The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 2:1-8, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

 ² “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

 ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

 ⁴ Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

 ⁵ They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

 ⁶ ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'”

 ⁷ Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

 ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

We have no idea how much the magi actually knew about what they saw. Being inveterate sky-watchers, however, they were the first to identify the Child Jesus as “the King of the Jews.”  Just how much these eastern star-gazers knew about Jesus, we do not know – only that they said they had “come to worship Him.”

It’s fair to say that the preponderance of rulers in those days were fearful of anyone who threatened their position. The very desire of the magi produced a threat. It was not unusual for a ruler to be removed by death in order to make room for another who wanted that royal position. Thus, King Herod was frightened that this Baby might actually cause him to lose his throne. And eventually, He did!

Yet, that Baby grew into manhood as the LORD Jesus Christ. And He is available to be your LORD and Savior if you will allow it. He is your only hope for Heaven above and your only hope for true life here on earth. Trust Him today as your Savior!

Heartily yours in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.          

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,

Ezra 3:1-5, “Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.

2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

3 So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening.

4 They celebrated the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required;

5 and afterward there was a continual burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all the fixed festivals of the LORD that were consecrated, and from everyone who offered a freewill offering to the LORD.”

Have you ever been afraid? I mean really afraid! It’s only a guess, but I cannot imagine anyone being more afraid than these Israelites were when they suddenly realized that they had neglected to build an altar to the LORD God of Israel! It was serious! Building the altar was an indispensable responsibility! Additionally, they were terrified of the people who lived in the land!

The situation has hardly changed over the years. No, we don’t build altars to the LORD, as the Israelites did; but we pray! I can recall several instances (I will spare you the knowledge of when and where!) when my “race” to prayer might easily have surpassed those of the Israelites!

Thinking comparatively, how much do you think we might accomplish if we worked and prayed as earnestly as the Israelites? We could probably outnumber them with complaints!

Give some thought to your prayer life. How often do you pray? How earnestly do you seek the LORD on behalf of others? How often do you thank the LORD for answering?

Heartily yours in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

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,

Judges 1:1-7, “Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the LORD, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

2 The LORD said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

3 Then Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I in turn will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him.

4 Judah went up, and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands, and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek.

5 They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

6 But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7 Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings, with their thumbs and their big toes cut off, used to gather up scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” So they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there.”

What does any organization do when it loses its appointed leader? It seeks another to take his place. Joshua’s death required that someone competent take his leadership position; so those who were going to battle against the Canaanites looked to the LORD for His choice of leadership. Judah was the LORD’s choice, along with the promise that he would be “given the land.”

Regardless of how gifted and brave a competent leader may be in warfare, he needs assistance. Thus, Judah chose his brother Simeon to fight with him against the Canaanites; and he, in turn, would assist him in his fight against the Perizzites. Ultimately, both the Perizzites and Canaanites were defeated, and Adoni-bezek was disabled.

None of us have all the answers, whether it’s physical warfare or not. Have you ever gone soul-winning with a friend? One takes the lead until it becomes necessary for the other to step in with assistance. No one has all the answers. That’s why we always have Jesus!

Heartily yours in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

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,

Joshua 10:6-14, “Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, ‘Do not abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.’

7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors.

8 The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.”

9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.

10 And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

11 As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, ‘O sun, stand still at Gibeon, and O moon in the valley of Aijalon.’

13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? “And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.”

14 There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.”

Computers had just come to McDonnell-Douglas while I was living in that area. Two Christian men decided to trace the Scripture passage above on the computer. They were able to reach the time addressed where “the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.”

We too often give in to fear instead of trust. When we belong to Him, we need never fear anything! He is our LORD and Savior, not only for eternity, but for the here and now! Yet, we need always to put our absolute faith and trust in Him. He never fails!

Heartily yours in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

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,

2 Chronicles 20:1-20, “All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their infants, their wives, and their children.

14 Then in the midst of the assembly, the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph;

15 and he said, ‘Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.

16 ‘Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 ‘You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.”

Remember the man of whom I spoke some time ago. He used to say, “Don’t tell me it doesn’t pay to worry; nothing I ever worried about ever happened!” It seems to me that Jahaziel said almost the same thing. The Tribe of Judah was pretty much like any other people in that they saw that the odds were not in their favor – at least, not humanly in their favor!

Judah needs to stop right there and let Jahaziel have the reins of leadership; it may not have looked to be the right thing in Judah’s eyes, but it was right in the eyes of the LORD, and that’s what really counted!

Look back at how He opened and operated those “impossible” tasks and gave His people victory! Space on this paper is insufficient for me to list the “impossibles” that became reality in my own family’s life because He taught us to operate on His orders instead of on our own!

No magic here! No schemes! No clever “dos and don’ts.” Just listen, learn, and follow! You’ll see. Judah learned! So can you!

Heartily yours in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

We will never know that Christ is all we need

Until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom