The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Timothy 4:7-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

“American hurdler and sprinter Sydney McLaughlin gave glory to God after setting a new world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, this week.” She says her faith helped lead her to victory.

“Honestly, this season, just working with my new coach and my new support system,” she said, “it’s truly just faith and trusting the process. I couldn’t ask for anything more and truly it is all a gift from God.”

I could not help but notice how closely Miss McLaughlin’s statement paralleled that of the Apostle Paul. Neither of them leaned on themselves; both changed coaches and simply trusted the LORD and what He said in Scripture.

Who is your coach? Are you getting the best coaching in life? You are, if Christ Jesus is your Coach. His “game plan” exceeds all others. He promises victory, but only if you follow His coaching. His Life is the pattern for your course. He gave His Life for you on the Cross, so run it well. Christ Himself is the Righteous Judge. His Coach was His Father. His award is a rich and rewarding Earth-life. His highest award is eternal life with Him throughout eternity!

When do you start training? You’ve already started it. This Letter is here to help get you started. “Believe what Jesus tells us in the Bible. Your trust must be in Jesus alone! He is your only hope of eternal life. I hope you’ve trusted Him! If not, start with this Letter of encouragement! Confess your sins to Him in prayer and believe that He has forgiven them. This attachment will help chart your course. Let me know how it goes, okay?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Pray for our Nation and the other nations of the world, as we approach the end.

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 Thessalonians 4:15-18, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

Did you ever run ahead of yourself and become hopelessly confused? I sure have. Remember that children’s story about the turtle and the hare? They ran a race. The hare (rabbit) was so fast that he took out time for a nap. And while he was sleeping, the turtle, although moving much slower, passed him and crossed the finish line first.

In a similar, but much more important situation, some people become confused about who will “win the race” when the LORD Jesus returns for believers in the Rapture. Paul is careful to remind us that the Word of the LORD teaches that those who have died and are in the grave when Jesus returns will be lifted up ahead of those who are living. What’s of vital importance, however, is not “who is first,” but who will meet Him and be taken into Heaven. For those who have died without having trusted Christ will not rise to meet Him at all.

Over the years, I’ve learned that some things are far more important than others. I don’t really care whether we follow Christ one-by-one, like students, lining up for lunch at school, or whether we are grouped in a semicircle. I’ll just be content to be one among the many that the LORD takes with Him.

That event will be one of GLORY! The archangel will shout the shout of victory, his voice reverberating throughout the universe! The trumpet of God will split the heavens as it signals the Victory of the LORD Jesus! And those of us who meet the LORD in the air have the assurrance that we will be with Him forever!

Death leads to Heaven for the ones believing in Christ. Death leads to Hell for those who failed to trust in Him. Jesus wants everyone to be with Him. We must only repent (change our minds) and believe in Him and we will be ready to meet Him in the air. Are you ready? Are your friends ready? You can be; and then you can help your friends to know Him. It’s by far the most important matter you can accomplish in this 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,

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16, “…we also constantly thank God that when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the Word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,
15 who both killed the LORD Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,
16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”

Have you ever received something, the joy of which you just could not contain? You just kept saying, “Thank you! Thank you!” again and again. Well, you may have to reach away back into your childhood days for that experience until you experience something extraordinary, something like “peace with God.”

Paul constantly thanked the LORD for the Thessalonians having received His Word because it is the Word than “performs its work in (those) who believe.” At the same time, there is suffering that befalls those who receive it. No, the Word itself does not produce suffering; but the people who accept Christ are often persecuted by the people who have not received Him.

In the situation of our verses above, the Jews who had received the LORD were being persecuted by the Jews who hadn’t received Him. They even hindered Christians from speaking to the Gentiles, keeping them from being saved. All of this is why the LORD will pour out His wrath on the Jews in the coming time of Tribulation.

Ultimately, some Jews will trust in Jesus! And those who do, will be like Gentiles who have. They will be excited to share their newly found faith in Christ Jesus! Do you know some Jewish people? Share Jesus with them.
When they know Him, they make wonderful witneses, just like you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. If you missed the Gospel Tract I shared with you yesterday, I am attaching it again. Let me know how it is received by those with whom you share it.

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 Thessalonians 2:3-11, “For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;
4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.
5 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed– God is witness–
6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.
7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.
8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;
11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children…”

Paul assures the Thessalonian Christians that his message of salvation does not come from error or by way of deceit. It is pure, true, and bears the stamp of God’s own approval. Paul does not seek applause from his hearers. Nor is he harsh in the delivery of his message. Rather, he is gentle like a mother with a newly born child. At the same time, he encourages them all in the way a good father treats his own children.

We have to be something before we can do something for Christ! We also have to become nothing before we can become something; that is, what He wants us to be. We have to die to ourselves, to our pride, to our possessions, to our dreams, to everything, before we can become fruitful for Him and meet the standard He has for all who would carry His Message of Salvation.

You are the only Bible some people will ever read! Genuine humility is the backdrop to our Message of Jesus Christ. When we consider ourselves to be nothing, that’s when we are what He wants us to be. Think about that!

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 Thessalonians 1:1-10, “Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;
3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.
8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.
9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”

There’s nothing quite like a young person, who has just become a believer in Jesus Christ! Maybe you can remember how it was with you when you trusted Him. Well, that’s how it was with the Thessalonian Christians, too. Paul and his two companions, Silvanus and Timothy, were rejoicing over these new believers.

It’s truly exciting to see new believers be so enthusiastic! They just want to tell everyone about the Jesus who saved their souls, and how He could and would do the same for them. Those Thessalonian believers had formerly served idols, but they “turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God.” Do you have idols in your life? Are there things you put ahead of the study of the Word of God and serious prayer? If so, you can turn from them just as these Thessalonians did.

They had one other exciting factor in their lives: they were waiting for the LORD Jesus to come for them from Heaven. He had rescued them from “the wrath to come.” That’s part of the reason they were witnessing to others. Are you witnessing to others? Are you aware that there is a “wrath to come”? There is; and what’s more, you and I as Christians have a responsibility to reach them before that time!

Study the Word of God, witness to others of His saving grace, and be alert! He will come back at the least expected moment!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Please find attached my latest Gospel Tract. It can be sent via text or email. It’s a
simple way to witness to those live too far away to be reached face-to-face.

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