The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 9:23-26, “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’”

Have you ever wondered what the most difficult task in all the world might be? Overseeing a huge business? Running a government? Jesus says the most difficult thing in life is following Him. Maybe that’s why so many people have elected to go their own way. But why would following Jesus be so difficult? It is difficult because it means a total surrender of your mind and will to Him!

I once had a soldier tell me that it’s not difficult to leave civilian life and go into the army. “You just have to give up your own will and do only and all that the army tells you to do,” he said. That’s actually what Jesus said about following Him. At the same time, if you do only what you want in this life, you will loose the eternal life and the glorious rewards He promises to those who faithfully follow Him.

What kind of gain would it be to have and control of the entire world, if you lost everything else in the process? Jesus challenges us to count the cost. Check up on what you would gain and what you would lose. Yielding your life to Him in this life is His guarantee of encountering greater joy in the Life to come. How could you compare anything with the joy of seeing native people in a far-away land coming to know Jesus Christ?

Jesus said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). Remember that the rewards of the Father are for His children alone. Are you one of His children?

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