The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 6:47-52, “And when it was evening, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48 And seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were frightened. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”

51 And He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were greatly astonished, 52 for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”

When will we learn? We take instruction from those who do, but never seem to grasp the fundamentals. “I’m just not a ‘math person,’” we say; or “I’ve never understood the principles of science. It’s just not my thing.”

The life of Jesus Christ overflowed with acts of mercy. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. He had just fed a multitude of people, using only five small pieces of bread and a few tiny fish. His disciples witnessed these miracles, yet when later they saw Him walking on the water, they perceived it to be a ghost, and were literally “scared to death.” They just never seemed to understand.

Aren’t we like that? If we take the time –ah, that’s part of our trouble: we live in the fast lane. We see, but quickly forget. There’s so much to interest us that we skip the “whys” in preference for the next keen item of attraction. We need to slow down and examine how the LORD is working in our lives. My guess is that the vast majority of Christian people don’t read more than a few verses from the Bible in a week. Maybe it’s less than that. How can we learn anything if we don’t devote some serious time to examining it?

What is said of those New Testament disciples can be said of us: “they had not gained any insight” from the miracles in their recent past. It’s not wrong for us to learn science or math from those who understand it. It’s not wrong to seek out doctors when we are sick. But we must always look beyond the human persons involved and view Jesus as the ultimate Author and Authority. “Slow down and smell the roses.” Remember that the “whats” in life will lead us to the “whys.” We gain true, spiritual insight when we see and understand Jesus.

We love you and hold you in our prayers,

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,

Mark 4:35-41, “And on that day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’

36 And leaving the multitude, they took Him along with them, just as He was, in the boat; and other boats were with Him.

37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.

38 And He Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’

39 And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

40 And He said to them, ‘Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?’

41 And they became very much afraid and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’”

Do you ever tired? I mean, so tired that you just fall asleep? Have you ever been so tired that you slept through a storm and didn’t know that it had rained at all until you awoke the next morning? I have. It’s a “human thing” to do. Yes, Jesus is God; but He is also human. And teaching all day as he had (read the whole chapter), He did the “human thing” and fell asleep in the boat.

Storms occur quite often on the Sea of Galilee, sometimes quite spontaneously. Winds were fierce, and waves of water were splashing over and into the boat. Jesus was asleep in the stern, and the disciples were afraid. So they awakend Him, alerting Him to the situation. Siopao! Phimoo! Be silent! Be muzzled! And with two words He stilled the storm and peace prevailed like a warm blanket on a cold night.

“Why are you so fearful,” He asked. “Do you possess no faith?” John, who was on that boat that night, later wrote, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world– our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4).

Whatever storms you may encounter, faith in the authority of Christ will deal with it.

“But, I’ve tried that,” you say, “and I’m still in the storm.” Remember that His ways and His purposes are not always known to us. I don’t have to know how or why a surgeon does what he does, I just have to have faith in the surgeon. So it is with the LORD. Read His Word! Repent of all known sin in your life! Rely totally upon Him! “He has done all things well” (Mk. 7:37).

Prayerfully and lovingly yours,

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,

Romans 12:19-21, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.’

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

It’s really too bad that I’ve had to live so long to understand how much wisdom my mother had. She was not a philosopher; she was a teacher, and she poured so much of what she knew into me – yet, the obstreperous youth that I was, I seethed to get even with those who did me wrong.

My dad’s father was a blacksmith. He had discovered just the right moment to temper steel, so that it lasted longer for its intended purpose. When I left home to start life on my own, my dad said to me, “Son, remember, a man is like steel: he has to have temper to be any good, but never any good if he loses it.”

Obviously, I have never forgotten both instructions, but my intemperate self, when wrongly treated, longs to “heap burning coals on the heads” of my opponents.

What does it mean to “heap burning coals” on the head of someone?

The Old Testament says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you” (Prov. 25:21-22). Paul, in the wisdom given him, says that getting even with an opponent is God’s business, not ours. That hurts, because it always “feels good” to best those who do us wrong. But it’s not the way to win!

The wisdom of still another says,

Vengeance may break a man’s spirit; but kindness will always break

his heart. If we are kind to our enemies, it will heap coals of fire on their heads. It’s not that that will store up further punishment for them, but that

it will move them to burning shame. Evil can never be conquered by evil. Hatred met with hatred, only increases more hatred; but if hatred and injustice are met with love, we will have discovered the antidote to the poison.

The only true way to destroy an enemy is to make him your friend; and the LORD’s love is the key to that.

We are praying for wisdom for us all,

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,

Romans 12:9-15, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

Robert Browning and his wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning were notable poets. I always preferred her poetry to his, but that’s just my opinion. Robert was strong and healthy; Elizabeth was weak and somewhat feeble. One day she said to him, “Robert, you are so strong; why do you stay with me, since I am so week? You could do so much more without me.” Robert’s reply was brief and somewhat poetic.

“My strength needs your weakness, and your weekness needs my strength.”

I engaged a man in conversation yesterday and asked if he were a Christian. He said “yes,” but somewhat feebly; so, I pressed him a bit further: “Are you a born-again Christian? Some people believe that a Christian is just someone who is not a Muslim.” He was cautiously affirmative, but still not persuasive, just “open” to the discussion. He is strong and faithful in his profession, but obviously weak in what he believes about Christ.

Paul was not indecisive. He speaks clearly and forthrightly how we should behave and treat those who do not know Christ and His saving grace. Love is the primary key. Living cleanly follows closely, abhoring evil and grasping good. Be earnest and truthful. Do everything as service to the LORD. If you rejoice in the certainty of all that the LORD has promised, you will be able to put up with the trouble you face. Be prayerful, and help the needs of other believers.

Undoubtedly, you will face opposition –some strong opposition—just don’t get angry and speak evilly to them. Stick to the Truth, but be loving toward everyone. And when some rejoice, rejoice with them. When some weep in sorrow, show compassion toward them and enter into their sorrow for their sake. In everything, let the Love of Jesus Christ genuinely show forth through your demeanor. This is always honoring to Him.

Thank you for your prayers for us,

We seek to be faithful in praying for you, too,

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,

Romans 8:35-38, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Only the Normandy Invasion in World War 2 seemed to me periolous as today’s international distress. Nana will not watch the news because of the stress it causes her. Her alleviation from the noise of the world’s troubles comes from an almost insessant absorbtion of Scripture. It’s questionable if her ear buds would allow anything troubling to enter her ears. Her one escape is there for all of us, if only we would allow it.

Interestingly, the Apostle Paul cites the troubles of his day and they are exactly the same as ours: afflictions, distress, persecutions; yet, none of these, however distressful, can separate us from the Love of Christ Jesus! We may appear to be victims, but in reality, we are conquerors! Look at the list of our conquests: death, life, angels, principalities (rulers) –all things current to our daily lives, but also of the days ahead. Note well: there is no power, nothing that is lifted up, no deep waters, no created (alive) thing (human or animal; fish or fowl) –ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!—that can separate or divide us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus! He is and will ever continue to be our LORD, our Guide, our Friend, our Protector.

There is a story I once heard of evangelist Dwight Moody and his singer, Ira Sanky. It was Sanky’s role to lead the congregation in singing before Moody came to the pulpit to preach. On this occasion, Sanky came to the pulpit, held his Bible high and said, “JESUS IS EVERYTHING! And EVERYTHING”S IN JESUS!” A man in the audience said, “That’s it! That’s it!” and he raced out of the building and never heard Moody preach. Think about it: JESUS IS EVERYTHING. And He lives eternally to comfort and strengthen each of us through His eternal Love! Relax, erase all anxieties from your mind, and be clothed fully and always in His eternal Love.

We rejoice as we pray 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.”