The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Deuteronomy 12:32, “’Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.’”

Proverbs 30:5-6, “Every word of God is tested (refined); He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

6 Do not add to His words Lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar.”

Revelation 22:18-19, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them,

God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book

of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

We often bought eggs from a home grocery a few blocks away. One day my mother sent me for bread, and said,

“And don’t forget! You tell Milo those eggs we bought from him last week tasted like they came out of Noah’s ark.”

Dutifully, I said exactly what she had told me. Milo’s reply was, “Well…, truthfully they didn’t. But they were laid

just after the ark landed.”

It’s important to relay words exactly as they have been told you. That is especially true of the Words of the LORD.

Both the Old and New Testaments warn us not to add or subtract from the Words of Scripture. In the AWANA

program, kids are trained to memorize Scripture with accuracy. Missing one word may alter the meaning of what

the LORD actually said; furthermore, it could change the meaning entirely and lead us and others astray. Even

pastors often inadvertently mis-state what the Scripture says. Some even purposely twist the Word to say what

they want it to say. That’s dangerous! Some years ago, I read a book by a prominent pastor. He changed translations

when one said more like what he wanted. That’s really dangerous!

Sometimes we encounter people who say they just cannot understand the Bible. Yet, when they continue to read

it, it reveals itself to them. God has the power to make His Word understandable to the faithful reader. He also has

the power to make it understood to the faithful listener. So, today, when you hear your pastor preach, don’t look

around, don’t play with your cell phone, LISTEN carefully! The LORD has a message for YOU today! And that message

is true, even if some of it comes from Noah’s ark!

We love you immensely, and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 6:5-13, “Jesus therefore lifting up His eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to Him, said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?’

6 And this He was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.

7 Philip answered Him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.’

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

9 ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?’

10 Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.

12 And when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost.’

13 And so they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten.”

“Clean up your plate or there’s no desert!” I can hear my dear mother saying that even to this day.

Food was never be wasted. Recently, I dropped my food on the kitchen floor. I was devastated!

Since the floor was clean, it was my intention to retrieve it and eat it. My wife shouted, “NO, you’re not!”

At the time, I was thinking of how many young kids in the world were eating whatever scraps they

could find –kids I had seen that had never had enough. The disciples reckoned that the wage-equivalent

of 200 days was not enough to feed all the people. What were they to do???

One of the disciples said, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish…” Then, in

embarrassment, he concluded, “–but what are these for so many people?” But, Jesus took the boy’s

lunch and turned it into a banquet! Never in a million years would that young lad have thought his

meager lunch would be used to feed so many. You have a surprise waiting for you, too.

There was a garage in Florida where we lived that had a sign that read, “Little Is Much If God Is In It.” I always wondered if the boy’s lunch was what prompted that sign. Never put yourself down! Don’t be arrogant; but always remember that God loves you, regardless of how little you think you have. He can multiple your talents (and you have them!) to help and encourage others. And always remember

to clean up your plate, because He has desert for you. Boy, do you have something amazing waiting for you!

We pray for you every day; join us in praying for yourself as well,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 119:9-16, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word.

10 With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy commandments.

11 Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee.

12 Blessed art Thou, O LORD; Teach me Thy statutes.

13 With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Thy mouth.

14 I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, As much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate on Thy precepts, And regard Thy ways.

16 I shall delight in Thy statutes; I shall not forget Thy word.

I was a good athlete in my youth; still, I missed shots in basketball; I struck out in baseball;

and I liked football so much that I never ventured to play it. Some things are just to be observed.

I was taught to be honest and truthful; but while I earnestly tried, I missed the mark there from

time-to-time. In short, I was not perfect –far from it. As I grew up, I found other things in which I

failed, also. Were you ever like that? Of course! We’ve all have done things for which we are sorry.

What can we do about it?

It may help you (it has me) to know that everyone else has failed along life’s way. Even the writer

of the verses above had some trouble with wrong doings in his life. When he discovered what to

do about it, he wrote it down for us to read –and follow. Look at what he said –

1.Seek the LORD. Take all of your troubles to Him. He loves you and will help you.

When we’re sick, we seek a doctor. We may not know him, but we know he’s

trained to help us when we’re in need. Do the same with Jesus!

2.Do what the Doctor orders. He’s given you instruction and some medicine. Take it

all faithfully, just like He said. And take it ALL, until it’s all gone.

3.Don’t do again what you did that caused you difficulties in the first place. Be glad and

enjoy not being sick! Remember the Doctor’s instructions and follow them faithfully.

In a spiritual sense, 1) tell the LORD you’re sorry and ask Him to forgive you of your sin. 2) Read

His Word every day. Start in the New Testament because that’s where you will most easily find

Him. 3) Rejoice! His Word is like good-tasting medicine. Stay away from bad stuff that He does

not prescribe. It’s the bad stuff that made you sick in the first place. We’ve all been there, so we

know to tell others to avoid it. Why be “down” when you can be “up”? Try Him and His Word.

You’ll be glad you did!

We love and pray for you daily. Praise the LORD!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Malachi 4:1-3, “’For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.’

2 “’But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. 3 ‘And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

What could be more appropriate for the closing of the Old Testament than a solemn warning of that day that is coming?

To be sure, the Old Testament gives a picture that is less clear than the New Testament, but they are the same picture.

THE LORD IS COMING is the vibrant message. He knows with certainty those who are His and those who are not. No

one will escape His notice. Those who are arrogant and deny His very existence (Robert G. Ingersoll, Stephen Hawking,

et al) will be thoroughly destroyed, “so that (that day) will leave them neither root nor branch” (no off-spring to take their

places in defaming Almighty God).

Yet, the promises of the LORD always include the preservation of those “who fear (His) Name.” He will heal them of

all the afflictions and trouble that His enemies have caused them. They will be free to avenge themselves of the wrong

done to them, all through His power! Little to nothing is said here about love; yet, in the New Testament it is emphasized

highly. “…love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matt. 5:44). Remember that all persecution meted out against us is really meted out against the LORD God. What might seem vengeance for wrong against us is really for what has been said and done against Him. If it seems distasteful that we will have retribution against those who have persecuted us, perhaps we should forgive them now, establish friendships, and share the Gospel while there is time.

Don’t be discouraged by the rejection of the Gospel. That’s normal for those who are arrogant. It goes against the grain

of their egos. Persistence in love, however, will eventually wear down their walls of resistance. Trust the LORD to soften their hearts. Nothing can stand against Him.

We love you and pray for you always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Malachi 2:6-7, “True instruction was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips;

he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity.

7 “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his

mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.”

The true priests of the Old Testament were not satisfied with their own sanctification, but were

zealous for the salvation of souls. What a history of zeal for the glory of God and the conversion

of sinners they had! They lived His Word before others. Everything they said was righteous and

true because they peaceably and uprightly walked daily with the LORD.

Now, since New Testament times, we who have believed in Him and been saved by His grace,

are His priests. There are currently sufficient born-again believers in the world to reach the lost;

however, as one has said, “The world is full of priests; yet in the harvest of God the laborers are

few. For we undertake the priestly office, but do not fulfill its work. We receive the fruit of (His)

Church…, but labor not for the everlasting Church in preaching.”

“There are many priests,” says a writer in the 4th century, “and few priests; many in name, few in

deed.” Simply calling ourselves “Christians” does not make us “Christ like.” For the name does not

make the person; it is the true demonstration Him and His truth that makes us like Him.

By teaching well and living well we instruct people how they ought to live; by teaching well and

living contrary to our own instruction, we earn the reprimand of Almighty God.

“We who are called “Christians,” are responsible for the deaths of others when we are timid and

silent in sharing the Gospel. Those who are brought near to us and die without hearing the LORD’s

Good News, when we have opportunity to share it –for them we will be held accountable.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”