The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Isaiah 55:7-11, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return
to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts
than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

With all of the unbelievable wickedness that pervades the world today, the Church of the LORD Jesus Christ
is charged to minister His Word. Be It in the pristine halls we call “church” or beneath the shade of trees in
the highlands of New Gunea, it is ever and always the will of the LORD to show compassion on them as He
has on us. His promise is that “He will abundantly pardon” the acknowledged,sins of repentant mankind.

He allows us a quick glance into His thoughts and ways. They are not our thoughts and ways, yet they can
and will become ours as we become His. The LORD’s certain promise is that the Word that goes forth
out of His mouth will not return to Him without achieving His will. That He allows us to know Him through
the sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus, is beyond our comprehension. Yet, it is true because it originates within
His heart, and is written clearly in His Holy Scriptures.

Take time today to thank the LORD for His saving grace! If you have already confessed your sins to Him and
in faith been forgiven, then you have the wornderful responsibility of sharing Him with those who have yet to
meet Him. If, you have yet to confess your sins and receive His Son, Jesus, as your LORD and Savior, you
are in for the most glorious experience this side of Heaven itself. It’s all a work of faith –faith in Christ Jesus!
He will change your life from inside to outside. And you will be the praise of His glory!

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 Chronicles 16:8-14, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.
9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders.
10 Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
11 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.
12 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,
13 O seed of Israel His servant, Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
14 He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

It’s at once a sad, yet glorious fact, that we are enabled both to seek and know the Lord. How often do we credit Him with our glorious experiences of life? Is our music always sung to His glory? Do we continually praise Him for all of His wonders. Do we express glory to Him? Do we marvel at His strength?

His Word encourages us to seek Him in His strength. What is there that we truly need that He is unable to give us? As human parents are responsible to care for his children, so the LORD cares for us in every situation. Do we then praise Him? or do we take His provisions and His protections for granted?

He should be the focus of our continual praise. We should pause in life to recognize His love for us and His continual care. Are you praising Him regardless of the negative situations in your life? He loves you and is
able to rescue you from every negative situation. Just trust Him! Just believe Him. “He is the LORD our God;
His judgments are in all the earth!”

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 111:1-10, “Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, In the company of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them.
3 Splendid and majestic is His work, And His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has made His wonders to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and compassionate.
5 He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.
6 He has made known to His people the power of His works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are sure.
8 They are upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness.
9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.”

I was not the valedictorian of my high school class. In fact, I don’t even remember who was. Chances are, he
(or she) doesn’t remember, either! It’s a lot like eating: when you have finished the first course, you are
focused on the next course. That’s always the dessert! My focus was on college and a formal, in depth study
of the Bible, the Word of God!

I had dated girls when in high school, but that was behind me now! My focus could not be deterred. Nothing could distract me from the Scriptures. I had enjoyed my study of Latin in high school; now, my focus is going
to be on languages: more Latin in college; and then Greek! Hebrew would come in seminary. At least, this was my game plan.

In case that you hadn’t noticed, “game plans” are often distracted. Alas, mine was –because on the very first
day, I met the girl of my dreams. We finished college, got married, and intended to enter the mission field in Mexico as missionaries. Yet, the LORD intervened, and we ended up traveling the world conducting meetings,
encouraging missionaries and making new friends.

Rose Marie was a teacher, and she taught in several Australian schools. Our pastor, Rev. Phil Hayes, was
Irish. Yes, he had the brogue. It worked well for him, too, as we had to listen very carefully.

We visited Israel and had planned to put down roots there; yet, again the LORD redirected us elsewhere.

I need to say that every pastor I had had as a young person was special in his own way. Yet, it was while we
were in college and were having a coke after prayer meeting that Rose Marie taught me the Second Coming of Jesus Christ! I HAD NEVER HEARD IT! (…and I listened carefully to all of my pastors!).

Later, when I visited her home in the St. Louis area, I heard her pastor preach on the Second Coming of our LORD Jesus! Oh, how vital that study is! For the next thing on the LORD’s Timetable is the Coming of Jesus Christ for those who have trusted Him. The war raging in Gaza today is the premier of His Coming! Nothing in the LORD’s plan is being overlooked! The Church had better get ready! People had better come in faith to Jesus!

Yesterday, 18 January 1934, was Rose Marie’s birthday! She would have been 90 years old!

Have you been saved? Has the LORD forgiven you of your sins? –all of them!?? “Today is the Day of Salvation.
Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart! Tomorrow may never come for you!

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,

Judges 6:20-24, “The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so.
21 Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.
22 When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, ‘Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.’
23 The LORD said to him, ‘Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.’
24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.”

There are scores of incidents on the Internet –incidents that avow things extremely difficult to believe. Considering the numberless situations that claim to be true, most are too fallacious for even
a nominal liar to believe.

Yet, escaping from the realm of the unbelievable, Gideon obeyed the will of God that was announced to him by the Angel of the LORD. Gideon laid his preparation of meat and unleavened bread on a rock specified by the
Angel; and the Angel touched the preparation with his staff. Fire sprang from the rock and consumed Gideon’s
preparation, and the Angel vanished from his sight. The message is clear: the LORD is pleased when we act
upon His instructions!

Gideon undoubtedly believed he would die since he had seen the Angel of the LORD “face to face.” What’s
more, Gideon had heard the voice of the LORD saying, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” How would you respond to such a phenomenal occurrence?

I once knew a man, whose experiences in life were so phenomenal they were difficult to believe; yet, knowing him as I did, I knew they were true. Do you know the LORD sufficiently enough to believe Gideon’s experience?
Do you know the LORD sufficiently enough to believe Him?

How many times has your doctor prescribed medicines that you did not know? Why, then, would you take them? I submit that you took them because you believed in your doctor! That’s kind of the way it works. So,
How can you believe your doctor and dare to question God? The peace that the LORD pronounced upon
Gideon is no less powerful when He pours it out on you! Gideon built an altar and named it “The LORD is Peace.”

Are you at peace with the LORD? Has He worked within you to produce in you a true and faithful trust in Him?
Let Him build an Altar of Peace in your life. May it never, ever go away! Trust always in the LORD!

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,

Judges 6:11-19, “Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites.
12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, ‘The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.’
13 Then Gideon said to him, ‘O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, “Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?” But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.’
14 The LORD looked at him and said, ‘Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?’
15 He said to Him, ‘O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.’
16 But the LORD said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.’
17 So Gideon said to Him, ‘If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me.
18 “Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.’ And He said, ‘I will remain until you return.’
19 Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.”

Don’t you just hate it when you’re in the midst of something and have it interrupted by something else? At that point, you don’t know whether what you had intended to present will be sufficient or
not! Undoubtedly, this thought was in the fore of Gideon’s mind. He knew it was the LORD, and to his credit, he did not seek to avoid the LORD or His plan for Gideon’s own life.

Knowing that it was necessary to present an offering to the LORD, and being fearful that the LORD would depart before he could prepare and present it, Gideon asked the Angel of the LORD to remain until he could prepare a proper offering.

When we are moved by the Holy Spirit to do what the LORD specifies, we want to do it properly.
We also need have no fear that the Spirit will leave or alter His plans before the preparations are complete. All we need is to follow the procedures He has previously given us. In Gideon’s case, the LORD had prepared him thoroughly.

Is there a procedure which the LORD has specifically prepared for you to do? If so, you need have
no fear in doing it. You certainly are not Gideon; but the Spirit of the LORD has not changed. He will
be with you! Just make sure you are trusting 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