This Week at Mt. Olive

Good evening, fellow redeemed!

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

So writes St. Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-2. I once heard a teacher interpret this to mean that we pray that the government would leave us alone. To that, I say, Try again! As Paul writes this, he instructs young Timothy to in turn instruct those committed to his care in the ways of prayer: Pray for kings and all who are in high positions. Pray for them that we may lead us a peaceable, quiet life. In other words, pray for them that these servants would do their duty to keep good order as God desires.

There is a tendency in the last ten or fifteen years to believe that, if we don't agree with a particular politician's views, we shouldn't be praying for that person. Whenever I hear this, I take the opportunity to teach a little history lesson. The kings and magistrates for which Paul instructed Timothy to pray, and thus for Timothy to instruct his hearers, were not God-fearing Christians. In fact, they were often antagonistic to the faith, and, in a word, pagan. But, as Paul wrote in Romans 13, there is no authority except that which God has established. Paul goes on to say that God established it to protect those who do right and punish the evildoer.

His instruction to young Timothy, then, is to pray for kings and all who are in high positions. He might well tell us to pray for the President, the Governor, the Mayor, the City Council, the County Judge, and all those civil servants who make, administer, and judge our law. Pray for them, as Paul instructs Timothy, to do their duty in a godly way, pursuing justice and righteousness, preserving good order in society as God desires.

Eternal Lord, ruler of all, graciously regard those who have been set in positions of authority among us that, guided by Your Spirit, they may be high in purpose, wise in counsel, firm in good resolution, and unwavering in duty, that under them we may be governed quietly and peaceably; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen


Unfortunately, we were not able to hold the youth meeting today. After cruising some of the streets, I felt it would be too treacherous to bring people to church, and even more so in the dark afterward. I'll try to schedule something in the next couple of weeks to do the planning and game playing.

This coming Sunday, Mt. Olive will hold its Third Quarter Voters Meeting. That means a special schedule! Here it is:

9:30 a.m. Divine Service (Guitar Service!)
10:30 a.m. Sunday School and Voters Meeting
11:30 a.m. Meal in the Fellowship Hall - details will forthcoming in the next couple of days.

Also on Sunday, I'd like to meet with First Year Confirmation - sixth grade - parents during the meal. We need to set up a schedule and I need to get instruction of these fine young people going!

Prayer Concerns:
Those who serve in our armed forces and their families: Rob Vadney (Afghanistan), Richard Rhode (North Carolina), Dru Blanc, John Sorensen, Ryan Radtke (Corpus Christi)
Those who are homebound: Ruby Rieder, Ann Cleveland, Norene Estes
The hospitalized and those going through therapy: Helen Placke, Ruth Prytz, Donnae Blake, Anton Theiss, Melissa Childs
Our government during these turbulent times
The Missionaries of the Church

This Week at Mt. Olive:
Monday, September 20
6 p.m.
Zumba Aerobics

6:30 p.m.
Board of Elders

Wednesday, September 22
8:30 a.m.
School Chapel

9:30 a.m.
Bible Study - Deuteronomy

6 p.m.
Zumba Aerobics

Thursday, September 23
6:30 p.m.
Guitar Rehearsal

Sunday, September 26
9:30 a.m.
Divine Service

10:30 a.m.
Sunday School
Quarterly Voters Meeting

11:30 a.m.
Meal in the Fellowship Hall

God bless!
PKJ