The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Peter 2:1-9, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

2 Many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;

3 and in their agreed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;

7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men

8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),

9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment…”

If this passage grips you like it does me, we had all best get busy reaching
the lost. The airwaves are flooded with false preachers, whose ultimate goal is
to procure $$$ from everyone, and with it to fill their sacks. Yes, the LORD
knows how to “rescue the godly from temptation…” But we must ourselves be
clean and live daily “to the praise of His glory.” May the LORD bless you
abundantly as you live for Him day-by-day. Use this Gospel tract, but trust only
in 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,

1 Kings 1:5-7, “Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, ‘I will be king.’ So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him.

6 His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, ‘Why have you done so?’ And he was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom.

7 He had conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and following Adonijah they helped him.

8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants.

10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, and Solomon his brother.”

“Let’s play baseball! I’m first batter!” Ever hear words like these? If you read anything at all about Adonijah, you have! He was, of course, referring to being king. No one suggested he be king. It was his own idea. No one questioned whether or not he was qualified. He just announced that he was king – and that sealed the deal. Adonijah yelled first, so he got precisely what he wanted. There was only one “hitch” in his scheme: the LORD had not designated Adonijah to be king.

Being the leader does not always guarantee a following. It’s probable that this was not the first time that Adonijah had bullied himself into a position that would have been better filled by someone else. The Coach had not designated him to be the first batsman! Not to “push” the analogy too far, but it’s better that we wait for the decision of the Coach. Everyone who thinks he’s better than anyone else will do well to wait on the Coach.

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,

Hebrews 13:7-13, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods through which those who were so occupied were not benefited. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”

Do you not remember imitating people when you were young? You’d watch them carefully, pick up on some peculiar aspect of their walk or talk, and then repeat it over and over again until it almost “became yours”? It is called “mimicking.”

That is what Paul means when he speaks of our imitating their faith. It’s not mocking; it’s the opposite of that. It’s an earnest effort to become like someone else. This is precisely what the LORD wants of us! It’s not fake; it’s a genuine desire to be like the person we admire.

Who do you admire more than Jesus Christ? Hopefully, no one! For there is none other more worthy than Christ. Who is there other than Jesus, who loves you so? There is none!

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 John 1:6-11, “And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting,

11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

The passage quoted above unquestionably interlocks our love for the LORD with the love He has for us, as His children. Simultaneously, He enables us to love others while we are simultaneously loving Him. Love, therefore, is circulatory. “We love Him because He first loved us”; and, simultaneously, we love others through Him.

As circulatory as all of this seems, the LORD indeed makes it work to His glory. His involvement clearly separates us from the deceivers mentioned in verse seven above.

At the same time, we are to be careful to always openly express the teachings of Christ that we have within our hearts. For the one who fails in that surely does not possess the Spirit of Christ. May the LORD bless and control us all at all times.

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,

3 John 1-4, “The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.

4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”

Attributed to Mark Twain is the time-worn saying, “Always tell the truth and you won’t have to remember anything.”

That may not be the best reason for always telling the truth, but it is undoubtedly sufficient.

Isn’t it joyful for us when we hear of someone’s honesty in telling the truth? John was telling the truth when he professed Christian love for the beloved Gaius. It was Apostle John’s reliance on the testimony of others that prompted his belief in Gaius.

Truth is always the superior route. Look at how it interlocks. The friends I hold dearest are those who are reliable in every respect. Why? Because what they share can always be received as truth.

“Truth divine, from Heaven’s throne, Holy Spirit, make us Thine own.

Pierce the veil of sin and night; Dawn within our souls with might.

Voice of God, so pure and true. Guide our steps, our hearts renew.

In Thy word forever bright, Lead us home to endless light.”

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