The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Romans 15:4-5, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus.”

Have you ever just felt like quitting? The things you do, don’t work out; the things for which you pray, don’t come to pass.

You try and try, but nothing works! Nothing comes to pass –at least, not like you want it?

Well, the key is the 15TH word in verse four above: perseverance! Now that you’ve persevered with me this far, let me mention that the same word appears in seventh place in verse five above. Winston Churchill once gave a speech that contained the very same words repeated a number of times: “Never give up! Never give up! Never! Never! Never!”

Today, I received the following encouragement from the New Life, a Christian paper in Australia. Read and think about this:

“THE PHILIPPINES: Patience Bears Fruit A pastor who spent five months living in a canoe off islands in the Philppines is now seeing a thriving Christian community. Pastor Veds Subiaga felt a burden to share the Gospel with the people on a group of small, isolated islands. He set out for the islands in a canoe, a trip that takes 40 minutes in a motorised boat. But when he got there, the villagers wouldn’t let him land. Rather than go home, Pastor Veds, who can’t swim, lived on his canoe offshore for five months and built relationships. Eventually, he got to know one of the village leaders who became curious about the God he served. The leader responded to the Gospel and today there is a thriving Christian community on several islands in the region.– Mission Network News”

Our encouragement comes from the same Source: the Scriptures. They give us hope! Further, God the Holy Spirit encourages us beyond all else! I’ve asked some friends to pray for two specific things without their knowing what either of them is. Neither has yet to come to pass, but nothing for which I’m praying is close to the needs of Pastor Subiaga! He did not give up! I will not give up! And you must not give up, either! The LORD doesn’t neglect us; we must not neglect His Word or neglect to pray in faith. Believe and be patient! He will answer our prayers when they are offered in true faith!

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 Peter 4:15-16, “By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;

16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God.”

When was the last time you suffered as a Christian? It is likely that some of you have encountered laughter, or ridicule of some sort “avoidance” or “smart-alec” remarks. Some of you readers outside the United States have encountered it, too. Only the “suffering” went further than than disdainful words; you have encountered beatings and much worse.

There were reports only today that American Pastor Bryan Nerren, has been arrested and detained in northern India, the area in which he has labored for the past 17 years! His activity that brought about his arrest and detention: Pastor Nerren is a Christian! Imprisoned with others, who were plagued with diseases, he was yet able to witness to a Nigerian, who wanted to know about the Bible.

The question that came to my mind as I read of this pastor’s dilemma was,

“If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Do those who know you, know of your faith in Jesus Christ? Do they know you have and read a Bible? Do they know you to be honest and friendly, ready to come to the aid of anyone in distress, regardless of their skin color or poverty? Do they

see you leave for Church on Sunday? Do they recognize your wave as an indication of friendliness and heartfelt love? Do they view you as a person of trust?

How’s the evidence adding up?

Peter allows that Christians do suffer. What he urges is that we not “feel ashamed,” but view it as a privilege to suffer for the Name of our LORD Jesus Christ. For in our suffering, and at whatever level, we are glorifying God. May His Name ever be glorified in us! God bless 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 3:1-3, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

There’s an old idea that says that the first child born into a family takes after the opposite parent. If the first child is a boy, he will tend to be more like his mother. If the first child is a girl, she will tend to take after her father. It doesn’t always work out like that, but it’s amazing how often it does.

John says that the great love of our Heavenly Father is bestowed on us. That’s why we’re called “children of God.” Yet, when those around us look at us, they don’t see the likeness of the LORD because they don’t know Him and because it’s sin that keeps us from looking like Him. When He comes –and He IS COMING AGAIN!—we will then be like Him and everyone will then know who our Heavenly Father was all the time.

Those who knew my parents always said that I looked like my mother. That was a compliment to me, but hardly to my dad!

