The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 8:31-34, “And Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer
many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And He was stating the matter plainly, and Peter took Him aside and began
to rebuke Him.
33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter by saying, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow
Me.”

Only moments ago, as I was preparing to script this GRANDS LETTER, I received
a phone call from a former student saying, “The LORD just laid you on my heart–
to call you and tell you that I love you.” He has been a long-time friend and a competent servant of our LORD Jesus Christ. We’re both older now than when we first became acquainted, and our small physical “crosses” are somewhat the same.

Jesus was headed for suffering when He spoke the words above to His disciples.
He predicted His suffering and rejection to them. Simon Peter earned Jesus’ rebuke
when he argued that none of what Jesus said would surely happen to Him. It was a
strong rebuke, as. Peter’s mind had engaged in human thought; Jesus’ rebuke of Peter regarded His Father’s thought.

Ultimately, Jesus did suffer, just as He had said. His suffering set the standard for
Peter and for all of us. Satan hates Jesus! Furthermore, he hates Jesus’ followers,
because we love and serve Him. Do you know people who hate you? Don’t hate
them; love them! Love is always –and will ever be– Jesus’ way of dealing with hatred.

a negative respondent, just know that I understand. There were such in Jesus’ day, and there always will be. But Spiritual Love always exceeds discoloration. This Letter is intended for your benefit; and, like the friend, who phoned me, I love you, too.

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 19:7-14, “The law (instruction) of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony (warning) of the LORD is sure (faithful), making wise the simple.
8 The precepts (moral guides) of the LORD are right (and clear), rejoicing the heart; The commandment (positive instruction) of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear (reverence) of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments (penalties) of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern (know) his errors (sins)? Acquit me of hidden faults (transgressions).
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (arrogant) sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

These eight verses compose an exceedingly practical guide for all believers. It is the
LORD’s guidebook for all who are spiritually attached to Him or desire to be. The true believer knows what his LORD wants; therefore, he listens to the warnings for not obeying. He knows the reward for obedience is of inestimable value.

Moreover, the true believer does not just go on sinning, thinking he can obtain
forgiveness as he travels onward. He seeks to honor his LORD and Savior. Therefore, he moves along with caution, honoring the LORD all the way.

May our blessed LORD give us the grace to trust Him as we follow Him. May our
lives be always complimentary of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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 43:9, Judah said to his father, Israel: “I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever.”

1 Samuel 25:24-25: Abigail “fell at (David’s) feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant speak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant.”

Job 1:21b-22: “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

1 Thess. 5:23: – “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Do you remember the silly, foolish rhymes kids used to sing in elementary school? This one was named “Freckles.” It was composed by Harry Edward Nilsson back in
The 1940s and 50s. (This question is exclusively addressed to the seniors on the
Grands List).

One of those rhymes had a tune and went like this:

Freckles was his name;
He used to always get the blame
For every broken window pane
And how they’d yank him
They’d always spank him.

The name of the game was “blame someone else,” of course. Yet, when we are
guilty of doing something for which we could rightly be blamed, we want to shift the
blame onto someone else. Such “shifting,” of course, is a form of lying.

It’s interesting to note, however, that those in biblical times found it better to admit
to a wrong-doing rather than shifting it to someone else. They knew the LORD
knew who was truly to blame; thus, denying it themselves was tantamount to
lying.

When was the last time you were blamed for something you didn’t do? When was
the last time you shifted blame to someone for something you yourself did? The
LORD knows who is to be blamed in every situation. Better that we should admit
to our wrong doing than to shift it to another or seek to cover it up. Not all of the
biblical people in the verses above were guilty of a “cover up”; they simply confessed
it quickly and bore the lesser consequences. Doesn’t that make good sense?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Genesis 4:8-16, “And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose
up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I do
not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’
10 He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to
Me from the ground. “Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened
its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 “When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you
will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.”
13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is too great to bear!
14 “Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from
Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth,
and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 So the LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be
taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no
one finding him would slay him.
16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land
of Nod, east of Eden.”

There is indeed sufficient room in this letter to relate most, if not the entirety, of
the difficulty Cain had with Abel. Yet, what we can glean from the verses above
is sufficient as a background to their perfidious encounters. Simply stated, Cain
had received a stern rebuke from Adam, his father. Seething with hatred, Cain
took it all out on his brother, Abel.

Cain’s heated rebellion, however, was hardly comparable to that of his father,
Adam. I’m no psychologist, but I can proffer the question: Why do those, who
are disciplined for their own wrong, seem always to take it out on someone else?
It’s true that they do, in every discipline, and all the way up and down the line!
“He asked for it!” “He made me do it!” –and on and on it goes.

It’s noteworthy, too, that Cain ultimately “went out from the presence of the LORD.”
The Scriptures don’t specifically state it, but it’s true of human nature, that the
guilty parties remove themselves from the presence of the LORD and generally
“sulk” over their loss that was covered in their complaints.

We all make mistakes. Some of them are unintentional; many are not. When the
assessment of the difficulty reveals that we were at fault, we should admit the
fault (something that Cain did not do!), ask forgiveness (something else, Cain
did not do), and determine not to make the same mistake again.

When was the last time you were accused of wrong-doing? Were you gulty?
Did you ask the LORD’s forgiveness for the wrong you did? Did you promise
the LORD that you would not to do it again? You had better. Seriously, His
punishments will commence with ferver! Don’t get mad! Just get ahead of things
by not allowing His words to drive you to indescrible actions!

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,

Luke 24 21-27, “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.
22 “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb
early in the morning,
23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision
of angels who said that He was alive.
24 “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly
as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”
25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that
the prophets have spoken!
26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into
His glory?”
27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them
the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

Confusion reigned! The angels announced to the women, who visited the tomb,
that Jesus was indeed alive. Not entirely satisfied with the women’s report, men went to the tomb, only to receive verification of what the women had reported.

At the same time, no one had seen Him, until He revealed Himself to them
saying, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe…Was it not necessary for
the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” It was at this
point He explained what the prophets of old meant when they spoke prophetically
of these very things.

It is an exact parallel of what we’re experiencing today. Men “hear” the proclama-tion of the LORD as set forth in the Scriptures, but ask, “What does He mean?”
or “Will what He says really occur?” or “Are we really supposed to believe what
‘angels’ said? “I’ve never seen an angel. Maybe He was just speaking casually…”
–and the doubtfulness increases!

Here’s something to think about: What is the harm in taking the Scriptures as the
truth? We believe friends and people in high places, why not try God? What is to
be lost by believing the Creator? When my car needs attention and I take it to a
reliable source for inspection, I am believing others and am allowing them to “operate” on my car! Of course, I obtain references first! The Scriptures are God’s first reference. What have you to lose by believing His Word? Think about 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