The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Chronicles 13:8, 18, “So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you.”
18 Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah conquered because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers.”

History is replete with wars. Nations perceive what other nations possess and determine to procure it for themselves. Yet, there is nothing more egregious than a fight between factions of a single kingdom. Abijah was of the lineage of Benjamin; Jeroboam, a former servant of King Solomon. It’s a long and complicated situation, but Jeroboam counted on victory through the golden gods he possessed, while Abijah trusted solely in the LORD. Ultimately, Abijah’s trust in the LORD give him the victory.

I see a parallel here between those who believe their good works and religious rituals will register them as acceptable to God (Jeroboam), while others are looking for victory strictly through their personal relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ (Abijah). The Scriptures in every place allow that Christ Jesus alone came to save sinners. The so-called “good lives” in which others trust are simply not acceptable to the LORD.

At the same time, our Christian witness itself cannot rest upon personal goodness. It rests solely upon the love of the Savior, who sacrificed Himself upon the Cross and arose victoriously from the grave. Our LORD now indwells us in the person of the Holy Spirit, who radiates His love toward others through the medium of our lives. Thus, love –His Love—reaches out to others through us and begs them to accept Him as their Savior and LORD. Have you accepted His Love? You can be reconciled to God! He has won the victory over sin, death, and the grave! Trust Him to give you His Living Life! Then share it! He loves you far more than you know.

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 5:17-21, “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Children are naturally born imitators. I have always loved western movies, going back as far as Gene Autry
and Johnny Mack Brown. At my current age, I still have fun with people who sometimes misspell my name as Jean. “No,” I tell them. “It’s G-e-n-e, like Gene Autry. You know who Gene Autry is, don’t you?” Most never heard of him. It is normal, I suppose, for children to want to imitate someone whom they admire. Yet, when we mature, we put away “childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11).

So it is –or ought to be—with respect to Christ. When we become “new creatures,” old childish things are put away forever. We’re grown and ought to behave as mature people. The LORD has saved us and given us a ministry. Oh, it may not be a formal call to preach as a pastor (yet, it may!); rather, it is a call to live as Christ lived, behaving ourselves according to the Scriptures. Paul calls us “ambassadors for Christ,” those who present Him to others and urge them to yield to His message and control. With our lives changed from selfishness to selflessness, we gladly and enthusiastically represent Jesus Christ to others for whom He died.

If you have yet to yield your life to Christ Jesus, “we beg you on behalf of Chirst, be reconciled to God.” For it is He who, although thoroughly sinless, took upon Himself the responsibility for our sin and died sacrifically in our place on the Cross. Now, He pleads with us to confess our sins in order that they might be forgiven and that we might be made righteous and acceptable to Almighty God. Just offer a simple prayer to God. Admit your sin and ask Him to forgive you. He promises that He will, and He then gives you the Holy Spirit, who will guide you in understanding the Scriptures and give you the desire to reach others for Jesus Christ.

If you already know Him, take every opportunity “let His Light shine in and through your life” to the benefit of others. 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,

Psalm 103:1-2; Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits….
2 Corinthians 2:14-17, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the
sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the
sight of God.”

I awoke this morning to a -14o F. temperature! If that’s not sufficiently chilling to you, try ~25.5 Celsius. Yet,
the first thought that came to my mind was from Psalm 103, “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy Name.” It is a positive thought and one that is strongly advocated by the Apostle Paul in our Second Corinthians passage, Paul was a positive thinker! He kept his thoughts centered on Christ Jesus. And in turn, Christ led him triumphantly through all that he encountered.

Paul even speaks of Christ as producing in us a “sweet aroma” everywhere we go. There are some people who just energize our lives when we meet them! Christ Jesus lives in them and always draws us to them. We find ourselves wanting to be like them. They are that “fragrance of Christ.” What’s more, we can be that fragrance, too! There will be those, however, who will “sniff and sneer” at our likeness to Him. To them, we are the aroma
of “death to death.” Their rejection of Him and His message is not necessarily our fault; it is that they view Christ as unnecessary and unwanted in their lives. It’s typical of the sinful world in which we all live.

