The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ecclesiastes 5:1-6, “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
2 Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.
3 For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!
5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.”
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?”

I read a good bit in the news today that I simply do not believe. Even what might be called “Christian news” often gives me pause, for sometimes the “backstories” of those involved fills more of the column than what the person currently claims to be.

Especially is this true when we “go to the house of God…” Sometimes we think that it is sufficient when we offer hasty words borne of impulsive thoughts, only to forget what we have promised. The psalmist says that it is “better that (we) should not vow than that (we) should vow and not pay.”

Our speech causes us to sin when we promise some-thing, but don’t carry through with what we promise. We do expect the LORD to be true to His promises, don’t we? Then why should He not expect us to carry through with ours?

Think of the last time you made a promise to the LORD. Did you keep it? If not, why should you think the LORD should keep His promises? It’s easy to justify forgetting what we promised; yet, we want to hold Him to the promise He gives us. “…better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay” (vs. 5).

Start today with a solemn promise to carry through what you say. Now, how many times have you promised that you would stop doing…saying… being…, but you have not.

Give your life completely to Christ today. It will have never been in safer Hands –and for 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,

Hebrews 1:1-4, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.”

It may seem strange to you, but I have a warm and wonderful feeling as I write about the Name of our LORD Jesus Christ. Yes, it is His Name of which the Apostle Paul so eloquently writes.

Many people don’t like their name –at least, that’s what some have told me. “I really would have liked to be named after another relative,” some have said. Yet, they fell prey to a name chosen by their parents.

The name “Jesus” was chosen by God, His Father.
“Yeshua” (pronounced Joshua in the Old Testament), means “the LORD saves,” and is mentioned more than 900 times in the New Testament.

His Father gave Him the name, knowing that through Him alone could sinful mankind be forgiven of their sins. In the Father’s time, His Son, Jesus, went to the cross, dying as the Father’s Sacrifice for the sins of His created ones. And Luke writes, “…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” (Lk. 4:12).

Let me ask you a simple question: “Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and asked His forgiveness?” If not, why not? He is the only one who can save you. Trust Him today! Counsel with a Bible-believing and preaching pastor. Get into a church that is true to the Scripture, and share Jesus with a close friend.

If you have already trusted Him, live you life as He would have you live it. Love others, as He loves them. Tell others of His life and death and resurrection. When He comes again, you will be glad to have had all of this in your life. May God bless you abundantly!

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,

Rev. 21:3-8, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’
5 And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’
6 Then He said to me, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
7 ‘He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
8 ‘But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.’”

A currently, well-known pastor recently said, “The Christian faith doesn’t rise and fall on the accuracy of 66 ancient documents. It rises and falls on the identity of a single individual: Jesus of Nazareth.”

Statements like this disturb me notably. I can only imagine how it disturbs members of his congregation. If we cannot trust the 66 books of the Bible, how can we trust the Jesus of whom the 66 books testify? What do we know of Jesus outside of the witness of these 66 books?

Twenty-seven (27) of those 66 books are in the New Testament. Is the pastor challenging the veracity of New Testament Scripture as well? The Gospels clearly testify of Jesus; and while Old Testament Scriptures do not call Him “Jesus” by name, He is clearly identified in the Old Testament as the “Messiah,” Jesus (Savior) in the New Testament.

We’re living in dangerous times. Vladimir Putin is not
our only enemy. Apparently, some of our ministers are now playing fast ‘n loose with Holy Scripture,
confusing those who are either new in the faith or are contemplating the faith that was committed to the saints.

Be careful how you treat Scripture. Frankly, it would frighten me terribly to speak lightly of God’s Holy Word. Multiple believers in history have given their lives in defense of the Scripture that some today are taking lightly. Remember this solemn warning with which John closes the Book of Revelation:

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;
19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18-19).

Pray for your pastor! He carries great responsibilities!

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,

Acts 27:21-25, “When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, ‘Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss.
22 Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me,
24 saying, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.”
25 Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.’”

Some things take a lot of courage. A poor swimmer instinctively jumps into unknown water to save a baby from drowning. An unskilled, unknown man stands up in a crowd of imminent personalities and gives his opinion on the discussion at hand. There are multiple instances of sudden courage that require risk.

The Captain of the ship en route to Rome from Crete had ignored Paul’s advice not to set sail from Crete. (But what does a prisoner know about such things?)

Now, that prisoner stands up again and admonishes the Captian for not adhering to his previous advice. At the same time, he encourages the others by saying, “Keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you…” How does he know? Is he a magician of sorts?

Listen! Now he’s saying that an angel of the LORD told him this: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar, and behold, God has granted you all who are sailing with you…”

I’ve received a lot of the LORD’s promises through His Word. At other times, a calm peace just comes over me and I quit worrying about anything. There are so many uncertainties in life –uncertainties about which we do not know! When that occurs, try “trust.” Just don’t forget to pray!

“Trust and obey; for there’s no other way;
“To be happy in Jesus; but to trust and obey.”

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,

Acts 26:1-7; 12-18, “Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You are permitted to speak for yourself.’ Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
2 “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today;
3 especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.
6 “And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;
7 the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.”

(Saul now tells of his conversion to Christ.)
12 “While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me.
14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;
17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’”

Yesterday’s opportunity to witness for Christ prompts these passages concerning Paul’s witness of his own conversion. He had been the Jewish leaders’ foremost advocate and was unexcelled in imprisoning and killing those who believed in Jesus’ resurrection and Messiahship. Still, when the LORD revealed the Truth to Paul, he suddenly became the LORD’s chief spokesman. There is little I can add to what is stated above, except that Jesus is real, He changes people when they acknowledge their sins and confess Him as their LORD and Savior. And as I have said previously, salvation is so simple that that some stumble over its simplicity. A holy God requires a sacrifice for man’s sin. He provides the sacrifice through His Son, Jesus,
who died on the Cross of Calvary.

Yet, He did more: He arose from the dead; and when we believe on Him and ask His forgiveness for our sins, He accepts (saves) us, and He does so without delay. A mystical change occurs within us; we become new creatures and He becomes our LORD and Savior; and Heaven becomes our eternal home.

You won’t hear this in many churches today; but where you do hear it, you can count on it being one of His Churches. Trust Him today! Yield yourself to Him and His way! You will never regret knowing Christ Jesus as your Savior!

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