The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Job 23:12, “I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

There’s nothing like words to bring shock-waves into our innermost parts! In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, and all that the Task Force is telling us, the CEO of Tyson Foods gave a warning that we just might have a shortage food, due to this virus thing. That’s all we need: a shortage of food.

I’m teasing a bit because we’re all sufficiently resourceful that it would be a HUGE PANDEMIC for us to run out of food. In all fairness, he didn’t say “run out”; rather, he said there might be “a shortage.”

The Book of Job in the Old Testament shows a man (Job), who had everything one’s heart could desire. The Bible says that Job was “the greatest of all the men of the east” (Job 1:3). He had a great family, great livestock, great riches that many still today say makes a great man. And then, in a flash, he lost it all! Most of us would moan and groan and look for someone to take the blame. Not Job! Instead, he said, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21b).

Further on in the book of Job we find the verse cited above. Despite the critical accusations his “friends” levied at him, Job said, “I have not departed from the command of His lips.” The LORD has His own means of communicating with us. One of my friends, a retired Navy Seal Commander, told me that Muslims are coming to the church he attends, saying that they had had dreams from the LORD telling them they needed to hear God’s Word. Unusual, to say the least’ but God has His own methods of communication.

Furthermore, Job added, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Sorry, Mr. Tyson! We do love your chicken; but there’s more to life than food. What is your treasure? Is it the LORD’s Word, the Bible? How necessary is that Word to you for your daily life? It’s that Word that gives us hope in the midst of despair. Every day I receive prayer requests. Some are extremely serious and come from persons I don’t even know! If I am to fulfill the LORD’s call upon my life as a minister of His Gospel, I must take those requests seriously –and I do! They are more valuable than my necessary food. Get into His Word! Spend time with Him in serious prayer! He is in the life-changing business.

God bless you abundantly, as your grow spiritually in His loving grace.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”