The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Isaiah 1:16-20, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil,

17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.

19 “If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land;

20 “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Were you ever turned away from the dinner table because you had neglected to wash your hands? Did you ever have a teacher or a boss who told you quite sternly that you didn’t know as much as you thought you did? You wanted to reply and explain, but you were not allowed to speak!

Those things come to mind when I read the above passage from Isaiah. We sometimes become so engrossed in secular and/or sinful things that we are not properly attired to even kneel in the LORD’s presence, let alone utter words in prayer. I’ve experienced that. Have you?

Let me suggest that you read again the passage noted above. The LORD will help us if we prayerfully repent. Human parents don’t want to punish us for doing wrong; neither does the LORD. He loves to forgive us, but we must faithfully “wash our hands” first.

I checked, and mine were a bit dirty; how about yours?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

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,

Song of Solomon 8:4-7, “I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not arouse or awaken my love, until she pleases.”

5 “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?” “Beneath the apple tree I awakened you; there your mother was in labor with you, there she was in labor and gave you birth.

6 “Put me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, jealousy is as severe as Sheol; its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD.

7 “Many waters cannot quench love, nor will rivers overflow it; if a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, it would be utterly despised.”

Some of you readers may be surprised that I have elected to include a selection from the Song of Solomon in today’s Scriptural reading. Some may also be surprised that many believers today (and of centuries past) have ignored the book altogether, inasmuch as the wording gives itself to what many would term licentious. Yet, we, who are adult believers, should respect it and its placement in Scripture, as being the will of God; otherwise, it would not rest at all within Holy Writ.

It must be admitted, however, that Christian couples who immerse themselves often in this volume would keep those early days of married life alive and meaningful.

Christian believers, however, while admitting that portions of this book are difficult to read publicly, are, nevertheless, a clearly a part of Scripture as are the Gospels of the New Testament. By the way, when did you last hear a Sunday sermon from the Song of Solomon?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

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,

Ecclesiastes 1:1-10, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 ‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher, ‘Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.’

3 What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?

4 A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

5 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; and hastening to its place, it rises there again.

6 Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north, the wind continues swirling along; and on its circular courses the wind returns.

7 All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.

8 All things are wearisome; man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing.

9 That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So, there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Is there anything of which one might say, ‘See this, it is new’? Already it has existed for ages which were before us.”

These words of Solomon remind me of a word my grandmother used when someone had said or done something they shouldn’t have. It was the word “comeuppance.” It’s not a popular word today, but it was with my grandmother. It’s without a doubt that Solomon and those of his day clearly understood its meaning.

What Solomon encountered in science, philosophy, wisdom, pleasure, materialism, and morality (to name but a few), he discovered to be totally unsatisfactory. Life itself is from God, and no one but God Himself can or will ever satisfy us. As it was with Solomon, so it is with us. Yield your whole life to Jesus! Confess your sins to Him in prayer. He alone will bring to you the comfort and warmth of love. There’s not a friend anywhere like Him!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

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,

Proverbs 9:10-18, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11 For by me, your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.

12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

13 The woman of folly is boisterous; she is naive and knows nothing.

14 And she sits at the doorway of her house, on a seat by the high places of the city,

15 Calling to those who pass by, who are making their paths straight:

16 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,” and to him who lacks understanding she says,

17 ‘Stolen water is sweet; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’

18 But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”

Are you fearful of the LORD? Are you truly? Do you live each day with a sensitivity to His presence and His will for your life? If you do, you’re on the path of wisdom. That is precisely what the LORD desires. It is His will that we always live with a clear knowledge of His presence. If we are truly His, and yet ignore Him, we will quickly learn that He is not to be ignored.

Remember when you were a child and how you quickly learned that your parents were in charge of your life? You were trained to do what they wanted, not what you desired. They were aware of the pitfalls that would lead you in life’s wrong direction. The LORD is all-wise. He wants the best for you. Ignore Him at your peril.

Jesus, His Son, was sent to give us life that only He could give. Jesus walked in the right pathway; He taught what we need to know. He gave us the Scriptures as our sole guidebook and the Holy Spirit as our Teacher. Yes, “stolen water is sweet,” but only for the moment. Christ alone is forever!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

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,

Psalm 29:1-4: “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His Name; worship the LORD in holy array.

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is over many waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.”

The entirety of what we know and call “Psalms” is a collection of 150 psalms, averaging some 30-odd psalms in each of five groups. Book One concerns man’s beginning in blessedness, his fall into sin, and recovery at the LORD’s hand.

Book Two tells of Israel’s ruin, her Redeemer, and redemption. Books Three through Five speak of the holy counsel of God, the earth, as man’s dwelling place, and the living Word of the Gospel (Jesus) as man’s Redeemer.

The word “worship” (Heb. shachah) means literally “to bow down.” Thus, the LORD, who is our Redeemer, possesses absolute authority by which to demand our proper recognition of Him as our only Redeemer. Nations that are basically ruled by one person understand their leader’s superiority and their own need to treat him with reverence. That’s why we also bow in prayer. All mankind is equally required to worship Jesus Christ with the utmost spiritual reverence.

The concept “…the LORD is over many waters” (v. 3b) verbally indicates the universal authority of the LORD Jesus Christ. When the King of England arose from his seat at the commencement of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, he was acknowledging the authority of the LORD Jesus Christ. As believers, we can do no less.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

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