The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ecclesiastes 5:6-9, “Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.
8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.
….

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.
14 When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.
15 As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.”

If ever there were practical words of advice in the Bible, they are here in the book of Ecclesiastes. How many of us (yes, you the reader and I the writer) have spoken out of turn? Even more so, we have spoken negatively in the presence of the LORD, making Him angry and destructive of our intentions.

Multiple things that command our attention are simply empty of value. Time is of more value than the multiple things that often fill it. What also ought to command our attention is the oppression of the poor and those who are denied justice.

The Book does not condemn riches, per se; yet it does look down on bad investments and the lack of care for the support of one’s family. Money itself is not sinful; but everyone will one day die; and how does that wealth benefit its owner then?

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into
your lap a good measure– pressed down, shaken
together, and running over. For by your standard of
measure it will be measured to you in return” (Lk. 6:38).

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,

Ecclesiastes 5:1-5, “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
2 Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.
3 For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!
5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.”

Have you ever read the above verses and considered that they could well apply to us all as we enter the LORD’s house each LORD’s Day? If we indeed “guard our steps” as we enter His house, we are acknowledging that we are there to listen, to learn, and to pray and to praise Him for the peace He affords those who truly worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Whether we admit it or not, behavior in the LORD’s House could often be mistaken for a social event instead of worship. We simply move in and out as we please, taking no notion of the disturbance of others or of the pastor and the spiritual value of his message.

I do have recollection of a book authored by a very liberal minister in which he stated that there was a segment of time in his church’s worship service that was allocated totally for personal, spiritual reflection. There was no singing, no instrumental music, no audible prayers, no reading of Scripture– simply a time for quiet, personal introspection in one’s worship and adoration of the Living God.

Ecclesiastes warns us to “guard (our) steps as (we) go to the house of God.”
We should clothe ourselves and behave ourselves as if the Governor of the state or the President himself were there to worship. Then we should listen
carefully to the Pastor, who has studied to instruct us in the way of the LORD.
We need to pray daily for our pastors. They feel the weight of their position, and often the weight of their study. Our prayerfulness and overall behavior enables them to present what we need through the preaching of the Word.

After all is said and done, the LORD holds us responsible for our behavior. May we always be pleasing in His sight just as He is in 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

Dear Grands,

Psalm 119:130-134, “The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
131 I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me, after Your manner with those who love Your name.
133 Establish my footsteps in Your Word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts.
135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes.”

These words of the Psalmist are humbling. Just imagine living the life of the one who wrote this psalm, yet falling to your knees with your head to the ground, crying out to the LORD from your heart and soul for His divine Light!

The greatness of life is measured by the humble cry for the LORD’s help! The psalmist envisioned his life as needy. He had no strength or power within himself. His earnest need is sounded in his verbal cries: “Turn to me… be gracious to me… Establish my footsteps… Redeem me… Teach me Your statutes.” How totally, thoroughly, often, the psalmist viewed his need of God.

We all want to be admired whether we play sports, or excel academically.
Moreover, what is admirable above either is simply throwing our lives on the mercy of the LORD and trusting Him to use us “to the praise of His glory.”

This is not quiting; it’s trusting everything to the LORD Jesus Christ. He has entrusted us with certain abilities that exist for His praise. View a proud parent whose child has excelled in school. Christ glories in our progress, all of which at its root is spiritual. Thus, all praise redounds to Him, and to Him alone.

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 24:13-15, “’I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’
14 “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

One of the most solemn events in life comes at the point of a leader’s passing his leadership to another. It can be a military leader, whose men have witnessed his bravery in the face of the enemy. It can be a long-time friend, whose wisdom has guided friends and families, avoiding their missteps in the vicissitudes of life. Such was the situation with Joshua.

Israel’s leadership had commenced with Moses, who led them out of Egypt
and across the Red Sea. Then came Joshua, who had commanded their forces as they pushed onward toward the Promised Land –the land the LORD had reserved for them.

Now, as the time has come for Joshua to relinquish his leadership, he reviews their victories and credits the LORD as the One who provided it all. He encourages the people to live daily by the words and law of Moses and to resist turning away from the Book’s teachings.

Joshua further warns them not to associate with people that embrace beliefs that are not from the true God. Cling to the LORD your God, as you have up to this very day. For the time will comes when you will be tempted to drift from the LORD.

Just remember where you once were before the LORD came into your life. I’ve made my decision to live and serve the LORD! Have you made your decision for Him? I pray that you have.

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 7:19-26, “Then Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.’”
20 So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I did:
21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it.
23 They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the LORD.
24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
25 Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day.” And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
26 They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day.”

It’s a dreadful story. It was a story of greed and theft. Moreover, it was the commission of sin; and all sin is against the LORD! It was sin that was discovered –sin that Achan ultimately admitted. Yet, it was sin that cost the sinner his life, along with all of his children, his household and wealth.

Moses was dead, and Joshua became the LORD’s choice to lead His people. Free from Egypt, Israel had conquered cities leading to Ai. It was a small city and looked to be an easy foe. Still, Joshua ordered the city to be surveyed prior to Israel’s attack. Only about 3,000 men ventured to spy out the city; still, the men of Ai killed 36 of Israel’s spies.

The story is clear from the Scripture cited above; yet it seriously cautions us over these many years from the actual account. We can no more do wrong and get by than Israel. Sin will ultimately find us out; nor can we successfully hide from God.

It’s exciting to discover something of value –especially, when it is something of real vallue. Achan ignored the words of Joshua, valuing these “things” as more important than the words of Joshua. How like Achan we are! And when things go wrong, we appear innocently before the LORD asking, “What caused this?”

No, there’s a price to pay for sin. Still, we have a choice: we can pay for sin in Hell, or we can allow that Christ Himself has paid the price, and say “Thank You” to Him. The choice is yours. Repent and yield your life to Christ, and His death on the cross will have paid your price. Refuse or neglect to repent and the penalty is yours. “Choose for yourself today whom you will serve…” (Jos. 24:15).

“The price of sin is so great that only Jesus could pay it.
The price of sin is so great that not even Jesus could pay it again.”

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