The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 22:1-10, “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”
2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
4 “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons,
5 as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.
6 “But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me,
7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
8 “And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
9 “And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
10 “And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’”

What a charge given to a young man! His business was persecution, but at this moment he is the persecuted! The young man was Jewish, born in Tarsus and a superior graduate of the schools that existed there.

He was Jewish, and as such, he had been well-trained in the religion of the Jews –that is, as well as the university where he lived could train him. And as in keeping with the Jewish tradition, the young man was trained in the business of tent-making (Acts 18:3)!

We are not told how he got into the business of persecuting
Christian believers, but he was chief at the stoning of Stephen.
While we cringe at the thought of Stephen’s untimely death and
the manner of it, his attitude and dying words (“Lord, lay not this
sin to their charge.”) had a powerful effect on young Saul (Paul).

I’ve never thought it through completely, but that may account for my love for Jewish people. They are blunt and harsh sometimes,
but that appeals to me and I give it right back! I’m never savage,
just meeting “push” with “shove.” What’s more, they love it!

The LORD is not through with His people. It’s just that His people
have expanded well beyond the Jews! I’m not Jewish, yet I marvel at all He has done for and with my life!

If you’ve not trusted Him, you’re missing life’s greatest blessing! You know the tough part? It’s admitting that you’re a sinner and need Him. You may be living under the thought that you will “check in” with him just before you “check out.” But “check-out time” may be closer than you think! There’s nothing like being ready!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We may never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Acts 24:10-21, ”When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: ‘Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense,
11 since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

PAUL CONTINUES HIS CHEERFUL, OPENING NARRATION.

12 “Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot.
13 “Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me.

STILL, SOME THINGS THEY SAY ABOUT ME ARE TRUE…

14 “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;
15 having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

MY CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR BEFORE YOU AND BEFORE GOD.

16 “In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.

LISTEN TO A NARRATIVE OF WHAT OCCURRED…

17 “Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings;
18 in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia—

…AND, BY THE WAY…

19 (THEY) ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me.

…MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE ONES THAT BOTHERED
TO COME…

20 “Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council,
21 other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'”

Have you ever witnessed a trial in a court of law? It’s an interesting
experience. Listening to witnesses gives you a sense of whether they are being honest. Watching the jurors’ behavior is interesting, too. I even once saw a judge go to sleep on the bench.

But, did you ever hear of a witness challenging his accusers?
If the accusers wanted him found guilty, why are they not here to
accuse him at this trial? I think it was Samuel Clemons who said,
“Always tell the truth and you don’t have to remember anything.”

Someday, we will all stand before the LORD. We won’t have to
say a thing because He knows everything about us: those who
belong to Him, and those who don’t. If you’re in the group that
has not trusted Him, it will then be too late… Confess all of your
sins to the LORD today. He already knows everything about all of
us. And He never sleeps on the Bench!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We may never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Luke 9:14-18, “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15 “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.
16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.
17 “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.
18 “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

My dear, sweet mother was a worrywart! She worried about a lot of things! She used to say it was okay to worry because nothing she ever worried about ever happened! Dad was humorously phlegmatic (if that’s not a contradiction in terms)!

Jesus talked a bit about worry when He spoke of the good seed falling among thorns. A verse or two later in our passage above, He said, “…nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”

Does that resonate when compared with the news we are hearing today? It certainly should! It clearly parallels with the saying, “You can’t do wrong and get by.” Somewhere, sometime, someone will
discover your wrong and you will pay the price! It doesn’t matter how much money you have or how secretive you’ve been, the truth
will ultimately come out!

I won’t try and kid you by saying that I never did anything wrong. I certainly have! Yet, everything I ever did that was wrong came back to haunt me. All sins need to be soaked and scrubbed in the forgiveness of our LORD Jesus Christ! But, the Good News is that Jesus will forgive you!

