The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 6:4-10, “…in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions,

in hardships, in distresses,

5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,

6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,

7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,

8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;

9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,

10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.”

Paul never boasted unless he felt it necessary for other believers to know that being openly Christian invited conflict.

As a witness for Jesus Christ, some (if not all) of the above undesirables may come to you.

In verses 4 & 5 (afflictions, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labor, sleeplessness,

and hunger), Paul sees them only as CHALLENGES! Of course, the power of God can deliver him and us from such,

but God often allows us to be challenged to see if we’re made of tough stuff or if we’re just lilies.

Verses 6 (purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, love, truth, power of God), he cites the CHARACTER of the ones who will endure the difficulties we found in verses 4 & 5. How are you doing so far?

In verse 7, Paul notes the COMFORTS; namely, the Word of Truth, the power of God, and weapons of righteousness that can be utilized by anyone. Are you left-handed? Well, those weapons are for you, too.

And in verse 8-10, he tells of the various CONFRONTATIONS that will come with a credible ministry; namely, glory or dishonor; evil or good reports; deceivers and truth-tellers; the unknown and the well-known; the dying, yet living; those who are punished, but not put to death; those sorrowing, yet always rejoicing; the poor, yet making others rich; those who have nothing, yet possess everything!

Do you see what’s going on here? Always there will be Challenges! It takes people of Character to meet those challenges without just folding up. Oh, it’s not all that bad; there are Comforts that come to those who see them. And you’ll meet all kinds of Confrontations when you have a honest ministry: some will report good about you; some won’t. Some will deceive you; others will be telling the truth. And on it goes… JUST DON’T GIVE UP!!! Give OUT with the Good News! Nothing you will encounter will be new. Greater Christians than you or I have endured it all and to the Glory of Christ! With the LORD’s help, we can do it, too! Jesus is Coming! Let’s be ready!

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.”