The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 13:11-13, “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry
beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in
that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.
12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children
will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
13 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures
to the end, he will be saved.”

Please permit me to ask you an extremely serious question: Do you worry?

My mother was a strong Christian woman, but she was a worrier. I have
no idea where her tendency to worry originated. But it did! Her mother (my
grandmother) never worried. She turned everything over to the LORD. I can
clearly (well, almost clearly) recall grandmother saying, “You just have to
turn it over to the LORD.” That’s what she did, but apparently, she was
never able to transfer that trust totally to her daughter, my mother.

For one thing, my mother was told by physicians that she would never be
able to bear a child. That, to a young woman, is a serious matter. Then I
came along and gave her real reason to worry! (No comment, please!)

A well-intentioned neighbor once said, “Don’t tell me it doesn’t pay to worry;
nothing I ever worried about ever happened.”

Still, Jesus tells us not to worry. Say, you’re told that you going to be arrested:
“What on earth will I say?” you ask yourself. Jesus says just don’t try to get
ahead of what you’re facing. When the right time comes, I will tell you what
to say.

I’m sure I’ve previously shared my experience with two men, who were
seated in the front of a small truck. I shared Christ with them, and they asked
a question. I had not anticipated any questions, but I laughed and without the slightest hesitation, I said, “Oh, that’s right here in the Bible.” I flipped open
the Bible and the very verse I needed was right there before my eyes! I was more surprised than the men in the truck! That happened twice with those men!
It has never happened since!

I am certainly not urging you to ignore the understanding of the Bible! But the
LORD is in control when we relinquish control and trust thoroughly in Him!
Arrest, betrayal, hatred, and all evil things argue for fear and anxiety. Still, the LORD is in control and will enable you to endure to the end. Then, you will
value salvation and learn to trust in God! Are you there yet? I sure hope so!

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