The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 5:1-4, “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.
4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.”

Someone once defined a “parable” as “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Here Paul is speaking in parabolic fashion when he uses the words “earthly tent.” Immediately then, he speaks of a “house (tent) not made with hands,” but a covering that is “eternal in the heavens.” When life gets really tough, it is then normal for us to think toward heavenly things.

Most of us know what it means to groan under burdens we don’t want to bear. “Awe, Mom… I don’t want to do that now!” Paul’s thoughts, however, are a bit more serious. He notes for us the difference between life on Earth and life in Heaven.

When Paul speaks of “clothed” and “unclothed,” he’s referencing the desire to be free (clothed) from the burdens of earthly life. I dare say that speaks for all of us; still, there is a considerable difference between earthly life and heavenly life. For one thing, we had no choice about being born into this earthly life. But, we do have a choice regarding Heaven. We simply must be born again –not physically, but spiritually!

And this spiritual birth is available to everyone, who by faith trusts in Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. Just ask Him to forgive your sins and take control of your life. You’ll find out what it is to be clothed in His righteousness! God bless you! You are in my prayers.

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 Corinthians 4:15-18, “For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

When I read this passage, I cannot but help thinking of Joni Erickson Tada. Injured in a swimming accident as a teenager, she has lived as an invalid all of her adult life! Have you ever heard her complain? I have not! She sees what happened to her as the opportunity to lean totally on Jesus Christ.

Nor does she ever lose heart! Some days are better than others, but no day is exactly what she would desire for herself; yet, she bears up under an unsolicited load as she demonstrates the power and joy of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul had many dreary days himself. Yet, he spoke of those days as of “momentary light affliction.” He refused to focus on the “bad” or “hurts” he encountered. He saw every day through a positive lens, “producing… an eternal weight of glory…”

When things seem to go wrong (as the often do!), try to see the spiritual benefit. It’s easy to do if we keep focused on the LORD Jesus Christ. No one ever suffered like He did; yet, He kept looking to His Father for grace to bear the adversities. What a perfect pattern He is for whatever assails us in life! “There’s not a one like the lowly Jesus. No, not one.”

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 2:1-5, “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

All of us have listened to preachers, who “wowed” us with words we had never heard and stories that kept us on the edges of our seats. Yet, according to Paul’s words regarding his preaching, we would have been greatly disappointed in him. He simply proclaimed “the testimony of God.”

Have you noticed how children like “simple things”? Even the music and movement of a huge, classical orchestra falls behind the comical antics of silly drawings of dancing animals clothed in bright colors. Think about the comparison. Doesn’t what we want to hear from the pulpit really measure the “age” of our spiritual desires?

Many people –maybe most, therefore, would not appreciat the simplicity of Paul’s pulpit ministry. He had no cute stories, no funny anecdotes –just a clear and simple message about Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Not very exciting stuff to most in our day. But, it was and is more than equal to a siren that announces a “coming death” for those gathered in an assembly.

The farther Paul advances into his message of Jesus, the weaker he becomes. He knows the sacred value of his message. No time for antics. No time for silliness that ostensibly draws the mentality of the “adult children” in the congregation. Paul is there to demonstrate the Holy Spirit and His power. But, why is that his purpose? He longs that the faith of his audience might not “rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

Where does your faith rest? Is it in your pastor? in your church? Hopefully, your faith rests solely on Jesus Christ. “Jesus is everything; and everything is in Jesus!”

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 1:18-25, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, ‘I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.’
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Were you ever called upon for a private or public comment on something that was quite evidently self-explanatory? If you have, you know how hesitant I am right now as I search for words to explain something that needs little-to-no explanation.

Where is the wise one, who has accepted the so-called “wisdom” of this world? The Jews asked for miraculous signs; the Greeks scoured the scrolls for the wisdom of mankind. Yet, both were rewarded with the ignorance that is with us from their ages. Thus, mankind in our own time is as empty as it was for them! Why? because the “foolishness of God is (always) wiser than men…”

Wherein, then, lies the answer? We skipped it like others before us. The true answer lies back in verses 23: “…we preach Christ crucified…” Jesus, the very Son of God, went to the Cross to pay the price of our sin. It’s the “…message preached…” that saves “those who believe.” It’s the message that Christ died for our sins, and He covers those sins with the blood He shed on that Cross.

But, how does that work for me? you ask. All sin is ultimately against God. When you confess your sins to Him and accept Christ Jesus’ sacrifice for them on the Cross, He forgives you –just like that! Don’t stumble over its simplicity. Just believe what the Scripture says. God does the rest. In fact, He is the One helping you to believe. Give Him your sin; He will give you life –eternal 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,

1 Corinthians 1:10-17, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”
13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.
16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”

Were you ever a part of a group whose members weren’t friendly with each other? If so, you understand how difficult it is to bring opposing sides together. That’s exactly what Paul was experiencing with the church at Corinth.

Thinking that they might all argue with him that he didn’t have his facts straight, Paul cited “Chloe’s people” as his source of information. “Chloe’s people” always had the correct information on difficult situations.

This church was divided four ways: those who said they followed Paul, those who said they followed Apollos, others who said they followed Cephas (Peter), and those who said they followed Christ. Paul argued that Christ was not divided. If any of them truly followed Christ, they would not have been at odds with all the others. The LORD’s people must not be divided!

It would seem that Paul had to do some quick and careful thinking about whom he himself had baptized, because baptism was not what Christ called him to do! He was sent by the LORD Jesus to preach the gospel, and not even with “cleverness of speech.” He had been called to share Christ Jesus with others.

If you have trusted Jesus as your LORD and Savior, it is His will that you then share your Savior with others. Are you doing that? If you’ve yet to trust Him, He urges you to trust Him quickly. The only division the LORD wants is our separation from the devil and all of his nefarious ways.

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