As I look back on my childhood, I think my dad wanted me to be –maybe not to look—but to be like him. I think all dads want that of their sons. But, I know for certain that my parents both wanted me to look more like Jesus than like either of them. You know what? That’s just the way I feel now. Seriously, my three children, not withstanding the good and wholesome lives of their own spouses, would all do well to be like their mother.

Why would I say that? I say it because she wanted them all to look like Jesus! And that’s what each of us should want for our children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I receieved a lot from my parents. They modeled Jesus in their lives, and they led me to faith in Him. And that’s what I continue to live and pray for: His likeness in them and in me. There’s a GREAT DAY COMING! Jesus Christ will soon return and the Bible says that we who know Him will be caught up into the air to meet Him!

Are you one of “His children”? If not, I urge you to trust Him right now –right where you are! And if you have already trusted Him, do others know it? Can they discern your spiritual parentage –because you look and act in love like Jesus? Just don’t miss that last verse above:

“And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

May the LORD cleans and purify us and make us ready for His soon return!

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.”

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead! The most feared and most heinous man in the world, leader of ISIS, the organization that physically terrorized the Middle East and psychologically terrorized much of the remainder of the world, succumbed to the explosion of his own suicide vest, taking the lives of his three of his children in the process.

It has now been reported that the whereabouts of ISIS’ second in command is known, and is targeted by American Special Forces. The sheer atrocities perpetrated by ISIS, and under the command of such vicious leadership, tend to make us cheer to know that they are no longer on the scene. But the question then comes, “Should we cheer at the death of anyone?”

The Old Testament book of Ezekiel is literally filled with the wrath of the LORD upon His people for their love of idols and gods that did not exist. He pours out His vengeful wrath upon them even as He excoriates them for their participation in vile, evil practices! Yet, oozing between the lines of His chastisement, is the reality of His tears of sadness. And it is that that prompts me to believe that even when His own people stray from His love, His love remains.

It is true that John’s verses above speak of believers loving believers (the word another (???????, allelon) meaning “another of the same kind”); yet, when we permit ourselves to reflect on the eternal state of those who die without Jesus Christ, are we so heartless as to “cheer” that they are dead? Is it not better that we cheer that others will not suffer at ISIS’ hand, than that we cheer that ISIS’ leaders are now in Hell?

I’m always encouraged to see players from the opposite team show genuine concern when a competitive player is hurt, than when they walk away with a smirk of glee. Do you see what I am saying? By all means, we should HATE ISIS’ ways!

We should deplore to the maximum the atrocious evil they work on their enemies! But we must as believers, separate them

from their ways. Whether we do, says more about us than it does about them. May God ever teach and love us all.

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 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.”

When I first studied Greek in college, our first lessons centered around this First Letter of the Apostle John. We were told that is was the easiest Greek in the New Testament, something we seriously doubted by the end of that lesson. What John does is give essential evidence of the reality of our LORD Jesus Christ. John had heard Jesus speak; he had visibly seen Jesus with his eyes; he had touched Him. Jesus Christ was real to John and He is real to us!

John wants us to have fellowship with Christ. He’s sharing with us the One who has come into close fellowship with him.

We’re a lot like that. When we find a new friend, we want to share that friend with others. I know the growing number of

friends to whom I send this Grands Letter. Sometimes, I encounter a new friend and think, “She should know her”; or “He should be acquainted with him.” Then I email the two individuals and seek to acquaint each with the other. That’s exactly what John is doing –only, the Friend he offers is Jesus Christ.

As I grow older, my fellowship with Christ grows, too. Perhaps the LORD is prompting me to let go of the things of this world as I move closer and closer to Eternity with Him. The truth is that things I have cherished throughout the years are of

far less value to me now than they were even in my recent past. What captivates my thinking is precisely what captivated John’s thinking in these verses: he is proclaiming his most prized possession: his Friend, Jesus Christ.

Why wait until life passes by so quickly? Start today/tonight and share Christ Jesus with those who have never met Him.

Have you met Him? I guarantee you that meeting Him and sharing Him with others will make your joy complete! There’s just nothing quite like it in this 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.”