The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 1:6-11, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;

11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

There are not many things in this world of which we can be confident. Take the stock market. I’m not invested, but I

do watch the ups-and-downs of the market and have learned that even those who are “experts” with money are not

absolutely certain which way things are going or why. People will assure us that they will do certain things, and then

do precisely the opposite. Who can we trust? Of what can we be confident?

Paul’s confidence was ever and always in Jesus Christ. “He who began a good work in you (your salvation), will

perfect it (complete it) until the day of Christ Jesus” –that is, until the day He returns and finishes the good work He

began in your life and mine. Of THAT we can be confident!

But until that Day comes, Paul is continuing to pray earnestly that the love of those who have been born again (that is,

born from above; born spiritually in Christ Jesus) –that they may “abound,” that is, excel in the knowledge of Christ and

His Word. And that is my goal in praying for you. I was saved at seven years of age. I was called to the ministry at

age 15. I was ordained an pastoring my first church at age 17. So now, at age 83, I’ve been in ministry for 66 years.

But, every day, as I write this Grands Letter, I learn more and more of my LORD Jesus Christ and His Word. Yes, this

letter was begun for you –to increase your faith and love for Jesus Christ—but I have gained much in producing it.

The Bible and prayer will do the same for you. For years, I commenced my witness by asking, “Where do you go to

church?” Now, I ask, “Are you a Christian? Do you know the LORD Jesus Christ as your Savior?” The word Christian means different things to different people; but, injecting the word into the conversation, cuts to the heart of what life is all about. A lot of people go to church; but that doesn’t make them Christian. I trust that you know the difference.

When it’s all said and done, the Holy Spirit is working within all born-from-Above believers that we might be blameless, controlled by His righteousness. For that is what brings glory and praise to our Heavenly Father. And HE is what it’s

all about!

Thank you for your prayers for Rose Marie (Nana), as she progresses physically. You are in our prayers,

too.

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.”