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A Sermon I Have Never Forgotten

I have heard thousands of sermons over the course of my lifetime. (Yes, literally thousands. I used my calculator!) Certainly, many were faith-strengthening, life-changing in the moment they were given, but there are only a handful from the past that continue to resonate with me in the present. One of those occurred over 25 years ago.

My mother-in-law, Rev. Patricia Beall Gruits  (a.k.a. Sis. Pat), preached what would be one of her last sermons at her home church. I remember the core truth of that message not just because it would mark a pivotal change in the direction God was taking her ministry, but because it remains a powerful, present truth in my life.

Her text focused on the fierce storm Jesus and his disciples encountered while crossing a great lake. Once they had pushed off from shore, Jesus had settled in comfortably on the boat and fell asleep, apparently exhausted from ministering to the multitudes that followed him wherever he went. But when a storm threatened to capsize the boat, the disciples, full of fear, woke up Jesus and cried, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”(Matt. 8:25 NIV)

Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind and the waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.  The storm ceased. Then Jesus turned to his disciples and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40 NIV) In other words, Jesus was saying: Why be afraid? Don’t you realize I am with you! I am in the boat! 

After relating the lesson of this story, with absolute conviction Sis. Pat declared “Jesus is in your boat!” And the truth of that statement has never left me!

No matter how difficult the storms of life may be, and surely COVID-19 is a storm like no other we have ever experienced―a storm that threatens to sink our boat―but we need only to remember this: no matter how fierce the storm, Jesus is in our boat! He is with us. We are not alone in this storm. Therefore, we need not fear. Just trust! Trust the One who calmed that storm in the 1st Century believing that He can still calm the storms of our 21st Century. Have faith! He is with you! He’s in your boat!

P.S. Is there a sermon message you have never forgotten? If so, would love it if you would share!

Aside published on April 13, 2020 | | 8 Responses
When Fear Pursues Us

When Fear Pursues Us

Published by on March 17, 2020 | 7 Responses

He was on the run. His life at risk, pursued by a king whom he had served so faithfully. David, the once highly favored warrior, was now being hunted down by his king, King Saul. For the next seven years, David’s life was in constant jeopardy, trying to stay one step ahead of King Saul […]

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This Little Light of Mine!

This Little Light of Mine!

Published by on February 17, 2020 | 3 Responses

As I tucked in my granddaughter for the night, I made sure “Bobo,” her well-worn stuffed bunny, was nestled close to her and the favorite blanket wrapped gently around her. Just as I was ready to exit her bedroom, the requests for songs began. When I asked which one she wanted first, her response: “Grandma, […]

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Shields Up!

I’m certainly not a Star Trek geek, but I will admit that I have watched my fair share of Star Trek shows. And you don’t have to watch too many episodes before it becomes apparent that there are certain recurring phrases that have become part of the Star Trek jargon. For instance, Captain Kirk’s, “Beam me up, Scottie” or Captain Picard’s, “Make it so.” But there is one phrase both captains used whenever they were under attack. Both captains would shout this order, “Shields up!” The shields were force fields that would protect their ship, the Enterprise. They would deflect the fiery blasts of an enemy attack; however, they were not impenetrable. If the attacks continued, their deflecting power would weaken and threaten to collapse. Fortunately there always was a last minute rescue that spared the impending destruction of their starship.

Well, this past week, I was struck by a verse in the Bible from the book of Psalms that also referred to a shield―but this shield is not the product of man’s imagination. No, this shield comes from the heart of our Lord!

For you bless the godly, O Lord, you surround them with your shield of love. (Psalm 5:12 (NLT)

Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12 NIV)

Because Jesus Christ is my Savior, I have received His righteousness! Therefore I can embrace this promise that God will bless me by surrounding me with His shield of love and favor―an encompassing shield that protects me from the strategies and attacks of the enemy of my soul. But unlike the shield of the Enterprise, the power of the Lord’s shield―the power of His love and favor on my life will never collapse; it will never be weakened! Just like King David, we can declare this truth:

“He (the Lord) is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. (Ps. 18:30 NLT)

He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. (Prov. 30:5 NLT)

What comfort, what peace of mind, what strength of heart becomes ours, when we embrace His promise that He will protect us with His shield of love and favor! A great promise to take hold of as we enter the new year of this new decade!

