The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Leviticus 5:14-18, Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
15 “If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD’S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering.
16 “He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him.
17 “Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.
18 “He is then to bring to the priest a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his error in which he sinned unintentionally and did not know it, and it will be forgiven him.”

The two human activities in the verses above are both similar and yet they are different. Both
Individuals are guilty of sin. The first person appears to have acted against an edict of the LORD, yet, though he did it unintentially, it was still a sin at the time of its commitment.

The other individual appears to have done something the LORD had already commanded not
to be done, yet his activity was considered sin, although it was unintentional. I guess I could
liken this to a child who was absent when the teacher announced a forthcoming test. No one
told the absent child about the coming test; yet, he failed nevertheless.

When I was a child and told to do something, I often asked, “Why?” The response I received
from my mother was: “Because I told you to!” Had I known at that time in my life that no sentence should ever end with a preposition, I would still have best refrained from correcting my mother!

In my mind, the laws of the LORD in Old Testament times were very strict and often not as clear to our thinking as we might like them to be. Nevertheless, the LORD intends us to know
all He has said; thus, He intentionally gave us the Scriptures.

I will be the first to admit that there are verses in the Bible that I find very difficult to grasp and apply to my own life. Still, if the Holy Scriptures were to read like the few words in a small child’s coloring book, we would not be challenged! So, when I come across verses like these cited above, I know that it will take more than a casual reading to grasp their understanding. Yet, when we do understand them, they will continue to be a challenge to our lives!

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,

John 9:1-7, “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he
would be born blind?’
3 Jesus answered, ‘It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so
that the works of God might be displayed in him.
4 ‘We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming
when no one can work.
5 “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.’
6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and
applied the clay to his eyes,
7 and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So
he went away and washed, and came back seeing.”

Reading this passage reminds me when I had my first ophthalmic surgery. It wasn’t
that I couldn’t see; rather, it was that my head was hurting and nothing helped. My
darling wife suggested that I see an eye surgeon –my son! The hurt was somehow
connected with my eye, and a short, quick laser shot or two did the trick!

Not to speak against my son (or against any other ophthalmic surgeon), but Jesus
was quicker when he healed the blind man in our verses above. Nobody is going
to object if you see a doctor about your eyes; but the Pharisees (and there are
always Pharisees about!) complained not about the healing, but that it was done on
the Sabbath! Picky, picky!

The Pharisees so reveared the Sabbath that nothing else mattered. There is value
in our keeping the LORD’s Day. Chic-fil-a closes on Sunday out of reverence for the
LORD’s Day. Years ago, when I was in evangelism, I often had to purchase fuel for
my car on Sunday. Hospitals, emergency personnel, police officials –all have to
occasionally work on Sunday. They don’t work in irreverence to the LORD, but out
of necessity.

I’ve seen the Pool of Siloam in Israel. It’s not water with which I would long to be
washed. Still, seeing (or healing) on any day is superior to pain. I have to wonder
what those Pharisees would have done, had Jesus’ healing been for them!

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,

Obadiah 1:1-4, The vision of Obadiah. “Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom—
we have heard a report from the LORD, and an envoy has been sent among the nations saying, ‘Arise and let us go against her for battle‘ —
2 ‘Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you are greatly despised.
3 ‘The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock,
in the loftiness of your dwelling place, who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down
to earth?”
4 “Though you build high like the eagle, though you set your nest among the stars,
from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.’”

The Book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. There are several
Obadiahs mentioned in the Scriptures, and we have no indication as to which of them
wrote this small book. In any event, according to Robert Lee, “it forms a sharp menifesto against the fierce Idumeans, who were ever and always the enemies of Israel.” They
were the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob.

Careful examination of this small book reveals it to be 1) “a warning against sinful pride
and godless defiance,” and 2) a solemn warning against the perils brought on by personal
pride and anti-semitic hatred, i.e., of the nation Israel.

It is sad to see hatred expressed toward anyone. Of course, as we journey through life,
we encounter various people, some of whom we find difficult. Remember that the word
“difficult” often relates to the word “different.” As a child, I asked about people I didn’t
know: “Why are they…?”; “Why do they…?” Yet, I soon learned that we are all different
in many ways, and for various and sundry reasons.

