The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ezra 1:1-3, “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the Word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:
2 ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 ‘Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.’”

I will never forget the teenage girl asking me, “How much should I read?” It was a challenge I gave her. She could argue with me; she could not argue with God. I told her to read five chapters of the Gospel of John. She did and came to faith in Christ Jesus purely on her own.

The Old Testament Book of Ezra relates the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. Subsequently, upon their return, the Jews rebuilt the Temple for the worship of the true God, Jehovah.
Every aspect of the Book of Ezra focuses upon the Word of God. Israel’s return of some 50,000, came under the leadership of Zerubbabel. The return itself was in fulfillment of the Word of the LORD. The re-erection of the Altar, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the restoration of the Temple’s ritual was in strict obedience to the Word of God.

Subsequently, a smaller number of Jews (approximately 2,000, returned under Ezra. They, too, became students of the Word, even trembling at what they discovered within it. Thus, repentance and spiritual reform came to pass from their obedience to the Word.

The Word of the LORD is powerful! When it is declared, either privately or publicly, it transforms the lives of its hearers and sets forth the lifestyle the LORD commands for His people. That is precisely why He commissions the sharing of His Word with others. It’s not what the witness says as much as what the Word itself says. Thus, the presentation of the Word in its clarity is sufficient for the salvation of any and every person who will receive it. Have you received the LORD’s salvation?

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