The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Let’s say that you have an opportunity to witness to someone who is lost and needs to be saved. How

do you do it? What Scripture do you use, and how do you use it?

LEADING A PERSON TO FAITH IN CHRIST:

1. Let’s look closely at this verse. What does the word “wages” mean to you?

Answer: Wages are payments in return for something.

2. The next word we want to examine is “sin.” What is “sin?”

Answer: Sin is everything God isn’t and things of which He doesn’t approve.

3. What does “death” mean?

Answer: Death is the opposite of life and may be temporal or eternal. (You may need to describe what “temporal” means. (It is physical death to the body.)

4. What is a “gift”?

Answer: Gift is something freely given and for which nothing is required except receiving it.

5. What is “eternal life?”

Answer: Eternal life is like God’s Life: it’s life that never ends. The body may die, but the soul never dies. This means we will one day live forever in Heaven with God.

6. Why would God give you “eternal life?”

Answer: God is love. He loves you and desires that you love Him in return.

7. Who is Jesus, and what did He do for us?

Answer: Christ Jesus is God’s first and only Son; He died for our sins, and then arose

from the dead, proving the Father’s sufficiency concerning His Son’s death.

8. How would you tell God that you are sorry for your sins?

Anticipated answer: Talk or Pray to Him.

That’s right. Wouldn’t you like to pray to Him right now and ask Him to forgive you?

Okay, you just talk to Him and tell Him you’re sorry for your sin and ask Him to forgive you.

Then, I will pray when you have finished. Okay?

Let’s bow our heads and you just talk to Him like you would talk to me. He will understand.

9. After the person and you have prayed, you ask, “Remember, our verse? It used the word “gift.”

What do you do when someone gives you a gift?

Answer: They will say, “You receive it…” You need to affirm every correct answer they give:

“That’s right. Anythng else? (At some point they will say “Thank Him”?

Your reply: Yes! Wouldn’t you like to thank the LORD for saving you?

Then have the person pray first and you will follow by thanking Him, too.

At this point, saying “Thank You” to the LORD is where the person becomes aware of what has

truly taken place in his/her heart and life! Joy in the heart will then show on the face!

Don’t be stilted. Be warm and tender. You don’t have to use exact words, just be sure to emphasize

the words that really count in this process: wages, gift, life, etc. Just be sure to Thank Him!

You may ask if the person has a Bible (New Testament). If they don’t, and it’s possible, arrange for him or her to receive one from you. But, don’t promise if you can’t deliver!! That will cast a shadow of doubt in the person’s mind over all you have said.

Use this method at your next opportunity; then let me know how it went. If you have questions, I’ll be

more than happy to answer them. God bless you abundantly!

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,

Daniel 6:3, 5, 7, “Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps

because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire

kingdom.

5 Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it

against him with regard to the law of his God.’

7 “All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the

governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction

that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast

into the lions’ den.”

It was a conversation I shall never forget. My mentor, Dr. Earl L. Pounds, was discussing a situation with me when he said, “Sometimes, you have to be smart enough to be a little bit dumb.” The context of that particular situation has long escaped me, but that one sentence has glued itself tightly to my memory. It’s the dumb and the smart that we survey tonight.

Although he was a Jew and technically a foreigner, Daniel had distinguished himself before Babylonian kings Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar and now Darius. He had explained kings’ dreams and had been elevated to third highest position in the kingdom. But, that’s where the problem began. Jealousy raged in the hearts of the other kingdom officials! They had to do something to displace him from his position and authority over them.

These pagans rulers had to displace Daniel. They concocted a scheme against him. And they reasoned well that their scheme would not succeed unless they found something wrong with Daniel’s God! I’ve had my share of adversaries in my lifetime, but my problem was that no one had to go outside of me to find fault. Does your life more resemble mine than Daniel’s? I was afraid of that!

So the schemers feigned pride in King Darius, heaping praise upon him and procuring his signature on a spurious 30-day document designed to consign Daniel to a Lions’ Den! Darius should have smelled a rat because the law he signed was only for 30 days! Why stop at 30? Why not 30 months or 30 years? Be warry when others heap too much praise on you. Something’s not quite right…

And all the while, Daniel was in prayer before the LORD God (v. 10)! The LORD had delivered him from

Nebuchadnezzar’s Fiery Furnace! He would deliver him from Darius’ Den of Lions!

The lesson here is two-fold: 1) Beware when others speak too highly of you. “There’s a monkey in the

woodpile somewhere,” as my mother used to say. And 2), stay close to the LORD in prayer. Let your life show forth “to the praise of His glory”; and always depend upon Him to be your Advocate and Deliverer! He never fails!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Please pray for my friends, Lenoid and Elena Kolker! They are dedicated Christians, who want to live and work in this

country. They desperately need our prayers and support!

