The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Peter 2:1-3, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you,

who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift

destruction upon themselves.

2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;

3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction

is not asleep.”

There is no question but that we are currently living in the midst of a world crisis! Daily updates from the President and his team are no joke. News reports continue to remind us to take care how we live, but not to panic. The finest, most reputable medical and scientific personnel throughout the world are laboring fervently to find a solution to the virus COVID-19.

What should concern us most, however (and I am home-sequestered, as I write), are the fraudulent proclaimers whose are intentionally working the crisis for their own financial gain. Everything that Simon Peter notes in the verses above meet the critical situation we are now facing. He mentions “false teachers,” who “secretly introduce destructive heresies,” and who “follow sensuality.” He speaks about preachers and teachers, who are supposed to be spiritual leaders and encouragers, feeding scared people the Word of Life from the Holy Scriptures. Of course, many are; but those who “exploit…with false words,” do it out of “greed.”

Space in this Letter forbids the reiteration of verses four through nine from the passage above; yet, it is vital to see

in verse nine that “the LORD knows how to rescue the godly…” We must keep our eyes upon Jesus. We must read and study the Word of God daily, keeping our hearts and minds focused on Him! We must engage in serious prayer for all people, friends, pastors, missionaries, medical personnel, scientists –all who are engaged in discovering the human solution to this crisis! “Oh,” you say, “you’re looking to the scientific field personnel to give us a solution?” I am

saying that the LORD caused the rain and flooding in the days of Noah, but Noah, under God’s direction, built the ark!

And he preached to the doubters of his age, while he built it.

Everyone today is busy! Businesses warn telephone callers that there may be an eight minute or more wait before they get to us. The opportunity for witnessing in such situations is not the opportunity we would like; however, a simple “God bless you!” to the person on the other end brings to their minds the awareness of the LORD. Use the crisis to witness. Ignore the doom and gloomers, who see the Earth as theirs rather than the LORD’s. Pray for the godly pastors and teachers. The LORD –our LORD!—is ever and always in control. Believe always in Him!

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,

1 Kings 12:3b-8, “Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

4 “Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he

put on us, and we will serve you.”

5 Then he said to them, “Depart for three days, then return to me.” So the people departed.

6 And King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying,

‘How do you counsel me to answer this people?’

7 Then they spoke to him, saying, ‘If you will be a servant to this people today, will serve them, grant them their

petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.’

8 But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up

with him and served him.”

From time-to-time, we all need counsel from someone. If you stop and think for a moment, you will realize that not

long ago there was something you either didn’t understand or understood, but needed counsel from someone you

trusted as to what you should do or say in that situation. Yet, how do we know where to go for counsel?

Solomon had died, and Jeroboam, who had fled from Solomon, had now returned from Egypt. Rehoboam, Solomon’s

son, now occupied the throne, and Jeroboam, for reasons not give us in Scripture, gathered his motley crew and

feigned the need for Rehoboam’s counsel. Jeroboam lied about serving Rehoboam if he but lessened the workload

that Solomon had laid upon them.

Rehoboam was no Solomon. The only thing he did that had merit was telling Jeroboam and his group that he would give them an answer in three days. It all looked good at that point, and it continued to look like wisdom when he

counselled with the elders, who had served under Solomon. They noted that things had gone well under Solomon

and counselled Rehoboam to continue just as his father had done.

Whether Rehoboam wanted to placate Jeroboam and his crew, or whether pride mounted up within him as he

thought about being king, we can only guess. But when the three days came, Rehoboam announced that his “little

finger (was) thicker than his father’s loins” and that he intended to “add to (their) yoke” and discipline them with scorpions! He was indeed the son of the wisest man of his time, but he sure blundered with that decision!

Where do we go for good counsel? Sometimes, it comes from the words of an old hymn –those good old songs

we used to sing in church. Our biblical theology was encased in those hymns, and as children we learned God’s

truth as we sang praises to His name.

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?

Ultimately, the best counsel is straight from the LORD’s Word! Stay in the Word! Stay before Him in daily prayer. There is no better council anywhere than from the LORD!

