The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 14:8-12, “At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.
9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well,
10 said with a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And he leaped up and began to walk.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have become like men and have come down to us.’
12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.”

Have you ever been told to do something you didn’t think could accuately occur? I was just a small boy, when I had the “hick-ups”; they simply wouldn’t quit. My grandfather looked me in the eye and simply said, “You don’t have it any more.” And while I was considering what he said, it disappeared completely. Some might call it “mind over matter”; but whatever it was, they went away.

It was a lot different, of course, with this lame man. He had been lame since birth. It was different with Paul, too; because Paul possessed no human strength for healing the man. It was the LORD working as a result of the man’s faith.

We have some shysters today who pretend to heal; but there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, searching out for “acceptable candidates” before they are even allowed on the platform. It was not so with the Apostle Paul. He assessed the man’s dilemma, along with his faith. Paul himself possessed a divine gift –one that discerned faith in another person. He then told the lame man to arise and walk, which he immediately did.

The LORD does not cause human beings to be lame. That is often the direct result of one’s own sin. He does, however, enable sinners to believe in Him. And when belief in Him occurs, healings also occur. In fact, sin is often the root of mankind’s physical problems. When we look in faith to the LORD, He removes the impediments that work against us. Sin is our greatest impediment. He removes it when we confess that we have it. Thus, help is always potentially on its way!

Bless the LORD, O, my soul;
And all that is within me;
Bless His Holy Name;
And forget not all His benefits.

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