The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 143:7-9, “Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails; Do not hide Thy face from me, Lest I become like those who go down to the pit.

8 Let me hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in Thee; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to Thee I lift up my soul.

9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in Thee.”

Have you ever gotten up in the morning and simply not wanted to go to work? It wasn’t the work itself that you hated; it was the workers. Actually, it was only one. You’ve tried to like your fellow-workers, and even gone out of your way to be friendly, but nothing seemed to smother the “cheap shots” that they delighted to take at you all throughout the day.

That’s something of what I understand to have been the psalmist’s trouble. He had to work. It was his only way of maintaining a livelihood. It he just didn’t have to endure the hatred of others! His only hope is in the LORD. “Answer me quickly” before I decide not to work today. I’ll just die if I have to face the crude remarks they throw at me every day.

What would you do if you were in the psalmist’s situation? “Let me hear Your lovingkindness,” he begs of the LORD. “I trust in You,” but I don’t know whether I can hold out any longer against the rotton tounges that come against me. “Teach me the way in which I should walk.” Let your Holy Spirit work within me and produce Your Love. “Lift up my soul. Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies” –from those who hate and despise me.

Okay, LORD, I’m going to work now, and “I am taking refuge in You.” I can’t dealt with hateful people, but I’m trusting You to lift me up and help me to rise above the wrong that I face.

Very often we all encounter what the psalmist encountered. Yet, the LORD is greater than

those who rise up against us. Whatever we face –even a job that requires more than we are mentally able to give— the LORD is our refuge and strength. Let Him be that to you. Meditate on His Word. Think of the humiliation He encountered; yet “He opened not His mouth.” In the end, He was triumphant. And so it will be with you! Trust Him!!

We love and pray for you,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Please remember Rose Marie as she undergoes a bone density biopsy on Monday.

She had one previously, about a year ago. Done in the doctor’s office. No anesthesia.

It’s just that she’s been through so much in the last six months. God bless you!

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,

Psalm 139:1-6, “O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me.

2 Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar.

3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways.

4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD , Thou dost know it all.

5 Thou hast enclosed me behind and before, And laid Thy hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.”

I was reading a student paper the other day that described in great detail how a human egg and a sperm communicate in bringing a child into the world. Numerous areas related to birth are quite complex. The human body has ways of protecting the egg and even repairing corridors that close unexpectedly.

The psalmist does not go into that great of detail in the verses above, but he aludes to the omnipresence and omnipotency of Almighty God in every situation. The LORD searches the most minute areas of our minds and spirits and knows everything about us. He knows the things we think are insignificant; and He knows the minutest detail of our far-reaching thoughts. We would do well to remember that nothing we do escapes His notice!

I can remember my mother anticipating my response to a directive she had given. She said, “DON’T SAY IT,” indicating that she knew me so well that she understood what I was

about to say. Oh, I argued that she could not have known it, but the truth is she was more than 90 percent right all of the time. The LORD knows it all and long before we know it.

His total “enclosure” of us, noted in verse five, is His protection; and the “hand” that He lays upon us is not disciplinary; rather, it is His guidance of us in what we say and how we behave. Understanding only a fraction of the LORD power and perception of His people

should alter our thoughts and manner of life. As the psalmists conclude, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.”

The next time you are tempted ignore the LORD and do as you please, remember these words from the psalmist. Some men think there is no God. Some, think they themselves are God. They’re not even close. Nor are we! Recognize Him as LORD and He will also be your protector.

We love and pray 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.”

Dear Grands,

Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

I have a dear friend in the United Kingdom (England) who sometimes writes:

“Story Time:” and then procedes to tell a story. Are you ready? Story time!

Sixty years ago, I heard this story. Whether it is apocrphal or true, I do not know. What I do know is – well, listen and you tell me.

The seminary was winding up its year, and it was customary for one of the students to be selected to give an address to the entire school. The faculty poured over the records and selected a fine, young man as the annual speaker.

The student was scared-to-death. His forte was as a scholar in the classroom. He had never given more than a short talk in one or two of his classes. Speak to the whole school?

“Oh, no!” he pleaded. But there was no backing out. He had been faculty-selected, and he was going to face the school with a formal address.

The day came, and he was literally shaking as he stood before the entire school.

“Duh…duh…do you know wha…what I…I’m about to say?”

Of course his subject had never been announced, so the entire school body said loudly and politely, “NO!”

“Wuh…well…neither do I, so let’s all go home.”

The exhausted speaker was devastated. “I’ve…I’ve ruined everything,” he said.

