The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 23:22-26, “Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
26 Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways.”

Inasmuch as Solomon was the wisest, totally human being who ever lived, it might seem strange that he would urge his readers to “listen to your (earthly) father who begot you, and not despise your (earthly) mother when she is old.” The close proximity of the verses that follow emphasizes the importance of truth and “wisdom and instruction and understanding.” Does that resonate with you?

Solomon is saying that your parents will rejoice that you have listened to the LORD because listening to them is listening to Him. They will rejoice in you and be glad to call you their son. Live so that your parents can rejoice in you!

What causes one’s parents to rejoice on behalf of a son? Knowing that he has given his heart to the LORD causes them to rejoice! I pray for my children daily! I trust that you pray daily for your children, too!

Ultimately, the foundation of any nation is erected upon the families that constitute it. Parents who know and follow the LORD, demonstrate the life the LORD wants to reside in the children. That is the foundation of any nation. God bless you and your family as you bring honor and dedication to the LORD and to the nation where you live!

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,

Hebrews 11:1-3, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2 For by it the men of old gained approval.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

When you are blessed to have even a small access of funds, you want the assurance that they will be safely secured. Assurance derives from the Greek word ????????? hupostasis that “signifies the joyous, unwavering confidence of an intelligent faith, the security of a fearless trust.” It is one’s faith in complete freedom from the power of evil due to the forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice and resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ.

Our stability in such confidence derives in part from those who have gone before us. Their lives achieved the approval of God when they trusted Him, giving us confidence that a like anticapation (??????? elpomai) would produce the same result for us.

Our faith today corelates with our understanding of God’s creative acts. He formed all of what we see and all of what we don’t see, and we believe He did so. That being true, what needs do we have that lie outside His divine jurisdiction? He is capable of providing all things that exist for our spiritual benefit. What does not comport with His will is never to our benefit.

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 33:6-12, “By the Word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the Earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”

There are great differences among men regarding how the Earth and other planets were formed. While the skeptics deliberate the origin of all stellar objects, the Word of the LORD lays claim not only to the stellar objects, but to the waters and all things shut tightly in store beneath the Earth.

How did He do it? He did it “by the breath of His mouth.” His simple declaration was spoken and it all came instantly to pass. “The counsel of the LORD stands forever.” What He plans, He empowers; what He empowers, He sustains! “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” And blessed are we who are His through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus! The old hymn says,

Count your blessings, Name them one-by-one;
Count your blessings, see what God has done.
And it will surprise you what the LORD has done.

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 32:8-11, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”

Which way do I go? Which way shall I turn? Whom shall I trust? There are multiple voices in today’s world that purport to guide us, but which if any is the right voice? Yet, when the verse reads “I will counsel you with My eye upon you,” it is certain that the “eye” is not that of the mere human writer. Further, the instruction includes a warning that we are not to be as the animals that have no understanding within themselves. Could that Voice not be the Voice of Almighty God?

Who else knows of our sorrows? or the sorrows of the wicked that live among us? Who knows of the available trust that resides for us in the LORD? Who, other than the LORD, surrounds us with His love and mercy in our time of need?

“Be glad in the LORD,” the Scriptures say. Listen carefully to His counsel. Obey His instructions. He cares for us and has a wonderful plan for our lives!

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 12:2, “I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago— whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows– such a man was caught up to the third heaven…”

This verse demonstrates the three heavens: The clouds of Earth are the first; the Spirit realm is the second; and God’s realm is the third.

The 3rd Heaven is occupied by the Father and the Son, along with the unfallen, righteous angels (Psalm 115:3). The 2nd Heaven is occupied by Satan and demon spirits (fallen angels) (Eph. 1:21; 6:12; & Col. 1:16). The 1st Heaven, including the clouds of Earth, is occupied by mankind and intruding evil spirits (Psalm 115:16).

The purpose of this diagram is to demonstrate that every difficulty experienced by persons on Earth is a human reflection of what actually occurs in the Spirit realm (the 2nd Heaven). My thesis is that everything –ranging from personal depression, through domestic disturbance, community unrest and all-out war –everything occurs first in the Spirit realm, then is reflected in what we would call “human circumstances” on Earth.

Note well the Scriptural references embedded throughout the diagram. Daniel 10:5-20 speaks clearly of spiritual warfare. Daniel was distressed by the message he had
received and mourned over it for three entire weeks. Subsequently, he encountered an unnamed angel, who revealed that his prayers had come before the LORD
immediately upon their utterance. Resultantly, the angel was dispensed to carry the LORD’s reply to Daniel.

Why did it take so long? There was a spiritual warfare that occurred in the Spirit realm. Obviously, Satan’s overriding purpose was to hinder the work of the LORD; and according to the Angel, had it not been for the arrival of the angel Michael, the message’s reply might have been delayed even further.

How many times people do things and say things, the
rationale for which they do not know. “Why did I do that?”
they say; or, “Why did I say that? I didn’t intend to say that.”
We are not pawns on a chess board; but, there is an unseen world where battles of various dimensions rage, the results of which end up in the visible, human equation.

The key to locking up demonic powers, while simultaneously unlocking the power of God, lies in prayer –our prayer—uttered in an unadulterated faith that trusts everything to the LORD our God!

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