BLIND OR BLESSED?

“I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) …” (Revelation 2:9a) written to the church at Smyrna.

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelation 3:17) written to the church of the Laodiceans.

The Smyrnian church was blessed through their works, tribulation and poverty, but they did not realize it. The Laodicean church had possessions aplenty, but without the blessings of God. It is just as blind to think oneself without the blessing of God as it is to believe that material things indicate the presence of God. Beautiful cathedrals do not a church make. Neither is one forsaken because he lacks physical substance.

The key indicator in the matter is “me.” “Woe is me” excludes God as much as “look at me.” For the child of God who is walking with Him, there is no time without blessing. In fact we are not qualified to determine what is a “bad day” and what is not. God never has a bad day. Likewise, we not are able to proclaim “God has blessed” because of finances or possessions to promotions. Our heart must always sing “to God be the glory.”

Faithful obedience to the Word of God and consistent service for our Lord will bring God’s blessing as long as “me” stays out of it.

SEVEN WONDERFUL FACTS ABOUT THE TRUTH

“But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” (2Corinthians 1:18-22)

I have a dear preacher/pastor friend here in town who reminds me continually that the greatest challenge for men in the 21st century is to know and believe the truth. Each week on Sunday and Wednesday I stand behind the sacred desk of God and attempt to proclaim the truth to my people and those visiting our services. When I am called upon to preach in school chapels, youth camps, preacher fellowships, etc., I endeavor to bring forth the truth for the hearer’s consideration. Nothing substitutes for the truth. Lies must be perpetuated by lies. Truth stands when lies fail. Truth liberates and lies imprison.

Here are seven facts about the truth:

1. Truth and right are never affected by numbers. Remember it was the crowd that died in the flood. It was the majority that was destroyed in Sodom. It was the multitude that cried, “Crucify him, crucify him!”

2. Truth and right are never affected by unbelief. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Timothy 4:3-4) Just because one does not believe the truth does not change the truth. It just means they have chosen to believe fables.

3. Truth and right are never affected by neglect and neglect does not release one from the responsibility to the truth.

4. Truth and right are never affected by disobedience. Just because God’s people choose to disobey Him does not nullify the truth.

5. Truth and right are never affected by comfort or convenience. When in history did it ever become comfortable to do the right thing or stand by the truth when society rejected truth?

6. Truth and right are never affected by price. Man can be bought, but God cannot.

7. Truth and right are never affected by time. We do live in different times. But the truth never changes. If sin was sin one hundred years ago, it is still sin today.

“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16)

BURDENS

Ps 55:22
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

As I was reminded this week by a silver-haired old preacher, Brother Locke who has been in the war for many years, we all have burdens in life. As a Christian, if you do not think you do now…you will. Life has a way of putting burdens upon us and our Heavenly Father will even place burdens on us to strengthen us, teach us, prepare us for the future.

There are several causes for burdens. The most obvious one is the burden of sin. It is this burden which the Holy Spirit uses to direct us to Jesus Christ. He\is job is to convict us of sin and show us the danger and destructiveness of sin. It is the burden of sin that gets upon a man’s heart that reveals his depravity and opens his eyes to the holiness of God. This burden humbles us so that we may repent and place our trust in Christ for redemption.

Then there is the burden of sorrows. Every person whether lost or saved will experience sorrow in life. There are those times of desertion by family and friends, times when we are disappointed by unfulfilled dreams, times when our strength and abilities fail us. But as our text reminds us, “…he shall sustain thee:…”

And also, there are burdens that come with service. Serving Christ means working with people. People have needs which must be attended. The servant of Christ is there to give attention to those needs. But it is possible to become weary in well doing when the burden becomes overwhelming.

So how does one deal with such burdens? We are told to “Cast thy burden upon the LORD.” We are never to defend our burden as some who revel in having hardships thinking they will acquire sympathy. Nor are we to despair in our burden for God has promised that the righteous shall not be moved. We need to learn to take our burdens to God in prayer and cast them upon Him. Claim His promise of help and celebrate the provision He will give.

The cure of sin is salvation. God will never release us from burdens of sorrow, but rather will us them to reinforce us in our service to Him.

Signs of a Growing Christian

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Jas 1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: Jas 1:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. Jas 1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Jas 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Spiritual growth is rare among modern Christians. The hindrances abound toward those who would genuinely seek to grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly, the world, flesh and devil have motive to impede a believer from maturing, but one would be surprised to find that even among the clergy there exists those who criticize anyone from getting “deep” with God. “You will become so heavenly minded that you will become no earthly good!” I have yet to see the reality of that statement. If one is truly heavenly minded, is that not the mind of God? Would not such a one possess the heart and longsuffering of God?

I have observed that the mature Christian is fearless and faithful through adversity. They consider trials to be fertilizer for their faith. As our text expresses in verses 2-4, they count it all joy…the trial of their faith worketh patience…wanting nothing. A growing Christian will pray to find answers and seek God’s wisdom. A Christian who is mature has a balanced view of earthly possessions and eternal reality. And no matter what happens in life, a “deep” believer will never blame God for struggles, but rather praise Him for the opportunity to bring glory to Him.

