The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Colossians 2:13-15, “And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”

In earlier times in history, when newspapers were scarce, they used to display a copy publicly, so that everyone could read and know what was happening. In the same way, when a debt was paid, the note with all the information was made public –only that a spike was driven through the note to indicate that the debt had been paid in full!

I was in high school and working as an assistant to the pastor of our local church. A young man representing a Christian college had come to tout the advantage of attending the school he represented. I was talking with him when he suggested we go across the street and get a soft drink. While we were there, he pulled out a cigarette and started to smoke. He said it was a means of relaxation –a relaxation I guess he felt he needed when talking to me. I challenged his actions as being totally out-of-character for the purpose for which he had come. He left shortly thereafter, and I never heard from him again.

Evil actions and evil thoughts are both sinful. When we sin, we don’t appear to others that we belong to Christ at all. Christ does, however, forgive us when we repent of our sin. He cancels our sin-debts, those decrees which cause us to look as if we do not belong to Him. Smoking, drinking, drugs, pornography are all sins which Christ despises! He died on the Cross to save us from such filth. Sin can get a grip on us, so that it acts like a ruler, an authority, over our lives. Jesus disarms Satan’s evil works that penetrate our lives. His triumph over sin at the Cross and in the Resurrection continues to work against such evil in our lives today.

The Holy Spirit who lives within us believers enables us to know how to act. He gives us the power to conquer and overcome evil. We just have to want to be free and yield to His control. When we do, He drives a stake in the debt that we owe, and all is paid in full through His precious blood.

We love and pray for all of you,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

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.”