The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Thessalonians 1:1-8, “Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;

3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,

4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;

5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.”

This First Epistle to the Thessalonians was written by the Apostle Paul from Corinth around 35 A.D. He had learned from Timothy that the church was experiencing rapid spiritual growth. They were in sorrow over those who had died, expecting them to have joined with the full church body at the soon coming of the LORD Jesus Christ.

Everything in the apostle’s greeting to the church may be summed up in the word “hope.”

The church was immersed in the hope of the second coming of the LORD Jesus Christ.

Churches today would do well to encourage their members regarding the LORD’s coming! Encouragement requires prayer and a faithful adherence to the Scriptures. We have an intense desire for our pastors to share the word concerning our LORD’s return. Should we not also be encouraging each other as we see the day approaching?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom