The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 6:18-20, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

It truly pays to keep old notes. Today, while rumaging through some old self-made calendars, I came across the names and addresses of old friends I met in Finland, Sweden and Norway. It was like an old “home-coming.”

Along with those addresses and notes of churches where I was blessed to preach, was a notation of some Principles of Prayer, from a fellow minister. I thought you’d like to read them on this eve of the coming A.D. 2020.

1. No believer’s spiritual life will ever rise above the level of his praying.

2. No church’s ultimate effectiveness will ever rise above the level of its corporate praying.

3. No church’s corporate prayer life will be greater than the prayer life of its membership.

4. No individual’s prayer life will be greater than the time spent alone daily with God in His Word.

5. No person’s practice of prayer will rise above his view of prayer.

6. Praise is a vital and indispensible factor in the prayer life publicly and privately.

7. The only way to lear to pray is to pray.” –Dr. Jack Taylor

A dear and longtime friend of mine phoned me last night. Our prayer-relationship goes back to early college days, where we used to meet and pray in a dusty old unused room that still retained the odor of old chemicals. Yes, it was an old chemistry lab. As our extended conversation began to trend toward a conclusion, I sensed the LORD wanted us to pray, Interestingly, however, it was my friend who suggested that very thing, and we concluded by talking to our LORD Jesus Christ.

Several biblically savy people have mentioned to me recently that the world situation was in line with what the Scriptures say it will be when the LORD Jesus returns for His own. Whether we should be on our knees or

verbally witnessing to the lost at that time must be left to the Holy Spirit of God. But, He IS Returning! So, we need to be sensitive to the Spirit’s daily leadership over our lives. A.D. 2020 could be the year! Don’t be caught napping!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Let me recommend the materials listed on https://www.heraldofhope.org.au/. The editor, Dr. John Ecob, is a longtime friend from “down under” (Australia, to the uninitiated!). The materials on this website (many of which are free and downloadable) are of sound, biblical eschatology.

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.”