The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Hebrews 1:1-5, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”? And again, “I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME’?”

It is curious, that some young people. who are quite pleasant and speak freely about themselves, their work, their homes, even some of their friends, curiously, never mention their parents or any close relationships. It seems strange that they make no mention of their parents or any siblings.

Paul notes that God spoke to the Hebrew fathers by way of the prophets, and has spoken to us by way of His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the Son, who created the world and is heir to all things. The Son radiates the glory of the Father and keeps everything He created working “by the Word of His power,” just as He planned.

At this point, the apostle reveals that the Father’s Son purifies us from sin. Our irreverent thoughts and actions that offend the Father are now able to be whisked away through the Self-sacrifice of the LORD Jesus Christ. That is precisely why Jesus came. He taught us what we needed to know about Himself, the Father and ourselves. Then, having completed His work, “He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

In every way, the Father’s Son is better than the angels; and the Father has given Him a majestic name. The Son is willing to share of His Redemptive power with all who will turn from sin and become united with Him. Have you turned from sin and become personally affiliated with Jesus Christ by faith? It is all so simple, yet many hesitate to affiliate with Him because they want to do their own thing and go their own way. For those who turn away from Him, there will be an eternity of deep regret. “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart” (Heb. 3:8, 15; 4:7).

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,

Isaiah 12:1-6, “Then you will say on that day, ‘I will give thanks to You, O LORD; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
2 ‘Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.’
3 Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.
4 And in that day you will say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.’
5 Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; let this be known throughout the earth.
6 Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

These six verses comprise all of Isaiah, chapter 12. It seems needless to say that it is a continuation of the prophet’s thought in the previous chapters – chapters where he prophetically embraced the Coming of the LORD with the blessings that would attend it. At the same time, however, Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the first coming also encompasses Christ’s Second Coming, although in all probability, he never possessed an inkling of the Second Coming that we await.

The initial coming of the Christ-Child would result in His sacrificial death and resurrection, whereby He would become the Savior of all who would believe upon Him and commit to Him as LORD and Savior. Thereafter, that trust would “joyously draw water from the springs of salvation,” causing the saved to give thanks to the LORD and make known His works to all people. His people will then “remember that His Name is (to be) exalted.”

We praise and exalt the LORD Jesus Christ when we trust Him. We praise Him when we yield ourselves to His will and share Him with others. There is no greater joy than to hear someone say, “I prayed in trust to Jesus and my life is now committed to Him.” Is your life committed to Him? Joy awaits you when it is! You are in my prayers!

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,

Isaiah 11:10-12, “Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious.
11 Then it will happen on that day that the Lord will again recover the second time with His hand. the remnant of His people, who will remain, from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And He will lift up a standard for the nations and assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”

Did you ever start telling an adventure you had encountered and just couldn’t quit? It was a true, but almost unbelievable story. Yet, those to whom you were relating it were hanging on every word; and that simply encouraged you to keep on sharing the story.

That’s where the prophet Isaiah is in our verses above. His account started with Jesus, who was in Isaiah’s time called “the stem (relative) of Jesse.” Jesus was in the lineage of Jesse, who was the father of David, who later became king of Israel.

The verses we covered yesterday had moved us along to the time when Jesus will rule the world in what we know as the Millennium, the 1000 year reign of peace on the earth. It’s at that point that the LORD will reach out to recover the remnant of the Jewish people, who are scattered throughout the earth. Today we have some notable Jewish people who have come to know Jesus as their LORD and Savior. Others are sensing that there is more to Christ Jesus than they had previously thought.

You can get ahead of this timeframe by accepting Him now! You don’t have to be Jewish to be saved.

I visited my doctor this past week, where I learned that I could do some things to help myself physically. I didn’t understand all the doctor said, but I understood enough to get started –and it’s working! You may not understand all I’m trying to share with you now; but if you start by doing what the Scripture says, you can get a headstart on the amazing things to come! The loss is for those who don’t follow Biblical instruction. God bless you, as you reach for the Book and learn of the LORD Jesus Christ.

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,

Isaiah 11:5-9, “Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist.
6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them.
7 Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.”

The prophet Isaiah in the previous verses (vv. 1-4) has announced the coming arrival of the Messiah. Now, in these verses above, he has moved forward in time to the Second Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. The characterization of that coming time will include a framework of world peace. In that era, “the wolf will dwell with the lamb.” In other words, animals that in our own time conflict with one another, will in that time live in peace. The child that would avoid them today will in that day encounter them in pleasure.

Mothers today would shreik in warning their children against playing with snakes! In that day, peace will reign over all things. Preditory creatures will no longer prey upon one another. Nor will they “hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,” promises the LORD.

The promise the LORD issues in that final verse is that “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as waters cover the sea.” Evil will be destroyed! Righteousness alone will reign! Try to imagine all that that promise entails! The News which today is filled with vile encounters, will be replaced with Good News in that day! The mob violence we have recently encountered will be replaced with groups of believing Christians, praying and thanking the LORD Jesus for all of His glorious and beneficial works!

Yet, to witness all that the LORD will display requires that we belong to Him. We all have something of a knowledge of the LORD today, but it is nothing when compared with what we will encounter in that day!
“He who gives attention to the Word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD” (Pro. 16:20). Does that include you? It can, if you will believe it.

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,

Isaiah 11:1-4, “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear;
4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.”

Isaiah was prophesying concerning an invasion by Sennacherib of Assyria. He had described the deliverance from that danger, but the very mention of this deliverance directs his thoughts to a far greater deliverance which would take place under the Messiah. Thus, immediately he gives a glowing description of the Messiah’s coming and His reign.

Notwithstanding Sennacherib’s coming invasion, the Spirit of the LORD will give His people the spirit of wisdom and understanding. There will be strength and knowledge from the LORD for His people. The Messiah will delight in the fear of His people, and He will judge by what He knows, not by what He sees of Sennacherib’s strength or power.

Being righteous Himself, the LORD will care for the poor with a sense of fairness; and with the “breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.”

The prophet Isaiah assures the LORD’s people that the LORD has their welfare foremost in His mind. They will not suffer defeat for He will be their sword and shield. It has meaning for us as well. Jesus, whom the prophet foresaw, is our benefactor, too. Those who come against us with untrue accusations, will be ultimately judged by the Messiah.

The decisions that captivate our thoughts will be clear to us in His time. What we need is assurance that we have accepted the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and belong to Him. That is what assures us of our own well being. Do you know Him? Have you accepted Him as your Messiah –your LORD and Savior? Trust Him today! Be certain of His presence in your life. He is your only hope for this life and the next!

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