The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Obadiah 1:1-10, “The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom– We have heard a report from the LORD, and an envoy has been sent among the nations saying, “Arise and let us go against her for battle “–
2 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you are greatly despised.
3 “The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in the loftiness of your dwelling place, who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’
4 “Though you build high like the eagle, though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.
5 “If thieves came to you, if robbers by night– O how you will be ruined!– Would they not steal only until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some gleanings?
6 “O how Esau will be ransacked, and his hidden treasures searched out!
7 “All the men allied with you will send you forth to the border, and the men at peace with you will deceive you and overpower you. They who eat your bread will set an ambush for you. (There is no understanding in him.)
8 “Will I not on that day,” declares the LORD, “destroy wise men from Edom and understanding from the mountain of Esau?”
9 “Then your mighty men will be dismayed, O Teman, so that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.
10 Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, and you will be cut off forever.”

There are several Obadiahs mentioned in the Scriptures, and there is no certainty of which Obadiah is the author of this book. The name itself means “The Worshipper of Jehovah,” and Robert Lee says, “It forms a sharp manifesto against the fierce Idumeans, the descendants of Esau, who were the perpetual enemies of Israel.”

Nations of the world should lookout! The nation of Israel is unquestionably the people of God. He promised to restore them to their native land; and on the 14TH of May 1948, He did just that! There can be no denial that Israel is still centered in the Eye of the LORD! His protection of her is as assured as is His destruction of those who dare to stand against her.

The descendants of Esau have historically opposed every move of the Israelites. Nations in
opposition to Israel have viewed her smallness without concern, only to be subdued by a
“what hit us?” attitude. Israel’s devastation of Egypt in the Six Day War should have been
sufficient for all “anti-Israeli” forces for all time. It brings to mind that old saying, “None is so
blind as him who will not see.”

Yet, how does all of this affect us? Does it make any difference to others than Israel? Yes, indeed, it does! There was a day within our recollection that America stood with Israel, providing her needs as she fought for her very existence! Were Israel to be assailed today,
would the United States’ Government stand with her? It’s a soul-stirring question, depending
largely upon who would be president. How does one become president other than by vote of the people!

We must be careful to stand with nations that stand with God, and simultaneously, with God as He stands with His people, Israel. In the prophecy of the Book of Obadiah, portions of the
prophecy have been fulfilled. Yet, as Obadiah says, “The Kingdom shall be the Lord’s!”

Pray for the peace of Israel. Pray for the Israeli leadership. To be sure, they are not always
right in their calculations, but the LORD is always right! Pray for Israel! She will survive!

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 Kings 1:39-50, “Zadok the priest then took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
40 All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their noise.
41 Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, ‘Why is the city making such an uproar?’
42 While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, ‘Come in, for you are a valiant man and bring good news.’
43 But Jonathan replied to Adonijah, ‘No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44 The king has also sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule.
45 ‘Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise which you have heard.
46 ‘Besides, Solomon has even taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom.
47 ‘Moreover, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, “May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!” And the king bowed himself on the bed.
48 The king has also said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.’”
49 Then all the guests of Adonijah were terrified; and they arose and each went on his way.
50 And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, and he arose, went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

I know you were thinking I was going to reprint the whole Book of First Kings. But, we need to give some background information in order to understand the focus of the passage.

David the King had died. Who was going to replace him? As with such situations today, there were sons who earnestly desired to suceed their father as king. One of them (the fourth) was named Adonijah. He was born of David and Haggith when they lived in Hebron.

Prior to his death, however, David had nominated Solomon to succeed him on the throne. Solomon, you will recall, was the son of David and Bathsheba –the son that followed their first son, who died seven days after his birth. It was then that Adonijah grasped the horns of the Altar and demanded that Solomon not put him (Adonijah) to death.

All too often, we react to “positions” like Adonijah. He spoke too soon, too often, and to too
many. Then we’re embarrassed when the position is given to someone else. Adonijah needed humility.

Humility would have served Adonijah well. It would have been a blueprint for the whole of the congregation for many years. Yet, it was not to be. Being a member of Christ’s Church should be sufficient for all of us. It is His Church, and He appoints pastors of His own selection. We
need to be supporters of the leadershiip the LORD has selected, and pray earnestly for them.
There will come a day when we will be glad we did.

