Archive for July, 2021


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Dear Grands,

Proverbs 3:13-18, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.”

Think for a minute before answering this question: “Is the knowledge of what is true or right, coupled with just judgment as to action, a sufficient definition for wisdom?” Possibly, it is; however, “When man trusts simply to his own attainments he is bound to go wrong.”

Solomon’s thoughts on wisdom lead to sound understanding, which in turn, leads to good judgment and honest living. That is far superior to the profit that brings gold and silver and jewels – items that are intensely sought by those without “sound understanding.”

Things in Scripture that are held in the “right hand” are always superior to things held in the “left hand.” Some things are clearly worth the price. Other things are just as clearly worthless. Wisdom is the catalyst that determines what things are genuinely good and brings them together.

Long life is clearly superior to riches and honor. Every day there is news of the passing of someone who has left enormous wealth to someone else. What is of value is whether the dead had previously laid hold of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ. Now, that same question takes focus on the inheritor of that enormous wealth. Which means the most, Eternal Life or earth’s perishable treasures?

I recommend Jesus! There is no eternal death for those who are trusting in Him!

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

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Dear Grands,

Proverbs 3:1-8, “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
2 For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.”

“Didn’t I tell you this would happen if you ignored what I said?” Good advice; I should have listened. Ignoring sound teaching always results in trouble.

The wisdom of Solomon is clearly displayed in these verses. He is aware that his teachings can be neglected to the hurt of his son; thus, immediately following Solomon cites the value in keeping his commandments. Young lives are restless. All too often they neglect the proven truths they’ve been taught. Length of day; years of life. What does that matter to a young life. Youth tend to believe they will live forever.

Kindness and truth are uppermost, according to Solomon. Kept in the heart, they promise to preserve life. They promise the discovery of “favor and good repute” (wisdom, insight ??????) “in the sight of God and man.”

Solomon then advocates total trust in the LORD –trust in the One who is stronger than man. Listen to Him! Solomon warns: Don’t be a wise-guy, who thinks he knows it all. “Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”

This “turn away from evil” ranks extremely high with the LORD. He is competent to affect healing, but He demands “change” in our lifestyles. Often, when in dire circumstances, we cry out to the LORD, promising to change. Yet, once we’ve experienced His healing, we slip from those promises; so He allows it all to affect our lives again.

When our promises are sincere, His results are guaranteed. Healing comes to the body, and our very bones experience “refreshment.” How good it feels when the aches and soreness are gone! The LORD’s discipline has subsided; and it will remain so, unless we again forget what we promised.

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

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Dear Grands,

Acts 20:32-35, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.
34 “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.
35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”

The apostle Paul is coming to the end of his ministry. He is hurrering to Jerusalem that he might be there in time for the feast of Pentecost. I suppose it’s natural when one is coming to the end of his ministry that he should be drawn closer to those he loves. Yet, despite Paul’s love for his friends, his love for the LORD –his LORD! — exceeded his love for his friends. He longs to meet Jesus again. I say “again,” because their first encounter was on the Damascus Road, an encounter not to be forgotten for it altered his life completely!

Now, as he approaches the end of his ministry –and his life—he encourages those whom he loved supremely to stand by the faith that was delivered to the believers themselves. Stop being preoccupied with what you have received! Start thinking of the privilege you have in sharing it with others! It IS more blessed to give than to receive. If you doubt that, you have failed to notice the thought and time and effort others have sacrificed for you.

Yet, beyond the apostle himself, and the avalanche of truth and love he poured out upon others, the preeminent focus is upon the gift of the LORD Jesus Christ Himself; for it was He who went to the cross for the sins of humanity –your sins and mine! Let those who willfully reject Him maintain their focus upon whatever the world has to offer. Let our focus ever and always be upon Him, who gave Himself for us and forgave our sin.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable (inexpressible) gift” (2 Cor. 9:15).

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

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Dear Grands,

Ezekiel 16:4-6, “As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths.
5 “No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born.
6 “When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’”

The LORD is speaking to Israel as if she were a child, despised and abandoned by the parents. All that was due to a newly born Israeli child was that 1) the the navel cord be cut, allowing the child to live apart from its mother; 2) that the child be washed of the afterbirth, thus thoroughly cleansed; 3) rubbed with salt as a purifying substance; and 4) wrapped in cloths, so as to be protected from the surrounding elements.

Yet, none of these normalities at birth were performed upon the child. It was abandoned to an open field, despised by its parents from the very day of its birth. Squirming in its own blood, the LORD said “LIVE!” And the child lived!

Matthew Henry comments on this passage, saying, “…it is a very apt illustration of the miserable condition of all the children of men by nature. As for our nativity, in the day that we were born, we were shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin; our understandings (were) darkened, our minds alienated from the life of God, polluted with sin, which rendered us loathsome in the eyes of God. Marvel not then that we are told, ‘You must be born again.’”

I write this on my 86th birthday. My parents were superb Christian people, and it was they who prayed with me the night I repented of my sin and accepted
Jesus Christ as my Savior. Thus, I have been committed to Him for these 79 years, wishing only that those years might have been more completely dedicated to Him. Give Him your life! There’s no life like it anywhere else!

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

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Dear Grands,

Titus 3:1-7, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,
2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Did your parents ever have to remind you as a child of things they had taught you? To ask the question is to answer it: of course, they did!

And so it was with Paul to Titus, a younger, but eager, disciple of the LORD. He reminds him that there are others, who have authority over him. And so, Paul reminds all believers. A ruler (????) was one who taught another elementary things. An authority (???????) was one who possessed the power of control. Thus, the believer was to “be ready for every good deed,” administering both peaceably and gently.

Simultaneously, the apostle forces our recollection of our own past lives. They were lives filled with utter foolishness, disobedience, deception, lusts and pleasures that were enslaving to evil, were they not? Prior to the knowledge of Christ, life simply overflowed with envy and hatefulness toward everyone. So, it’s time for us to start exercising love toward those who are now in authority over us.

Have consistent regard for the LORD. His salvation is according to His will and power; yet, He requires us to love and serve Him with all earnestness. When we believe, we are not our own; we belong totally to Him. We were saved for His purpose and glory. Nothing we possess is our own. It all belongs to Him. So, yield your life to Him every single day. Let all you are and do be “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

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