The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 11:20-26, “…there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.
23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;
24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

I want to ask some strange and meaningful questions. Do you know how many times the word “give” is mentioned in the Bible? Would you believe it is in excess of 2300 times? That’s true. Would you hazzard a guess as to how many definitions there are to the word “give”? It is in excess of 30– thirty different definitions of the four-letter word “give.” Don’t get excited! I’m not going to list them for you or ask you to look them up. But, I will admit that I was shocked that there were that many different definitions to that little four letter word, g-i-v-e.

Now, let me ask if you know how many different definitions there are for the word “Christian.” Personally, I have no idea. To some. it depends upon whom you ask. Some people will say that a Christian is someone who isn’t a Jew. Others will say that it depends upon whether you attend or joined a “Christian” church, or whether you believe the Bible or whether you consciously omit from your life some of the things that do not honor or depict Jesus, the Founder of the Christian faith. There are a lot of varying ideas, aren’t there?

Well, the truthful answer to “what a ‘Christian’ is” comes to us from the Bible –especially, the New Testament. A Christian is an ordinary person of any ethnic background, who has learned from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Son of God, and has believed and trusted Him to forgive his sin. That’s the guarantee of Eternal life, as described in the Scriptures. Does that definition fit you? If it does, you can praise thd LORD.

But, if that definition doesn’t fit you, you need to do something about it. Does confessing your sin and accepting Jesus sound like a good solution? It had better, because there is no other person or way to embrace that guarantee. And when you do trust Jesus, you will be called “Christian”; and your life and testimony will begin to show others that the true and only way is in Jesus. God bless you!

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,

Leviticus 6:1-5, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 ‘When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD, and deceives his
companion in regard to a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or through robbery,
or if he has extorted from his companion,
3 or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in
regard to any one of the things a man may do;
4 then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he
took by robbery or what he got by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to
him or the lost thing which he found,
5 or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and
add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he
presents his guilt offering.’”

“I sure don’t have it. I have no idea where it is. I’m not sure that you ever gave it to me.”
Have words like these ever come from you? Maybe not these exact words, but at
some point you have looked a friend squarely in the eye and denied what you knew
in your heart was not true! What you did was Robbery (vv. 2-3), and robbery is a sin
against the LORD!

Deceit is also a sin against the LORD? It differs a bit from robbery in that there need
not be anything physical involved. It’s just a bit more skillful lying. In one way, it’s a
game of pretense.

In any event, Restoration (vv. 4-5) is a requirement of the LORD! Many years ago,
a man I knew and trusted offered me an opportunity to make considerable money by
just investing a small sum. He said he had invested and it was paying back far more
than when he had started. I took him at his word and invested what at that time was
to me a considerable sum.

Time went by and the investment showed no productivity. Worse still, the productivity
had gone down instead of up! Close investigation showed that the money was gone!
Immediately, I contacted the one who had convinced me to invest, and he returned the
earnest money I had given him.

The Scripture passages above are quite clear. None of us wants to be on the losing
end of anything. Money is a commodaty we all need. Yet, we must never rob anyone.
If we do, restoration of the full amount plus 20 percent is the LORD’s clear requirement.
We cannot afford to ignore His command.

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,

Lamentations 1:1-6, “How lonely sits the city that was full of people! She has
become like a widow who was once great among the nations! She who was a
princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer!
2 She weeps bitterly in the night and her tears are on her cheeks; she has none
to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with
her; they have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into exile under affliction and under harsh servitude; she dwells
among the nations, but she has found no rest; all her pursuers have overtaken her
in the midst of distress.
4 The roads of Zion are in mourning because no one comes to the appointed feasts.
All her gates are desolate; her priests are groaning, her virgins are afflicted, and she
herself is bitter.
5 Her adversaries have become her masters, her enemies prosper; for the LORD
has caused her grief because of the multitude of her transgressions; her little ones
have gone away as captives before the adversary.
6 All her majesty has departed from the daughter of Zion; her princes have become
like deer that have found no pasture; and they have fled without strength before the
pursuer.”

One of the sweet memories I have of the past is hearing my mother speak of how her
father physically disciplined her and her brothers. He was an unsually tender-hearted
man, who cried profusely throughout ordeal. He “felt” the pain of his discipline because
he loved his children.

This Lamentation is the merciful cry of the LORD concerning Jerusalem’s third siege
and ultimate fall. It’s akin to our feelings when an historic building is demolished due
to age and irreparable deterioration. But buldings can be replaced; lives cannot be.

Human lives that ignore the loving goodness of the LORD will also deteriorate unless
they are repaired through prayer and the loving touch of our Heavenly Father. We weep
when we see human lives, abundant with talent, spiral downward because of the neglect
of parents, teachers, preachers, and close friends. Yet, do we pray for them? Do we
reach out to help them? Sadly, some of the most neglected are the very ones who
neglect others when they were able to assist them in their need.

An ounce of time for a whisper of concern, and a meaningful smile often means more
than we will ever know. Let’s allow Lamentations to work its meaning on us. Let’s
determine to help someone this week realise that Jesus cares—and He is our Friend.

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,

Ecclesiastes 5:6, “Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

The firstborn, in fact, was Esau. Everything else, including the spirit of the LETTER, was correct.

The error came to my attention first from a friendly accountant, who attends one of the Small Groups the church we both attend. The second to call my attention to the error is a long-time “critic-friend,” who, no doubt would love for me to mention his name. Yet, I am limiting my mistakes today.

Thank you for your kind comments on the LETTER. I might only add that the “GRANDS” originally
referred to my Grand-and Great-grandchildren, of whom there are 13. Currently, the GRANDS
LETTER reaches numerous countries and includes missionaries, former students, military personnel, pastors and teachers at various levels in the educational system. (Keeps me on my toes most of the time!). God bless you for your faithfulness to 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

Dear Grands,

Obadiah 1:15-17, “For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done,
it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.
16 “Because just as you drank on My holy mountain, all the nations will drink continually. They
will drink and swallow and become as if they had never existed.
17 “But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. And the house of
Jacob will possess their possessions.”

If you’ve read the Old Testament, you will undoubtedly have read the Book of Obadiah. It’s the smallest of the Old Testament books and reminds us historically of the conflict between Jacob
and Esau back in the Book of Genesis. The birthright from Isaac was to have gone to the eldest son, Jacob. But, Esau, grasped the opportunity to fool his father, Isaac, into thinking he was
Jacob.

Thus, Esau became a schemer, a thief! And the nation he fathered pestered the nation of Israel.

The descendants of Easu were known as Edomites; the descendants of Jacob were known as Israelites. In the Book of Obadiah, the LORD pledges that those who have defrauded others will
suffer at the hand of the LORD.

There is a saying that fits Esau and the Edomites: “You can’t do wrong and get by!” Furthermore, that is as true of nations as it is of individuals everywhere. There is a not-so-subtle message here
to us, too. We are to stand with Israel! Historically, they are the LORD’s “chosen people.” We may
not agree with everything Israel does in today’s world. We surely don’t agree with everything our leaders do, either. But, Israel is the LORD’s chosen people, and He is certain to “bring down”
those who go against His own.

Pray earnestly for Israel. Many Jews have turned in faith to Jesus Christ! He is and will be glorified in His people. And as we stand with them, He is glorified in us, too.

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