The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 27:11, 31-32, “Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship,

more than those things which were spoken by Paul. 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers,

‘Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.’ 32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat,

and let her fall off.”

Some people do change their minds. When Paul warned that there was going to be disaster

at sea, the centurion, who was guarding him, chose to believe the owner of the ship. Later,

during the storm, some of the sailors pretended they were going to drop forward anchors out

of the ship. They lowered a boat and started to climb in with the hope of saving themselves.

Paul said to the centurion that everyone must stay in the ship or no one would be saved.

This time, the centurion believed Paul and ordered the soldiers on board to cut the ropes

to the small boat, so the sailors could not escape. Paul was really in charge, despite that

he was a prisoner. He knew the LORD’s will and was not afraid to announce it. What do

you suppose changed the centurion’s mind? In the Old Testament, a long-range prophecy

was believed if a short-range prophecy had come true. It is doubtful if the centurion knew

what the Old Testament Jews believed, but the principle was working in his life. Yes, people

do change their minds. That’s why we should never give up on them. Oh, there are times

when we’ve said all we know to say and need to just back off; but, we need to keep praying.

We have no idea how the LORD is working on their minds and in their lives. I knew a man

whose mother prayed for him from the day he was born. Twenty years after she died, a

friend of mine led the man to the LORD! Churchill’s words are appropriate here, “Never

give up! Never. Never. Never.”

We never give up praying for you!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas