The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 4:5, 7-12, “And it came about on the next day, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem… 7 And when they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people,
9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well,
10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead– by this name this man stands here before you in good health.
11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the very corner stone.
12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”

Have you ever heard of a surgeon being sued for performing a successful surgery? That would be
absurd! But that’s the equivalent to the accusation of these religious leaders were bringing against Peter and John. The crippled man had been healed, and all these religious leaders were concerned only with how the healing took place. Some today parallel this stupidity by majoring on the minor details instead of rejoicing over the benefit.

Notice that Peter did not speak to their argument; instead, he relied on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. His words were bold and Spirit-directed. When we trust Jesus Christ as our LORD and Savior, the Holy Spirit takes residency within us. He does not come and go; rather, He is permanently within us. And He speaks through us as we relinquish our minds to Him. Thus, it is the Spirit indwelling Peter who boldly proclaims the Name of Jesus as the “spiritual surgeon.” It is He who healed the crippled man. And it is the Holy Spirit who charges the religious leaders with having crucified Jesus and credits God the Father with having raised Jesus from the dead.

Many strange things occur in all of our lives –things we often credit to “good fortune” or “good luck.” Yet, the Spirit, speaking through Peter, avows that salvation in no one, but Jesus. It is He alone, “by whom we must be saved.” It’s not how righteously we live or what church we attend or how much money we give to the needs of others –none of these things accrue to our credit before Almighty God. Only faith in the LORD Jesus Christ, who died as the Father’s Sacrifice for our sins, and arose to life again—only Jesus assures our salvation. Those who have trusted Him, stand by the Spirit’s words through Peter: There is no other way.

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

Dear Grands,

Acts 4:1-4, “And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.
4 But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

It has been said (and I have previously repeated it), that the disciples of Jesus were either in trouble, just getting out of trouble, or headed for trouble. Not to scare you, but it’s much the same today. A Christian schoolboy in one of our western states is suing his school system because they have substituted and are teaching secularism that undermines the teachings of the Bible.

Why is the Bible so hated today? Basically, it is because its teachings run directly counter to the lifestyle of people, who want to be their own god. Why should kindness and goodness and love be so hated? It’s because that’s not where we are as a people. To those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our LORD and Savior, kindness and love are normal. They promote a peaceful society. But that’s not what the world-at-large wants! So Peter and John were jailed for the night.

What happened to Peter and John, however, is not really important. What is important is that those who had heard their message of Jesus’ Resurrection (some 5,000) believed on Him! So it is today. Pastors, evangelists, laymen who know Him, share His message of salvation. Some are ridiculed; some are physically harassed; some are killed. Yet, what happens to them fades in importance when compared with the message they give. Life itself matters little when compared with the Gospel of Christ.

Do you know Him? Are you truly committed to Him? Are you sharing His message with others? It is Christ Jesus’ will that we know Him and share His message of salvation. There will always be those who will believe. And in that we can truly rejoice, because in that our LORD is glorified!

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

Dear Grands,

Acts 3:11-16, “And while he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement.
12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?
13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.
14 “But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.
16 “And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

Have you ever done something nice for someone only to find that they wanted thereafter to stick by you seemingly forever? That’s what happened to Peter and John. The LORD had healed the lame man and he just wanted to stay with them wherever they went. They never rejected him, but they wanted all the people who had witnessed the miracle of the man’s healing to know that it was the LORD, and not they themselves, who had healed the man.

It’s important that we always acknowledge the LORD’s work in our lives. He may use us in His process, but the ultimate work is always His alone. Peter took the opportunity to praise and glorify the LORD. Simultaneously, he inserted prophecy that foretold of Jesus, and indicted the people for having caused Pilate to release a murderer, instead of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Peter then declared that it was the power of Christ, whom the people had crucified, that was responsible for the healing of the lame man.

Do we always acknowledge the working power of Christ in our lives? Or do we only praise those men and women through whom the LORD has worked to help us? Do you think that lame man who was healed ever forgot his healing? Do you believe he ultimately committed himself to Christ, to whom He owed it all? We’re not told what happened to him, but what about us? Do we acknowledge the LORD’s work in us and through our lives? Or do we stop with an acknowledgement of those whom He used?

Think about the LORD’s use of your life today. Be open with others about what He has done for you. We are first to know Him; then we are to praise Him; and then we are to share Him with others, who need Him. May God bless you as you seek to fulfill His work through you today!

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

Dear Grands,

Acts 3:1-10, “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer.
2 And a certain man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.
3 And when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms.
4 And Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze upon him and said, “Look at us!”
5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene– walk!”
7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.
8 And with a leap, he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God;
10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

I once heard it said that this miracle happened when “two men of prayer went in a spirit of prayer to the place of prayer at the hour of prayer.” It is true that the LORD still performs miracles. It is also true that there are different kinds of miracles. The change of an attitude is just as miraculous as the change in one’s physical abilities. The LORD knows what is needed and supplies that need in His own way and in His own time.

Some time ago, a friend of mine shared that Muslims were attending his church, saying that they had
been instructed in a dream to learn about Jesus. Many years ago in India, I prayed for a boy held in the grip of a disease, learning months later that the boy had made remarkable progress in healing.
We often become discouraged when our prayers are not answered quickly, yet it is the persistence
in prayer that demonstrates our genuine concern.

Perhaps, we’ve become too used to doctors; but doctors pray, too. Even doctors, who do not know the LORD, I have heard say, “If you believe in prayer, you had better pray because…” Notice, too, that even after Peter’s instruction, he took hold of the man’s hand and assisted him in standing upright. Sometimes the LORD guides us to others who can help.

Prayers offered by truly born-again believers in Christ will surely be answered. However serious, however simple, the LORD taught us all to pray. As parents, we are delighted when our children ask something of us; even so, our LORD delights in our asking things of Him. Don’t be discouraged.
Just keep praying, remembering that the “effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (Jas. 5:16).

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

Dear Grands,

Acts 1:6-8, “And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this
time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’
7 He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own
authority;
8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My
witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the
earth.’”

The purpose of the book of Acts is to show the origin and development of the Christian Church. Acts
was written by Luke the Physician, the same person who wrote the Gospel of Luke. Following his
Resurrection, Jesus gathered His followers (about 120, according to 1:15) for His final instruction
before His Ascention into Heaven. They had questions, to be sure, but Jesus brushed them all aside,
focusing on what they needed to immediately know.

They were to receive power (???????, dunamis) from the Holy Spirit in order that they might witness
effectively to those everywhere who are spiritually lost and need salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the
same for us today. We have to know Him before we can share Him with others. Moreover, when we
know Him, we are to share Him.

What a gargantuan task those early believers faced! They had none of the vehicles of transportation
and communication we have today. This very Letter you are reading has been sent into multiple
countries of our current world! Think of the advantages we have that those first century disciples did
not have! Yet, we and they are to do our best in reaching others for Him. We will probably never
know the effectiveness of our witness –at least, not in this life. That really doesn’t matter. Everything
we do is by faith. The results are the LORD’s business.

You can begin by forwarding these Letters to others. You may want to write personally to some you know. You know scores of people I do not know. It can be a joint venture, His Spirit leading each of us in spreading the Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus! Pray about your involvement. Make 2021 a spiritually victorious year, glorying Jesus Christ! God bless you abundantly!

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