The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 5:17-19, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

The best resolution to the Russian-Ukrainian War is for Vladimir Putin to come to faith in Jesus Christ. That would immediately expel the aggressor, although it would not erase the damage the agressor has caused. This resolution is an unlikely event, yet I believe it would stand well before God.

I met a man today who possesses some “old things” that should be put away, too. After expressing several words, that lie well outside the Christian vocabulary, he shared with me that his older brother was a preacher.

It is the Bible’s contention that we should endeavor to lead the lost to faith in Christ. I prayed silently for the opportunity to share Him with the man. Almost instantly, the man himself opened the door and I rushed in!

I am in no way seeking to applaud myself for the utterance of a few words on the LORD’s behalf. The LORD Himself only knows how many such opportunities I have let slip in the past. Now, it is the Holy Spirit’s work to stir that man’s heart and bring him to faith in his brother’s LORD.

If you are a born-again Christian, dear reader, please prayerfully grasp those opportunities the LORD sets before you. If you have yet to trust the LORD as your Savior, please do it today! It may seem a small thing to you, until you do it. It will then be an awakening to your eternal soul –the solution to the battles that have raged within you. 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,

2 Corinthians 5:6-10, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the
Lord–
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight–
8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Were you ever in one place, but wished you were in another? Many in the military have undoubtedly wished that. A student studying for a test would rather be playing ball. All of us at some time have wished to be somewhere other than where we were.

The Apostle Paul had the same desires that we often have. His advice was that we should “always be of good courage.” To the Philippians, he said, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil. 4:11). The substance of his advice is grounded in the assurance that we all will one day be with the LORD. In the meantime, as we live for Him, we must “walk by faith, not by sight.”

Faith is trust in the LORD, knowing that He loves and cares for us and has prepared a place for us in Heaven –a much better place than the best circumstances under which we are living just now. At the same time, we who have committed our lives to Him will be required to appear before Him at the Judgment Seat, where we will account for all we have done and for all we have not done.

Where are you in all of this? Have you trusted Him as your LORD and Savior? If so, are you living as He directs? If you have not trusted Him as your LORD and Savior, why have you not done so? No “personal works” or “religious affiliation” will take the place of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross! Time will not exist forever. Please, don’t ignore His Love for you! Trust Him now!

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 Corinthians 5:1-4, “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.
4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.”

Someone once defined a “parable” as “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Here Paul is speaking in parabolic fashion when he uses the words “earthly tent.” Immediately then, he speaks of a “house (tent) not made with hands,” but a covering that is “eternal in the heavens.” When life gets really tough, it is then normal for us to think toward heavenly things.

Most of us know what it means to groan under burdens we don’t want to bear. “Awe, Mom… I don’t want to do that now!” Paul’s thoughts, however, are a bit more serious. He notes for us the difference between life on Earth and life in Heaven.

When Paul speaks of “clothed” and “unclothed,” he’s referencing the desire to be free (clothed) from the burdens of earthly life. I dare say that speaks for all of us; still, there is a considerable difference between earthly life and heavenly life. For one thing, we had no choice about being born into this earthly life. But, we do have a choice regarding Heaven. We simply must be born again –not physically, but spiritually!

And this spiritual birth is available to everyone, who by faith trusts in Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. Just ask Him to forgive your sins and take control of your life. You’ll find out what it is to be clothed in His righteousness! God bless you! 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,

2 Corinthians 4:15-18, “For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

When I read this passage, I cannot but help thinking of Joni Erickson Tada. Injured in a swimming accident as a teenager, she has lived as an invalid all of her adult life! Have you ever heard her complain? I have not! She sees what happened to her as the opportunity to lean totally on Jesus Christ.

Nor does she ever lose heart! Some days are better than others, but no day is exactly what she would desire for herself; yet, she bears up under an unsolicited load as she demonstrates the power and joy of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul had many dreary days himself. Yet, he spoke of those days as of “momentary light affliction.” He refused to focus on the “bad” or “hurts” he encountered. He saw every day through a positive lens, “producing… an eternal weight of glory…”

When things seem to go wrong (as the often do!), try to see the spiritual benefit. It’s easy to do if we keep focused on the LORD Jesus Christ. No one ever suffered like He did; yet, He kept looking to His Father for grace to bear the adversities. What a perfect pattern He is for whatever assails us in life! “There’s not a one like the lowly Jesus. No, not one.”

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 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

All of us have listened to preachers, who “wowed” us with words we had never heard and stories that kept us on the edges of our seats. Yet, according to Paul’s words regarding his preaching, we would have been greatly disappointed in him. He simply proclaimed “the testimony of God.”

Have you noticed how children like “simple things”? Even the music and movement of a huge, classical orchestra falls behind the comical antics of silly drawings of dancing animals clothed in bright colors. Think about the comparison. Doesn’t what we want to hear from the pulpit really measure the “age” of our spiritual desires?

Many people –maybe most, therefore, would not appreciat the simplicity of Paul’s pulpit ministry. He had no cute stories, no funny anecdotes –just a clear and simple message about Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Not very exciting stuff to most in our day. But, it was and is more than equal to a siren that announces a “coming death” for those gathered in an assembly.

The farther Paul advances into his message of Jesus, the weaker he becomes. He knows the sacred value of his message. No time for antics. No time for silliness that ostensibly draws the mentality of the “adult children” in the congregation. Paul is there to demonstrate the Holy Spirit and His power. But, why is that his purpose? He longs that the faith of his audience might not “rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

Where does your faith rest? Is it in your pastor? in your church? Hopefully, your faith rests solely on Jesus Christ. “Jesus is everything; and everything is in Jesus!”

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