The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event

under heaven–

2 A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up.

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

5 A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun

embracing.

6 A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away.

7 A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak.

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.”

Some things simply cannot be avoided. Good things occur and we are happy; bad things occur and

we are sad. It’s the cycle of life and it is the way of us all. It has always been that way and it will

always be that way. Yet, Solomon affirms that all of these events occur in God’s “appointed time.”

As you consider the situations listed in the verses above, match them with events in your own life.

There were times of joyous encounter! There were times of deep devastation. We often consider

such events as normal occurances; yet, the Scriptures say that the LORD is ever and always in

control and that nothing that occurs without His notice or approval.

When we were children, we were disciplined by our parents. Discipline does not always mean

punishment, yet sometimes it does. The primary meaning of the word is “training to act in accordance with rules.” When we know the rules and act in accordance with them, we gain approval. When we fail to live within the rules, we suffer punishment. Such is normal in every area of life. There are rules for

flying, for boating, for surgery, for ministry, for building, for demolition –and the list goes on and on.

Every discipline known to man has rules.

The LORD has set the rules for life and reveals them to us in the Bible. When we trust Him and learn to live by His rules, things go well. When we fail to obey, punishment is inevitable. We learn His rules by reading Scripture. What we find difficult to understand (and there are such things), He has given us

ministers, pastors, evangelists, missionaries, teachers to help us understand His way.

Get with the rules! Learn to live by faith and trust in Him! Don’t allow yourself to be troubled by the

rule-breakers among whom we live. Our LORD is not asleep, nor does He ignore the happenings

that surround us in life. He makes Himself known in the right way and at the right time. In the mean

time, He has given us His Word to be our guide. I hope and trust that you read the Bible every day!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom