The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 27:21-23, “But the governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’

22 Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said, ‘Let Him be crucified!’

23 And he said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they kept shouting all the more, saying, ‘Let Him be crucified!’”

Matthew 7:21-23, “”Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22″Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23″And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

When I was in evangelism on a full-time basis, my information included a notation that I played golf. Possibly, someone who read that took it to mean that I was a superior golfer. In any event, an Australian had matched me

with a local doctor. We met casually one day and he said to me, “I hear that we have a golf game lined up.”

I responded, “Yes, I’ve heard that, too.” Then he asked me, “What is your handicap?” I had heard the term previously, but to this day, this very writing, I could not give you a clear definition of what a golf “handicap” is. So I responded to

the doctor with the first thing that came to mind. I said, “Oh, I’m fully handicapped.” Do I need to say that we never played?

Those people who cried out to Pontius Pilate in Matthew 27, were saying the wrong thing. Undoubtedly prompted by their Jewish religious leadership, they chose Barabbas over Jesus. What’s worse, they cried for Jesus to be crucified.

They were wrong people crying for a wrong thing. Whether they were aware of why Jesus had come is problematic. Yet, they wanted no part of Him –not in their lives!

The people who cried out to Jesus in Matthew 7, were saying the right thing, even calling Him “Lord.” Yet, Jesus said that simply calling Him Lord was not enough. There is a day somewhere on the Divine Calendar, when well-meaning

people will plead for their lives, saying, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name…?” We even performed miracles in Your Name! But, Jesus will say, “I never knew you; depart from Me…”

You may not be among those who wished Him crucified. I pray you’re not! It is more likely that those who will be denied acceptance by the LORD Jesus, have simply thought that their religious activities and conduct of moral goodness was sufficient to be accepted. But, it’s not! All of us are sinners in His sight! And sin cannot enter into eternal

fellowship with Christ Jesus. We must be forgiven of our sin to live with Him. To be forgiven, we must ask Him to forgive our sin, and simultaneously commit our lives to Him, to behave according to His will. He then “marks” us as His own, by sending the Holy Spirit into our lives to guide and direct us in all of our endeavors.

If you think just “being religious” is sufficient, you are wrong. He wants us to commit ourselves fully and completely to

Him and His service. The best time for beginning anew on anything is at the start of a new year. Just take a moment right now and ask Christ to forgive you. Commit your life, energy, talents –everything!—to Him. Get into the Bible and learn His instructions! His Spirit will lead and explain how you should live. You will be thrilled at your new life!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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.”