The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Galatians 5:17-24, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”

Like it or not, there’s a war being waged within each of us! It’s what we want to do versus what the LORD wants us to do. It occurs before we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior; and it continues even after we have been saved. Verses 19-21a lay it all out unmistakably.

Verses 22-24 list what the LORD desires—things that He will promote within us once we have trusted Him as LORD and Savior of our lives. At the same time, we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit, Who is working to arrest the wrongs that flourish within us. It is He that encourages and promotes those factors of His love and grace.

There are fifteen undesirable “deeds of the flesh” that wrestle against nine “fruits of the Spirit.” The ones we feed are the ones that prosper and flourish. Yet, in this instance, less is more. Additionally, there is no law against the fruit of the Spirit. It is the LORD’s desire for each of us.

Little children are trained by loving, intelligent parents to do what is right. We are our LORD’s “little children” until we learn to obey Him. It is then that we come into spiritual maturity and learn to live “to the praise of His glory!”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom