The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ecclesiastes 12:11-14, “The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.
12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

You can go to a host of places and engage in numerous things, but nothing is truly satisfying when it is limited to the things of man. Solomon out-maneuvered everyone in the attempt to realize satisfaction in life. In nature, he discovered a sameness; in wisdom and philosophy, he discovered little-to-no purpose.

Solomon engaged in numerous pleasures like wine-drinking, the construction of buildings, accumulation of innumerable possessions, including enormous wealth and the simple pleasure of music; yet he found nothing of true satisfaction.

He endeavored to find something worthwhile in religion, but with the exemption of the LORD God. He then sought the simple purity of a moral life, but he was never satisfied.

If Solomon, reputedly the wisest man who ever lived, could not discover the secrets of life, how are we to discover them? It is in his Book of Ecclesiastes that we learn that satisfaction of life comes only in the Life of Jesus of Nazareth.

For it was Jesus, who came from the Father to die on a cross and arise from the dead that we might know true life by dying to self, as we commit ourselves to Him.

May you thirst for the true Waters of Life and may Christ lead you ultimately to the Father, who resides alongside His Son, Jesus Christ.
Oh, that you might know Him and the joy that exudes from His Life!

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 10:5-10, “There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler–
6 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.”

We live in many ways what is an exceptional era. Some of you now reading this can recall the old “party-line” telephone. When the phone rang, all who were connected on that same line would pick up their telephones to see if the call were for them. If it were, it was expected that all others on that same line would hang up. Wisdom, however, never assumed that others would hang up. Thus, wise callers with confidential information resisted dispensing that information online.

“Wisdom has (indeed) the advantage of giving success.” Furthermore,
wisdom is applicable to every situation. Looking in retrospect at some
interesting situations, we all can doubtlessly recall times when we ought to have said –or left unsaid— our thoughts with respect to the situations.
Knowledge is possessing information often applicable to a given situation. Wisdom is knowing whether or when to share that information.

I have miserably failed both in knowledge and in wisdom with respect to several past situations. Some, thankfully, have fallen without incident; others have skirted closely toward disaster. Slowly, I am learning to allow all Spirit-control over what I do and say. Let me suggest that you apply wisdom in considering the LORD’s death and resurrection for you!
Trust Him fully! Yield to Him total control of your life! He, who is Wisdom, will always guide you into life’s safe harbors.

Where wisdom is by-passed, however, we will undoubtedly suffer it’s lack. May we seek and find forgiveness for all that we say and do that
does not agree with His sovereign 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,

Matthew 2:7-12, “Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.’
9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 After coming into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.”

(1)Notice first that they were Wise because they sought Him.
Joseph A. Seiss’ book, The Gospel in the Stars, sets forth how the
created heavenly lights led these men to the Boy Jesus. It is believed
that the magi came to Israel from ancient Persia, which lay to the east.
Precisely who they were or how many were in their company, it is impossible to know. It is believed, however, that they were ancient astronomers, a dozen or more, whose continual focus on the skies had led them to a star they had not previously discovered. The star moved; thus, they followed it ultimately to the Christ Child.

The “Star” that leads us to the Savior is called the Bible, the Holy Scriptures. Study the Scriptures and you will be enlightened with respect to Jesus and all that His Heavenly Father required of Him to bring about our salvation. Has this been your experience? Have you sought Him?

(2)Notice, too, that They were Wise because they found Him.
There’s a song that says, “I found what I wanted when I found the Lord.”
Yet, there are many who hear of Him from the Scriptures, but never learn from Him. Foolishly, they say, “I don’t want it! I don’t want Him!” Still, there will come a day when they will seek Him and He will not be able to be found. Wisdom says, “Strike while the iron is hot.”

(3)Notice too, that they were wise because the followed Him. Going
anywhere was difficult in Jesus’ day. Especially, is that true of those who
struggled over everything leading up to actually “following Him.” Yet, wisdom is viewable in the lives of those who have followed Him.

In which category do you find yourself? Are you currently “seeking” Him”, or have you “found” Him, or are you following Him by daily reading His Word? There will come a Day for Accounting. We will all stand before Him. Are you ready for the Judgment Day?

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,

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

I remember well the deaths of my parents and my grandparents. Since I had trusted the LORD when I was seven years of age, I was a Christian at the times of their deaths. It would be years before I would have any formal theological training; yet I knew that those who died, having believed in the LORD Jesus Christ as their Savior, would one day arise from the dead and live forever with Him.

I was pastoring a church at the tender age of 17, thus the understanding of the passage cited above was well-known to me. Subsequently, I have delved deeply into the Scriptures both in personal study as well as in formal theological studies.

It has for years now been my earnest, studied conviction that the next event on God’s timetable is what is known as the Rapture. At that time (as Paul describes in the Scripture above), the LORD Jesus Christ, who arose from the Tomb and ascended to God the Father in Heaven, would suddenly come again, and snatch up into Heaven all those dead and alive (like my parents and grand-parents) who have trusted Him as their LORD and Savior. According to the Scriptures, it is unquestionably the next major event on God’s timetable.

Simultaneously, the clouds of wars and rumors of wars are today gathering clearly as the LORD has predicted. At my current age, it is unlikely that I will be alive on Earth when the Rapture occurs. But, like my parents, grandparents, and my dear wife, Rose Marie, I will then be caught up from the grave with them to meet the LORD in the air!

That garguantian event will still not be the end of the world. There will be wars arising from Satan’s deceitfulness –wars that will occur on the Plains of Megiddo in Israel. I have seen those plains –flat and extending for miles! Some of the great ancient battles of the world have been fought right there; yet, none like that what will be generated by the Antichrist in his day.

My dear reader, consider carefully what the Scriptures say! The same Jesus, who went to the Cross as the Sacrifice for our sins, is Coming Again! Please, please be ready. Trust Him today as LORD and Savior of your own life. That’s the preparation you need to be ready. And when you’ve been saved, share Him with others! Jesus is the only Key to a Heavenly Eternity!

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,

1 Timothy 6:6-10, “…godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Perhaps I’ve simply failed to notice it in previous years, but it seems that virtually every email that finds its way into my inbox this year wants money! Other than email from family and close friends, there’s little-to-nothing said about the Christ Child. It is He, who came to give us hope and salvation. It is He, who is ignored; everyone wants us to focus on them.

Certainly, Christmas time is a time for giving –at least, it ought to be. It’s a time when God the Father gave us His only begotten Son that we might be saved from sin and from all the ugliness that awaits so many in the hereafter. It’s when we receive Him, that we have opportunity for true rejoicing! And as we rejoice, we then want to give!

We want others to know Him as we do! So, we verbally share Him with them. We pray that they will come to know Him and rejoice with us.

Often, too, we share gifts and money with others in celebration of Christ’s coming! Yet, there’s nothing we have to share that comes even close to Christ Jesus Himself, or the gift He has given us through His death on the Cross for our sins.

If you’ve trusted Him as your Savior, rejoice and share Him with those who have not. If you’ve not trusted Him, give yourself the best Gift ever: Jesus Christ! He will bring hope and love beyond
any physical gift you will ever receive. Pray this prayer most sincerely:

“Dear Lord, I know that I have sinned
and need your forgiveness. Please
forgive me for all my sin, and come
into my heart and life. I want to live
and serve You as my Lord and Savior.
In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.”

Now, trust Him to have heard your prayer and thank Him for
loving and saving you. Start reading the Bible every day and
find a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching Church. You will then grow in your faith and in your love for your Savior, Jesus Christ.

Prayerfully and 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