The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 4:13-14; 17, 19, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction…

17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account…

19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

When we were preparing to move to Australia, I sent out a letter to some churches and pastors I knew, asking for some financial assistance. I used verse 17 above as my Scriptural support for having solicited their prayers and money. In retrospect, I cannot say that I was “not…seek(ing) the gift itself”; but I did

understand and believe that they would receive blessings from the LORD for having helped us.

Viewed now from the vantage point of 54 years, I might better have focused on verses 13 and 19. One, small Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma faithfully supported us with $25.00 each month. It may seem like the widow’s mite to you, but it was sufficient until the LORD began to multiply it.

When we arrived, the rumor in Australia was that “Jeffries has big oil money behind him.” No, not even cooking oil. Yet the LORD strengthened us to do His work, and He faithfully supplied every need from His bountiful storehouse! What is more, in the years we were there, we had not serious illnesses. I alone had influenza one time.

Yes, to be sure, there were afflictions (as in vs. 14). But, as an athlete needs the hurt that comes from strenuous exercise, we needed some affliction to keep us dependent on Him. Mark this down somewhere in your Bible: GOD IS NO MAN’S DEBTOR! He has what is sufficient for all our needs; and in love, He pours it out on us when we need it and when we look only to Him.

Trust the LORD and give Him the opportunity to help you. Then, don’t behave as if you did it all yourself. Let others know that He alone has provided what you needed. Just be prayerful and faithful in all things.

He will see you through every rough time.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. George and Rita Galieh were my dedicated musical team for the years we labored in Australia. When we returned

to the States, they continued to minister on radio, in evangelistic crusades; and for 25 years they traveled every year

to Thailand, ministering to Buddhist young people through music, art, and Gospel preaching. George is now 90 years

old and not in the best of health. Please pray for these faithful servants of our LORD.

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,

Philippians 1:2-6, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,

5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.

6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

It was difficult for those who had known Paul before his conversion to believe that he had changed so drastically. Yet, here he is –the one who initiated the stoning of the gentle Stephen—saying, “Grace to you and peace from God…”

Grace (?????, charis) is the activity of God’s love; the prepositional phrase “to you” is known as the dative of advantage. Can anyone doubt that the love we receive from the LORD is advantageous to us? Peace (??????, eirene)

Is the absence of disturbance; it is spiritual and mental calmness. And this the LORD provides to those who are committed to Him.

He then avows that he thanks God for every remembrance he has of the Philippians. I dare say that most –not all—but most of those whom we remember have exhibited some negative trait that we found objectionable. But, we can and ought to still love them. How many things have we exhibited that were distasteful to them? even more so, to God? But none of that was present in the heart and mind of Paul. As the line in the song goes, “He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.”

Paul viewed the spiritual activity of the Philippians and rejoiced as he commended them to God in prayer! After all, it is for Him that we live and witness. Paul was confident on one, primary thing: “…that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” The Holy Spirit is God, and it is He who started that “good work” is all of us when we trusted Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior of our lives. Are we now perfect? Not at all! But, that’s the business of the Holy Spirit: to perfect us, make us better servants of the LORD day by day.

I share Paul’s confidence in you! I believe you will be more committed to Jesus Christ tomorrow than you are today. Did you read His Word today? Oh, oh! Well, start again tomorrow. There’s a Great Day coming when Christ will hand out rewards for faithfulness. Don’t miss Graduation Day! It will be like none other. I’m praying for you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. The elderly parents of some dear friends need your prayers. The children, too, although adults, need the

LORD’s strength to cope with the situation. Please help them by praying. The LORD knows who they are.

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,

Ephesians 5:15-16, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

I have read recently that all false religions are historically traceable to the Babylonians. Prior to our verses above, Paul has been instructing the Ephesian Church to “learn what is pleasing to the LORD, and not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness…for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret” (vv. 10-12).

When I was academic dean of Northeastern Bible College in New Jersey, I remember students rushing into my office heightened with anxiety because it was time for graduation and they suddenly discovered that they had work to complete in order to graduate. They begged me for more time!

Paul words were spoken to those students just as they were spoken to me: “make the most of your time.” A host of things in their scholastic life had been viewed as “important;” yet, now the “big moment” had come and the consequence of wasted time had caught up with them.

