The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Joshua 24:12-15, “’Then I sent the hornet before you and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites from before you, but not by your sword or your bow.
13 ‘I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’
14 “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

“Look at what I’ve got!” That was a familiar statement from grammar school days. The implications were 1) that this is something unique; 2) that what I have is mine; and 3) you don’t have anything like it. Probably, it was true –in school days. But it was truer still in the passage above. The LORD lists “hornets,” “Amorite kings,” “land, cities, vineyards, olive groves” –all of which were expelled from the land where His people lived.

So, now it’s time to put away the gods of Egypt and of the Amorites. It’s time to rid yourself of all false gods and yield and serve the true and living God!

However, there’s a choice: you can choose to serve the gods the pagan Amorites served, or you can love and serve the LORD God, who gave His Son to die on the cross for your sins.

God still gives you a choice. He does not mandate your love and service. Still, a wise
person will review the choices carefully. The God who loves and cares for you will be
to your advantage. Do you know Him? Do you love Him? You should. He loves 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,

1 Samuel 3:1-5, “Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.
2 It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well),
3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was,
4 that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, ‘Here I am.’
5 Then he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, lie down again.’ So he went and lay down.”

It would be difficult to believe that Hannah, Samuel’s mother, had not heard of the licentious activities of Hophni and Phinehas when she promised her first-born son to the LORD. Yet, she was committing him to the LORD under the care of Eli, the priest.

I know from personal experience what a godly mother says to her only son when he is preparing to go to church camp. Hannah would not have said less to Samuel. Thus, she deemed his new home a safe place. He was in the LORD’s House in the LORD’s hands and under the watchcare of the LORD’s chief priest.

Samuel himself was blessed to be a servant of the LORD. Since the LORD’s Word was not frequent in those days, Eli himself did not understand that the LORD was speaking to Samuel. Thus, it took him being awakened three times to ascertain that the LORD was speaking to the boy.

We often sell children short in spiritual matters. If the truth be told, they are often closer to God, since they have not been so thoroughly exposed to the sins that besiege adults. In time, Samuel’s godly adulthood proved the value of his childhood relationship and fellowship with the LORD.

Our problems today arise not so much with ungodly children, as with ungodly parents, along with their lack of spiritual parenting skills. Don’t sell any kids short! Pray for them and live before them a godly, Christian life. They will surprise you, and will grow to be more like Jesus every day!

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,

1 Samuel 2:12-14, “Now the sons of Eli (Hophni and Phinehas) were worthless men; they did not know the LORD
13 and the custom of the priests with the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. Thus they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.”

1 Samuel 2:23-25, “Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
23 He said to them, ‘Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?
24 ‘No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the LORD’S people circulating.
25 If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?’ But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death.”

The avalanche of news reports today demonstrates that there are a number of men in pulpits of churches today, who are following the likeness of Hophni and Phinehas. Situations like theirs occur from the lack of discipline at an early age. Even as an old man, Eli’s attempted correction of his sons was too mild and too late. What they were doing was so sinful, that “the LORD desired to put them to death.” That should cause us to see how seriously the LORD takes sin that exists in the church today.

Sinful activity of those in the LORD’s work requires more than a “public apology.” Withdrawal from biblical, public instruction of other people should be the first step. And the withdrawal should be of sufficient time as to assure the congregation that true repentance has occurred.

We are indeed in an historic battle today! Our world is submerged in evil and then calls evil good. If the LORD desired to put to death Hophni and Phinehas, what must He desire of us today? Search the Scriptures for enlightened instruction! Pray fervently, as if your life depended on it — because it does! There’s a Great Day coming! But we must 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,

1 Samuel 1:10-11, Hannah, “…greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
11 She made a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.’”

Judges 13:3-5, “Then the angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, ‘Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son.
4 ‘Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing.
5 ‘For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.’”

Desperate situations call for serious commitments. Such commitments often extend to family members and/or close friends. With respect to the two vows of the women above, however, they are exceedingly serious, human comitments to the LORD.

“In the circumstances of an ordinary vow, men consecrated some material
possession, but the Nazirite consecrated himself…, and took a vow of separation
and self-imposed discipline for the purpose of some special service; and the fact
of the vow was indicated by special signs of abstinence” (BW Dictionary).

Hannah’s commitment regarded her son, Samuel. How much she knew about the Nazarite vow is not known. Samson’s mother, however, was given clear instructions as to his care before and after his birth. She was also permitted to know that Israel would be delivered from the Philistines, and by the hand of her son.

Our most important commitment to the LORD is to give Him total control of our lives. There is no greater purpose in life than that which He has to us. Yet, we must be committed to Him before He makes known our responsibility. That is what faith and trust are all about.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make
your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).

Memorize those two verses. They will serve to keep you faithful to the LORD and to the task which He has assigned to you. 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,

1 Samuel 1:1-2, 4-7, “Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2 He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children….

4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.”
7 It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.”

For a number of years I have engaged in genealogy, tracing my family heritage. Strange names often appeared; and many times I’ve encountered names of former family members or even the names of close friends.

Elkanah, in our verses above, means “God has possessed.” Thus, the LORD was in charge right from the start. Elkanah had two wives, but Hannah, who was childless, he loved more. Hannah was tormented by the other wife because she had children and Hannah did not. Instead of retaliating, Hannah turned gently to the LORD. It was then than the LORD answered Hannah’s prayer and Samuel was born. It was all in God’s doing and in His timing.

It’s easy in this day of “instant everything” to question why the LORD takes so long in all that He does. The best answer is: “We’ll understand it better by and by.” And so it is with all of His delays. We are not to question the LORD; we’re just to live in faith and trust Him.

Nobody said it was easy. Yet, we need to mature in our faith, knowing that He knows best; and, as with Samuel, the wait will be the way of the LORD and will result in His ultimate glory! Persist in prayer; be patient in time. “”He has done all things well…” (Mark. 7:37). May God bless 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