters — 204 if you're in Japan." — Claire Cook Good advice – there is a reason why it is possible to keep going. This is because you are not alone. The God of heaven and earth goes with you. In addition, in the end, He will prevail. This was the outlook of Job. He suffered greatly, and yet through it all, he trusted God would triumph. And knowing this caused him to keep going and not to give up. Job 19:25 ESV For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, help us to have the same outlook as Job. Though he suffered greatly, he trusted in Your faithfulness. Help us to do the same. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Yours because of Him, Pastor John R. Steward Senior Pastor Mount of Olives Church

Sometimes when life becomes difficult and challenging, beyond anything we have experienced in the past, we can begin to think there is nothing but darkness all around us. In those moments, we are inclined to just look at the darkness of life and nothing else. This is the choice that many make, and it is not good for us, nor is it needed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had to deal with a great deal of pain and suffering due to racial prejudice in our nation. There were separate bathrooms for whites and blacks in many places in our country. In some parts of the country, blacks had to sit in the back of the bus. There were many, many other injustices. And when Dr. King stood up and protested non-violently, there were arrests and violent resistance from those in authority. When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 came about, many of these things changed. Even now, there is more to be done to change people’s hearts. It is difficult to imagine the pain and the desperation Dr. King must have felt as he ...

One of the best ways to maintain hope is to consider and meditate on the greatness of God. Real lasting hope cannot be found in trusting in ourselves. It only comes through trusting in the God of heaven and earth. He is almighty and everlasting. But what does this mean? There are thousands of definitions; here is one:  Job 26:7 ESV He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. The north is a reference to the northern hemisphere of our earth. And then it goes on to say He hangs the earth on nothing. Ellicott’s Commentary explains it this way: “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.—If these words mean what they seem to do—and it is hard to see how they can mean anything else—then they furnish a very remarkable instance of anticipation of the discoveries of science. Here we find Job, more than three thousand years ago, describing in language of scientific accuracy the condition of our globe, and holding it fo...