Yet, to others, we are the aroma of “life to life.” They’ve noted the emptiness in their own lives and view what we have as what they need. Who is adequate to help them in such a situation? Certainly not those who peddle their teachings as bait for monetery gain. We, who speak sincerely of Christ are adequate to share His message.
Don’t become discouraged! Those who reject Him are digging their own graves. Just keep on loving them and sharing His message. He will take it from there.

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 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;
4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with
which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”

I awoke this morning to the chilling temperature of 1o Fahrenheit. With my furnace straining to pump warmth into the house, I
prayed for those who lacked the blessing of warmth. Snow covers the ground. Gloom abounds, as heavy clouds shut out the
brilliance and heat of the sun. Somewhat shamefully, I acknowledge being comfortable, while knowing that there are those who
battle for encouragement.

It’s worth noting that Paul mentions “comfort” six times in our three verses, twice the number of times he mentions “affliction”
and “suffering.” He shares with us that God is the Father of compassion ((oiktirmos) and encouragement (paraklesis). Afflictions
have their own variety. Loneliness and rejection are mental afflictions. Sickness is a physical affliction, which often negatively encourages
our misperception of reality. In any event, with the apostle, the comfort the LORD provides blankets them all.

Today’s email shares the intentional discomfort suffered by missionaries, who value the redemption of native people far above their own
benefits in life. Their value of suffering measures well with that of the Apostle Paul, who rested himself in the LORD’s comfort and
disavowed suffering as of nothing at all. Military personnel suffer separation from their families and loved ones. Yet, it is the separation of
souls from Christ –eternal separation—that the LORD seeks to terminate. He gave His Life on the Cross that we might be saved from sin,
and escape eternal separation from Him. Is it right that we who are saved should neglect to share Him and His salvation with others? It is
through telling others of Him that we gain the truest comfort. Indeed, “…our comfort is abundant through Christ.”

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 Corinthians 16:2-9, “On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.
3 And when I arrive, whomever you may approve, I shall send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem;
4 and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.
5 But I shall come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia;
6 and perhaps I shall stay with you, or even spend the winter, that you may send me on my way wherever I may go.
7 For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits.
8 But I shall remain in Ephesus until Pentecost;
9 for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

Have you ever experienced someone at your door, suitcase in hand, and hearing the person say that he was going to stay for a time –an indeterminate time – at your house? Possibly, you have. Yet, the shock of the discovery was smothered when you recognized the person to be a dearly loved relative. Such was the attitude of the Corinthian Christians with the Pauline notification that he was en route to their city. Moreover, the Jerusalem Church was greatly in need of funding. Many (perhaps, most) churches in those early days were poor. Their members were poor and they needed help from other believers.

The need that existed in that Jerusalem Church is replicated today in many, many places. The church you and I attend may not be a needy church; therefore, it is our responsibility to lend support to churches that are in need. I recall quite clearly urging some young people in Australia to prayerfully find a missionary, who was in need, and help by giving some regular support. My late wife and I followed that procedure, and I endeavor to continue it as long as the LORD allows. Oh, we all rejoice at gifts we receive from time-to-time; but there is no joy like the joy of giving! Pray about that! You cannot out-give the LORD!

I have always been intrigued by Paul’s words in that last verse above: “…a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” Note that he did NOT say, “but there are many adversaries.” He said “and” (???) there is great resistance! Paul seemed to thrive on resistance to the Gospel. Perhaps, he knew that where the devil was most resistant, the glory of the LORD would be dominant and most outstanding. In any event, you and I are not to skirt the difficulties we encounter. Rather, we are to trust the LORD and wage a spiritual battle in the confidence that it is the LORD’s battle, and no power, demonic or otherwise, can successfully resist the strength and will of the LORD! May He bless you mightily!

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