The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Peter 3:15b-18, “…our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,

16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness,

18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

In most of these letters, I have been urging you to talk to others about the LORD Jesus Christ. If we were engaged in a two-way talking session, I could hear you say, But, I don’t know really what to say. I know we have the Scriptures, but there are some things in the Bible I just don’t understand. Well, you’re not alone. Did you notice that Peter said of Paul that wisdom was given to him; and, also, that there are things in his writings that are difficult to understand? See, in both cases, you’re not alone.

Wisdom differs from understanding in that wisdom is knowing when and how much to say. Understanding is knowing what the Bible message is and being able to explain to others what you know. I realize that it’s easier for me to write and encourage you to talk to others (many in your workplace) about Jesus, than it is for you to do the talking to them. But, the LORD put you where you are primarily to be a witness for Him!

At the same time, living in the Word daily and yielding to the Holy Spirit’s leadership will provide you with the “ammunition” you need to be His witness. “Be on guard” because you will encounter some, who are ready to deny what you are going to tell them. You’re not alone. Jesus had the scribes and chief priests (the intelligentia of that day) resist his teachings. Also, the lack of preparation on your part could you to “fall from your own steadfastness.” Don’t trust yourself; trust the LORD!!

Finally, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.” HE is what it’s all about! So, do all that you do for His glory, right up to the day of eternity. He will bless you exceedingly. Just remember: you are there where you live and work to share His Message of salvation, showing His Love. We want to see people saved, but it doesn’t always occur at the time we would like. Just be courageous and faithful. Leave the “timing” to the LORD! I am praying 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,

2 Peter 3:13-15, “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,

15 and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you…”

If you’ve ever had someone promise you something and then seem to forget all about it, you have an understanding of how some

believers in the first century felt. The LORD Jesus had promised to return for those who had trusted and believed in Him. But He hadn’t come! Paul, Peter, John and others had written about His promise, but nothing had yet come to pass.

Believers were tired of living in a world saturated with evil and crime and the fears that such things brought. Jesus faithfully promised that He would return and take His believers with Him to “new heavens and a new Earth, in which righteousness dwelled,” a place of peace, where all fear and tragedy were eliminated. Some were becoming weary of waiting. Is He ever going to come?

Peter, who in his earlier life was known for his impetuous nature, now writes to encourage these restless believers. He writes that the LORD is patient for a purpose, and that purposeful delay is in order that more unbelievers might become believers in Him. Just think: had the LORD Jesus returned back in the First Century, when Peter was alive and writing this letter, you and I would never have had the opportunity to receive Him as our LORD and Savior.

We do become anxious about things, don’t we? I know I do! I was a lot like the people to whom Peter was writing. I wanted everything to happen NOW! Yet, now that I’m older, I can look back and see the Hand of the LORD holding things back for my benefit. Oh, I’m

still wanting things to happen more quickly; but I know His timing is always best. So, you and I need (as the kids say) to “Cool it.” God is working out His Divine and Eternal Plan that includes all of us believers. Hey, it’s HIS Plan! Let’s let Him do it His way. In the long run, it will turn out for our best. It always has.

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,

2 Peter 3:8-11, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…

“Hey, are we there yet?” Sound familar? This and similar questions reflect the voices of young children when en route somewhere exciting with their parents. Believe it, when I tell you that some Christians –make that many Christians—voice the same when the subject of Judgment Day comes up in conversation. “Everything’s just like it has always been,” say some, while others want to debate the “one day is as a thousand years” phraseology.

Peter is simply saying that time does not exist in the LORD’s thinking like it exists in ours. Nevertheless, the LORD has not forgotten what He has promised about that terrible day of destruction called “the Day of the LORD.” Certainly, the LORD Jesus is going to come again, but that’s another thing altogether. The Day of the LORD will be an horrendous time, when He will bring Divine Judgment upon the world that did not want to acknowledge Him as LORD! He has not forgotten His promise, nor is He slow in bringing it to pass.

