The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Job 21:1-9, “Then Job answered,
2 “Listen carefully to my speech, and let this be your way of consolation.
3 “Bear with me that I may speak; then after I have spoken, you may mock.
4 “As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?
5 “Look at me, and be astonished, and put your hand over your mouth.
6 “Even when I remember, I am disturbed, and horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 “Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful?
8 “Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their
offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses are safe from fear, and the rod of God is not on them.”

The questions that Job puts to his friends is much like what men say today:
Things are beyond wisdom. Those who oppose us lay hold on victory, while
we wonder who will be victorious in the end. Sometimes we find ourselves
asking, “Why do the wicked still live…?” Suffering is abundant in the life of
the righteous, while the ungodly appear to be winning. Why is this so? What
can we do to reverse life’s situation?

Have we not speculated on such factors in life, as we know it today? There
are those who are trustworthy that seem to be covered in frustration. Those
who are not trustworthy seem to have the edge. What the psalmist said can
be repeated here: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous
do?” (Psa. 11:3).

We must dedicate our lives, and the time the LORD has granted us, to reach-
ing those who do not know the LORD. Yes, time is quickly slipping away; we
have little time to accomplish that which the LORD has commissioned us to
do. Yet, He has well equipped us with His Word! He has given us strength
and knowledge. We know what to do; and time is running out!

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,

Nehemiah 6:1-9, “Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the
Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach
remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,
2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet
together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come
down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the
same way.
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.
6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.
7 “You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A
king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports.
So come now, let us take counsel together.”
8 Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not
been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.”
9 For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged
with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

Have you ever mentally questioned an invitation that just seemed suspicious? Someone invited you to join him and his friends when they had never before invited you to anything? Suddenly, it just seemed to them that you were the perfect person to be their guest. Does such an invitation seem a bit questionable?

Well, this is precisely what Nehemiah thought when Sanballat and Geshem wanted to meet with him. They had heard, they said, that Sanballat was intending to rebel and become king himself. It was not true, of course, so Sanballat declined their invitation. That should have been the end of the matter, but it wasn’t. Five times Nehemiah received the same invitation. He sensed that “something nefarious was up.” And it was!

I’ve received similar invitations in the course of my life and work. I’m sure you have, too. What are we to do? The last verse of our Scripture above is a prayer that says, “But now, O God, strengthen my hands.” Let me suggest that you remain calm (not something of which I’m particularly capable) and breathe a prayer –but resist, all the same, those “invitations” that are clearly not from the LORD. An excellent respose is that that is issued by Sanballat: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come…”

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,

Nehemiah 5:1-8, “Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
2 For there were those who said, ‘We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.’
3 There were others who said, ‘We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.’
4 Also there were those who said, ‘We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards.
5 Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.’
6 Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words.
7 I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, ‘You are exacting usury, each from his brother!’ Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.
8 I said to them, ‘We, according to our ability, have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?’ Then they were silent and could not find a word to say.”

When people –especially, the LORD’s people—are in trouble, it is usually due to their failure to obey the LORD. From the earliest biblical prophecies, the Jews were intended to be free. Yet, when they sinned, the LORD allowed them to suffer until they repented of their sin.

That is true of born-again people living life today. The little phrase, “You can’t do wrong and get by,” is operative in every people, in every nation, in every century! It’s even true of the Church. Christian people are not “Christ-like” because they’re better than other people; they’re simply better in God’s sight when they are Christ-like!

We’re living in an extremely difficult time! Our “foes” are both outside and inside the Christian faith. The spiritual demise of so many pastors demonstrates the seriousness of our times. I used to read the “Christian Post”; now, I simply scan it for pieces that don’t elaborate on the multiple sexual sins of mega-church pastors! What on earth have we come to?

“…behold, the wicked bend the bow,
They make ready their arrow upon the string
To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed, what can
the righteous do?” (Psa. 11:2-3).

It is only my view; however, we have the entirety of Holy Scripture; therefore, we are more culpable than any Old or New Testament saint. It is indeed time for true revival within the Church!

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,

1 Thessalonians 5:18-24, “…in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit;
20 do not despise prophetic utterances.
21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body
be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”

Have you ever had a problem giving thanks for something you didn’t want, despite the fact that it was clearly the will of the LORD for your life? Do any of the problems you face relate to the words “always” or “never”?

The things we face are often the LORD’s tests of our trust. Are you ever guilty of knowing the LORD’s will, but continue to resist the Spirit’s leadership in some specific matters or areas?

Do you ever treat with “a smidgen of contempt” the directives the LORD gives you even when they are clearly spelled out in the Scriptures? Do you examine “carefully” everything you’re biblically instructed to do, or do you decide some things for yourself?

Are you abstaining from everything that is “evil,” even when other believers are involved in participation? Are you seeking to lead others away from questionable activities and urging them to follow the LORD?

Do your thoughts build up your Christian life and bring glory to the LORD? If they don’t help you, how will they help others?

Yes, being a true believer in Jesus Christ is costly! Still, the cost will be more than worth it all, when we see Jesus!

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,

1 Thessalonians 5:14-23, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
16 Rejoice always;
17 pray without ceasing;
18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit;
20 do not despise prophetic utterances.
21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Have you ever read more exciting thoughts than the ones set forth for you in the above Scripture? I doubt that you have. I even doubt that you could. There is an urgency in Paul as he writes to the Christians at Thessalonica. Admonish… encourage…help, and be patient with everyone.

Were Paul writing today, it is doubtful that he would change anything, including the order (…admonish…encourage…help, etc.). His temperament, however, is as justified as it is necessary. Parents will understand this. Unruly children (of all ages) will eventually surrender to it.

We are not to stifle the urgencies of the Holy Spirit in our lives! Oh, how often we fall prey to what we want or don’t want instead of yielding to the cry of the Spirit. He
calls us to do what we don’t normally do, and to desist from the things we normally embrace.

In Paul’s concluding verse above (v. 23), he admonishes us as if he were immersing us in the fullness of God’s peace. “Spirit and soul and body” covers everything; and our submission to the LORD will indeed be our preservation if we “hold fast to that which is good” (v. 21).

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