The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 20:22-29, “And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said
to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you
retain the sins of any, they have been retained.’
“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when
Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples were saying to him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But
he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put
my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not
believe.’
26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them.
Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said,
‘Peace be with you.’
27 Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here with your finger, and see My hands;
and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving,
but believing.’
28 Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”

Have you noticed how some news media give you what they deem their
account of what occurred? Yet, if you want the whole account accurately
given, it’s necessary to solicit someone else’s view of what happened. I’m
sure you have witnessed similar things occur many times.

It’s possible that disciple Thomas had previously been deceived and was
less ready to believe than others. In fact, he was quite adamant about it!
Still, things are not always what they seem; therefore, it behooves us to
examine all the evidence in any matter before reaching a conclusion.

The other disciples, however, had personally witnessed Jesus’ presence;
therefore, belief came easier to them than it would to Thomas. He was
adament, much like the one who said, “Don’t bother me with the facts, my
mind is made up!”

Eight days later, Jesus appeared again to His disciples. This time, Thomas
was present. He softly challenged Thomas to see and feel His Hands. Thomas
then proclaimed: “My LORD and my God!” Jesus then blessed Thomas, but
added, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

How much do you trust Jesus? Before you answer, remember that your
placement in eternity rests heavely upon what you say in true faith. Do you
want or need to seriously think and pray about it before you reply?

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,

Job 37:9-13, “Out of the south comes the storm, and out of the north the cold.
10 “From the breath of God ice is made, and the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 “Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud; He disperses the cloud of His lightning.
12 “It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That it may do whatever
He commands it on the face of the inhabited earth.
13 “Whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.”

Have you ever discovered something you couldn’t explain? Maybe it was some-
thing you read… Maybe something you experienced… Whatever, it was, the
answer to the mystery lay just out of reach, just beyond your understanding.

There were some mysteries that stymied Job of old. He lacked the understanding
of many of life’s vicissitudes; yet, he was quick to allow that whatever fell upon him came from the LORD. If such things were good, they came from the LORD. If they
were punitive, they came from the LORD. For Job, everything that occurred in life
originated with the LORD.

A friend moves away… a loved one suffers a severe setback… one you saw just
yesterday is today with the LORD. How are such things to be explained? Job said,
“Whether for correction or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to
happen.”

There’s an old hymn that used to be sung in churches:

“Trials dark on ev’ry hand
And we cannot understand
All the ways that God would lead us
To that blessed Promised Land;
But He guides us with His eye,
And we’ll follow ‘till we die.
For we’ll understand it better by and by.”

The Scriptures tell us that “…faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the
Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). And there are 61 verses of Scripture that
assure us that we, who know and serve Him, are “in His Hands.” And if you
don’t know Him, I can only say “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

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,

James 3:13-18, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show
by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be
arrogant and so lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural,
demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil
thing.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable,
full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who
make peace.”

Arguments and debates are usually thought of as having been born in the human
mind. The Apostle James, however, looks beyond the more visible and cites such
as having originated in the decadence of the human heart, and ultimately from
the devil himself.

Listening to debates of a serious nature, we have all wondered how anyone with
such impeccable credentials could be so wrong in his evaluation of the subject
under discussion. Could it be that our understanding is limited to the words we
hear? No matter how intelligent another might seem, or how impenatrable his
position may appear, if the source of an argument is not from the LORD, it is
ultimately from Satan.

The truthful approach in any discussion must originate from Christian purity. It
must focus on that which is ultimately beneficial and that which honors and glorifies
the LORD! Even a cursory evaluation of James’ position reveals that he is not out
to win anything other than the hearts of believers to the purity of the LORD Jesus.
May we always strive for the same in all our endeavors.

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 32:20-23, “So Moses said to them, ‘If you will do this, if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for the war,
21 and all of you armed men cross over the Jordan before the LORD until He
has driven His enemies out from before Him,
22 and the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward you shall return
and be free of obligation toward the LORD and toward Israel, and this land
shall be yours for a possession before the LORD.
23 ‘But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and
be sure your sin will find you out.’”

There’s an old saying: “You can’t do wrong and get by!” It’s doubtlessly younger
by far than verse 23 in our Scripture above. Nevertheless, it’s a truism! What’s
more, it is founded on the potential truth, “…you have sinned against the LORD!”

The plethora of instances in Scripture alone bespeak the truth that however
unintentional wrong doing may be, it will ultimately be uncovered and the sinner
will be held accountable. Such is worse when the intention is masked and denied.

Yet, notwithstanding the Scripture, men and women of all professions have done
wrong, believing against hope that they would never have to give an account. Yet,
they were wrong in what they did, and in the belief that they would not be found
out.

The tendency of mankind is to believe that their sins were small, too small to be
noticed, even by the LORD! Yet, while in this life some would appear to escape
being found out, there is a Payday coming where we will all discover that nothing
has been successfully hidden from the all-seeing Eyes of the LORD.

“”For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything
been secret, but that it would come to light. If anyone has ears
to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:22-23).

Don’t be caught out! Admit and confess your sins to God! Do it today—right now!
He alone can and will forgive 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,

Genesis 6:5-9, “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.
9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.”

Have you ever found yourself in a huge company of people, where no one was
known to you and no one even noticed or cared that you were there? That’s what
it means to “be lost in a crowd.” You were so lost that you regretted even being
there!

Imagine being in the midst of a people –people you invited—whose every intent
was only doing evil continually! Where is the door? You’d love to escape –except
that you were the one who called the meeting! If you’ve ever been there, you have tasted of the LORD’s regret!

If the LORD was indeed sorry when He saw the wickedness of man in the days of Noah, it’s beyond the capacity of reasonable, human thought to understand what
He must be thinking today! And if the LORD was “grieved in His heart” in the days
of Noah, all we can say is that His grief today must be exponentially beyond human imagimation!

Yet, there was one person, whose attitude brightened the LORD’s Heart: Noah!
He was not without sin (as is revealed by later activities), but he had done what
the LORD had commanded; and the ark had landed safely on the earth.

How precious it is to be engaged in labor of His design! Those who had opposed
building the ark are now nowhere to be found. And those who survived are now prepared to undertake additional labor that will glorify the LORD!

Where are you in the LORD’s design? Is your life centered and focused on Him?
If so, are you prepared to be a “Noah” in His service? It begins with salvation,
continues with dedication, and results in His glorification! What a life it is!!

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