The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 John 2:1-2. “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”

When John says “little children” (teknia), he addressing in a dimutive fashion those who are of sufficient age and have received Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior. At the same time, he desires most earnestly that the saved not continue to sin. If anyone does (maybe he will, maybe he won’t), he has an Advocate (one called along side to help). His name is Jesus Christ, and He is an honest, righteous, spiritual Helper.

Furthermore, this Helper –Jesus Christ—is the very propitiation (ilasmos), the Atoning Sacrifice, who gave Himself on the Cross for our sins. But His Self-sacrifice was not for us alone; it concerns the entirety of the

whole creation.

There are some today who believe and preach that Christ died only for those who He knew were going to be saved. Yet, to believe that is to turn the Scripture on its head. John clearly says, “???? ???? ??? ??????,” concerning the entirety of the cosmos, the whole of the human race He placed here on the Earth. We are warned against wrong teaching from the beginning; yet, some today engage in it freely and seemingly without conscience. When those who are assigned to instruct us follow the wrong paths, we are instructed to cease from following them.

If a physician errs in prescribing us the right medications, we find another physician. If a mechanic fails to fix our car, we find another mechanic. Why then, do we continue to listen to the pronouncements of preachers, who fail to follow the Scriptures? You are responsible before God for your life and how you live it. Get into His Word! His Spirit will always lead you in “right paths.”

Our prayers are with 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.”

Dear Grands,

1 John 1:1-4, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life–

2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us–

3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

4 And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.”

Some days ago, I received an email purporting to portray a prominent figure quite negatively. To my surprise, I recalled knowing someone who was actually there when the event occurred. Which position would you imagine I took? I took the position of believing someone I knew who was there and witnessed the event –an event that the writer of the negative position never personally witnessed.

The Apostle John assures all his readers over these now 21 centuries that what he is going to say he personally witnessed. He was there! He knew the Person of Jesus Christ! He heard Christ speak! He witnessed the demeanor of Christ day-after-day and in every possible human circumstance. John is a prime witness: he was there!

Along with John’s emphasis on life is his emphasis on eternal life. John knew, walked and talked with Jesus. And Jesus spoke openly and freely about His own eternal life with His Heavenly Father. And what John heard and experienced, he wrote in a letter that has spanned the centuries –a letter inspired by the Holy Spirit, who lived within John and moved him to tell all he knew about eternal life.

His purpose in writing was not to boast of himself, but to encourage the fellowship of other believers –you and me!—fellowship that we have available with the Father and His Son, Jesus, the Messiah. Surely, his writing brings us joy! At the same time, it brings John joy to share it. Isn’t it the same with us? We can read the Word and pray and witness the LORD’s working in our midst and rejoice in all that is occurring. But, it makes our joy even more complete when we share it with others and witness the joy it brings to them!

Share Jesus today! There are multiple ways of sharing. Only today, someone said something that prompted a Scripture verse. I quoted the Scripture aloud and mentioned that it came from the Bible. The response told me that either the respondent knew the LORD or he had come from a family that knew the Bible. No, it was not a get-down-on-your-knees-and-pray-with-me moment, but it was a start. All of us can do that. Then when there is a positive response, there is an opening for a more complete witness of Christ and His love for all mankind.

Perhaps I will soon have the opportunity to share some of our recent witnessing experiences. People “warm” to you when you show love and concern for them. Then, they come to learn that what you’re sharing is of benefit to them.

We love you and pray that you will know the joy of sharing,

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,

Matthew 27:1-5, “Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death;

2 and they bound Him, and led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate the governor.

3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? See to that yourself!’

5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.”

Today’s news says, “John Coughlin, 33, a former world champion pairs skater took his own life. No explanation was given as to why he would have done so.

Back in 1937, the Russian-born movie actor, George Sanders, said, that he intended to commit suicide when he got older. In 1972, he died by his own hand, leaving a note that said: “Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck.”