 

Aside published on January 15, 2020 | | 2 Responses

The Costly Gift

It’s done! Gifts purchased and wrapped under the tree. And thanks to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I experienced the great delight of buying the best gifts at the best price. There is just a special pleasure that comes when you are able to snag a deal―being able to give a better gift because it could be bought on sale! Not retail price, but a super sale, discounted price!

But there is a gift that has been purchased for each one of us, a gift that was not purchased as a Black Friday or Cyber Monday super sale. It is a gift not paid with a credit card or by PayPal. The price of this gift was far more precious and costly, paid by the One who loves us!

During the Christmas season we celebrate the birth of our Savior, our Redeemer ―Jesus Christ. A birth that would lead to his death on the Cross, a death that would pay the price that sin demands, so that we can receive the gift of salvation. A costly gift! There was no discount, no bargain basement deal. The gift of salvation required that God the Son leave his throne of eternal glory and enter humanity as an infant. The Infinite took on the body of a finite being. And as tremendous a price as that was, there was more.

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:5-8 (TLB Emphasis mine.)

The price to save us required the humiliation and suffering of Jesus through crucifixion. Yet as he hung on the cross, experiencing the tortuous, physical pain of being crucified, there was a greater spiritual price he had to pay. It was a price that had caused him to sweat drops of blood as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking the Father if there could be another way to pay the price to redeem mankind. For you see, on the cross there would be a great exchange!

“For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then in exchange he poured God’s goodness into us.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

He who had never sinned, never experienced the guilt, shame, or remorse of sin, experienced it all―the sin of all humanity―so that when he died that debt we all owe because we sin was paid in full. The gift of the cross, the gift he purchased for us, was to exchange a destiny of eternal death, being eternally separated from a holy God, for a destiny of eternal life in the presence of our God. What a precious, costly gift! As the gifts we have purchased for those we love are opened this Christmas, let’s celebrate the One who so loved us that he paid a tremendous price for the gift of salvation we have already received!

Aside published on December 24, 2019 | | 1 Response

Blessing in Adversity?

He had a beautiful home, a loving family, a prosperous business and good health. He loved God and sought to be obedient in all that he did. His name was Job.

Then in one day calamity struck. His children were killed in a whirlwind. The bottom dropped out of his business. His health failed as he was plagued with painful boils. When his good friends heard of the tragedy that had befallen Job, they came to help him. But not with word of comfort! Instead, their help took the form of blame-ridden accusations. Surely Job had done something terribly wrong―committed a grievous sin―and God must be punishing him. Bewildered and in despair, Job protested that he had searched his heart and knew of nothing that would incur God’s wrath.

Just when Job thought he couldn’t go on, God shows up. He steps into Job’s situation, and Job has a meeting with God. God talked to Job. And what was Job’s response? Awed by God’s presence, he didn’t persist with the “why” questions. He didn’t accuse God of being unfair or calloused, instead he acknowledged God’s sovereignty. God’s presence took precedence over his questions. In awe he said to God, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” (Job. 42:5 NIV) The pain and suffering Job endured was what brought Job to the point where he didn’t just know truths about God, but now he knew God for himself. And for Job, this was the valuable blessing that came from what he endured.

When we go through difficult times―times of suffering, loss, pain―we may never have our “why” questions answered on this side of heaven. These challenging times are not what we want or even expect to experience. But when they happen, be assured that when we cry out to God, even with our questions, He will show up. He will meet us in the pain, so like Job we can say, “I knew about God, but now I know Him in a new way.” His presence will mitigate the pain. And that is a blessing.

Aside published on November 4, 2019 | | 3 Responses

Embrace His Call: THE BOOK!

So excited to announce the dedication of my book, Embrace His Call: Be More than a Believer on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 7:00-8:00 p.m. at Community Christian Church 42400 Ryan Road, Sterling Heights, Michigan.

