The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 4:23-31, “And when they had been released, they went to their own companions, and reported all
that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is
Thou who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Thy servant, didst say, ‘Why did the
Gentiles rage, And the peoples devise futile things?
26 ‘The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord, and
against His Christ.’
27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst
anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur.
29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Thy bond-servants may speak Thy word
with all confidence,
30 while Thou dost extend Thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of
Thy holy servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”

A few days ago we noted that Peter and John had been imprisoned for healing a crippled man. When their accusers could find no evidence against them, they were released. They then went immediately to their fellow believers where they found solace and they reported all that had occurred. But they would not be silenced; rather, they believed the Scriptures and prayed fervently to the LORD, acknowledging that it was He who had created all thing in Heaven and on Earth.

Further, they openly and forthrightly acknowledged the prophecy of David that foretold the rage the Gentiles and Jews alike would express “against the LORD and against His Christ.” It would appear that David’s prophecy is applicable to our own day as well. The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University recently released statistics that noted that three-fourths of Evangelicals and Mainline Christian denominations willfully reject the biblical teaching that all people are basicly sinners!

Despite the formidible opposition, these early Christians prayed and the LORD heard and answered their prayers. How did they know He heard their prayers and that they believed Him? A great shaking, like an earthquake, occurred and they were all controlled by the Holy Spirit; thus, they continued to share the Gospel with boldness! Oh, that we believers had such faith and courage today! We desperately need a “divine shaking” by Almighty God! Maybe that would come, if we were as prayerful and bold as those early believers.

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