The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 4:7-11, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the
purpose of prayer.
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God.
11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as
by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Someone once said that there were basic personality types: The Optimist says “It can be done!” The
Pessimist who says, “It cannot be done!” And, the Peptimist who said, “I just did it!” When Simon
Peter said, “The end of all things is at hand…,” he was speaking words of encouragement to all believers.
It was not that his readers were going to die (although some in time did die); Peter was speaking of the
soon coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. And in the light of that spiritual certainty, they should be alert and
give themselves more and more to prayer.

Peter encouraged believers to love one another. He knew what we need to learn: basically, that love
smothers sin. It’s as if there is a fire of anger between two believers; yet, when someone takes a blanket
and covers the fire, the fire goes out. Without the oxygen of anger, harsh disagreements disappear. Do
you know something that needs “smothering”?

A “good steward” is one who manages the things of his master. The LORD has given to us His Infallible,
eternal Word; and it is that Word that we are to manage well, injecting it lovingly and earnestly into the
lives of others. The steward of the LORD clearly declares the Word of the LORD, as He intended. The
steward seeks to glorify God, for God has given him the strength he needs do so.

Yet, with all that is present for the use of the believer, the glory of God belongs to the LORD alone! His
glory contains the purity, strength, and hope needed by every believer. We who know Him are commissioned
to wear His purity in our lives, and to do so that others who know Him will be encouraged to do likewise.
He is preparing to Come Again! We must not be sleeping! Are you spiritually awake? Are you active in His
service? Are you witnessing to others? Are you earnestly praying for the lost you know? for your church? for
your pastor(s)? for yourself? For the lost? Give this some thought. The LORD is present to help 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 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 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.”

Buying something can sometimes be a surprise. “If you purchase this fine table with six matching chairs,” the
salesman says, “you will also be given this gorgeous set of dishes and cutlery –all free with the table and chairs.”

Also, there is nothing more exciting than having someone do for you what you are not able to do for yourself. That is precisely what occurred with Simon Peter. He had been born again; now his old life was replaced with a “living hope” through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. By accepting Jesus as his LORD and Savior, Peter had received the Holy Spirit, who would guide and bless him throughout the remainder of his life.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior of your life, you possess the Holy Spirit, too. If you have
not accepted Jesus, you are on your own with Satan and his forces leaning on you to believe and do his will instead of the will of Jesus. Satan doesn’t speak of the “inheritance” you will receive from him because what he has in store is not a pleasant place to reside.

Living by faith is living with trust –trust that the LORD is always with us, enabling us to side-step those things
that are contrary to His will. How precious is that? Our passage above tells us that it is “more precious than gold…” It is tested by the fires of temptation, but always shows itself to be superior because it is of the LORD.

It is beyond the scope of this Letter to reveal the blessings that attended Simon Peter’s Christian life; however,
He speaks beyond the words of his Letter, as we view his life through the Scriptures. Our lives are different from
Peter’s life. Yet, we face the same trials and temptations Peter experienced; thus, the promise the LORD gave
to him, He gives to us. We can know the LORD’s precious promises to us, just as Peter knew His promises to him.

Turn your life over to the LORD. Yield yourself fully and completely to Him. You will learn what Peter learned.
Jesus is real! Yield your life to Him today and see! You are in my prayers.

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,

II Corinthians 4:7-12, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;
8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying about in the body
the dying of Jesus, that the life of
Jesus also may be manifested in
our body.
11 For we who live are constantly
being delivered over to death for
Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus
also may be manifested in our mortal
flesh.
12 So death works in us, but life in
you.

Did you ever possess something that was just too precious for words? It was excitingly gorgeous to you, but almost too gorgeous for the eyes of anyone else! Wow! That’s exactly how Paul felt about the message of the LORD Jesus Christ! The “greatness of the power” resided in the LORD God Himself.

Notwithstanding the greatness of the LORD’s power that resided in Paul and his companions, they all suffered affliction and persecution. Simultaneously, this small, but powerful band of Christians – who were afflicted by being physically run out of towns — were nevertheless strengthened spiritually due to the presence of the Holy Spirit’s residence in our lives.

How in contrast we are to those early believers, who risked their very lives in the effort to bring Christ’s hope and life to the people of their day! We are too often afraid of being asked what we cannot answer. Yet, does not the Holy Spirit dwell within us? If He does, what enemy of the faith is so powerful that the LORD cannot overcome Him.

Let us not forget that we, who have trusted in Christ and now possess the Holy Spirit within our lives, have every Spiritual Resource within ourselves to reply to any, who might ask us of the strength we have to live in such a time as this.

Do you possess His strength? Are you ready to give answer those who ask us? Then let’s do it!! The LORD is our Spiritual Resourse! Let Him be God!

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,

II Corinthians 4:7-12, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;
8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So death works in us, but life in you.

Did you ever possess something that was just too precious for words? It was excitingly gorgeous to you, but almost too gorgeous for the eyes of anyone else! Wow! That’s exactly how Paul felt about the message of the LORD Jesus Christ! The “greatness of the power” resided in the LORD God Himself.

Notwithstanding the greatness of the LORD’s power that resided in Paul and his companions, they all suffered affliction and persecution. Simultaneously, this small, but powerful band of Christians – who were afflicted by being physically run out of towns — were nevertheless strengthened spiritually due to the presence of the Holy Spirit’s residence in our lives.

How in contrast we are to those early believers, who risked their very lives in the effort to bring Christ’s hope and life to the people of their day! We are too often afraid of being asked what we cannot answer. Yet, does not the Holy Spirit dwell within us? If He does, what enemy of the faith is so powerful that the LORD cannot overcome Him.

Let us not forget that we, who have trusted in Christ and now possess the Holy Spirit within our lives, have every Spiritual Resource within ourselves to reply to any, who might ask us of the strength we have to live in such a time as this.

Do you possess His strength? Are you ready to give answer those who ask us? Then let’s do it!! The LORD is our Spiritual Resourse! Let Him be God!
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,

2 Corinthians 4:1-6, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,
2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the Word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

You don’t have to be a screaming football fanatic to enjoy the game. In addition to the game, I am always interested in the daily lives and personal beliefs of the players. Yesterday’s Christian Post noted several players, who confess the LORD Jesus Christ as their Savior. Not that I doubt the true faith of any player, who acknowledges Christ as His Savior, but it’s unfortunate if such a testimony becomes a mere “acquisition” for the moment.

The Apostle Paul faced something similar, only it was far more serious than the games people play. Paul had been an arch enemy of the Christian faith. Now, however, he has “renounced the things hidden because of shame.” He was at one time the arch enemy of Jesus Christ.

But now, times have changed. Saul of Tarsus had been enlightened with the truth when he personally encountered Christ Jesus on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9). From that time onward, to the day of his death, Paul ministered to the Jews on Christ’s behalf.

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord
and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.”

I have previously shared my testimony of faith in Christ; now it’s my responsibility to ask if you have trusted Him. I’m not talking about your church affiliation or whether you live an upright and honest life. The question is much bigger than that!

The real question is: Have you confessed and repented of your sins in earnest prayer before the LORD and asked His forgiveness? It’s not whether you are honest in your daily life and work. It’s not simply how you play the game of life; it’s whether you’re genuinely on God’s Team by faith and trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus!

If you are a true, biblical Christian, I rejoice with you! If you have yet to become a biblical Christian, I am praying for you. Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins. It is now for you and me to live for Him. That’s what Christianity is all about –our getting on God’s Team and sharing Him with those who aren’t. Find
your place and live it out!

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