The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 3:7-13, “”And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9 ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie– I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.
10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
12 ‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
13 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The Church at Philadelphia was The Commissioned Church. It was the next-to-the-last of the Seven Churches. Historically, this timeframe covers the years of A.D. 1800 to 1900. These are the days of the Great Evangelistic meetings conducted by men like D. L. Moody, J. Wilbur Chapman, W. P. Nicholson, R. A. Torrey and Billy Sunday. They drew massive crowds throughout the world –crowds to whom they faithfully declared the Gospel of Christ, and witnessed thousands come to saving faith in Jesus!

This era was also the era of missionary expansion. China Inland Mission, the British and Foreign Bible Society, the American Bible Society and many others were organized during this time. Alongside the 600-plus mission societies marched some missionaries of historical note: Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson, Luther Rice, David Livingstone, Robert Morrison, William Carey, George Fox and Sir Wilfred Grenfell.

Simultaneously, these organizations and their godly leadership, the Church was subjected to internal persecution from the philosophies of men like Hegel, Darwin, Marx, and Freud. Never-theless, the LORD promised: “He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this –“ The Church, therefore, experiences a reprieve from the onslaughts of Satan and his minions.

The LORD commends the Church (3:8), denounces the adversaries as “The Synagogue of Satan” (3:9-11), affirms the Security of the Church and those who hold to His Name (3:12-13).
The Commission given to the Church has never been rescinded. Those who cleave to His Name and His Commission will forever be protected and extolled for His Glory! Are you one of those? I sincerely pray that you are!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. For excellent 26-minute videos on the Seven Churches of the Revelation go to:

Dr. Stowell is excellent! He covers all seven Churches of the Revelation. Videos are free!

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