The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 40:11, “You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your
lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me’
Proverbs 14:22, “Will they not go astray who devise evil? But kindness and truth
will be to those who devise good.”
Proverbs 21:28, “A false witness will perish, but the man who listens to the truth
will speak forever.”
John 8:31-32, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you
continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
II Peter 2:1-2, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will
also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies,
even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be
maligned…”

If you’ve followed some of the legal trials that are currently on television, you may
have had a difficult time discerning the difference between truth and falsehood. As
one who once tacitly aspired to be a lawyer, I often find myself at a loss to discover
who is and who is not telling the truth!

What you can know –and without equivocation– is that truth genuinely exists, and
those who cherish it will spiritually prosper! At the same time, false prophets also
exist and they can mess up your life if you listen beyond the limit of determining
that they possess and distribute erroneous teachings.

Whatever your current spiritual condition, the LORD Jesus Christ is ready to forgive
the sins of your life and replace them with His love and truth. That’s the clear
meaning of John 8:32, “…you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Yield your life to Him today and learn His Truth! You will never be sorry!

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,

Exodus 15:22-26,”Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah.
24 So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’
25 Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.
26 And He said, ‘If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.’”

Athletes who make three-point shots or cross the goal line or break the record for the
mile run are always hosted with shouts of joyful excitement! Those who don’t are like
the Israelites shortly after their exodus from Egypt.

If ever there were a group of groaners, it was the Israelites. Everything they did in preparation for leaving Egypt was done prayerfully and patiently. Yet, they had virtually
just started the exodus from Egypt before they ran out of water. “WHAT ARE WE TO DO?” they murmured. “We would have been better off staying in Egypt,” they growled!

We can hardly complain against the Israelites. No, they are not excused for their moaning
and groaning against God and Moses, any more than we are about a thousand of things.
We all could be more prayerful…more faithful…more patient. God provided water for the
Israelites; He will provide the things we need. Yet, it must all be according to His time.

Babies cry for more without knowing how “more” is going to work against their physical
systems. Baby Christians cry out for more, while simultaneously, blaming God for not
providing –not what they need, but what they want. Are we not like that? Does the LORD
not know the nature and timing of our needs? Of course, He does! Do His people not need
patience? Absolutely, they do! The promise of the LORD is clear and sure. The problem
lies not with Him, but with us!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own
understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will
make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).

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,

Luke 21:7-16. “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”
7 They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
8 And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them.
9 “When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.”
10 Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,
11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake.
13 “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.
14 “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;
15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.
16 “But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death…’”

With all of the above having been said, it hardly needs more commentary. We can
simply say that we appear to be “living in the last days” of human history. Jesus said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them.”

We are experiencing a plethora of pastoral misconduct and misuse of Scripture. Israel
is engaged in war over the staggeringly small strip of land the LORD Himself deeded her. Wealth and immorality seem to have an almost “death-grip” on preachers and “Christian” organizations. Even some missionaries seem more interested in gold than in souls!

Ah, but those are just “signs” of His soon return. In the meantime, we who truly know
Christ Jesus have the opportunity to witness of His death, burial and resurrection. If you
know Him –and I don’t mean “know about” Him—I mean know Him by faith through the New Birth! He’s all that counts! Still, He’s everything! I’ve lived through the grip of some
troublesome situations; still, He has seen me through them! Jesus is dependable! Am I?
Are you? There’s a “GREAT DAY” coming! Be prepared!

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 12:1-3, “Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’”

Psalm 119:57-61, “The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.
58 I sought Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your Word.
59 I considered my ways and turned my feet to Your testimonies.
60 I hastened and did not delay to keep Your commandments.
61 The cords of the wicked have encircled me, but I have not forgotten Your law.”

There are close to 125 verses of Scripture that utilize a form of the word “promise.” As if the inclusion of the word were not sufficient, the Psalmist, in what might well be called an
“antiphonal promise,” responds to the LORD’s directive to Israel in the Genesis verses
above.

The battle news from Israel today supports the LORD’s intervention in the current Hamas-Israeli war. While the Jews en masse are not Christians, some are; and they will do well to follow the LORD’s directive, just as we Christians should do.

Remember that our view of international differences is generally faulty at best. We are
not there; nor would we know everything about those differences if we were. Our reliance,
therefore, must rest on the Word of God. We know Israel is lodged in our LORD’s heart; therefore, we must be careful of making criticisms. Israel will make mistakes, just as we Christians do. Our current calling is to pray: “Thy will be done.”

Every day brings us a day closer to the end of human civilization. Jesus is coming again,
and we need to be ready. We must bury outselves in His Blessed Word, and prayfully trust Him to do as He wills. One day He is coming. We must always live as if that day were today, and pray earnestly: God, bless America! And God bless Israel!

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,

Ephesians 5:15-21, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17 So then, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”

The passage above is comprised of happy, energetic, alert and solemn music –music that comports with the occasion. It was not merely music for music’s sake. Rather, it was music that on solemn occasions soothed the soul. It was also music that excited the soul as it
Identified with the closeness of Christ and the selfless sacrifice on the Cross for our sins.

A psalm was harp music, often associated with prayer. A hymn praises and honors the LORD. A spiritual song relates closely to the human spirit, the seat of the moral or spiritual nature. It is always there for the spiritual benefit of the entire congregation.

Music within the Church should always be spiritual, appropriate, and inclusive of the entire
congregation. It is never there for the sole benefit of the lead singers or those who play accompaniment for them. Rather, it should lift the moral spirit within those who comprise
the worshipping congregation.

Endeavor to remember these notations when you next engage in congregational singing.
What we sing should always praise the LORD Whom we serve. And the manner of our
singing should always and only endeavor to praise Christ Jesus. The Father is glorified when His Son is exalted; and when His Son is exalted, we have acknowledged and praised the Father. Both Father and Son are deserving; so, Praise each of them!

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