The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 3:16-19, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”

Virtually every public speaker encounters skeptics who approach him at the close of his speech. They have “an axe to grind,” and want to use the speaker as the recipient of their anger.

John speaks to a gathering in his day, citing the love of God for the world He created. The proof of God’s love is clearly manifested to those who believe His Son, Jesus. He died on the Cross as His Father’s sacrifice for the sins of those who live on the Earth.

Without question, God will one day judge the world; but that was not the purpose for which His Son came. Clearly, those who believe on His Son, Jesus, will not perish; they will have eternal life. But, those who fail to believe on Jesus as their personal Savior will die in their sins.

Let’s suppose that someone came through our streets offering a free ticket to a concert. Some would see it as a benefit and accept the ticket. Others would view it as a gimmick or a trick, and stubbornly refuse the ticket. “No one gives away expensive concert tickets,” they say.

But the day of the concert arrived and everyone –everyone!—was excited! Everyone wanted to attend. Those who had received the tickets were allowed to enter the concert area. Those who had believed it was a joke, and had refused the tickets, were turned away at the concert entrance.

That simple illustration clearly states what our Scripture above teaches. Jesus is the Light of the world; but those that refuse to walk with Him are found walking away from Him and in the darkness. The Bible says that those who walk in darkness do so because the deeds of their lives are evil. Don’t be stopped at the Gate to Heaven! The LORD loves everyone. But He needs “everyone” to love Him in return by accepting His Gift of His Son for our sins. Have you received 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

Dear Grands,

1 John 1:5-7, “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

If you’ve ever tried to walk around in the darkness of an unfamiliar room, you know the practical value of light. Yet the light that enables us to see also possesses energy, “electromagnetic radiation to which the organs of sight react.” Light travels at 186,282 miles per second, meaning that it would take 1.28 seconds to reach the moon. We get colors from light, too. A prisum residing in sunlight divides them quite well.

The word “light” is exceedingly meaningful wherever it’s found. In the Scripture, it is found just shy of 300 times, and is in most of the books. Interestingly enough, there are two Hebrew words mentioned in the early days of Creation. The first is ???? or, and signifies what we might call “light the creature” or “essence.” This light existed prior to the light that comes from the sun, moon and stars. The other word, ?????? maor, indicates what we might call “light containers.”

When the Bible says that “God is Light,” it is signifying Him as the Creator, whose very nature is Righteous. He is pure, without the slightest hint of sin. I remember one of my Greek teachers translating verse 5 above as, “God is light; and in Him is no darkness –not one little bit!”

There is no fellowship where only one person is committed to Christ Jesus. True fellowship requires both parties to be committed to Him. That commitment suffers attack from time-to-time; yet, the blood of Christ Jesus is continually cleansing the believer, enabling him to continue his walk with the LORD in Light.

I’m sure you agree that walking in the Light is preferable to walking in darkness. The LORD is Light and He willingly shares it with all who will walk with 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

Dear Grands,

Deuteronomy 4:23-27, “So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you.
24 “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
25 “When you become the father of children and children’s children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God so as to provoke Him to anger,
26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will surely perish quickly from the land where you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not live long on it, but will be utterly destroyed.
27 “The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD drives you.”

Regardless of the commentary on the reason foreign countries encounter unrest, war and devastation, the LORD is ever and always in control. Yesterday’s Letter spoke of the LORD’s jealousy, and how it is justified because “when we accept Christ Jesus as our personal Savior, we belong to Him totally! Thus, He has the Divine Right of jealousy over our lives.”

Years later the warning from Exodus comes again in Deuteronomy. This time God is pictured as a “consuming fire!” Nothing escapes the flames of a consuming fire! His jealousy concerns His children. In the Old Testament Israel was His children. In the New Testament, those who accept Jesus Christ become His spiritual children. He loves His children, but angers furiously when they disobey Him and fall again into sin.

Spiritual behavior in the light of our “new birth affiliation” reflects upon Him, just as our personal behavior reflects upon our human parents. Are they not angry when our behavior causes them embarrassment? Still, our adverse behavior is far more injurious to our Heavenly Father.

Our LORD is a LORD of love. He loves us enormously! That love drives Him to a hard attitude against bad behavior. His threats are not idle; nor are they soft. He offers the very best to those who honor Him. He lashes out furiously against those who do not! His reaction corresponds to our behavior, and it is all with the view that we learn obedience.

Are you honoring Him with your life? Has sin been thoroughly put away? He loved you enough to give His Son, Jesus, to save you from your sin. Show your love by yielding yourself completely to 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

Dear Grands,

Exodus 20:1-6, “Then God spoke all these words, saying,
2 ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 ‘You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
5 ‘You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.’”

If you are reading carefully, you will recognize these words as the commencement of the Ten Commandments. It takes eleven more verses, however, to complete the LORD’s words with regard to all the Commandments. They should all be read slowly so as to absorbe their full meaning.

You probably don’t have any symbols or carvings or pictures of false gods in your home; at least, I hope you don’t. But there are other gods that can be worshiped just as truly as those made of wood or stone. A craving for money can make money your god. Honors bestowed upon you can produce pride, which can become a god in your life.

Religion itself, mixed with pride, can become a god. Even emphasizing that you are nothing can itself become a god; for a perpetual emphasis upon your own weakness cannot escape notice as being an emphasis upon youself! It is an easy trap into which we all can fall.

Jealousy is most often considered an unacceptable god; however, when the LORD God speaks of being jealous, it is understood to be a Divine Quality of His alone and is always right. When we accept Christ Jesus as our personal Savior, we belong to Him totally! Thus, He has the Divine Right of jealousy over our lives. Such jealousy is acceptably mirrored in a father over his child.

Does the LORD have that right over your life? It’s far better for you if He does! Far better!

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,

Exodus 1:7-10; 15-20, “But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.
8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
9 He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.
10 “Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.”

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives…
16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth…, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.
18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?”
19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.”
20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.”

Were you ever in a situation that left you not knowing which way to turn? One person is telling you to do one thing; another is telling you to do something completely different. How do you resolve such a quandary? It seems that you’re destined to upset someone, either way you go.

I won’t pretend that Christians never face such situations. Indeed we do! But when situations like this arise, we pray, inquiring of the LORD’s will. In the situation with the midwives, they did as they believed the LORD would have them to do: they simply “feared God.” One meaning of “fear” ( ????? yare) is “reverence.” Thus, it can be said that these midwives “reverenced the LORD” rather than the king of Egypt. Thus, God was pleased with the midwives, and they prospered due to His pleasure.

Whenever we face a trying situation, putting the LORD first is always the right thing to do. Remember that phrase: “What Would Jesus Do?” Pharaoh didn’t change his mind. In fact, his fury cost the lives of many Egyptian children. But the midwives’ dedication was exceedingly rewarded through the subsequent birth of Moses, who would ultimately lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

Are you facing a difficult situation today? Are you caught between “right and wrong”? Just pray earnestly to the LORD. He specializes in giving His people the right answers to difficult situations –and just at the right time!

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