The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 11:21-26 “Martha then said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’
23 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’
24 Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’
25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

It was an honest and sincere question. Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha, had died. Mary was apparently away when the death occurred because there is no word from her regarding her brother’s demise. Martha, however, is more noted for speaking out on things, so, it should not surprise us that she is the spokesman on Lazarus’ death.

Faith is an attitude of trust. It is not, however, just a “serious belief”; it is a deep and honest trust that the LORD can and will produce what we have asked. Such faithful trust seems rare today. We areoften in too great a hurry to “take time to be holy.”

Sincere, earnest, continual prayer touches the heart of the LORD, whereby we ultimately receive answers to prayer. He is never late, and He always responds with what is best for us. It was Tennyson who said, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”

Do you have a problem? Do you have a friend, who does? Pray for your friend or yourself and trust the LORD for the answer. Jesus
never fails!

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,

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Ephesians 6:1-4, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),
3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

“But, that’s the Old Testament!” Ever hear someone say that about a passage they wanted to refute? Well, to clarify everything, let me say that there are no contradictions in the whole of Scripture! There is, to be sure, some “growth” between the Old and New Testaments; yet there are no contradictions! All of the Bible stands together under the Hand of Almighty God.

The Old Testament directive above is addressed to the fathers. It is their responsibility to bring up their children to love and honor the LORD. Further, they are to honor their parents and carry out the responsibilities assigned to them by their parents.

The New Testament directive gives no “wobble room.” Children are to obey their parents (mother and father); and by so doing, they are promised that things “may be well with (them),” and that they “may live long on the Earth.”

The fathers were charged not to irritate their children, but rearing them “in the dicipline and instruction of the LORD.” If the instructions given to parents are obeyed, the children will not only learn to obey the LORD, but will learn to be parents in the process. May God give us truly Christian homes! May we learn to obey Him.

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,

Mark 9:42-48, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.
43 “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,
44 where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.
45 “If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell,
46 where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.
47 “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,
48 where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.”

What causes kids to spiritually stumble? One of the saddest things that all-too-often takes place in a child’s life is the mishandling of the child by a church leader. Sometimes the pastor, who is called to be one of the child’s spiritual leaders will misguide the child into realms of sin and spiritual mismanagement.

Ministers and church leaders, like parents, are called upon to lead children in right paths –paths that lead to the LORD Jesus.

Others, who are equally responsible (if not more so!) are the birth-parents of the child. Whether the child is the parental birth-child of its natural parents, or of adoptive parents, it is the parental responsibility to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Prov. 22:6).

Maltreatment of a child virtually assures training the child in a wrong way. It is true that many wrongly-trained children overcome bad training and grow up to be well-trained, well-established men and women. Still, it is something not to be taken for granted. Remember the words of Solomon: “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).

Some readers of these words will assert: “It’s been too long now for my child to be changed. Yet, it is never too late — at least, this side of death, it is not. As long as life is alive, there is hope in the child. Give that lost one the Hope that exists in our LORD 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,

Genesis 2:1-3, “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.
2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

One of the difficulties we often encounter is that we rest before we’ve completed the task. Interestingly, there are twice as many references to work in the Bible as there are to rest. Still, we’re more inclined to rest. Could it be that that’s why we don’t get more done? We “stop” more than we “start.”

If the chairs in our homes were no more comfortable than a park bench, we might ultimately get more done. Can’t you remember your mother saying, “You can have it when you’ve finished what I gave you to do?” Failure to complete any task is the invitation to fail on the next one.

Our LORD set the pace, as it were, by not “resting” until His task was completed. So, the next time you face a not-so-exciting thing to do, remember the example the LORD established for us: “Plan your work; work your plan.” One day you will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master” (Matt. 25:21).

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

Dear Grands,

Romans 12:1-3, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

“You’re wasting your time if you’re trying to convert him! He’ll never change!” Negative affirmations always abound! Yet, the truth is that people can change! What’s more, people often do.

One of the most unlikely men for change –yet, one who actually did, was the Japanese Naval Pilot, Mitsuo Fuchida, who led the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the United States into World War II with Japan.

Who would have believed that Fuchida would learn of the change
Jesus Christ had made in others and venture to give himself to Christ? Who would have believed that Fuchida would then become a Presbyterian evangelist, leading multiple Japanese men and women to faith in Jesus Christ? Yet, it’s true!

We all engage in things that are inapropriate before we’re saved.
Truth be told, we all engage in things inappropriate even after we
have been saved! Yet, when we confess those sins to Christ, He
is true to His promise: He forgives us and sets our feet on the right
path and at the right time.

Live in His Word, my friend! His Word (the Holy Scriptures) always leads us as we follow Him. If the LORD can transform a
man like Fuchida, He can transform anyone! He can transform you!
“Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31).

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