The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Timothy 4:2-5, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Don’t ask me where things like this come from, but as I thought on the verses above, the words of an old radio program came to mind: Mr. District Attorney. The program opened with the following statement:

“”Mr. District Attorney! Champion of the people! Defender of truth! Guardian of our fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! ‘And it shall be my duty as district attorney not only to prosecute to the limit of the law all persons accused of crimes perpetrated within this county, but to defend with equal vigor the rights and privileges of all its citizens.’”

You could live without ever hearing that quotation, but you cannot live well without heeding the words of the apostle. Think of his words like this: “And it shall be my duty to proclaim and share the Word, to be prepared in every situation to refute wrong doctrine, and to encourage people with the Truth, while being patient with those who do not fully understand.”

Paul goes further to tell Timothy and us that tough times are coming for those who share Christ. That must not discourage us. Those who do not know Christ in salvation, but have that inward awareness that God has placed in every man (Rom. 1:19-20)– they will seek out teachers and pastors who tell them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. Those popular instructors will turn their audiences away from God’s Truth and lead them to believe nonsence clothed in the comfort of “feel good” stories and thin promises, usually of health and wealth.

What are we to do? To begin with, we are to “abstain from wine” (????, nepho), which is man’s remedy for alleviating the hurt of suffering. Wine has been the downfall of many souls. We are to “endure the suffering.” The LORD will give us the strength to endure and survive. We are also to continue to bring the Good News of salvation to the lost, which is the fulfillment of what the LORD intends us to do. Remember, we are not our own; we belong to HIM! In the end, He promises a huge reward, but for now

we have His work to undertake and complete. God bless you as you fulfill your calling!

We must pray for each other in these difficult times,

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.”