The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Hebrews 13:17-21, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.

19 And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,

21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Everyone at some time needs a leader. Leaders come wrapped in various temperaments. I can remember some who were so gentle that their softly worded suggestions were warmly received and cheerfully accomplished. Others, however, were harsh and demanding, making compliance a dreadful drudge.

The Apostle Paul (I believe he wrote Hebrews!) places prayer comfortably after obedience. A good conscience contributes well to yet further obedience, enabling joy to replace grief. When all is said and well done, peace becomes our resident comfort, enabling us to spiritually relax in the anticipation of being allowed to engage in further service for the glory of the LORD.

Someday, this boy will be allowed to physically see the blessed face of the Savior, whom he has known since the tender age of seven. Obedience today will only enhance the value of that day in eternity. Until then, I prayerfully and consciously seek to live up to my pledge when I first met Him. I have never doubted His pledge to save and secure me in His love. I pray you know Him! Just confess your sin and ask for forgiveness. He’s more wonderful than you could ever imagine!

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:7).

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,

1 Timothy 6:6-12, “…godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

When the Apostle Paul mentions those who have “wandered away from the faith,” he is speaking of those who have altered their priorities. They were once focused on the faith, but having been attracted by another factor in life, they have abandoned the faith altogether. In the case of which Paul is speaking, the attraction that occasioned the abandonment was money. They simply wanted to “get rich.”

The Bible includes some godly men who were rich: Abraham (Gen. 3); Job (Job 1); and Solomon (1 Kgs 3); to name but a few. Yet, many men find riches incompatible with a godly, spiritual life. From our text above, it would seem that Timothy had identified some who wanted to get rich and fell into temptation that led to “many foolish and harmful desires” and to “many griefs.”

Someone once said: “It’s not how much you have, it’s how you hold it.” By that, he meant that it isn’t disastrous to be rich so long as the money doesn’t control the person who has it. Paul tells us to flee from things that want to enslave us; rather, “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.” I have known some wealthy men who were not controlled by what they possessed. Still, there’s a risk – and it’s not worth taking! Keep your focus on the LORD! Follow His directives! If He has allowed you to become wealthy, you owe it to Him to show you how that wealth should be used. He will let you know.

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,

Ephesians 5:15-27, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise,
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

Paul begins with a warning: “be careful how you walk…” The word “walk” indicates the manner of life that is to be the way of every Christian believer. The days, Paul says, are evil; therefore, we are to live under the control of the Holy Spirit. How we behave, as we live in the midst of evil, is of vital importance.

Paul states forthrightly that “…the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ also is the head of the church.” The commotion that sometimes occurs in families is often traceable to failure in adhering to this spiritual principle. We all want to have exceedingly spiritual families! The key to such lies clearly in our following the rules established by the LORD. The husband who speaks too often about “the girl at the office” is not playing by His spiritual rules. Nor is the wife who speaks of the deliveryman who converses too long and too often about things not related to his deliveries. True love adheres to Biblical principles that honor the LORD and build up the home.

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,

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