The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Isaiah 61:1-6, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners,

2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn,

3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So, they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.

5 And strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

6 But you will be called the priests of the LORD; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.”

Isaiah was indeed an Old Testament prophet. At the same time, the message he shared regarding the activity of the Spirit of the LORD has a meaningful application to our day as well. Indeed, if we are truly His born-again people, the Holy Spirit has taken residence in our lives. We have become His messengers (vv. 1-2), and spiritual practitioners (v. 3). At that point, all of those formerly afflicted take hold and rebuild the ancient ruins themselves (v. 4).

Is it necessary for me to cite the “ruins” in our lives? We know what they are. Yet, what the LORD did for His ancient people, He will do more enthusiastically for us. For we have become His by birth – the New Birth! And to us He commits the sharing of His Good News of salvation. Look, we’ve got to be something before we can do anything in His Name. He’s coming soon! Time is flying swiftly! I’m ready! I pray you are, too!

Heartily yours 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