The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Thessalonians 1:6-12, “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed– for our testimony to you was believed.
11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,
12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

It would be my guess that everyone reading this letter has, at one time or another (maybe often), been purposely afflicted by someone. I’m thinking that people have lied about you, worked what evil they could devise to embarrass and hurt you –just doing you wrong in some incredible way!

Paul’s inspired instructions are that you and I ought not to worry because the LORD and His host of heavenly angels will repay our adversaries –and the repayment itself will accrue to the glory of the LORD! Further, they “will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the LORD…”

Paul in no way is enticing us to retaliate against those who openly oppose us. The LORD Himself will support us by vindicating our witness of Him. The LORD’s Name is to be glorified in our speech and in our lifestyle. We are never to retaliate, as we belong to Him and our attitudes are always to bespeak His impeccable likeness and character. When we glorify the LORD Jesus in our lifestyles, He, in turn, works within us in grace and with power! He then wins even when it looks as if we are the victors. May His Name ever and always be praised!

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