The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your

salvation– having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own

possession, to the praise of His glory.”

In the last few days of 1966 and the first few of 1967, I was preaching in a youth camp in Western Australia. There was great blessing of the LORD in that place, and far more took place than I have

room to share here. One young girl, who had come to camp with her older sister, gave her heart

and life to Christ. Following her commitment, she asked, “Why didn’t they ever tell me that I needed

the LORD Jesus in my heart? I might never have known… Why didn’t anyone ever tell me?”

The Ephesians might well have said the same thing. Notice that their first step was “listening to the

message of truth.” The message of truth is the good news of salvation. We don’t need to live with

the devastating regrets of our sins; Jesus died on the cross as the Father’s sacrifice for our sin. We

have only to believe, to trust, to take Him at His Word.

The LORD’s promise to those who believe is to seal them “with the Holy Spirit,” Whom He has

promised. Remember the account of Daniel and the lion’s den? Read what the king did after Daniel

was cast into the den….

And a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it

with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing might

be changed in regard to Daniel (Dan. 6:17).

The king’s seal was equivalent to a lock. No one dared to break the seal; for to do so, was to forfeit

his own life. So it is with the LORD’s “seal.” After listening and believing in Jesus Christ, the Father

locks us to Himself with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not seal us! He IS THE SEAL! He is

the LORD’s pledge –His promise– of our inheritance when, in God’s own time, we stand before Him!

In that day, the LORD Himself will be glorified, just as parents are at the births of their children.

The twp questions that remain are for us: 1) Have we listened to His Good News of salvation?

2) Have we believed and trusted in Him for that salvation? If you have, the Holy Spirit now resides

within you and you are secured in the LORD throughout all eternity. The Holy Spirit living wthin you

will also direct you in the way of the LORD, so that He will be glorified through your life. Continue to listen to His Word (the Bible) and obey the directions of the Holy Spirit. Joy will fill your life and you

will ask, like the little girl, “Why didn’t anyone tell me before?”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom