The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 106:8-15, “He saved them for the sake of His name, That He might make His power known.

9 Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up; And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness.

10 So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11 And the waters covered their adversaries; Not one of them was left.

12 Then they believed His words; They sang His praise.

13 They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel,

14 But craved intensely in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert.

15 So He gave them their request, But sent a wasting disease among them.”

Have you not noticed that when people encounter trouble they inevitably cry, “Oh, my God”?

Interestingly, they cry that, but they have never praised Him for His goodness. They do not

know Him, yet instinctively they cry “my God!”

Think of the most devastating event you have ever faced in your life. Like those just mentioned,

you cried out to God. You confessed your sins and promised never to engage in them again.

You claimed you would break with sin and forever be what He wanted you to be. Remember?

Graciously, the LORD forgave you and erased the trouble that surrounded you. Ah, all was

then well. The grief that thundered against your life was replaced with peace – His peace.

You said, “Thank You” to the LORD. Then, what happened?

You “quickly forgot His works”; you “did not wait for His counsel.” Instead, you lapsed back

into your old ways. Those things you faithfully pledged to renounce, you engaged in again. It

was as if the LORD would not know. The crisis had passed and you had returned to your old

ways.

In time, you needed His help again. This time, you did not confess having strayed from Him

and His counsel. You simply prayed as if your relationship with Him was the same as when

you had confessed your sin. It was as if you thought He did not know –did not remember.

Suprisingly, He answered your prayer and provided Divine Assistance to your crisis. You

thought all was well between you and God. But there was a consequence you had overlooked—

a consequence He had not overlooked, and He “sent a wasting disease” into your life.

Translations differ on what “wasting disease” or “leanness of soul” (KJV) mean. Whatever

translation is the closest to the Hebrew, it means a severe consequence; loss of a job; loss of

money, sickness, accidents, death –all troubles that pour into your life like an avalanche!

Why? Because you tried to out-smart God. It just cannot be done! No matter how smart, how

well educated, how financially secure, how highly esteemed among your peers you are, you

cannot sin and get by. It may look for a time that God has forgotten. He has not! His memory

extends from before Creation and to forever. He paid for your sins –all of them– at Calvary.

But you must now live for Him every moment of every day. He loves you, and He has a divine

purpose for your life. Don’t miss it! You cannot win without Him.

We think and pray for you always,

Nana & Dado III

P. S. Rose Marie had her best day yesterday! She is now eating well, gaining strength, and returning

to her humorously mischievous ways. She is receiving praise from her health providers and from

her loving family, who visit her and pray for her recovery. We all thank you for your continuing

prayers.

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.”