“No, you haven’t,” said the dean. “You’re just not used to speaking in public. Go back and study a bit more. We’ll let you speak again next week.”

Self-dejected, he dutifully returned to the books. He was not happy, but there was no other way out. He had to address the school –the entire school!

When the day finally came, he was on the platform, but not in good form for speaking. Yet,

he stood, walked to the lecturn, caughed nervously, looked scaredly at the school body, and said, “Duh…duh…do you know wha…what I…I’m about to say?”

His fellow-students were now thoroughly confused. Some said, “Yes,” and snickered beneath their breath. But some said, “No,” because they still had no hint as to what he would might say.

“Then,” the young speaker said, “Those who know, tell those who don’t know, and let’s all

go home.”

Literally mortified that he had failed twice, the dejected young speaker-to-be left the auditorium in devastating defeat!

“I am a total failure,” he said, “a total, total failure!”

“Oh, no!” said the dean. “You’re not a failure. In fact, we want you to stay with the school and teach! For what you said is a fundamental, biblical truth. It’s for those who know to tell those who don’t –before we all go home.”

I challenge you to think on this story and ask yourself –well, you know. Just do it!

We meet people every day who do not know Jesus. You do, too. Let’s pray for one another that we may share Him before He comes at the end of our “school year.”

Love and prayers always,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. What a trooper, Rose Marie is! We’re both convinced that this extended illness

has the purpose in bringing us into contact with lost, confused people. Some day

we’ll share some of our experiences in contacting the lost.

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,

Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

It may be wrong to speak forthrightly about one’s spiritual gift, but I have long believed the LORD gave me the gift of encouragement. I love to laugh, and while I never actually plan

to laugh, I enjoy making other people laugh, too.

We’ve been to a lot of doctors with the past few months, and their waiting rooms are always crowded with people with various hurts and ailements. One day Rose Marie wore a

surgical mask to keep from catching the caughs and sneezes of others. I had wheeled her

in in a wheelchair and left to park the car. When I returned to the waiting room, a number

of people were wearing masks as well. I looked dumbfounded as I searched the room for

my wife, and with a quizical look on my face I walked up to her and lowered her mask to

see if she were the one I had brought in earlier. The room roared in laughter!

The past five or six months have not been easy for either of us –or for our children and grandchildren. Yet, we have not become cynical or angry. Rather, we have found ourselves in the company of people whom we would never have encountered except for Rose Marie’s illnesses. At times, it has been viewed as a high price to pay, yet our LORD Jesus Christ paid a much higher price for sins not His own! And through some anxious moments, He has caused some lost souls to find our pathway and hear of the LORD’s blessings we’ve been privileged to encounter.

Yes, “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” but a “broken spirit” – a sour, aching, complaining spirit – just “dries up the bones.” Don’t give up! Whatever malady comes your way, however dismal the night or the day, DON’T GIVE UP! Look to our loving LORD, whose ever-present attitude is one of merriment.

We love and appreciate all of you, especially those whose skills are so encouraging,

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,

Genesis 15:6, “Then [Abram] believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:2-5, “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.

3 For what does the Scripture say? ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.’

4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due.

5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness…”

“Just do the best you can. God understands.” That’s what a lot of people think. They consider them-selves “religious”; they go to church, the drop some money in the plate, and they congratulate the pastor on his sermon. Is there more to the Christian faith than that?

The first verse quoted above says that “Abram [Abraham] believed in the LORD.” But when Paul encountered some in his day that held to a “good-works salvation,” he raised the question of when Abram was declared righteous. Was he justified before God by his works, or was he justified by faith?

Paul concludes in verse five above that faith and faith alone is how man is reckoned as righteous. One can even believe that God exists and fall short of being declared righteous before God Himself.

God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of all mankind. Believing in Jesus is the key to being declared “righteous” before God. It’s a matter of commitment, a matter of trust and a willingness to obey His instructions in Scripture.

I came to know Jesus when I was seven years old. I didn’t understand everything at that age, but I

knew that Jesus died on a cross for my sin –and I knew what sin was! I simply told Him in prayer that I was sorry for my sin and asked Him to forgive me and be my LORD and Savior. I know a lot more today than I did away back then, But that prayer was a start. Do you know Him? If you don’t, you need to. If you do, you’ll learn more and more through a daily reading of His Word, the Bible.

And that will enable you to trust Him all the greater. God bless you! You’re on your way!

We pray that you will grow in the grace of God and share Him with others,

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.”