“Oh, that’s just your interpretation, Brother Groves. Just the way you see it!” No, my friend, it is what God is showing me.

THIRTY-EIGHT

Recently, my wife and I celebrated our thirty-eighth wedding anniversary. I have always admired those couples who have gone faithfully through life to reach their fiftieth and even seventy-fifth anniversary. It has always been remarkable, but today it is also rare. Not necessarily because one of the partners has passed away, but rare because fidelity is rare among us today. I am grateful for the years our Lord has given us together.

Our church hosted a fellowship after the evening service the Sunday following our anniversary. One of the members asked me what I would do if Mrs. Groves were to pass away. I told him that I would probably have to go with her. He said jokingly, “Well, Preacher, the women would be lined up to get you.” To which I replied, “I have spent thirty-eight years training this one and I do not have the energy to train another.”

It would be more truthful that she has trained me. Partners look out for one another. She certainly has taken good care of me through the years. Humanly speaking, I could not have done what I have accomplished through more than four decades of ministry if she had not been by my side. Thirty-eight and a half years ago she accepted a challenge, “Marry me and see the world.” She did and we have. She has gone with me across America, ministering in twelve states; across the oceans in Tokyo, Japan; Taipai, Taiwan; Athens and Corinth, Greece; Ephesus in Turkey; and all through the Holy Land.

She has been lied to and lied about by church members; criticized for her stand; disappointed by those thought to be friends; and broken hearted over the actions of loved ones. Still she remains yielded, submissive, and faithful. Jesus Christ has always taken first place in her life and I would have it no other way.

I gave thought to the possibility of waiting until our fortieth anniversary to share my heart on this matter, but I believe our Lord’s return is so near I did not want to miss the opportunity. Sandra, I love you, I always have.

Pr 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Pr 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. Pr 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Bearing the Father's Image

1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Some forty-two years ago, my brother and I participated in a teen choir at our church which proved to be one of the most helpful and encouraging events of my teenage years. The previous summer I had just experienced a call to the ministry, and as any young person seeking God’s will for their life, I wanted some confirmation that the call was genuine. Those two years singing in the teen choir helped solidify that call in my life.

Recently, one of the men, now a pastor himself, contacted as many of the old members of the teen choir to see if any of them were interested in a reunion. The response he got was overwhelming. Plans were made, we met at a restaurant near our old church for a meal together, and then we gathered at the church for fellowship and singing. We had a wonderful time. I was good to see old friends, some of whom I had not seen for over thirty years.

After the meal, as we were walking up to the youth center of the church (our old haunt during our teen years), one of my brother’s friends remarked to me, “Boy, you sure look like your dad.” I responded that I was well aware of the physical resemblance, but wished I had more of my father’s character traits. “That must be intimidating,” he said, “does it bother you?” I told him that everyday I get up and look in the mirror to see my father’s face and stature. While not near as strong a man as he, I have the stocky-build through the chest and my wife says I walk just like him.

All this brought me to the thought that we are to bear the image of our Heavenly Father and we are to covet His divine character in our lives. Our text tells us that if we are of the heavenly we will bear the image of the heavenly. The old adage, “You are the only Jesus some folks will ever see” holds true. So I ask myself these two questions: 1) What do others think of my earthly father when they see me? and 2) What do people think of Almighty God when they look at my life?

Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

The Massachusetts Pregnancy Pact

Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Modern American society has fallen light-years behind the Biblical admonition we find in our text. It saddens my heart to hear of such debauchery as teenage girls in the most blessed and privileged country in the world forming a pact to have themselves impregnated outside of marriage so they can “raise” their children together. But just this morning the news report came that such is the case in Glouchester, Massachusetts. Were their lives so empty that they felt compelled to do such perverse and senseless thing.

One may ask, “What were they thinking?” Well, as one who has been in the ministry now almost forty-one years, worked closely with children, teens, and young adults most of that time, and has pastored families who have gone through such nightmares, I can tell you what they were not thinking. They gave little or no thought to how this situation they have created is going to affect the child they are bringing into the world. It is a selfish, self-centered act that will complicate the life of the child and place them in disadvantage in the future as well as in the immediate.

At the risk of being labeled “uncaring, unforgiving, legalistic, narrow-minded, out-of-touch, and old fashioned” I will tell you this. God calls this wickedness “blaspheme” and condemns it in Scripture. This amoral society is headed for judgment!

To the teenage girls in that high school in Glouchester, Massachusetts, I want to say this: My heart is broke for you. Apparently, you made a choice to bring a life into the world for which you now are responsible. There may be those who will run to your aide and comfort you now, but will they be there when this child is thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old? Will you expect the tax payers to pick up the tab when medical needs arise, housing is needed and food must be provided? Obviously, no one has taught you to be sober and think this matter through. No one impressed upon you that marriage is God’s plan for procreation and to do otherwise is animalistic. And as you cuddle the small infant in your arms, is it to bring you comfort or are you going to give your life to that child?

