The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 4:11-15, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ…”

“He looks just like his mother, but he has his father’s eyes.” How
often have you heard relatives express themselves with respect
to how a nephew or a niece appears like his mother or father?

Consider the following humanitarian aspects. The number of times that each characteristic is mentioned in the Bible is noted,
but be careful not to adopt the accompanying habits.

1.Eye = 566 – be careful of temptations (short term urges)
2.Ear = 203 – be careful of perceptions (external stimuli)
3.Mouth = 380 – be careful of expressions (verbal notation)
4.Hand = 1693 – be careful of manipulations (exploit, control, influence)
5.Foot = 385 – be careful of navigation (processing a route)

These five human aspects are often the bridle that stears and
directs our lives toward (or away from) the manner of our LORD
Jesus Christ. It is imperative that we guard ourselves from the
negative aspects that are numbered above. Perhaps none of us
is too old to remember the little children’s song that says…

“Be careful little eyes what you see;
Be carefull little eyes what you see;
For the Father up Above
Is looking down in Love,
So, be careful little eyes what you see.”

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,

Joshua 7:10-12, “So the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?’
11 ‘Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things.
12 ‘Therefore, the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy from your midst the things under the ban.’”

Sin is always a destroyer. What’s more, the sinner is always dis-covered! How many throughout history have committed sins, all the while thinking themselves “undiscoverable?” Yet, they were in time discovered, and forced to confess and pay for their sin.

Joshua is not the sinner here. He has been directed to find the sinner and bring him to judgment before the LORD and before His people.

All of us could do well to hear the words: “…you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23). The truism is simple: “You cannot do wrong and get by.”

There is, however, a provision for forgiveness. It demands admission of the sin and restitution with the one against whom the sin was committed. Since all sin is first against God, repentance and restitution against Him are always required.

Do you have some unconfessed sin in your life? Search your heart
diligently, and get right with Almighty God! He loves to forgive!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
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,

Ecclesiastes3:10-15, “I have seen the task which God
has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.
11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has
also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find
out the work which God has done from the beginning even
to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice
and to do good in one’s lifetime;
13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good
in all his labor– it is the gift of God.
14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there
is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for
God has so worked that men should fear Him.
15 That which is has been already and that which will be has
already been, for God seeks what has passed by.”

Solomon was indeed a wise man! At least, at the point of
writing Ecclesiastes, he was. Yes, Solomon made some
serious mistakes; still, so have we all! He allows, however,
that God has put into the heart of everyone what he
is to do. He is, thus, our enabler in all commissioned things.

Why, then, are we often discouraged with how things we do
turn out? It has to be either that we have ignored the duties
He has assigned to us, or we’ve focused on tiredness in the
production of His assignments. That certainly does occur!

Work is good for all of us (vv. 12-13). Even the things we do
not like to do, become joyful in the doing when we concentrate
on them being His will for us.

Further, if I understand verse 14 correctly, the only thing we
do that has eternal consequences is contained in God’s will.
And verse 15 tells us that there is nothing new – “That which
is has been already…” How’s that for letting us be “in on”
things that have been around for some time? New to us,
but not to God! Something to think about, huh?

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 24:22-27, “When the camels had finished drinking, the
man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for
her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold,
23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house?”
24 She said to him, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.’
25 Again she said to him, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.’
26 Then the man bowed low and worshiped the LORD.
27 He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my
master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”

Do you have any idea how much water a camel can drink? Camels can drink from five to 21 gallons per day! Rebekah, who was the answer to the prayer of Abraham’s servant, watered all the camels the servant possessed. (It may be to our benefit that we don’t know how many camels Abraham’s servant possessed. Remarkable
hospitality! Remarkable trust!

Hopefully, you and I are like Abraham’s servant. He was obedient
to his master. He was prayerful to the LORD. And he was observant
of Rebekah’s hospitality.

You and I serve One greater than Abraham! Hopefully, we pray
more diligently and obediently than Abraham’s servant. We observe
the LORD’s answer to serious and earnest prayer.

Can you identify the work the LORD has for you to do? Each of us
encounters numerous people every day. It is our work-assignment
to share the LORD with those we encounter, isn’t it?

The work-assignment you and I are given differs in many ways from
that of Abraham’s servant. We live in a different era of time. Yet, we
are to be faithful in sharing Him, knowing that when we are faithful, our reward will be equal to that of Abraham’s faithful servant.

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 4:3-5a, “So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground.
4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their
fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering;
5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard.”

The word “time” is first mentioned in the Word of God in the phrase “in
the course of time…” The word “time” itself is mentioned some 800
times in the Bible, depending on which version you use.

Some years ago, when I was employed in academia, I had opportunity
to purchase a facsimile of Noah Webster’s original dictionary. The
Webster Dictionary utilized Bible verses in giving explanations of the
meanings of the words; therefore….

It is not surprising…that Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary should contain the greatest number of biblical definitions given in any secular volume. Webster said, “In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government, ought to be instructed.”

Our Scripture verse above ought to awaken us as to how well we utilize our “time.” It can be used productively or wastefully, and it can be
measured; but, it cannot be stored, so as to be useable again. Once
that specific time has passed, it is gone – lost forever. Therefore, we
must covet and use it advantageously.

Yes, some things are demanding. Time is one of those things. Learn
to use it to the LORD’s advantage, such as praying, reading His Word,
fellowshipping with family and close friends. There’s an old saying that
says, “The Light that shines furtherest shines brightest at home.” God
bless you in the use of your time.

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