The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Romans 12:9-18, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,
13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

I have formaly studied four foreign languages; and I am prepared to say that there has never in my studies been a language so explicit as Greek. There are four separate words in Greek that are translatable as love. One word is so vile that it is thoroughly excluded from the Greek New Testament.

True love, ??????, as described in verse nine above, simply cannot be hypocritical. It is always genuine, always pure. Certainly, that’s the exact attitude we should always possess. It is always our LORD’s display toward us, and it should always be our genuine display toward others.

This love connects precisely with diligence, service, hope, preservation, blessing, rejoicing, respect, and peace. Yes, it’s not always in a competent relationship with others; yet, we are admonished to live lovingly as often as possible and without respect of the situation or those who occupy it.

What’s truly exciting is that we don’t have to be Greek to fulfill all that the LORD wants from us. Nor do others have to love us at all. It’s just being like Him! And, after all, isn’t that what everything is all about?

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 4:1-2, “If you will return, O Israel,” declares the LORD, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence, and will not waver,
2 And you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice and in righteousness; Then the nations will bless themselves in Him, And in Him they will glory.”

Forgiveness is one of the sweetest words in any language. Whatever you have done that is wrong, however far you have strayed outside the declared will of our Heavenly Father, there are no sweeter words you can ever hear than “return.”

I have known people who have so disagreed with their families that they have moved away from them and even denied the relationship. Yet, those families from whom they strayed, were made to understand that they were forgiven and welcomed to return home.

Instances of such ought to be researched in Scripture. For as the LORD lives, He is willing to forgive those who have wronged Him and others alike. The LORD is a Lord of love! He takes no delight in ostracization. He always disagrees with those who sin; yet, His love overwhelms His disappointment.

Never fear that the LORD will view sin more egregious than He views forgiveness. Loving, human parents stand always willing to forgive. With the LORD, forgiveness excels that of the most loving parents. We have but to repent and ask His forgiveness. And that repentance must contain within it the promise never to repeat what He went to the Cross to forgive. Are you a forgiving person? Is your conscience clear? Prayer handles things like 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

Dear Grands,

Exodus 18:21-23, “Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.
22 “Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
23 “If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

Talk about an Old Testament directive that would almost rival the directive of the New Testament! Read the entire 18th chapter of Exodus! Moses was literally wearing himself out, as he sought to judge between the people who came before him, sharing their conflicts with others.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in- law, gave Moses some “fatherly advice,” saying put others in charge of judging the lesser things, and reserve for your judgment things of greater value or significance. It worked something like our judicial system’s higher courts.

Such advice is applicable to virtually any and every entanglement between human parties, regardless of the subject-matter involved. No one can assess everything and do it correctly! That’s precisely why we have various courts at various levels. There are those who are virtually incapable of greater assessment matters, and there are those, who are not capable of such. That’s precisely why some men today look to their wives to assess and assign particular responsibilities to their children.

The lack of discipline is the sure demise of every family in every country in the world-at-large. Honesty and truthfulness at every level are essential for all legal-loving people. And the fruit of such countries is rooted in honest and truthful citizens. We know what we want to see in others, but has it dawned upon us that others want to see the same in us?

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 3:1-7, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Indeed, has God said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.”
4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!
5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

“Blind and Responsible” could well be the title of any discourse related to Adam and Eve. There’s just no way that anyone could hold another responsible for the couple’s dilemma except the couple themselves!

Look at the Garden in all of its splendor! Listen to the initial sound of the LORD’s Voice! The Earth’s first couple had everything for which anyone could wish! They learned everything –everything they needed to know—and from the One who created it all!

The Tree was “good for food! It was a facinating delight to their eyes! Additionally, it was desirable to “make one wise.” How could anyone know all of this and not possess the desire to test its delicacies? But, when they did – the invasion of thundering truth settled upon them. Sin had caused the utmost of all dilemma!

Remember the little children’s song that said,

Be careful little eyes what you see;
Be careful little eyes what you see;
For the Father up Above
Is looking down in Love,
Becareful little eyes what you see.

What God intended for man’s good, Satan intended for man’s destruction.
Neither of them have changed sides. Whatever you do, be careful to engage only the LORD and His plans!

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 2:19-24, “Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.
21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
22 The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

Today is designated “Father’s Day.” According to my references, this day is celebrated in more than 50 countires of the world. It’s a worthy designation and should be viewed as such, especially where we fathers lovingly fulfill the role.

One of the outstanding fathers listed in the Scriptures is Abram. His name means “exalted father.” Subsequently, the LORD changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of a multitude.”

According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Abram “sojourned among his kindred in his native country of Chaldea…where he abode fifteen years.” Thereafter, the LORD called him to be the father of many nations; thus, his name was changed to “Abraham.”

We often alter the names of those we consider close friends. What we are tagged with, however, is usually related to how we behave or to the designation of the job to which we have been assigned. Responsibilites often produce name changes. Yet, these can be “good” or “bad.”

Do you possess a “nickname”? Is it one that rates well with you? If not, why not alter your ways in order that others might be compelled to change that name? The word “son” is often used by the man who is the boy’s true, physical son. “Stupid” (or a like name) is never a welcome designation.

Live up to your good name! It honors you; it honors your true father; and if you are a “born-again” believer, it honors 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