The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 2:3-8, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;
4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

If you have never read Foxe’s Book of The Martyrs, I enthusiastically commend it to you! In short, terse paragraphs, it reveals the lives and deaths of true Christians throughout history. Many were burned alive
simply because they refused to renounce their faith in our LORD Jesus Christ. It is an humbling experience –one that shames us for our weak behavior.

Behavior is a quality of the mind. Sometimes it occurs so quickly that it often appears to have been without thinking. It’s much like military training. It’s instinctive and appropriate under certain conditions. Still, how many times have you acted insinctively only to ask yourself, “Why did I do that?” In all probability, most spontaneous responses arise from selfish interest. And this is precisely what the Apostle Paul says should not occur in our lives!

Believers in Jesus Christ are to behave as Christ did. He concerned Himself with the needs of others. Previous to His miraculous, earthly conception, Jesus reigned equally in Heaven with the Father and the Holy Spirit. When it was divinely determined that mankind should be rescued from sin, the Son was appointed to be the Rescuer. He did not shrink from His responsibility; rather, He “emptied Himself” of His own will in deference to that of The Father and The Spirit. He came humbly to Earth in human form. What’s more, He did this knowing that He would die a cruel death on a cross for people who had willfully and continuously sinned against their Creator God.

We all need to take regular inventory of our behavior. We need to assess whether our behavior is like that of our LORD Jesus Christ. When it is not, we can know that it is not acceptable to the Father. We then need to pray for forgiveness and for divine strength to live as He intended us to live. As godly, Christian parents desire their children to obey them, so our Heavenly Father desire us to obey Him. That’s whatproduces change in the world in which we live. Let us pray for each other that we all may live “to the praise of His glory.”

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,

Philippians 1:12-18, “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,
14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will;
16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.”

Have you ever known people who experienced turmoil and devastation in their lives, but simply refused to allow the clouds of darkness to defeat them? I remember a lady in a church I once pastored, who lived with constant pain. Yet, every time I visited her home, she pointed to an encouraging, biblically-based book she was reading, and spoke of how the LORD was using it to encourage her life.

The Apostle Paul was like that. His letter to the Philippians was written against the background of extreme difficulty; yet it has been well designated as “an epistle of joy.” Paul was looking beyond his circumstances and rejoicing because of the “progress of the Gospel.” Some who had been timid about speaking up for Christ were becoming bolder in sharing Him with others. That encouraged Paul! He went so far as to say that even those who were preaching Christ “from envy and strife,” gave him encouragement. How could that be? He knew that the Gospel carried its own power –power that released those who heard and believed it from their sin, even if the preacher himself possessed selfish motives.

Some of us are not there yet. A singer is singing off-key! Ouch! A well-intentioned preacher is misinterpreting a key passage of Scripture. Our heart and ears cringe because things are not as they ought to be. We need to take another look at Paul’s joy. That singer loves Jesus! That pastor hungers to see the advancement of the LORD’s work! Yes, they missed some things; but the Gospel is being proclaimed! Jesus is being exalted!

I knew a German couple in Australia. He had been in Hitler’s army. A woman came to his house with the Gospel and shared it with difficulty because she stuttered. Al was patient and ultimately he and his wife, Heidi, came to faith in Christ under that dear woman’s stuttered sharing. The Gospel of Jesus Christ soars above the imperfections of those of us who share it. Focus on the Gospel. Share it as best as you know how! The Gospel alone is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (Rom. 1:16).

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 4:25-32, “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need.
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

This is a hard passage – not because it’s difficult to read and understand, but because it is so convicting! Is there anything false in your life? Do you always speak the truth? Paul lays it squarely on the line; he never wavers. Notice that he allows anger. Anger is a natural emotion when wrong is committed against us; however, we are to dispense with it quickly, never allowing it to linger. Why? Because it will give the devil an opening to move us closer to his evil desires.

