By ELDER MICHAEL F. SMITH

Weirton Covenant Church

Ephesians 5:27 – That He might present to Himself the church In all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Recently I experienced an embarrassing moment. I was in a facility for a season of time for a season of reflection and renewal. It was supposed to be relaxing and restful, however it became a situation that was anything but that.

The place I was staying had experienced “bed bugs,” so to try and avoid continually having to exterminate they had come up with a treatment that appeared to work rather well. They ran all the patrons clothing through their dryer on high heat. This proved to kill any “bed bugs.”

When they ran my nice slacks through their dryer they killed the vermin, but in the process they had ruined my permanent press slacks. Instead now I had permanently wrinkled pants. The process of exterminating the bugs had ruined my nice clothes. I was embarrassed and felt very awkward by my appearance among other patrons visiting the facility.

This passage of scripture speaks with regard to a wife and her relationship with her husband. I am able today to testify to you that through the Grace of God, He is able to remove any spot or wrinkle from your relationship and restore you to as good as new or better than new through the power of the blood of Jesus and His Word. You may feel that you are like my slacks and beyond repair, but what is impossible with man is possible with God. If you are willing to endure facing embarrassment, shame, guilt, pain and a season of suffering by applying yourself to prayer and persistence, you can see the miracle of God’s Word in your own circumstances.

Perhaps you are facing or have gone through a broken relationship, divorce, fornication, adultery, separation, disillusionment or some other kind of relational suffering. God’s Word is true and nothing is too hard for God. He is the Savior and Master of reconciling irreconcilable differences.

1 Peter 1:6-7, In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

I knew a young man in the faith who when he came to church his shirts were wrinkled and his appearance was unkempt. I approached him to address this issue and when I asked why he never pressed his shirts he said, “Pastor, the label said, ‘Permanent Press,’ I did not think I had to do anything with them.” I introduced him to the iron and we transformed his garments and raised the dignity of a young man. He truly pressed past the obstacle and won the victory. He has gone on many other areas of life and serves the Lord today with dignity and grace.

You too may feel your relationships should just work out and all should be all right, but I am here to say, we all have things to iron out. I urge you to bring your old tattered garment to the Lord today and wash yourself with His Word and pursue reconciliation. Place your trust in the Lord Jesus with your whole heart, and let Him give you a robe of pure white and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. You will be presented to our Father without spot or wrinkle. Amen.

(“From the Pulpit” is a weekly sermon provided by the clergy members of The Weirton Ministerial Association)