Thoughts themselves are often in need of forgiveness. “No one knows,” you say. Ah, but the only One Who really counts knows! All sin is ultimately against Him. The Good News is that He will forgive us. You and I just need to confess (admit) that we’ve been wrong. It’s so easy to see the sins of others; but what about our own sin? That’s why Jesus died on the cross. He was the Father’s Supreme Sacrifice for the sins we’ve committed. Will He really and truly forgive us? He will; and He says He will. Give Him that opportunity in your life. I’ve found it to be true in mine!

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 2:1-7, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Sin produces death; and human participation in the things of this world is sinful. “What things?” you ask. Ungodly things of the flesh and of the mind.

“But, doesn’t everyone engage in things like that?” More than likely they do; yet, it’s still wrong, according to the Word the LORD.

“It must call for a natural way of behavior, don’t you think?” That may be; yet, according to the Scripture, it is wrong, and God is displeased with us when we allow wrong things to occupy our minds and our hearts.

“But if this is the way I am, what can be done about it?” God has a plan, and He has shared that plan with everyone through His Holy Scripture, the Bible.

“But if we’re ‘dead in our transgressions,’ as the Scripture says, how are we to be made alive so that we can live as the LORD God intends? The passage introduced above in this Letter, tells us how. It says that God is “rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us.”

The word “mercy” means “to take the hurt out.” Yet, it’s even more than that. Because God loves us, “He will make us alive together with Christ.” Jesus Christ became His Father’s sacrifice on the Cross for our sins. Someone once said, “The price of sin was so great that only Jesus could pay it. In fact, the price was so great that not even Jesus could pay it again.”

But how does that apply to my life? God applies it to all of the lives of those who believe and trust in Jesus as the Sacrifice for their sin. When we are rescued from sin, Jesus becomes our Savior! Heaven then becomes our home for eternity. There’s an old hymn that says, “The way of the cross leads Home.”

If what you’ve read above has yet to become real in your life, just ask the LORD to forgive your sins; then, believe that He has. If you’re sincere, you can become a Christian before this Letter is completed. Just believe in Jesus and thank Him for dying on the cross for you. He will then let you know that you have been saved.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We may never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Haggai 1:6-9, “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways!
8 “Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the LORD.
9 “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the LORD of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.

Sometimes the Old Testament seems difficult to understand when viewed in the context of our own time. Take these verses listed above. They seem absolutely foreign in many ways; yet, if we pause and think carefully, we can see a clear parallel between the days of Haggai and our own time.

It was a time of economic decline. Those who had work received wages, but they were so meagre it was as if they had tossed the coins into a rabbit hole. Could the root of the problem possibly lie somewhere else? Indeed, it could! In fact, it does!

“Consider your ways!” said the LORD. The people had neglected the LORD’s House! Translating that into our time and allowing somewhat the same circumstances, we have grossly neglected the will of the LORD for our lives. It’s not today’s church buildings that concerns the LORD; it’s the our lack of spiritual focus on those around us. It’s our failure to speak to our neighbors and those we meet incidentally in stores as we shop.

Initially, we witness via our attitude toward others. Some we just encounter in our day-by-day “explorations.” It’s stopping someone walking a dog through our neighborhood. It’s returning a wave with a big smile to someone who has waved at us. It’s saying “Hi!” with a smile to some kids riding their bikes up and down the street.

It’s showing genuine sympathy when someone is moving away from the area, or when a family’s in sorrow over losing a loved one. It’s all part of our showing the love of Jesus Christ to those around us.

Of course, it’s even more than all of that. “Building” the LORD’s House is quite different from giving to the Church’s building fund. The real Church is not where people gather to worship. The real Church is the people, who are gathered to worship the LORD.

Although Haggai was looking for a material building where the LORD lived in his day, worship goes much further for us. Reading the Bible is worship. Prayer is worship. Singing is worship. If Christ lives in us, it will be believed when people see that we love them, and want them to know and love 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