The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 30:26-33, “’Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you.”

27 But Laban said to him, “If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account.”

28 He continued, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.”

29 But he said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you and how your cattle have fared with me.

30 “For you had little before I came and it has increased to a multitude, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?”

31 So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock:

32 let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted sheep and every black one among the lambs and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages.

33 “So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.”

It’s difficult to ascertain which of the two, Laban or Jacob, was the greater schemer. They each spoke of “honesty,” as if it were his middle name. Jacob was anxious to get back home! Laban possessed a very good laborer in Jacob, so he didn’t want to lose him.

How anxious Laban was to retain Jacob can be measured in his words,

“Name me your wages, and I will give it.” (Sounds like a good deal to me.) Yet, Jacob, who was always up to the task of a good bargain –especially when it was ultimately to his advantage, said, “…you had little before I came and (your flock) has increased to a multitude…!” No, Jacob was not to settle for a pittance! He would never do that!

Then Laban simply asked, “What shall I give you?” (Just what Jacob had been waiting to be asked!) What he ultimately asked appeared to be quite equitable. He wanted the speckled, the spotted, the black lambs and goats –all of them that bore these marks. Somehow, it seemed equitable.

The LORD has blessed us accordingly! Yes, we’re required to labor; but His blessings are more than equitable! Beyond that, we need not beg or bargain from Him. He always has and always will do us right. Still, we cannot expect His blessing unless we’re willing to put in the labor! What does He have for us to do today?

Heartily in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

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,

Amos 8:1-6, “Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, there was a basket of summer fruit.
2 He said, ‘What do you see, Amos?’ And I said, ‘A basket of summer fruit.’ Then the LORD said to me, ‘The end has come for My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.
3 ‘The songs of the palace will turn to wailing in that day,’ declares the Lord GOD. ‘Many will be the corpses; in every place they will cast them forth in silence.’
4 Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land,
5 saying, ‘When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales,
6 So as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals, and that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?’”

Have you not heard of some today who want to re-write the Bible? Every
new translation, it seems, trivializes portions of the Scriptures. What’s worse, it is done in the name of “scholarship.” And it is those without scholarship who are making the attempt.

It’s hardly necessary to speculate on why some wish to trivialize the Scriptures. Isaiah bemoans those who twist the Word of God, when he says: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight! (Isa. 5:21).

Yet, with all of the attempts to improve on God’s Word, those who engage in this evil endeavor will one day pay an enormous price! “Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything” (Eccl. 10:18-19).

Translated into a modern idiom, it simply says, “You can’t do wrong and get by.” Take the Word of God as He has given it to us. Live by it; love it; and rejoice that He loves you and has made His Word available.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas
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 18:1-10, “Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth,
3 and said, ‘My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
4 ‘Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree;
5 and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant.’ And they said, ‘So do, as you have said.’
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.’
7 Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.
8 He took curds and milk and the calf, which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, ‘Where is Sarah your wife?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’
10 He said, ‘I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.”

Have you ever had someone you’d never met knock at your front door? What do you do in an situation like that? Politeness says, “Open the door.” Common sense says, “…better find out who it is first.” In Abraham’s case, it was a divine secret, known only to the LORD and those whom He had sent.

Customs in ancient Israel were quite different from what we know today. Notice, too, that as Abraham never noticed them walk up to him. They were “just there,” as if they had been there all the time and simply “materialized!” That seems all the more spooky. Still, Abraham did not seem to be alarmed. He simply saw that they had something to eat.

While they were eating, they announced their purpose in having come. Abraham and Sarah were going to have a son. It was when Sarah heard this, she laughed, and she was reprimanded by her “guests” for having done so. So she denied having laughed.

There’s more –much more!—to all of this than either Sarah or Abraham knew at this point. Still, the LORD had sent His angels to reveal to them a secret –a secret known only in Heaven.

The moral of this account is multiple. We never know what the LORD has in store for us, nor how much. Yet, we need to be holy and prepared. He has surprises for us just as He did for Abraham and Sarah. Just remember to be polite when you open your door to someone you’ve never met. He just may have been sent by the LORD!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

Romans 10:15-18, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”
16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?”
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.”

The word “beautiful” is mentioned only six times in the Bible. Five of those times are intended to reveal the physical beauty and inspire one of King Solomon’s wives).

There’s a song that was built on the verses above. My guess is that you know it; yet, perchance that you don’t, verse one and the chorus read as follows (You can be thankful
I’m not attempting to sing it for you! There was a day – but no longer!)

“We read of a place that’s called heaven,
It’s made for the pure and the free;
These truths in God’s Word He has given,
How beautiful heaven must be.”

Chorus: “How beautiful Heaven must be,
Sweet home of the happy and free;
Fair haven of rest for the weary,
How beautiful Heaven must be.”

Those of us who have been privileged to know and affiliate with families whose loved ones have known the LORD and completed their course in this life, Heaven is a glorious, spectacular four-square city lofted somewhere in space and reserved exclusively for those who have renounced sin and trusted the LORD Jesus as Savior of their lives.

I pray that you know Him, and that your eternal residence will be with Him.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 3:13-22, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.
19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up and the skies drip with dew.
21 My son, let them not vanish from your sight; keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.”

Inasmuch as Solomon was the author of the passage cited above, it is only normal that we should view him as the author of all wisdom, even that which is cited elsewhere. Only a brief knowledge of the wonders, which were created by his hand, are an indication of his wisdom.

If you are following on television the multiple rocket attacks upon Israel by Iranian forces, you will soon discover Israel’s wisdom –or lack of it– by the retaliation she administers. The same may be said regarding the exploration of missiles being touted by Israel.

There’s a lovely, lively, elderly couple that serve as “Welcomers,” at the door where I enter church on Sunday mornings. They have willingly and faithfully accepted the responsibilities that accompany their service. My guess is that they have never thought of not being faithful.

Seeing them every Sunday is such an encouragement to me! Faithfulness, honesty, friendliness all wrapped together reminds me of my responsibilities:
“…what I say in greeting them is spoken in all honesty,” remembering the old saying that “the chickens ultimately come home to roost.” What I am to others will someday become what others are to me. We would all do well to bring that into our life’s focus. God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

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