The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Joshua 24:13-15, “I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’
14 “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Are you grateful for the things you have? Are you grateful for the things that have been given to you? How truly grateful are you? If we are thoroughly honest, most of the time we think that we deserve what we have. Thus, I can only imagine what was going through the collective minds of the Israelites.

Joshua had gathered Israel together to remind them that what they possessed had come from the LORD. Their possessions had not become theirs because of their manual labor. The LORD had brought them across the Red Sea and had given them everything they possessed! Now, they faced a major choice: would they follow and serve the LORD, or were they going to serve the gods of the Amorites?

Our choice today is even more difficult than theirs! The Israelites had lived and served under Amorite gods. What benefit did they derive from those gods? Were they better off with or without the Amorite gods? Joshua could not cast their ballots for them! He could only advise them; yet, he sought to encourage them by his example: “…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

Would you be sufficiently courageous to say that and mean it? You could lose much or most of what you have acquired by not serving the LORD. Yet, one day you will weigh in the balances what the world has given you versus what the LORD has given you. Believe me, dear friend, the time for the commitment of your life to Jesus Christ has come. One day, we will all stand before Him and give account of our stewardship. Trust Him today! Surrender your will to Him today! You will never regret it.

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