Archive for 2020


The Grands Letter (Mk/GLJ)

on September 1, 2020 11:50 am (CST)

Dear Grands,

Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

When was the last time you observed others in a restaurant? Well, probably it was some time ago, allowing the current COVID situation. My memory is of nice people, waiting for a waitress and without complaint. There are always some, however, who behave as if they were the only ones there, and that it is the waitress’ privilege to have them as patrons.

Jesus was not “pushy” in His contact with people. As Mark notes, He did not come to be

served, but to serve. The Savior’s fellowship with people was cordial. He was there for them. There were times when His disciples were hungry; He provided their food. There

were times when they took issue with one another; Jesus renewed their fellowship. He

ministered wherever there was need. The blind were made to see; the lame were made to walk; the speechless had their speech restored. Primarily, His miracles were for them.

The ultimate proof of His focus comes from His suffering and death on the Cross!

My oldest son is a pilot. He’s flown with and for some notable people. Many years ago I had a dream that our family was flying together, when one of my children fell out of the

airplane and was speedily falling toward death on the ground. Immediately, I jumped from the plane, hoping to fall faster and rescue the child before both of us hit the ground. Oh, it was a dream, but it seemed so very real! When I awoke, I remembered it all and wondered if such a tragedy were to occur, would I indeed give my life to rescue my child? I want to think I would. More importantly, Jesus gave His life for others!

Since we are Jesus’ disciples, we need to be interested in the salvation of people, too!

As born-again Christians, we need to be sharing the Good News with others. If you have yet to yield you life to Him, there is no better time than the present! It’s simply a matter of faith and trust. Just tell Him in prayer that you’re sorry for your sins and ask Him to come into your life, save you, and take charge! Then believe that He has saved you. He wants you even more than you could want Him. God bless you as you pray!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P.S. An abbreviated outline of the Gospel according to Mark is attached. I trust it will be helpful to you.

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,

Matthew 27:37, “And they put up above His head the charge against Him which read, ‘THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.’”

There are 66 books in the entire Bible. Thirty-nine are in the Old Testament; 27 are in the New Testament. There are distinct purposes for each book, and each book has a verse that speaks to its theme. I have attached the outline for the Book of Matthew. Outlines of biblical books vary somewhat, according to who is doing the outlining. The purpose is to give you some additional guidance toward understanding the books’ meanings. The small number after the book’s title indicates the number of chapters in the book. The span relates to the number of years covered in the book itself. The remaining things are self-explanatory.

Jesus Christ is the principal personality throughout the Scriptures. Even in the Old Testament, where His name is not specifically mentioned, He is the principal personality.

I was speaking with a Jewish man, who asked me rather briskly, “Why does everyone

blame the Jews for crucifying Jesus?” I answered in like briskness, “Because you did! –and so did I!”

Yet, the words in our verse above could hardly have been written by Jews for they had denounced Him and were insistent on His crucifixion. The “they” in the verse points squarely at the Romans! For when it was written, the Jews objected, saying, “Say that He says He is King of the Jews.” But Pilate said, “What I have written, I have written.” (There’s the admission of Roman participation). And the Greek language adds, “…and it’s going to stay that way.”

In summation, the entire world was participant in Jesus’ crucifixion. The Scripture says, “…all have sinned.” And the greatest sin was and is in rejecting Jesus as LORD!

Centuries earlier, back in the Garden of Eden, Adam sinned by disobeying the LORD. When Adam sinned, the disease of sin was passed on to Cain and down to all of his posterity. Thus, one might live a near perfect life and still carry within himself the disease of sin. The only antidote for sin is the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on Calvary’s Cross.

I’m sure no one thought of it at that time, but when the “charge” was levied against Jesus, it ricoched down through the Ages, condemning the whole Earth. Thus, all mankind is guilty and in need of His forgiveness.

I learned about His salvation and trusted Him when I was a small boy. What about you? Do you know Him? Have you been saved from sin by the blood He shed for you? He is coming again! Trusting Him for forgiveness is the only way to be ready for His Coming! Start getting ready today!

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,

Ephesians 5:15-21, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but

as wise,

16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the

Spirit,

19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and

making melody with your heart to the Lord;

20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God,

even the Father;

21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”

Graduation is usually at the end of the school year. With the COVID pandemic upon us at this time, many schools are omitting the graduation exercise. Yet, when graduation ceremonies exist, there is usually a feature speaker. As I read the verses above, it occurred to me that a speaker’s text is right here in this passage. Read on…

1. Be wise in the way you live. Live according to God’s Word. Things that seem appropriate because others are engaging in them, may not be His way for you.

2. Conserve your time! Time is running out. There is no “refill” on time. None of us lives forever, so use your time in the best, possible way.

3. Don’t be stupid! Always adhere to God’s will. He is and will always be smarter than you; so, remember that He wants the best for you and your life.

4. Be ever and always under control. Call on the Holy Spirit for His guidance and strength. Don’t fight Him when He says, “Put on the brakes!”