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,

Jude 1:1-5, “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.
3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation,
I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith
which was once for all handed down to the saints.
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand
marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God
into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord,
after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did
not believe.”

Have you ever started to speak or to write to someone about something you considered
important, only to have something more important come to mind? I’m sure you have. I
know I have! Read the first two verses above and note how, in verses 3-5, the author
changes his thoughts altogether. Jude’s original intention was to write about the salvation
he and his readers (presumably, including you and me!) held in common.

Then came the discovery of “certain persons,” –unsaved individuals– who stood staunchly against the teachings of Jesus and His true disciples. They sneaked in without notice, but
with the determination to turn the believers against the Lord Jesus Christ! (Whoever
heard of such a thing?) The non-believers’ purpose was to destroy the message of Christ Jesus, as well as those believers, who had surrendered themselves to Him.

I have no individual in mind, but would you be surprised if there were people who “worship”
in your midst, who do not subscribe to the teachings of the Christ? I’m not on a witch hunt–
nor am I seeking to make a “witch-hunter” out of you—but you are naïve if you think they
don’t exist in your very midst every Sunday.

Satan has his “plants” within our LORD’s Church. They seek to discourage those who are committed by faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. And why would such “non-believers” not exist
in our churches? Was not Judas Iscariot himself a traitor to the faith? Remember, too, that
while Judas existed within that early group, not one in the group “fingered” him as a traitor.

Caution!! Don’t start looking for unbelievers in your church! That would take your eyes off of
Jesus Christ and His teachings in the Scriptures. Stay true to the Word! Keep your thoughts on Christ and His Scriptures! In due course, the Holy Spirit will identify the unconverted. We
were all unconverted at one time! His purpose is our purpose: to win the lost to Jesus! So,
“don’t spook the horses!” Pray and let the Holy Spirit convict the lost. That’s the first step in
bringing them into the faith. God bless you abundantly!

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,

Leviticus 5:14-17, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
15 “If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD’S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering.
16 “He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him.
17 “Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.”

Have you ever read through the Book of Leviticus? It virtually overflows with details regarding sin and how one can repent by offering a sacrifice, be forgiven, and once again come under the goodness and forgiveness of Almighty God. Leviticus is Moses’ book on the Holiness of God.

We live this side of the Cross, and are forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He replaced the animal sacrifices noted in the Book of Leviticus. What Leviticus tells us is that the LORD God is Holy and our worship of Him is always required.

Sacrifices listed in the Old Testament have been superseded by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. When we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive them. Still, we must not forget that God is Holy and our worship of Him must be reverent and sincere. Holiness is mentioned in the Book of Leviticus more than 85 times!

It is excellent protocol to greet a dignitary with a gift. It is a sign of honor to him. The same applies to our LORD. The yieldedness of a clean life to His service is what He requires. Our lives are to be faithfully laid upon the Altar of Sacrifice as a worshipful sign of honor. That’s what we are supposed to do in every church service. It is to be a solemn time, as we yield our all to Him; for on that Cross, He yielded His Life for us. Think of this as you attend the services of your church. It will enrich your life; obedience to the LORD always does!

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 1:1-5, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
3 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.

Nothing is quite so amazing as the transformation of an individual. What we read of Simon Peter in the Gospels is quite different from what we read of him in his own letters! In his earlier years, he was impetuous, courageous, restless, buoyant, and ambitious. Here toward the end of his life, and recorded in the first of his two letters, we find him patient, restful, forbearing, trustful, loving, courageous and spiritually pure.

Peter’s transformation is surely what the LORD desires for each of us. Not to compare myself with this great apostle, but I was certainly more aggressive in my earlier years than I am now. I was then quick to challenge error in anyone; now, I more closely assess things and often leave challenges to younger companions.

In all, however, we can rejoice in our association with Peter as he praises our LORD Jesus Christ for the “imperishable and undefiled” reservation the LORD has obtained for us in eternity through His monumental sacrifice on the cross. Of this, we need never be reserved.

Only this week, I listened to a man speak of how well-treated he had been by the company he once served. When the opportunity presented itself (i.e., when he drew a breath!), I asked him where he went to church. He mumbled the church’s name and quickly bolted for the door! In younger years, I would have followed him to his car. What we have in Christ Jesus is certainly worth sharing. Moreover, our sharing the only way some will ever hear. May Peter’s courage and swiftness ever and always be ours!

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