The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Judges 2:13-16, “So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
14 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
15 Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.
16 Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.”

Valuable lessons may often be learned from watching young children. One child wants to play with the toy that another child has– until that child relinquishes the toy for yet another. At that point, the first child wants the second toy. Selfishness is part of the sin nature.

Man is like that; he waffles back-and-forth in his relationship with Almighty God. Yesterday, the LORD was everything! Today, he’s not so sure. Israel wandered from God for something like 100 years in 450 years of the period of the Judges. We should all know better than to go against God! Israel was “severely distressed!” Yet, the anger of God is no less to us than it was to Israel.

Still, the love of God was and is always contained within His punishments. He raised up judges to govern His unruly, undisciplined people. In the same way, godly parents punish their children; but they always do it in love. The LORD was gracious to give Israel reprieve in their judges. He does the same for us when we acknowledge Him in our personal lives. Have you –do you– acknowledge Him?

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,

Joshua 21:44-45. “And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand.
45 Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.”

Did you ever have someone make a promise to you? Did they keep their promise? Did you ever make a promise to anyone? Did you keep it?

One of the difficult aspects of making a promise is that it is often made without being fully considered. “Oh, I’m not far from there, I can drop it by your house.” Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But, circumstances that work against that promise had not been remembered; thus, the promise went unfulfilled. Now, other promises unknown to you but were based upon your promise now fall through as well. Who is untimately at fault? Everyone risks being blamed.

The primary message of the Book of Joshua is the faithfulness of God! Being omnicient, the LORD has no problem with His promises. He has thougth them through before they are uttered to us in the human realm; and His omnicience is the guarantee that He never forgets. Thus, if we make promises based upon His promises in Scripture, we can trust in their faithfulness. That’s how I can promise you the LORD’s salvation by faith; it’s contained in His Book, the Holy Scriptures.

Will you trust the LORD? Not one of the good promises which the LORD has made has ever failed. Now, as with Joshua, it’s up to you to accept Christ Jesus as your LORD and Savior. My prayer is that you will trust Him.

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,

Deuteronomy 5:31-33, “’But as for you, stand here by Me, that I may speak to you all the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I give them to possess.
32 “So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left.
33 “You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.”

The word “Deuteronomy” literally means “second law.” It is the last of Moses’ five books –the first five books in the Old Testament. Despite the meaning of the Book’s title, it contains no new law. It simply emphasizes the Law previously given.

Repetition is vital to human retention. That’s why students, knowing that a major test is coming, will read and re-read what they believe will be asked. We, too, need to read and re-read the Bible, and for the same reason. We are certain to be tested daily. The principles contained in the Bible are there to guide and control our lives. Jesus Himself used the Scriptures. Understandably, Satan despises it!

The final chapter of the book records the death of Moses. Lee says, “It was a lonely death,” as indeed every death is. It was, nevertheless, “death with a vision” and with “Divine embrace.” That’s the warm embrace of the arms of Jesus, when we trust Him as His “born again” children. Are you one of His “born again” children? You can be! It’s all a matter of trust in His Son.

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,

Numbers 8:23-26, “Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
24 ‘This is what applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting.
25 ‘But at the age of fifty years they shall retire from service in the work and not work any more.
26 ‘They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations.’”

“What are you going to be when you grow up?” How often I heard that when I was a child! In those days, the insurance man came to collect for the our family’s life insurance. That man used to call me “little preacher.” He insisted that that was what I was going to be. I was a young child and had no idea why he said that; but he was right. About the age of 17, the LORD called me into His ministry.

Doubtlessly, the sons of Levi had no idea the LORD was going to use them in His ministry. Such was not their choice; the LORD was in charge. He purified them and assigned them to “perform service in the work of the tent of meeting.” The LORD also stipulated that the Levites were to commence work at the age of 25 and retire at the age of 50. When we read of how strenuous their work was, we can understand why they were limited to 25 years of service.

Even today, those who minister to us have a strenuous work. It may look easy to some, but it is not easy. Prayer itself is strenuous; so is study. We enter our church buildings, expecting the pastor to have a helpful message from the Scriptures. It may not be long, but it has taken hours of s prayerful study in the Scriptures to formulate what the LORD wants for His people.

Still, the pastor’s task is far more than preparing a weekly messages for his congregation. We have the responsibility to support the pastor with our prayers. We will not always know the situations that occupy his time and energy, yet it will always be our responsibility to uphold him in prayer. As it was with the Levites, so it is with ministers today. Look for the good in the pastor you have been given, and thank the LORD for His ministry through him. He may some day call your son or grandson to be a pastor.

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,

Leviticus 19:1-5, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2 ‘Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, “You shall be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy.
3 Every one of you shall reverence his mother and his father, and you shall keep My sabbaths; I am the LORD your God.
4 Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods; I am the LORD your God.
5 Now when you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted.’”

It’s the responsibility of a potential employer to outline what is expected of those whom he employs in his business. That human responsibility derives its directive from the Word of the LORD.

“You shall be holy” focuses primarily upon the internal attitude of those who would follow the LORD (v. 2). It is the LORD’s holiness that prompts us to want to be holy. Exposure to Him enables us to throw off unholy habits and become more like Him.

The directive to “be holy” also focuses on our external attitude (v. 3).
How we respond to our parents demonstrates how we assess the value of their directives. It also reveals our attitude toward God, for He is the One who has ordered us to obey them.

Absolutely forbidden is the making or worshipping of idols (v. 4)! Irrespective of the situation or the encouragement of anyone to forsake and replace the LORD with anything or anyone is strictly in violation of the Divine directive.

What is both divinely desired and acceptable is the sacrifice of a peace offering (v. 5). Inasmuch as man’s tendency is always to sin, this peace offering is offered against that sin.

All of these offerings preceded the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ. It was Jesus’ offering of Himself that replaced and fulfilled these Old Testament directives. It is still the LORD’s desire that we be holy; yet, no longer are we required to bring physical offerings. Jesus paid the price for us.

It is now for us to accept Him as our Offering. Now, through prayer, we confess our sin and yield ourselves to Him. Have you done that? Time is running out. “Today is the day of salvation.” Tomorrow might never 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