The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

ColossiaNS 3:12-17, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Has it ever occurred to you, who belong to Him, that you were chosen? Yes, it’s truly above our “pay grade” to understand such things; but He knew who would be His before we knew we were on His “list.” Don’t dwell too long on that thought; just believe it and enjoy it. What should occupy us now is possessing a “heart of compassion and kindness” toward others, wrapped in “humility, gentleness and patience.”

Being “in Christ,” however, does not automatically indicate the abstinence of worldliness. It truly includes the need to tolerate the spiritual weaknesses in others, especially with those who have yet to come to faith in Christ themselves! Yes, there’s work involved! As the song says, “It’s not an easy road;” yet, it’s thoroughly beneficial. What’s more, it’s peaceful. The incalculable weight of sin is gone! Those worries and fears that sin heaped heavily upon us are now manageable: we simply give them to Christ! Nothing is too weighty for Him!

Further, we are at peace within ourselves; and that allows us to be at peace with others, regardless of how they respond to us or life’s situations. We simply bask in the Word, filling our hearts and souls with the sweet riches of His incalculable love. In time, what others see of Him in us prompts them to desire Him for themselves. Yes, we are to encourage them; but, it’s ultimately their responsibility to turn from sin and submerge themselves in His everlasting Love! God bless!

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,

Romans 8:1-9, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6 aFor the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

Where is your mind? No, I’m not speaking about the physical location of your brain; I mean the mind with which you think and calculate and activate the various aspects of human thought. Is your mind on the past election, or where some huge AI complex will soon be built? Or is your mind on the spiritual aspects of the world around you –especially, is it on your own life, and what you are doing or ought to be doing at this particular time the LORD has given you?

I’m sure you will agree with me that we all waste a lot of time! We set out to do worthwhile things, but allow ourselves to become distracted, so that time passes faster than we had calculated. Believe me, when I say that the passing of time is the standard condition of those who have advanced in age. Yet, the Holy Spirit lives within all born-again believers, urging us all to focus on spiritual things that have the greater value.

I have had some exciting opportunities to witness this past week. Most were of a casual nature; still, the recipients were quite aware of the One Whom I was proclaiming. It was only what the Holy Spirit led me to say in that moment. The value of any witness lies in it’s clarity of focus accompanied with a warm and loving attitude. God bless you as you share Jesus Christ this week!

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 11:13-20, “If you would direct your heart right and spread out your hand to Him,

14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness dwell in your tents;

15 “Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, and you would be steadfast and not fear.

16 “For you would forget your trouble, as waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

17 “Your life would be brighter than noonday; darkness would be like the morning.

18 “Then you would trust, because there is hope; and you would look around and rest securely.

19 “You would lie down and none would disturb you, and many would entreat your favor.

20 “But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and there will be no escape for them; and their hope is to breathe their last.”

With all the troubles that surround our world today, the ageless words from the lips of Job beg our indulgence. What’s more, we must hurry! Time is running out! Get rid of all iniquity! Put your hand into the Hand of the LORD and forsake all evil. Let the thoughts of your mind and the deeds of your heart and hands be directed by the Spirit of God Who indwells your life! Surround yourself with loving, honest, God-fearing people, who will support your endeavors—people who align with your life in Christ and will support life devoid of fear.

Trouble that now seeks to surround and smother you, will then be erased. Life will be bright; trust and hope will enter the caverns of life that were once encumbered with fear and insecurity. Rest will encompass you entirely! Fear and uncertainty will be dispelled. Peace will replace hopelessness. Your life will experience a “resurrection!”

I had no idea how much Jesus Christ would ultimately mean to my life, my family or my ministry until I placed my full trust in Him. It was something like flying: if you never look down, trouble will be replaced by peace; and peace has its own reward.

“Great peace have they which love thy law:

And nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165).

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,

Ezra 4:1-5, “Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the LORD God of Israel,

2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, ‘Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.’

3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, ‘You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.’

4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from building,

5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

Sometimes what looks good from the outside is no good altogether. Let’s say that you are engaged in a project that you had never before undertaken. A person sees what you’re intending and immediately offers to help. You appreciate his willingness to assist you, but soon learn that he has no idea whatever to do. He’s just going to hinder your progress altogether and ruin your day!

This is what nearly occurred when the tribes of Judah and Benjamin determined to build a temple to the LORD! Zerubbabel and Company wanted to oblige Judah and Benjamin with help which they neither asked nor wanted. When they were told no, they changed from “advocates” to “antagonists,” and brought discouragement and all manner of hindrances to the Judeans. This is a common derailment that occurs against Christian endeavors today. Someone somewhere learns of the LORD’s plan for His people and throws every possible obstacle in the way. Sometimes it’s financial; sometimes it’s simply political. Always it’s demonic! Satan is clever. He’s also brutal!

Nevertheless, the LORD will ultimately prevail! Thus, we, His people, must persevere. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psa. 46:1). When we have sincerely and prayerfully sought and received the LORD’s counsel to go forward, we may do so without hesitancy; for He goes before us, breaking down all barriers and enabling us to prosper. There is no power that can prevail against the LORD! Our trust must always be in Him alone!

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 1:7-16, “…the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,

8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,

9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.

12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,

14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”

The “overseer,” of whom Titus speaks, was a superintendent, who saw that everything and every-one was as they ought to be and in the proper place. Notice that there were five “negatives” that he was to avoid and seven “positives” that he was to employ at all times. Opposition to the LORD’s work was constantly present; thus, the superintendent was there to promote sound doctrine and to refute all who would seek to contradict it. Pastors and deacons today are charged with much the same responsibility.

If true believers will avail themselves of the opportunities, they, too, will serve well when they put down those who teach and promote false doctrine. That “they must be silenced” is, without a doubt, correct even today. Many a congregation has been virtually destroyed because of the hustlers, who upset the faithful with their false doctrine. Satan is real! And his efforts to thwart the work of the LORD are present wherever the LORD’s Truth is believed and taught. Be ALERT!

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