The purpose of this book is to inspire Christians to move beyond the place of believing in Jesus to the action step of following Jesus: to embrace his call, his invitation to be his disciple. But what does it mean to be his disciple? And how do we follow Jesus today? In Embrace His Call these questions are addressed by focusing on 14 lessons we can apply from God’s Word, the Bible.  So whether you are a new believer or the seasoned believer these lessons will help bridge the gap between in whom you believe and how you live your life as a devoted follower of Christ.

I would be honored if you could join the celebration on Thursday evening as I briefly share the message of the book and ask for God’s blessing upon it. Refreshments, of course, will also be part of this celebration! Click on the following link to R.S.V.P. by reserving your “virtual ticket.” https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embrace-his-call-a-book-dedication-registration-77355928665 (No need to bring any actual ticket with you.)

If you are unable to attend and would like a book, it will be available for purchase on November 21st online at amazon.com.

Thank you for your support.

Joy Gruits

 

Aside published on October 17, 2019 |

Take Delight!

Recently my husband and I were blessed to spend a few days in Boston visiting with my daughter, her husband and our two grandchildren―Clio who is three and Max who is one.  Because they don’t live near us, Joe and I are intentional about carving out time to spend with our Boston family.  What a delight it was to spend time with them, especially with the grandkids! We spent time at the park, the aquarium, and even an animal farm. (Yes, that’s Joe and my grandson, Max, having fun at the sheep barn.)

The best times, though, were the morning hours when Clio and Max crawled onto our laps and just cuddled; the quiet times we spent reading a book or building a block tower. We “facetime” regularly, but it is this face-to-face time that truly deepens our relationship with them―a relationship where they are delighted to be with us as we delight in them!

It is interesting that in Psalm 37:4 David was inspired to write about “taking delight.” He wrote:

“Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

As I read and reread that verse, I pondered over that phrase “take delight in the Lord.” It’s a beautiful phrase, but how do we live it? How do we take delight in the Lord? Here are my thoughts:

Like the delightful time Joe and I spent with our grandchildren, taking delight in the Lord means spending time with Him―time in “conversational” prayer! Not just praying at God with our list of needs, but spending time in prayer where we just enjoy His presence. Certainly I’m not saying that we shouldn’t come to the Lord with our needs when we pray, in fact the Lord invites us to. But we mustn’t neglect spending time when we pray to enjoy His presence, to listen to what He desires to speak to us. Sarah Young in her devotional “Jesus Calling” conveys the heart of God with these words, written as if God were speaking directly to us:

“Sit quietly in my presence while I bless you. Make your mind like a still pool of water, ready to receive the thoughts I drop into it.”

This is harder to do than we think. It’s hard to quiet ourselves, to make our minds “like a still pool of water,” purging our mind of the problems and concerns of the day, and just “be” in His presence. But that is how you build a relationship―not just talking at God with your requests but allowing Him to speak to you, to drop His thoughts into your quieted mind.  It’s taking delight in the Lord by delighting in His presence as He “speaks” to you with inspired thoughts that encourage, lead, and comfort. And when you take delight in the Lord, there’s a promise―He will give you the desires of your heart.

An awesome promise, but here’s the thing! When you develop that conversational relationship with the Lord, delighting in His presence, your desires change from being self-focused to God-focused. He transforms your desires to line up with His perfect will for your life. Your desires change from being the things you want, to being who God wants you to be, to what He wants you to do―desires that reap eternal blessings. 

So carve out some time to delight in the Lord as you pray. Play a worship song or read a few verses of scripture to get your mind focused on Him. Then let your mind become like a pool of still water and allow God to fill your mind with His thoughts. Take delight in the Lord as He delights in you!

Aside published on September 1, 2019 | | 4 Responses

But God!

The Egyptian army was in pursuit. With their backs against the Red Sea, there was no way of escape. No bridge. No boats. 

But God sent a wind to part the waters of the Red Sea and made a way of escape.

