The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ecclesiastes 12:8-14, “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”
9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs.
10 The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.
11 The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections
are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.
12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and
excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is
good or evil.”

Have you ever labored diligently over something, but felt realistically that you were accomplishing absolutely nothing? Of course, you have. So has everyone, everywhere! “What’s the use?” you ask. “Nothing seems to fit together in this project! I might as well
quit!”

Well, before you quit, it would, perhaps, be encouraging somewhat to learn that the
human author, who asked those questions, was himself the wisest man who ever lived –Solomon! Does that mean we might as well give up? Certainly not! What Solomon is
saying is that we all have the same perplexities.

One solution to the perplexities in Solomon’s day was his teaching his people what he
had learned from his own studies. One thing Solomon learned was that “the words of
wise men are like goads…well-driven nails” that “are from one Shepherd.” Those
goads, or nails, keep the the animals from straying away from the pathway on which
they were being guided. It’s like studying the Bible in order to live life as the LORD
intended us to live it.

True Preachers are God-called men, who find in Scripture the teachings the LORD
wants His people to learn and to follow. True preachers not only teach the people from
the pulpit, they live what they teach others to live! They become living examples of
what the LORD wants, leading their congregations by example as well as by teaching!

Still, it’s not preachers alone, who affect their congregations. What we all learn from
our pastor, he has learned from the Holy Scriptures. And what our children learn, they
learn from us, their parents, who in turn, learned from their pastor. We are all responsible
to behave in life as the LORD intends. If you feel the “goads,” you have strayed from His pathway! Better get back on track –and fast!

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,

Genesis l7:17-21, “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!”
19 But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
20 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
21 “But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.”

“Listen to your wife. She knows what is best.” How many times have I heard that from people? And it is often true of all of us men. Still, there is a time when we should listen to the LORD alone!

Sarai was certainly at fault for suggesting that Abraham take Hagar, an
Egyptian, as a wife, so that she could bear him a son –a son that God had
promised! Clearly, Sarai lacked the faith to believe that God would keep His promise of giving Abraham a son.

Aren’t we all-too-often like that? We agree with the LORD on everything except His timing! The Hebrew word “wait” (????? qavah) “expects a positive outcome.” Abraham had waited, Sarai’s faith was unwilling to do the same. Think how “childish” it is to want everything now! Think how faithless it is to doubt the LORD’s timing on anything!

I’m reminded of the man, who married a woman to get her off his mind, and
ended up getting her on his hands! (Abram hadn’t heard that, and Sarai
wasn’t telling!) In the end of the story, Hagar and Ishmael, her son, were
ultimately turned away to wander by themselves in the hills. That had to bother Abraham; but, the boy and his mother weren’t alone! The LORD was their comfort and their provision.

Waiting, however, is arduous! For the most part, you and I are a we-want-it-now kind of people! Yet, we only know part of what is going on. Sometimes, we even lack the knowledge of that part! In the end, the LORD made a Covenant with Isaac and his mother.

In the final analysis, the Word says, “”He has done all things well…” (Mk. 7:37).
Pray, of course, but trust Him without hesitation! He alone knows what is best.

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