The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

There is a growing dichotomy within our world. Have you noticed it? While some embrace the validity of the verses above, there are those who deny their validity –even the reality of God and His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ.

Paul (whose birth name was Saul) had, prior to his conversion, vehemently opposed the Christian faith! He denied the very truths that he later came to embrace. Here Paul embraces what could be labeled “Watch!” (v. 1) and “Watch Out!” (vv. 2-4), He initially emphasizes “the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ.” Throughout the New Testament, heavy emphasis is laid upon the Second Coming of Christ. The sins that are plaguing our world today are exactly what the Scriptures say will come prior to the LORD’s Return.

There were some in Paul’s day that were saying that Jesus had already come! That frightened some believers, causing them to believe that they had missed the very event of His Coming! Paul said, “NO!” Jesus has not yet returned; but He is going to come, and will come quickly! So, His people must be ready!

Yet, prior to His Coming, there will be a “falling away” from the Truth. Wow! How we see that in our day!! Ungodly, unsaved, unprincipled men occupying pulpits and teaching unbiblical beliefs to gullible congregations. People claimi to be saved, but then they return to ungodly occupations. Some are. even denying that the Bible contains truth. Yes, the Antichrist is coming! Yet, spiritual turmoil sets the stage for it.

Turn your thoughts to Biblical truth! Turn your heart and life earnestly to Jesus! Live for Him and for His glory! That’s the preparation that’s needed for when He comes!

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 Thes 1:3-6, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;
4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.
6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you…”

Jacob DeShazer was a bombardier with Doolittle’s Raiders. They bombed Tokyo, but DeShazer was captured and imprisoned when his airplane ran out of enough fuel to return to the carrier. He was imprisoned and suffered horrendous persecution in a Japanese internment camp. He asked his captors for a Bible and came to know Christ as his Savior.

Mitsuo Fuchida was the lead pilot in the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor. After the war, Fuchida was summoned by General Douglas MacArthur to testify in Tokyo. As Fuchida stepped off the train in Tokyo, someone handed him a Gospel tract that had been written by the newly converted Jacob DeShazer. That tract led to Fuchida’s conversion, and he ultimately became a Presbyterian evangelist who carried the Gospel throughout the islands of his native Japan.

Paul’s encouraging directive to the Thessalonian believers in the verses above should encourage us! Christians throughout the world today are encountering various degrees of persecution. At the same time, their persecution has not escaped the LORD’s notice. He has sent missionaries into some very dark areas of our globe, where sharing His Truth often encourages persecution.

Yet, what if DeShazer had not asked for a Bible? What if he had not been saved? Look at the lineage that led to the transformation of Fuchida from a lost Japanese warrior to a salvation-preaching evangelist that led many to a personal faith in Jesus Christ. That ought to lead us to reevaluate the words above that say,

“This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be
considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.”

Just give thanks for the opportunity of loving others and sharing earnestly the love of our LORD Jesus Christ. May your witness of Him touch the hearts of your hearers like DeShazer’s witness did to Fuchida! Praise the LORD for His indescribable Gift!

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 2:15-21, “When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock.
18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, ‘Why have you come back so soon today?’
19 So they said, ‘An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock.’
20 He said to his daughters, ‘Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.’
21 Moses was willing to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses.”

Running away is not always a sign of cowardice. In Moses’ case, it was the intelligent thing to do. After all, Pharaoh was not someone to be trifled with; and he was out to get Moses for killing that Egyptian and burying him in the sand.

Water has always been a precious commodity, especially so in ancient times. So when the daughters of the Reuel (also known as Jethro), the priest of Midian came to the well to water their father’s flock, Moses helped them. And when shepherds contended with Reuel’s daughters over the water, Moses drove the shepherds away and watered the daughters’ sheep.

One good turn deserves another. Reuel then shared hospitality with Moses and ultimately gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses as his wife. There is no indication in the Scripture that Moses’ heroic action was done in expectation of anything. He just did what needed to be done, and the LORD rewarded him for his thoughtfulness and kindness.

I’m certainly not suggesting that getting into a fight and defending women will lead anyone to find a wife! We should simply live as the LORD leads us, and do what each situation demands. Whether there is a reward is out of the question. The unanswered question is whether Moses had come to the realization that killing that Egyptian was wrong, and had repented of it before the LORD. In any event, we are to live upright lives before Him and trust Him to lead us daily in paths of righteousness.

Is there anything in your life that is against the LORD’s will or direction for you? Nothing is more vital than getting rid of it. For it is then that He can pour out on you the blessings He has in such abundance!

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 2:11-14, “Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
13 He went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were fighting with each other; and he said to the offender, ‘Why are you striking your companion?’
14 But he said, ‘Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’ Then Moses was afraid and said, ‘Surely the matter has become known.’”

Sometimes things take an unexpected turn. We engage in things we think will never be known, only to discover that those things have indeed become known! It’s even worse when we accuse someone of doing something less offensive than what we’ve done.

This is precisely what occurred with Moses. Although he was trained in Egyptian schools, and was probably thought of as an Egyptian by some of their own, Moses was an Israelite; and when he witnessed an Egyptian supervisor laying a whip on the back of his countryman, he instinctively reacted as one would expect. But Moses went too far. He killed the Egyptian and buried him out of sight.

The next day Moses saw two Hebrews fighting each other. Acting instinctively again, he chastized his own countrymen for fighting. If he thought he was in charge, he was greatly mistaken, because the two Hebrews turned on him! But it was more than that. They had either witnessed the slaying or discovered the body of the man he killed.

There’s an old idiom that says, “You can’t do wrong and get by.” Somewhere, sometime, someone saw you do it. Years may even have passed before your involvement comes to light. But it will come to light! Best not to believe that you will escape notice; for even if you do with man, the LORD has witnessed it; and you will ultimately be brought to His justice.

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,

Matthew 2:9-12, “After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.”

The magi were often called “wise men.” In fact, they were! They were wise because they sought the Christ Child; they were wiser when they found Him; and they were wisest after having believing in Him. How wise are you? Have you found Him? Are you trusting Him?

The star the magi followed led them directly to the Son of God. Your “star” might be a friend, who has shared the Good News of Christ with you. There are innumerable “stars” at the LORD’s disposal that can guide you into a life of faith in Him. The Bible itself is the chief guide. Reading it and believing it will not lead you astray. The magi never sought to improve on the star; nor can we improve on the Scriptures. What we can do is improve on reading and believing them!

The treasures the magi brought to the Child Jesus were practical as well as symbolic. Gold was the metal of kings. It signified their recognition of Jesus as the King of the Jews. It later served His earthly family well when they fled to Egypt. Frankincense was a “vegetable resin” that served well as fumigation for sacrifices.

Myrrh, meaning “bitter,” was a gum resin from a tree. It was used as perfume and as one of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil for the priests, as well as for embalming of the dead. Each of these gifts recognized the distinctions of the Christ in His earthly life of 33 years.

Interesting, too, is how the magi, after attending to their responsibilities in honoring the LORD Jesus, faded into history. We have no mention of them anywhere beyond the Scriptures. You may never be noticed for your witness of Him. That’s not important. What is important is that you know Him personally and live according to His instruction in Scripture. Start now in meeting this new year with an earnest endeavor to read His Word daily and live accordingly. Pray for others! Encourage them to pray for you! Jesus is Coming and we want to be “wise” in accomplishing His instructions before He comes!

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