The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 24:3-14, “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
5 “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

The deaths of some loved ones was announced today in one of the Sunday Bible classes I attend. Death is a certainty for almost everyone. I say, “almost,” because there will be those alive when Jesus returns –and they will not die. Still, there is no indication in Scripture as to how many will be alive at Jesus’ coming.

His disciples were curious concerning His coming, and Jesus’ response was the Scripture passage cited above. If we belong to Christ, we are not to be misled by the many who will come claiming to be Christ Himself. If you have watched any religious programing on television, you have doubtlessly encountered some preachers, who claim even to be on a “first-name” basis with Christ! I have known some notable people in my lifetime, but never did I publicly address them on a “first-name” basis. Be aware of the wolves that dress in sheep’s clothing!

Jesus warned of the increase of “wars and rumors of wars” (v. 6). He noted that nations “will rise against” each other, and that there will be “famines and earthquakes” in various places throughout the earth. These disasters are already present in various countries of today’s world. People will betray one another, even some who were thought to be friends. False prophets are on the increase, seemingly by the day! And lawlessness is increasing at an alarming rate!

While spiritual coldness pervades the world, many nations are turning against the only hope they truly have – the Love of Jesus Christ that comes to them via dedicated missionaries and via Christian radio and television. Then, when the LORD is satisfied that His offer of salvation has been permeated this lost, hell-bound world, He will come back to rescue those who have trusted Him and faithfully served Him by loving lost souls and earnestly seeking to bring them to faith in Jesus Christ.

If you know Him, are you doing your part in witnessing of His saving grace? And if you have yet to confess your sins and begged His forgiveness, I would urge you to do so quickly! Nothing counts with God except the acceptance of His Son, Jesus. And no one knows how much time he has left to trust 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,

Deuteronomy 5:19-22a, “’Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.
17 ‘You shall not murder.
18 ‘You shall not commit adultery.
19 ‘You shall not steal.
20 ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
21 ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.’
22 “These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more.’”

How many times did your parents have to remind you of the necessity of doing good behavior? The chances are the answer is “more times than you can count.” Yes, these are virtually the same Ten Commandments that were given to Israel in the book of Exodus. And their repetition is required, too.

The nations of the world are in deep trouble today for their lack of adherence to morality. Nations may all give allegiance to their gods, but the LORD God alone exists and demands that we all worship Him. His commandments alone are basic to the morality that we have forsaken. It is no wonder why the commandments are repeated for us.

Yet, even faithful adherence to these commandments is insufficient when compared with the death, burial and resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ. Salvation in the LORD Jesus results in the morality that is lacking in our world today. We must remember that salvation does not lie in the physical membership of any church. It lies in the LORD Jesus Christ alone. When our lives are surrendered to Him, He produces within us the morality that is sorely lacking. Have you surrendered your life to Him? He is the only key to true and abundant 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,

Ephesians 6:1-4, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),
3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction
of the Lord.”

The concept of “freedom” is much easier to envision than it is to instill. If the original Old Testament Commandment, “Honor your father and your mother…” (Exodus 20:12), seems insufficient today, try the verses cited above for today’s times, as well. Noteworthy is the fact that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians carries with it the instruction of the LORD. And if today’s news is to be trusted, we had better move quickly and activate Paul’s directions.

Honor bespeaks “respect”; and it includes both parents and is accompanied with a promise. The initial aspect of the promise is that “it may be well with you.” Do what you’re told and you’ll get along well with your parents and your peers. Peace in the household sets the “temperature” for all other human connections. Stated simply: those who learn to obey their parents, learn to get along with their peers and with older adults. In all, it makes for a more peaceful world.

Yet, there’s another divine promise in verse 3: “…so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the Earth.” The idea of it “being well with you” may cover your health and even accomplishments in your life’s work. There is a temptation to focus solely upon what you can gain; however, a peaceful household is beneficial to parents and children alike. There’s an old saying that says: “You can’t do wrong and get by.” Perhaps, you’ve tried that and found it yourself to be true. Now, try the “good” side of behavior. My guess is you’ll like it best.

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 24:5-14, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

At the same time, readings like our Scripture above reminds us (or so they should) of how rapidly the world is changing and how close we are to the end of civilization as we know it. Everybody, it would seem, is in conflict of some sort – personal, political, international. Wealth, too, drives the conflict, and many of those who possess wealth believe it is the answer to all the problems of the world. It is not! But, the love of it is! Possessors of BIG MONEY believe they have the answer to everything. More often than not, they are the problem! Read 1 Timothy 6:10.

The Church is charged by the LORD to carry His Message of Love into all the world. Yet, while missionaries continue to carry the Message of Salvation worldwide, many churches have become largely political with leaders focusing on money and what it can buy! When money is prominent, the vision of the Word becomes foggy.

With all the world’s attractions dangling before us, it’s easy to neglect the Word of God. Yet, what we learn from Scripture will always supersede what we learn elsewhere. So, why am I reading Christian History instead of the Scriptures? It’s not “instead of”; it’s “in addition to” the Scriptures! Join me in that! You’ll be glad you did! The time of Christ’s return is accelerating. He is coming soon! Be 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

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 14:5-12, “A trustworthy witness will not lie, But a false witness utters lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, But the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

One of the early accounts of the wisdom of Solomon concerned two women who claimed to be
the mother of a new-born child. King Solomon ordered a sword and said he would cut the child
in half and give each half to each of the women, who claimed to be the mother. Ultimately, the woman
who was the true mother of the child, relinquished her right to the child. She was more willing to
give her child to the other woman than that it should be slain and profitable to neither.

Honesty, knowledge of the truth, and absenting one’s self from a fool, leads to true understanding.
How can one discern the knowledgeable from the fools? The fools mock at sin, as if it did not
exist. Their hearts overflow with bitterness. Joy flees from them. Furthermore, the house of the
wicked will ultimately be destroyed, while the upright will flourish. All the while, those who study
and engage in the ways of the wicked, will be destroyed.

The way that seemed right was wrong, and it ended up in death to those who embrassed it.

Whose philosophy do you follow: that of the upright? or the wild? None of the fools have ever extracted
themselves from bondage. What makes you believe you can? The LORD Jesus Christ alone can
change your life. Yield it to Him! Absorb His teachings in the Word. Become what He alone can make you! You’ll never be sorry!

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