The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 21:10-14, “As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says: “In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”’
12 When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’
14 And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, ‘The will of the Lord be done!’”

I was never really one to rush into danger. Once warned, I tried to avoid things that could conceivably work against me. (That may be a circuitous way of saying I wasn’t quick to tackle things against I didn’t fully understand.) Yet, that was not the way of the Apostle Paul.

The prophet Agabus firmly warned Paul against going to Jerusalem. In fact, he quoted the Holy Spirit, saying that the Jews at Jerusalem would take Paul captive and turn him over to the Gentiles.

Agabus’ prophecy resonated with the Christians at Caesarea, and they began to beg Paul not to enter Jerusalem. Agabus’ warning would have been more than a sufficient warning to me, but not to Paul. In the end, the local believers “fell silent.” All they could say was, “The will of the LORD be done.”

Have you not faced situations you didn’t fully under-stand? Were you not hesitant about involving yourself in such things? Not Paul! His entire purpose had been to get to Jerusalem. He had been delivered numerous times by the Holy Spirit. Why should he worry and protect himself now?

Scholars will doubtlessly argue to the end of time as to whether Paul was wrong to go against the warnings of his numerous, spiritual friends.

Despite the situation, we should never rush carelessly into danger. We should prayerfully counsel with the Holy Spirit and adhere to Him. The LORD is always able to protect us; yet, He wills that we listen and obey His direction for our lives. Are you listening? Are you following His direction? You can, you know. The LORD will never lead you astray.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Acts 20:7-12, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together.
9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.
10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, ‘Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.’
11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left.
12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.”

This passage has always intrigued me. For one thing, Paul preached a long time. There are some preachers I’ve heard that I did not want to quit. Their messages were clearly biblical and so laced with exciting gems that I simply wanted them to continue. When there is a message from the LORD, long sermons are justified, and their length goes largely unnoticed.

Then, there’s Eutychus, the young man who sat in the window. We have to wonder whether he had worked all that day and fell asleep from fatigue; or was just selfishly blocking the cooler outside air from reaching others in that upper room?

The Scripture says Eutychus fell three stories and “was picked up dead.” Paul interupted his own message and attended to the young man, saying, “…his life is in him.” Are we to understand that whoever said he “was dead,” misunderstood that he was actully alive? Or did the LORD give Paul power to resurrect the lad, as He gave Peter and John when the beggar was healed at the Temple gate?

The factor we must not miss is that Paul, continued his message to the people in the room. It was a message from the LORD, and what He gives to his messengers must always take precedent. Remember this when your pastor exceeds what you believe to be sufficient time for his message. Should not the LORD’s message have precedent in all our lives?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Acts 15:35-40, “But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the Word of the Lord.
36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’
37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.
38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.”

It’s not easy to always get along with friends. Paul and Barnabas had worked well together for quite some time. Now, Paul wanted to retrace their steps and see how things were progressing in churches where they had been. Barnabus wanted to take John Mark. Paul did not.

We’re not told the whole story, but on one of their previous journeys, John Mark just quit and went home. Paul could not abide a quitter. So, Barnabas took John Mark and Paul took Silas. So far as we know, each group was blessed in its ministry.

Christians are sometimes like non-Christians in that they disagree regarding things. The Scripture does not say, but surely all the men prayed to determine the LORD’s will in the matter. It could even be that the LORD allowed the disagreement in order to produce two teams going in different directions and reaching more people in the process. His ways are not always known to us.

The message for us is that 1) sincere Christians often disagree with each other, and 2) that the LORD can nevertheless use them both, so long as they remain friendly and prayerful throughout the entire process.

Seek to be agreeable with others, even when you sincerely believe they are wrong. Pray for them and pray that they will pray for you. None of us has the full and correct answer on everything. That’s why the LORD has given us directions in the Scriptures. The Scriptures encourage us to love one another and always be prayerful.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Acts 14:8-12, “At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.
9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well,
10 said with a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And he leaped up and began to walk.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have become like men and have come down to us.’
12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.”

Have you ever been told to do something you didn’t think could accuately occur? I was just a small boy, when I had the “hick-ups”; they simply wouldn’t quit. My grandfather looked me in the eye and simply said, “You don’t have it any more.” And while I was considering what he said, it disappeared completely. Some might call it “mind over matter”; but whatever it was, they went away.

It was a lot different, of course, with this lame man. He had been lame since birth. It was different with Paul, too; because Paul possessed no human strength for healing the man. It was the LORD working as a result of the man’s faith.

We have some shysters today who pretend to heal; but there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, searching out for “acceptable candidates” before they are even allowed on the platform. It was not so with the Apostle Paul. He assessed the man’s dilemma, along with his faith. Paul himself possessed a divine gift –one that discerned faith in another person. He then told the lame man to arise and walk, which he immediately did.

The LORD does not cause human beings to be lame. That is often the direct result of one’s own sin. He does, however, enable sinners to believe in Him. And when belief in Him occurs, healings also occur. In fact, sin is often the root of mankind’s physical problems. When we look in faith to the LORD, He removes the impediments that work against us. Sin is our greatest impediment. He removes it when we confess that we have it. Thus, help is always potentially on its way!

Bless the LORD, O, my soul;
And all that is within me;
Bless His Holy Name;
And forget not all His benefits.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Acts 14:1-7, “In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.
2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.
3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.
4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
5 And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them,
6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region;
7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.”

Do you run when someone challenges you? These servants didn’t! When they first spoke, “a large number of people believed…” That was a clear insentive to keep on sharing the Gospel. If you were digging for gold and found a good-sized nugget, you surely wouldn’t move to dig in another place. Besides, what these servants of the LORD were doing was far more important that gold nuggets.

But, there were some men who rejected the message of Christ. Besides not believing, they stirred up others to reject the Good News message as well. Did that scare off the LORD’s disciples? Not at all! They dug in and stayed longer, sharing the same Gospel they had shared from the beginning of their visit. We should never allow dissent to drive us away from our mission! It should become an incentive for sharing all the more.

In this instance, however, some Jews and Gentines joined in an attempt to stone the Christian ministers. Now, there is no profit in being stoned, so they left.

There are stories in the news almost daily of some who violently opposed the Gospel – until they came to faith in Christ. So, they switched sides and are now standing for Jesus.

Where are you in all of this? Are you one who has believed on Christ and is standing firm in the faith? Or are you one who opposes the LORD Jesus and seeks to turn others away from Him? Please don’t oppose Jesus. He gave His Life for you on the cross. Love Him and become one who shares Him with others. Everyone needs to hear and believe in His saving grace.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom