The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 1:22-25, “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

23 for you have been born again (?????????, anagennao: begottent) not of seed, which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.

24 For, ‘All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off,

25 But the Word of the Lord abides forever.’ And this is the word which was preached to you.”

People have some interesting ways of demonstrating their power. Some flex their muscles to show off physical power. Others, use sophisticated language to prove their intellectual power. Nations boast of their armies and armaments in the effort to dissuade other nations from attacking them. Yet, none of the above seems to fend off others. Is it possible that we are using the wrong source of power?

Peter admonishes us to utilize the power of love! We are to first show genuine love to those of our own kind – those who have received Christ Jesus as LORD and Savior of their lives. Such ones are our true brothers and sisters. Then we are to love beyond those who have loved Christ. Peter uses the ultimate word for love: agape. And we are to love sincerely, that is, genuinely, without hypocrisy. I’ve witnessed people say, “Good morning, Mrs. ____. I trust you are feeling well today”; and then in the next breath, say to another, “That old bitty is the worst gossip in the county. I can’t stand her!” It might have looked and sounded like love, but it was far from sincere and far from the heart, as Peter instructed.

These verses acknowledge that we Christians have been born of the “imperishable… living and abiding Word of God.” What we have heard from the Bible, we have accepted, and we have believed upon Christ Jesus. That Is what makes our salvation eternal. He died and arose from the dead to die no more. When we believe upon Him, He grants us a salvation we cannot earn or produce by living religiously. Religion is man’s effort to ingratiate himself to God. It is the means that man uses to gain favor with God. But faith in what God has done for man through Jesus Christ is what God requires.

Do you love others as you ought to love them? Is your love always from the heart? Remember, the most powerful force in the universe is love. And God’s love is the most powerful force of love ever! Try loving those who don’t love you. Stay with it. As the LORD to fill you with His Love. What is missing in most of us is that which only God can fill. It’s His Love.

Lovingly prayerful for you are we,

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.”

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 1:18-21, “…you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

Have you ever thought of your life as “futile,” useless? I recently overheard a man say, “I’m the most hated

man in this place.” Any thought that one is universally hated has to be an acknowledgement of a “useless” life.

Peter says that anyone who values only money does have a “useless” life. But, we who know Jesus Christ as

our LORD and Savior, have been redeemed, released from such a state. What is more, our redemption has

come through the “precious blood” of Christ.

For some time now, Rose Marie, has suffered from a blood loss in her body. Doctors have thus far been unable to locate the source of this loss, resulting in the need for somewhat regular blood transfusions. There is no amount of money that is more precious to us than that needed blood. And there is nothing more precious than the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the Cross for our sin.

The LORD Christ existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit before the world was created. He humbled Himself and became a man, being born physically through the virgin girl, Mary. He lived on Earth for 33 years, and never sinned. He was man, yet He was God –the God-Man, sent to die as the Father’s Own sacrifice for us. Jesus died, giving His life, His blood, to atone for our sin. And it is through Him, Jesus Christ, that we are enabled to believe in God. For God raised Him from the dead, so that we might believe and be rescued from

the sin that binds us.

It is through Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, that we have faith and hope in God! What else could give us hope? Money? Fame? Nothing but trust in the Risen LORD! Right now you are alive and reading this email. Right now, I am alive and writing it. But, where will we go when our lives are over? In what or who is our trust?

If you’ve never trusted Jesus, do it right now. Pray to Him and ask His forgiveness for your sins. He wants to forgive you, but you have to ask. Your life will change. He will become your strength and guide. What do you have to lose?

We are praying for you to have this Hope,

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.”