The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 4:1-4, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,

2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the

manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the

glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Every single day, the President comes forth with a press interview in which he outlines the Nation’s continuing response to the

COVID-19 virus that has infected our nation and our world. In my process of communication today, I received the following challenge from a young lady:

“I was asked to be a part of 1 million+ prayer chain to pray for the slowing of the Corona virus and the gospel to go forth

through this in whatever means God has planned for our nation. The idea is you pray when you receive this text and then

send it to 8 other people, (but in your case, you have loads of folks I’m sure you’d love to send this off to!!”) Clever girl!

The Apostle Paul had a similar, but more vital challenge. There were difficulties in his challenge, too. But, he received and dispensed his challenge without losing heart. He began by renouncing shameful things in his own life. We don’t know what Paul was referencing in his own life, but we do know what our consciences tell us is wrong in our own lives! One thing we do know is that all wrongs, whether with Paul or with us or with other believers – it all hides the Gospel from those who need to be saved. Yes, Satan is masking the Gospel against the minds of lost people, too; but so are our sinful lives! He’s getting us to do his filthy work by being tainted with his own filthiness. I wonder who’s the sucker that’s falling for his evil tricks? Humm…

I printed the young lady’s request (although she did not request that I do it in this venue) because I believe in prayer. The most skilled of surgeons scrub before they go to surgery. Scrubbing really has nothing to do with their surgical abilities, but they want to be clean from every microscopic object that is possibly on their hands, lest the surgical procedure itself be nullified by germs. The same is true

of our praying. We may have the words to say, and the knowledge of how vital it is that the LORD responds, yet if our lives are littered with the germs of sin, the LORD will not respond to our prayers as we wish.

Recently, I have been asked whether I think this COVID-19 has any bearing on the Last Days. Listen to these closing words of Jesus

in Matthew 24:21-22:

“…there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.

“And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall

be cut short.”

The Coming of the LORD Jesus is infinitely closer than when I was that young lady’s age. Time is on the march! Be vigilant! Be courageous! Be clean! Be prayerful! Share Jesus! He wants to save the lost! And through this COVID-19, He is getting the world’s attention!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Please feel free to share this young lady’s request with others. We’re all in this together.

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.”