The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 8:22-25, “Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.

23 But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.

24 They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.

25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

I’ve had the privilege of ministering in Mexico numerous times, and I’ve always enjoyed the people there. On one occasion, I learned of a man who had encountered such severe difficulties that he simply determined to end his life. There was no way out! He ripped off his shirt and climbed up on a bridge determined to jump to his death—when something strange hit his chest. He quickly climbed down and looked to see what had hit him. It was a tract—a gospel tract! Stunned by what had happened, he sat down and read it. The tract told of Jesus, who gave His life on the cross for the sins of all mankind—the same sins that had convinced the man to end his life.

Broken in heart, the man wept profusely as he prayed for forgiveness for what he had nearly done. Christ then entered into his heart, and he arose and returned home rejoicing!

How could something like this happen? It happened because of Jesus! It is He who “commands even the winds,” and they obey Him. Jesus is ever and always available to rescue the human heart from sin and destruction. Some simply don’t know where to look for help. Others believe that no one can help them because they’ve gone too far!

No one is beyond the reach of Jesus! No one! He died and was buried; but He arose from the dead, proving that His power exceeds that of the “winds and the water.” Whatever your trouble, it’s never too late! You just have to call on Him.

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,

Proverbs 3:5-12, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

8 It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce.

10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His reproof,

12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”

There is no question but that these are practical words of wisdom from the LORD. We are to trust the LORD thoroughly and unconditionally, knowing that He knows everything even before it occurs, and will always direct us safely through every difficult encounter.

We must always completely rely upon Him, whether or not we understand His instruction or the direction of His leadership. His wisdom always enables us to avert evil and avoid the hurt that evil inevitably brings.

Irrespective of His incalculable wealth, our offerings, like small, thoughtful gifts, lovingly honor and bless Him, respecting His goodness to us.

We can rest with assurance that His discipline will be applied, not because He delights in administering it, but because it’s beneficial to our behavior in all matters of life. The end result is that we learn, and our deportment in life redounds to His honor and glory!

The LORD, therefore, delights in His children and rejoices in their love. May He ever be praised and loved for His multiplied blessings!

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 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Did you ever get into such a hurry that everything you intended to do just turned sideways? I’m sure you have. I know I have! We live in a topsy-turvy world!

Has it ever seemed to you that “people,” that is, other people, were the cause of our troubles? Well, we all face days that feel like a “scramble.” We race from one thing to the next, trying to hold everything together; doing our best to accomplish something worthwhile.

Yet, even in the rush, the LORD never loses sight of us. His peace isn’t fragile, and His presence isn’t hurried. When we quiet our hearts and lift our eyes and hearts to Him, the “scramble” miraculously turns into “surrender!” At that juncture, what once seemed chaotically out of control begins to take shape under His calm, yet firm direction.

You know what we need to do? We need to be still and remember that the LORD is in control. Why, He’s Master of Everything! Yes, we learned that in Sunday School when we were just kids. We didn’t know all that was wrapped up in “stillness” back then, did we? Maybe it’s time we learned!

“That all sounds good,” you say; “but how will we know whether it works for us?”

Most things work if we just try them. If something’s worth doing, it’s surely worth a try. Maybe if we were just “still” for a time, the LORD would make Himself known to us. If we’re even still a bit longer, He might just solve one or more of those troublesome problems we have. For my part, I think it’s worth examination. After all, He is God. And we’ve always been taught that He can do anything – provided, of course, that it’s timely and commensurate with His will and character.

Remember the challenge of Jehoshaphat: “Listen to me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: Put your trust in the LORD your God and you will endure. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed” (v. 21). The LORD is no less capable today than then. It looks like a decision for our trust.

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 1:1-5, “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus, Job did continually.”

“Two things may be regarded as quite settled about the book of Job. Its scene and actors are laid in patriarchal times, and outside the family or immediate ancestry of Abraham. It is a story of Gentile life in the time of the earliest patriarchs. And yet anything more noble, grand, devout, or spiritual than what the book of Job contains is not found, “no, not in Israel.”

“This is not the place to give either the history of Job, or to point out the depth of thought, the vividness of imagery, and the beauty or the grandeur of language with which it is written. It must suffice to take the most rapid survey of the religious and social life which it sets before us. Without here referring to the sayings of Elihu, Job had evidently perfect knowledge of the true God; and he was a humble, earnest worshipper of Jehovah. Without any acquaintance with “Moses and the prophets,” he knew that of which Moses and the prophets spoke. Reverent, believing acknowledgment of God, submission, and spiritual repentance formed part of his experience, which had the approval of God Himself. Then Job offered sacrifices; he speaks about the great tempter; he looks for the resurrection of the body; and he expects the coming of the Messiah” (Excerpted from Edersheim, Bible History of the Old Testament).

Job expected the coming of the Messiah in his day. Yet, we, who live centuries down the line from Job, are ever subject to distractions that turn our thoughts away from that gloriously coming day to the mundane occurrences of our own time. May the LORD help us to reclaim those things we have forgotten!

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,

Ecclesiastes 8:5-8, “He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. 7 If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8 No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.”

The key word in the passage above is “happen.” It’s “key” because it possesses so many meanings. Happen is a derivative of “hap,” which means “an occurrence,” a “happening,” or an “accident.”

Now, think about that. All of this is written in order to jog your thinking related to what you (and I) say in general conversation. Speech often gets us into trouble. Have you ever been misunderstood? Of course! So have I. I’ve been quoted as saying things that I never said or even thought—all because someone heard someone else say that I had said them. Has that ever happened to you?

What are we to do? Tracing down wrongs is a delicate undertaking. Sometimes it’s better, as the saying goes, to “let sleeping dogs lie.” Eventually, and hopefully, everything will be forgotten, and it will then be “no worse for the wear.”

In the meantime, great care should be given to what and to whom we speak. Some people truly don’t hear well. Others have “selective” hearing. It is of no value to believe what you say will never be misinterpreted. Believe me, it will!

The clear and unmistakable solution is given to us in the words of an old hymn, “Take it to the LORD and leave it there!” He is our Redeemer! Yes, He redeems us from sin; yet, He also redeems us from the unwarranted sins that others have mistakenly assigned to us. Increase your prayer life! Think Upwardly! Trust the LORD! He NEVER FAILS!

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