The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 24:5-14, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

At the same time, readings like our Scripture above reminds us (or so they should) of how rapidly the world is changing and how close we are to the end of civilization as we know it. Everybody, it would seem, is in conflict of some sort – personal, political, international. Wealth, too, drives the conflict, and many of those who possess wealth believe it is the answer to all the problems of the world. It is not! But, the love of it is! Possessors of BIG MONEY believe they have the answer to everything. More often than not, they are the problem! Read 1 Timothy 6:10.

The Church is charged by the LORD to carry His Message of Love into all the world. Yet, while missionaries continue to carry the Message of Salvation worldwide, many churches have become largely political with leaders focusing on money and what it can buy! When money is prominent, the vision of the Word becomes foggy.

With all the world’s attractions dangling before us, it’s easy to neglect the Word of God. Yet, what we learn from Scripture will always supersede what we learn elsewhere. So, why am I reading Christian History instead of the Scriptures? It’s not “instead of”; it’s “in addition to” the Scriptures! Join me in that! You’ll be glad you did! The time of Christ’s return is accelerating. He is coming soon! Be ready!

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 14:5-12, “A trustworthy witness will not lie, But a false witness utters lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, But the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

One of the early accounts of the wisdom of Solomon concerned two women who claimed to be
the mother of a new-born child. King Solomon ordered a sword and said he would cut the child
in half and give each half to each of the women, who claimed to be the mother. Ultimately, the woman
who was the true mother of the child, relinquished her right to the child. She was more willing to
give her child to the other woman than that it should be slain and profitable to neither.

Honesty, knowledge of the truth, and absenting one’s self from a fool, leads to true understanding.
How can one discern the knowledgeable from the fools? The fools mock at sin, as if it did not
exist. Their hearts overflow with bitterness. Joy flees from them. Furthermore, the house of the
wicked will ultimately be destroyed, while the upright will flourish. All the while, those who study
and engage in the ways of the wicked, will be destroyed.

The way that seemed right was wrong, and it ended up in death to those who embrassed it.

Whose philosophy do you follow: that of the upright? or the wild? None of the fools have ever extracted
themselves from bondage. What makes you believe you can? The LORD Jesus Christ alone can
change your life. Yield it to Him! Absorb His teachings in the Word. Become what He alone can make you! You’ll never be sorry!

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 1:11-19, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom
and instruction.
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without
cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;
13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil;
14 Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,”
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path,
16 For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood.
17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors.”
Anyone who reads and discerns the wisdom of these verses, has only himself to blame if he ignores their wisdom. The LORD gives parents to every child in order that he might know how to conduct himself acceptably. Parents, too, are responsible for the attitude and conduct of their children; furthermore, parental honor itself comes from the deportment of their children.
Godly parents discern the LORD’s desired conduct from reading His Word. They then advise their own children accordingly. They also recall their own parents’ advice and the difficulties they themselves encountered when they ignored their parents’ counsel.
The evil anticipation of the rowdies considers only the “gains” from their nefarious exploits. They have not considered that those with “precious wealth” may indeed have it well guarded. And the comment that “we shall all have one purse” is merely a scheme to employ more in the activity. Rest assured that the one putting forth the idea will absolutely lay claim to most of the booty.
Such plans always have their origin in evil. Furthermore, evil schemes result in the loss of life for everyone who plans to gain by violence. “Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the treacherous is hard” (Pro. 13:15). Parents have a heavy responsibility; yet, their lives overflow with joy when they see godly results in the lives of their children.

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

Psalm 62:8-12, “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.
9 Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than breath.
10 Do not trust in oppression and do not vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.
11 Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God;
12 And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord, for You recompense a man according to his work.”

Dear Grands,

The LORD God can always be trusted! His eternal love for those whom He created never lessens. We can always and in every circumstance call upon Him, and He will forever be our refuge and strength.

The one caveat –the one factor of which we must be aware—is that we are living
according to His will. Selah means “stop and think about that.” Are we living as He desires? Have we confessed the wrong in our lives, so as to be right with Him? Selah

The psalmist compares the men of low degree with the men of rank. Some men
view themselves as greater than they are. They are viewed as worthy by others when they are not. When weighed in the balances, both go up” because they weigh nothing of value. Thus, we are warned neither to trust in oppression” or to “hope in robbery.” Such “riches” will ultimately come to nothing of value.

“Power,” –ability, wealth— “belongs to God” alone! He repays such to those who deserve it. Still, it is only rewarded to those who “work” according to His will.

Is your life being lived according to His will? What might He want from you that you have yet to yield to Him? –maybe your life?

Heartily in Christ,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Exodus 12:21-24, “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to

them, ‘Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the

Passover lamb.

22 ‘You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin,

and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two

doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.

23 ‘For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the

blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door

and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.

24 ‘And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children

forever.’”

Instructions are important. If your doctor instructs you to take two of a certain

pill three times a day, it’s not the same as taking three pills twice a day. You may

not understand the difference, but there probably is one! So, follow the

instructions!

The elders of Israel may not have understood why Moses told them to slay the

lambs; still, it was essential to the ultimate plan that they do as instructed. The

key was the blood of the lambs. Moses himself possibly did not understand that

in the centuries to come, the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ — would surrender His

Life on the Cross, shedding His Blood for the remission of our sins!

As the Egyptians were slain, Israel was freed from Egyptian slavery. As Jesus

gave His blood in death on the Cross, you and I (and millions throughout the

centuries) were afforded the opportunity to be forgiven of their sins –all through

the Blood of Jesus Christ!

Although the promise was originally given to the Jewish nation, when the Jews

rejected the opportunity, it was extended to the Gentiles. Now both Jews and

Gentiles can be forgiven of their sins by confessing Jesus as their LORD and

Savior.

If you have not trusted Jesus’ death and resurrection, you need to do that now!

There will come a time when salvation will not be available, for Jesus is coming

and it will be too late then to be forgiven.

If you have confessed your sins to Christ Jesus, why not share Him with your

other friends – those who have yet to receive Him? Remember, “A friend loveth

at all times” (Prov. 17:17). God bless you!

Heartily in Christ,

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