We ought, however, never to be judgmental. Have we all never thought about what
others think of us? What’s more, think of the pattern of behavior we are setting. Jacob
set his mind on the family birthright, and his actions have produced little but hatred down through the centuries.

To some degree, we are all like our parents. Our children are somewhat like us. Yet,
when we yield our hearts and lives to Jesus Christ, He enables us to change and be
more like Him! I sure want my progeny to be more like Christ than I am! Don’t you wish
that for your children and grandchildren down-the-line? Remember: “More is caught than taught.” Neverless, it all starts with yielding your life to Jesus! Have you done that?

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,

Hosea 14:1-4, “Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled
because of your iniquity.
2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, ‘Take away all iniquity
and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.
3 ‘Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses; nor will we say again,
“Our god,” to the work of our hands; for in You the orphan finds mercy.’
4 I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away
from them.”

Israel has always been God’s people! History validates His love and assistance,
when hardly a nation on Earth would stand up for them! The Six Day War that
occurred in June of 1967 –the war that saw Israel retake Jerusalem and all —is
a sufficient demonstration of the LORD’s love for His people!

History also validates how often Israel strayed from the LORD and turned from His
instructions. Only at the Cross of Christ is His Love more highly demonstrated than
when He forgave Israel and cared again for them under His keeping.

The principles that apply to Israel apply to believers in Jesus Christ, as well. How far
some churches and pastors that lay claim to Him and His principles are in today’s
news as having strayed from the clear teachings of God’s Holy Word! If Israel suffered
for her sin in past generations (and she did!), how can some (churches and pastors)
believe they should be reinstated without suffering horrendous loss?

Israel ultimately came to her senses. We can only trust and pray that ministers and
churches, who have turned away from the clear teaching of the Word, will do the same.
Israel was worth all it took to bring her back to the LORD. The Church and her ministers
are worth it, too. At the same time, we must note that Israel paid a high price in every
situation when she veered away from her LORD. It is, therefore, hightly doubtful that
today’s spiritual vagrants will escape.

Don’t become a spiritual vagrant! To do so with the thought that He will always take you
back, is known as “presumptuous sin.” And that sin can be worse than those vagrant
offences. Learn to Love the LORD as He loves you. He will forgive and He will provide. Patience is ever our watchword!

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,

Nehemiah 4:1-6, “Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.
2 He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?”
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building– if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”
4 Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.
5 Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.
6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”

There’s so much more to this account; believe me, it’s worth the entire read!

You’ve probably viewed some old, abandoned houses on YouTube. It seems a shame that anyone would spend so much money to build a large, two-story house and then just abandon it. Some have even tried to rebuild the houses; but, it’s expensive! Furthermore, unless you have a history with the house, why would you want to restore it?

Nehemiah had good reason to wish for the walls of Jerusalem to be rebuilt. It was the ancient city of the Jewish people. Thus, he received permission from King Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:1) to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls that had been broken down!

Quite often, it is easier to start from “scratch,” rather than to “re-build.” Yet, there was more at stake here than just building walls. These were sacred walls that excluded all but the Jewish people.

It’s often better to start over in anything rather than seeking to repair it. Take life, for example –your life! You’ve made so many mistakes! You might wish there were a way to rebuild it. Truth be told, there is! There are some sacred walls with which Jesus Christ will rebuild it. You already have His permission. Yes, it will take time before everything is in place –BUT, it will be worth it all! Your sins will be forgiven; you will have a new purpose, a new direction for life and for living!

It all goes back to the Cross of Calvary. Jesus, the Son of God, surrendered His Life to that Cross in order that all who believe will be saved! No money is involved! No human effort is effective! It all rises or falls on whether you trust Jesus’ Self-Sacrifice to atone for your broken-down life (walls).

Further, these walls are protective! The one who tore them down cannot do it again! Your life is now secure in it’s Builder, Jesus Christ! He’s free to do the job! No one else is competent! And the Price has been paid! Trust Him! Confess your sins to Him. Ask His forgiveness. Tell Him you love Him! Then, watch those broken walls of your life encounter reconstruction! Then, just Praise the LORD!

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