The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Nehemiah 8:5, 8, 10, “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people

for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people

stood up…. “And they read from the book, from the law of God, translating to

give the sense so that they understood the reading…. “’…Do not be grieved,

for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’”

As Nehemiah and the people were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, they

discovered the Book of the Law. The reverence they had for the LORD’s

Word is evidenced by their spontaneous standing when the Book was

Opened. Nehemiah then read from the Book and the people understood

the meaning and began repenting of their sin, their failure to have lived

according to the LORD’s direction. They wept openly and profusely!

Then Nehemiah said, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your

strength.

Sin crushes joy. People often laugh while they are sinning, but it is a

hollow, empty laughter. It is the attempt to make themselves feel

good when they really feel empty and ashamed. A cadet asked me

only last night, “How do we know the difference between right and

wrong?” It was a honest question. My answer was that there is an

unique thing called conscience, which we all have that directs us.

But there is more to be said. The Bible is God’s directive to us just

as it was to the people in Nehemiah’s day. Further, when we come

to know Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit enters our lives; and it

is He who strengthens our conscience and reveals what is right and

what is wrong in every situation.

To be joyful, we must read God’s instructions, and repent before Him

for the sin in our lives. Then the “joy of the LORD (becomes) our

strength.” The secret of joy is the secret of success.

We love 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.”