The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Thessalonians 2:13, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

Walmart was jammed with people today as late Thanksgiving shoppers (yours truly, included) hurried to buy pies

and food of all sorts in order to lay a proper table for a Family Thanksgiving Dinner. Next to CHRISTmas, Thanks-giving is the most memorable day of the year. Carts clashed as people hurriedly (make that, “too hurriedly”) spun the corrner and raced down the aisle to locate their favorite delacy before someone else snatched the last item!

Yet, with all of the “hussle and bussel,” folks were friendly and warm, even stopping to visit, which may have been

someone’s advantage in grasping that “favorite food.” Still, In all of the maddening crowd, people were cheerful. They said, “Excuse me,” “So sorry,” and even “Thank you.” Imagine! Saying, “Thank you” at Thanksgiving!

According to the Etymological Dictionary, “Even though the language of “thank you ” dates back hundreds of years…, the concept of gratitude has always been a piece of human interaction. The fact that nearly every language today embodies the idea of thanking someone is incredible and goes to show how human communication can survive across different cultures and times….Today, take the time to say ‘thank you’ to anyone and everyone who deserves gratitude. Whether it’s in English, Mandarin, or sign language— show your appreciation for those around you.”

Now, who could disagree with that? More important still, is the Apostle Paul’s instruction that “we should always give thanks to God…!” Yes, it beyond question that the early founders of our American Republic were God-fearing men! Careful history reveals that most of our Constitutional Convention Framers were “born again” Christian gentlemen. Even the few, who were not, were God-fearing men, who recognized His role in the foundation of the Republic.

Remember that “Thanksgiving List” I asked you to make? Have you made it? Don’t forget to Thank God personally in prayer as you construct the list. The Word says, that we “are beloved by the LORD…,and “sanctified by the Holy Spirit,” If it were not for Him, you and I couldn’t compose such a list at all! God bless you! Have a Glorious Thanksgiving! And may the LORD be thanked and praised for all His great works and wonders! 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.”

Dear Grands,

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always; 17pray without ceasing;

18in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Have you noticed that the “easy” things in life are less meaningful than the “difficult” things?

This is not to say that the “easy” things are valueless; it’s that the human spirit requires a challenge.

Ask me to reveal my favorite color and write a paragraph about it, and I’m hardly challenged. I would

probably ask, “What difference does it make and of what value that would be to anyone?”

Ask me to research the Greek words for “love,” in both the Bible and secular historical records,

and I would be off and running.

Rejoicing in every situation is difficult. One who receives a significant decrease in salary or pension

finds it difficult to rejoice. A decision that puts in jeopardy the sustenance of life is a difficult situation

over which to rejoice. Prayer itself is difficult because we rarely pray for something without considering

the negative side. Yet, we are instructed to pray sincerely as the Spirit leads, and do it continually.

Giving thanks is easier because it assumes that we have received that for which we have prayed. But,

the Apostle says, “in everything give thanks,” even when the answer is contrary to what we wanted.

And yet, he states quite positively that everything that has occurred “is God’s will for (us) in Christ Jesus.”

WAIT!! Does that mean…? Yes, it does! It means that even if the situation for which we prayed turned

out devatatingly contrary to our desire when we prayed, we are to say, “Thank You, LORD.”

Let me tell you that these are not easy lessons to learn! Somebody has “thrown a spanner (wrench) in

the works.” This wasn’t supposed to happen!!! In such situations, we absolutely MUST recognize the

devastation we encounter as being the LORD’s will; and we must say, “Thank You” to the LORD. His

ways are not our ways; and for that in itself, we should be exceedingly thankful.

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,

Psalm 26:7; “That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And declare all Thy wonders.

8 O LORD, I love the habitation of Thy house, And the place where Thy glory dwells.”

Psalm 50:14, “”Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High…”

Psalm 69:30, “I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

There are 27 verses in the Bible that contain the word “Thanksgiving.” Twenty-two are in the Old Testament,

and they range from Leviticus to Jonah. Five “Thanksgiving” verses are in the New Testament, and they range

from Second Corinthians to Revelation.

As we move closer and closer to Thanksgiving, we need to think seriously of how the LORD has blessed us,

and we need to proclaim and declare and sacrifice and praise and sing and magnify Him in our Giving of Thanks.

