SEPTEMBER, 2004
Dear Mt. Olive Family and Friends,
September is “Back to Sunday
School Month!” For that reason, this issue of the Olive
Branch will be of special interest to parents and grandparents. Below, you’ll find five short articles that,
God-willing, will touch your heart and be meaningful to you. You may even want to pass them on to someone
you know.
God’s
blessings to you and yours!
Note:
Our new “Learning in the Olive Grove”
Sunday School ministry begins September 19th
at 10:30am.
Come one – Come all…
and bring your friends!
The
lady in the grocery store check out line was frantic. "Kids!" she said. "They sure can be a pain, can't
they?"
If you can you relate to this, read on!
A young, single pastor preached many sermons
on the subject of raising children. He
had answers for all the questions. Solutions to all the problems.
After marrying and having children of his
own, his sermons on child raising were less frequent.
One morning he woke up and discovered that
his little ones had turned into teenagers.
It was about that same time that his congregation noticed he was no
longer offering free advice on how to raise kids!
Oh, yes, being a 2004's parent is a real
challenge. Those who would disagree
either have no children or have emptied their nest many years ago.
The Lord knows the challenges today's parents
face. He understands kids, too.
May I offer this suggestion? Bring your children to Jesus each day in
prayer. Place them, by name, before His
throne of grace. Pray about specific
challenges and obstacles.
Pray also that you may be the kind of parent
the Lord wants you to be. Pray for
wisdom and guidance, patience and strength.
Teach your children to pray, too!
And please, begin today!
Parents, should you
let your kids grow up to be cowboys?
Read on!
Each day, the poster on the office wall
reminded him of his responsibilities.
The picture was that of a handsome little fellow sporting an oversized
hat. Above was the caption, "Which
way, Daddy?"
As a Christian parent, this man was keenly
aware not only that his children were wonderful blessings from God, but also
that a tremendous responsibility now rested upon him and his wife in bringing
up those children.
Many forces would do battle for his
children's minds and hearts. Peer
pressure would be great. The pressure to
conform, to give in or give up, to be popular at all costs, and to set aside
Biblical morals would be ever present.
"Which way,
Daddy?" He'd hear those words
repeated many times. By word and by
example, he would make it his number one priority to bring up his children to
know the love of Jesus. He would use all
the resources available through his church.
His daily prayer would continue to be,
"Lord, may my children always walk in Your ways
and follow Your Word. And if they grow
up to be cowboys, that's fine. As long as they are cowboys who love Jesus."
How are you in the
"hugging" category? Read on!
It was obvious that the owner of the car
ahead was a cat lover. Along with
pictures of cats on the bumper was the bumper sticker, "Have you hugged
your cat today!"
"Have you hugged a fireman
today?" "Have you hugged your
plumber today?" "Have you
hugged your mechanic, your shoe salesman, your hamster, today?" "Have you hugged..." bumper
stickers are plentiful. They're good for
a laugh.
But the original "Have you hugged"
bumper sticker wasn't meant to be funny.
It seriously asks, "Have you hugged your kid today?"
Do your children know that they are
loved? Do they know that no matter what
happens, they can always come home?
A question even more important is do they
know that the Lord loves them?
In the Bible, Jesus tells of a young man who
really made a royal mess of his life. He
finally decided to return home, not knowing what his father would do. Guess what his father did. He threw his arms around him in a great big
bear hug and kissed him! (You may read
the whole story in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15.) And that father is our heavenly Father who
loves us and our children unconditionally.
Have you hugged your kid today? God has!
Say parents, have you
talked to your children about the "S"
words? Read on!
He looked up at the pastor from his hospital
bed, tears blurring his vision.
"There are so many things I wanted to do, pastor. My wife and I had so many plans."
He wouldn't be carrying out those plans. His life on this earth was nearing its end.
Many well-meaning parents have every
intention of doing this neat project or taking in that special event with their
children. But it never seems to
happen. Time flies by, and too soon the
children are grown and gone.
What is even more tragic is
that many parents never get around to sharing with their children the Spiritual truths that are
essential not only for living but also for dying. They just don't take the time with their
children to Study the Bible,
to bring them regularly to church and Sunday
School,
to pray with them, and to Set
a Christian example for them.
Jesus invites us - and our children - to come
to Him. He welcomes us with open
arms. He wants us to know Him as Savior and Friend.
Parents, don't wait until
next month or next year. Bring up your
children in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Are Christian kids
better than other kids? Read on!
He was always pleased when people made
positive comments about his children. "Sure have a wonderful family,"
they'd say. "You can be proud of
them."
This Christian father knew that he had much
to be thankful for, especially after listening to some of the horror stories
shared by other parents.
But he also knew that his children were far
from perfect, and that "kids will be kids." Christian kids, too! Even the Psalmist, when recalling his younger
years, was compelled to write, "Remember not the sins of my youth and my
rebellious ways."
That verse from Psalm 25 then continues,
"According to Your love remember me, for You are
good, O Lord."
Are Christian kids better than other
kids? Not if you mean are they less
guilty of sin. But they are better
off! Through faith in Jesus Christ, they
know the love and the goodness of their heavenly Father. And they know where to turn for help and
healing.
Even the Apostle Paul noted that when he was
a child he talked, thought, and reasoned like a child. But "when I became a man," he
wrote, "I put childish ways behind me."
Introduce your family to Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Pastor Carl Henkel
Mondays
7:00
– 8:00pm
Not a formal worship service…
Not a rigid Bible class…
Rest in God’s Word… and
be refreshed
be encouraged
be recharged
Each Monday evening begins
with a brief worship opportunity
followed by a stimulating Bible study
on “Encounters With Jesus”
(The Lord’s Supper is also offered
on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month)
Bring
Your Friends!