The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Isaiah 5:20-25, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!
22 Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!
24 Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble and dry grass collapses into the flame, so their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel.
25 On this account, the anger of the LORD has burned against His people, and He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down. And the mountains quaked, and their corpses lay like refuse in the middle of the streets. For all this, His anger is not spent, but His hand is still stretched out.”

Examining the sins of the people, as listed in the verses above, the LORD could have justly erased all mankind from the face of the earth. Yet, God, in His providence, elected to forestall His wrath and allow men to hear first the warning of the prophets.

Some of the prophets were “writing prophets.” All, were at first “oral prophets”; thus, every opportunity for repentance was allowed to Israel. So it is with us. We have pastors and evangelists and missionaries –all who join under the Holy Spirit’s leadership in forestalling judgment upon the nations, and allowing first the gracious Word of God to permit repentance from sin and faith in the LORD Jesus!

Have we not also been allowed such a privilege? Certainly, we have! Those gracious spiritual leaders, faithful to every word of the Holy Scriptures, have been placed in our midst for that very purpose.

Shamefully, there is an increasing number of “ministers,” who seek only the prestige and monetary reward that comes from holding forth the Word of Life. As it would seem, such ministers are clearly in contrast with the prophets of old. As it is, therefore, people gather together, thinking to be fed. Yet, instead of feasting on the Word of God, they dine on the mere husks that swine would eat.

God’s ministers bear a heavy load! They are more than deserving of our sincerest prayers. Yet, for men to view His Life in us, we must be as the prophets of old. We must yield to the control of the Holy Spirit and allow the likeness of the LORD to be seen in us. Is He seen in you? Is He viewable in me? May it always be 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