Theft is never to be tolerated in a Christian’s life. Once in my childhood, I found a billfold that contained $10.00. I didn’t steal it; someone just dropped it and I found it. There was no identification to tell us who had lost it. I was thrilled! But, my mother wouldn’t let me keep it until we had done everything possible to discover the true owner. She even advertised its discovery in the paper! Mom!!! But, what that experience taught me was far more valuable than monetary discovery! Remember that your hands were given you for work, not for theft. Moreover, anything you earn beyond what you need is to be shared with others.

Watch your mouth! Remember that anger? It mysteriously promotes words that are not in keeping with the Christian life. Just utilize words that build up and encourage other believers –honorable, Christian words appropriate to the occasion. Those inappropriate, sometimes nasty, words hurt the Holy Spirit, who lives within you. He is the Father’s “down-payment” against all the glorious provisions God has for you in eternity. So, “be kind to one another”; let your heart be tender. Forgive those who have offended you. Remember that your sin against the LORD is vastly greater than anything anyone has done against you!
And He has forgiven you. Humm… that gives us something to think about, doesn’t it? God bless you!

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 4:1-7, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love,
3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

Have you ever been a prisoner? Before you answer that question, you would do well to ask, “A prisoner of what?” If you have been arrested for disobeying the law of the land, you should be ashamed. If, however, you are a prisoner of the LORD, you have every reason to be thankful. Paul is not boasting. This would not be “a manner worthy” of his calling.”

The times were not easy then, as they are not easy now for us. We most likely think our times demand toughness. Stand up and be counted! But, Paul calls for patience. He urges the Ephesian believers to be humble and gentle. He urges them to suffer in patience and bear with one another in love. This will preserve unity among the believers. The Christian faith today is seriously fragmented. Even those denominations that were once viewed as lovingly bound together in the faith, are now openly divided before a lost and dying world.

Like an army that is fighting for the preservation of its nation, the Church must be united in purpose and in battle. We do not carry guns; we carry the Sword of the Spirit –Word of the Living God! We do not look to the annihilation of souls; we look to their transformation through faith in the Son of God, the LORD Jesus Christ.

“But, I’m not able,” you say. “That’s the pastors’ job. He’s trained for that kind of battle.” Do soldiers leave all fighting to the generals? Does the Captain of the ship physically fire all the guns? Even so, the leaders and officers of the Church need their people to witness in love to those who live outside of Christ. Yes, the leaders are witnesses, too. “But to each one of us, grace (has been) given,” according to the position Christ has assigned us. Are you a loving, faithful witness for Christ Jesus? He needs you to be; and He will reward you one day, according to your faithfulness.

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 2:1-7, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

It is our custom to endeavor to make those who die appear as nearly life-like as possible. Death is by nature ugly. What is uglier still is for one to be physically alive and yet dead spiritually. That’s how Paul pictures those who physically live while giving way to the sinful wickedness of the course of this world.
Indeed, it’s the prince of this world –Satan himself—who works to produce sin within mankind. He worked successfully with Eve at the beginning, and has continued with his dispicable tactics ever since.

Such a life “lived in the lusts of (the) flesh” needs redemption. And God, who created mankind, possesses the love (????? agape) that in turn produces mercy (????? eleos, compassion), that results in redemption (??????????? apolutrosis, a release effected by payment of ransom). His redemption is granted to us when we believe in His Son for salvation. For it is Jesus, who died as the “ransom,” the buy-back from sin’s clutches; and it is Jesus who arose from the dead by the power of God the Father, thus proving His divine power to all Creation!

But, why would the Father do this? Why would He not simply wipe out mankind and start over? The answer is all wrapped up in one word: Love. He loves those whom He created and moves to buy them back through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. What’s more, He will one day, in the ages to come, demonstrate the riches of His grace to all of His creation.

So much theology is revealed in the old hymns.
“Trials dark on every hand,
And we cannot understand
All the way that God would lead us
To that blessed promised land;
But He’ll guide us with His eye,
And we’ll follow till we die;
And we’ll understand it better by and by.”
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