The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Amos 4:10-13. “’I sent a plague among you after the manner of Egypt; I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses, and I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; yet you have not returned to Me,’ declares the LORD.
11 “’I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze; yet you have not returned to Me,’ declares the LORD.
12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”
13 For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name.”

The preacher who resides outside the realm of his congregation— The preacher who yells a warning at his listeners—The preacher who lacks the ministerial credentials demanded by his hearers— is more likely to be heckled than heeded by his congregation. Yet, Amos, whose manner was crude when measured against the more cultured preachers of his time, never ceased to declare “Thus saith the LORD!”

He warned against plagues and deaths and huge loss of possessions –all brought about by the LORD.against His people because of their sin.

PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD, O ISRAEL! was the young man’s war cry! It’s the warning cry that we desperately need today! Schools and schoolboards support unthinkably crude and evil instructions that are foisted upon children! Never mind history and English and mathematics, as long as they learn sex! Administrative leaders and members of Congress support preposterous measures that all-the-while fill their own pockets—and they do it on the backs of the very ones who voted them into office! “None is so blind as him who will not see!”

Oh, do we ever need an Amos today! Many pastors would do well to follow Amos instead of focusing on what benefits them. Unfortunately, “What’s in it for me?” all too often supersedes “Prepare to meet thy God.” Honest pastoral responsibilities commence with a clear understanding and strong emphasis upon “Thus saith the LORD!” Instead of cheering, congregations would do well to weep! That’s Amos’ message! We will be blessed if and when we accept the LORD’s warning and attend to His business instead of our own! May God see fit to forgive us our sin!

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,

Joel 2:1-3, “Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; surely it is near,
2 A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, so there is a great and mighty people; there has never been anything like it, nor will there be again after it to the years of many generations.
3 A fire consumes before them and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing at all escapes them.”

The name Joel first occurred as the name of Samuel’s eldest son. The name means “Jehovah is my God.” It is likely that this Joel would, as a young man, have known the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

A severe drought had fallen upon the land of Judah. Now, the LORD directs the locusts to devastate
the land. It was not the first time, however, that locusts had been employed to destroy the crops of the people of God. Joel understood that the plague had been ordered by the LORD, and that the answer lay in a truly spiritual revival among the people.

While we often attribute the rise in food and gasoline prices to the mismanagement of government, could its cause not also be viewed as ultimately from the LORD due to our continual engagement of evil in our own land? We have obviously allowed evil to dominate our thinking. We view evil as pleasurable, when it ought to be viewed as detrimental. We are so focused on such an avalanch as the result of “climate change,” when it is ought to be attributed to our evil-repudiation of the LORD and His Holy Scripture!

Evil has pervaded the world from the beginning of time. Evil today, however, smirks with pride over its mockery of God and His Word. Things that would have shocked our preceeding generation, are now
allowed, as if they are “normal.” Paul warns us against such moral impurity in Romans 1:24-25:

“Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their
bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for
a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed
forever…”

Unless we quickly and sincerely repent of our filthiness, the LORD’s worst may befall us. Our cry for
mercy then will be too late for those who have already fallen. Worse still, the LORD may declare us
delinquent and allow us to endure the full measure of His wrath. “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 4:7 KJV).

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,

Hosea 1:1-7, “The Word of the LORD which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, ‘Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.’
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
4 And the LORD said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 “On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’
6 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the LORD said to him, ‘Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.
7 “But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the LORD their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen.’”

Drastic situations often call for drastic measures to extract the sinful from their dangerous ways. Such was the situation that occasioned the Book of Hosea. The people had forsaken the LORD. Divine punishment was due, and the LORD sent Hosea to marry a prostitute that she might bear him children.

The woman Hosea selected for his wife was named Gomer; and she bore Jezreel (“God sows”). By him the LORD had determined to put an end to Israel, and thereby teaching a lesson to the house of Jehu. Gomer then bore Hosea a daughter, Lo-ruhamah (“without compassion”), because the LORD had determined not to forgive Israel’s sin.

The third and last child Gomer bore to Hosea was a son, Lo-ammi (“not my people”). Yet, while the LORD had earlier determined not to forgive Israel’s sin, He ultimately relented and said, “You are the sons of the living God” (v. 10). Therefore, the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel were blended into one family!

As strange as this account might seem to us, we are to learn that the LORD does not tolerate sin! We may find His ways strange, yet, He is loving and works diligently to forgive sin and draw the sinner to repentance and into His love and care. The LORD’s divine love extends even further, as He sent His Son, Jesus, to the cross to die as the Sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. Have you experienced the LORD’s love and forgiveness? It’s far easier than what was required of Hosea. Just admit to the LORD that you have sinned and ask His forgiveness. It is so simple that many stumble over the simplicity. Don’t let yourself stumble. Pray and ask His forgiveness; then trust Him to have forgiven you. He is always true to His Word. You will never be sorry, and He will never leave or forsake 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,

1 Corinthians 15:12-22, “Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”

“Do you mean to tell me that someone could die and then come back to life?”

It was a question asked by an inquisitive, four-year-old boy. Thankfully, his mother was up for the answer. She replied quite positively, “Well, Jesus did!”

Jesus’ death and resurrection has been proclaimed around the world. Thousands upon thousands have trusted in Him and have come to know Him as LORD and Savior of their lives. I was scheduled to speak to a school group in Australia, and I asked the principal, “How much time do I have?” His reply was, “I know why you’re here; and that is more important than anything any of our children will do the rest of the day. You take all the time you need.” That principal had come to know Christ Jesus through the first Billy Graham Crusade in Sydney.

Paul’s argument is simply that if Christ did not arise from the dead, then no one has any hope of a life after death. What’s more, since everyone living and dead has sinned, there is no hope of forgiveness. Your faith in anything or anyone is useless if Christ did not rise from the dead. Oh, there is advantage to believing in Christ’s loving manner of life; but if He did not arise from the dead, there is no hope or value in anything for anyone. No hope of Heaven; only Hell awaits.

But, don’t despair! Christ did arise from the dead! He was seen alive by more than 500 people –lives now in the Heaven He has prepared for all, who will trust Him as their LORD and Savior. Paul was right! “…as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” Jesus is the only hope for all mankind. There is no other way to be free from sin; no other way to be raised from a grave and live forever with Him. What have you got to lose by trusting in Jesus? He loves you and 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,

Genesis 22:1-8, “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.”

The LORD had promised Abraham a son. Abraham was 100 years old before that son was born. Abraham named him Isaac. Then, some twenty years later, the LORD instructed Abraham to offer Isaac as a human sacrifice on Mount Moriah, where one day the LORD’s own Temple would stand. (Today the Dome of the Rock stands in its place.)

The occasion of Abraham’s sacrifice was the heart of his worship of the LORD. Reading through the verses above touches our hearts as we imagine the trauma that swirled within Abraham. Yet, it was obedience; it was worship. And it was faith. Abraham was too old to have fathered a child when God gave him Isaac. Thus, if now the LORD wanted the son as a sacrificial offering, Abraham was obedient. Such was the reverential act of solemn worship.

The Hebrew word for “lad” or “boy” (naar) related to a male aged from birth to about 20 years of age. Thus, taking into account the polite conversation between Abraham and Isaac, we can assess their worship to have been a solemn act of reverential obedience. We might also note that Isaac was totally compliant with his father’s direction. There was no complaint, no resistance. If this is the directive of Almighty God, compliance was their only response.

How do we worship the LORD? Have we looked to Him for direction before we engage in worship? Is our worship an act of reverence? Is it thoughtfully, prayerfully solemn? Think carefully as we approach the commemoration of Christ Jesus’ Resurrection. Meditate on His Word. Read and re-read the Scriptures that inform us of the manner of His servants’ worship. For one day we will be held accountable for it all. May we all be ready for a faithful accounting.

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