The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 20:24, “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”

While the Acts of the Apostles was carefully and accurately written by Luke the Physician, we do not generally take our

theology from it, as it is concerned with the early history of the Christian Church. It does, of course, contain theology, as do all other books of the Bible, even though it was not written for that purpose.

The Apostle Paul was en route to Jerusalem, hoping to get there for the Day of Pentecost. When he arrived in Miletus. he sent word to the leaders of the Church in Ephesus that he was coming and wished to visit with them briefly.

Sometimes the most delicate, yet forceful, things we can say are revealed when our listeners least expect them. Such were the words of Paul –words in our verse above. Paul had been warned about going to Jerusalem. In the eyes of the Jews, Paul was a “wanted man!” And those who hated him and his message of salvation in Christ, wanted to kill him! The men at Ephesus, who met him on the seashore, pleaded with him not to go. What Paul said in response has set the standard for every believer in every age of Christian History.

I do not value my life as it relates to myself. I value it only as it is necessary for me to complete the

ministry responsibilities the LORD has given me; that is, that I might testify solemnly and seriously

of the grace of God through the Gospel He has provided me (my wording).

The Question that I faced as I read and re-read Paul’s statement was: How do I value my life? Does it really matter whether I live or whether I die? What truthfully matters is whether I am faithfully fulfilling the ministry that He assigned to me. I know that one day I will have to give an account to God for how I lived my life and whether I was faithful and true

to His Word. As a born-again believer in Jesus, you, also, must face that question in your own life.

Where are you with Him? Are you thoroughly dedicated to His Cause or to your own? What are you doing to share the

Good News with others? You have a telephone; you have a computer; you have the Internet; you know lost people.

Are you telling them of Jesus’ Death on the Cross for their sins? Are you sharing with them that He arose from the dead, and is alive in Heaven today? We may not have much time! People who die without Christ are doomed to an eternity in Hell. I’ve missed some opportunities that give me great regret. Don’t let that happen to you!

I am praying for you! Please pray for me. And let’s commit to Paul’s value of witnessing for Christ Jesus!

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,

1 Timothy 5:24-25, “The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.

25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.”

The almost unprecedented spate of recent killings has thoroughly dominated the NEWS, and thereby permeated the thinking of our nation. One news service interviewed some quite intelligent people with respect to what caused the crimes and what could be done about it. One interviewee actually dared to mention the need for God in peoples’ lives!

It is not my responsibility here to rehash what others think, or to assess what causes young men to perpetrate such evil deeds. At the same time, it IS my responsibility to research the Scriptures and share what It says about such

happenings.

Paul notes to Timothy that the sins of some are simply open and evident to everyone, despite the fact that those who committed them have yet to be brought to court and faced judgment. At the same time, there are sins in the lives of others that have not been brought to view. Neither the sins nor the sinners are yet publicly known.

What can be said of sinners, can also be said of those whose deeds are righteous and beneficial to others. Some good deeds are openly known to the general public, while some good deeds may have to await the person’s death before they will be revealed, if even then.

It goes almost without saying, of course, that the LORD God sees and knows every scintilla of both good and evil that is in the world. Nothing escapes His notice!

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous,

And His ears are open to their cry.

The face of the LORD is against evildoers,

To cut off the memory of them from the Earth.

(Psalm 34:15-16)

It’s another way of saying, “You can’t do wrong and get by.” Yet, every commendable act of love and kindness that is done, He clearly notes and records for revelation at the proper time. All of that should constantly remind us that our sins must be forgiven, while our righteous deeds will not be forgotten.

Christians are not without sin; therefore, we should daily examine our lives (words and deeds) and solemnly repent before God, asking His forgiveness for even the slightest wrongs we have committed. As He cleanses our hearts and minds, He simultaneously prepares us to perform more good deeds, wherein He Himself is glorified. That’s what its all about! Our faithfulness; His glorification! May He always find us willing to live “to the praise of His glory.” Please pray for me, as I pray for you.

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,

1 John 4:7-9, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.”

The Apostle John’s first and second epistles (letters) were written about A.D. 85. The third epistle was written about A.D. 96. All three were written to Jewish believers. The word “another” (????????) means “another of the same kind.” John appears to be appealing to the Church “to love other believers,” probably Gentiles, who had come to faith in Christ, because he goes on to say that “everyone who loves is born of God…”

Love is vitally imporatant because it comes from God. There are four Greek words that translate as “love.” Philos is a brotherly love. The word here is agapao; it is a godly love that does not depend upon the acceptance of another person.

It means “I-love-you-even-if-you-don’t-love-me.” Agapao is the most powerful love there is. It’s the love with which the LORD loved us and sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior. It’s the love that held Christ Jesus to the Cross, while ungodly men bleaphemed Him openly! If we don’t possess that kind of love for others, John is clear and forceful in saying that we simply “do not know God.” That’s heavy stuff!

God loved us so that we might love Him! When we love others, we manifest that our lives are being lived through Him and for Him. In that, the LORD is glorified. So, when we turn away from sin and accept the LORD Jesus Christ by faith as our LORD and Savior, the Holy Spirit enters in and permeates our lives with Himself, so that we commence to look and act like Jesus. WOW! How great is that?!

Therefore, when men (and women) act evily, instead of hating and despizing them, we should act in love. Of course we don’t approve their ungodly behavior; but we show them the love they’ve never known –the absence of which leads them to atrocious deeds of evil. Some of the great Christian saints of the past were once perveyors of evil until they experienced the love of Christ through the hearts and lives of true believers. Once their lives experienced Divine Change, they often overtook the godliness in the lives of those who introduced them to Christ.

Give the LORD Jesus Christ a chance with your life! Pray that He will allow you to love the unloveliest of the lost! You’ll notice a difference in your life and a difference in theirs. God bless you in your venture for Him!

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,

Romans 13:8-9, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9 For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The tragedy of today’s massacre in El Paso, Texas was enormous! The death toll, as of this writing is 20 dead and 26 injured. Far too many of our cities have experienced such tragedies. Killings have become epidemic! Everything is blamed on “race” or “skin color.” Yet, parents are killing their children; children are killing their parents! And random killers are taking the lives of the innocent, whom they’ve never met.

Hatred permeates the world-at-large! People seem to randomly select anything or anyone upon whom they can vent their wrathful hatred! Governmental officials always plead for prayers for the victims, which is commendable; but, where are the prayers before the victims become victims? Is there an answer to these tragedies? If so, what is that answer and from whom does the answer come?

Paul’s time experienced tragedies, too. The world has not been truly safe since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. Moreover, the Bible says that such times will come as the end of the world approaches. Compare what occurred today in El Paso with the “tragedy” I encountered as a child when I learned that a woman who lived across the street — smoked!!! I’m not treating either as cavalier, but I am

saying that sin has become more rampant as the years go by!

Well, what do we do? First, we must cool the rhetoric. Smart aleck responses are not helpful. Just because some people delight in conflict, does not make it right or healing. Second, we need to pray for those, whose lives are infiltrated and infested with demonic intentions. Commendably , the El Paso police and firemen were at the scene in six minutes, but a blanket of prayer would have been faster still. Third, we need to share the Gospel with everyone! Who knows who is potentially the next shooter? Sharing the Good News of Jesus is the only antidote to such heinous and despicable crime.

What do we owe our neighbors? We owe them love –Christ’s love, depicted in our lives as we endeavor to

meet their needs as best as we are able. We must not cower and refuse to engage in normal activities. We must die to ourselves and trust the LORD, who instructs us to love and share the Gospel with all mankind.

Pray for the believers in El Paso! Pray that they may witness well to their neighbors. Revivals come from sincere and loving prayers!

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,

Genesis 9:9-13: “’Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you;

10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth.

11 “’And I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.’

12 “And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations;

13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.’”

Would it surprise you to learn that I have insurance on my house, my household goods, and my car? The insurance is a covenant between the Insurance Company and me. It says simply that if I pay the cost of the policy and all that is within it, the Company will pay the costs to replace everything if fire or theft or storms or the like should ruin my house and all that is within it. That’s what is called a “Conditional Covenant.”

All-in-all, the LORD made eight covenants with mankind. Only two are conditional; six are unconditional.

Conditional covenants are what I describe in the previous paragraph. There is something each party must do to keep the covenant in force. An unconditional covenant requires that only one party has to keep the agreement. Covenants are always initiated and confirmed from the greater party to the lesser party. That means that God has initiated all the covenants. We responsible where He says we’re responsible.

The covenant the LORD made with Noah is an everlasting covenant. It is between God and all mankind, including all living things on the Earth. He’s in charge and it’s up to Him to keep things moving as they ought. One huge item in this covenant is God’s promise to never again destroy the Earth by water. His “signature” on this covenant is the rainbow He places in the clouds. It is a reminder to us, to all living things, and to Him (although God does not need to be reminded) of His promise. Nothing in the other Covenants violates in any way what the LORD has established in His Covenant with Noah.

The Bible says that it is impossible for the LORD to lie! He is the embodiment of all Truth! So when He says that His death on the Cross was for our salvation, and His resurrection from the dead demonstrates His power at keeping His Word, we can be assured that once we repent (turn from sin) and believe upon Him, we have eternal life forever. We can never ever again be lost and separated from Him! Salvation is His gift to us when we surrender our lives to Him in faith. That alone should excite us with joy unspeakable! Add to that the joyful opportunities He gives us when we share Him with those who do not know Him!! WOW! Talk about JOY! There’s nothing like that in the whole world!

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.”