The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 1:1-6, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”

These words from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians were composed when he was enroute to Jerusalem to complete a religious vow. He also distinctly teaches that the Father prepared the body in which the LORD Jesus Christ would suffer, but that it might also be a body in which His Son would ultimately be glorified.

Unfortunate as it is, many (dare I say most?) churches today demonstrate little-to-nothing of the glory the Father intended of them. His intention that His Church should be prayerful, unified, edifying of its members, bathing the areas of humanity it serves with His love, too often falls short of the intention.

In far too many instances, the Church has diminished into a “religious” social-club that worships itself rather than the LORD, who is the Author’s intended. Pastors of those “megaclubs” devote their focus on the personal-social betterment of their audience, rather than on the LORD, who gave His Life on the Cross for their sins and ours.

Our purpose in attending church ought always to be to prayerful and reverent of the LORD, giving close attention to the ministry of His Word that we might become more like Christ Jesus in our love for Him and for others for whom He died. We should pray that our nation’s leadership might know and follow the LORD’s directive, that we might always praise Him and follow His leading.

Still, it always commences with our yielding to His love and directive. So, let us be prayerful and faithful to His leading.

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