The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 15:1-8, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.
3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good.
4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.
5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.
6 Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, but trouble is in the income of the wicked.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not so.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.”

Did you ever say anything for which you were sorry? Have you ever acted in any “way, shape or manner” (my mother’s trilogy) for which you were sorry? To ask such a question is to answer it: of course, you have! Notice, too, that we have cited only eight of the 33 verses in this chapter. It is replete with wisdom and warning.

Words originate in the mind, but protrude from the tongue in the mouth. They are either gentle or harsh. They either make good sense and become encouraging, or they are stupid and hurtful and breed folly in the listener’s heart.

Human eyes can also serve positively or negatively (Psa 35:19); yet the divine eyes of the LORD discern both evil and good.
Fools reject discipline, but the one who embraces it proves he has good sense. “The lips of the wise spread knowledge…”
Words of wisdom form conduits of knowledge and blessing. “The prayer of the upright is the LORD’s delight.”

There was a little children’s song we kids used to sing:

“Be careful little ears what you hear,
Be careful little ears what you hear,
For the Father up above is looking down in tender love,
Be careful little ears what you hear.”

Eyes and tongues do communicate! Whether they are used to
uplift or to crush is up to the communicator. Just remember:
we always reap exactly what we sow. Are you under His control?

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,

Proverbs 14:30-34, “A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion is rottenness to the bones.
31 He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
32 The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, but the righteous has a refuge when he dies.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, but in the hearts of fools it is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

The entirety of this Proverb is loaded with contrasting situations. “A tranquil heart,” in verse 30, for example, reposes in bold contrast to “rottenness.” Further, the concept of “honor” challenges “oppression” in verse 31.

Throughout these few verses we find things that are right contrasted with things that are wrong. We have to admit that we are like Solomon, who knew explicitly what was right, but often took the wrong path in his own life.

Notice carefully, too, that the contrasts measure individuals until we come to verse 34. Then righteousness is the active concept that uplifts the nation as a whole, while it is sin that brings down the avalanche of disgrace upon any nation and its people.

While much of our daily news cannot be trusted; the Word of the LORD knows only truth.
Scriptural truth in the heart of a nation results in the flow of morality throughout the corridors of government. It’s easy to spot the wrong in elected leaders, but seldom do we acknowledge that it is “we the people” who have elected them.

When we become within ourselves that which pleases the LORD, we will suddenly discover that those who represent us in government are making choices that align with what our nation needs. For “wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding”; and the Head from which wisdom issues forth is ultimately from God.

All that being said, when “we the people” demand and get “term limits” for Congress, we will suddenly discover that there are scores of citizens whose lives link closely with the LORD, and will find they can serve our nation well, as they serve our Blessed Jesus. Let’s start praying on that 50-Yard Line!

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,

Psalm 10:1-4; 7-13; 15-16, “Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
2 In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, and the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.
4 The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

7 His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages; in the hiding places he kills the innocent; his eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate.
9 He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair; he lurks to catch the afflicted; he catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net.
10 He crouches, he bows down, and the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Your hand. Do not forget the afflicted.
13 Why has the wicked spurned God? He has said to himself, “You will not require it.”

15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer, seek out his wickedness until You find none.
16 The LORD is King forever and ever; nations have perished from His land.”

Recent days have witnessed the victorious Hand of the LORD speaking through the elements of human government! Our passage above proves that mankind without Christ is born wicked and is willingly hurtful toward his fellowman. What’s more, mankind is willingly disrespectful of the LORD and ignorant of His power!

Our beloved United States was founded on faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. Men and women of the old country lived under duress for their faith, leading them to depart from their homes and seek solice and refuge in the New World. The Constitution of the United States was the product of God-fearing men. Not all might have been born-again believers in Christ, but none of them denied the existance or power of Almighty God.

This writer has no spiritual insight regarding the fate of those who vehemently oppose the work of the LORD Almighty. He can, however, prayerfully trust that many may come to repentance of sin and faith in salvation through Jesus Christ.

If you, dear reader, are a born-again believer in the LORD Jesus, you share with me the responsibility to tell those who have yet to believe on Him that He alone is the way of salvation. If you do not yet know Him, please trust Him today. Ask
Him to forgive your sins; tell Him that you want Jesus as your Savior. Your life
will change –and it will change for the better! May God bless you abundantly!

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,

Psalm 9:1-11, “I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.
2 I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before You.
4 For You have maintained my just cause; You have sat on the throne judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins, and You have uprooted the cities; the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment,
8 And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.
9 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
11 Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; declare among the peoples His deeds.”

Have you ever witnessed a crowd scream against a coach for pulling a player from the game? Yet, when that player’s replacement performs with excellence, enabling the team to win, that same crowd turns from vitriol to praise for the coach!

David commences this psalm by giving thanks to the LORD. No doubt his praise of the LORD causes the enemy to stumble and turn away from the battle. David then allows that the LORD has maintained his (David’s) just cause by exercising righteous judgment and destroying the wicked forever! “The very memory of them has perished” (9:6).

At the same time the LORD righteously judges the world in which we live. He also establishes security for those who are oppressed, for those who know the LORD and maintain a true and steadfast trust in Him. Nor has the LORD forsaken those who trust Him. David encourages the people to sing praises to the LORD and declare His deeds among all peoples.

This is a spiritual pattern in which every generation should participate! We owe the LORD honest and perpetual praise! “The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad” (Psa. 126:3).

“Count your blessings; name them one-by-one;
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.”

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,

Psalm 8:1-9, “O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
4 What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?
5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!”

Our minds and hearts have been so invaded by “science,” that we seldom think of
God as the Creator of the universe in which we live. Oh, we acknowledge the LORD,
but are tempted to think of Him as having created through science, rather than science
being the uppermost.

The psalmist David seeks to correct our misguided thinking by placing God ahead of
everything! What the LORD has created reaches beyond the capability of our minds.
What little boy or girl has not wondered “Who made God?” And because our feeble
mentality falls short of understanding, we resort to what we call “science” to fill in the
gap.

Note that the psalmist grasps the “grading” of the LORD’s creation. God reigns as the
Uppermost; man is responsible under God for managing the Earth. The difficulties we
encounter is largely due to our displacement. We want to occupy the LORD’s position!
And in that self-misplacement, we have left unattended the position and occupy the
LORD’s assignment for us. We must fall in line with His designation, and acknowledge
Him as Supreme in all things!

As a musicial director would say when things were out-of-order: “Let’s take it from the
top!” Readjustment occurs when we acknowledge the LORD as the Director of the
ensemble. We do that by confessing our sins and begging His forgiveness. Salvation,
like creation, comes from God. We must trust Him in all things. Start by giving Him
your life. That’s the key to unlocking His blessings.

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