The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 2:15-21, “And it came about when the angels had gone away from them
into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, ‘Let us go
straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the
Lord has made known to us.’

16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the
baby as He lay in the manger.

17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been
told them about this Child.

18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the
shepherds.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that
they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

21 And when eight days were completed before His circumcision, His name was
then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in
the womb.”

You will recall from a previous Grands Letter that shepherds were on the
bottom rung of the social scale in Biblical times. All of that reminded me
of an old man I knew as a kid. He lived in a shallow cave-like shelter,
where I often visited him. I’m quite sure my mother was “not in the picture”
of those visits, because she would have issued a strenuous “thou shalt not!”

It was quite different with the shepherds, however. They had reason to be
excited -and they were! We have no record anywhere of anyone seeking to
hinder them on their journey. They would not have stopped these shepherds,
anyway! No one was thinking of heritage or anything -just where is that
Baby?!!

How reasonable it would have been for those shepherds to think of finding
the One who would one day die to take away their sins! (I have to wonder if
anything like that entered their minds.) Had it not been for the Holy
Scriptures and/or those Magi from that foreign country, you and I would be
“in a pickle” today!

We need to be like the shepherds, who “went back, glorifying and praising
God for all that they had heard and seen.” We can be! We can share the Good
News of the Christ Child, who went to the Cross for our sins! That’s chapter
one of the true Christmas Story!

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 2:15-20, “And it came about when the angels had gone away from them
into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, ‘Let us go
straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the
Lord has made known to us.’

16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the
baby as He lay in the manger.

17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been
told them about this Child.

18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the
shepherds.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that
they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

They were poor kids, the poorest of the poor. Still, they probably didn’t
notice their poverty much because the kids they ran with were poor, too.
Interesting, isn’t it, how we notice the lack in other people’s lives, and
often fail to notice what is missing in our own life?

Shepherds in biblical times were looked upon as the poorest of the poor.
They were off the charts on the poverty scale; yet, these poor lads were
honorees of the LORD in that they were permitted to witness the LORD at the
birth of the Christ child, Jesus.

Undoubtedly, these shepherds were told the background of the story: Mary and
Joseph were tentatively engaged, yet there had been no intimate relations
when Mary was notified by the Angel of the LORD that she was to have a baby
-a baby boy, to be quite specific!

Just how much she shared with the shepherds, we are not told. Still, it was
enough for them to believe and share freely with others, some-thing they did
indeed!

When we believe, we become excited! And when we’re excited, we tell others!
Sometime, it’s just a short, few words; sometimes, it just bubbles out like
water in a broken pipeline! Sometimes people are excited; sometimes, sadly,
they are not -or pretend not to be! Yet, tell it we must –and will! “It’s
for those who know to tell those who don’t know!”

Forget the gifts and all. One does not have to possess great wealth; he just
has to understand the meaning – the true meaning of CHRISTmas!

They shepherds knew the true meaning; and they told others! When we know the
true meaning, we will tell others, too. Do you know? Have you told someone?
Use the Gospel Tract that is attached! Pray for that “someone” to believe on
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,

Matthew 3:13-17, “Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to
John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by
You, and do You come to me?”

15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way
it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.

16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and
behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as
a dove and lighting on Him,

17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in
whom I am well-pleased.”

It was a fitting climax to see a number of people baptized at the end of the
church service. It was their testimony of having trusted Jesus as their
Savior, as well as an act of obedience to the directive of our LORD Jesus
Christ.

The first meaningful acts of baptism occurred during the ministry of John
the Baptist. The word “Baptist” was appendaged to John’s name, due to his
emphasis on personal, physical immersion in water, subsequent to one’s
acceptance of the LORD Jesus Christ as his or her trust in Him.

Nowhere in Scripture is it taught that full, physical, immersion in water
adds anything to the spiritual activity of salvation. It is simply an overt
submission on the part of the person that he or she has truly renounced
their position in sin, and has been transformed spiritually through the
action of the Holy Spirit of God.