Here are just a few of the things for which I am thankful:

1. That I was born in the United States of America, that was founded as a Christian nation.

2. That my parents and grandparents were Christians, and handed down their faith in Christ.

3. That I was led to faith in Jesus Christ by my parents at the tender age of seven.

4. That I had teachers in High School and College that acknowledge the reality of God.

5. That I met and married a dedicated, loving, Christian girl, who loved Christ even more than she loved me.

6. That all of our children and grandchildren have come to know Christ as their Savior.

7. That the LORD allowed me to be in His ministry, and share His Word throughout the world.

8. That I have confidence in the infallibility of the Scriptures –the Bible, and continue to learn from it daily.

9. That I have a host of dedicated, Christian friends, whom I remember daily, and whose prayers avail for me.

10. That I look forward to spending Eternity with Christ and with those whom I love, who are already there.

Let me challenge you to draw up a list of your Thanksgivings. As I review my list above, I see nothing thing there

about food. Oh, we’ll have a big dinner, to be sure. But there’s so much more to Thanksgiving than a family meal. It’s a time of spiritual and physical reflection. Re-read the four verses above. Note that they all focus on the LORD. All praise should be focused on Him. We are only alive because of His grace. We only have health because of His grace. We only have loved ones because of His grace. All glory and praise belong to Him! And praise is more than verbal acknowledgment. It includes that, of course, but He wants us all to look like Him. When we do, He is praised! ~ God bless you all abundantly! Have a glorious Thanksgiving on November 28!

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 1:13-16, “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the

Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Have you ever felt under obligation? I’m sure you have. Students in school at every level are obligated to whoever

is paying for their education, and to themselves in the effort to learn as much as possible. Having received things

from others, creates an obligation to share with those who do not know. All of this should go without saying.

Paul never dodged an obligation. He owed sharing Christ with both the cultured, high-minded Greeks, who viewed themselves as wise, and the grubby barbarians fools, who undoubtedly envied the Greeks. What they were physically or economically was of no consequence to Paul. They all needed Jesus Christ! And Paul was eager to share the Gospel with them, and with all who were in Rome as well.

Have you ever felt an obligation like that? Satan wants us to be timid in witnessing. He wants us to be thoroughly ashamed, embarrassed, scared! What erases shame, embarrassment, and fear? Absolute trust in the power of God! How are you to know God’s power will be with you? Who do you think cares the most about the souls of men,

you or the LORD? The LORD, of course! Then, why would you doubt His power and presence with you when you

talk to others about Him? Did I tell you about my German friend in Australia? He served in Hitler’s army, but he came to faith in Christ under the witness of a WOMAN WHO STUTTERED!!! The LORD will give you the strength. His power is resident now within you! Get into the battle! God bless you abundantly!

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 Timothy 4:2-3, “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires…”

Someone recently asked me if I were related to Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. I responded with my usual quip, “We might be related, if he could only learn to properly spell his name.”

The good doctor and I have never met, yet I faithfully follow his weekly ministry on television. We agree on most

things, like the inerrancy of the Scriptures and the basic theology that they contain and teach. We both endeavor to “preach the Word,” as Paul enjoins Timothy to do.

But preachers differ in personality, and personalities have a lot to do with the delivery of the Messages. The same is true of each of us in witnessing. You’ve heard the expression, “It takes all kinds.” So it does. When I was a pastor, my delivery was different than when I was an evangelist, but the Message was always the same. To be more specific, I was even more of a “revivalist” than I was an “evangelist.” I discovered early on that churches needed to get right with the LORD before they could reach the lost with the Gospel. When the Church got revived, lost people began to be saved.

Being “ready in season and out of season” means being morally and spiritually prepared to share the Word, as well as being intellectually prepared to reason well and respond lovingly, as the situation demands. To “reprove” is to expose sin and error in someone’s life. To “rebuke” is to sternly warn of God’s coming judgment and Hell to follow.

To “exhort” is to urge with encouragement and “great patience and instruction.”

Why all of this? Because there is a time coming –a time that may already be here—when people will not listen to sound instruction, from thee pulpit or the pew. Rather, they will swarm around those who say what they want to hear. Someone recently told me of a teaching heard in church –a doctrine with which the hearer did not agree. It was an unsound doctrine, a teaching that has subtly displaced Scriptural Truth. We must be alert! Only the Scriptures are the Word of God, and only the Scriptures are totally without error. We must live in the Word if we are to discern God’s Truth from man’s error. God bless you abundantly, as you remain faithful to 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.”