The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 4:1-3, “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown,

so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.

3 Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in

the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers,

whose names are in the book of life.”

If you read anything in the news these days, it won’t be long before you’ll learn how much our world lacks of genuine love. There are a variety of “reasons” given for the instances of hatred

that are perpetrated against others, but they all come back to either a lack of knowing the LORD Jesus Christ or an unwillingness to “stand firm” in Him.

So, Paul’s first word to the Ephesians –and to us!—is to “stand firm (fast) in the LORD.” The verb here (stand firm) is an imperative, meaning a directive, a command –not a suggestion!

Even two Christian women within the Church were not getting along. (Oh, if we only had two!)

Further, the two women had in the past encountered struggles such as the apostle himself had encountered. Yet, now the devil had done a number on them to the extent that they were in serious disagreement with each other.

If you’re in a Bible-believing, Christ-exalting church, don’t be surprised if you encounter serious differences in some of the people, even some of the leaders. Just pray for them; and, as the LORD leads you, help them to reunite. The one simple directive is: don’t interfere unless the LORD puts it on your heart. Just pray! Satan is extremely concerned to hinder the spread of the Gospel; and as his time shortens, he becomes even more active. Where better, than to invade the Church itself?

Remember, all things concerning Scripture are important! Doctrine, witnessing, missions –all are vital because they are what the LORD commanded of His people. Whether the parking lot is on the north side or the south side of the church building is relatively unimportant. Little people concern themselves with little things; and Satan wants us to focus on the little things.

Pray for your pastor and the Bible teachers in your church! Listen carefully to all that they say.

Absorb thoroughly the teachings of the Bible. If you have questions, ask your leaders. Pray for all of them. Be a witness for Jesus Christ in every, possible way! There’s no small work in the LORD’s business. Jesus is what it’s all about! Keep clean, so that God may 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 Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:30, “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him

as head over all things to the church,

23 which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all….

30 because we are members of His body.”

In seeking to study through the verses above, I encountered an author who said, “As it stands, this world is a complete disunity. There is disunity between Jew and Gentile, between Greek and barbarian; there is disunity between different men within the same nation; there is disunity within every man, for in every man the good strives with the evil; there is disunity between man and the beasts; and, above all, there is disunity between man and God. It was Paul’s thesis that Jesus died to bring all the discordant elements in this universe into one, to wipe out the separations, to reconcile man to man and to reconcile man to God. Jesus Christ was above all things God’s instrument of reconciliation…But, clearly, that unity does not as yet exist.”

We’ve undoubtedly never known complete unity! There must first be a unity between husband and wife; then between parents and children, and then between nations, covering a vast span of time. Is it even remotely possible that world unity might exist? Certainly not, as things currently exist.

Yet, it is God’s fundamental plan that it will exist! And it commences with you and me. When I am willing to accept another as my equal, and he is likewise willing to accept me, we have the essential format of God’s plan. It is then confirmed that neither you nor I will ever be at the pinnacle. That is the place for the LORD Jesus Christ; and for Him to be there, you and I must be willing.

“But where are we to be in this scheme?” you ask. Does that matter? Does it really matter?

All things are to be in subjection to Him! He is the Head over all things: the homes, the schools, the churches, the cities, the nations, the world and everything within it. He provides us with the strength to work and to live and to love one another, even as He loves us.

For this to exist, you and I must commit our lives, our time, our energies, our money –virtually,

EVERYTHING to Him! It starts with our total and complete surrender to the LORD Jesus! I’m not yet all that I ought to be, but I’ve started. Commitment to Christ is a guarantee of Heaven some day. The same commitment to Him here and now is but the preparation. Let’s do it together!

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,

Galatians 3:2, “This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”

Did you ever try to get information from a wiggly kid? It’s worth than pulling teeth! They “hum

and haw” around, squirming all the while, but giving none of the desired information. The root cause is undoubtedly natural, allowing their age.

The Galatians’ nature was very much the same. They were “on-again, off-again,” sometimes hot, sometimes cold. That’s precisely why Paul had such trouble with them. And in situations

like those of the wiggly kid or the “hot-and-cold” Galatians, the best situation is to ask one salient question.

Paul’s question was, “…did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” Today, we might ask someone, “Have you had a personal experience with the LORD Jesus Christ, or are you just a church member?” With most churches, it’s easy to become a member. You just say, “I want to join,” and the church says, “Good; you now belong.” But church doors are not the doors to Heaven. Heaven’s door had a secret lock –secret until Carroll Roberson revealed it when he wrote, “Prayer is the key to Heaven, but faith unlocks the door.”

It’s not difficult to become a Christian, and living the Christian life is a joy! Love, joy, hope, peace, fellowship –all of these words and many others go with the Christian life. Unrest, worry, frustration, doubt, uncertainty – these words lie outside of the Christian life. They’re words known by those who are without Christ and they work against everything good in life.

I had the opportunity of a Christian home. My parents and grandparents were all true believers in Jesus Christ. We had “law” in our family, but none of us were saved by keeping it; we were saved by trusting that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Promised Messiah, as in the Bible. And when I asked Him to forgive my sins and come into my life, He did! I was only seven years old. That was many years ago, and His Holy Spirit still lives within me. Give Him the opportunity to forgive you and the same Spirit will take up residence in your life. When you come to know Him, you’ll want to share Him with others. 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 Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 1:5, “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”

Have you ever heard the old saying, “Nobody said it would be easy”? Well, that’s true for just about everyone: that first day in school; that first day on the job; that first surgery (for the surgeon and the patient); and for some of us, that first day in the pulpit, where everyone, I am certain, suffered in abundance!

Yet, the absolute truth is that none of us have suffered anywhere close to the absolute torture that Christ Jesus suffered. Today’s news tells of a literal door-to-door slaughter of Christians in a foreign country. Yet, the very nature of “slaughter” seems more instantaneous than a “grievous,” long-suffering death. Even the Apostle Paul’s sufferings, listed in Second Corinthians 11:23-28, as intensive as they were, lacked the vehement nature of Christ’s sufferings.

History, both secular and Christian, is replete with the sufferings of those “of whom the world was not worthy” (Heb. 11:38). They were beheaded, burned alive at the stake, and publicly ridiculed while simultaneously being encompassed by the jeering hatred of unbelievers. None of us have ever encountered such vitrial; few in modern times have ever witnessed such.

All that being said, we should never shy away from suffering when it comes in the face of our witness for Christ! Paul here turns our thoughts away from suffering to the comfort that comes

from the One who is and provides aid and encouragement to us. Interestingly, the Greek word for “comfort” is ??????????, paraklesis, and relates closely to parakletos, Paraclete – the Holy Spirit! He is the Spiritual Doctor, who knows all and possesses all the ingredients needed for

our time of greatest suffering.

Memorize this verse from Psalm 55:22,

“Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you;

He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

May His eternal blessings be yours in every trial of life that you encounter!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Please feel free to pass this Letter along to those you know need the Holy Spirit’s comfort.

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 Corinthians 1:2, “…to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours…”

Ancient Corinth was a religious city. It was not, however, a city centered on the LORD Jesus Christ. It was a city of paganism, a city of idol worshippers. The Church that worshipped Jesus Christ, however, was the one, bright beam of hope for the entire city. Many had turned to faith in Jesus. They were called “saints,” along with others, who had trusted Him as LORD and Savior. Their new nature existed; yet, as with us today, there was adequate room for improvement.

The outline of this Letter (attached) indicates that the Corinthian Church had its troubles. Nor was this Paul’s first letter to that church. It is the first letter we have, but in chapter 5 and verse 9, Paul says, “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people…”; then he modified his words, saying,

“I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world…; for then you would

have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any

so-called brother if he should be an immoral person…” (1 Cor. 5:10-11).

Unfortunately, there are some people in our churches today that identify with the immorals.

Paul teaches that we need to be loving and prayerful toward them, but not to associate (“mix up together”) with them, lest we become identified as particapating in their evil ways.

We are never to be snobbish or avoid even speaking to them; we should just not be seen with them in their outside-of-church activities. The be what we ought and be concerned for those who need the LORD comes from prayerfulness. Witnesses have to make contact with those who need Christ. We simply must not become like them, lest our witness be weakened.

The LORD is our strength and wisdom as we share His love with others. Pray for strength and for wisdom. He will grant you all you need for every given situation.

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.”