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,

1 Kings 10:6-7, 9, “Then she said to the king, ‘It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and

your wisdom.

7‘Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told

me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard….’”

9″’Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved

Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.’”

If something is true, it will bear up after an excruciating examination. A spelling bee examines a young student to

ascertain whether he can accurately spell the words he claims to know. Forensic examinations seek to determine whether a crime has been committed and, if it had, who committed it.

If you’ve previously heard of Solomon, you surely have heard of the Queen of Sheba. Biblical historians differ as to her origin, but the notoriety of Solomon had travelled far and she had come to see whether it were true. Having examined virtually everything in Solomon’s kingdom, and having personally witnessed his wisdom, she announced to him that indeed it was a true report; in fact, she said it exceeded everything she had heard.

What is surprising is her acknowledgment of the LORD! So far as we know, Solomon had not witnessed directly to her, but she had seen the LORD in his life. And she, as a pagan queen, gave praise to the LORD for all He had done for

Solomon! Can’t we get a good lesson from that? Witnessing is not just telling people about Jesus. Of course, it involves telling about Him; but it is first of all the demonstration of love and faith and wisdom in and through our lives!

He had a purpose for Solomon, and He has a purpose for you and me. Let’s get busy and share Him with others.

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,

1 Kings 8:57-61, “”May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us,

58that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes

and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.

59″And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our

God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day

requires,

60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no one else.

61″Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His

commandments, as at this day.”

I’ve always listened carefully to audible prayers. If the person praying is not sincere, it will show in his prayer. Those

whose prayers come genuinely from the heart reveal to their listeners the other’s rich closeness to the LORD Himself.

Solomon had not long been king when he prayed the prayer in our verses above. God was real to Solomon! He was

a God of righteousness, whose ways produced love and faithfulness from His children. Yes, He had statutes and

ordinances and commanded adherance to them. Further, His love and faithfulness to King David drew allegiance from

David’s son, Solomon.

Solomon’s life paralled his prayer. He was the King of Israel, but he was subservient to his King, the LORD God. It was Solomon’s purpose and focus to keep the LORD’s commandments and statutes, and to instill them into the lives

of his people, “so that all the peoples of the Earth (might) know that the LORD is God; and that there is no one else.”

For by the lives of the Israelites the nations of the would be influenced toward the LORD. And so it is today, and so has always been. When our hearts are focued on the LORD, and when we are living by His Word, the Scriptures,

those without Christ Jesus cannot help but notice.

So, “be wholly devoted to the LORD…, walk in His statutes, and… keep His commandments.” He is the LORD, and

“there is no one else.”

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,

1 Peter 1:13-16, “Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace

to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

16 because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

It has been said, “Christianity has not been tried and found difficult; it has been tried and found impossible!” There

is no way that any of us are living exactly as Jesus intended; but we can and must do better than we are! Peter knew

this and wrote it for the instruction of as many believers who would endeavor to follow his teaching.

First, it’s a matter of our mental focus. There is nothing in the Christian faith that we cannot be or do if we keep

focused on the LORD and His purpose. That is true whether you hunting deer or escaping from a wild dog. You have

to keep mentally focused to accomplish the task. At the same time, Peter says we must keep sober and focus in hope on the grace of God that saved us through our LORD Jesus Christ.

Second, we must be obedient to the teachings of Christ and be done with the various lusts we left behind when we first trusted Him. Satan is very clever and calls us back again and again to our old ways of life. He then feeds us with

excuses for not being what Christ has saved us to be. Christ saved us and called us to obedience. Through love, He called us to holiness, saying, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

When my daughter was a small child, I could have set her on my lap and prompted her to say, “I love you, daddy,”

over and over again. But my compelling her to repeat words not from her heart would have been senseless and futile. So, I loved her and my love drew her to love me. God loved us and sent His Son. Now, what could be more magnetic

In drawing us to Him than the love He Himself has shown us? Fix your mind on that and you will please Him.

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.”