The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 22:39-42, “And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.
40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’
41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
42 saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’”

Have you ever taken inventory of what you do every day? It just might be an interesting and profitable venture. Do a mental trace of today’s activities. They won’t always be exactly the same, but the venture will show the “road” you take and some of the “pitfalls” that hindered you from what you wished to accomplish.

Our LORD Jesus had a custom: it was prayer. When and how often do you pray? And of what do your prayers consist? Are they always the same, or do they include recent information? Do they primarily include others, or are your prayers always only about yourself? [Don’t get irritated! The guy writing this is facing everything here just like you are!]

According to the Scripture passage above, Jesus had a favorite place for praying. It was on the Mount of Olives. That was not be the only place He prayed; but He demonstrated that it is important to have a favorite place, and to pray there often.

Jesus’ prayer affected His disciples. First, He instructed them to pray that they might not enter into temptation. That’s an important factor in our praying, too. Praying keeps us close to Him; and when we’re with Him, those things that
normally hinder us and lead us spiritually astray, truly fade away.

Jesus also withdrew from His disciples when He prayed. Prayers are private
communications with the LORD! Yes, there are times when we should pray aloud in the presence of others, but not always– not when we confessing sin and dealing with intimate aspects within our own lives.

Notice too that Jesus yields to the will of the Father: “Father, if You are willing…” Despite Jesus’ intimate affiliation with the Father, He was humble
in setting forth His request: “…if You are willing…,” He prayed. Was He not spiritually equal with the Father? Did He not in John 10:30 say, “I and My Father are One”? Was He not then and there praying in the Holy Spirit?

Someone once said, “Prayer changes things.” Another replied, “No, prayer changes the one praying.” Let me suggest that both are true. Yet, it’s not “quickie prayers,” like “Bless the food and us that eat it.” It’s the spiritual recognitation that our blessed and precious LORD Jesus Christ creates us as a receptical for His blessings. We are the “apple of His eye,” as He is of ours.
What a comforting, spiritual thought!

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,

Isaiah 9:2-7, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.
3 You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
5 For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

The Bible is the Book of the Ages. It is also the Book of Current Times and the Book of the Future. It speaks to us of the LORD’s dealings with peoples of the past; how He dealt with them in good times and in bad times. It speaks of how
He dealt with His People in times long ago. And in that the LORD never changes, His Word speaks to us in our times, as well.

The principles that are set forth in the Scriptures never change. Mankind changes, but the principles that govern men’s lives, never change! Sad-to-say, but it’s often that being held captive is the only time when we look to Him for help. The storms rage, and we pray! He intervenes, the storm subsides; and we go right back to living by our own rules. We live as if we never needed Him.

Whether you know it or not, we are currently living in troublesome times! Our
beloved United States is itself gearing up for a presidential election. There are some 60 verses throughout the Scriptures that carry the phrase “in His hands.”
Many are looking for the LORD to straighten the crooked pathways on which
the world’s nations are traveling.

The destiny of many nations lies in the integrity of their leadership. The LORD will give them all what they deserve. America is no exception. Pray for our forthcoming leadership. The prayers of the dedicated moves the heart of the LORD! Live cleanly that the LORD might hear our prayers and bless us!

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 8:18-23, “Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea.
19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”
20 Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
21 Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”
23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.”

True disciples will always follow Jesus. In this short passage, and as a crowd pressed upon Him, a scribe said, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” We have to be careful not to insert words here that would cast doubt upon the scribe’s declaration. Yet, it was said in the presence of a crowd; and scribes often looked for crowds where they could display their knowledge or intentions.

Yet, another, who perhaps would not have a scribe’s declaration out-due him, said, “…let me first go and bury my father.” It was likely that his father was still living; thus,
the meaning of his public announcement was that he would wait until his father died; then, he would follow Jesus.

These were both huge declarations, whether or not they were genuinely intentional. We are too often like both of them, in that we talk as if we’re serious, but we, some-how, never get around to doing what we claim. I think it’s called “procrastination!”
Someone has given that word some substance by saying, “Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can do next week.”

It’s interesting to note that Jesus did not wait on either of these “gonna-do-its.” He got into the boat that wasn’t waiting. Notice well that His true disciples followed Him. Are you a true disciple?

The word “disciple” means “learner.” Are you a student of the Bible? Do you read the Bible daily? Do you spend daily time with Christ in prayer? Is your life sharing Him with others? One day that “boat” will leave for good. Will you be on it? I pray that you will.

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 15:1-6, “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.’
2 Abram said, ‘O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’
3 And Abram said, ‘Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.’
4 Then behold, the Word of the LORD came to him, saying, ‘This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.’
5 And He took him outside and said, ‘Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’
6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

Although there are 50 chapters in the Book of Genesis, the 12TH to the end of the book cover only about 300 years, and they are largely biographical, giving us the accounts of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

One could only wish (and I am not challenging any Scriptural omission) that the opening expression of Abraham’s amazement at the innumberability of stars might have been included in the wording of Scripture! It staggers me to even think of it!

Even more amazing is the distinctive message of Genesis. It cites “the failure of man under every condition is met by the salvation of God” (Lee). More amazing still are the numerous times blessings attend the life and ministry of Abraham. He was far from a perfect man, yet the LORD used and blessed him numerous times. What an encouragement to us! We fail more than we succeed, yet the LORD is exceedingly faithful to us through His abundant provisions!

Try and remember His faithfulness the next time you try to count the stars. My guess is that you will be as surprised as Abraham. Yet, His blessings to us far surpass the number of stars!
Blessings come in abundance when we allow Christ to minister to others through us. That sure
beats merely counting stars, doesn’t it?

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,

James 2:1-5, “My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,
3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”
4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”

I will just be honest! When I worship in church, I prefer to be seated by a person or persons I know. There are many reasons for this; however, I have often been seated by persons I had
never met. Nevertheless, it did not harm my focus on either the Scriptures or on the preacher.

We’ve seemingly handled that “gold ring” affair cited in our passage above, because with the lights dimmed, I have not been able to discern whether the one by whom I was seated had any ring, much less, whether or not it was a gold one. Dim lights also discourage noticing whether a nearby person was “properly” dressed. All that being said, I’m more concerned that those people are there!

My parents always “dressed nicely” for church. They weren’t wealthy, so no one was angling his or her head to see if they had jewels. They did not. They came to engage in a corporate meeting of sincere worship with others of “like precious faith.” That’s the training I received; and it’s what my late wife and I sought to instill in our children.

It’s my earnest prayer that we will soon return to the understanding of what true worship is! It is prayer and praise and spiritual absorbtion of the Word that is earnestly proclaimed from the pulpit by a sincere, prayer-provoked male messenger of the LORD God Almighty. I need that
kind of ministry, and where I attend, I receive that kind of ministry. I trust that you do, too.

None of us knows how much (or little) time we have left on this earth. (Please know that I am currently feeling fine.) All the same, we never know when the LORD will call us to be with Him. If we’re focused, as we ought to be on worship, we will never be surprised nor harbor any regrets. And for my readers who are genuinely hindered from attending worship in your church, you can wear whatever you please; “…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). God bless you! You are always in my prayers. And I trust that I am consistently in yours.

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