The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 16:25-26, “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying

and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening

to them; 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the

foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the

doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were unfastened.”

Everyone occasionally experiences difficult times. But when you’re

conducting the LORD’s business, those times are more frequent.

Paul and Silas give us the “what-to-do” when things are really bad.

Midnight is the darkest hour; and it was their’s for sure! Beaten

severely, falsely imprisoned, fastened with chains and unattended

as to their wounds, what were they now to do? “They prayed and

sang hymns of praise to God.” Imagine! When the local authorities

were corrupt, they called on the Higher Power. Perhaps they were

remembering the LORD’s Words: “”Rejoice, and be glad, for your

reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who

were before you” (Matt. 5:12). The LORD’s response was an

earthquake (seismos) that shook the very foundation of the prison.

The LORD always gets to the root of things. Nothing superficial here.

And the doors were opened (fresh air now replaced a stale environment),

“and everyone’s chains were unfastened.” Remember the prisoners, who

were listening? Apparently, they, too, believed, because they were now

freed. Had the LORD not done more than his servants asked? He always

does when we look upward to Him instead of concentrating on the trouble

that surrounds us. “If, therefore, the Son shall make you free, you shall be

free indeed” (Jn. 8:36). Never forget it!

Love and prayers always,

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.”