The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Romans 15:1-4, “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and

not just please ourselves.

2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.

3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached

Thee fell upon Me.”

4 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.”

“How does that benefit me?” Whether those are the precise words or not, we’ve all said them in our hearts. There was a decision to be made, and our only concern was how it would affect us. We give no consideration to the others who are involved.

Yet, such situations concern everyone involved. We who are stronger should work to help those who have less or no strength. We are to do what is good for the one who is weak. He is our neighbor, and it is for his benefit that we are think of him first.

Paul instructs us with the example of Jesus Christ when he says that “Christ did not even please Himself.” How is that? Remember that in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Father, if it be Thy will, let this cup (experience of death) pass from me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done.” He was facing death for our sins –sins that were directly against the Father. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, The sins of mankind were against You, Father; but it has become My lot to pay for them in My death.

Paul then concludes by saying that the things written in Scripture in earlier times were for our instruction; and that through the steadfast truth of the Scriptures, we might be encouraged and have hope! Oh, how vital the Word of God is to us! Whether we are discouraged because of sin, or because of the circumstances of life that encircle us, there is no comfort like the Word of God! Through His Word we come to know Him and learn the comfort of His Holy Spirit. The richness of our days come from an immersion in His Holy Word! Nothing brings greater comfort and encouragement to the human soul. Have you not discovered that?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. We Americans rejoice that we live in a Christian nation; yet it is the responsibility of all believers everywhere to share

Christ with those who do not know Him. No nation is stronger than its Christian Faith!

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 13:8-10, “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.”

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.”

Did you ever lend something to a friend and never get it back? Oh, at the time he borrowed it, he assured you of its return. Still, it was never returned or repaid. Did you ever borrow something with the promise that you would return it? Did you return it?

Paul not only wanted people to be committed to Jesus Christ, he wanted them to live honestly, too. And the key word he uses is love (?????? agapao). You will recall from earlier Letters that there are four Greek words that translate as “love,” and only three of them are found in the New Testament. Agape is

Is the highest form of love, and it expects nothing in return. (You can think of me as you want, but you cannot keep me from loving you.”)

Verse nine lists only four prohibitions: adultery, murder, theft and inordinate desires. Certainly, there are more wrongs than four, but he doesn’t need to list them because all sinful attitudes are erased when we “love (our) neighbors” as we love ourselves. “Love does no wrong to a neighbor”; therefore, love overwhelms the law!

These Letters have often dealt with sharing Christ with lost people. Many believers think that they are personally inadequate to witness. Their excuses are that they don’t know enough Scripture; they don’t know enough to answer other’s questions or think quickly enough to counter someone’s misuse of Scripture. But, the key to effective witnessing is simply knowing Jesus and possessing genuine love for lost souls. No opposition, however fierce or intimidating, can ultimately stand in the face of genuine, spiritual love. Love is the fulfillment of all things. Learn to love Christ Jesus and He will teach you how to love lost people.

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 13:1-4, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority

except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

2 Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed

will receive condemnation upon themselves.

3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of

authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same;

4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the

sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices

evil.”

The big question in today’s world comes down to this: Who is in authority? But before we can answer, the Apostle Paul says: “…there is no authority except from God.” The word “from” has two avenues: one is that God Himself is the Supreme Authority. The other is that there are authorities (let me call them “deputies”) that derive their authority from God. For example, the Chief of Police has authority; the deputies have authority, too, but their authority derives from the authority of the chief. Any resistance to legally authorized authority is a resistance to God Himself! And that is serious stuff!

How many times have you noticed a police car parked on the roadside, watching the speed of cars going by? My guess is that you instantly look at your speedometer to assess whether you are in violation of the limit. The only “fear” we have of police is when we know we’re in violation of the law. What we often forget is that policemen (Christians and non-Christians alike) are “ministers of God” for the well-being of the citizenry. Do right, and you’ll receive their praise. Do wrong, and you’ll enjoy their wrath.

The big problem we face today is that there is a lack of respect for God and a lack of respect for His ministers who patrol our streets and our dwellings. Since authority cannot simply be obliterated, we often assume that we are the authority. Witness: “I pay taxes that build the roads; I’ll drive as fast as I please! After all, they’re my roads!” Those who think like that (and there are far too many who do!), put themselves and others in jeopardy! All credible law originates with God.

It’s unbelievable what we have observed recently in the looting and burning of legitimate businesses. It is not an outcome of “free speech”; it’s simply raw defiance of authority! That’s what happens when law and order are laid aside. We need to be prayerful about this situation. We also need to be careful that we honor the LORD by honoring the laws under which we live! We need to be prayerful and supportive of our leaders as well, remembering that “God (is) an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.” And His wrath is enormously devastating! Read the Bible and see.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Please pray for those who are in authority over us. If they are wrong, God will handle them; if we are wrong, He will

deal accordingly with us. He is “no respector of persons.”

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 11:33-36, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How

unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?

35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?

36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Were you ever so overjoyed about something that you just yelled through your tears? Think hard! That’s exactly what occurred in the life of the Apostle Paul, as he openly expressed “the depth of the riches” of “the wisdom and knowledge of God.” Oh, if only for a moment the curtain separating what the LORD knows from the emptiness of our thoughts –if only for a moment we could then gain insight into His plan for our lives!

How close do you honestly believe you have come to knowing anything that lies in the deep recesses of His Mind? Yet, sometimes we act as if we were His counsellor. Everything our LORD possesses originated from within Himself! What could we possibly give to Him that He does not already possess and is greater? Thus, Paul concludes by noting that all things, including the planet on which we live, the sun, moon, stars and planets in the heavens – are from His divinely voiced command. His Word, the Holy Scriptures, have been allowed to saturate our parched and vacuous minds, replacing them with the riches of His wisdom and saving grace.

His love is a recipricol blessing! Originating with Him, permeating and saturating our dry and gasping souls with the precious fregrance of His grace, we return to Him through faith; and He is glorified! How

rich we are! Yet we search in vain for the world’s wealth, leaving Him to believe that what we can acquire by our own hands is of greater vallue than the eternal blessings of His grace.

In times like these, those without hope engage in horrendous activities, seemingly ignorant of any coming judgment. We are right in opposing their lawless activities, but must never lose sight of their need of our LORD and His saving grace! “Except for the grace of God, there go we.”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Pray for those who have tested positively for COVID-19 and for the families who have lost loved ones to the virus.

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,

Isaiah 2:4b, “And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.”

Joel 3:10, “Beat your plowshares into swords, And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak

say, ‘I am a mighty man.’”

Have you ever encountered someone who argued that salvation was by works, and not by faith? He probably quoted from James who wrote, “…faith, if it has no works, is dead…” (2:17) or “…faith without works is useless?” (2:20) or “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?” (2:21). All of these verses are valid, but often they are neither applicable nor relevant to the “works vs. faith alone” argument. In other words, using Scripture that means something different to argue for a meaning foreign to that Scripture, is in itself a misuse of Scripture. It’s called “proof-texting.”

Our two verses above are both true, but they apply to two different eras of time. The Isaiah Scripture that hammers “swords into plowshares” relates to a different time than the Scripture in Joel. The “Day of the LORD” in Scripture comes after the Rapture (catching away) of the Church. In that day, Great Tribulation will come upon all the Earth. It will be spearheaded by Antichrist for seven deceptive and devastating years. It is known in the Old Testament as “the time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer. 30:7). The Prophet Joel says that Israel will need swords for her defence in that day; hence, the beating of “plowshares into swords.”

After the Great Tribulation, Satan will be bound, and peace will pervade the whole Earth for a thousand years. At that time, the swords can be made into plowshares, as peace will prevail everywhere. All of this is to say that what sometimes looks like a contradiction is actually not. The emphasis of James is

not that works are necessary for one to be saved; rather, it is that when one is saved, good works will be the ongoing result. We are saved by faith alone! But the result of that salvation will be good works. It is all of Him, and all for His glory! God bless you! May you glorify His Name!

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.”