The Philistines rose up to attack King Saul and Israelites. The odds were against the Israelites. They were outmanned and ill-equipped to fight. The Philistines had super numbers and weapons. Imminent defeat seemed certain. 

But God sent a panic among the Philistines. Confused and disoriented, instead of attacking the Israelites, they attacked each other. The Israelites then swooped in and gained victory over their enemy.

The Apostle Paul and Silas are imprisoned and in chains in an Ephesian prison cell. The reason? Paul performed a miracle of healing for a young girl, but her miracle disrupted the city’s economy. A death sentence seemed imminent. 

But God sent an earthquake that loosened their chains and opened the cell doors, setting them free.

No way of escape. A superior enemy ready to attack. In prison facing death. But God! 

The Bible records these miracles to remind us that even in seemingly hopeless situations our God is still omnipotent and sovereign. No matter how dire our circumstances seem, no matter how difficult a situation we are in, remember: But God!

As we cry out to him for help, He can send a solution.  It may not come as a wind, a panic, or an earthquake, but it may be a solution just as unexpected.

He can send a solution that will . . .  

  • rescue us when our backs are against the wall and make a way of escape.
  • confuse the strategies of those who oppose us and give us victory.
  • set us free from the “chains” that hold us back, so we can move forward into God’s perfect plan for our lives.

 He is still a water-parting, enemy-confusing, chain-breaking God!

Aside published on July 24, 2019 | | 3 Responses

My Tribute To Patricia Beall Gruits

I first met Patricia Beall Gruits when I attended her catechism class at the age of 17. Little did I know as I sat in that class that at the age of 21 she would become my mother-in-law, and then so much more. She would become my mentor, my prayer warrior, and yes, my cheerleader!

What is amazing about mother was that she was so secure in knowing the will of God for her life and the gifts that He had placed in her, she never felt threatened by the gifts God had placed in others.  In fact, she delighted in helping you discover your gift. She even provided opportunities of ministry so she could nurture those gifts. And, that is what she did for me.

In my late 20’s, she involved me in the Rhema seminars―seminars that shared with pastors and church leaders the Understanding God curriculum, a curriculum that establishes a spiritual foundation for believers. Yes, I had a graduate degree in education and was teaching high school, but she entrusted me with the task of planning the seminar agendas and then to speak at these seminars. Initially I was responsible for sharing teaching strategies to be used with the Understanding God curriculum. Then as the years progressed, my role expanded as one of the main seminar speakers sharing the doctrines of Christ! Sometimes as I reflect on those early days I am amazed at the trust she placed in me.

It was also during those early seminar years that she opened up yet another door of ministry for me. She asked if I would teach the Understanding God class at our home church, Bethesda. This assignment required  that I  would not only  teach  the foundational lessons from  God’s Word,  but also to pray and  spiritually minister  to the students attending these classes. I could teach, but could I minister? I was excited about the opportunity, yet apprehensive. Such a spiritual responsibility! Overwhelming to say the least!

My response? I told mother I would accept on one condition: “I will do it, but only if you will lay your hands on my in prayer and impart that spiritual gift to teach that you have.”  I knew I had the gift to teach in the natural, but I desired that anointed gift of teaching that she had. And so she did.  Mother gladly gave what she herself had received. On that day, I believe I received a deposit of spiritual DNA that had been imparted to her.

But my story is not unique. She did this for many in the church. She was an “includer,” not an “excluder.” She wanted you to use the gifts God had placed in you, so she would make room for you in what she was doing for the Lord. And as you blossomed, she became your biggest fan. Your cheerleader!

I will miss our talks about the truths in the Bible. I will miss writing with her, teaching with her, ministering with her. And yes, I’ll miss those powerful times of  prayer ―praying in the spirit!  But most of all, I’ll miss just being with her.

To read the eulogy article about Patricia Gruits in Charisma Magazine, go to:  https://www.charismanews.com/us/76918-latter-rain-leader-rhema-international-founder-patricia-beall-gruits-dies-at-96

Aside published on June 29, 2019 | | 11 Responses