The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 21:10-14, “And as we were staying there for some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says: “In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”

12 And when we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, ‘The will of the Lord be done!’”

Some people are hard to understand. Especially is this so when two people disagree and each claims the Holy Spirit is leading them. Paul was en route to Jerusalem. It was dangerous territory for him because the Jews had started a rumor that Paul was teaching Jews everywhere to forsake the Law of Moses. In a sense it was true. Paul was teaching that Jesus had fulfilled the Law of Moses and that all men should believe upon Him and be saved.

Agabus was a prophet, and he had come from Judea specifically to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem. He gave the Holy Spirit as his reference and the authority for this warning. He actually took Paul’s belt and bound himself with it to visually insist that Paul was in danger in Jerusalem. Evidently, some of the people, friends of Paul, were weeping and seeking to persuade Paul to obey the word Agabus had brought from God the Holy Spirit.

Paul was not persuaded, however. Whether he was wrong in not listening to Ababus is a debatable question. He was so dedicated to sharing the Good News that he was ready to die rather than dodging the opportunity to share Christ amid the danger that awaited him. Seeing that he was not going to be persuaded against his will, the people said, “The will of the LORD be done.”

We need to be like Paul, determined to share the Gospel of Jesus whatever the cost. Missionaries are doing just that in multiple areas of the world. Many pastors are imprisoned and tortured simply because they believe in Jesus and have counted their lives as nothing compared to the glory of sharing the Gospel. Where do we stand in this regard? Do we cower because others, who do not believe, seek to intimidate us? What is ultimately most important? I think you know.

Praying that we all may hold Him as first in our lives,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”