The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 2:14-15, “But thanks be to God, who always leads

us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma

of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a fragrance

of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among

those who are perishing…”

You stink! You need a bath! Did you ever hear words like these

from your mother? Believe me, I have! And I learned quickly that

it was better coming from someone who loved you than from anyone

else. The Apostle Paul thanks the LORD, who “manifests through

us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of (Christ)” everywhere we

go. Of course, Paul is speaking metaphorically. But look at what

he says: the LORD gives us the knowledge of Himself, and that

knowledge permeates the atmosphere everywhere we go. This

knowledge is like a beautiful aroma to all with whom we come in

contact. It excels the most gorgeous perfume. The lost and the

saved alike notice the difference in our lives. That’s what gives

us the opportunity to share the Gospel with the lost and more of

the knowledge of Him to the saved. Either way, we exemplify

Him, and He is glorified!

May you radiate a “sweet” smell today everywhere you go!

We love you always, but more easily when you “smell sweetly,”

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,

immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that

your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

Paul addresses so many things in his Corinthian letters. He talks

about temptation, about conscience, about freedoms, and about

marriage. But, as with all of his epistles, he comes to a grand and

glorious conclusion. His love for these believers in Corinth is true,

and his admonition is based in that love. Be steadfast! Be firm!

Don’t move away from what you believe. When other leave the

faith, you “sit still.” Be stubbornly resistant to anything contrary

to the way of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. At all times, be “over

and above” (immovable) in your work for the LORD! Don’t settle

for the minimum! Always believe more, do more! And be

confident that nothing you do by the urging of the Holy Spirit and

for the glory of the LORD will ever be empty or without profit. It

may not always appear profitable, but it is because the LORD is

all over what you are and say and do! Abound for Him today!

Love and prayers always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 3:21-23, “So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you,

22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or

things to come; all things belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.”

I will spare you the difficulties I have had over the years with understanding these verses.

Yet, Ellicott’s Commentary opens my understanding. Read the following carefully, slowly.

Let every sentence sink into your mind and heart. Powerful stuff this!

“Be it wisdom, be it light, be it power, be it victory over sin, be it a matter of this world, or of the world to come, all is in Christ. Having Christ, we have all things; bereft of Christ, we have absolutely nothing. All things are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. Well, then, what is the result for me? I am poor, it may be. Yet all the fortunes of this world are mine; for they are Christ’s, who Himself is God’s, and who could easily give them all to me, with Himself, if they would serve my interests. The whole world, with all its glories, with all its power, belongs to me; for it belongs to my Father, who will give it me tomorrow, and could give it me to-day, if that were good for me. I am very ill, it may be. Yet health is mine, strength is mine, comfort is mine, a perfect enjoyment of all the blessings of life is mine; for all this belongs to Christ, who belongs to God, and who disposes of it as He will. If He withholds these things from me to-day, for a fleeting moment, swift as the shuttle in the loom, and for reasons wholly of His own; it is because these pains and this bitterness conceal a benediction worth more to me than the health so precious, than the comfort so delightful.… I challenge you to find a thing of which I cannot say: This is my Father’s; therefore, it is mine; if He withholds it to-day, He will give it me to-morrow. I trust myself to His love. All is mine, if I am His.”

God bless you abundantly –as He wills,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

I Corinthians 1:4-5a, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God

which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him…”

Solomon said, “Grandchildren are the crown of old men…” (Prov. 17:6). And it is

true of women, also. We join with Paul in thanking God for all of you and for the

grace of God in bringing you to salvation in Him. Paul extends the thought, saying

that not only has He saved you, He has enriched you in everything! When we use

the word “rich,” we probably think first of money. But the LORD’s enrichment is

far more than that! He has enriched you with health and strength; He has enriched

you with the ability to learn, to speak, to write, to think clearly, to envision and develop

things not yet known to others. What’s more (and most important), He has confirmed

in you “the testimony concerning Christ.” You have something to share! And the more

you share it, the more resources you have. It’s like, the more we give, the more we

have. Yes, that works with money, too. But money is expendable. It can be misused;

it can dry up. But the spiritual resource we have in Christ are always there! Think of

your heritage! To be sure, Nana and I thank the LORD for you every day! So do your

parents; but, your heritage in the LORD is greater than all of our enrichment in you.

Our love and prayers will always be there for each of you,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,

nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come,

nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will

be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus

our Lord.”

Separation is often an excruciating experience! Today I received

an email from a missionary in Papua New Guinea. He had been

here in the States temporarily, due to the illness of his wife. Now,

he’s back on the field –but without his wife. Her illness would not

allow her to return. They are separated by thousands of miles!

And for how long, nobody knows. I know that feeling!

In our verses above, the Apostle Paul covers every intrusive thing

that could possibly cause separation to befall us. Yet, he insists

that absolutely nothing can separate a believer in Jesus Christ from

the love of Almighty God! Salvation, therefore, is assurance of the

LORD’s ever-abiding love toward us, despite all circumstances.

We are hereby enabled to stand strong whatever may be working

against us. God has a plan for us. That’s all we need to know.

May the LORD bless mightily you today! We love and pray for you!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas