The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 11:43-48, “When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’
44 The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’
45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.
46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.
47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, ‘What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs.
48 ‘If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.’”

It’s marvelous what Jesus can do! Lazarus had been dead four days, yet when Jesus cried “Lazarus, come forth!” Lazarus came forth from the tomb still wrapped in the grave clothes in which he had been buried.

It was characteristic of the Jewish people to attend and mourn when a death occurred. This resurrection, however, became an evangelistic encounter because many who came simply to mourn, witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection and believed upon Jesus!

The sore heads who greatly disliked Jesus went immediately to the priests, who, together with the Pharisees, called a council. Unless He’s stopped, they reasoned, everyone will believe in Him… But, that’s not the worst of their thinking. They reasoned that the Romans would remove them from their religious positions and even downgrade their nation!

Just imagine! It’s like someone in a church today getting upset because a lost person believed on Jesus for salvation. What will the denominational headquarters think about this? Oh, that we would rejoice that someone was saved and that Christ was glorified in that salvation! When we lose our hearts, we lose our heads as well. May God forgive us!

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,

Luke 6:20-23, “And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 ‘Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 ‘Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
23 ‘Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.”

You really don’t need me to tell you that we live in difficult times. Every newspaper, every newscast on radio or television or via the internet focuses on the troubles of our times. There are people without money, people without jobs, without health, and without hope.

Jesus, who took pity on such people when He said, “Blessed are you who are poor… who hunger…, who weep…yours is the kingdom of God.” He further says that things will turn around in that day for those who love and trust the LORD Jesus.

We cannot expect the world to love and care for those of us who love and serve the LORD! Right now, we suffer somewhat like Jesus suffered. I say “somewhat,” because no one ever suffered quite like Jesus. Our stand for Him provokes the evil ones to hate us. Yet, there is a joyful day coming! And that joy will so enrich our lives that we will not remember having been so hated.

If you know Him, rejoice! If you don’t know Him, introduce yourself to Him in earnest prayer. Confess your sin and trust Him to forgive you. Those of us who know Him will be praying for those of you who don’t.

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,

John 11:32-36, “Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,
34 and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews were saying, ‘See how He loved him!’”

“Stop crying,” a mother says to her child. “You’ll have your eyes all read and people will know that you’ve been crying.” I have to wonder if the mothers who say things like that to their children know that “weeping,” and its complimentary words are mentioned 184 times in the Bible. In fact, the shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.”

Mary and her sister, Martha, were also weeping. Their brother, Lazarus, had died, and those who knew the family were weeping in sorrow over his death.

Mothers often say to their small sons, “Big boys don’t cry.” But, they do! Jesus Himself was less than 33 years old when He wept at the grave of Lazarus. But, why did He weep? Those that were present said, “See how He loved him.” Yet, Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead when days before He said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep” (John 11:11).

Perhaps we believers would do well to weep more than we do. Knowing people who are lost and headed to Hell should cause us to weep. How long has it been since you truly wept over someone’s lost soul? We can cut those mothers some slack for what they say to their small sons; yet, we must never neglect to cry over
the souls of those who are lost. Regardless of age, earnest believers do cry!

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,

John11:25-28, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’
27 She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.’
28 When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’”

Sometimes we just have to be told what to believe. That’s why Jesus’ words to Martha were repeated: “I Am the resurrection and the life…” He continued to assure her that those who believed in Him would live even if they died.

As strange as that may sound to us, it simply underscores the Truth that the real “you and me” will never die. Our bodies may suffer what we call “death”; however, there two eternal abodes, Heaven and Hell, one of which we will enter upon what we call “death.”

Notice that Jesus said, “…everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” Take Him at His word. It is not just a belief in “good things.” It is not just a belief in religion, or a particular church or religious denomination. It is a sincere and honest belief (trust, confidence) in the LORD Jesus Christ Himself. He alone is the Savior!

When Jesus asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” she responded with a full confession of her faith and trust in Him: “I have believed…You are the Christ, the Son of God…” Is this your confession? Can you truthfully say from your heart that Jesus is God, and that you are trusting Him for your salvation? I pray that you truly believe!

If you have yet to trust Him, make today your day of salvation. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life and transform you into His likeness. That’s why He went to the cross – to save us from sin. You cannot know how powerful He is until you invite Him into your life! My prayer is that you will trust Him today!

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,

John11:14, 20-27, “So Jesus then said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead…’

20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.
21 Martha then said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 ‘Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’
23 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’
24 Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’
25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’
27 She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.’”

Did you ever know someone who was never in a hurry, but was always on time? Well, you have now! It was Jesus! He was a two-day journey from the home of Mary and Martha and their brother, Lazarus. Yet, when He heard of Lazarus’ death, he waited two more days before departing on the journey to their house.

If you’ve never read this account in the Scriptures, you’re probably as confused as the disciples were. Sometimes, we’re just too much in a hurry about too many things. We’re like little children, who cannot sleep because they’re excited about Christmas morning. Or, we’ve ordered something online and cannot bear to wait for it to arrive in the mail.

The Scriptures don’t tell us whether Martha was anxious. My guess is that she was! In any event, she was confident that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus’ death. She also rested in the fact that God the Father could and would do anything Jesus might ask. Are you that confident about Jesus’ ability? Are you satisfied that whatever occurs is still in the Father’s Hands?

Yes, Lazarus came to life that day from the grave! We and our loved ones die physically just as Lazarus did. Yet, when we have committed ourselves to Jesus, we have His promise that true believers will one day arise to meet Him in the air and will “ever be with the LORD.”

That’s the best GOOD NEWS any of us could ever receive! And it comes straight from His Word! That’s how I stay on top of whatever occurs! How about 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