The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Timothy 4:9-15, “Make every effort to come to me soon;
10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to
Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful
to me for service.
12 But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
13 When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the
books, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him
according to his deeds.
15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.”

There are but three passages of Scripture that mention Demas: Colossians
4:14; Philemon 1:24; and II Timothy 4:10. The former two (Philemon and
Colossians) mention him in a good sense. Philemon sandwiches Demas
in between Mark, Aristarchus, and Luke. Mentioning him secondly seems to
Indicate that he was in good standing. Paul’s mention of him in Second Timothy,
however, is just that –a one-word mention! “Demas is here…”

Why do pastors fail? Why do evangelists fail? We fail when we take our eyes
off of Jesus. When we lose sight of Him, we lose sight of our calling. And we
lose sight of Him, when we “deep dive” into things that are not of our calling!

My late wife and I were members of a church in our “educational days.” Later,
long after we had left school and that church, they called a man whose sermons
were the most colossal, well-thought-out, brilliantly delivered messages I believe
I have ever heard to this very day! But, he had a problem that he evidently wouldn’t address, and today, he’s totally out of the ministry.

Pray for your pastor! Pray for your deacons! Pray for your Youth Directors! Just
don’t skip lightly over them when you pray. They need the LORD’s guidance; and
He has so designed things that when we pray, He acts! When we don’t, He doesn’t.
It’s all so designed that the LORD and His Family (the true Church) are to work
together. Design a Prayer List. Look at it when you pray. Keep those who teach
you in focus! They have the responsibility to teach you; you have the responsibility
to hold them up in serious prayer. Such will be good for us all to keep our name
early on His List!

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