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,

Romans 5:6-10, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having

been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

“Helpless” is a devastating situation. It indicates that nothing that can be done! Paul says that that is exactly where we are! Yet, at the “right time” – the exact time – Christ died for the ungodly. Mark it well that “the ungodly” includes the entire population of the world from the era of the Garden of Eden to the end of the world as we know it.

It was the Divine Love (?????, agape) of our Heavenly Father that initiated and merged with the Divine Love of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly became the Father’s Sacrifice for our sins. From the sacrifice of Abel in the Garden of Eden to the Sacrifice of Jesus, blood was required to satisfy the Father and stay His wrath.

Prior to Christ’s Sacrifice, mankind lived under the wrath of God. God’s own creation found reconciliation with Him throuh the shed blood of His Son. Prior to Christ’s death and resurrection, mankind lived at enmity with God. Now, all mankind can be reconciled through faith and be “rescued from a hazardous condition” through His life.

You are, therefore, not without help as before. Jesus’ Resurrection proves the power of His blood to satisfy the Father’s forgiveness. All you need do is admit your sin (i.e., repent) and believe (trust, and commit yourself) to Jesus for salvation! AT that point, the salvation of your soul will have never been in more Trusted Hands. God bless you!

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,

Romans 5:1-5, “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in

hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy

Spirit who was given to us.”

How many time we have been challenged by unbelievers! “I thought Christians were supposed to be free from trouble. If Jesus is so powerful, why is your son always sick? And how come you lost your job? Now, I hear they’re foreclosing on your house. Where is your God?”

The Scripture above says that 1) we have been justified by faith, and 2) that we have peace with God. We dare not challenge the veracity of the Scriptures; yet, at the same time the troubles of life are like the rain that falls indiscriminately on both the just and the unjust. What are we to say about the troubles that befall us?

First, we are to learn that faith is our introduction into the grace of God. We were saved (born-again) by grace when we believed by faith. We continue, however, to live in a real world with real problems. Sometimes, tragedies fall on us as believers as examples to others of how Christians deal with trouble. In our verses above, Paul took the high road and said that we “exult (boast) in our tribulations” because troubles produce patience within us. Moreover, patience demonstrates character –what we’re really made of. We have hope that looks beyond these temporary trials and disappointments!

All of what we are and how we react and respond to life’s turmoil lies in the love that God has placed within us in the Holy Spirit. The pandemic that pervades our globe has created panic in many because they have no hope. Like many of others, I have been subjected to “house sequestration” and “the mask” and the “hand-washings,” et al. Yet, I have had no symptoms and have tested negatively. What’s more, the LORD knows that I am ready to leave this Earth for His glorious Heaven, if that is His intention. I live in and under the same circumstances as others, but I am not in panic! It’s not personal, human bravery. It’s the comfort and confidence I possess in the Holy Spirit.

If you don’t possess confidence in the LORD, you need to submit to Him today. Turn from sin that breeds fear, and accept Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior today. A simple, but sincere, prayer of faith is what it takes. He hears what we say and longs to love us as one of His own. I am and will be praying for you.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Dr. Frances Collins once professed to be an atheist. Today he is a born-again Christian and heads the National Institute

of Health. Listen to his 29-minute interview with Lauren Green. It will strengthen your faith in this day of crisis.

Link: https://radio.foxnews.com/podcast/lighthouse-faith/

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,

Romans 2:9-11, 16, “There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and

also of the Greek,

10 but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

11 For there is no partiality with God.

16.…according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”

It seems impossible today for anyone to simply do what is right! That’s why evil prevails. Even those who are sworn to hold others accountable for doing wrong, do wrong themselves. It’s like the old addage of “the Fox guarding the chicken house.” And it’s the wink that those in charge of law and order give to wrong doing that exacerbates evil. And the proliferation of evil produces “tribulation and distress for every soul of man…”

The human author of the Letter to the Romans is himself Jewish, yet he makes no distinction regarding those who do evil. “God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.” Secrets are concealed remembrances of both good and bad thoughts and deeds. We sometimes read that “the secret was buried with him in his death.” But, it is not so! God will resurrect and reveal what man deems as “secret,” and Jesus will Himself sit in judgment over all these things.

At the same time, all the news from our passage is not bad. Those who embrace “glory and honor and peace” will be noted, and will escape divine judgment! Honest human judgements are but shadows of Christ Jesus’ coming judgment on all mankind. Still, Christ’s judgment probes much deeper into the intentions of the human soul.

I cleaned my microwave ahead of the lady who cleans my house. I thought I did acceptable work; but she found something I had overlooked. It was my embarrassment, as it will be of those who believe their works will be acceptable to Jesus Christ.

Is there any way to escape Christ’s judgment? Yes, it’s called “repentance.” It’s saying sincerely to God, “I am sorry! I have transgressed Your laws. I have engaged in evil. Please forgive me! I plead for Your strength to enable me to follow You always and forsake all that is unacceptable to You.” He will forgive you. He promises to do so. Believe Him and determine to sin no more. God bless you abundantly!

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.”