The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Nehemiah 6:1-4, “Now it came about when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,
2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, ‘Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.’ But they were planning to harm me.
3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?’
4 And they sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.”

Nehemiah was a servant to King Artaxerxes. When the king noticed Nehemiah’s sadness, he asked why he was sad. Nehemiah replied that he was sad because he had learned that the walls of Judah, his hometown were broken and in need of repair. The king asked Nehemiah how long he would have to be gone. Nehemiah gave the king a definite time, and the king gave him permission to go and attend to the rebuilding of the walls.

It goes without saying (although, I am saying it here) that anytime the LORD’s people are seeking to serve Him, there will always be those who object and seek to interfere with the LORD’s work that they are trying to accomplish. So it was with Nehemiah. Sanballat and Geshem were his adversaries, and they did everything they could to discourage Nehemiah and his workmen. One of their tricks was wrapped in a note that said, “Let’s meet together…” They didn’t say why they wanted to meet, which gave Nehemiah the thought that they intended to do him harm, and thus, hinder the wall’s repair.

Sanballat and Geshem were persistent; yet, Nehemiah stood firm and refused to meet with them. Often what we are already doing is of more value than stopping to listen to some adversaries. Nehemiah was there to rebuild the walls of the city, not to debate with others. Follow Nehemiah’s example: just keep on doing what is right in God’s sight. God doesn’t engage in nonsense! Listen only to Him! Read His Word every day and pray! Get direction for the work He has for you, and stick with it! In the long run, you will be blessed by the LORD! And what could conceivably be better than 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,

Ezra 7:10, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

Teaching is a noble profession. My mother and her father were both schoolteachers. It was never my intention, however, to follow in that profession. For a long time, I had no idea what I wanted to be and do in life. I loved music…maybe a concert artist. I loved to debate… maybe a lawyer. It wasn’t long, however, before I learned that the LORD was calling me to preach.

Ezra “set his heart to study the law of the LORD…” Whatever else we might choose to study, there is nothing so valuable as the teachings of the LORD! Following the study of the Word, Ezra determined to practice it. I’ve heard some devastating tales of some notable men who studied and taught the Scriptures, but failed themselves to practice what the Word had taught them.

Teaching is both intentional and unintentional. You may stand before a class of students and share what you intended to share. That’s intentional teaching. The most valuable form of teaching, however is when we practice in our daily lives what we’ve learned from the Scriptures. That’s often unintentional teaching. Set your heart on learning what the LORD has for you in the Scriptures. Then, live out what you have learned. It’s not just the knowing of Scripture that He wants; it’s the intentional doing of it in our daily lives. Jesus did always those things that pleased His Heavenly Father. We cannot afford to do less. What has God taught you from the Scriptures today? Obey His teaching and He will bless you!

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 Chronicles 1:7-12, “In that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, ‘Ask what I shall give you.’
8 And Solomon said to God, ‘Thou hast dealt with my father David with great lovingkindness, and hast made me king in his place.
9 ‘Now, O LORD God, Thy promise to my father David is fulfilled; for Thou hast made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.
10 ‘Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can rule this great people of Thine?’
11 And God said to Solomon, ‘Because you had this in mind, and did not ask for riches, wealth, or honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge, that you may rule My people, over whom I have made you king,
12 wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed, nor those who will come after you.’”

Ice cream is getting expensive! If you’v not noticed the rise in price, you don’t go back far enough in time. I’m sure I’ve told you this previously, but when I was a kid, my dad would often take our family to the ice cream parlor after Sunday night church. The parlor made its own ice cream, and it was good! What made it even better was that they piled the “good stuff” as high on the cone as possible; and it only cost a nickel (5 cents for those who don’t go back that far). To a small boy, that made church more than worthwhile.

When the LORD asked King Solomon what he wanted, he asked only for wisdom and knowledge that he might rule the people wisely. The LORD then acknowledged that he might have asked for riches, wealth, honor, the lives of those who hated him, or even for long life. Yet, because Solomon had asked for none of these things, he would receive them anyway! Additionally, he would be granted wealth and honor that no previous or subsequent king had or would ever possess.

All of this is to say that the LORD is sovereign. He searches out the hearts of those who belong to Him and are humble and wise. He then gives to them far more than they would ever have believed. It is also a strong parallel to the argument that good fathers have wonderful plans for their children when they have learned how to behave and obey.

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 Kings 9:3-7, “The LORD said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
4 As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances,
5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘“You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”
6 “But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,
7 then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.”

Upon the death of David, his son, Solomon, became King over all Israel. It was Solomon who authorized the building of the Temple and his own place of dwelling. It was when all of the building was completed that the LORD appeared to him the second time. It was the LORD’s acknowledgement that He had heard Solomon’s prayer. Further, He promised that if Solomon were to live before Him according to His commandments, He would “establish his throne forever…”

But, as always, the LORD reminded Solomon that if he turned away from His commandments and statutes, and followed and served other gods, He would cut Israel off from the land and destroy the house that had been built for His Name.

In the simplest of terms, the LORD just doesn’t put up with foolishness, regardless of who it is. Medical doctors often refuse to work with patients who will not follow their instructions. Lawyers often refuse to legally represent clients who will not be honest with them as they seek to build their case. Why should we believe the LORD would provide for us in any manner if we elected to follow our own ways instead of His? Simply stated, He will not. What we can learn from Solomon is to keep on praying and live righteously before the LORD. He will always be faithful to His Word.

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 Samuel 5:9-12, “So David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.
10 David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of hosts was with him.
11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a house for David.
12 And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.”

Did anyone ever become important without knowing it? Probably not anyone you or I would know.
A lot of us think more of ourselves than we have become. David had a problem similar to this. Notice verse nine: “David lived in the stronghold and called it the City of David.” He had to know where he lived and how he had come to live there. He even named the city after himself. Yet, David’s greatness increased because “the LORD God of hosts was with him.”

King Hiram was a friend of David and he provided men and material for building David’s house. It seemed then than David realized that the LORD “had established him as king over Israel.” This is the shepherd boy who challenged and defeated Goliath (1 Sam. 17); and almost before he knew it, he was King over all Israel!

It speaks well of us when the LORD uses us. It speaks better of us when He uses us and we hardly know it. It speaks best of us when the LORD uses us and we know and acknowledge that it is He who has done it all. Pride is a camouflaged deception. It’s a trap! It’s Satan’s chief weapon. Yet, it’s one of the psalmist’s consistent reminders: “The LORD has done great things for us; We are glad” (Ps. 126:3).

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