When my wife and I started a family, we prayed for our children. We begged God to give them to us and promised Him that we would be faithful to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. God was good to us and helped us, but even with divine help we had to pour our lives into them. Then later in life we were reminded of the great responsibility of child rearing when our grandchildren and their mother came to live with us. It takes more than money to raise a child. It takes time and patience and self-sacrifice.

My counsel to you of the “pregnancy pact” is this: There is a God Who is merciful and gracious, and He cares what happens to you and your child. He will forgive you of this folly and help you if you let Him. But you must repent and confess your sin to Him and trust Him to save you from your sin. His name is Jesus Christ and He loves you.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Bound Husbands and Fathers

Mk 3:23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? Mk 3:24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Mk 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. Mk 3:26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. Mk 3:27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Seems men (husbands and fathers) are being bound today by Satan and he is spoiling their homes. This appears to be done with little effort on the devil’s part because men have gotten weak and rendered helpless, bound by the three fold cord of the tempter.

Ecc 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Satan has two accomplices in this matter of binding the strong man: the flesh and the world. And I believe the threefold cord they use is S – I – N:

SELFISHNESS. A selfish man does not know the true meaning of love according to 1 Corinthians 13. He is bound with the cord of selfishness and blind to the needs of others including his wife and children. His selfishness is the very thing that will destroy his home. Girls, don’t marry a selfish man. He is always a taker and seldom a giver.

INFIDELITY. A man bound with the cord of infidelity will make promises he has no intention of keeping or does not have the ability to keep. This cord will cause the strong man to blame anyone or anything else for his own failures, but he will never take responsibility for himself. He will struggle to be faithful to his family because he is not faithful to God.

NEGLECT. A husband and/or father who neglects his spiritual relationship with God has allowed himself to be bound and is useless to help and lead his family. He cannot pray for them, he cannot stand against the wiles of the devil, he cannot lead them to do right because he is bound.

Abraham and Lot were both saved men I believe. The ways they conducted their lives, raised families and received results were in stark contrast. Abraham looked where God told him to look, he lived in the land God had promised him, and his legacy was a son who respected and loved his father and followed God. On the other hand, Lot looked to the well watered plains of Jordan, he lived in a city full of wickedness and his legacy was two nations through an incestuous act who opposed God and the people of God.

The threefold cord is not quickly broken, but it can be broken. Submission to God and obedience to the Word of God will supply the power and strength to overcome the bindings of the world, the flesh and the devil.

One last word of caution. It is easy to take your family into Sodom, but it is very hard to get them out, and even harder to get Sodom out of them.

Forty-Eight

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Yesterday I celebrated forty-eight years as a child of God. In 1960 as a ten year old Sunday School boy I sat in the second row, left side, of the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, Norwood, Ohio. I listened once again to my pastor, Herstle Mayfield, preach the Word of God. The wickedness of my sin and the fires of hell became a reality to me. The Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin and I thought my heart would burst inside of me. I remember taking the first step into the aisle, but I cannot remember any of the steps that got me to the altar that day. I fell into the altar bench and looked up to see my Sunday School teacher, Mr. Bill Pruit, come out of the choir loft and rush to my side. He opened his Bible and began to read from the book of Romans. My tears fell upon the pages of that Bible as I gave my heart and placed my faith in Jesus Christ. I was gloriously saved by God’s grace that day. My father and mother stood by me as our pastor presented me to the church for baptism. The following Sunday evening I was immersed in water by the pastor in obedience to Christ’s command.

It has been quite a journey over the years and it is not over. I have been overwhelmed as the Word of God burned in my heart and I have had periods of dullness when my ears were deaf to it. I have had the privilege of giving the Gospel to others and see the same miracle work in their hearts. I have baptized some of those as they have followed their Saviour. God’s call upon my life has allowed me to travel this country, preaching and singing. I have preached the Word in Taiwan; on Mars Hill in Athens, Greece; on the isle of Patmos in the Aegean Sea; at Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley; in the jungles of Thailand to lepers; to U.S. soldiers in Germany and a German church; in a train station in Hungary; and, a Bible Institute in Romania. And just about the time I would think the journey could bring no more, the Lord has opened another door of opportunity. How thrilling!

Forty-eight years may seem a long time to man, but it is not even a blink of God’s eye. There is no telling what is in store for the days ahead. To some, politics and war and economy bring a bleak picture. But (to borrow the words of a chorus) “Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”

Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Jesus Saves the Best Until Last

“And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” (John 2:6-10)

As our Lord began His ministry on earth, His first recorded miracle is found during His attendance of a wedding in Cana of Galilee. During the wedding feast they had exhausted their supply of wine. When Jesus is called upon to help the servants are instructed to fill the stone waterpots used for cleansing. The governor of the feast did not know where the fresh wine came from, but the servants did.

And so it is with everything our Saviour does. He saves the best until last. Life is filled with disappointments, sorrows, pain and suffering, evil. But for the believer, none of that can be compared to the "best saved for last" which shall be for all of eternity.

As the old adage goes, "He that laughs last, laughs best." “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” (Psalms 2:4-6)