The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 1:2-6, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,

5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.

6 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.”

It was difficult for those who had known Paul before his conversion to believe that he had changed so drastically. Yet, here he is –the one who initiated the stoning of the gentle Stephen—saying, “Grace to you and peace from God…”

Grace (?????, charis) is the activity of God’s love; the prepositional phrase “to you” is known as the dative of advantage. Can anyone doubt that the love we receive from the LORD is advantageous to us? Peace (??????, eirene)

Is the absence of disturbance; it is spiritual and mental calmness. And this the LORD provides to those who are committed to Him.

He then avows that he thanks God for every remembrance he has of the Philippians. I dare say that most –not all—but most of those whom we remember have exhibited some negative trait that we found objectionable. But, we can and ought to still love them. How many things have we exhibited that were distasteful to them? even more so, to God? But none of that was present in the heart and mind of Paul. As the line in the song goes, “He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.”

Paul viewed the spiritual activity of the Philippians and rejoiced as he commended them to God in prayer! After all, it is for Him that we live and witness. Paul was confident on one, primary thing: “…that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” The Holy Spirit is God, and it is He who started that “good work” is all of us when we trusted Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior of our lives. Are we now perfect? Not at all! But, that’s the business of the Holy Spirit: to perfect us, make us better servants of the LORD day by day.

I share Paul’s confidence in you! I believe you will be more committed to Jesus Christ tomorrow than you are today. Did you read His Word today? Oh, oh! Well, start again tomorrow. There’s a Great Day coming when Christ will hand out rewards for faithfulness. Don’t miss Graduation Day! It will be like none other. I’m praying for you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. The elderly parents of some dear friends need your prayers. The children, too, although adults, need the

LORD’s strength to cope with the situation. Please help them by praying. The LORD knows who they are.

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.”