The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Hebrews 11:1-3, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2 For by it the men of old gained approval.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

Remember when you mother said something like…”If you complete the work assignment your father gave you, I will permit you to do what you ask”? The thing hoped for was within your grasp; yet there were two definite requirments involved. The first requirement was the completion of a task assigned by your father. The second requirement involved believing your mother.

You could believe your mother without completing your father’s assigned task. But both trust and physical involvement are sometimes intricately related. Faith was indeed the key to both!

It’s an old mystery how a black cow can eat green grass and produce white mink –and, ultimately, yellow butter. Yet, even that pales when we think of creation. The worlds, the sky, the stars, the planets, space –all were products of “the word of God.” He simply spoke and it all happened! In the “twinkling of an eye!” What we know of even outer space took form instantly!

Why do we doubt God? Why do we seek to avoid trusting His Word? Why do we allow others to usurp the place of faith His Word reserves for us? Men of old were approved by trusting His Word. You can gain His approval the same way. Read His Word, the Bible! Believe and practice what it says! You will be amazed at the change in your life and in the lives of those around 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,

Hebrews 10:36-39, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

In reading this short passage of only four verses, I am reminded of Paul’s statement in his Letter to the Philippians,

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on
toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).

There would be those who would take issue with Paul’s words in both passages, for he proclaims the LORD’s Coming “in a very little while.” Yet, that very phrase of five words must be accepted in the light of Paul’s timing. He had no knowledge how long it would be before the LORD would return; at the same time, it was (and is) a brief time when compared with the thousands of years since Creation.

Also, we have no knowledge of how much Paul knew when he wrote those words. For all we know, the LORD might have revealed the time of His Coming to Paul with the restriction of his making known the precise time. One thing Paul knew for certain: the righteous (are to) live by faith; and those who shrink back –those who refuse to believe– will meet with everlasting destruction.

We who know Him and profess to have been “born again” (born from Above) have faith that preserves the soul. I earnestly trust that you, my dear reader, have placed your trust in Jesus Christ alone. The Church proclaims salvation in the LORD, but the Church itself, like the baptism it administers, does not save. Only Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, is allowed to exercise salvation. And that comes by faith in Him alone!

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,

Hebrews 10:32-36, “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.
34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”

Wherever you are now, and regardless of your current age, you have had some “former days.” Somewhere at sometime, someone brought you to the light of the Scriptures concerning the LORD Jesus Christ. And others ridiculed you for accepting Him as LORD and Savior of your life. Thus, you “endured a great conflict of sufferings.”

Some of that suffering was personal; some of it was public, making you suffer shame for His Name. Having become identified even with those who had accepted Christ as their Savior, you were ridiculed and your property was seized and destroyed. All the while you maintained identity with those who knew Him, knowing that what you would ultimately receive from the LORD was of infinitely greater value than the ridicule and confication that brought you harm.

Don’t toss away your confidence! You have great reward coming! The LORD promises greater reward when we endure His will and accept and embrace His promises! Hang tough! He is coming and will be here soon! At that time, you will receive all that He promised—and possibly much more!

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 Timothy 2:7-13, “Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel,
9 for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the Word of God is not
imprisoned.
10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may
obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

Have you ever tried to understand something that simply defied your efforts? Already, I can hear you say, “How many times? Multiple times! Why can’t I figure it out?” My dear, sweet old grandmother used to say, “They just haven’t reckoned with the LORD.” She was right. Paul himself said, “The LORD will give you understanding in everything…The Word of God is not imprisoned!”

Paul understood that the Word of God was always free! The LORD’s messengers could be imprisoned; but no one could imprison the Word itself! Think of that the next time you share the LORD Jesus Christ with someone. In some countries, those who dare to share Him with others encounter horendous persecution…some, even death. Yet, the words that believers shared could not be locked away from the minds of those who heard it.

Then Paul lays it all out so that none of us can miss his point. Hear it again:

“…if we died with Him (if we are saved through His death on the Cross),
we will also live with Him (own Him on Earth as well as in Heaven);
If we endure (put up with opposition that comes from sharing Him with
others), we will also reign with Him (one day in Heaven itself);
If we deny Him, (we are not saved; thus, He also will deny us: “I never
knew you”); if we are faithless, still, He will remain faithful, for He
cannot deny Himself (He does always the will of His Father).”

Where are you in all of this? Do you know Him as LORD and Savior of your life?
You can, you know. It’s as simple as drinking water from a fountain. You’re
thirsty… the water is available… you drink from the fountain because you believe
in its refreshing qualities. Repent of your sin; trust Jesus. He is worthy of your trust
and wants you to be on His side. Then share Him with others! He will take it from
there.

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,

Jude 1:3-4, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Were you ever deeply involved in something when, all of a sudden, something else occurred that took your mind completely away from what you were doing and refocused it on something else? It happens to all of us. What’s more, it need not be a simple change of thought; it can well be a disaster that jolts the mind, effectively erasing those original thoughts that were intended.

That’s exactly what happened to Jude. He intention was to write concerning salvation, deepening their trust, no doubt. But, as Jude wrote, the Holy Spirit altered his intention, turning it toward those who had to this time been largely unnoticed. So clever were these false leaders that their forthright intentions had escaped the notice of the congregations. The situation was largely like that addressed by Peter.

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also
be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive
heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift
destruction upon themselves” (2 Pet. 2:1).

Unless churches today are structured so that false teachers, who may reside within it, can be more easily known, the ministry from the pulpits may be being countermanded by others within the church. In one church I knew the Minister of Education and a another teacher taught the structured Bible lesson to the teachers prior to Sunday. That kept everyone on the “same page” and avoided contradicting the theology of the pastor.

How vital it is that we get it right! Souls are at stake, as are we, with all respect to heavenly rewards for “accurately handling the Word of Truth” (2 Tim. 2:15c).

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