The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 9:28-31, “Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.
29 And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.
30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,
31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”

If ever there were anyone who needed less to pray, it was Jesus. Yet, He prayed more often that any who followed Him. Jesus understood life. He understood its problems. He understood sin and the power of its grip upon mankind. Jesus also understood the miraculous and such elements that were quickly coming to pass.

Peter, James and John were undeniably His “inner circle.” They were always included when special events were about to occur. This special event occurred but once. It was the Transformation of Jesus Christ! Until now, the disciples had only beheld Him as human. Yet, this coming event lifted the human curtain that concealed His true identity. And it all occurred while He was praying.

For the first time ever, His disciples beheld Him solely as “the Christ.” His appearance was transformed completely; His complexion changed;” His clothing became extremely white and radiant! What’s more, He was joined by two of the most notable personalities in all the Old Testament: Moses and Elijah. Moses was one “whom the LORD knew face-to-face” (Deut. 34:10). Yet, Moses, to this moment in time, had never beheld the face of Jesus, the Son of God. Moses typifies those who knew Him, yet were physically dead. Elijah was the prophet who did not die. By faith, he was whisked aloft in a spiritual whirlwind to enter into Heaven without the experience of death. Elijah typifies the believers, who will be Raptured just prior to the Great Tribulation.

Now, these two dedicated servants of Old Testament times were giving courage and strength to the Savior, as He faced death on the Cross. Today, the Holy Spirit lives within all true believers, encouraging us to “keep on keeping on,” regardless of the circumstances that work to discourage us from carrying out our LORD’s mission. “Keep the Faith!” is more than a slogan. It’s a solemn commitment from us to the LORD! It also embraces His solemn commitment to us.

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,

Luke 9:23-26, “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’”

Have you ever wondered what the most difficult task in all the world might be? Overseeing a huge business? Running a government? Jesus says the most difficult thing in life is following Him. Maybe that’s why so many people have elected to go their own way. But why would following Jesus be so difficult? It is difficult because it means a total surrender of your mind and will to Him!

I once had a soldier tell me that it’s not difficult to leave civilian life and go into the army. “You just have to give up your own will and do only and all that the army tells you to do,” he said. That’s actually what Jesus said about following Him. At the same time, if you do only what you want in this life, you will loose the eternal life and the glorious rewards He promises to those who faithfully follow Him.

What kind of gain would it be to have and control of the entire world, if you lost everything else in the process? Jesus challenges us to count the cost. Check up on what you would gain and what you would lose. Yielding your life to Him in this life is His guarantee of encountering greater joy in the Life to come. How could you compare anything with the joy of seeing native people in a far-away land coming to know Jesus Christ?

Jesus said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). Remember that the rewards of the Father are for His children alone. Are you one of His children?

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 Corinthians 1:2-9, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The word “church” is not found anywhere in the Old Testament Scriptures. It is a uniquely a New Testament word, deriving from the Greek word ???????? ekklesia, meaning “assembly.” Jesus said, “…I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (???? hades) will not overpower it” (Matt. 16:18).

The Acts of the Apostles focuses upon the origin and expansion of the Church in New Testament times. Yet, the word “church” occurs more often in First Corinthians than in any other book in the New Testament.

Attacks upon the Church are quite literally attacks upon the LORD, her Founder. Over the years, the Church has taken on the meanings and likenesses of those, who historically and theologically aligned with her; so that today, we have scores of congregations who vary considerably in their teachings of Holy Scripture, but claim that they are in essence the Church that Jesus founded. The key to understanding what Church is valid lies is whether those who say they are “enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,” live to glorify Him. The elements that reveal Christ’s likeness confirm that they are the ones who have been born again (from Above) and comprise the Church.

To our shame, it must be admitted that many have “crept in unnoticed” (Jude 1:4) and will not be found blameless “in the day of our LORD Jesus Christ.” Let us remember that despite the actions and attitudes of some who besmirch the Name of our LORD Jesus, “God is faithful,” and through Him we have been “called into the fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our LORD.”

May His Church, which includes all who have personally confessed Him in faith, continue onward in true love, reaching the vast groups of people who inhabit this globe. And may His Church pray earnestly that the declaration of His Matchless Name would reach those who have yet to personally receive Him. May we ever be faithful to Him as He is faithful to us.

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 21:18-22, “Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry.
19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, ‘No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.’ And at once the fig tree withered.
20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, ‘How did the fig tree wither all at once?’
21 And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and cast into the sea,” it will happen.
22 ‘And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’”

The miraculous conception of Jesus teaches us that He is both God and man. The humanity of Jesus Christ is revealed here in His need for food. Yet, often Jesus used food as a tool for instructing His disciples. Here, in the verses above, we are told that He was hungry and sought figs from a nearby tree. When He discovered the tree was unproductive, He pronounced judgment against it, and immediately the tree shriveled and died.

Is it not possible that Jesus was teaching the disciples (and us) that failure to spiritually produce what He intended of them, would lead them to suffer loss? The disciples, however, were focused on the non-productive tree. Isn’t that the way with all of us? We’re not focused on what the Master wants; we’re concentrating on a withering old tree.

Jesus’ emphasis then shifts in answer to their question: “If you have faith and do not doubt…, “all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (You might want to read that statement again!) It’s the promise of the LORD, but its reality hinges upon our faith –our belief! Can you really believe? Will you truly believe?

Dr. Hubbard counsels us all when he says, “God controls the circumstances: give Him time to work! God conducts the opportunities: give Him the occasion to work. God conditions the heart: give Him the freedom to work.” Yet He works only for those who believe.

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,

Genesis 8:1-4, “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided.
2 Also the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained;
3 and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased.
4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.”

Remembrance is a strange thing. I was reading a science paper today when I recalled a friend from many years ago, talking about the speed of light. Things we encounter often trigger remembrances. Sometimes they are are delightful; sometimes they’re not. But non-the less, they are remembrances.

The word “remember” (????? zakar ) occurs 242 times in the Old Testament, and 64 times (???????? mimnesko) in the New Testament. What is interesting is that the first reference to the word “remember” relates to God remembering Noah and those who were with him in the ark. Sin had pervaded the Earth and the LORD destroyed it all –all, except the Noahic family and the animals that accompanied them.

Yet, the God who destroys is simultaneously the God who saves. He never forgets; and in the midst of His legitimate anger over sin, He is remembering and loving. It is the same with us today. Things we want to forget, He never forgets. The LORD is omniscient, all knowing. Yet, He is willing to forgive our sins if we will simply acknowledge them and ask His forgiveness.

Why would God ever neglect to forgive us when it cost Him His Son’s death on the cross? He forgives us because He loves us. Few if any of our own children ever behaved exactly as we had taught them. Punishment for bad behavior was administered in order that they might remember to do well; but punishment was never without love and purpose. So it is with God. He forgives because He loves; but He wants to know that we are sorry for our sin and are sincere in asking His forgiveness.

Things in our nation and world are worse today than I can ever recall. We could well be living in the last days. The Rapture (the “catching away” of born-again believers) has no signal to warn of it’s coming. It will simply come when the LORD desires it. Thus, the key question is: are you ready for Him to come? Confess your sins to Him today and ask Him to cleanse and save you. His Word says that He will not ignore the prayer of a sincere believer. Just don’t trust that somehow you can beat the speed of His light!

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