The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Hebrews 1:1-6, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets
in many portions and in many ways,

2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of
all things, through whom also He made the world.

3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His
nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made
purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more
excellent name than they.

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE
BEGOTTEN YOU”? And again, “I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON
TO ME”?

6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “AND LET
ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.”

What would you say if I were to tell you that Elon Musk phoned me this past
week? You would doubtlessly first be excited, and then wonder if there were
another man living on Planet Earth who had the same name as I! Well, Elon
has not called me. Furthermore, that is less than not likely to happen.

At the same time, I have spoken with One far more exclusive and well-known
than Elon Musk. My Communicant dwells in Heaven with His Father, and His
communication with me is “open” at all hours of the day or night. He is the
reliable Answer to every question I lay before Him. Yet, He is not
exclusively mine. He is available to everyone of every age, and of every
language, with the reliable answer to every possible question. Who is He?
Why, He is Jesus; the One who gave His Life to safely secure everyone who
turns away from sin and trust Him as their LORD and Savior.

Have you trusted Him as your Savior? Have you talked to Him lately? He’s
waiting for your call.

Heartily in Christ,

(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,

1 Peter 1:3-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy
has caused us to be born again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and
undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for
you,
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little
while, if necessary, you have been distressed by
various trials,
7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than
gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire,
may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at
the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and
though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you
greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of
your souls.”

Buying something can sometimes be a surprise. “If you
purchase this fine table with six matching chairs,” the
salesman says, “you will also be given this gorgeous
set of dishes and cutlery –all free with the table and
chairs.”

Also, there is nothing more exciting than having
someone do for you what you are not able to do for
yourself. That is precisely what occurred with Simon
Peter. He had been born again; now his old life was
replaced with a “living hope” through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead. By accepting Jesus as his
LORD and Savior, Peter had received the Holy Spirit,
who would guide and bless him throughout the
remainder of his life.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior
of your life, you possess the Holy Spirit, too. If you have
not accepted Jesus, you are on your own with Satan
and his forces leaning on you to believe and do his will
instead of the will of Jesus. Satan doesn’t speak of the
“inheritance” you will receive from him because what he
has in store is not a pleasant place to reside.

Living by faith is living with trust –trust that the LORD is
always with us, enabling us to side-step those things
that are contrary to His will. How precious is that? Our
passage above tells us that it is “more precious than
gold…” It is tested by the fires of temptation, but always
shows itself to be superior because it is of the LORD.

It is beyond the scope of this Letter to reveal the
blessings that attended Simon Peter’s Christian life;
however, He speaks beyond the words of his Letter, as
we view his life through the Scriptures. Our lives are
different from Peter’s life. Yet, we face the same trials
and temptations Peter experienced; thus, the promise
the LORD gave
to him, He gives to us. We can know the LORD’s
precious promises to us, just as Peter knew His
promises to him.

Turn your life over to the LORD. Yield yourself fully and
completely to Him. You will learn what Peter learned.
Jesus is real! Yield your life to Him today and see! You
are in my prayers.

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,

Matthew 1:18-23, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His
mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was
found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace
her, planned to send her away secretly.

20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary
as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy
Spirit.

21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save
His people from their sins.”

22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through
the prophet:

23 “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A ON, AND THEY
SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL, “.which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”

Someone recently ask me how old I was. Just Imagine! What a impertinent
question from a long-time friend. I had to laugh when I shared what was my
non-shared “secret.” Can you remember the day of your birth? You were there!
What an obvious question!

As silly as it seems now, I can remember when a few of us boys plotted to
learn the age of one of the older (and mysterious) women in our small town.
It was a good plan, yet it didn’t work. Two or three of us went into the
ministry, leaving such boyish pranks behind and emphasizing the Birthday of
the Greatest Gift to the world!

To the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we celebrate His
Birthday!

Galatians 4:1-7, “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not
differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,

2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.

3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the
elemental things of the world.

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a
woman, born under the Law,

5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might
receive the adoption as sons.

6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our
hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir
through God.”

Dear Grands,

Ezekiel 13:1-6, “Then the word of the LORD came to me saying,

2 ‘Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say
to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, ‘Listen to the word of the
LORD!

3 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Woe to the foolish prophets who are following
their own spirit and have seen nothing.

4 ‘O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins.

5 ‘You have not gone up into the breaches, nor did you build the wall around
the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD.

6 ‘They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, ‘The LORD
declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope for the
fulfillment of their word!”

There’s an old, but short spiritual that contains the phrase,

“Ever(y) body talk about Heaven ain’t a-going there.”

That old saying speaks the truth when applied properly against the
background of Holy Scripture. Not everyone is going to Heaven. What
constitutes obtaining a valid “ticket” for entrance and residence is
confession of one’s sins and acceptance of and commitment to the LORD Jesus
Christ.

The old concept, perpetrated by ungodly pretenders of biblical
truth, is that living the best that one can is all that is required. Simply
stated: that is not true! For were it true, then Jesus went unnecessarily to
an agonizing death on the cross.

Our supreme responsibility is to believe and trust the LORD Jesus
Christ, allowing Him to live His pure and sinless Life through us. Those
among whom we live will unmistakably see the difference.

All Salvation is activated by the LORD Jesus Christ. The results
are viewed as if from us; thus, our spiritual legacy lives on forever.

Heartily in Christ,

(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 6:10-14, “To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may
hear? Behold, their ears are closed and they cannot listen. Behold, the word
of the LORD has become a reproach to them; they have no delight in it.

11 But I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary with holding it in.
“Pour it out on the children in the street and on the gathering of young men
together; For both husband and wife shall be taken, the aged and the very
old.

12 “Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and their
wives together; for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of
the land,” declares the LORD.

13 “For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is
greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals
falsely.

14 “They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying,
‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.'”

There are multiple cries today -cries for things we want; cries that will
make us happy; cries for things we need; cries for help; cries of joy for
the help we have received. The cry for peace to reign in our hearts is
everywhere! Yet, there is no peace.

When there is no peace in our hearts, peace does not exist. Nothing
satisfies! Have you never viewed a child with an array of new toys
surrounding him? He honestly believes the possession of these items will
bring him peace.

And, for a brief while, they do. “If I could just have –“; but it was not
enough.

It was too large; it was too small. It was not new; it was torn; it is not
what I thought it would be-”

Thus, are the “secular, municipal things” of human life. From where does
true peace faithfully derive, except from the deep crucibles of truth from
the LORD? If you would have others to be peaceful to you, it is demanded of
you that you first demonstrate peace toward them.

This is a Season of Peace. Peace derives from God. Let’s sing together:

“Let there be peace on Earth;

And let it begin in me.”

But, what if there is no positive result? Then that lies with the one who
disallows it. Some people eat three meals of discontent every day. Just
smother them with joy abounding! And then give thanks to Almighty God!

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