Archive for December, 2018


The Grands Letter (GLJ)

on December 3, 2018 6:57 am (CST)
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Dear Grands,

Galatians 1:1-5, Paul, an apostle (not sent from men, nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

2 and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ,

4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

5 to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.”

Who gave you the authority to –? You have undoubtedly heard that more than once in your life. And you may hear it again. When I became dean of the faculty at Northeastern Bible College, I quickly saw that some changes were needed in my area. I began by announcing that I had been hired by the president of the college and I was there to work with them in carrying out the responsibilities of the academic area.

Authority must be ascerted, but it must rest upon an even higher authority.

Paul does precisely this when he commences his letter to the Galatian Church. He announces that he is an apostle sent from the LORD Jesus Christ. The word apostle has a history in sailing. Ultimately, it came to mean “one sent on a mission by a higher authority.” With Paul, that authority rested in the LORD Jesus, whom God the Father had given to be the sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. Jesus proved His authority by arising from the dead.

Now, upon that Supreme Authority, Paul announces that the Grace of God is extended to the Galatians, and to all mankind. The “to you” literally means “to your advantage.” God’s grace is always to man’s advantage. Someone arranged the word “grace” into an acrostic: God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense.” What could be more advantageous to us than that? God’s grace then produces “peace” in us. The psalmist had said it in Old Testament times:

“Those who love Thy law have great peace,

And nothing causes them to stumble” (Psa. 119:165).

Those who believe on the LORD Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior have a peace that cannot ultimately be distrubed. Along with that peace, Christ redeemed us from sin and its grip. All of what He did for us, He did “according to the will of our God and Father…”

Satan himself is under the supreme authority of our LORD Jesus Christ! He cannot move against us in any way unless the LORD allows it. When He does allow it, it is largely as a punishment for our lapse back into sin. Yet, even then, the glory of the LORD arises leading Paul to say, “to Whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.” What a Savior we serve! What blessing He bestows upon our lives! What then hinders us from sharing His blessing with others? “Onward and Upward” are His marching orders! Let’s get in step and get started!

Our prayers continue for you,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & 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.”

FW: The Grands Letter (GLJ)

on December 2, 2018 9:55 pm (CST)
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Technical difficulties have prohibited its issue until now. ~Gene

The Grands Letter (GLJ)

on December 2, 2018 9:38 am (CST)
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Dear Grands,

Psalm 17:1-8, “Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry;

Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips.

2 Let my 1judgment come forth from Thy presence; Let Thine eyes look with equity.

3 Thou hast tried my heart; Thou hast visited me by night; Thou hast tested me and

dost find 1nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

4 As for the deeds of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept from the paths of the violent.

5 My steps have held fast to Thy paths. My feet have not slipped.

6 I have called upon Thee, for Thou wilt answer me, O God; Incline

Thine ear to me, hear my speech.

7 Wondrously show Thy lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge

at Thy right hand From those who rise up against them.

8 Keep me as 1the apple of the eye; Hide me bin the shadow of Thy wings…”

I have never been tried before a court of law. Certainly, I have been in court, sometimes

to accompany friends, who were being tried, and sometimes just for the experience.

David had presented himself before the LORD for He was the Supreme Judge, and David

wished for honesty in judgment. He knew he could realize justise before the LORD.

Sometimes we experience condemnation because we have done wrong and deserve

judgment. But David offers evidence of his innocence. I have said and done nothing

that was worthy of condemnation before You, he said. I have lived according to Your

Word and I have not frequented those places that lie outside of your will for me. That

Is why I have called upon you to hear my plea for justice and be released.

When we live according the manner David in this passage, we can approach the LORD

for justice with the assurance that He will be honest and righteous in his treatment.

His judgments are only to be feared when we live according to those things that David

avoided. Living righteously assures us that we will be viewed as “the apple of His eye”

and will be protected by “the shadow of (His) wings.” May our Blessed LORD protect

you today and throughout your walk with Him.

Prayerfully yours always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

The Grands Letter (GLJ)

on December 1, 2018 6:29 am (CST)
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Dear Grands,

Psalm 146:1-10, “Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

2 I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.

5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God;

6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever;

7 Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets

the prisoners free.

8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;

The LORD loves the righteous;

9 The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow; But He thwarts

the way of the wicked.

10 The LORD will reign forever, Thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

It is true, is it not, that the focus of our lives is more upon trouble than upon triumph? The

daily flow of news is more about what is wrong in our world than what is right. I seem to

recall a newspaper that some years ago determined to print only good things, but it went

out of circulation, due to the loss of readership.

It is true that the Bible itself contains some bad things, but it never promotes them; it simply

cites how evil came to be and why the LORD sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for

man who embraces evil instead of good. Yet, the overall emphasis of Holy Scripture is on

the LORD and how He wills for all mankind to embrace Him and His truths as in Scripture.

In the verses above, David commences with praise to the LORD (vv. 1-2). He then warns

us against trusting in mortal men, who themselves are not only unable to save others, but

have need of salvation themselves (vv. 3-4). This might even apply to what others write

concerning the meaning of Scripture. I’ve written a lot of stuff about the Bible, but nothing

I or anyone else has written is more beneficial to a reader than the Scripture itself. That is

why the majority of verses in this psalm (vv. 5-10) involve what the LORD has done and

is doing in our lives. He alone is to be praised for all His love and benefits toward man.

There is no end –no death—to the LORD! His nature is eternal, and His love never

ceases! How can we not with the psalmist shout: “Praise the LORD”?

We love and pray for your daily; He loves and provides for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & 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.”

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