The Grands Letter

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.”

Dear Grands,

1 John 2:1-3, “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

Not that you care, or that it’s any of your business, but I take about 10 pills every morning. Only four are perscriptions from my doctor. Why on Earth does he prescribe meds for me? My guess is that he wants to keep me from getting sick. Does that seem right to you? Seems logical to me.

Well, the same answer can be given to us spiritually. The Scriptures act like pills to keep us out of spiritual trouble. Remember, too, that Simon Peter is not “talking down” to his Jewish believers when he calls them “my little children.” Paul called Timothy “his child” (teknon) when Timothy was grown and accompaning Paul on his missionary journeys. Child is used for adults as a term of endearment.

Peter writes to encourage his people “not to sin.” It’s better to get that idea into their hearts and heads before they sin, rather than after. You will recall that the Greek word ein (if) introduces a conditional sentence that has an indefinite outcome that means, “maybe you will; maybe you won’t.” So Peter wants them not to sin, but allows that some may anyway. And if they do sin, they are not without help. They have an Advocate, someone called along side to help them; a lawyer, the LORD Jesus Christ.

Still, Jesus is more than a Spiritual Legal Advisor; He is the ilasmos, the Atoning Sacrifice that is our only means of forgiveness for sin. What’s more, He is the Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world –not automatically, but for those who turn away from sin, ask the LORD’s forgiveness, and commence a living walk with Him. And how do we know with certainty that we are His and He is ours? We follow His instructions for living the Christian life! The LORD is not looking for those who can “talk the talk,” but for those who can and will “walk the walk.”

Now, how about you? Do you need His Spiritual Advice? We all do! Have you accepted His Atoning Sacrifice for your sins? Are you “walking the walk” of a truly born-again believer? I do pray that you are!

The world is drowning in the slime of sin. But those who are drowning need those who can swim to help them. We have to be prepared to rescue others. Read your Bible daily! Don’t jump and fumble through the Scriptures. Follow a pattern; read through a whole book. Pray daily! Start and end every day with prayer! Our LORD will be glorified, and you will be amazed how your days and weeks will be filled with joy!

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 1:5-7, “And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

In our last letter, Peter warned us about false teachers. The Apostle John in his first letter boldly announces the message he has received from Christ Jesus. “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness, not one little bit.” That’s how I translated it for a Greek class I was taking in the seminary; and as colloquial as that may sound, that’s exactly what it says.

John uses the word “if” quite a bit in these short letters. There are two basic words for “if”: ei and ean. The latter word is the one used in these verses. It introduces a conditional sentence with an indefinite outcome. If we say that we have fellowship with Him – maybe we say it, maybe we don’t. If we walk in the light – maybe we are, maybe we’re not. We seriously need to assess where we are in our relationship and fellow-ship with Almighty God! He doesn’t play around, and we dare not, either. If we say we are in fellowship with the LORD when we’re living in darkness, we’re lying and lying is a sin!

Still, there’s a brighter side. “If we are walking in the Light (living in close fellowship with God), we’re also having fellowship with “one another” (i.e., another of the same kind; another who is in fellowship with God). “And the blood of Jesus (God’s) Son is continually cleansing us from every unrighteous deed.” Jesus had to die only once to save us; but His blood continually avails to cleanse us from every sin. We keep clean physically by bathing regularly. We keep clean spiritually by repenting of our sins regularly. His blood is always present for cleansing. We have but to call on Him in prayerful sorrow.

Do you have anything in your life that needs cleansing? Maybe some words you shouldn’t have used…? Maybe some places you shouldn’t have visited…? Maybe a thought that shouldn’t have come to mind… Maybe an opportunity to witness you let slip by…” Jesus’ blood will cleanse it all –every little bit. Just ask Him and see! Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Don’t waste it!

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 1:2-4, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

I thought you might be helped with a brief outline of Peter’s Second Letter.

I. Believers Can Overcome Moral Corruption (1:1-21).

1. Exhortation to Moral Excellence (1:1-11)

2. Reminder of Christ’s Moral Excellence (1:12-21)

II. Believers Can Overcome Doctrinal Corruption (2:1-22).

1. Doctrinal Corruption Comes from False Teachers (2:1)

2. Note well the Ways of False Teachers (2:2-22)

III. Believers Can Be Steadfast in Their Christian Lives (3:1-18).

Notice that Grace and Peace highlight the letter’s salutation. (That’s a good way to commence any communication, as it is warm and friendly in addition to being spiritual.) Peter notes, too, that both qualities (Grace and Peace) can be multiplied. And that multiplication comes in porportion to our knowledge of God and the LORD Jesus. Where do we get that but from the Bible?

When you think some sin has just about ruined your life or that your life is headed in that direction, Peter reminds us that “His divine power” is ever present to reproduce His Life qualities in us. God never abandons His own people! But we become “His people” by repenting of sin and believing in Jesus as our LORD and Savior!

The LORD’s “precious and magnificent promises” have been granted to us for so that we might be the recipients of His “divine nature” and escape the “corruption that is in the world.” In other words, God plays no part in our sinfulness. Yet sometimes, He allows the consequences of our sin to bring us down so that we might remember that He saved us for a higher purpose.

In sum, everything we need to be all that the LORD intends us to be, we already have. We just haven’t tapped into it all yet. He is being patient with our impatience, waiting for us to get it all together. Time is racing by! We had best utilize the time we have to become what He wants! One day, we will be required to give an account of what we did with all He has given us. Are you ready?

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.”