The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 1:19-21, “For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Did you ever meet someone with confidence? I mean real confidence! I hope it was just a story, but I heard

of an airplane that had no pilot. (Stay with me, now.) And as the plane raced through the sky, the onboard PA system said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a totally automatic, self-piloted airplane. It can take off and land without human assistance. It can maneuver through turbulent weather without human assistance. In fact, the voice you are now hearing has been pre-recorded. There is no one here except those of you who are passengers. But, you are not to worry; for nothing can go wrong…can go wrong…can go wrong..”can go…”

The Apostle Paul possessed that kind of confidence. He was imprisoned in Rome, but he believed that what had befallen him would ultimately “turn out for (his) deliverance.” He was in prayer and he was confident that the Philippian believers, too, were in prayer. It was the provision the Holy Spirit had placed in his heart. Paul was certain that whatever occurred, he would not be dishonored, but that Christ Jesus would be exalted. Yes, he might die; but, that was not a concern. Whatever occurred, as long as the LORD was exalted, that was what was important!

It’s probably not what most young people would wish for their lives. Oh, the believers might. They are always exuberant to share the Gospel –but, again, they might not be so excited about dying. How would that honor the LORD? So, we all enter the “justifiable arena” that allows old people to die in the dissemination of the Good News, but not the young. Paul’s view was different. Either way was fine with him, as long as the LORD Jesus Christ was glorified. His key thought on this subject is: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

There are two kinds of “death,” as we view it here: physical death and death to one’s self. The latter death is the one we should earnestly seek. For when we are dead to ourselves, we are alive in Christ. Self is what masks the world from seeing Christ. Self is what hinders us from obeying the Holy Spirit’s commands. Self never exalts Christ, and His exaltation is what our Christian lives are all about. Yielding to Him always means gain to us. Failing to yield to Him means things “can go wrong, can go wrong, can go wrong…” Think about it.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”