The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 1:1-5, “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;
4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.”

From the verses above, we can learn that the Herod was King of Judea when Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was serving as a priest in the Temple of the LORD. The approximate date is 37 BC–4 AD. Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, was a relative of Mary; and Elizabeth gave birth to John only a few months before Mary gave birth to Jesus.

Luke 1:6 gives us the LORD’s requirements, which were attended to most carefully. “They (the families) were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the LORD.”

The key to the LORD bringing these boys into the lives of the two families
was that the families were “walking blamelessly” in every way before the
LORD. We have no idea how faithfully the LORD could deal with our lives if
we were spiritually all that He wants us to be!

Would you believe that even CHRISTmas could be more meaningful to us if we were committedly obedient to Him? Shamefully, however, we have allowed the celebrated time of our Messiah’s birth to be cluttered with virtually everything except Christ Jesus Himself!

Certainly, the LORD does not expect us to withdraw from everyone and hibernate until the day of celebration has passed. We celebrate Thanksgiving and we also celebrate Christmas. Yet, the very meaning of the word “celebrate” indicates that we have not forgotten the true meanings of these days.

Thanksgiving remembers the LORD for His watchcare in safely bringing our forefathers to this then New World. Christmas remembers and celebrates the LORD Jesus’ birthday. Without His guidance and protection, we would not be a politically free people. And without His love, death and resurrection, we would not be spiritually free with Heaven clearly in view. Do you know Him in true salvation? “He only a prayer away.”

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