The Grands Letter

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

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 3:19-26, “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.
23 Then you will walk in your way securely and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
26 For the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”

Oh, the wisdom of the wise! This same wise man…this Solomon…wrote a corresponding word in Ecclesiastes 7:25. It reads…

“I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek
wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly
and the foolishness of madness.”

Interestingly enough, he informs us how to grasp those items that seem always to be conspicuously “out of reach.” What we want so hungrily, seems always out of reach. Take wisdom, that mysterious word by which the LORD created the heavens and the earth – the substance of that word seems so heavily covered, that it is never to be clearly understood.

But, His Word clearly possesses meaning; otherwise, there is no meaning to the words: “The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way…” (Prov. 14:8).

Wisdom and knowledge are not interchangeable. They do not mean the same thing. The observation of a “cold stare” surely means that the one who heard what was said, did so without the slightest understanding of its meaning. Wisdom could possibly have been to conceal the matter altogether.

We will never understand completely all the LORD has said until we reside with Him in Paradise. There the LORD will be our confidence and will “keep our feet from being caught.” Then and there alone will we understand Him; and following a thousand years, it will take an eternity for us to understand.

In the meantime, let us accept in entirety His Word, with the confidence that
one day we will understand it all and will praise Him all the more!

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 Friends,

Proverbs 3:13-18, “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.”

It’s helpful when reading the Proverbs to remember that Solomon was their human author. Solomon emphasizes for us what was most precious to him: first is wisdom, second is understanding. “Wisdom” is a derivative of the word “wise.” And “wise” comes from the Hebrew word sakal, meaning “prudent,” possessing the ability to guide others in the proper way.

“Understanding” (tachbulah) rightly presumes a “depth of understanding, that produces counsel, each of which far exceeds the worth of silver or gold or even precious jewels.

I hate like thunder to say this, but Solomon values the right hand over the left.
(I have one grandson, who is left-handed; yet, his discernment of things has yet to be found in error.)

It’s always good to close with a happy note, so let us read slowly and pray that these instructions will produce for us and for our nation what they produced for Solomon: “Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.”

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,

Proverbs 3:5-12, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His reproof,
12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”

So many delightful truths come to us via the Proverbs! If today, I were to commence to read the Bible through and through, I believe I would start with the Book of Proverbs.

Can you ever recall a day when we needed more to trust Him? So many factors in life seem to require our total trust in the LORD. What’s more, the closer we are to our need, the more intense is our trust in Him. We need to acknowledge the LORD in all things!

At the same time, we must be attentive to our walk with Him. Trust is not the only factor required for those gargantuan problems that smother us; virtually everything that touches our lives requires trust in the LORD.

Being delivered from situations that only He can attend, requires our complete trust in Him. What is the most difficult issue with which you are currently dealing? Have you prayed about it? Are you endeavoring to follow the LORD’s directive like you follow that of your physician?

Honor the LORD in the whole of your life! Follow His directives as completely as you would your physician’s. He is able to do exceedingly abundant, above all that you think or ask. Just don’t forget to say “Thank YOU!”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

Proverbs 3:5-13, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His reproof,
12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.”

It’s not easy to stand still when someone tells you what to believe and how to (and not to) express it openly. “What’s the matter with them? Don’t they think we have any rights at all?

Truth be told, when we belong to Jesus Christ, the rights we have
are the rights He allows us to have. Furthermore, we have the right to express those rights only when He allows us to do it!

We are who we are and where we live on this earth by the unchallengeable grace and power of the LORD God Himself! If the Jews have rights (and they certainly do!), they have them with the permission of the Heavenly Father. It’s the same with us as Christians. The LORD is in charge of everything.

We are responsible to live committedly unto Him. That includes feasting daily on His Word, spending quality time with Him in prayer, and denying everything that arises solely from within our own will and by and for our own benefit. As His born-again believers, we are responsible to obey Him in all things!

Give that last verse above a clear and careful re-read:
“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.” God bless you in your daily walk with Him!

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