5. Be joyful when you speak and sing. Always focus your joy on the LORD!

6. Give thanks to the LORD and for all things. Anything He disallows is for your good. He may later reveal why He said “No!” or He may not.

7. Live willingly in subjection to other believers! No one person has all the answers to everything, yet some believers have the gift of wisdom. Choose your counselor carefully. Select someone older than you. Then weigh carefully all counsel and be exceedingly prayerful.

Now, read again the verses above, assessing yourself in relation to the Word. It might be good to memorize this section of the Word and have it “ready for action.”

Pray for the LORD to make His will known to you, regardless of what it concerns.

And don’t forget to say “Thank You” to the LORD Jesus.

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

The Grands Letter (Mk/GLJ)

on August 29, 2020 5:46 pm (CST)

Dear Grands,

Mark 11:24-26, “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask,

believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.

25 “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against

anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your

transgressions.

26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your

transgressions.”

You will forgive me for not recalling the precise incident, but it was a legal transaction for which I was required to obtain a judge’s permission. Somewhere the word “pray” worked itself into the conversation, and being one who prays regularly, I instantly had spiritual thoughts working their way through my brain. Perhaps, I ought to have known better; still, it was my first encounter with that word outside of a spiritual connotation.

There are several words in New Testament Scripture that translate as prayer. The word Jesus used for prayer in the verses above (???????????, proseuchomai) is the most frequent and is always used of prayer to God. For true prayer to be effective, it must always be united with sincere faith.

But there’s more! For prayer to be effective, it must also be coupled with forgiveness. God only forgives those who forgive (??????, aphiemi) others. We must “send away” or relinquish, renounce, put aside, give up whatever we are holding against someone else. Yes, I said “there’s more.”

Recently, I received a report of some indiscretions in which a Christian leader had

become involved. The report purported to be instructive, yet it seemed more bent on castigating the person who was allegedly involved. I recalled the verses above and asked myself, “Where is forgiveness?” For one thing, the actions of the alleged perpetrator never touched the life or ministry of the writer.

We all do wrong. We all sin against the LORD. None of us is perfect. So, if we, who are sinners, are to be forgiven of our sins against the LORD, we must start by forgiving those who sin against us. Some sins have a “community” effect. They involve us remotely, despite not touching us personally. Still, there is no biblical substitution for “letting go” of evil feelings toward others who sin.

Years ago, I experienced forgiveness toward a friend who had wronged me, although somewhat distantly. It was not easy to forgive, but it was imperative if my own prayers were to be answered. Since that time, my own spirit has eased considerably, and my prayers are “easier,” as my conscience is cleared of its guilt.

If you are holding a grudge, turn it over to the LORD. He’s the only One who can and will forgive you. And if the brother whom you have forgiven will not forgive you in return, the LORD can handle that, as well. Life is too short and meaningful for us to neglect forgiveness.

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,

Acts 17:26-27, “…He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the

face of the Earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries

of their habitation,

27 that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him,

though He is not far from each one of us…”

God so ‘Dvu’-d the World

God uses a small word with a giant meaning.

The Wycliffe missionary translators working among the Hdi people of Cameroon felt certain that God must have left His mark on their culture, but struggled to find it. Had He somehow left a clue regarding the nature of His love for them? They discovered it in the most unlikely place, the ending of verbs.

For almost every verb, they could find forms ending in i, a, and u. But when it came to the word for love, they could only find i and a. Why no u? They asked their translation helpers, including the leaders in the community, “Could you ‘dvi’ your wife?”

“Yes,” they said. That would mean that the wife had been loved, but the love was gone.

The missionary then asked, “Could you ‘dva’ your wife?”

“Yes,” they said. That kind of love depended on the wife’s actions. She would be loved as long as

she remained faithful and cared for her husband well.

“Could you ‘dvu’ your wife?” the missionary asked. Everyone laughed!

“Of course not!” they said. “If you said that, you would have to keep loving your wife no matter

what she did, even if she never got you water, never made your meals. Even if she committed

adultery, you would be compelled to just keep on loving her. No, we would never say ‘dvu.’ It

just doesn’t exist.

The missionary asked, “Could God ‘dvu’ people?” There was complete silence for three or four

minutes; then tears started to trickle down the weathered faces of these elderly men. Finally, they

responded.

“Do you know what this would mean?” they asked. “This would mean that God kept loving us over and over, millennia after millennia, while all that time we rejected His great love. He is compelled to love us, even though we have sinned more than any people.”

God had encoded the story of His unconditional love right into the Hdi language. For centuries, the little word was there – unused, but available. When the word was finally spoken, it called into question this people’s entire belief system and was instrumental in thousands coming to Christ.

First Corinthians 1:27 says, “…God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…” Surely, “dvu” in the Hdi language is one of those things. What has the LORD been saying to us that we have failed to notice?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

NOTE: Story forwarded from Ethnos 360; cited from www.wycliffe.org/blog/featured/god-so-dvud-the-world .

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.”

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