The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Joshua 1:5-11, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
6 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.
8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, to possess it.'”

After 40 years of Moses’ leadership, Joshua is replacing Moses as the physical leader of the Children of Israel. Now, as the Israelites stand before the Jordan River, preparing to enter the Promised Land, the LORD commands Joshua to tell the people: be “strong and corageous.”

Sometimes, we ignore the LORD’s commands, thinking that all courage is required only of the pastoral leadership of the local church. Certainly, the pastor is to give direction and encourage the people; but all courage in any venture lies with the people as well as with the leadership.

All worthy leaders possess courage. If they do not, discouragement fills the ranks of those they seek to lead. At the same time, the ranks must follow courageously, for failure there provokes discouragement in the human leadership.

I often email my pastors what I believe to be encouragment. They need to know that we are praying for them daily. The next time you hear what you assess to be a poorly-studied or poorly-delivered message from the pulpit, my guess is that you’ve not been seriously praying for your pastor. Pastors are leaders; but they are not without the need of congregational prayers and encouragement.

We are directed in Scripture to “meditate on (the Scriptures) day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” Making your pastor spiritually prosperous promises to make you spiritually prosperous, too. What can be more desirable than that?

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,

Joshua 5:13-15, “Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”
14 He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?”
15 The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.”

For 40 years Moses had led the children of Israel from Egypt. When he died, Joshua was commissioned to replace Moses as Israel’s leader. Now, Joshua had reached the outskirts of
of the Promised Land and met a Man with a drawn sword. “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” Joshua asked.

The Man replied that He was the Captain of the LORD’s host, the pre-incarnate Christ. He then commanded Joshua to remove his sandals from his feet– the same command God had given Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:5).

When we follow the LORD’s leading in our lives, we can always be assurred of His presence with us. It is not wrong for us to ask Him to assure us, but it is wrong for us to advance without His presence.

Many years ago, I had the privilege to stand on the ruins of
old Jericho and look down upon the ruins of that city. The LORD was with me then, as He was with Joshua. He is always with us when we are trusting Him. And it is vital that we not advance in any endeavor without His permission.

Knowing Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord is primary. Following Him in every activity is our assurance of vistory. He does not fail. Yet, we must surrender to Him as Joshua did.
Have you done that? Have you accepted Him as your Savior?
Are you following Him as your LORD? It our only assurance
of life and peace.

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,

Joshua 1:1-4, “Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying,
2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
3 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.
4 “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.
5 “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”

If you were asked to identify Israel’s greatest leader, who would it be? The answer is simple: whomever the LORD Him-self nominates. Undoubtedly, there were those in Israel who viewed Moses as their supreme leader. There will never be another leader like Moses! Yet, in time –the LORD’s time—their leadership changed. Moses died and the LORD replaced Moses with Joshua. He would lead that mighty nation of some millions of people. The LORD never allows His people to be without a leader.

I was a young preacher, serving in a small Missouri church. When I returned home from church that Sunday night, I learned that my home-church pastor had that day tendered his resignation. We were close friends, and I was pained at the thought of losing him. The next morning, I knocked on his home door and gave my best effort to dissuade him from resigning. Yet, my efforts were all in vain.

In time, my home church called another pastor. His leadership
style varied considerably from the former pastor; yet, I learned that when the LORD moves one man out, He moves another man in. The LORD is not without His servant-leaders.

Leadership styles do vary; yet when the predominant emphasis comes consistently from Scripture and focuses upon the LORD Jesus Christ, the responsibility of the congregation is to faithfully and prayerfully follow the leader.

Are you praying for the pastoral leadership of your church? You should be! For unless you’ve “walked a few miles in his shoes,” you have no idea of the multiple pressures that fall upon leadership.

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,

Exodus 34:11-18, “Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day: behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.
13 “But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim
14 — for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God–
15 otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice,
16 and you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might play the harlot with their gods and cause your sons also to play the harlot with their gods.
17 “You shall make for yourself no molten gods.
18 “You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in the month of Abib you came out of Egypt.”

There were a number of abandoned houses in the area where I lived as a kid. We kids were always interesting in perusing those places, noting especially the things former tenants had left behind. I wonder if they built this house… Was this their kitchen? I’m guessing this was the dining area? We had fun just wondering about things…letting our imaginations run wild.

Israel didn’t have to wonder about things. The LORD clearly revealed to the nation what He was going to do and warned the people against becoming interested in their gods and their practices in worship.

We live in a day when we need to be careful, too. We live in a world with a host of nice people –except for some of their worship. I remember a relative –a very nice person. We were always glad when she came to visit, but her religion was anything but Christian.

Many young Christians stray from the faith when they become attracted, then attached, to the wrong person. The warning of Moses serves us well today. Moses prayed: “…let the LORD go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate…” (v. 9). “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land…” (v. 12).

With solemn words that have enjoyed life well beyond Moses’ day, we are warned against worshipping any god other than the LORD Jesus Christ. In principle, intermarriage with non-Christians is never acceptable to the LORD! (vss. 15ff).

While the principles in this Letter have been drawn from the Old Testament, they are our LORD’s sure intention for people living today. Be very careful! However you frame it, it’s never right to do wrong. Always follow Jesus! He is our Abundant Life!

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,

Matthew 15:22-28, “And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.’
23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.”
24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26 And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
27 But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.

Subsequent to the landing of Noah’s Ark, Noah became drunk on wine, resulting in an exposure of nakedness, while sleeping in his tent. His son, Ham, who witnessed it, subsequently had a son, whose name was Canaan. The woman, who is here begging Jesus to heal her daughter, was a descendent of Noah’s grandson, Canaan.

Whether Jesus’ disciples were aware of the woman’s ancestry, we are not told. Obviously, however, they were more interested in protecting Jesus from the crowd than in caring for the needs of the little girl. I’m afraid we’re often like that. But, the mother possessed a steadfast concern for her little girl. God bless Christian mothers!

Jesus was steadfast in His position, too –perhaps as a test of the mother’s faith. He was thoroughly able to heal the girl; and in the end, Jesus healed the girl, as her mother exhibited steadfast faith.

There’s an old hymn Christians used to sing in church. We may
have outlived the song, but we will never outlive it’s message:
Faith Is The Victory! “Oh, glorious victory, that overcomes the
world.”

So much could be said about victories that come through faith. Are you not getting answers to your prayers? Please, just keep on believing! Christ is the answer and faith is the key to unlocking the door of His presence.

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