The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 1:3-7, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ…”

It’s always good to hear someone rejoice! Especially is this so when the rejoicing originates from someone suffering immensely for his or her faith in the LORD Jesus Christ.

There are various kinds of suffering. Some suffering originates from intentional physical abuse. Other suffering arises from emotional disturbances. Accusations can often be more hurtful than physical torture. The early Christians suffered in incalculable ways, being maligned both physically and emotionally.

Believers today often suffer as they seek to share Christ with others, whether at home or in some incidental place of encounter. Missionaries quite often suffer at the hands of native people with whom they have come to share the Savior. Suffering simply becomes the earnest Christian’s normal way of life wherever he goes.

The suffering Christian, however, is not without protection. The LORD allows the believer to suffer that he might prove his faith, even as it is being tested by fire! Yet, He is ever closer than the most doting parent. “Do not be afraid…for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

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,

Exodus 14:10-16, “As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD.

11 Then they said to Moses, ‘Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?

12 “Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.

14 “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.

16 “As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.”

Did anyone ever tell you that you just talk too much? On numerous occasions, I have been the recipient of just such a suggestion. While the admission of that pains me, I must admit it to be truthful. Still, I’m certain that I am not alone in sharing things that are not always acceptable. This seems to have been the trouble between Moses and the people he was leading. Bear in mind that they were dreadfully unsure of all things at that time, and Moses was simply the recipient of their fears and uncertainties.

Moses, of course, sought to allay their fears by directing them to rely upon the LORD to save them. Still, it seems that even Moses did not have all the information he needed because the LORD had as yet not spoken. Sometimes we speak when He has not spoken. I’ve discovered that it’s best to wait for His direction before announcing the march! Don’t you agree?

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 5:17-27, “Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves! So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

18 “For He inflicts pain, and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal.

19 “From six troubles He will deliver you; even in seven, evil will not touch you.

20 “In famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

21 “You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.

22 “You will laugh at violence and famine, and you will not be afraid of wild beasts.

23 “For you will be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

24 “You will know that your tent is secure, for you will visit your abode and fear no loss.

25 “You will know also that your descendants will be many, and your offspring as the grass of the earth.

26 “You will come to the grave in full vigor, like the stacking of grain in its season.

27 “Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is. Hear it and know for yourself.”

Most of us gripe and complain when things go wrong, don’t we? (Be honest!) We ask, “Why did this happen to me?” or “What did I do to deserve this?” All the while we plead “Innocent,” without the slightest, slimmest, sliver of a thought that our attitude could be the cause.

Well, it can. No honest, loving, intelligent parent would ever reward a lazy, indolent, disobedient child for being the opposite of what he intended. So it is with the LORD! His rewards are for the faithful, the loving, and the obedient.

The LORD said, “…the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever” (Genesis 13:15). “I will bless…I will give…” again and again He says it with promise. Yet, it awaits our devotion to Him. “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me; bless His holy name” (Psa. 103:1).

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 Chronicles 7:12-16, “Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.

13 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,

14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

15 ‘Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

16 ‘For now, I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.’”

Solomon had completed the construction of the LORD’s House. The LORD had viewed His House; He then appeared to Solomon and blessed him with His promise for his solemn gift. Further, He offered this responsive promise that regardless of what might occur in the future to hinder or harm the life of the people, the LORD would be there to protect them all.

We should all know that the LORD loves us as much as He loved Solomon; thus, His promise is as fundamentally ours as it was Solomon’s. We, too, who have been born again in Christ are the LORD’s children. The “born again” factor is of utter necessity. Many actions of the LORD may fall incidentally upon people who do not know Him; but His blessings are reserved for those who have turned from sin and are resting in His promises of safety and blessing.

Want to be a recipient of the LORD’s blessings? Yield your heart and life to Him, and He will attend to the rest.

“Open my eyes that I may see Silently now, I wait for Thee;

Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me; Ready, my God, Thy will to see;

Place in my hands the wonderful key Open my eyes, illumine me;

That shall unclasp and set me free. Spirit divine!”

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 Corinthians 7:8-11, “For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it– for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while–

9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.”

Congregations often make mistakes just like individuals do; and those who attempt to correct the congregation often err also. It’s then difficult to express sorrow for saying what was first deemed necessary, despite being misunderstood by either or both parties. Paul evidently fell into the trap resulting from what he said to the Corinthian Church.

In our passage above, the apostle seeks to rectify the sorrow he caused the Church. Here he turned the thought into a positive benefit when he learned that the church had repented of what it had done. It was a ticklish situation, however you view it. Yet, because both the church and the apostle were prayerful and repentant, love once again filled the vacuum in their midst.

Repentance is a change of mind. What’s more (if there needs to be more) both parties are “back on track,” and productive! “Look how you have changed,” Paul says. “Look at what has come out of this!” Both parties (the church and the apostle) have reinstated themselves with each other. They’re both back on track in their service for the LORD!

I’ve witnessed reconciliations between opposing parties. They each become winners when, as gruff, angry opponents, their contorted features turn into warm smiles and laughter! It is something to behold. This is the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes!

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