The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Deuteronomy 7:1-8, “When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and
the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you,
2 and when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you
shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to
them.
3 “Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to
their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons.
4 “For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger
of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you.
5 “But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.
6 “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen
you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of
the earth.
7 “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in
number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
8 but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers,
the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

When I was but a small boy, my dad built me some remarkable toys! There were instances
when I actually got in the way, trying with all my might to help him in the construction. The
thing was, dad knew what he was building and how to do it. I possessed no notion of either.
Oh, I handed him some tools, but the real construction was his idea and his doing.

When the LORD does something, He does it in a big way! Further, He also does it with genuine purpose! It will be ultimately be beneficial to Israel (as in this instance), although it does not appear so at the start. That’s how the LORD works! Had He not wanted us to be
here, He would have chosen something to replace humanity in the Creation.

In this instance, however, the LORD erases the vitality of some seven nations in order to provide for His own people. (Why do we doubt that the LORD’s ability to remove things we assess to be a hindrance?) Nothing is too difficult for the LORD” (Jer. 32:17 & 27).

Why, then, doesn’t the LORD just erase all the nations that worship other gods? That would
be easy for Him. The storms and plagues that are in His hands do fall upon us and eradicate
scores of people. Is the LORD demonstrating His power to destroy or His power to protect
all that survive? Certainly, it is both. What is more, He does it out of love! His ways are not
our ways; and it often frustrates us to not understand why He does what He does. Yet,

“Ours is not to reason why;
Ours is but to do or die.”

We should pray that the LORD will always make us amenable to His ways. He always does
what is best for His people.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Micah 6:6-8, “With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?
7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Could you summarize the thought of these three verses above in one word? How about the
word “accountability”? That one word is a summary for just about everything we do. We can summarize a football game in two words: “We won!” or “We lost.” We can summarize a
court case in the same two thoughts: “I won!” or “I lost.”

One day, we will each and every one stand before the LORD and give account of everything.
The prophet Micah summarizes it well: “With what shall I come to the LORD…” It’s a sobering
thought to stand before the LORD. He will views us with the penetrating purity of His eyes.
He will not only know what we have done or not done, He will know our motivation for having
done or not having done it.

I’ve heard some people theoretically respond to Micah’s question in a flippant, devil-may-care manner. But, there will be no flippancy on the Day of Judgment! I’ve witnessed little kids boast of how they will boldly respond to an authority for some ill-chosen activity. Yet, when the time came for an accounting, they trembled in their speech and shook in bodily fear.

The Bible contains the all-important questions that we will be asked on Judgment Day. It also
contains the answers to the questions. If we seriously, earnestly apply our thoughts and actions to life as the LORD directs, we will have no fear because Jesus Christ paid for our sins
when He suffered and died on the Cross in biblical times.

How, then, do we get into the act, so that His payment covers our sins? We confess (agree)
with the accusations that are filed against us. We engage Jesus, who died for us, as our
Attorney. He lays before the Father (Judge) that He died for us on the Cross, and that we have
trusted Him with handling our case. His resurrection from the dead proves His case before the
Father –the case He is handling for us. With all evidence in, the Father dismisses the case.

The big question is: have you confessed your sins to (Jesus)? He is the only One who is handling your case? He’s the only Attorney who wins cases before the LORD! Good idea to
contact Him today. You know you’ve done wrong; you need Jesus to handle your case. He’s
just a prayer away.

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 2:1-2, 6-10, “My heart exults in the LORD; My horn (qeren, might) is
exalted in the LORD. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, because I
rejoice in Your salvation.
2There is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is
there any rock like our God…

6 The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 “The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts.
8 “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make
them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; for the pillars of the earth are the
LORD’S, and He set the world on them.
9 “He keeps the feet of His godly ones, but the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 “Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; against them He will thunder
in the heavens, the LORD will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength to
His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

It was Alfred Tennyson who said, “Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer
than this world dreams of.” Yet long before Tennyson’s time, a woman named Hannah
prayed for a son. His name was Samuel.

Buried, but not so deeply in Hannah’s prayer, was her confidence that the LORD will
win in His contentions with the unrighteous. It was a prophecy contained in her prayer–
a prophecy concerning a son that was to be born. His name was Samuel.Hannah was
aware that the LORD could do whatever He wished. How we today need to be aware of
His love and power!

Recessed within His loving power are all of those characteristics He desires to place
within His spiritual children: you and me. The clouds of darkness and uncertainty loom
over us every day. Some days are so dark that we question whether He is still with us.

Yet, the exercise of our faith in Him and in what He can do suddenly becomes productive!
Things we had never dreamed could come to pass, did! Sins we considered beyond His
forgiveness were forgiven as we prayed in faith and believed.

What the LORD –our LORD—performed in the life of Hannah, He is yet competent to
produce and perform in us. She believed in Him and He acted on her behalf. Spend
some time in His Word, the Holy Scriptures; then, pray a believing prayer; and watch,
as He exceeds your expectations!

Tennyson was right! “…things are wrought” by prayer. Just don’t forget to thank Him!

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,

Numbers 14:19-24, “’Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the
greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from
Egypt even until now.’
20 So the LORD said, ‘I have pardoned them according to your word;
21 but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.
22 “Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed
in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and
have not listened to My voice,
23 shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any
of those who spurned Me see it.
24 But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed
Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take
possession of it’”.

I don’t know what you personally think of Tucker Carlson. Personally, I am attracted
to his style of presentation. Even more, I’m attracted to his emphases of spiritual
things. I’m not saying that he is a born-again Christian; but I’m hearing him emphasize
things that I don’t hear many others emphasizing.

Recently, Carlson emphasized the need for all Americans to pray for our country.
“Just 10 Minutes a day,” he said. How long he prays, I have no idea. But, I like his
emphasis on “Praying for the USA.” Our emphases seem to be on lesser things.

There are at the very least several million born-again Christians in the USA. What
if each of us spent a brief 10 minutes a day in prayer for our nation. The Scriptures
put a huge emphasis on prayer. There are over 300 references to prayer in the Bible.
That ought to “jump start” prayer in our lives! How about it? Let’s join together. Grab
your Bible. Read a psalm or two and ask God to bless our nation. He can do it!
He’s just waiting to see if it’s important to us!

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 6:5-8, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the
earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in
His heart.
7 The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land,
from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I
have made them.”
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

One of the most difficult things in life is to say, “I am sorry.” Yet, knowing that the first
use of the worry “sorry” came from our LORD Himself makes saying it no less difficult.

Yes, the LORD made man to dwell on the earth. But, when the LORD saw that the
“wickedness of man was great,” He was sorry that He had made created him at all.

Sorrow often emerges from things we don’t like in others (“She/he’s a sorry mess…”).
Yet, to be fully truthful, sorrow hits us in the face like a steel pipe when we do or say
something that hurts others. And those are sometime things of which we have no
knowledge until they are said or done.

Notice closely the Scripture passage above. The LORD first said He would blot out
man (vs. 6); then He vowed to blot out all created creatures (vs. 7). Yet, in the end,
“Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

Are we here to believe that man’s conduct was the cause of the LORD’s displeasure?
Yes, but ultimately, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” I view this as saying
that we should never give up seeking forgiveness for things we’ve done in haste –things
that lead to disfavor in the mind and heart of our LORD Jesus Christ.

Our motive should always be: “Think clearly first”; then, don’t say or do it –whatever it is!
I once heard a man say, “I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.” Someone nearby
heard him and replied, “Are you sure you’ve got enough of it to share?”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom