The Grands Letter

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.’”

What parents have not heard their child ask, “Are we there yet?” Those who watch closely the daily news are aware of the current difficulties being faced by the nation of Israel. Those who know the Scriptures and have been watching Israel closely, know that we are moving closer and closer to the time of our LORD’s Return. The disciples were aware that there would be a restoration of Israel, and we today live much closer to that time than they. The relocation of Israel’s capital to Jerusalem is not without serious meaning. Watch! Be alert! We are moving toward that time!

Jesus’ response to His disciples has significance for us in our day. He simply said, It’s not for you to know the time. The Father has authority over all of these things and He has established a time that is known only to Him. At the same time, we are not to be idle. The disciples who spoke face-to-face with Jesus, were admonished to be witnesses of Him. And that directive has been passed down to those of us who know Him as our LORD and Savior.

Jesus’ disciples were told to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures tell us that the Holy Spirit came a few days after Jesus’ words. The Scriptures assure us that we receive the Holy Spirit into our lives when we confess our sins to Christ and trust Him as our LORD and Savior. At that point, His directive to those first century disciples becomes His directive to us as well. We are to be witnessses of Him. We are to journey “even to the remotest part of the Earth.”

Certainly, not every believer is called to be a missionary to a foreign country. Every believer, however, is called to be a witness to those within his sphere of influence. Do you know Him as your LORD and Savior? Are you sharing His Good News with others? Listen to the Spirit. Obey His directive for your life. You will bring the lost to know Him, and you will bring joy to your own heart.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. If these Letters are meaningful to you, be pleased to share them with others. That’s just another way of being a witness for Jesus!

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