The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

A small boy was asked whom he liked best, the pastor or the bishop. “The pastor,” he said without the slightest hesitation.

“Do you really?” asked his surprised mother; “Why?”

“Well,” the boy said, the pastor says ‘finally,’ and it’s final. The bishop says “lastly,” and it lasts and lasts and lasts.”

That boy would have had mixed feelings about the Apostle Paul. Paul was not quite through writing to the Christians at Ephesus when he said, “Finally…”

Paul, however, was not just draging out his instructions. He truly wanted his readers to “be strong in the LORD…” At the same time, he understood the opposition. The Ephesians had not ceased to be adverse to the Christian Gospel, but there was true need for spiritual armor.

It’s the same with us today. “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

The offensive weapons we use are truth, righteousness, peace, and the Gospel (the Good News of Jesus Christ), His death for our sins, and resurrection for our righteousness.

Further, we need the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit (all 66 books of the Bible) and the utilization of sincere spiritual prayer.

Are you armed? Satan would discourage you from trusting God. He wants you to leave off reading the Bible, whereby you are able to check all that you hear from your pastor. Not all pastors can be trusted; or have you not read the news lately?

Those who teach only the Bible and praise only the LORD Jesus –they can be trusted! Read your own copy of the Bible. And listen only to preachers who emphasize the goodness of the Lord 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

Dear Grands,

Psalm 1:1-6, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

Have you noticed the difference between right and wrong? Have you noticed that some people tell things that are not true? Have you noticed that some people consciously do the things that are wrong, even when they know better? Have you not noticed, also, that there are those who actually counsel people to do wrong? These are they who defy the LORD and His teachings, and they give themselves over to all sorts of evil.

These are the wicked and they are blown away like chaff in a strong wind. They will not survive the LORD’s judgment, nor will they be admitted into the assembly with the righteous. The wicked will eternally perish! They have not escaped the all-seeing eye of the righteous LORD!

The righteous, however, so delight themselves in the law of the LORD that they meditate on it day and night. They cannot get enough of His spiritual teachings! They will be fully fed as they stand by His streams of living water; and they will yield spiritual fruit in the proper season.

All of this is to say that no one can escape the judgment of Almighty God, except by accepting His Son, Jesus, as LORD and Savior of his life. Do you know Him? Have you confessed your sins to Him and asked His forgiveness? One day, we will all stand before the LORD and give account of our lives and how we lived. Are you ready to meet Him? If you are earnestly anticipating His return, you are ready. If you’re fearful of His coming or want to deny that He will ever come, you are not ready.

Do now pray and confess your sins to Him. He promises He will forgive you, and you will find yourself longing for Him to come.

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 16:7-12, “When a man’s ways are pleasing
to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at
peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness than great
income with injustice.
9 The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD
directs his steps.
10 A divine decision is in the lips of the king; his mouth
should not err in judgment.
11 A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; all
the weights of the bag are His concern.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked
acts, for a throne is established on Righteousness.”

Do you have an enemy? I mean a true-to-life enemy
–one that hates and despises you and wishes you
were dead and buried? Have an enemy like that?
Well, I hope not! As far as I know, I don’t have one
either. But the absolute way of erasing all your
enemies and maintaining peace is to make your
ways pleasing to the LORD. When your ways please
Him, He will see that your enemies are at peace with
you.

Do you think a lot of money is going to sustain you in
court when you have done wrong? Solomon says
that righteousness is of greater value than huge
wealth. Plan all you wish, but the LORD is in charge.
His ways will always be better. Solomon notes that
even a human king should not make an error in
judgment; much less would a pronouncement from
the LORD ever be in error. The LORD is honest and
true in all things. He, therefore, sees that honesty
always prevails.

Kings (governments) that “commit wicked acts” are
an abomination to the LORD! His acts are always
established in righteousness. We should only note
that if we wish to live in a nation whose God is the
LORD, our lives must embrace honesty and
righteousness on a personal level. If we embrace
wickedness, we will face His wrath clothed in the
violence of human wickedness.

Let everything always be done in Righteousness! It
is the key to pleasing the LORD!

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 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.”

Perhaps I shouldn’t say this, but I had to learn what a “gentle answer” actually was, and that it applies and works in virtually every situation! My “tongue” was evident from the start, but it took a good deal of time for me to become “wise” in using it.

“The eyes of the LORD” can actually control the use of the tongue, if we just allow it. Far too often we want to “answer-in-kind.” We just need to learn that a “soothing tongue” is far better than the “perversion” that crushes the spirit. As there are situations in which we would not want to be found, so there are situations in which the “tongue” is best not found.

I never witnessed my earthly father misuse his tongue. My mother attested that he was always in control of his entire demeanor. “Great wealth is in the house of the righteous.” I did not grow up in a house of great monetary wealth. But, I grew up in a household that possessed great “control of the tongue.” The lips of my parents poured forth knowledge; I just missed some fundamental lectures.

Thankfully, the LORD loves us, forgives our stubborn stupidity, and offers us yet another opportunity. Grasp the truths that are revealed in the Bible. Learn to be and do good! Such characteristics delight the LORD and all who are 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,

Prov. 10:9-19, “He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will be ruined.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.
13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding.
14 Wise men store up knowledge, but with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
15 The rich man’s wealth is his fortress, the ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The wages of the righteous is life, the income of the wicked, punishment.
17 He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.”
18 He who conceals hatred has lying lips, and he who spreads slander is a fool.
19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”

It’s as difficult to omit verses of Solomon’s wisdom as it is to submit to them. His understanding of human nature is astounding! I know people who have immersed themselves in the multiple studies of psychology and counseling, who would have bettered themselves by absorbing Solomonic wisdom.

Integrity is vast becoming a thing of the past. When our Founding Fathers met to confirm the Principles that would guide our Republic, integrity permeated the meetings. Not everyone was in agreement with the positions held by other legislators, but no one could challenge the integrity that surrounded even unsound principles.

Today, the confidence the world’s people have in their governments is at an all-time low. And the causation exists because integrity does not. Pick out the words that arrest the thoughts of people lacking in integrity: perversion, trouble, concealment, violence, hatred, wickedness, transgression –and the list goes on. Far too many governments lack the righteousness of the LORD Almighty!

Too many on the path of life fail the necessary instructions. Too many lie and pervert justice. They slander those with integrity, while those who are wise restrain their thoughts. Better it is, they think, to be silent and merely thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt!

We are living in difficult times. We need, however, to remember that the LORD is the One who is in ultimate control. When we find ourselves at the mercy of others –and they show us no mercy— we should remember that the LORD is our “very present help in time of trouble.” Make Him central in your life. Consult with Him regarding everything! Then, relax. He understands our dilemma; furthermore, He’s the only One who can fix it. Why worry your life away?

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