The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 5:1-8, “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my groaning.
2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray.
3 In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You.
5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity.
6 You destroy those who speak falsehood; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
7 But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, at Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.
8 O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; make Your way straight before me.”

One of the exciting things about reading Scripture is that those who lived in biblical times were not that different from us today. They lacked the conveniences we possess, but awoke from sleep much like we, not quite awake and murmuring. Nevertheless, they commenced the day in prayer.

The sleeper’s recognition of the LORD, however, is quite positive. The LORD is the servant’s first thought of the morning; and he viewes the LORD as exceedingly righteous! The LORD hates wickedness and despises boastfulness that arises from hatred and deceit.

At the same time, the LORD is possessed of an abundant of lovingkindness, making it easier for the servant to enter His Holy Temple in total reverence. I have to wonder if we are like this servant. Do we embrace what He admires? Do we despise what he loathes? And do we approach Him in total reverence?

Somewhere I read of a liberal pastor, who said there was a time of total silence in their church services: no singing, no music, no audible prayers, no reading of the Scriptures –just quiet, peaceful, silent worshipful thoughts about Jesus and what He has accomplished for us through His death and resurrection. Could we cease the things we call “worship” for a glorious time of spiritual reflection? Could we not “awaken” to a pure worship as we awaken to murmurings from sleep?

Help us, O LORD, to learn how to worship in reverence, as is pleasing to 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,

Psalm 4:1-8, “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
2 O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.
3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.
4 Tremble, and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the LORD.
6 Many are saying, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD!
7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.”

We would all do well to express our thoughts in words that praise and glorify the
LORD. Only recently, I reviewed the “Baby Book” my dear mother used as a

My mother had been medically advised that she would never be able to have any children. Her mother simply said, “Well, he’s never reckoned with the LORD.” Isn’t that how we should resolve our difficulties? –even negative advice we receive from those we perceive as “experts”? We should “know that the LORD has set apart (His own) …for Himself. Indeed, the LORD hears when (we) call upon Him.”

While there are always those who would discourage us, we are divinely instructed to “trust in the LORD.” We are to rely upon Him to enlighten our hearts with gladness, even more so than when we possess from Him our necessary food. It is then that our hearts and minds rest well in sleep, cloaked with the sure knowledge that the LORD enables us to “dwell in safety.”

So, lay aside those pesky thoughts that plague our lives and deprive us of comfort! They have not come from Him! “In peace,” the psalmist says, the LORD Himself will provide both rest and safety.

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 3:1-8, “O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me.
2 Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no deliverance for him in God.’ Selah.
3 “But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.”
4 I was crying to the LORD with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.
5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.”

There may have been times when you wished you were first in authority over some things: “If I were only in charge of this situation, things would be different,” you have thought. Yet, being the one “in authority” is not all that it’s cracked up to be! David was unquestionably the authority, yet he could not even control his own son, Absalom.

Absalom wanted to be king more than anything! In time, he assembled his own men and sought to kill and defeat David, his father –all that he might become king.

It was at this point that David feared his own son! Even David’s own men doubted that he would survive in a battle against Absalom. But, Absalom had not reckoned with the LORD! David had! It was then that David could restfully sleep, knowing that the LORD was on his side.

When David awoke from sleep, he possessed a new outlook on the situation! He had the LORD contending for him; thus, he had no one to fear! We have nothing to fear when the LORD is with us! We have only to trust Him to win the battle on our behalf.

What battles are you currently facing? What circumstances are keeping you awake at night? In whom have you placed your confidence and trust? Let your trust be always in Jesus. He not only died to save your from your sins, He arose victoriously from the dead! No other king has ever done that! That’s one reason why Jesus is called “King of kings!”
Is He your “King of kings?” He can be if you will but trust Him. I am
trusting Him, even as I am praying for 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,

Psalm 2:1-12, “Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 ‘But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.
7 ‘I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 ”Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’
10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

Hardly a day goes by, but that the LORD is challenged by those who deny Him or His ultimate power. Yet, the Power of the LORD exists (vv1-9), because the LORD Himself exists, despite His warning to the pitiful, provocative mortals (vv 10-12).

Why is the LORD challenged? Could it not be because He is feared? When we were children and frightened of things, the easiest means of erasing fear was to cover our heads in absolute rejection of the fear’s existance. Such fears and their denials now carry over into adulthood.

The LORD stearnly warns the kings of nations to show discernment. He
who created us and the spacious environment in which we live—He lives and He is worthy of our praise and worship! His sinless Son is also, worthy of our worship; for it was He who suffered and died for our sins!

The fires of Hell await those who deny our Savior! Love and trust the Son who loves you and patiently awaits your acceptance of Him. Still, He will not wait forever. Today is the day of salvation!

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.”

You have probably heard that those who are charged with inspecting
fraudulent paper money always concentrate on the true and valid bill. When they are confronted with a fraudulent bill, they then immediately know it to be invalid.

Virtually, everything works according to that procedure. The first three verses of Psalm 1 speak of our walking in the way of righteousness. That is the way that pleases the LORD. The result is: “…in whatever he does, he prospers.” That prosperity may not come in the way the doer anticipates; but it will come!

The last three verses concern the one who walks in unrighteous ways—ways that are not pleasing to the LORD. Nothing he does will prosper.
In fact, everything he does will be driven away, as it were, by the wind.
He will not endure (????) because “the way of the wicked (?????? ) will
perish.”

Each of us (writer and reader) will give an account of our lives to the LORD. Are we truly ready to stand before Him in judgment? I pray that we are.

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