The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 1:9-11, “I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,

11 saying, ‘Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.’”

Did you ever just feel alone? There’s an old Negro spiritual that says,

Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,

Nobody knows but Jesus.

Well, when we’re truly born-again in Christ Jesus, we are never alone! John identifies himself as our “fellow

partaker in the tribulation…” John was indeed a prisoner. He had been banished to the Island of Patmos. He was physically alone –at least for a time. But what seemed a prison to him became an opportunity to receive, write and relate a message God would give him for His people.

John was in the right attitude (“in the Spirit”), at the right time (“on the LORD’s day”). Moreover, he was tuned

to hear the voice that told him what to do (“Write in a book what you see”). We all have more free time than we realize. How do you use your free time? It is possible that John had never thought of writing a book. But his

attitude (“in the Spirit”) made him receptive to the LORD’s directive. Is this your attitude? Are you ready to do

what the LORD directs you to do?

There were seven select churches to which John was to send letters. Five of the seven were condemned; two were commended. The problems and turmoil of these churches were precisely the problems and turmoil the LORD’s churches face today. Further, each of the churches is representative of a chronical age from the first century to the end of time. All of this encourages us to read the Bible more often, to read it more carefully, to read it more thoughtfully, and to read it more obediently. Sincere Bible study will change your life for the better.

Do you need some change? You know what to do!

You are encompassed in our loving prayers every day,

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,

Revelation 1:1-3, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must shortly take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,

2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

The Book of Revelation is the Book of Uncovering. It is most notable among all the biblical books for telling

us what the future holds, what is coming to pass. The Book is in three parts: 1) The Things Which Have Been

(1:1-20); 2) The Thing Which are (2:1-3:22); and 3) The Things Which Shall Be Hereafter (4:1-22:21).

Even before he was converted, John was always quite outspoken. Here in these short three verses, he

twice mentions the soon Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. We should not be surprised to hear it from

John. But I was surprised to find a piece about Billy Graham in an Israeli email I regularly receive. It did not

go so far as to advocate salvation in Jesus Christ, but the mere positive mention of a Christian in a Jewish

paper was astounding! I took the opportunity to write to the paper’s editor and commend him for his piece

on Billy Graham. At the same time, I noted for him the words of Jesus, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God (Mark 12:34), and attached several pages of biblical prophecies where the Old Testament foretold of

Jesus. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Remember the promise and directive of verse three: “Blessed is he who reads…hear(s)…and heed(s) the

things written in Scripture. The time is nearer every day.

We love you and pray for you every, single day,

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,

Jude 3-4, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Did you ever start to write something and change your mind? What you intended to say was

suddenly superseded by something else –something more important. I had once asked a true

and trusted pastor to write a letter of recommendation for me. He readily agreed, but said that

when he sat down and started to write, the LORD “stayed his hand.” Physically, he could not

say what he intended. The letter was never sent. The LORD intervened miraculously, and the

course of my life was changed.

Jude’s writing was changed, too. His emphasis was that they should “contend earnestly for the

faith.” The word “contend” (????????????) means “make a strenuous effort.” The faith in our

LORD Jesus Christ is no trivial matter. It is a life or death situation –eternal life or death! But

How do we “contend”?

*1. Be mindful of the enemies (vv.17-19). Don’t believe everything you hear. There are many false teachers in the world. Many are personally attractive and give plausible teachings, yet their teachings do not agree with the Bible!
*2. Be strong (built up in the faith) (vv. 20-21). We gain spiritual strength by maintaining
*Bible studies and prayer. We must be stronger in believing the teachings of Jesus than
*those the false teachers are in their unbiblical beliefs. 3. Maintain an evangelistic spirit (vv. 22-23). Be like Peter, who said, “always be
*ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope
*that is in you…” (1 Peter 3:15).

Trust the LORD to keep you strong. Trust Him to give you understanding of His Word. And when

you encounter false teachings, you will know they are false, and you will know what to say and how

to say it. Be totally dependent on the Holy Spirit who lives within you, just as you are totally dependent

of your bank to keep save the money you have deposited. God bless you abundantly in all things!

Our loving prayers are for you and for your strength in Jesus Christ, our Savior,

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,

3 John 3-8, “For I was very glad when brethren came and bore witness to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;

6 and they bear witness to your love before the church; and you will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8 Therefore we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers with the truth.”

It is always beneficial to hear something good. John rejoiced when some believer gave him a good report of other believers. It’s delightful to receive word that people who have heard what we’ve said or viewed our behavior are profiting from what we’ve said or done. Especially is this true when our teaching has affected the lives of those whom we’ve never known. We never know who is watching us or who is taking in things that we say. That’s why we need to be careful to live as the LORD would have us live.

Our lives affect the Church and its influence upon the community. Those who come to know Christ through our witness often go afar, becoming evangelists or missionaries to people we ourselves could never reach. John

therefore urges us to support those whom we know that are reaching others. I have often urged young people

to stretch themselves beyond the tithe to their churches and adopt a missionary. You may not be able to give

much, but the LORD can multiply your gift. Furthermore, He is able and will multiply your earnings, enabling

you to increase your giving substantially. What a joy it is to learn of the value your gifts have been to others!

What is more, you will never suffer loss when you give! The woman who gave those mites (Luke 21:2) received the praise of the LORD. Can there ever be a reward greater than that?

Lovingly, we pray for you and your witness for Jesus,

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,

2 John 8-11, “Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

No apostle of Jesus Christ speaks more about love than the Apostle John. Remember, John and his brother,

James, were called “the sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). In time, they mellowed, and John is enabled to write of love and faithfulness. He wants us to lay hold of love, too. It is more powerful for accomplishing the LORD’s purpose than intellect or status of any kind. In his later life, John has learned how to live and behave as the LORD desired.

John warns that there are teachers (pastors, missionaries, professors, et al) who become arrogant and go beyond what the Scriptures teach. Many so-called Christian books today go beyond what the Bible teaches; and seeking to be among the “elite,” readers absorb these ideas in preference to the Scriptures.

John’s warning is serious, practical advice: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching (i.e., the

pure unadulterated teaching of Scripture), do not receive him into your house.” The last bastion of security

each of us has is his own home. Where do we run when we have not place to hide? Home! So, don’t let anyone enter, who would invade your house with false teaching.

One commentator writes: “He who denies Christ’s coming in the flesh, denies the possibility of the incarnation; he who denies that He has come, denies its actuality. They denied the possibility of a Messiah’s appearing, or coming, in the flesh. I think the Greek present participle implies both the first and the second advent of Christ. He is often elsewhere called the Coming One (Greek), Matthew 11:3 ; Hebrews 10:37 manifestation in the flesh, at His first coming, and of His personal advent again, constitutes Antichrist. “The world turns away from God and Christ, busily intent upon its own husks; but to OPPOSE God and Christ is of the leaven of Satan.”

We are never to be obnoxious or hateful toward unbelievers; but we are to keep them out of our houses and,

by doing so, reject their false doctrine. We’re not even to say “Goodbye,” which means “God bless you.” For to say that aligns us with their evil doctrine. Remember this when they knock on your door.

Prayerfully loving you, as we await Jesus’ Return,

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.”