The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Jeremiah 5:23-31, “…this people has a rebellious, unruly heart; they have rebelled and gone!
24 Nor do they say to themselves: ‘Now we ought to fear Yahweh our God who gives the rain, of autumn and of spring, at the right season, and reserves us the weeks appointed for harvest.’
Your misdeeds have upset all this, your sins have deprived you of these blessings.”
26 Yes, there are wicked men among my people who watch like fowlers on the alert; they set traps and they catch human beings.
27 Like a cage full of birds so are their houses full of loot; they have grown rich and powerful because of it,
28 they are fat, they are sleek, in wickedness they go to any lengths: they have no respect for rights, for orphans’ rights, and yet they succeed! They have not upheld the cause of the needy.
29 Shall I fail to punish this, Yahweh demands, or on such a nation to exact vengeance?
30 Horrible, disgusting things are happening in the land:
31 the prophets prophesy falsely and the priests exploit the people. And my people love it! But when the end comes, what will you do?”

Have you ever met a truly wicked person? I’ve met some whose activities
could possibly brand them as “wicked.” Yet, I want to be careful. I am not
qualified to call anyone wicked. Such qualifications rest only with the LORD Himself.

I’m sure I’ve shared with you my maternal grandfather’s experience as a fruit inspector for the county in which he then lived. He said he had never before seen strawberries as nice as the ones that graced the top level of a three-level display. That one level could have in itself given the Grand Prize to the owner.

The second level of strawberries, however, lacked the luster of the first
level. “They’re like that top level all the way through,” the owner said.

“I’m sure they are,” my grandfather replied. “However, it’s my responsibil-ity to examine them all, so we’ll look at the other levels, as well.” But when he reached the bottom level, the boxes were filled with putrid, rotten
strawberries!

There’s more to this story than I will share at this point, except to say that
our lives, like those strawberries, are subject to continual, spiritual inspection. The LORD examines us ever more thoroughly! We may appear spiritual to others on Sunday, as we enter the church premises and mingle among our Christian friends; yet, once separated from the church grounds, thoughts of spiritual matters escape in favor of the secular. Yes, “…my people love it! But when the end comes, what will you do?”

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,

2 Peter 3:10-14, “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then with a roar the sky will vanish, the elements will catch fire and melt away, the earth and all that it contains will be burned up.
11 Since everything is coming to an end like this, what holy and saintly lives you should be living
12 while you wait for the Day of God to come, and try to hasten its coming: on that Day the sky will dissolve in flames and the elements melt in the heat.
13 What we are waiting for, relying on His promises, is the new heavens and new earth, where uprightness will be at home.
14 So then, my dear friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live blameless and unsullied lives so that He will find you at peace.”

If you have searched the Internet to learn what the Bible says about the
Rapture of believers or the Coming Again of the LORD Jesus Christ,
you have doubtlessly been left in a swirl of confusion. Many so-called “pastors” are themselves confused about this Biblical doctrine, often because they lack any true knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ.

Read again – and carefully! – what the Scripture above says about the
Day when Jesus Christ will come again! A week or so ago, there was
announcement of the Solar Eclipse. Thousands of people witnessed it.
The Bible gives no date for the Return of the LORD Jesus to earth. It
does, however, state clearly that Jesus is Coming Again!

Sadly, a lot of churches have given up on the great hymns of the Faith!
One of the many hymns says:

“There’s a great day coming,
A great day coming!
There’s a great day coming, by and by;
But its brightness shall only come
To them who love the LORD;
Are you ready for that Day to come?”

Truly born-again people are looking forward to that Day! Are you one
who is living in anticipation of that Day? Notice that next-to-the-last
line: “To them who love the LORD.” Are you one of those? I am! And
my life has been dedicated to the sharing of Jesus Christ. Trust Him
today! You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

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,

Jeremiah 5:26-31, “Yes, there are wicked men among my people who watch like fowlers on the alert; they set traps and they catch human beings.
27 Like a cage full of birds so are their houses full of loot; they have grown rich and powerful because of it,
28 they are fat, they are sleek, in wickedness they go to any lengths: they have no respect for rights, for orphans’ rights, and yet they succeed! They have not upheld the cause of the needy.
29 ‘Shall I fail to punish this,’ Yahweh demands, ‘or on such a nation to exact vengeance?’
30 Horrible, disgusting things are happening in the land:
31 the prophets prophesy falsely and the priests exploit the people. And my people love it! But when the end comes, what will you do?”

