The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 73:21-24, “When my heart was embittered, and I was pierced within,

22 Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before Thee.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand.

24 With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.”

Sometimes reading the Bible reminds us of just how bad we are! What’s worse, it

tells us that the LORD Himself knows how bad we are! The first two verses give us

a very, clear picture. Bitterness starts in the heart! Something we had planned went wrong; somebody did something that adversely affected us; thereafter, our focus

became bitter toward another person, sometimes even toward God.

Christians are not exempt from bitterness, although it should and does lie outside

our behavior pattern. Closer examination reveals that such attitudes are both

“senseless and ignorant.” Believers are to be under the control of the Holy Spirit,

and bitterness and its resulting behaviorisms are never His assignments.

Getting a grip on himself, the believer realizes that he still belongs to the LORD.

Perhaps recalling an incident in his own, younger life, the psalmist notes how the

LORD has taken him by the hand, just as his mother had doubtlessly often done.

The psalmist then and there declares his confidence that the LORD will be his

counsel and will forever guide him in right paths. Further, when the LORD considers

that His servant has learned what He willed and has completed his task on Earth,

He will receive him into His Heavenly Home.

The Bible and the Holy Spirit are both gifts to every Christian believer. The Scripture

gives us written instructions that we should spiritually and practically absorb every

day. The Holy Spirit is the LORD residing within us, triggering and tweaking our

thoughts so as to enable us to fulfill His purpose and glorify Him through our lives.

Where do you stand in all of this? Does the LORD have your hand? Has His Word

invaded and altered your lifestyle? Are you obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit?

And are you ready for Heaven, should He suddenly call you? These are considerations

of far greater value than the glitter of worldly treasures. Get a spiritual focus on Christ while yet there is time!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 69:1-4, “Save me, O God, For the waters have threatened my life.

2 I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters,

and a flood overflows me.

3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.

4 Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who

would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies, What I did not steal, I

then have to restore.”

Were you ever confronted with a situation that appeared hopeless? In retrospect, you might not have viewed it quite as seriously; yet, at the time, you were confused and bewildered and saw absolutely no solution. You were cornered and had no observable way out.

It’s quite probable that David had many such situations. His current troubles, however, threatened his very life! What was encouraging was that he knew the One who could and would rescue him.

The Scriptures do not reveal the specifics of David’s dilemma. His writing is in a “colorful” style, which causes us to believe that there may have been several situations that he molded together in this overt cry for help.

Surely, we’ve all experienced situations so enormous that it was like drowning. Our instability in those times was like having nothing firm under our feet. There was no stable support, and enemies were raging against us! Our throats were hoarse from crying for help, and our eyes were weak, as sleep was rapidly, yet graciously setting in upon us.

Worst of all, multiplied people were storming against us without the slightest bit of evidence against us. “Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies. What I did not steal, I then have to restore.”

Some things appear to have no answer; but they just appear that way. Later in this psalm, David reports that despite being, “… afflicted and in pain; may Thy salvation, O God, set me securely on high. I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving” (vv. 29-30).

May we learn to praise the LORD regardless of our circumstances! No one said it was easy, but we know that everything the LORD does is right, and that He does it for those whom He loves.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 56:1-4, Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me; Fighting all

day long he oppresses me.

2 My foes have trampled upon me all day long, For they are many who fight proudly

against me.

3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.

4 In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What

can mere man do to me?”

One of the most wonderful things in the world is the possession of friends! True friends are consistently inquiring of your needs and doing everything they can to encourage and excite your life. At the same time, there seem always to be those who would like to see Christians brought down. The people of Gath were like that. They had reason to hate David, for it was he, who as a mere lad, had killed their Champion, Goliath. People don’t forget things like that.

David’s recourse was not always to fight. Yet, even when he did, there often seemed to be more against him than those on his side. Beyond that, it seems that his enemies gloated over fighting against him. The word “proudly” ) ??????marom( means haughtily, so there was some smugness embedded in fighting against David. That always snuffs out a bit of a fighter’s zeal.

So, David turns to the LORD and pleads with Him to “be gracious.” Be on my side, he was saying. “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.” What a motto for life! The LORD always softens the blows of the adversary, be it a man or Satan himself.

In summation, David says, “In God, whose Word I praise, In God I have put my trust…” The word for trust is ) ??????batach( meaning “confidence.” And confidence brushes away all fear. “What can mere man do to me?” David boldly asks. Ironically, that is pretty close to what the soldiers of Gath thought when they sent Goliath to do battle with a man in Israel. Let me reappropriate the words of an old saying: “It’s not ‘how large is the man in the fight’; it’s how large is the fight in the Man.” With the LORD, there is no limit!

Of course, we appreciate our friends! May they always be ready to be used by Him; yet, “there’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus; no, not one. No, not one.” Believe Him, trust Him, depend on Him! There is no one greater; there is no one else!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 37:7-9, “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him

who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

9 For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the

land.”

It’s funny how many things from childhood return to one’s mind. When I was mistreated

by other kids, I couldn’t rest until I got even! (Of course, I was the only one like that, you know.) My dear mother really knew how to handle me. She would calm me down and

say, “Now, you know the LORD will take of that. Just don’t try to handle it yourself.” Sometimes, she had to repeat that “encouragement” several times, but eventually I learned. And eventually, the LORD took care of those situations.

The word rest literally means “wait in silence.” And wait patiently. Don’t burn with anger

when someone else prospers, or “advances.” We’re always so sure we are in the right. Did you ever consider that you could be “right” and “wrong” at the same time?

Let’s say that someone has lied about you, and you are determined to see them correct what they said and admit they were lying. Okay, you’re “right” about that; but you’re “wrong” when you attempt to correct things by yourself, without the LORD, and at a self-chosen time.

Cease means “relax from anger.” Forsake wrath translates “leave rage behind.” Why? because it all leads to more evil doings. Are we just going to allow evil to triumph? In a way, we are; but eventually, evil will end in disaster. “…evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD will inherit the land.”

I thank the good LORD that my mother read, understood, and applied the principles of

the Bible to everyday life. Otherwise, I might well be writing this from somewhere behind bars. Let’s hear it for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS! The LORD knows how greatly we need them!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 33:10-12, “The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans

of the peoples.

11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to

generation.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for

His own inheritance.”

Let me to encourage you to read this entire psalm. It has but 22 verses and subdivides

into three sections. Section One emphasizes praise to the LORD. Everything we do ought to accrue to the praise of the LORD (vv. 1-5). Praise emphasizes trust; and the LORD delights in our trust of Him.

Section Two emphasizes power –the power of the LORD (vv. 6-12). It is the LORD who created the heavens and the Earth. It did not occur from “a big bang”; it occurred from a Big Breath – “For He spoke, and it was done” (v. 9). The inestimatable power of the LORD extends endlessly. It “nullifies the counsel of the nations” (v. 10) and blesses those “nations whose God is the LORD” (v. 12).

Section Three emphasizes preservation (vv. 13-22). It is easy to become discouraged.

We are tuned to worldly things about us; and when they are bleak, we have the tendency to become bleak, too, and question whether the LORD will provide for our needs. Yet, as a father is honored when his son looks only to him, so our Heavenly Father is glorified when we look only to Him. Should He provide through others, it is He who should receive the glory.

We all have discouraging circumstances from time-to-time. With some, the situation never seems to change. Annie Johnson Flint wrote the following lines –lines that have been used to encourage many in their dark hours of life. May they encourge you, as well.

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance;
When our strength has failed e’er the day is half done;
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth, and giveth again.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”