The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Romans 8:35-39, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Do you remember the question that was popular some years ago? It asked, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” It usually got a laugh, until those that heard it stopped long enough for it to filter through their thoughts. Then, it became serious and they became sober.

There are a host of things that labor feverishly against us when we are believers in Christ Jesus. Yet, we are to love Him and live for Him regardless of the consequences. Tribulation and distress can often fall upon us circumstantially. Persecution is always intentional and comes from people, who either oppose what we believe or who generally dislike us for believing something they reject.

The lack of food or clothing may not be helped, but they can become objects that bring disdain upon us. “If God is what you say He is, why doesn’t He provide you the basic necessities of life?” Peril and sword may also be the results of hatred on the part of unbelievers. In such situations, what are we to do? How are we to react to such opposition?

The Apostle Paul speaks forth quite positively, saying that believers “overwhelmingly conquer” such opposition by trusting in Christ. In fact, he avows that absolutely nothing is “able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our LORD.” Faith and trust in Christ Jesus always trump the howl of the unbelieving crowd. Stay the course, Christian! Keep trusting in the LORD. Feed on His Word; bask in His everlasting love. He won your victory on the Cross! He can never be defeated; nor can you, when you lovingly trust in Him!

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