The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Colossians 1:15-16, “He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created,

both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether

thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been

created through Him and for Him.”

Someone recently sent me the most gorgeous underwater video

of some of God’s strange and glorious creations. You can see it

here: https://www.google.com/search?q=Dakuwaqa%27s+Garden&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8.

Strange creatures of the deep they are. And for what purpose did

He create them? Some day we will know. What we know now is

simply that the LORD Jesus Christ created them for Himself. Is that

not what the verses say? “…all things have been created through

Him and for Him.” So it is with you and me. We were created by

Him and for Him –not for ourselves, not even basically for others,

just for Him. That being so, the question comes: Are we living for

Him? Is He uppermost in our thoughts, our plans? Why were those

strange creatures of the deep created? Why were we? The only

explanation we have for why we are here is contained in His Book.

One day, Jesus is coming back; and we will be called to account

for our lives. Pray to know your place in God’s creation. Live

according to His directions in His Word. Share Him with others!

Be prepared for His Coming! Tomorrow is what we make it today!

We love you and pray for your daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Philippians 4:19-20, “And my God will supply all your needs

according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

How strange it is, when you think of it, that our minds cannot

see into the future, but can often remember the past. Mrs. Kane

was my Sunday School teacher when I was about age 13. I never

knew her Christian name; we all just called her “Sugar Kane.” She

was a sweet and kind lady –a former schoolteacher. Occasionally,

our pastor would forget a verse of Scripture in the midst of his

sermon, and Sugar Kane, sitting near the front, would speak up

and quote it for him. It was Sugar Kane who first taught me verse

19 above. “And my God will supply (make full, complete) all (every)

need (necessity) according to His riches (abundant wealth) in (through)

Christ Jesus.” Note well that the verse says “need,” not want. Oh,

there are a host of things we might want, but do we really need them?

What’s more, the things the LORD gives to us for our needs are

given that He might be glorified (vs. 20). Were I to give you

something that you truly needed, you would be benefited; but I

would be glorified in that I could give it. Thus, it is with Christ.

Examine your needs. Trust the LORD to provide them. Then,

praise Him for having provided them.

Practice these things this week! God bless you all!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard

your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Paul really knows how to pack things together, doesn’t he? He begins

by saying, Rejoice, always be glad. Don’t get discouraged about anything.

People will either see you as glad or depressed. Don’t be depressed!

The word near means near in time, not near in space. Every day we are

nearer to the time of His coming –an excellent reason to rejoice!

Don’t worry about anything, just pray. And don’t just pray once, keep

on praying (supplication). The LORD wants to know we are serious in

what we ask. Also, there is nothing like God’s peace. It is so superior,

it is far above all human understanding. Moreover, His peace protects

our hearts and thoughts –our purposes!—and keeps everything focused

on Christ Jesus! You say you don’t understand all of that? Well, didn’t

Paul say it was beyond our human understanding? Remember when

you were saved? It came by belief, didn’t it? Did you understand it all

then? No, but your experienced it! So it is with life in Christ. Don’t

worry about what you don’t understand, just rejoice!

May the LORD guide the thoughts of your mind today!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 5:16-17, “Therefore, be careful how you walk,

not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time,

because the days are evil. 17 So then, do not be foolish, but

understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Paul has written a lot of instruction to the Ephesian Christians

–and to us!—in these fourth and fifth chapters. He’s not finished

when he writes the two verses above. Be careful how you live!

Be wise in all you do! Make the most of your time! When Queen

Elizabeth I of England lay dying, her final words were: ‘All my

possessions for a moment of time.’ Hardly a godly woman,

she was undoubtedly thinking, ‘If I had just done this instead of

that.’ Paul is telling us to live so that we never have any regrets.

Don’t engage in foolish things. Focus on what the LORD wants

for your life –how He wants you to spend your time.

Paul’s focus was not fame or wealth for himself. He wanted to

live in such a way that one day, when he would stand face-to-face

in the presence of Jesus Christ, he might hear Christ say, “Well

done, good and faithful servant.” Those are the words we want

said to us, as well. But we have to start now if we are ever to hear

them.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me,

bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1).

We love you immensely!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…”

There are some today who believe that our nation is truly at war. It may be so,

depending upon how we define “war.” The Apostle Paul declares that, as believers,

we are always engaged in war. It’s just that we don’t use guns and bombs; we use

“divinely powerful” weapons that are far more destructive of the enemy Satan!

Speculations (???????? logismos) are thoughts and reasonings, human efforts that

are weapons provided to us by our enemy: wrong, illogical beliefs and systems of

belief that fly in the face of the revealed “knowledge of God.” How do we defeat

such things as these? We take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

Our minds, our eyes, our hands, our feet, our mouths –all must be dedicated fully

and completely to the things of Christ. When they are, HE conducts the battle!

Job (31:1ff) made a “covenant with (his) eyes.” He asks, “Does (God) not see my

ways and number all my steps?” He reasons that the LORD knows and governs

his ways. Therefore, if Job is to prosper, he must live in the way of the LORD. To

do otherwise, is sure destruction. That principle still operates with us.

We love you all and you are constantly in our prayers,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas