The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 8:22-26, “I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.”

27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.

28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

29 “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.

31 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.”

It is more often than not that we get tied up in knots of worry. Jesus warned His disciples about worrying. Yes, it’s difficult to eliminate worry from our thoughts; still, no worry ever accomplished anything except more worry and oftentimes ulcers!

Worry is anti-trust! We say we trust, but we simply cannot (or will not) wait. The LORD’s timing is always precise – not only in the promise, but in the execution of His promise. He just wants us to learn to fully trust in Him.

Yes, I can hear some readers say, “You just don’t know how it is!” Oh, really? I have some stories – true stories! – that you should hear. They would prove my thought! “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Heartily in Christ,

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 8:12-18, “Then Jesus again spoke to them saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’ So the Pharisees said to Him, ‘You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.’

Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.’”

Believe it or not, we live in a world of moral darkness. If you doubt that, you haven’t seen the news lately. Fraud and theft are everywhere! Sin abounds as if it scarcely, previously existed. Numerous people in politics and leadership everywhere are engaged in evil. “The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil…” (1 Timothy 6:10). It is amazing that Law Enforcement can keep abreast of the multiple evils that surround us!

The Scriptures tell us that such evil will abound in the last days! “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and snares; and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction” (1 Tim. 6:9). Moreover, mankind has largely turned its back upon the LORD Jesus Christ and is challenging Him regarding spreading untruth about Himself.

Mark it well! We are living in the last days. We have been warned by the Scriptures. Godly men continue to minister in a variety of communicative media. Live each day as if it were your last. Someday it will be! And that may be sooner than you think!

Heartily in Christ,

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,

Galatians 5:19-26, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”

It means everything is to start off correctly in a New Year! Admittedly, this presents a formidable challenge. The year is new, but you and I are not! Some (if not all) of the challenges we encountered in past years are again ready to challenge us in A.D. 2026.

If past years are anything to be considered (and they are!), we must either engage new or find better means of combating the enemy of the past. It is foolhardy to think we can overcome new obstacles unless we have previously experienced some victories over them.

Please know that it is not the intention of this writer to imply that the 15 or more negatives noted in the verses above are currently present and knocking on the virtual door of those who are receiving this letter. Nor does this writer possess any knowledge of the attempts, present or future, that will consistently pound on the door of your heart at any given time. All he knows is what he himself experiences and that the LORD is herewith warning every reader that such invasions will attack, and often with a vengeance!

Our only protection comes from the LORD through His Holy Word and from our consistent faithfulness each day with Him in prayer. Let us start 2026 with faithful dedication and living in the Spirit. God bless you abundantly as we commence this New Year!

Heartily in Christ,

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,

1 Samuel 2:18-21, “Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

19 And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, ‘May the LORD give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.’ And they went to their own home.

21 The LORD visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD.”

Did you ever know anyone who endeavored to bargain with the LORD? (Don’t answer that! It might be self-incriminating.) All kidding aside, have we not often said, “Oh, LORD! If You’ll just answer this prayer, I will be and do what You want of me”? Yet, it is not the LORD’s business to bargain with His subjects. He does answer prayer, yet it is answered according to His will. And His will is always better for us than our own.

In any event, Hannah, young Samuel’s mother, continued to “make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year” when she attended worship with her husband. Eli, the priest, saw the dedication and desire of Hannah’s heart; thus, he would appeal to the LORD for children for Hannah.

The LORD heard the prayer of Eli, the priest. Moreover, He saw the dedication of Samuel’s mother; thus, “she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters.”

We often wonder why the LORD does not answer our prayers. Could it be that we lack the spiritual dedication the LORD desires in us? Perhaps we should focus on being what the LORD desires; that He might be inclined to focus on the desires of our hearts?

Happy New Year!

Heartily in Christ,

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,

Nehemiah 10:28-33, “Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding,

29 are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of our Lord God, and His ordinances and His statutes;

30 and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.

31 As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

32 We also placed ourselves under obligation to contribute yearly one third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:

33 for the showbread, for the continual grain offering, for the continual burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moon, for the appointed times, for the holy things and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God.”

One thing that could be said of the Prophet Nehemiah is that he was not sinless. That’s a factor common to all of us! Nevertheless, Nehemiah was a true and tested leader. The people, regardless of their positions, had “separated themselves from the peoples of the land” where they were living. We would do well to do the same.

Appointed by the LORD to lead the people, Nehemiah declared, “We will not buy from them on the Sabbath or a holy day.” I can remember when we refused to buy or sell on Sunday because it was the LORD’s Day! Some shops closed on Sundays out of respect for religious tradition. So much for negatives! Nehemiah “placed (the people) under obligation” to support the House and service of the LORD by the annual contribution of a shekel “for the sin offerings…and all the work of the house of our God.”

Heartily in Christ,

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