The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Job 5:2-13, “For anger slays the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple.

3 I have seen the foolish taking root, and I cursed his abode immediately.

4 His sons are far from safety, they are even oppressed in the gate, and there is no deliverer.

5 His harvest the hungry devour and take it to a place of thorns, and the schemer is eager for their wealth.

6 For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

7 For man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.

8 “But as for me, I would seek God, and I would place my cause before God;

9 Who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.

10 He gives rain on the earth and sends water on the fields,

11 So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.

12 He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd, so that their hands cannot attain success.

13 He captures the wise by their own shrewdness, and the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted.”

Anger and jealousy are killers! What’s more, these attitudes have a disastrous effect upon others in addition to a reciprocal effect upon the foolish one from whom they come. Such attitudes often threaten safety, even the safety of those from whom the malevolence originates. Affliction does not come out of nowhere; it originates from those associated with an intentionally bad attitude.

What avenue of escape is open to one who, in anger, has demonstrated a bad attitude? There is but one who owns and operates with a thoroughly righteous temperament and all-sufficient power: the LORD God! Regardless of the nature of the confrontation, He alone is sufficient to end the crisis. “He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd,” and “captures the wise by their own shrewdness.”

All of this is to say that there is never a situation the LORD cannot handle. He can avert evil, regardless of its dimension or its intensity. He can extricate the innocent from the malevolent hand of the aggressor. No innocent child of His need ever worry. He is ever and always in control. He has a plan that includes each of His own. The key to His protection is belonging to His Family. Do you belong? Do you know others who need to belong? Now is the time for recruiting them.

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

Dear Grands,

Titus 2:11-15, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

It’s not clearly attributable to any one individual, yet someone, somewhere, once cited “Grace” as an acronym for “God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense.” And, yes, it’s always been expensive!

Redemption means “buy back,” and what was lost to mankind due to sin was bought back in and through the crucifixion of our LORD Jesus Christ. He forgave our sins and purchased us for Himself by the way of sacrificing the life of the LORD Jesus Christ on the cross.

When we look to Jesus on the Cross of Calvary and ask His forgiveness for our sin, He guarantees that forgiveness. Simultaneously, He instructs us “to deny (terminate) all ungodliness and worldly desires,” (known as “repentance”).

Verse 13 is almost all uphill: “…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus…” In the vernacular of today’s world, “He took our bullet, so we could live!” Still, it’s not thoroughly automatic. When the Apostle Paul said, “…looking for…” redemption, he tied with it “purify for Himself a people…” In other words, we “exchange” our sinful selves for Jesus’ self-sacrifice on the cross for our sins. I’m a broker for Christ: believe me; that’s a positive idea!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6)

Today is someone’s “Day of Salvation!” Have you had anything to do with it?

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

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 1:3-7, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;

7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.”

It was indeed a cold day, and it grew colder as the day began turning to night. I well remember those cold days in my youth. Yet, they never seemed cold until my boyish strength gave out. Then the cold set in, and it was good to be inside and by the fire.

My grandmother used to cover me with what she called a “comfort.” It was actually a heavy cloth simply called by that name. But it was indeed a comfort—especially to a small boy who had played too long in the cold outdoors.

As I grew older, I learned that the LORD Jesus Christ was the God of all comfort. Numerous situations required care that only He could provide. Afflictions, sufferings, and multiple things not covered by my human “comfort” were then required. I learned to lean on Jesus for divine comfort. Some afflictions require more than human comfort can provide. Further, along with His comfort is clear and careful instruction for the extrication of the hurt and future avoidance of the root cause.

Eventually, we all suffer from situations that are extremely discomforting: such as accidents, illnesses, and even the deaths of loved ones. Yet, the LORD is the Great Physician! What the best doctors and ministers cannot do, Jesus can do; and He is willing. We simply need to know He is always present to comfort and guide us. But we must first embrace Him as our LORD and Savior. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31).

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

Dear Grands,

Psalm 46:1-10, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations made an uproar; the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.

7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.”

One of the most comforting aspects of the Christian life is simply knowing that the LORD is always with us. As the psalmist says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” The psalmist goes further still and says, “Therefore, we will not fear…”

The promise of the LORD’s presence is demonstrated multiple times throughout history. Nations have always been “boisterous”; kingdoms have always suffered “shakeups.” Yet, the LORD’s voice has always sounded a death knell against the ungodly—unless His allowance of the ungodly was the means of causing His people to recognize and respond to His clarion call.

The LORD’s clarion call requires His people to recognize that He alone is to be exalted throughout the earth! The LORD is the Creator! He is the Regulator and Sustainer of all world affairs. His “allowance” of evil is only for the purpose of declaring His power to control and “be exalted among the nations.” The LORD longs for that! Both we and our world will be upright and strong when we learn that. Yield your life to Jesus today! Do your part in helping our world to know and honor Christ as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!”

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

Dear Grands,

Romans 12:1-8, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,

5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;

7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;

8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

When someone charged with controlling you gives you an order, obey it without delay! I learned as a child that delay only brings a repetition of the same order, but is stamped with a harsh reminder. Further, Paul, the divinely assigned author of the order, emphasizes that he is merely the conveyer of it. The order is initially from the LORD!

Further, the purpose of the order is that we might present to the LORD everything that is required for a “spiritual service of worship,” such as total transformation from self-will to the will of the LORD. We are not to be spiritual robots! Reason requires that we yield to Him and serve Him, utilizing the gifts He has given us. Sometimes, however, we are not only to do the work but to advise and assist others. We are certainly not to simply sit on the sidelines and watch! We are always to be in the battle, but cheerfully, as we assist and encourage others. Are you ready?

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