The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

James 4:13-17, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’

14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

15 Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.’

16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Today is the last day of the year 2018. Many people will be examining their past and resolving to do differently in the coming year. It’s a noble gesture, but an intended resolution within itself is not sufficient. James notes for us the open determination of men who say, “This is what we’re going to do”; but they fail to take into account that life itself is not under their control. The most earnest intention that omits the LORD is doomed to failure. In fact, without inclusion of the LORD, man is simply boasting.

Mark (7:21-23) says, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

There are two basic words for evil in the New Testament: ????? (kakos), which deals with inward thoughts, which may be only known to the person who has such thoughts. Then, there is ??????? (poneros), which when made known to others, produces evil within them as well.

How then are we to activate our good intentions with all of this evil within us and surrounding us? We do right when we stay focused upon Him who IS right! Refuse to watch things that are evil; refuse to listen to things that are evil. Stay focused on Jesus and His Word! It is more than a “resolution”; it is a moment-by-moment, day-by-day focus. Satan is clever. He not only produces filth that masks and covers the will of God, he “feeds” it to us in small bites, one after the other, until we begin to like the “taste.” But in the end, we suffer loss, and he laughs at our weakened, spiritual situation.

Be smart! This new year could be our last on Earth. We will then stand before the LORD. What excuse will we give to Him when His instructions are so clear?

We love you and continue to pray for your spiritual growth,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

desire. If you do not wish to receive it, you may simply say so. I will not be offended. ~ Gene

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.”