The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 1:3-8, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”

I fear that I often overlook the precious and comforting letters of Simon Peter. He speaks of our being “born again,” “imperishable,” and being divinely “protected.”

If we are faithfully honest, we must respond to the validity of His words when He says that we are comfortably protected by His faithful, loving care. Yes, we are!

Does it seem to you that we’re a bit heavy on the receiving end of spiritual things while being lovingly comforted by the LORD? Doubtlessly, we don’t deserve it.

Yet, what blessing do we receive from Him that we do deserve? Let’s just be thankful and praise Him through a Christ-centered life for all His matchless blessings! It sure seems that way to me!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

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,

Romans 8:1-8, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

We who live in the United States like to celebrate! Still, I believe that most countries like to celebrate, too. The key to celebration, however, is having something worthy of celebration. Freedom is perhaps the number one reason for any celebration; currently that’s true on a national scale.

The Apostle Paul tells us in the Scripture above that freedom in Christ is the primary reason for celebration. “…the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set (us) free from the law of sin and of death.” As America celebrates her birth, I am celebrating my “spiritual birthday!” I was 7 years old when I came to know Christ as my Savior. Someday with more space, I will share it.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

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,

John 8:31-36, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free?’” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 “So, if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

Virtually everyone loves freedom. Total freedom, however, is not available, nor should it be.

To many, simply wanting to do what they want to do is called freedom. Interestingly, the Dictionary offers 17 separate definitions for the word “freedom,” and the Bible offers the word but ten times in nine verses, seven of which are in the New Testament.

Unfortunately, to many people, the word “freedom” is a “do-what-you-want-when-you-want” concept. If that definition were to be allowed, and everyone utilized freedom to the extent he desired, the world would be in worse shape than it currently is!

In our Scripture verses above, the LORD Jesus was saying that freedom resides for those who reside in and follow Him. I recall a schoolteacher once saying, “This year, children, you are going to do just as you please…” The room “hummed” with glee. The only problem was that the teacher had not completed her sentence. Her completed direction said, “This year, children, you are going to do just as you please, so long as you please to do right!”

That directive works well when it’s complete and when the desire of those who heard it is to behave according to the LORD and His direction in the Scriptures. Are you there yet? Have you determined to obey the LORD, regardless of what you think? It is the only way to live. Remember this verse:

    “Train up a child in the way he should go,     and when he is old, he will not depart     from it” (Prov. 22:6).

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

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,

Ephesians 3:1-7, “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;

3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.

4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.”

As I read the lines above, I was reminded of a man to whom I witnessed. He was a nice fellow, but he grasped the name of his church as his salvation. Nothing I said of Jesus Christ seemed to awaken in him his need for true, biblical salvation; he had his church! Unfortunately, many today rely upon church membership as the anchor of their eternal soul.

The Apostle Paul was Jewish by birth; but he was Christian by the New Birth! I spent many years as a pastor of numerous churches, baptized scores of people of all ages, yet I always sought to make the Main One—Jesus Christ—the Main One. He is the Savior of all who believe.

I was not long in Australia before a young girl, who had allegedly given her heart to the LORD, wanted me to baptize her. Suspecting that I was on track to become something of a “spiritual rock star,” I declined, referring her to her pastor.

Much later, when I was serving as interim pastor of a Baptist church, I baptized a young Aboriginal lady who had given herself to the LORD Jesus. Yet, baptism is nothing unless the one submitting to it has accepted Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. Baptism is a sign of having accepted Christ; it is not a game! It is quite serious, although not “spiritually saving.”

Paul himself, writing to young Timothy, his young protégé, said, “Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel…” (2 Tim. 3:16). I can only add, “Amen!”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

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,

Revelation 1:1-7, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,

2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood–

6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father– to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”

Admittedly, this is the most difficult book in the Bible to understand. It is, nevertheless, a splendid completion to a Divine Library of 66 books. The key phrase is: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” The Rev. Archibald Brown notes a striking balance between Genesis and Revelation. In Genesis, we see the Earth created; in Revelation, we see it passing away. In Genesis, we see the inauguration of sorrow and suffering; in Revelation, there is no more sorrow and no more pain – all tears are wiped away.

Throughout Revelation, the Church is never mentioned as being on earth. In fact, between chapters three and four, the Church is removed. Thus, to the end of the book, there is but tribulation. Yet, after reading the entire account, the reader may return to the subject again and again for particulars. Chapter One views the LORD as the “Glorified One.” Chapters two and three view Him as the Head over the church. From chapters four through twenty-two, He is the Triumphant One!

There is infinitely more that can be contained in the few lines we have here; yet the entire Book of Revelation will stimulate the reader to become more and more like Jesus Christ – every single day! “More like the Master, I would ever be; more of His likeness, more humility; More strength to labor, more courage to be true; More consecration, for work He bids me do…”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

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