The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 28:10-14, “He who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes, but the poor who has understanding sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
14 How blessed is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”

Have you ever had someone give you wrong information? Did he do it intentionally? We may never know; but the one thing we can know is if he did it intentionally, it will ultimately come back against him, and the honest man will “inherit the good.”

It’s funny to see those who trust in wealth and think they know it all; yet they are oblivious to those who are poor who see right through them. It’s much like the man of whom I read, who eluded the police for something like 20 years before he was caught. But, he was caught! The message is: You simply cannot do wrong and get by!

We all cheer when an honest person wins! But the one who cheats, always runs for cover. Why does he seek cover? It’s probably because he suffers shame. Dishonest people do suffer shame; but they seek to hide it, as if it meant nothing. Solomon says that even though the wicked seek to hide themselves, they will be caught and will suffer the loss of what they thought was worthy of their crooked scheme.

Solomon concludes with the words: “How blessed is the man who fears” for the wrong he has done! If he hardens his heart against honesty, he will suffer even more. There is no substitute for honesty! You can trust God’s Word above all else. Read it! Study it! Follow it! For when you are committed to Him, His Spirit teaches you as you read.

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,

Proverbs 28:4-9, “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive with them.
5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand all things.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is crooked though he be rich.
7 He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.
8 He who increases his wealth by interest and usury gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.
9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.”

Were you raised to tell the truth? I was; and for the most part, I obeyed and practiced what I was taught. Yet, when “push came to shove,” I was less obedient. Playing with a friend was more enjoyable that breaking for dinner. So, I stayed far away from my mother’s call. When she asked if I heard her call, I could honestly say “no.” I knew it was wrong when I avoided hearing her call, but I justified what I did by what I honestly said.

I’m not sure whether Solomon ever engaged in such deviousness, but I am sure he understood the duplicity that originated in a wicked human heart. What evil people do not understand is justice. Only those who turn away from evil and trust the LORD understand it.

Would you agree with Solomon that it is better to have integrity than it is to be rich? We hear today of some outlandishly evil activities propagated by some extremely wealthy people. Some of the activities in which they engage are masked from the public, while their overt labels are marked “righteous” by themselves. These people ignore the poor while they increase their personal wealth. They may even believe that they live out-of-range of the LORD’s sight and voice, but they don’t! Prayer that comes from an intentionally wicked heart is itself an abomination to the LORD. The only prayer the LORD hears comes from an honest, earnest repentant heart is: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Have you prayed that prayer? “LORD, forgive me for my sins. Make me clean in thought and action. I trust You to forgive me. Here and now I give my life to You. Thank You, LORD for saving and cleansing me.” It’s the start of new and exciting Life!

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 Peter 3:10-14, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…”

As a kid, I think I remember a friend of mine destroying a plaything. It was something I would dearly loved to have possessed. “Why did you tear it up,” I asked. His reply was that it was his and he cold do what he wanted with it. There is no argument with a thought like that!

This passage above tells us that the day is coming when the LORD will come secretly and suddenly cause the elements with which He constructed the heavens and earth to be destroyed. We live in a world populated by people both rich and poor. The rich want to get richer, and the poor seem to have no hope, except for getting poorer. Since the LORD was the Earth and heavens’ Creator, He has every right to destroy what is His.

The big question, however, doesn’t concern the “destruction of the elements,” but what sort of people you and I will be when it all takes place. We are urged to be holy in conduct and looking earnestly for the Day of His Coming! Those of us who are believers in our LORD Jesus Christ and trust implicitly in His Word, “are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

Remember when your favorite aunt and uncle were coming to visit? Your mother barely had to urge you to get yourself chean and put on clean clothes. Simon Peter urges us to get ready for the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. “Be diligent,” Peter says, “to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…” Is you life clean? Has it been cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ? That’s what it takes to be ready for His Coming. Pray to Him for forgiveness for your sins; trust Him thoroughly to cleanse you and make yourself ready to meet Him. His Coming may be closer than you think!

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,

Philippians 4:1, “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”

Over the past few months, I have sought and found sufficient time to engage in an exercise called “reading.” As strange as it may seem that I should read and be moved by some booksother than the Bible, still, it is true. The book, written in 2017 by pastor, producer, writer Greg Laurie, is entitled Steve McQueen; The Salvation of an American Icon.

McQueen, who never knew his father, and was reared by an alcoholic mother, leaves us no surprise that he himself became addicted to alcohol and drugs, and engaged in a turbulent, decadent lifestyle. Yet, through an almost silent pilot, who taught him to fly, McQueen was introduced to the LORD Jesus Christ, ultimately becoming an out-spoken evangelist to everyone he knew and to some who only knew him.

You and I may know or live nearby a spiritually lost “Steve McQueen.” From the lifestyle, we assess that they are incorrigible and would never listen to our witness of the Savior. Yet, deep down within themselves, they wonder –they know!– there must be something more to life than they’ve experienced. They just need someone to “show and tell” them what that that “more” is! It is Jesus!

In his book, Things to Come, Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost cites five rewards that will one day be presented to some Christian believers. I’m going to list them with their biblical references. Your assignment is to look up the references and assess how many apply to your own life. No test from me. The only failure is not reading and assessing the verses as they apply to your own life.

(1) an incorruptible crown for those who get mastery over the old man (1Corinthians. 9:25);
(2) a crown of rejoicing for the soul winners (1 Thessalonian. 2:19);
(3) a crown of life for those enduring trials (James 1:12);
(4) a crown of righteousness for loving His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).
(5) a crown of glory for being willing to feed the flock of God (1 Peter 5:4).”
How many will you receive? God bless you abundantly!

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 John 1:7-11, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

Have you ever encountered a deceiver? You probably have. It may have been a door-to-door salesman, or someone standing just outside a store you frequent. It might even be a “pastor,” who pretends to have all the answers –except that he always has a “price” for what he shares wiith you. Well, John says, “Watch yourselves…!” That one is a deceiver!

John also says that the one who “does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God…” Other writers of Scripture warn of deceivers, too; but John goes further. He says not to allow them into your house, and not to give them greetings. Isn’t that rude? Not in this instance. Read on – “…for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

There is a practical side of refusing entry into one’s house. A person weak in the faith can easily be led away from his faith in Christ. I have a book entitled, Churches that Abuse. The author exposes several churches whose pastors’ primary purpose is far afield from the purpose of Jesus Christ. Those who attach themselves to one of those churches, loses faith in Christ altogether.

Key Help: Find a Biblical Church! Attend Sunday services for several weeks. Listen carefully to the pastor’s preaching. Does his preaching come from the Bible? Does it uplift Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation? Is the church worshipping Jesus as LORD and Savior? If those elements are in place, schedule a consultation with the pastor. Share your spiritual needs and questions with him. Everyone needs salvation in Christ! Everyone needs Christian friends. The right church will provide the right friends. And you will be on the right track! God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Thank you for praying for Erin! Everythign went well.

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