The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 2:1-7, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

2 “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false,

3 and you have perseverance, and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.

4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place– unless you repent.’

6 “Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate.”

7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’”

The word is clear and unmistakable. It’s an arrest that needs no additional evidence than that which the eye has observed and the accusation that has been pronounced. Such neither fails to test nor casts the flimsiest doubt upon those who live by trust in the LORD.

This is a clear and unmistakable truth regarding the Ephesian Church and those whose lives show a similar pattern. Commendable are their deeds and endurance; yet, while they labored valiantly and tirelessly, exalting the name and person of the LORD Jesus Christ, they forgot and left their first love.

This scenario occurs in numerous churches today. Born of a valiant fervor, they tirelessly spread the truth and love of the LORD! Joy is then quietly smothered by sin, as it allows sin to creep in and control. Yet, before we chastise and criticize those churches, we must thoroughly examine our lives and our church. Dare I ask if you like what you found?

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