The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Jeremiah 33:3, “’Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

James 4:2c-3a, “You do not have because you do not ask…You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives,”

If you need anything, just give me a call. You know where I am. How many times have you had someone say this to you? But when you called, they did not answer or did not return you call. Were they really sincere? Or was it just someone “blowing smoke,” as it were? It sounded big and encouraging at the time, but fizzled out when the need was real.

Jeremiah was imprisoned when the LORD said to him, “Call to Me, and I will answer you.” The LORD already knew his situation and his needs. He was ready and available, but the first move was Jeremiah’s. How much we miss because we fail to call on the LORD! For one thing, we don’t know how much we don’t know. What about those guys who said to call them? They spoke big, but when you called, they didn’t answer. The simple answer is: we called the wrong person. Yet, you say, “But I did call! I called the LORD! I poured out my heart to Him, but He didn’t answer either.” What could be wrong?

It’s interesting how the answer to Old Testament questions are often found in the New Testament. James’ answer to our dilemma is two-fold: first, “You do not have because you do not ask…“ ”But, I have!” you say. “I have asked again and again. Why am I not hearing from God?” James then concludes that you “do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.” Think about it: Why do you ask what you ask? Is it for the LORD’s glory, or is it simply a selfish, self-serving request? Examine your motives carefully. Why do I want what I’m asking the LORD to give?

It’s embarrassing to say, but I once saw a car that I just couldn’t do without! I reckoned that with this nice, big sleek auto –and it was nice!– I could better witness to people about the LORD. Can you imagine anything so dumb? What would the possession of a car –any car—have to do with witnessing to others? Absolutely nothing! My motive was simply an excuse to get what I wanted. How did it all work out? Well, I got the car. It was nice; but I sort of forgot about the witnessing thing. As for the car itself, it would pass anything on the road, except the gasoline stations! It cost me money! I learned an expensive lesson. So, check your motives. Then, call on the LORD. He does know a lot more than you do! And He will “tell you great and mighty things, which you do not (currently) know.” God bless you!

Prayerfully yours always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 71:17-18, “O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth;

And I still declare Thy wondrous deeds.

18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Thy strength to this generation, Thy power to all who are to come.”

It is the nature of young people to ahead in anticipation of what is to come.

It is the nature of old people to look back upon what has and has not been

accomplished in their lifetime.

David was reared in a godly home. His parents taught him the ways of the LORD.

As he grew older, the LORD Himself taught David, and he grew to be “a man

after God’s own heart.” He declared the LORD’s wondrous works to all with

whom he came into contact. As he writes this psalm, he is still in his prime, for

he anticipates that he will one day be “old and gray.”

I currently correspond with others who, like myself, are “old and gray.” It is

interesting to hear their stories –men, some of whom I’ve never known, but with

whom I now have contact because my age is within their realm. None of them

have forsaken the LORD. Nor has He forsaken them! Their work continues; they

are praising the LORD despite troubles and health issues that have encompassed

their lives. One elderly scholar is continuing to translate the Greek Scriptures!!

Others continue to preach and/or write books.

It is the responsibility of each generation to work diligently in sharing the Gospel.

We who are elderly have witnessed the power and glory of the LORD in our

lifetime. Now, we are seeking to share Him and His workings with the young.

Let me urge those of you who are young(er) to learn all you can of the LORD.

For the mantle of responsibility will soon be yours alone.

We love you unreservedly, and pray for you incessantly,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Genesis 8:15-19, “Then God spoke to Noah, saying,

16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.

17 “Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him.

19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by their families

from the ark.”

first time in all of Scripture that the word “family” appears. The ark was designed to protect the family of Noah

from the judgmental flood that the LORD was determined to bring upon the Earth. Today, the family is under

attack from a flood of satanic evil unlike anything the world has ever experienced. The fires of the god Molech

in which parents sacrificed their children have reached our 21st century. Divorce, abortion, abandonment and

political expediency have replaced Molech’s fires. Who really cares for children today?

When I was a child, we used to have family reunions. They were never to us kids what they were to our parents,

because we had no idea who the other kids were, but our parents mingled and talked with those they knew and

were introduced to others they had not known or had not seen in years. I remember many gatherings at gravesites

of departed family members –many of whom I had no knowledge at all. But funerals and burials were occasions for families to reunite. Such occasions are fewer today. The concerns of the past are slipping from our culture. Yet, the LORD is working to preserve families. When storms approach, animals gather with those of their own for protection.

It used to be that way with the human family.

We cannot control everything that occurs within our human families. But we can control some factors by allowing

the LORD to control us, our attitudes, and our love toward others. Work diligently to protect your family. For He is

just as concerned for families today as He was in Noah’s day. The LORD is our ark of safety and preservation.

Yield yourself to His call upon your life. That is your responsibility for preserving your family.

We pray for you and your family; we appreciate your prayers for us as well,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 37:7-11, “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

9 For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for his place,

and he will not be there.

11 But the humble will inherit the land, and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”

Probably all of us have been upset at times when we see unrighteous people prosper.

Why does he have so much and I have so little? He doesn’t go to church or even give

evidence that he believes in God; amd he’s known to be crooked in business, yet everything

he does seems to produce more and more.

“Be patient,” the psalmist says. “Don’t get upset because other have more than you.

Don’t even worry that their methods of making money are dishonest. Don’t get angry!

It only leads to your own evildoing.”

Evildoers only prosper for a little while. They will ultimately lose it all. Only those who wait

patiently for the LORD to work will prosper and actually inherit the land. You hear today

of the big money people; sometimes, you will even learn how they schemed to make it

and worked around the law and got away with it. But in a short while, you’ll stop hearing

about them because they’re nowhere to be found. Death will have become the great

equalizer.

Don’t ever plan to get even. Don’t worry about the dishonest or what riches they have

amassed for themselves. It’s the humble ones who will inherit the land; and they will

then delight themselves in prosperity that the LORD has provided. And what He gives

us will be superabundantly beyond the possessions of those who never knew Him.

We always pray for you, and we know the LORD hears and answers prayer,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 34:8-10, “O taste and see that the LORD is good;

How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

9 O fear the LORD, you His saints;

For to those who fear Him, there is no want.

10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;

But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.”

I was blessed to have been born into a Christian family. From the

earliest of my remembrances, I was taught that God’s Word, the

Bible, was without error and that the LORD Himself could always

be relied upon to hear and answer prayer.

Now in my 80th cycle of life, I can attest to the truth and value of

that teaching. I can honestly say with the psalmist, “O taste and

see that the LORD is good.” How blessed I have been! The LORD

has been my refuge in multiple troubles –some of which were of

my own making. Yet, His Word is true when it says, “For those

who fear Him, there is no want” –no “want of any good thing” to

those “who seek the LORD.”

Not everything I wanted as a child was good for me. The LORD

protected me through my parents’ guidance and prayers. But,

while we were poor by the world’s standards, we were rich beyond

words in the LORD! The care I received was well beyond that of

“the young lions.” Looking back, I can understand what I could not

understand as a child. I was walking by faith in the LORD through

my parents. As I grew older, I learned to walk by directly by faith

in the LORD. “O taste and see that the LORD is good!”

Love prompts our prayers for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”