It’s difficult to see a sports team lose games they should have won. It’s even more difficult to witness people who know the truth to boldly lie or ignore comments that could easily set things straight. It used to be that television news could be trusted. I can remember my college coach saying, “I prefer to read the news in the paper.” Yet, even newspapers
are no longer trustworthy –if they ever were!

We’re pressed to admit that there are wicked men among us –even some who profess to belong to Him! Scores of men, who pretend to have been
called to share the Gospel, are now being forced to admit to indecent and immoral activities, while continuing to occupy their churches’ pulpits.

Yet, the sin is not among the clergy alone! It equally extends to those
congregations that knowingly support such sin, whatever it is.

If you have a pastor who lives according to the high standards of Holy
Scripture, pause and thank the LORD! Clouds that mask the truth are
gathering quickly overhead.

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 69:16-25, “Answer me, Yahweh, for your faithful love is generous; in your tenderness turn towards me;
17 do not turn away from your servant, be quick to answer me, for I am in trouble.
18 Come to my side, redeem me, ransom me because of my enemies.
19 You know well the insults, the shame and disgrace I endure. Every one of my oppressors is known to you.

20 Insult has broken my heart past cure. I hoped for sympathy, but in vain, for consolers — not one to be found.
21 To eat they gave me poison, to drink, vinegar when I was thirsty.
22 May their own table prove a trap for them, and their abundance a snare;
23 may their eyes grow so dim that they cannot see, all their muscles
lose their strength.”
24 Vent your fury on them, let your burning anger overtake them.
25 Reduce their encampment to ruin, and leave their tents untenanted…”

If you’ve ever cried out to the LORD for help, you understand the psalmist’s cry in the verses 16 through 21 above. We could easily feel
for anyone who was suffering such oppression at the hands of another.

Yet, with the commencement of verse 22, the “broken-hearted soul”
shows that he’s not so broken-hearted that he cannot rail viciously
against his oppressors. Go back and read verses 22-25 again. This
person wants the very worst of everything to fall on his oppressor!

Be honest, have you ever prayed like that? or have you ever earnestly
prayed for those who wished the worst on you– just because you are
who you are and believe what you believe?

What, honestly, ought you to do? For starters, please don’t do what
the psalmist wanted the LORD to do:

“Vent your fury on them, let your burning anger
overtake them. Reduce their encampment to ruin,
And leave their tents untenanted” (vv. 24-25).

There’s an old hymn that says,

“Where could I go? Oh, where could I go?
Seeking a rescue for my soul.
Needing a friend to help me in the end;
Where could I go but to the LORD?”

I suppose there’s a time for anger, just as for anything else. At the same
time, we would do well to examine ourselves. Might we not best follow
the steps of David, who wrote: “HOLD not my youthful sins against me, but remember me as Your faithful love dictates (Psa. 25:7)?

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 11:19-21, “And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our place.’
20 ‘But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people and camped in Jahaz and fought with Israel.
21 ‘The LORD, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.”

Oh, how I wanted to print more of the interaction between Israel and Edom and Moab! But, you would have been reading for several days!)
Suffice it to say that regardless of how politely Israel asked permission
to “pass through (their) land,” they were flatly denied permission.

Now, what is Israel to do? Re-read verse 21 above: “The LORD, the God
of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they
defeated them…” In a word, the Israelites stood back and allowed the
LORD to do what His people could not do!

I’m thinking of Israel, regarding her conflict with Iran and the Palestinians. I’m also thinking of the relentless persecution of Israeli university students, who are suffering persecution at the hands of anti-Israelis!

You, dear reader, may be “up against it” with regard to something too big
for you to handle. Remember that old song (a song we all would do well
not to forget):

“If you trust and never doubt,
He will surely bring you out;
Take your burdens to the LORD
And leave them there.”

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