The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 25:5-12, “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they
all got drowsy and began to sleep.
6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom!
Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.
8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for
our lamps are going out.’
9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us
and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the
bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to
the wedding feast; and the door was shut.
11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up
for us.’
12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”

Reading the first verse of this chapter, expresses how marriages were conducted in biblical times. It was also a teaching of the
LORD Jesus Christ –not an actual marriage event. The moststartaling expressing in this passage is: “and the door was shut.”

Everyone I know has at least one door that leads into and out of
his house. Most of us have both a front and a rear door. When
someone rings the doorbell, we look to see who it is and whether he is likely seeking entrance into the house. If I am not aware of
who it is, I may elect to exit my house and converse with him on
the front porch. If I do not know him, I may elect not to answer his
inquiry at all.

Jesus knocks at the heart-door as He seeks entrance into your
heart and life. His purpose is to offer you His Eternal Life. It is free
to you, of course, and so is the option of opening the door. Most of us would be honored to welcome a notable guest, and Jesus is the most notable who will ever knock on your heart’s door!

The option you have is to accept His “Life Everlasting.” Refusal is “Eternal Separation.” Jesus alone can forgive your sin and give
you Eternal Life! Just know, however, that someday He may
cease to knock on your heart’s door. What will you do then?
“..how will you escape, if you neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb.
2:3). Trust Him today while He’s knocking at your heart’s door.

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,

Exodus 15:1-7, “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2 ‘The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.
3 ‘The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is His name.
4 ‘Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 ‘The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like
a stone.
6 ‘Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.
7 ‘And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff.’”

It is a mark of human nature to rejoice over things that are pleasant and productive. And there is no greater way of rejoicing
than in song!

This occasion of rejoicing comes at the Red Sea. Moses’ obedience to the LORD’s directive separated the waters,
enabling the Israelites to cross through the midst of the waters and reach safely to the other shore.

The separated waters then closed in death upon the pursuing Egyptians. What was a miracle of deliverance to Israel was a disaster to the Egyptians! The LORD always preserves His people!

The only people with whom I am acquainted that are currently living in Israel are believers in our LORD Jesus Christ. Undoubtedly, there are more. The picture of Israel that graces
the foyer of my home was a gift from a friend, whose is buried
in Israel. Jesus is alive! His people will survive!

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they
prosper who love you. May peace be within
your walls, and prosperity within your palaces”
(Psa. 122:6-7).

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,

Exodus 15:1-3, “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2 ‘The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.
3 ‘The LORD is a warrior; The LORD is His name.’”

It was an unusual gathering in the Rotunda of the United States
Capital. The late Billy Graham was honored with the placement of his statue among historic personalities of recent past. What to me the high point of the occasion was the strong statements by leading Congressional members regarding their personal, spiritual conversion to the LORD Jesus Christ.

One of the national “past times” in America is to criticize members of Congress! There is no doubt that we have congressionalists
who ought not to be there. Yet, we need to encourage them with
our prayers. We are facing some extremely difficult times and
need to pray for our leaders –pray that they will be led to follow our LORD Jesus Christ.

Israel is one of our clossest (perhaps, the clossest) ally we
currently have! The Jewish people are the LORD’s people,
according to the Scriptures! They are in their land, according to the Word of God! We need to pray for them. Read again the three
verses above! “The LORD is a warrior. The LORD is His name!”

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,

Exodus 14:31, “When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in Him and in His servant Moses.”
Exodus 15:1-2, “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this
song to the LORD, and said, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for He is
highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2 ‘The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my
salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him.’”

Israel did not always rejoice in the LORD. But when they did,
They did it with all their might and in the fullness of joy! Note
first that they “believed in the LORD.” It may seem somewhat
axiomatic to say that because unbelief would hardly be the
rationale for praise. Yet, Israel’s defeat of the Egyptians could
only result in their loud, genuine, overt praise to the LORD!

The LORD was their strength and song; and while Israel’s victory was a physical victory, it was, at its base, a spiritual victory! So
it is with all victories. When the LORD has led us in spiritual
victory, we clearly see that He is victorious for us in all victories!

Are you currently fighting some spiritual battles? How dependent
are you upon the LORD for victory in these battles? The LORD
is not simply a fellow-soldier, He is the virtual key to all victories!
Let Him cleanse your heart from sin, and renew within you the
confidence in Him –confidence that you may have forgotten.
Trust in the key! Just trust Him and 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,

Revelation 11:3, “And I will grant authority to my two
witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and
sixty days…”
Romans 9:1, “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying,
my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit…”
John 19:35, “And he who has seen has testified, and his
testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth,
so that you also may believe.”

My mother was an inveterate reader. She read the Bible,
she read the classics. If it had been put into print, she read
it. Therefore, I’m confident that she was familiar with Mark
Twain’s comment: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to
remember anything.”

Of all the principles with which I was familiar, telling the
truth was number one on the list! Not all of my school-aged
friends were truth-tellers. But, when one of them was called
into court on a theft-charge, I clearly remember telling him
“Just tell the truth, that’s all you need to remember.”

Telling the truth recently arose to prominence when a
formerly known liar took the stand in a New York court
room. The three Biblical quotations listed above in this
Grands Letter are spiritual mandates from the LORD! He
is not a liar, and He does not wish us to be one, either!

Whether the problem is a neighbor’s broken window, or
who started a nasty rumor in the neighborhood, all that
matters is that we, who are His blood-bought children, tell
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. In that
way we honor the LORD as our Heavenly Father, and we
don’t have to remember everything, either!

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