The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 9:25, “He answered and said, ‘Whether he be a sinner or no,

I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.’”

Jesus had healed a man who had been born blind. The Pharisees

were in a rage because it had been done on the Sabbath. They

interrogated the man again and again; and discovering that it was

Jesus who healed him, told him that Jesus was a sinner. His reply

was classic! I don’t know about that, he said, I only know that I

was blind and now I can see.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing; but we don’t have to know

everything –only one thing is truly important, and that is knowing

that we belong to Jesus! Sometimes we allow “knowledge” to get

into the way of Truth. I remember a pastor of mine saying, “Knowledge

without Christ makes smart devils.” That was the Pharisees’ problem.

They knew about the Law of Moses, but the one thing that was key to

everything else, they ignored –Jesus! ~ I would never discourage you

from learning. It is a vital acquisition in life. But knowing Jesus is far,

far more important. The man born blind became a disciple (learner)

of Jesus, and he witnessed to the Pharisees long before he knew all

that he was to learn from Him. Witnessing does not demand that we

know everything –just that one thing: my life has changed since I met

Jesus! People will hear what you say because they will see the change

in your life. That’s what it’s all about!

We pray that you will always see Jesus in us,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Numbers 32:23, “”But if you will not do so, behold,

you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your

sin will find you out.’”

Families should help one another. Members of families

should help each other. But some families in Israel did

not want to help other families because it meant going

to war. Moses then said, “…if you will not do so, behold,

you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure you sin

will find you out.” It’s a principle that carries over into

the New Testament and even into our own time. Whatever

we do that is against the LORD’s will, will surely come to

light.

This happened yesterday when former FBI Director James

Comey testified under oath before the Senate Intelligence

Committee. In the midst of answering a question, he openly

admitted that he leaked government information to a

friend, asking him to share it with a reporter for the New

York Times newspaper. Whether Mr. Comey at that precise

moment knew the implications of his testimony, the LORD

Himself only knows. But what he had done came out of his

own mouth and revealed him as having done wrong.

There’s just no way to get away with sin! Sooner or later,

what we do that’s wrong will come to light. We will then

be embarrassed –but, even worse, the LORD will hold us

accountable. “…be sure your sin will find you out.” Stay

clean. The LORD forgives us from our sin when we confess

it. The hurt and emptiness we feel when we sin is then

gone, and we are again clean. Praise the LORD for His

willingness to forgive and cleanse us!

Love and prayers always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 6:9, “’There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish,

but what are these for so many people?’”

Kids are everywhere in Israel! In fact, they are everywhere throughout

the Middle East. I remember on young lad asking me if I knew where

the USA was. Then he said, “It’s right in the middle of Jerusalem.” It’s

true; see if you can figure it out. ?? On this occasion, the large crowd

of “about 5000” that followed Jesus had become hungry. Philip reckoned

that 200 days’ wages would hardly be enough to feed everyone just a

little. Then Andrew, perhaps thinking he had discovered the answer,

excitedly said, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two

fish…” –but thinking further, said, “what are these for so many people?”

Jesus, of course, was Himself the key to the situation. He had turned

water into wine, so feeding 5000 people should be no problem. Notice,

however, that He used the lad and what he had. The lad had no objection.

It was honor for him just to be noticed. Now, he was to be used by the

Savior! In the end, the people were fed and twelve baskets were filled

with what was left over! ~ Jesus doesn’t need our money, our intellect,

our worldly possessions. He just needs us! Give yourself to Him! You’ll

be amazed at what He can do with you.

We love you abundantly and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 1:40-45, “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah ” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas ” (which is translated Peter).

43 The next day He purposed to go forth into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

What’s in a name? These verses above have significant meaning because

they indicate who and how they came to faith in Jesus. Andrew found Simon;

Philip found Nathanael. They were witnessing to family and friends that they

had found the Messiah. That in itself is greatly important. It’s what we ought

to do as well.

At the same time, the names had significance. Remember when John the

Baptist was born. His mother, Elizabeth, said his name was to be John.

Her friends said, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by

that name” (Lk. 1:61). But his father, Zacharias, said, “His name is John.”

And that was the end of it. John means “God’s grace.” He was to be the

forerunner of Jesus – the one who was to announce Him to the world.

The name that got me started down this “what’s-in-a-name-path” was the

name Nathaniel. It was every Jewish girl’s hope and prayer that she would

be the mother of the promised Messiah. Nathaniel’s mother hoped for that

and in anticipation that her son would be the Messiah, named him Nathaniel,

“gift of God.” But that was not to be. The angel had already notified Mary that

she was to be the Messiah’s mother.

Here are the meanings of the names in the verses above:

Simon – He who hears (Heb.)

Andrew – Valiant, courageous; manly (Gk.)

Peter – Rock, stone (Lat.)

Nathaniel – Gift of God (Heb.)

John – God’s Grace (Heb.)

James – Supplanter, substitute (Heb.)

Mary – Bitter (Heb.)

Joseph – He shall add (Heb.)

These links will help you to discover the meaning of your own name:

http://www.bible-history.com/

https://www.familyeducation.com/baby-names

What’s more important is that you live up to your name. Jesus is your

Key to doing just that.

Love and prayers always and ever,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into

being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light

of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not

comprehend it.”

What’s in a word? A whole lot more than you might imagine. In verse one,

John calls Jesus “the Word.” There are two words for word in Greek: one

is ???? (rhema), like in “Don’t say a word.” The one here is ????? (logos),

an expression of something meaningful; here, the message of God. There

are several words for “life”: ??? (zoe) is the opposite of death, and ???? (bios)

is the kind of life one lives –life style. The word “light” (??? (phos) means

both physical light and God as the source of light. It is the opposite of

?????? (scotia) and represents both the absence of physical light and the

Satanic realm. The word “comprehend” is ??????????? (katalambano)

means both “to grasp” something and “to understand” it.

Jesus was present in Heaven with the Father before the world was

brought into being. Everything we see and don’t see came from the

creative work of Jesus Christ. He is the very essence of true life; and His

life lights the right way for all mankind. Satan has plunged mankind into

utter spiritual darkness, and Jesus’ Light shows us the way out of darkness

(sinfulness). Still, mankind, being submerged in the darkness of sin, does

not understand the Truth the Light brings. We, who have believed upon

Jesus, are commissioned to share the Message of Life and Light with

others. The world will remain in darkness unless it comes to Jesus’ Light.

Let’s do our part in obeying His commission and bringing people into the

True Light!

Love and prayers always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”