The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 4:7-11, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the
purpose of prayer.
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God.
11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as
by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Someone once said that there were basic personality types: The Optimist says “It can be done!” The
Pessimist who says, “It cannot be done!” And, the Peptimist who said, “I just did it!” When Simon
Peter said, “The end of all things is at hand…,” he was speaking words of encouragement to all believers.
It was not that his readers were going to die (although some in time did die); Peter was speaking of the
soon coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. And in the light of that spiritual certainty, they should be alert and
give themselves more and more to prayer.

Peter encouraged believers to love one another. He knew what we need to learn: basically, that love
smothers sin. It’s as if there is a fire of anger between two believers; yet, when someone takes a blanket
and covers the fire, the fire goes out. Without the oxygen of anger, harsh disagreements disappear. Do
you know something that needs “smothering”?

A “good steward” is one who manages the things of his master. The LORD has given to us His Infallible,
eternal Word; and it is that Word that we are to manage well, injecting it lovingly and earnestly into the
lives of others. The steward of the LORD clearly declares the Word of the LORD, as He intended. The
steward seeks to glorify God, for God has given him the strength he needs do so.

Yet, with all that is present for the use of the believer, the glory of God belongs to the LORD alone! His
glory contains the purity, strength, and hope needed by every believer. We who know Him are commissioned
to wear His purity in our lives, and to do so that others who know Him will be encouraged to do likewise.
He is preparing to Come Again! We must not be sleeping! Are you spiritually awake? Are you active in His
service? Are you witnessing to others? Are you earnestly praying for the lost you know? for your church? for
your pastor(s)? for yourself? For the lost? Give this some thought. The LORD is present to help you.

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