The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,

for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh,

a messenger of Satan to buffet me– to keep me from exalting myself!

8 Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

9 And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in

weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the

power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses,

with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for

when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Did you ever disguise something that happened to you by saying, “I knew

someone once who did a similar thing?” That’s what Paul did in the verses

one through six. The experience was of such magnificence that he was not

permitted to share it in its entirety. In fact, the LORD gave Paul a weakness

just to keep him humble. We’re not told what it was, although it may have

been an eye condition. When Paul begged for deliverance from this weakness,

the LORD simply said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected

in weakness.” Paul said, Okay, I will be content with weakness…”for Christ’s

sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. How does that work out?

Very simply. When we stop thinking of how strong (intelligent, good looking,

wealthy, influential) we are, we become strong spiritually –strong in the faith!

What’s more, our strength in the faith is for Christ’s benefit, not our own!

What we are or do that causes people to praise us does not come from us, but

from Him! So, let’s all be like Paul and give credit where credit is due: to our

LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ!

May God bless each of you with His special blessing,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”