The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 16:40, “They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia,

and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”

You cannot break the Christian spirit! I’ve always loved this 16th chapter.

Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten, and imprisoned, but they prayed

and sang praises to the LORD (v. 25). When those responsible for their

imprisonment discovered they were Roman citizens, they feared reprisal

and immediately sought to release them. Can you imagine being told

you were free and yet refusing to go? That’s what Paul and Silas did!

No way, Paul said. They’ve beaten us publicly and without trial, and now

they want us to quietly leave? Not on your life! Let them come and

formally release us themselves. Wow! Talk about boldness! Then,

when released, they went to Lydia’s house where believers came to

visit them. And they –Paul and Silas—encouraged their fellow-believers!

It’s like our going to the hospital to encourage a sick person only to leave

with the patient having encouraged us! When we are led by the Spirit

and know it, nothing can discourage us! Nothing!!!

May the LORD bless you today and encourage you to encourage others,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Acts 15:34, “Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.”

Sometimes it’s difficult to explain why we do some things. It’s an

inward feeling of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t say why; He gives no

explanation; it’s just a feeling of withdrawal that we have that we

do not understand and cannot explain. ~ The Jerusalem Conference

occurred in A.D. 50. There was confusion among some of the

believers as to whether Gentiles could be saved. The Conference

decided that the evidence favored the Gentiles’ salvation. They

wrote a letter for those not in attendance at the Conference, and

dismissed it and departed. ~ Do believers ever seriously disagree?

Paul and Barnabas did. Oh, they agreed about returning to encourage

the churches they had founded, but they differed sharply about taking

John Mark, who had previously turned back and deserted them. The

end result was that Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. The team

of Paul and Barnabas was dissolved for good. Paul needed a partner

to go with him, and looking around, he saw Silas. Why had Silas stayed

in Jerusalem after the Conference was dismissed? Silas himself

did not know—until Paul called upon him to be his companion.

Interestingly enough, Barnabas and Mark were never heard of

again, except for Paul’s mentions of them in his epistles.

We don’t always know why we sense what we ought to do or not to

do. Perhaps we need to learn to trust the Holy Spirit more. The old

adage “When in doubt, don’t” is a good rule of thumb. The LORD

works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.

We love you and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Acts 13:2, “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting,

the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the

work to which I have called them.”

This verse has always been intriguing to me. It was the occasion

of the LORD’s calling for Barnabus and Saul to do His work. The

key to all of this is that at that time they were doing what they

knew to be pleasing to the LORD. This has been true in my life.

Every time the LORD opened and opportunity for me for ministry,

I was already doing what He had given me to do at that time.

It tells us that God uses people who are already doing His will.

What you are currently doing that He has given you to do is only

the beginning. When He sees you continuing to do it well, He opens

up other opportunities for you. What are you doing now? Are you

doing it well? Just keep doing what He has given you, and in time,

He will open a larger and wider ministry for you.

Most heartily we love you and pray for you,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Acts 10:1-2, “Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius,

a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and

one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the

Jewish people and prayed to God continually.”

Have you ever wondered how God works? He is all-powerful, all-intelligent,

all-wise; therefore, nothing hinders His ability to do whatever He wills.

I have only printed two verses above, but you need to read the entire

chapter to get the full picture of the LORD’s workings. Cornelius was

in Caesarea, praying during the ninth hour (3:00-4:00 P.M.) when God

sent an angel, who spoke to Cornelius and told him what to do.

Thirty-six miles away at Joppa, the LORD gave a vision to Peter while

he was praying at the sixth hour (noon). At that very time, the men

who Cornelius sent to find Peter, found him, after asking directions to

Simon-the-tanner’s house.

At that time in history, the Jews were forbidden to have anything to do

with non-Jewish people. But, through the vision, the LORD gave Peter

wisdom to understand that what he had seen demonstrated that God

was not partial to Jewish people, like they thought. He was opening

the door to the Gentiles to hear the Gospel.

Notice, too, that when Peter left with the three men Cornelius had sent,

and started toward Caesarea, “some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied

him” (Acts 10:23 NAU). They were to be Peter’s witnesses, confirming

that the Gentiles had received the Gospel. Thus, the LORD used an angel,

a vision, and people to do His work. He is not limited in how He works, and

He will use us if we will pray and look to Him for guidance.

Love and prayers to and for you all,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Acts 6:8-9, “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing

great wonders and signs among the people.

9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen,

including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and

Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.”

After I had written to you yesterday about the stoning of Stephen,

I couldn’t get away from the thought that the whole dispute had

originated in the Synagogue of the Freedmen. According to the

historian Josephus, these freedmen were Jews (and descendents

of Jews) who had been expelled from Rome. While the designation

freedmen was truly political in nature, it struck me that even today

some people consider themselves “spiritually free” because they

belong to a church. This came to light again this week when I was

speaking to a young girl at the gym. I asked her if she were a

Christian, to which she responded, “Yes.” Then I asked her what

church she attended and she named a denomination, but said

she didn’t really get to attend because of sports activities at the

university. Some years ago, I met a man who said he was a

Christian because he attended the Church of Christ. I asked him

who he believe Christ was, and he answered, “He is God.” “Oh,”

I said, “then the true church might be the Church of God” (one

of two denominations by that same designation.) The point is

attending church (any church) does not make one a Christian.

How many church attendees are truly Christian? I wonder.

Free from the law—oh, happy condition!
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn. 8:36).

Love you all more than you’ll ever know,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas