The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 123:1-4, “To Thee I lift up my eyes, O Thou who art enthroned in the heavens!

2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress;

So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He shall be gracious to us.

3 Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us; For we are greatly filled with contempt.

4 Our soul is greatly filled With the scoffing of those who are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud.”

Did you ever have a need and not know where to go for help? Such has been the lot of us all, even from centuries past. This psalm is interesting in that it begins with the answer and then relates it to the problem. Some difficulties in life so hide themselves from us that we scarcely know where to look for a solution. Here in verse one we are taught to look first and foremost to the LORD. For it is He who rules from His throne in Heaven! Is it to Him that you go first? It ought to be! Old hymns are often instructive.

Where could I go? Oh, where could I go?

Seeking a refuge for my soul.

Needing a friend to help me in the end,

Where could I go but to the LORD?

The examples the psalmist sets forth are instructive, too. To whom do servants look for help in their time of need, except to their masters? Laborers look for help from those for whom they work. Children look to their parents, their grandparents –those older and close by and most likely to help. To whom do missionaries look for help, when they are far from civilization? Fear sets in rapidly! Thoughts of death swim ragingly through our minds! Yet, there is One who stands by us more securely than any other. It is the LORD God, who created the universe and all that’s within it. He is our supreme help and our salvation!

Even the scoffing of those who witness our dilemma –scoffing that confounds the uncertainty of our hearts and minds—can be squelched by the Almighty, when we call upon Him. Still, no one can call upon someone, whom he does not know. Do you know the LORD? Do you know Him personally, so as to ask for His help? If not, then help for you all but does not exist. But, He has made Himself known, so that you may know Him as a Friend. Reach out to Him today! He loves you and wants to satisfy your needs. He has successfully aided others in their needs. Call

upon Him today!

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

Dear Grands,

Psalm 121:1-8, “I Will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From whence shall my help come?

2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.

8 The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.”

Is there ever a time that we do not need help? Even the psalmist, whose life was lived closely to the LORD, admitted his need for help. It is not weakness to ask for help; it is strength to know when we need it, and greater strength in knowing where to go for help.

The confidence the psalmist has is positive: “My help comes from the LORD…” Where do you and I obtain the help that we need? Do we always look to the LORD? Do we not find help from His Word, the Holy Scriptures? The Scriptures assure us that He will protect us. The LORD does not sleep; He always sees to the needs of His own. Are you one of His? Has your life been truly committed to Him? If it has, you have not need to worry. The LORD is your keeper, you security.

There was a belief among earlier peoples that the heavenly lights –the sun and moon—could adversely affect the demeanor of human beings. In the New Testament we have an instance of a boy, whose father believed his activities to have been controlled by the moon. The Greek word seleniazo, translated lunatic, means “moonstruck” (Mat. 17:15). Still, the psalmist shoves such strange beliefs aside, saying, “The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.” Do you depend solely on the LORD? Or have silly superstitions invaded your thinking?

The LORD is the supreme guard and protector of all life; especially, the life of the ones who have believed upon Him as their LORD and Savior. We are not to be foolish in our behavior. Neither are we to be afraid. Rather, we are to be committed to Him and to seek His will and direction in all things. Are you doing this? Have you believed in Him as your LORD and Savior? If you have, you may peacefully rest on His Word.

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

Dear Grands,

Psalm 118:23-25, “This is the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 O LORD, do save, we beseech Thee; O LORD, we beseech Thee, do send prosperity!”

The era in which this psalm was written was a bleak and dismal time for Israel. Yet, the opening verse of this chapter says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” It is not likely that the psalmist was expressing delight for the calamity that surrounded Israel, any more than we would express gratitude for the distresses we often experience. Rather, the writer is looking above and beyond the current discomforts and viewing the glory of the LORD’s deliverance.

Virtually, anyone can rejoice when things are going well. When we Christians, however, encounter difficulty, we should look beyond it and rejoice in the LORD. After all, we are –or ought to be— aware that no circumstance of life falls outside of His divine purview and control.

One interesting aspect of this particular psalm is verse eight: “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.”

It is the central verse of the entire Bible! The Scriptures, of course, were not originally written in chapters and verses, as we have them today. Stephen Langdon in A.D. 1228 created the chapter divisions, and Robert Stephens, in A.D. 1551, divided the chapters into verses. Still, this central verse could well be personally embraced by every true believer.

We are not enjoined to simply relax, though the LORD God is in control of every aspect of life. We are encouraged to trust in Him and call upon Him for deliverance. The word “beseech” (? ???????????? ) is the same word “Hosanna” (??????) that we find in the New Testament (Jn 12:13), translating, “LORD, save us!” Thus, the focus of our thoughts ought never to be on the distresses of life, but upon the Deliverer from those distresses. He never fails! Who is your deliverer from life’s stresses? He is available to all who earnestly call upon Him.

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

Dear Grands,

Psalm 104:31-35, “Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the LORD be glad in His works;

32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.

35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, And let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!”

Thanksgiving 2020 has passed. Yet, as the glory of the LORD endures forever! Thus, our thanksgiving for all His works ought to

continue throughout our lifetime. The entirety of Psalm 104 sounds out praise to the LORD for all His works. So, when the

psalmist’s words draw near to the end, he again encourages our continuous praise of the LORD. He reminds us of the LORD’s

majestic power. His mere glance at the Earth could cause it to tremble and the mountains to belch forth smoke. The LORD’s

divine power should cause us to live in awe of Him. We should sing His praises throughout our lifetime.

Singing praise to the LORD is an overt activity. I can recall my grandmother singing hymns as she went about her daily tasks.

That signaled to me that her mind was upon the LORD, and that He was giving her strength and wisdom to attend well to her daily, physical work. Whether our overt singing arises from a true covert praise of the LORD, He Himself only knows. Singing to the LORD does not require a “beautiful, melodious voice.” It requires only a truly spiritual love for the One to whom we sing. We might do well to engage in some introspection, lest we simply “go through the motion” without the devotion that truly praises Him.

Further, we must set a guard upon our meditations. What we think about throughout the day may not always be pleasing to

the LORD. If our singing is foundationed in true praise, it will affect our meditation. When it does, the LORD is truly praised! You may contend that there is a significant difference between my what were my grandmother’s daily household tasks and those of one engaged in serious, strenuous work that requires intense concentration. I would reply that the Scriptures offer no differentiation in human tasks when it comes to praise. Both the housewife and the surgeon must depend upon the LORD to affect the outcomes they desire. When each is dependent upon the LORD, each concludes his work with gladness in praise.

The utter seriousness of praising the LORD is captured in that last verse: “Let sinners be consumed from the Earth, and let the wicked be no more.” Why? because they offer no praise to the LORD. Still, the psalmist will not allow the passage to conclude with a negative note. He cries loudly: “Bless LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!” And we, too, must praise His Holy Name through our thoughts and our lifestyle! “Only one life, it will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”

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

Dear Grands,

1 Chronicles 16:29-36, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; nring an offering, and come before Him; worship the

LORD in holy array.

30 Tremble before Him, all the earth; indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; and let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns.’

32 Let the sea roar, and all it contains; let the field exult, and all that is in it.

33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD; for He is coming to judge the earth. O give thanks to the LORD,

for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

35 Then say, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to Thy holy name,

and glory in Thy praise.’

36 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. Then all the people said, ‘Amen,’ and praised

the LORD.”

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks. There are multiple things for which we should give thanks; yet, there is but One to

Whom we owe the fullest gratitude of our hearts. It is the LORD, the Father, who sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.

From Him has come everything for which we should be thankful: parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, friends – and

the list goes on. The Church is the assembly of believers, all of whom for which we are thankful. The multiple pastors and

teachers, whose instructions and examples portrayed the likeness of the Savior – for them all, we are thankful.

Those of us who live in freedom have so much for which to be thankful. We are free from the slavery of debauched leadership.

We are free from hunger, from the winter’s chilling cold and the summer’s burning heat. We have clothing and shelter and books and music. We are more than well-equipped with the ability to communicate with others. We are free to travel, to meet new friends, to learn of the cultures of other peoples. We are free to pray, to believe in and worship and share the God who gave us this freedom.

There is so much more! We are comforted in our illnesses and in the loss of those we so dearly loved. We are comforted in the

surety of hope of a glorious life with our LORD and with our loved ones, who are domiciled in that better place we know as Heaven. Moreover, we live and rejoice in the forgiveness of sin against our LORD and against our fellowman. We are thereby wrapped in the righteous warmth and comfort of our LORD.

Let no one be so blatently dense as to ask, “What is Thanksgiving? Why do we celebrated it?” It is all about Jesus: His birth, His life, His ministry to us all, He death, His resurrection, His ascension, His promised return for which we who know Him anxiously await. Do you know Him? Have you embraced His love? He longs to embrace you as a forgiven child of faith and hope. And it all comes by faith, the true belief that Jesus is the LORD and Savior of all who turn from sin and accept Him. Trust Him today and

come to the full understanding of what it means to be Thankful!

Pray this simple prayer. Pray it meaningfully, believing in Him to Whom you pray.

Lord, I know that I am a sinner. I know I’ve done many wrong things in my life.

I’m sorry for my sin. I know that Jesus loves me, and that He died and rose again

to save me from my sin. Right now, in my heart, I willingly turn from my sin.

By faith, I receive the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Now, if you sincerely prayed that prayer, take God at His word and believe that you are a “born again” Christian! Jesus said, “…him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Nor can you ever again be lost outside of Christ. Jesus said, “And I give unto them eternal life: and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28). Thus, as a born-again believer, you are thoroughly and forever secure in Jesus Christ. And for that you can be truly Thankful!

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