The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Kings 8:54-58, “When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward heaven.

55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:

56 ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant.’

57 ‘May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us,

58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.’”

As a small boy, I remember a man in our community who was known for his long prayers. He was not a member of our church but attended quite often and was occasionally called upon by the pastor to offer prayer. I had no way to calculate the length of his prayers or the increase of their volume, but to a 6-year-old boy, they seemed very long and very, very loud!

King Solomon had just concluded a long, all-encompassing prayer. It is just too long to include it all here. Hopefully, you will turn to this passage in your Bible and read everything that Solomon said; for what he said to the people at the conclusion of the prayer was quite telling. “Blessed be the LORD,” Solomon said, He “has given rest to His people Israel,” just as He had promised! Have you ever prayed and known with certainty that the LORD had already determined to give what you had asked? Does that encourage us to pray, or what?

Solomon also noted that “not one word” of the LORD’s promises had ever failed! When our lives and hearts are right toward Him, without the slightest question, we can depend upon His promises! In fact, He causes our hearts to incline toward Him and live according to His Word! Thus, our very lives and prayers are locked tightly in His grasp as we yield our wills to Him and for His glory! Thus, it’s not how loud we shout or how long we pray; it’s how we live our lives to the praise of His glory!

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,

James 5:13-20, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,

20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Is anyone you know suffering? My church’s Prayer Request arrived today telling me that a two-year-old boy named Graham is suffering from cancer. An older preacher-cousin of mine has diastolic heart failure. And I can count 69 additional individuals from one church who are asking for prayer! Is anyone you know suffering? Are you kidding? Even some who are praying have issues that could put them on the list!

My heart breaks for the young people who are caught in the uprising in Iran! One girl, assured of her own forthcoming execution by her own people, read aloud for television the names and locations of friends she was certain would fall prey to the hostile regime of that troubled nation.

Are you suffering yet? Then James says you “must pray.” Still, prayer must be offered in faith that the LORD will hear and that He will answer. For our prayers to be even heard, we must confess our sins, clearing and cleansing our lives of all encumbrances to prayer. Yes, prayer truly works! Yet, its working depends upon the cleanness of our hearts and lives. James gives us Elijah as an example of “the effective prayer of a righteous man.” So, now we have it! What’s holding us up? People are suffering! “Dear LORD, please cleanse our lives and hear and answer our prayers.

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,

Mark 13:1-10, “As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!’”

2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately,

4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”

5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.

6 “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many.

7 “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end.

8 “For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

9 “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.

10 “The gospel must first be preached to all the nations.”

Some things move upon us so smoothly that we simply forget them. “Oh, my! I nearly forgot! This is the day that company is coming! Look at the house! It’s never been in a worse mess!” Ever feel like that? Of course, you have; so have we all! Some things just slowly creep upon us until they’re here – and we’re not ready!

The coming of the LORD is like that. What’s more, when you examine carefully how things are moving in the world at large, His Coming could be tomorrow – or even today! — even before you conclude the reading of this Letter! But, look at what actually awaits Him. There are churches that have literally abandoned the Scriptures for a “feel-good talk” from a pulpit once dedicated to ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Choirs that rendered heart-gripping hymns of praise to the Lord Jesus have given way to foot-pounding screams that offer nothing but future injury to youthful ears. Thankfully, there yet remain those faithful few of the old-school past, who have never let go of the sure Words of the LORD. They’re working to get us ready for His Coming!

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 3:1-14, “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;

2 For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.

5 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.

13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding!

14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold.”

One could comb through the entirety of the Old Testament Scriptures without finding an admonition of greater value than these verses above. For all the elements of a wonderful, productive, invaluable life are visibly contained here. Solomon, with all of the wisdom granted him by the LORD, urges us to learn, live, and teach the principles set before us here. Kindness, truth, trust, wisdom, honor, discipline, acceptance of reproof, and wisdom are within the grasp of our understanding, and all are elements of mentality and spirituality that are freely available from the LORD.

Oh, the weariness of sufferings we experience when we neglect to follow the LORD’s provisions for life! Such weariness leads only to spiritual and physical decline. It is often productive of emotional and physical illness. What’s more, such negativism is erasable! The LORD stands ready to erase and replace all deplorable factors that seek to bind and blind us to His way!

How blessed is the one who finds wisdom and gains understanding! There is no better life!

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 23:33, “Your eyes will see strange things and your mind will utter perverse things.”

My daughter and I were getting rid of some old papers and things—some of which I will never use, and some which I have never ever used. It’s amazing the “strange things” that linger around, evidently, just to be found. Here’s one I thought might warm your heart:

A LITTLE MIXED UP

Just a line to say I’m living

And am not among the dead;

Though I’m getting more forgetful

And mixed up in my old head.

For I sometimes can’t remember,

When I stand at the foot of the stair,

If I must go up for something,

Or I’ve just come down from there.

And before the fridge, so often,

My mind is filled with doubt;

Have I just put food away, or

Have I come to take some out?

And at times when it is dark out,

With my nightcap on my head,

I don’t know if I’m retiring,

Or just getting out of bed.

So, remember: I do love you,

And I wish that you were here;

But now, it’s nearly mail time,

So, I’ll just say: “Goodbye, Dear.”

There I stood beside the mailbox,

With a face so very red;

Instead of mailing you my letter,

I had opened it instead.

——————————————————–

“Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting:

to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s

labor in which he toils under the sun during the

few years of his life which God has given him: for this is his reward” (Ecclesiastes 5:18).

“A joyful heart is good medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22),

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