The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 4:25-32, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

If there were ever words that needed to be heeded, these words of Holy Scripture are the ones! More trouble is aroused; more difficulties are produced by words than by any other aspect of all human nature.

Don’t say that! That’s not going to solve the problem! Your mouth is going to get you into trouble! How many times have you heard a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or a close friend warn you against saying something you had determined to say? Relax, you’re not the first to be told those things. They’ve been repeated for centuries! At the same time, they’ve been ignored and have resulted in confrontations of various sorts, even murders.

The Apostle Paul doesn’t commence his letters with such particular warnings, but he knows human nature; thus, such warnings are clearly necessary. Professional athletes have been expelled from games for arguing with umpires or coaches. Employees have been dismissed from employment for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person too many times. This is nothing new. Unfortunately, it has become a way of life for too many. No one (to my knowledge, anyway) has ever been dismissed from anywhere for anything that did not involve confrontation through inappropriate language.

Find the word that is “good for edification according to the need of the moment,” Paul says. Learn kindness toward others, and learn forgiveness for whatever someone does to you. You’ll both be better off in the long run. What’s more, you’ll be forgiven by the LORD!

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,

Deuteronomy 11:13-17, “It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul,

14 that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil.

15 “He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

16 “Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them.

17 “Or the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.”

Promises always accompany obedience, especially when the promises come from the LORD! What was spoken to the LORD’s people in the Scripture above has its relevance to you and me, despite the centuries far removed that separate us from the promise’s originality. The Scripture that says “…to obey is better than sacrifice…” (1 Sam. 15:22) stands on solid validity, just as it did in earlier centuries.

We are to “listen obediently…love the LORD,” and “serve Him” fervently! In return, He promises to provide for our needs. At the same time, we need to be alert, lest we be tempted to stray from His will and direction, and serve and worship “other gods.” How can it be that we would engage in worshipping anyone other than the LORD, our God?

Satan is clever. He sneaks up on us when we are spiritually and/or physically weak. What he offers often seems covered with “goodness” that appears delightful and delectable. We are fooled until we partake and learn that what we have accepted was not only wrong, but that it came from the wrong deliverer! We must always be aware! Our adversary, the devil, is consistently on the prowl, seeking whom he may devour. Be alert! Stay in the Word! Always stay close to the LORD! He is our Redeemer! He is our Friend!

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,

Matthew 22:15-22, “Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said.

16 And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.

17 Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?’

18 But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?”

19 “Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius.

20 And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”

21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”

22 And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.”

People who are always seeking to justify their actions look for ways to entrap those who hold a differing opinion. Do away with what your opposition says and, theoretically, your opinion stands as the true and valid opinion. It’s an old trick, but it only works against those who have no skill in setting forth ideas that oppose a more intelligent foe.

The Pharisees were so certain that they could entrap Jesus that they scribbled together this poll-tax idea. Evidently, they had overlooked the fact that the likeness stamped on the coin was that of Caesar himself. While the coin could have been used for virtually any common purchase, it was Jesus’ “evidence number one” for this situation.

Quite often, it is the little and obvious things that become the “trigger points” in refuting an idea. Jesus used it here and won the day. Too often we look too deeply for answers that are lying on the surface before us. There is nothing better for the refutation of spiritual error than the Scriptures themselves! Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me…” (John 5:39).

The resolution to all of life’s problems resides in the Bible. “Seek from the book of the LORD…” (Isa. 34).

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,

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