The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Colossians 3:12-15, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

Giving and Receiving are the chief characteristics of special occasions. Qualities such as holiness, love, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience are the fundamental aspects that require giving and receiving. Forgiveness is an act whereby a person of higher standing chooses to overlook the inappropriate attitude or action of someone else. In our Scripture passage above, the LORD is the forgiver; we are the forgiven.

Have you noticed the response of someone who has been forgiven? In many ways that response parallels the attitude of the forgiver –at least it should. Paul the apostle is telling us that we ought to be willing to overlook (forgive) those who do ill against us, just as the LORD forgives us for our sins against Him. “Bearing with one another” is the complement to “having forgiven.” It means to forgive and forget.

Two additional rungs at the top this ladder of fortiveness are love and peace. Both love and peace originate with the LORD. Love openly identifies itself in the unity of two or more individuals. Whatever may have previously occurrred, all parties are now calm and united. At the same time, peace emanates from Christ and settles itself upon the parties involved. Each party is now thankful to God for the unity and is permeated with His Love.

Is something like that currently occuring in your life? Should it? So many things fit together and work smoothly when we are in spiritual fellowship with Him and with others. Be quick to forgive! He is! Be forgiving and forgetful of wrongs against you at the hands of others. Life is so smooth and loving when those qualities of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience abound. Thank you, LORD! Yes, you will thank Him in ways you’ve never dreamed.

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 Peter 1:17-21, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you
21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Respect is an attitude that is swiftly disappearing in the world-at-large. It commences when one person assesses that he has not been noticed in the way he believes he ought to be. In such a situation, it may well be that the one desiring respect has not earned it because he has not treated others with respect.

Peter tells us that the LORD we address as “Father” is the One who judges mankind with divine impartiality. Our redemption did not come through an exchange of silver or gold. Rather, it came from the precious, blood of Jesus Christ. His death on the Cross paid the penalty for our sins.

This same Jesus, who died, was buried, and arose from the dead was alive before the foundation of the world. And the Father raised His Son, Jesus, from the dead and glorified Him! This enables us to believe that our hope in Him is real. I came to that understanding when I was a small boy. It is available to everyone, but it is only by faith. Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior?

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 Peter 1:10-13, “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,
11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven– things into which angels long to look.
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Currently, my daily readings are focused on early church history. Multiple thoughts of various aspects of doctrine originated within groups that differed from one another. It was as if doctrinal concepts originated from “here and there,” resulting in the formation of various belief systems. Ultimately, these groups formed what today we would term “religious denominations.”

Those early groups can be excused somewhat in that they lacked the Scriptures as we have them today. Additionally, the political force to accept and practice the beliefs of their political leaders made their situation all the worse.

We have the Scriptures available to us today; therefore, nothing can excuse us from following precisely what the LORD desires. What we possess today (and often take for
granted) is the result of the prophets’ “careful searches and inquiries.” Political leaders often object to the Word of God, in that His Word goes against their desires. It is so today. Five times in the passage above we read “you” and “to you.”

Sincere pastors today make “careful searches” of the teachings of the Scriptures, so that they might not mislead their congregational hearers. They will stand accountable to God
for what they say, and for what they don’t say. At the same time, with the Scriptures in our own language and easily available to us, we too are accountable for our obedience to the Word of God.

Notice that angels “long(ed) to look” into Word! Thus, inasmuch as the LORD has been pleased to give us the Scriptures and qualified men to explain and expound them, we
had best be prepared to obey the Word, holy as it is.

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit,
fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at
the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

He has prepared and produced His Word for us. It is now for us to obey it completely.

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 Peter 1:3-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

When we’re ready to express anything that is of value to us, we do it with excitement! That’s precisely what Peter was doing when he wrote the words in our
verses above:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

The remainder of that verse and the accompanying verses praise the LORD for His great mercy! It is a living hope which we obtain by being “born again.” This new, spiritual birth is ours when we accept by faith the LORD Jesus’ death and bodily resurrection as having been for us.

This new, spiritual birth brings with it an inheritance that we will possess forever. It does not perish; nor will it ever vanish from us. We are protected forever by the power of Christ in Whom we have believed. What we then possess is an imperishable inheritance that cannot be defiled. It is precious beyond belief and resides with us forever, producing within us the praise and glory that accrues forever to the honor of our LORD Jesus Christ.

His Word says that although we have yet to physically see Him, we can love and believe in Him, rejoicing “with joy inexpressible and full of glory!” Such is the outcome of the faith that saves our souls.

Have you believed in Him? Is He your LORD and Savior? Remember, it’s more than attending and/or belonging to any particular church. It’s more than being physically baptized in water. It’s repentance, trust, faith, love, obedience to the LORD Jesus Christ –the Christ we discover in the Holy Scriptures.

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 Peter 5:1-10, “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

I well remember a minister who once spoke of us fellow ministers when he said, “It’s amazing how many proud and haughty men claim to be followers of the lowly Nazarene.” That’s too often true, and not only of ministers. It’s true of men and women, who have gained popularity within and without the church or some special group within their community.

Simon Peter himself was once quite proud when he boasted that others might
forget the LORD Jesus, but he would never do so! Then he three times on the same occasion said, “I know not the Man.”

We may never pridefully express ourselves in just that way, but we deny Him when we act and talk like the unsaved crowd. Sometimes we deny Him by failing to
speak supportingly of Him. Just allowing ourselves to be in the midst of those who
act and speak in ways that deny Him is itself a denial.

Peter allows that we should resist the devil and those who embrace him. Further, he promises that the LORD Jesus “will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and
establish” us in the right way. May we who know Him embrace Peter’s instruction and live for the LORD in these dark and uncertain times. There will come a day
when we will rejoice that we have stood for Christ!

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