The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 31:2-3, “Incline Thine ear to me, rescue me quickly; Be Thou to me a rock of strength, A stronghold to save me. 3 For Thou art my rock and my fortress; For Thy name’s sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me.”

The rescue of the Thai soccer team and their coach is reason to praise the LORD. Although a worldwide effort was convened to humanly assist the rescue, it was the LORD who held back the waters that were feared would come and make it impossible to save their lives.

We are prone to praise what we see; but so often what we do not see is where the praise is due. The LORD alone knows how many Christian believers prayed for the trapped boys. The LORD alone knows how many of the boys looked beyond themselves for hope. We have received no word on the demeanor of the boys, as days went by. Surely, they were scared. Did anyone even know where they were? We may never know these things. What we do know is that the prayers of believers touched the heart of God. He alone is to be praised!

The most important factor, however, is that thousands of young people throughout the world need to be spiritually rescued. The LORD has revealed Himself to every one (read Romans 1:19, “… that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them”). Still, thousands die daily without the LORD, which is far worse than being trapped for weeks in a cave. Who do you know that doesn’t know Jesus? Are you thinking about them? Are you praying for them?

I’ve previously told you about Amber, the Chinese lady who trusted Christ via Skype. The message I sent to her, I am attaching with this letter. I want to challenge you to send it to friends you know who do not know Jesus Christ. Remember, they are trapped in sin and desperately need rescuing! Send them a note (“I’ve been thinking about you and praying that you may come to know Jesus.). Be a partner in their rescue! Someone shared Jesus with you. Now, it’s your turn to share Him with someone else. God bless you!

We’re praying daily for you, and we’ll be praying for your friends,

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,

Acts 17:17-23, “And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. And some were saying, “What would this idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”– because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? 20 “For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; we want to know therefore what these things mean.”

21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

22 And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, ‘Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.’”

Evangelism is not easy. The kind of evangelism in which I was engaged for many years, was quite different from Paul’s. I went into churches to preach. Church members invited lost friends to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. Paul was in enemy territory. Yes, he preached in Jewish synagogues, too, but even there he encountered opposition.

Anytime Jesus Christ is proclaimed there is opposition! The philosophers that Paul engaged in Athens opposed his message, still they openly said, “We want to know.” Obviously, the LORD was working on them to bring them to faith in Jesus. You and I have encountered people who stubbornly resisted our message about Jesus; yet, in their hearts they really want to know what it’s all about.

Paul began his message by leveraging off of the Athenians’ “Unknown god.” When we witness, we need to find common ground with our hearers. (“Where do you attend church?”) Then we can move forward and tell them about Jesus (“That’s fine. When did you come to know Him?”) However they respond, you can proceed to tell them how you came to know Him. Always be loving, as He is to you.

Far down in this passage (vv. 32-34), we learn the results of Paul’s witness. Some sneered. Some believed. It will always be this way. But the value of those won to faith in Christ always outweighs the hurt of those who sneer and reject Him. He is alive! And He will prove it to all who will believe.

We pray earnestly for you every day,

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,

Acts 20:7-12, “And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.

8 And there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together.

9 And there was a certain young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor, and was picked up dead.

10 But Paul went down and fell upon him and after embracing him, he said, ‘Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.’

11 And when he had gone back up, and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.

12 And they took away the boy alive and were greatly comforted.”

The situation with the Thai soccer players trapped in a cave has been all over recent news. The lives of many rescue teams from many countries have been involved in helping to extract them from a huge and dangerous cave. Thus far, one rescurer has died, while a few of the boys have been saved.

Preaching, too, is serious business. Emergencies sometimes occur during preaching. I remember a lady passing out during a service when I was about 15 years old. A man had a seizure during my preaching,

and everything stopped until he could be properly attended. These are not easy situations with which to grapple.

In our passage above, Paul preached longer than usual. His intended departure the next day required it.

Eutychus was sitting where he could get some fresh air, although the air was likely warm. He fell asleep and fell out the window to the ground below. Some few raced to help him, thinking he was surely dead. Paul’s examination, however, revealed that the boy was not dead, and he then resumed his preaching until daybreak.

What Eutychus encountered was not sufficiently serious as to terminate Paul’s message. It might well be viewed as having been a Satanic endeavor to interrupt what the LORD had put on Paul’s heart to share. There are no “accidents” in God’s economy. The situation might also be viewed as having been allowed in the presence of Christian people, who would be concerned for the boy’s welfare.

We cannot always be fully prepared for medical emergencies. But we can help prepare others for spiritual emergencies that will come their way by sharing the Good News of Jesus and His love. I’ve witnessed to people I’ve encountered only once. What subsequently happened to them, I have no idea. That’s why we need to say and do what the Holy Spirit leads us to do at the time. Our job is to share Christ’s “rescue message”; the Holy Spirit alone can draw them to Christ in saving faith.

Remember that you are a vital rescurer in God’s eternal plan. Lovingly share the news of His salvation rescue! It just might be the last opportunity someone has to respond.

Praying 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.”

Dear Grands,

James 1:22-25, “…prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.”

When was the last time you looked at yourself in a mirror? Do you remember how you looked? Maybe you better look again. James relates our looking at ourselves in a mirror to one who hears without doing. We listen carefully to our pastors as they tell us what God’s Word says, but are we doing what that Word says we are to do?

I remember a conversation from years past. Someone was defending himself by saying: “I don’t drink! I don’t smoke! I don’t use curse! I don’t steal! I don’t—” when he was abruptly interrupted by someone who asked, “Hey, what do you do?” Think about that. We may have temporarily conquored some things, and that is good. But what are we doing that is beneficial to the lives of others? What are we doing that brings honor and glory to Almighty God? It’s that mirror thing again. We can’t just keep going back again and again, relying on what we don’t do! We need to move forward and become true doers, sharing what we know of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Don’t think you can? There’s an old song’s chorus comes to mind:

Ask the Savior to help you,

Comfort, strengthen and keep you;

He is willing to aid you.

He will carry you through.

Praying for you and for our nation and her leaders,

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,

Hebrews 13:1-5, “Let love of the brethren continue.

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

It is my studied belief that the Apostle Paul wrote Hebrews. He is coming to the end of his life and he wants desperately to convey to his fellow-believers the things that matter. Love other believers is his initial instruction. Then love strangers by showing them hospitality. Feed and shelter them because you never know how important those strangers may be. Don’t forget those who are in prisons for their faith. Put yourself in their place. Think of yourself as if you were a prisoner with them. Be faithful in your marriage. Let your love be focused on your marriage partner, not on others. And finally, keep your character free from the love of money. Live within your means and be satisfied. The LORD will provide everything you need. He will never forsake you!

Reading this we might ask, “Paul, what’s wrong with being rich? Wasn’t Abraham rich? Wasn’t Solomon rich? What’s wrong with my having money like they did?” If you’re reading closely what he wrote, you’ll see that he does not say there is anything wrong with being rich. Rather, he says don’t fall in love with money! The Bible says, “…remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth…” (Psa. 37:25). And if He is responsible for the money you have, what you do with it is also His business. So, set your focus on Him, not on what He has given you! The psalmist says, “I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread” (Psa. 37:25).

No, money itself is not evil, but “…the love of money is the root of all evil…” and many who have coveted wealth, have fallen away from the faith, and have brought many sorrows into their own lives (1 Tim. 6:10). Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you…” For the standard your set will be used against you in return (Lk. 6:38). Think about it!

We love and pray earnestly for you every day,

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.”