The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 8:1-9, “In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them,
2 “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.
3 “If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.”
4 And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?”
5 And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”
6 Jesus directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and distributed the food to His disciples, who served them to the people.
7 They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well.
8 And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces.
9 About four thousand were there; and He sent them away.”

Were you ever with a group that was hungry, but together lacked sufficient funds for a meal? That’s precisely where Jesus and his disciples found themselves. The people were so gripped by Jesus’ message that they had gone without food for three days.

Jesus cited an additional problem: if the crowd were dismissed to go home, some, living a great distance, would simply lack the strength to reach home.

Jesus, of course, knew all along what He would do. At the same time, He posed the problem in the effort to provoke His disciples to think and ultimately depend upon Him. After all, the people had but seven small loaves of bread and a few fish.

The LORD then blessed the meager provisions and His disciples distributed them to the waiting congregation. And the Scripture says, “They ate and were satisfied…”

Are we aware that every provision of food we have comes from the hand of Almighty God? Our computer screens plead for money for food for the starving people in various nations of the world. Even in our own countries, there are people who lack funds for food– and for clothing? Are we thankful for what we have? Are we willing to share with them the Christ who is able to save?
Are we praying for those who need His provisions?

The greatest need in our world today is for those without Jesus to accept Him as their LORD and Savior. Once they belong to Him, He will meet the entirety of their needs, according to His will. Such is not to exclude our giving what we are able to give; it simply lays them before Christ Jesus, who can adequately meet all of what they need. In the meantime, we should pray for them all.
There are those who are praying for you right now!

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,

2 Peter 1:1-4, “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

Having completed a 600-page book –something I ought to have read many years ago, I turned to a much smaller volume. The books are entirely different in style and content. With only two chapters of the smaller volume having thus far been read, I am already keenly aware that the smaller is of more immediate value than the former.

In our verses above, Simon Peter quickly identifies himself as a “bond-servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” What he has received from the LORD, however, is not exclusively his alone. He is but one of the faithful who is humbled by the joint title, the same “grace and peace” that Peter received through the righteousness of Christ, he is anxious for others to receive. Hence, his two short letters have inestimable value for us today.

That “grace and peace” from the LORD Jesus Christ contains everything pertaining to a life of godliness. It accompanies the knowledge of the “glory and excellence” of Christ Himself. These qualities are only bestowed upon those who have confessed their sins and become “partakers of the divine nature.” Have you experienced this? It is not something you attain apart from faith. It comes to you when you confess your sins to the LORD Jesus and ask His forgiveness. Read again verses 3 and 4 above. Then read the paragraph below —

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is
no other name under Heaven that has been given
among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

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,

Psalm 92:1-15, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night,
3 With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, with resounding music upon the lyre.
4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
5 How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man has no knowledge, nor does a stupid man understand this:
7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass and all who did iniquity flourished, it was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
8 But You, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD, for, behold, Your enemies will perish; All who do iniquity will be scattered.
10 But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 And my eye has looked exultantly upon my foes, my ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.
12 The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

Is there any question as to why the psalmist commences this psalm with praise? He has witnessed the LORD’s love and faithfulness by day and by night. There could be no justification for waiting. It was indeed time to sing praises to His Name!

Inasmuch as there were some who played instruments, they, too, were to lift their instrumental sounds in accompanyment with the voices of the people, for they were a people of praise –a people recipient of the glory and majesty of Almighty God!

The battle had yet to be fought; yet, there was not the slightest doubt but that the people of the LORD would be victorious. Why delay the singing? Such could only be expressive of doubt; and there was no doubt but that the LORD would win the victory!

What a challenge is laid at the feet of today’s Christian Church! The opposition appears to be leading… Where is the Church of the Living God? The true Church – His Church!—will ultimately be victorious! We must praise Him, yet within the boundaries set by the LORD Himself. We are not to feign worship with loud drums and cymbals! We are stand tall and ready for battle! We have voices that will acclaim His power and victory! He Himself will win the battle! Let every heart of man praise His Holy Name!

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,

Isaiah 30:15-19, “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.’ But you were not willing,
16 and you said, ‘No, for we will flee on horses,’ therefore, you shall flee! ‘And we will ride on swift horses,’ therefore, those who pursue you shall be swift.
17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; you will flee at the threat of five, until you are left as a flag on a mountain top and as a signal on a hill.
18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore, He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.
19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.”

Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, recently conducted a television interview with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel.

Despite the Prime Minister’s Judaistic beliefs, he is warm toward the Christian faith and warmer toward the United States than many who hold citizenship in this country. He is also quite knowledgeable of Israel’s
History. Whether the verses above denote Netanyahu’s current thinking, remains to be seen. Still, we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the nation as a whole.

At the same time, we should take note of the verses for ourselves. “In repentance and rest you will be saved…,” is a message to American Christians, too.
We cannot rely on our history, or our science, or our military. “God is our (only) refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).

His concern is not limited to the upper echelon of any
government. He is concerned for the humblest of men
and women, who have been captured by sin. He lived and died and arose from the grave to be the Savior and LORD of all who will believe. Are you on the LORD’s side? It is the surest and safest place to be. I’m in His hands and I’m praying for you to be there, too. It’s the best possible way to have a grateful THANKSGIVING!

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,

Isaiah 29:13-15, “Then the Lord said, ‘Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,
14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.
15 Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, and whose deeds are done in a dark place, and they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?”’”

Spy novels are often exciting! They’re more exciting, however, when they’re real. Scheming people plan to do evil, while those against whom they are scheming are working to stop them.

The Scripture passage above is something like that –only it’s real and has consequences well beyond our wildest imagination. The LORD is witnessing the half-hearted reverence of His people, who are pretending to honor Him, but are just reciting old traditions that they have just memorized.

Did you ever try to hide something from your parents when you were a child? You thought you had “pulled one over them,” only to find that they knew more about what you were concealing that you did! Shucks! They were smarter than you thought. Well, get ready for this: God is smarter that you think, too!

There’s an old saying –I think it was an old commercial that said, “You can’t fool Mother Nature.” It could well have been lifted from our passage above. Remember what it said?

“Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, and whose deeds are done in a dark place. And they say, ‘Who sees us?’ or ‘Who knows us?’” But to ask the question is to answer it. The all-seeing eyes of the LORD behold it all. What do you reckon He thinks of your life? Are you prepared to meet Him?
We will all meet Him some day. Better get ready….

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