Scientists of various disciplines have long sought the answer to why anyone would take his own life. Yet, with Judas Iscariot there is an easier answer. Judas had long planned to betray Jesus. He knew the Jewish authorities wanted Jesus out of the way, and he saw himself as one who could accommodate them. Thus, he sold Jesus into their hands for 30 pieces of silver. But when he came to an understanding of what he had done, he became remorseful. He returned the money to the Jewish authorities, but they mocked him. No doubt, their mockery gave him some insight as to how serious his deed truly was.

Why do we engage in even thinking about doing evil? Yet, once those evil thoughts have produced an act, we immediately regret what we have done. Either we do not think how seriously sin is, or we purposely ignore it, so that we might convince ourselves that our intentions are not wrong.

Note that they bound Jesus and led Him to Pilate, insisting that He be crucified. Judas evil intention against himself is now crystalized! His only way out of his dilemma was to erase himself from life. Could Judas not have been forgiven, had he pled his case before Jesus? Why could the Jewish authorities themselves not just have slain Him? But, no, he had been deceived and the embarassment was too great for Judas to bear alone.

I am convinced that had Judas Iscariot (or any other person) come to Jesus for forgiveness, it would have been granted. Did not one of the thieves on the Cross ask and receive forgiveness? There is always a way out, if we trust Christ to provide it. No sin is so grevous that the embarassment of it cannot be expunged. Christ is the answer! No one can forgive himself unless and until he has received forgiveness from God.

Take the matter – any matter—to the LORD and ask forgiveness. He will restore you as He forgives you. Don’t be yu own worst enemy! Try Jesus for forgiveness and see for yourself what He can and will do for you!

Praying for you always,

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 5:6-11, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

It’s not easy to be a Christian. I’m sure you’ve found that out. It’s also not easy to be humble. Humility, however, exists only in those who are unaware that they are humble. When you think you are, you’re not!

But the truly humble, the LORD will exalt when His time is right.

In the meantime, keep careful watch: the devil never ceases to prowl for prey among true believers. Yet, he can be resisted. He really can be! As the LORD to wipe from your mind the ideas that Satan puts there. Others have longed for Satan’s erasure from their minds –and the LORD has answered their prayers. He will answer yours –but you have to ask.

The suffering that sin brings to us is only for a brief time. How long a time? The LORD only knows. It would seem that He allows the suffering until we’ve had enough. We then cry out for help, and He responds. Peter says the LORD will “pefect, confirm, strengthen and establish” us. Want to rid yourself of the suffering that sin brings? You know what to do. And may the LORD then have dominion over our lives forever! God bless you!

We long to be more like Him; and we pray you do, too,

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 Timothy 1:15-17, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

16 And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

It was characteristic of the evening service in a church I once pastored, that members of the congregation were encouraged to stand and quote a Scripture passage that was meaningful to them. One elderly gentleman, a long-time member and Sunday School teacher, stood and quoted verse 15 –or part of it.

He said, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” Then he sat down. Being somewhat shy as I am (tsk, tsk), I immediately said, “Finish It brother. It says, “…among whom I am foremost of all.” To my amazement, the man retorted, “Paul said that, I didn’t!”

Sometimes we view ourselves equal to or even above those who lived in biblical times. We want to claim all the spiritual attributes of those who went before us, but none of the deficient qualities of their lives. It is the LORD’s will that we who are saved, might show how patient the LORD is with us, though we deserve none of His patience or of His grace. But He did it all to demonstrate to others His love for them, bringing them into eternal life.

Paul’s prayer was that “to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honor and glory forever and ever.” Notice His title, King; His endurance, eternal; His uniqueness, immortal, the only God; His invisibility, right to be honored and glorified throughout eternity without end.

Is this how you see the LORD’s Life? Is it His will that you be like Him or like the rest of the fallen creation? No, we’re not equal to God; nor are we likely to even minutely reach toward that supreme level of righteousness. Yet, what He has granted us, enabling us to magnify His Name and His Love, is far beyond what we could muster concerning ourselves. His Word is given to instruct us how to live as He lived. When we meet Him, we’ll have the opportunity to tell Him why we did or did not do what He desired. Are we ready to meet Him? Are our hands and our heads clean? Have we been busy magnifying His love and glory?

We pray that we all are,

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.”