The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Colossians 1:24-28, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God,

26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints,

27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.”

What do you want out of life? Some people want money; others want fame and recognition. Still, others want prominence; they want a position that causes others to be envious. And there are those who just want to be happy, whatever it takes. So, what do you want? Ever want to suffer? Ever want to dive into the waters of affliction and soak yourself in the disdain of those with whom you disagree? Well, probably not.

Paul, on the other hand, seemed to be “born for adversity.” Yet, he rejoiced in his sufferings! Why? Because he was literally wrapped up in the cause of his LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ! History is replete with accounts of true Christians singing while they burned at the stake. Others, literally raced toward the lions who would rip them to death in the Roman coliseum.

Is Paul nuts? Not at all. He notes the suffering of Christ and openly declares that he has a share in all things which Christ encountered and endured. Paul’s suffering, however, is not complete. He wants to fill up the sufferings that are lacking in his own life. His ministry –his calling—depends upon him being as much like Christ as spiritually possible. How is he to instruct converts to endure suffering if he himself avoids it?

Yes, Paul has set his course: he is going to proclaim Christ to everyone he can. He is going to admonish and teach believers by example as well as by verbal instruction. He is wise and sees his calling to “present every man complete in Christ.” Yes, his course is set. There is no turning back!

Face all of this with me. How close are we to being like Christ? Not at all. Okay, how close are we to being like the Apostle Paul? Well, not very close… Okay, seeing that we are going to meet Christ face-to-face one day, doesn’t it seem wise to “get with it”? I would reckon. So, don’t dodge suffering; just be prepared for it. Live, live, LIVE in the Word of God. Develop your prayer life. The old “Now I lay me down to sleep” isn’t going to cut it. That’s kids stuff. Grow up in the LORD! No, don’t look for trouble; just don’t be afraid of it.

You’re serving the KING of Kings! No one is more powerful than He! Just get in the game and listen to the Coach. I’ve read the last chapter. Guess what? He wins!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Please pray for this faithful, Christian servant, that his treatments may alleviate his suffering.

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.”