The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Zephaniah 1:1-7, The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:
2 “I will completely remove all things from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
3 “I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked; and I will cut off man from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
4 “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests.
5 “And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven, and those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom,
6 And those who have turned back from following the LORD, and those who have not sought the LORD or inquired of Him.”
7 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests.

“Very little is known of Zephaniah, the writer of this book… He is
believed to have been a prince of the Royal house of Judah, a
descendant of Hezekiah. His name means ‘Hidden of Jehovah,’ and He appears to have begun his ministry around B.C. 641-610 (Lee).

Zephaniah’s emphasis is “the Day of the LORD,” by which he means the
Day of the LORD’s Judgment. That phrase is mentioned seven times in the book of Zephaniah. Why would the LORD lay such heavy emphasis upon judgment unless He was exceedingly serious?

There is a Judgment Day coming, as surely as it is promised from the LORD. The lack of preparedness is noted in the conversation of our day. Even churches are involved in secular things –things they knowingly embrace, although they are contrary to the Scriptures.

What are true believers to do? How are we to combat the blatant twisting
of Scripture to make it say what it does not say? Certainly, we must resurrect the true meaning of Scripture and pronounce it faithfully in the company of those who are our responsibility.

We must also pray fervently for each other and regularly “live out” the truths of the Bible. We must faithfully witness to the lost, keeping our eyes on the heavens from which our LORD will desend as He one day soon summons us to join Him in Glory! And we must hasten with what we do because we have no idea when He will come. It could be today….

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,

Mark 9:17-24, “And one of the crowd answered Him, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute;
18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.’
19 And He answered them and said, ‘O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!’
20 They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.
21 And He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood.
22 ‘It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!’
23 And Jesus said to him, ‘”If You can?” All things are possible to him who believes.’
24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

Of all the varied physical difficulties that Jesus encountered in His Life here on the earth, this has to be at or near to the top! There were multiple diseases that Jesus encountered; yet, each malady was confronted with faith as the healer.

There was always a crowd. We encounter multiple crowds today. The difference, however, is that the crowds Jesus encountered were due to His miraculous curing of maladies that were all but unknown at that time.

The crowd had evidently called upon Jesus’ disciples for help for the boy, but they were totally unable to help him. When Jesus arrived, He chided His disciples along with the people for their lack of faith. He called them an “unbelieving generation,” but said, “Bring him to Me!”

Yet, when the boy saw Jesus, the evil spirit within him “threw him into a convulsion” and caused the boy to fall down and roll groaning on the ground. At that point, Jesus asked the boy’s father how long all of this had been happening to the boy. The boy’s father responded: “…from childhood.” The he said, “…if You can do anything…help us.”

Jesus’ response was terse. “’If You can? All things are possible to him who believes.” It stirred the father’s heart! –so much, in fact, that he cried out: “I do believe; help my unbelief.” In effect, he meant he was trying to believe as much as he could; but, he needed the LORD’s help to believe completely!

How like that father we all are! “Can the LORD do everything we need?”

“Of course, He can,” we say, I just hope He will. And it’s that “hope” that emasculates the belief for which the LORD was looking! That boy’s father needed to believe, not just hope! Our needs must be thoroughly soaked in belief. True belief is absolute trust that the LORD will provide precisely what we need. “’All things” are possible to him who believes.’”

What are your needs? How much do you trust the LORD to
provide them? How much do you pray? Do you always pray in
faith? Faith is the heart of all prayer! “All things are possible to
him who believes.”

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,

Zephaniah 3:1-8, “Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city!
2 She heeded no voice, she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD, She did not draw near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions, her judges are wolves at evening; they leave nothing for the morning.
4 Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
5 The LORD is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame.
6 “I have cut off nations; their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, with no one passing by; their cities are laid waste, without a man, without an inhabitant.
7 “I said, ‘Surely you will revere Me, accept instruction.’ So her dwelling will not be cut off according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.
8 “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them My indignation, all My burning anger; for all the earth will be devoured by the fire of My zeal.”

Children are the product of their parents. When they love their parents, and when their parents love them, discipline is largely maintained by the children seeing and copying their parents’ lifestyle. Thus, there is little-to-no needed for physical chastisement.

Nations are simply the conglomoration of grown-up children. The more people there are, the more physical control is needed. Parents have the right and the responsibility to control their own children. And children are expected to love and duplicate somewhat the lifestyle of their parents.

On both the personal and national levels, those in authority have a right to be jealous of those who are under their control. Thus, when Zephaniah speaks of the LORD’s jealousy (1:18 & 3:8), he is speaking of the absolute right of the LORD to control the people He created and loves.

Jealousy is not usually viewed as acceptable. It too often carries the idea of wanting something someone else possesses. Yet, when used
as an object of the LORD, it expresses a totally different meaning.

We who belong to the LORD through salvation in Jesus Christ, are rightful objects of the LORD’s jealousy. Thus, when we get out-of-line, He rightly disciplines us that we might be more like Him. Furthermore, the more we love Him and become more like Him, the less discipline we require.

Where do you find yourself in this situation? Are you living out His teachings in the Scriptures? One day, we will all give an account. How
we live today will determine how we will stand before Him on that 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 Chronicles 9:1-5, “So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was carried away into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness.
2 Now the first who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites and the temple servants.
3 Some of the sons of Judah, of the sons of Benjamin and of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem:
4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the sons of Perez the son of Judah.
5 From the Shilonites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.”

Are you still there? Don’t stop reading! Admitedly, these verses do not convey the warmth and interest of many previous Grands Letters, but they are important. Why? you ask. Well, they’re important for several reasons.

First, the Chronicles (both 1st and 2nd) give us an accounting of the Israelite people. Subsequent books of the Old Testament will fill us in on more information, but First Chronicles (somewhat like First Kings) sets the stage for the Nation of Israel.

Here in First Chronicles we learn that Judah was exiled for her unfaithfulness. If you have previously believed that those who were the LORD’s people were godly, you were naïve in your thinking. As we Christians are too often unlike the Christ we claim to follow, so were the Judeans.

This book also gives us insight into some of the work for which they were responsible in ancient times. Some were priests, others Levites, or temple servants. Many others –by their titles– demonstrated their various responsibilities.

How does all of this relate to us? Well, we have pastors, deacons, teachers, et al, who have responsibilites within our churches; and those responsibilities are an outgrowth of what was required in early Biblical times.

Let me ask a few personal questions. What responsibility do you have in your church? Are you dependable? Do you prayerfully attend to your assignments?Are you on time for what is required of you? Do you attend to your duties in the church in a cheerful manner?

If the Chronicles of, say, “Christian Duties” were written of you, would the LORD be pleased with your work and your conduct? And, perchance you have no current responsibilities, do you lovingly offer to assist those who seem to be “swamped” with theirs?

Rest assurred that the LORD never lays upon us more than we can bear. He is training us that we might train others in His service. Just be joyful and thankful for the opportunities He has given us; and praise Him always in the process.

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,

Zephaniah 3:1-9, “Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city!
2 She heeded no voice, she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD, she did not draw near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions, her judges are wolves at evening; they leave nothing for the morning.
4 Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
5 The LORD is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame.
6 ‘I have cut off nations; their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, with no one passing by; their cities are laid waste, without a man, without an inhabitant.
7 “I said, ‘Surely you will revere Me, accept instruction.’ So her dwelling will not be cut off according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.
8 “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them My indignation, all My burning anger; for all the earth will be devoured by the fire of My zeal.
9 “For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder.”

If you read the verses above with remembrance of your youth, you will doubtlessly recall the times when your parents or teachers reproved you for bad behavior. You were properly instructed in a variety of things, but stubbornly paid little-to-no attention, continuing to disobey those in authority.

Although those were disobedients in times past, they are far more
serious today. The LORD’s instruction through His Word is clearly
before us, yet we elect to willfully disobey, thinking (as we did in our
youth) that it doesn’t matter; others are just as disobedient and
disrespectful and look at them! No retribution is befalling them!

“…wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up as a witness…” (I will) “gather nations” and “assemble kingdoms…and will pour out on them My indignation, all My burning anger…” and the nations will be “devoured by the fire of My zeal.”

Our parents disciplined us as children, that we might grow into good and respectable citizens of humanity. Even so, the LORD is currently discipling us that we might honor Him and simultaneously serve as godly incentives to others who have not grown up under spiritual discipline.

Who has the LORD placed under your authority that they might see Him
in you and come to embrace Him in a thoroughly righteous life? Is your life adhering to His instructions? The Holy Scriptures beg for our adherence, as they hold our LORD’s sinless life before us. He never
claims that it’s easy; but He does promise that He will bless us in the undertaking.

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