From the moment of one’s repentance of sin, the life is spiritually changed.
The subsequent act of baptism is the personal acknowledgement of having
turned from sin, and trusting the salvation offered by Jesus Christ. If you
are a true believer in Jesus Christ, you understand this procedure. If you
are not, I would urge you to seriously trust Him. The day of accountability
is coming! Please be ready!

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,

Deuteronomy 7:17-23, “If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are
greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’

18 you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the LORD
your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:

19 the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and
the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought
you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are
afraid.

20 “Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet against them, until
those who are left and hide themselves from you perish.

21 “You shall not dread them, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a
great and awesome God.

22 “The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by
little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, for the wild
beasts would grow too numerous for you.

23 “But the LORD your God will deliver them before you, and will throw them
into great confusion until they are destroyed.”

It was as far back as the 16th Century when Miichael de Montaigne said,
“The thing of which I have most fear is fear itself.” Francis Bacon later
borrowed that sentiment when he said, “Nothing is terrible, except fear
itself.” President Franklin D. Roosevelt appropriated the phrase in his
declaration of war speech saying, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear
itself.”

Numerous persons have since joined the “fear parade,” leaving us to believe
that fear has conquered mankind, and that there is no hope whatsoever of
overcoming it! And there is no overcoming of fear, so long as we believe
there isn’t!

Thus, the LORD challenged His people, who were saying, “These nations are
greater than (we); how can (we) dispossess them?” As long as one’s faith
lies with the opposition, he cannot but fail.

I once witnessed a basketball game, where one team considerably out-sized
the other. The crowd shouted about the variation in height, but there was
nothing the smaller team could do but play. They were never successful in
throwing the ball over the heads of their opponents! However, seeing the
opponents’ legs-spread openly, the smaller players skillfully bounced the
ball between their opponent’s legs. The crowd howled with laughter, leaving
the bigger team embarrassedly confused; and the smaller team won the game!

Victory is always on the side of the one who believes it is! Confidence

in the LORD always bespeaks Victory! Aspects of the battle may not always
appear to be on the side of the righteous. Yet, when the LORD “plays in the
game of life,” He always wins. Stay close to the LORD! He will always stay
close to you!

Heartily in Christ,

(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,

Matthew 1:18-21, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His
mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was
found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace
her, planned to send her away secretly.

20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary
as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy
Spirit.

21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save
His people from their sins.”

Everything contained in these four verses is unique. It does not, however,
appear to be so upon the first examination. Mary was a Jewish lass of a mere
12-13 years old. That was an acceptable age for marrying in those days,
while Joseph, the young man to whom she was engaged, was likely 20 or more
years of age. Both were pure, previously unmarried, and lived devotedly to
the factors of the Jewish religion.

All seemed well, and the couple looked forward to their marriage and to a
life of devotion to the LORD and to each other, when an angel of the LORD
appeared to Mary, informing her that she was carrying a male child, despite
her having had no sexual experience with Joseph or any other man.

Upon learning of her situation, Joseph assumed the worst and simply
determined to break off their engagement. Not to do so, under such
conditions, would have brought disgrace upon Mary. Yet, while he weighed the
thoughts concerning their anticipated relationship, another angel appeared
-this one to Joseph, informing him that the Holy Spirit was responsible for
Mary’s Son, that His name was to be Jesus, and that He was to save His
people from their sins.

All of this was the Father’s plan for mankind’s redemption from sin. If you
have been redeemed (saved) from sin by the LORD Jesus, the preparation for
your salvation commenced with the birth of Jesus Christ. If you have not
been saved, the opportunity for your salvation is currently before you. Yet,
when Jesus Comes Again, it will then be too late. That’s why the Scriptures
say, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” (Heb. 3:15)

I was saved when I was age 7. My parents led me to faith in Christ. My
children were saved when they were young, too. Their mother led them all to
Christ. Salvation relies upon clear understanding and acceptance of God’s
plan of salvation.

The Gospel Tract I wrote is attached above. It explains God’s Plan of
Salvation. No one is saved by merely reading the tract. You have to BELIEVE
that Christ Jesus died on the Cross for your sins, and TRUST Him to save
you, just as He says in His Word. Pray the prayer and believe He will do
what you ask. How will you know? You’ll know!! Then, start reading the Bible
daily. The LORD will change your life!

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