Do you know how a thief comes? He comes in the still of the night when people are unaware of his coming. It will be the same with the LORD Jesus. But, when He comes, it will be “with a roar, and the elements (like atomic particles) will explode mightily and destruction of mankind and its possessions will suffer under intense heat! The Earth and all its works will be totally destroyed! When the huge worldwide flood came in the days of Noah, the LORD promised never again to destroy the Earth with water; but He said nothing to Noah about fire.

How should mankind prepare for such destruction? Simply stated, on the whole, it cannot. But, individuals can and should prepare and escape. That there is an available escape is stated in that 11TH verse: “What sort of people ought you to be?”

Peter’s reply to his own question is “be in holy conduct and godliness.” In other words, get on God’s side and escape the destruction. He’s not coming out of joy for destruction. He wants everyone to be saved. He wants us all to accept His Son, Jesus Christ! That will be our only way of escape.

“Are we there yet?” Not quite; but every day brings us closer to that terrible day. If you don’t know Jesus, confess your sins to Him and ask Him to accept you into His family. If you do know Him, start telling those who don’t, so that they can escape the destruction! Time, even as we know it, is now running out!

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,

2 Peter 3:3-7, “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,

6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.

7 But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

Remember the “false teachers” of whom Peter spoke earlier in his second letter? Those who had previously been fearful of blasphemy against the LORD are now encouraged to mock and blaspheme. They seem not to fear the LORD’s coming, although the writings of other apostles agree with Peter that Jesus is indeed coming again!

The argument of the mockers is that everything has remained the same from the beginning of time. They seem to forget that the LORD God created the Earth, the heavens, everything! Besides having created the world, He destroyed that world through a worldwide flood in the days of Noah. The world was destroyed because of man’s sinfulness. “But things are doing well now,” some would say.

Peter’s answer to those who neglect the LORD is that the present heavens and Earth are going to undergo a day of judgment and destruction –not by another worldwide flood, but by fire. It is all being reserved for the LORD’s great “Day of Judgment and Destruction,” which will focus upon the remaining ungodly world population.

Remember, too, the words of the Apostle Paul,

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who

sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal.6:7-8).

The world will indeed be one day destroyed by the same Power by which it was created. Those who are trusting in Jesus Christ will be rescued. Those who ignore or deny the Person or Power or Word of the LORD, will suffer destruction and Hell. If you have not received Him, trust Him right now! Pray and confess your sin and believe in Him as your LORD and Savior. He is your only hope.

If you have already trusted Him as your LORD and Savior, keep your life spiritually and morally clean, and witness to those who do not yet know Him. Today is the day of salvation!

“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…

encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still

called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the

deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:7, 13).

If you need help to come to know Him personally, please let me know!

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,

2 Peter 2:19-21, “…by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

How often have you heard someone say, “I’m free to do whatever I want”? How often have you said that very same thing?

In yesterday’s Grands Letter, I mentioned that Second Peter 1 deals with “moral corruption” and Second Peter 2 deals with “doctrinal corruption.” Peter well may have both areas of corruption in mind when he writes that “by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.”

Slavery is a very slippery slope. It’s so easy to say, “That’s something which I’ll never do again!” But, before long, you’re doing that very thing and making excuses for doing it! It’s not only wrong, but it’s dangerous! Peter’s warning is especially geared to Christians. Yes, you “escaped the defilements (sins)” that used to plague you because you gave your heart and life to Jesus Christ. He forgave you and cleansed you, and you started out on a new track. But, then—you slipped back, and became “again entangled” and “overcome.” Now, you’re worse off than ever! You’re mad at yourself, but temptation ensnared you! What can you do now?

Peter says it would have been better that you had not known the way of righteousness, than knowing it and then turning away from the LORD’s commands and instructions. Don’t despair! We’ve all been there! If we’re talking about moral corruption, we must confess it and yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s mercy and forgiveness. If we’re talking about doctrinal corruption, we need to flee from the source and bury ourselves in the Word of God –the Bible—until our minds have been cleansed of the putrefaction of false doctrine and we have come back to the purity of the Holy Word.

Both moral error and doctrinal error can be swept from our minds and hearts. But such is a process. We must genuinely want to be free from both, and we must trust the LORD to cleanse us. Many servants of the LORD have failed; but the LORD has never failed any of His true servants. He will not fail you! God bless you abundantly! You are in my 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.”