I’ll ask it very clearly: are you making the most of your alloted time? We each have 24 hours in every day. The value you place on time will be determined by how you spend it. You can read a book or play video games. You can stay up late watching television and sleep away the next day. Productive? Hardly. Still, it’s your 24 hours. You can manage it wisely or you can fritter it away with nonsence. What seems the best to you? Remember, there are always consequences.

My prayer for you and me alike is that we will make wise choices in the use of our time.

“Only one life, it will soon be past;

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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,

Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation,

But sin is a disgrace to any people.”

“The United States of America declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. The US Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.”

With Independence Day coming on the 4TH of July, it seemed more than appropriate that we should think upon the verse that has been lost for decades on our American people. We pride ourselves on having the greatest military in the world. We delight when the Stock Market moves upward. We are now the leading oil producing nation in the world! And we proclaim our nation to be the freest society on Planet Earth. Yet, we have forgotten that it is the LORD who has brought righteousness upon us; and that it is sin –our sin—that has brought disgrace upon us.

Righteousness, with its equivalent words, is mentioned 1,066 times in the Bible. The word means justice and blamelessness. When we assure justice for everyone and are personally and nationally blameless before Almighty God, we are exalted, lifted up by His almighty hands! When we behave shamefully, act haughtilly, and ignore and vilify Almighty God, we bring disgrace and devastation upon ourselves and our nation.

Let it be stated without equivocation or ambiguity, that the United States of America was founded as a CHRISTIAN NATION! History supports the veracity of that truth; yet our people have become so removed from God and the Gospel of Christ, that we are in danger of being spiritually hijacked by religions that are an outgrowth of ancient Babylon! According to one source, Christians number but 69 percent of our population today. Yet, how many of that 69 percent are truly “born again” believers in Jesus Christ; and how many of those who are, are living for Him in daily praise? Righteousness has fallen by the wayside.

The first printing press brought to America was for the purpose of printing Bibles for the country’s occupants. The first universites: Harvard, Yale, Princeton and other Ivy League schools were established for the express purpose of teaching and preparing young men for the Gospel ministry! Not all members of the Constitutional Convention were “born again” believers; but even those who who were not, were sensible, God-fearing men, who embraced the Bible and the tenets of its teachings.

The Star Spangled Banner is less meaningful to this generation than it was in the 1700s. We should know and love it all, along with Banner it extols. Yet, the best

meaningful verse is the last; and how many have even read it?

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov’d homes and the war’s desolation;
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

– Francis Scott Key (1814)

May God bless each of you! Pray for our blessed Nation, our President, and for our Congress and Supreme Court. May they regain the courage so many have lost; and may the Torch of Freedom be exalted high as a glowing tribute to our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, who first made us free!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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,

Matthew 24:4-8, “And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you.

5 ‘For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will mislead many.

6 “And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

There is no doubt but that a lot of commotion and trouble exists in our world. Every so often, I receive emails that warn of coming disasters. One key to the maintainance of balance and sanity is to remember that Jesus said, “See to it that no one misleads you.” There is so much turmoil in our world that being mislead is easier than you think.

Would you believe that there are people who believe that they themselves are the Christ, the Messiah? I was in Papua New Guinea over 50 years ago, and discovered a man named Yali, who laid claim to messiahship. People were being baptized in the “name of the Father, and of the Son, and of King Yali! If you were the devil, wouldn’t you think about infecting some pastors and “Christian” leaders, so as to mislead those over whom they had more than a little influence?

Jesus warned against fears that are provoked by “wars and rumors of wars.” Yes, there are wars raging in various parts of the world today. There have always been wars in the world. Just don’t get upset and forget to read your Bible and pray, because they will lead you to trust in the LORD.

What are we to make out of “wars and rumors of wars?” This worldwide rumble is but one of the signs of the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ for His Church. Think of this: The last thing a nation’s leader does before going to war is to remove his ambassador from the unfriendly country. So, before the Tribulation comes, the Church –the LORD’s ambassadors—will be snatched away from the Earth and be caught up to meet Him in the air.

Ambassadors represent the leader of their country in another country. The big question is: Are we truly Ambassadors for Jesus Christ? If there is any doubt, you need to get straight with Christ immediately! Why? Because there are no warning signs in Scripture regarding the time of the LORD’s Coming! It is the next big thing on His agenda. Check up on your relationship with Him.

We need to pray for each other daily in these troublesome times.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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.”