The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Jeremiah 7:1-7, “The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 “Stand in the gate of the LORD’S house and proclaim there this word and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the LORD!'”
3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place.
4 “Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’
5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor,
6 if you do not oppress the aliens, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin,
7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.”

It’s exciting to know that the LORD is greatly concerned about how we live! It is necessary, too, that He direct how we live! “Stand…proclaim” are His words to the Church. Yet, there’s far more to standing and proclaiming than we know. We must first graduate into His likeness!

Would you be less likely to honor the word of a policeman if you noticed that his entire demeanor (clothing, weapons, et al) were lacking the concise decorum that was specified by his department? Certainly, such absences would affect you.

Such is the same with those who proclaim affinity with Jesus Christ. It’s easy for one to say that he knows Jesus; it’s far more difficult to prove it by how the man or woman speaks and generally behaves.

Each of us, who claims to know Jesus and to be one of His followers, is required by Him to be what we profess. If every aspect that is externally viewable is in order, others are far more likely to believe our profession of being a Christian. Our words, our humor, our spiritual demenor –all combine to depict who we really are!

If you are a representative of a work-related endeavor, and behave as such, you will be a credit to that work. True Christians are intended to be a credit to Jesus Christ! How we behave in every aspect of life demonstrates who’s we are! May we ever and always demonstrate a Christ-like demeanor because what we say and how we behave reveals our true identity!

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