The Grands Letter (Dan/GLJ)

Dear Grands,

Daniel 9:2-10, “…I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the Word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances.

6 “Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.

7 “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day– to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You.

8 “Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.

9 “To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him;

10 nor have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets.”

How often we come to the LORD in prayer, asking forgiveness for our sins; yet, we fail to acknowledge His spiritual means that exist to prevail against our transgressions. The LORD forgives sin, which is made known through the teaching of His ministers (vss. 6 & 9). Any man who steps into the pulpit to share the teachings of Holy Scripture does so in fear and trembling. For he is responsible to have thoroughly lived and studied the Word from which he draws His LORD’s teaching. Only then is he responsible to share it clearly and sincerely with his people.

Such is not as easily shared as one might think. Every minister is first required to have lived the Truth that he shares. Paul says this in Romans: “…you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You, who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?” Pray earnestly for those who minister God’s Word!

Heartily in Christ,

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