1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God. Revelation 3:1-2 (LSB)
When my dad died in 2010 I inherited my grandfather’s Bible. My grandfather was a remarkable man. He was born in 1877 and became a preacher of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the 1890’s in Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma. My grandfather preached from this Bible well into the 1950’s. It is full of notes and his own cross-references. However, there is one thing in the Bible that no one, apparently, knew was there….
It is a letter written to him from one of his sisters, Lucy. It had to have been written to him either in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s since she died around that time. Below is a quote from it that I found especially fitting in light of the present condition of the visible Church.
Enjoyed your letter very much even if you thought otherwise about it. It sounded like the J.A. (my grandfather’s initials) of long ago. I agree with you about the condition of most of the churches of today. The spiritual drouth (sp) is not coming but is here. However, our Lord does bless His children here & there in spite of all the backsliders as He has here in Shidler these last two weeks. A lot were saved & backsliders renewed. Believe it or not, I saw a lot of tears.
The preacher was very good and could drive God’s Word home to hearts better than anyone I have heard for the longest. From the newscast today this old world is in a turmoil. Earthquakes & hurricanes…& the so called faith healers are going like a grass fire, but all these things don’t disturb the people who do know their God & His Word, but rather strengthens their faith & brings joy to their hearts knowing He is coming soon.
Well here it is Monday 24th. Saw 20, most of them men & women, baptized last night, but I’m wondering about their growth in Grace as the Church is not what it should be.
Reposted from February 2015