The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 24:3-14, “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’

4 And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you.

5 “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.

11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.

13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

There are multiple factors that indicate “the end of the age,” as we know it. Truth be told, nothing like what is mentioned above has more clearly been demonstrated than in the time in which we are now living. It is not my intention to be a “date-setter,” for no one knows exactly when the end of the world (as we know it) will come. Yet, nothing we are currently encountering should shake our confidence in the truth of Scripture. It’s like someone has pulled a “loose thread” and unraveled everything! Bit by bit, our world is falling apart. For some of us, time itself is running out. We need to get our lives in order. Those spiritual things that we have put off for a “more convenient season” are demanding that we give attention to them now! I know people who are lost. You do, too! And we both know what we need to do to reach them for Jesus! Let’s not hesitate to witness to the salvation that resides in Jesus Christ! He is the only sure “safety net” for lost mankind. Be prayerful! Be diligent! One day it will be too late! For someone, that day is today!

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,

Genesis 18:25-33, “25 ‘Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?’

26 So the LORD said, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.’

27 And Abraham answered and said, ‘Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.

28 ‘Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, wilt Thou destroy the whole city because of five?’ And He said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’

29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, ‘Suppose forty are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not do it on account of the forty.’

30 Then he said, ‘Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not do it if I find thirty there.’

31 And he said, ‘Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.’

32 Then he said, ‘Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not destroy it on account of the ten.’

33 And as soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham, the LORD departed; and Abraham returned to his place.”

Have you ever thought that you could “out-talk” the LORD? I know some preachers who apparently believe they can. Have you ever thought you could bargain with the LORD and win? Well, I’ve never personally known that to be successful. It seems both dangerous and futile to me. Yet, I suppose each of us has, at some time, sought to persuade the LORD to come our way.

There are some decidedly spiritual aspects that must be “in place” if any facet of such can be successful. Examining the life of Abraham finds him abiding in the way of the LORD. Any child of a wise and loving parent knows that “minding” is key to obtaining future freedoms.

What has the LORD commissioned you to be beyond being a true and faithful servant? “Being” supersedes “doing.” How clearly and often my mother used to say, “Well, if you do what I’ve told you, we’ll see about it.” Are you doing what He has told you to do? Are you reading the Bible? Are you faithfully praying? Do others know you as a true and faithful witness for the LORD? Okay, now we’ll see about those things you’ve asked.

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 Peter 1:2-11, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”

Clearly, the Apostle Peter sets forth the qualities required in the believer’s life as well as the sound reasoning behind it all. Everything’s here! First, Peter notes the knowledge and power that the LORD has established, which enables us to live the abundant life. He labels these qualities as “magnificent promises” as coming from the “true knowledge” of the LORD Himself. We are not alone! We are not shown the standard of excellence only to be left stranded in a sea of eternal quandary! What the LORD has provided, the LORD has explained!

The question that lies before us is not one of surrealism: it’s whether we are paying attention! No sporting activity is ever successful unless the players play by the rules. Life itself requires this! Yet, in this “game” of life, there is no room for errors. That’s precisely why the LORD spells it all out clearly for those on His team!

Now, let’s review His rules! We are to employ and exercise “faith” and “moral excellence” and “knowledge” and “self-control” and “perseverance” and “godliness” and “brotherly kindness” and “love.” Eight simple items that guarantee abundance as we enter “into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” May we faithfully follow His instructions; and may He bless us as we pray for one another!

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,

Micah 6:6-8, “With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?

7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

It has long been a kindly gesture when approaching a friend to do so with a gift in hand. Over the years, I have often been the recipient of such kindness and have discovered it to be something of a “conversational opener.” In all probability, this may well have been carried over from Old Testament times; for Micah sets the stage when he recites a forthcoming meeting with the LORD.

Thus, Micah muses with himself regarding what exactly he should present to the LORD: burnt offerings? Yearling calves? Rams? Oil? What would be the proper offering to present to the LORD? Ultimately, he settles on more fundamental offerings: justice, kindness, and humility.

What could we possibly offer to the LORD when we come to Him in prayer? He already possesses everything. How could we then possibly offer anything of value to Him? It’s worth giving some serious thought. How about “time”? How much time do we give to the LORD? We rush hurriedly through the day telephoning, shopping, working, and doing for others. But how much time do we take for prayer? Yes, we have needs, and we ask for His involvement in their procurement. They’re true needs, not silly things. But they’re for us! They’re our needs! What is His need? What does the LORD need to hear from us? How about how much we love Him? How about thanking Him for His watch-care over us? And that parking place for our car so very near to where we were going? Or that scarce item on the store shelf that we’ve sought for so long? Have we considered how involved He is in providing the “little needs” of our everyday lives?

What does the LORD require of His people? Honesty to all. Helpfulness toward others. Cheerfulness, especially for those who look worried, forlorn, and/or depressed. A warm smile. A kind greeting. A humble attitude. And perhaps an appropriate verse from His Word. My guess is that you’ll be more uplifted in giving than even the lowliest of those to whom you show love.

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 115:9-18, “You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.

12 The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.

13 He will bless those who fear the LORD, the small together with the great.

14 May the LORD give you increase, you and your children.

15 May you be blessed of the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.

16 The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, but the earth He has given to the sons of men.

17 The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence;

18 But as for us, we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forever. Praise the LORD!”

When was the last time you actually praised the LORD? Was it when you learned that a loved one was not seriously hurt? –or that a friend had received a long-awaited promotion at work? Quite honestly, we don’t openly praise the LORD for many of the things for which He deserves our praise, do we? Far too often, we exhale heavily while saying, “That was close!” or “Wow, that could have been disastrous!”

The Psalmist reminds us to fear and trust the LORD. He is our Preserver and Defender even when we’re not aware of our needs. Perhaps, someday in Heaven, He will allow us to review the innumerable instances where He directed and preserved our lives, avoiding serious disasters. Yet, even now, we are aware of dangerous situations that might have occurred, but didn’t because He was watching over us.

At the same time, having the LORD as our constant Protector should not cause us to trivialize how we conduct ourselves. Taking “chances,” for example, where there is no reasonable purpose, simply amounts to foolish presumption. Sometimes, the LORD may allow injury to occur to cause us to be more mindful of danger that lurks around the corner. I’m sure He would rather that we conduct ourselves properly at all times – always trusting Him, but not presuming on His protection.

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