The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 16:13-14, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak

on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

14″He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.”

Don’t you hate to see people leave when you have enjoyed their visit? As a child, I can remember hating to see people go. “Can’t you stay a little longer?” I would ask hopefully. “Couldn’t you catch a later bus? I don’t want you to go…”

Jesus ministry was nearing its end. And His disciples felt just like that about His departure. In some ways, I think He would have liked to have stayed. But, remember His Words, “I do always those things that please the Him (the Father”) (Jn 8:29). He had come for the Father’s purpose, and that purpose had been fulfilled. Now, it’s time for Him to return to the Father.

What will the disciples do, being left all alone? Oh, but they’re not being left alone! The Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit of God, is coming, and He will be to them even more, in that the Spirit will occupy the soul and spirit of all of those who follow Jesus. Remember after the resurrection, that Jesus appeared to all of His disciples except Thomas? With the Holy Spirit, all who follow Jesus –wherever they are! – will have Him living within them! They won’t miss a thing! If you have accepted Jesus, the Holy Spirit is living in you right now!! And the Spirit will guide and instruct you in all things of the LORD Jesus, explaining His Word as you read it daily.

Hey, remember that bus that my relative had to catch? As a Christian, the Holy Spirit rides with her on that bus! She’s never alone, just as you and I are never alone. And that’s how our lives glorify Jesus! We follow the leading of the Spirit. We don’t have to “act” holy; we are holy – not because of what we do, but because the Spirit leads us. 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,

John 15:17-20, “’This I command you, that you love one another.

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose

you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me,

they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.’”

Does everyone like you? I’ve met a number of persons who didn’t like me. Don’t let it bother you. Jesus did not say everyone would like us; rather, He said that we are to love them regardless of what they think of us. Admittedly, it’s hard to love some people. But we can love them if we love them through Christ. You probably know some Christians that you don’t like. Those are the very ones Jesus had in mind when He said, “love one another.” The word “another” (???????, allelon) means “another of the same kind”; in other words, other Christians.

One good reason not to want to be loved is because if the world loves you, you’re probably not a true Christian. See, the world hates Jesus! And if you begin to look too much like Him, the world will hate you the same way. Haven’t you noticed how your non-Christian “friends” stop phoning or texting you? Oh, they may say “Hi,” when they run into you somewhere, but you don’t live like they do, so you’re a stake in the heart of their parties. You kill their fun when you mention Jesus or the Bible or prayer. They have no idea how much joy you and I have in Him and all things related to Him.

Let’s suppose for a moment that you and your non-Christian friends work for a Christian boss. Out of the boss’s hearing, your non-believing friends speak of him as a tyrant! Do you have any idea what they say of you when you’re not around? Well, verse 20 above tells it quite clearly: “’A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me,

they will also persecute you.” You see, they don’t consider you or Christ as a “member of their group.” If they don’t speak well of Jesus, don’t expect them to speak well of you.”

But there’s a “flip side” to all of this. Those who live by the LORD’s Word (the Bible) will love you. And that’s the love you want. It’s true and pure and wholesome and Christ-like. And it’s a love that builds you up, not puts you down. Get

with the right crowd! Oh, be nice to the crowd that doesn’t like you, too. Some day, one of them will need a true friend, and will discover that you are the only one who will help. Keep ready! Stay in the Word! Keep praying! And keep loving!

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,

John 15:7-9, “’If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall

be done for you.

8 “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

9 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.’”

Someone recently said, “I never really… When it says, following Jesus, it’s actually turning away from sin. What it talks about in the Bible, there’s no faith without obedience. I had had faith about like, ‘I believe Jesus died on the cross for me, but I never really implemented it into my life.’ I never like, ‘I’m gonna be obedient.” Any idea who said that? It was the singer, Justin Bieber. After all he’s been through, he’s finally catching on.

There are four interpretations of Greeks sentences that use the word “if.” One construction means, “If it be true –and it is.” Another construction means, “If it be true, but it isn’t.” Still a third means, “If it be true –maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.” And the last construction means “If it be true, and I wish it were, but it isn’t.”

You may recall from a previous Letter that the word “abide” means “to settle down and make you home” in Christ the LORD. Add to that what we have in in Jesus’ words above and you can read His words like this: “If you settle down and make your home in Me, maybe you will, maybe you won’t…” But, if you do, you may pray and receive what you ask. Making our home in Him is more than a stop-off place for a rest, and then continuing to live as we did before. Bieber has the idea; do you?

You see, everything in our lives is to be to the LORD’s glory! God wants us to succeed! He just wants us to know that our success in anything is due to His power and love working in us to bring it all about. The minute we forget that, He allows things to crumble. Too often, then, we rail against Him for the crumble, when it’s all our fault for not maintaining our home in Him and thanking Him for what He has done! Isn’t that simple? Then, why are we like we are (note that I’m including the writer of this Letter)? It’s not you, it’s us!

There’s more that could be said, but we need to digest what we know and allow it to bring glory to our LORD first. Practice what you know this week, and see how your life changes!

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,

John 15:1-5, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit,

He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.

3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine,

so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for

apart from Me you can do nothing.”

When Jesus spoke to His disciples, he used illustrations from true life experiences. I think that’s what Evangelist Billy Sunday was thinking when he said, “Put the cookies on the lower shelf where everyone can reach them.” The Gospel is simple. It parallels those illustrations from life.

Those to whom Jesus spoke understood all about vineyards. The main part is the vine; the branches have to be connected to the vine or they will not produce grapes. Jesus is the Vine, and if we are to be productive physically or spiritually or commercially, we have to be connected with Him!

I’ve often heard it said that the “fruit” of which Jesus spoke were the lost souls that come to Him in saving faith. I tend to believe, however, that the “fruit” mentioned in this passage is our likeness to Christ Jesus Himself. “Abiding” means “to settle down and make your home in Him.” Anytime we live with someone, we unconsciously take on some of their characteristics. It may be how you pronounce certain words or how you fold a towel before hanging it up on a towel rack; but you learn these things from living with another person.

Notice the progression, too. Jesus spoke of “fruit,” “more fruit,” and “much fruit.” Newborn Christians often become discouraged at not immediately being able to be and do all they desire. But growth in everything takes time. I heard of a small boy telling his mother that he “was as tall as Goliath.” When she challenged him, saying that Goliath was nine feet and six inches tall, the boy replied, “But I made myself a yardstick and I measured myself, and I’m as tall as Goliath.”

The measure of our spiritual growth often takes time. After all, the more we depend on Jesus,

the faster and better we grow. Are you growing spiritually? Are you truly connected to Him, the Vine? “Apart from Me,” He says, “you can do nothing.” And nothing apart from Him glorifies God.

That’s really why we’re here! Let Him make some changes in your life. He has some ways of speeding up your spiritual growth process. I know that’s what you want.

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,

John 14:23-24, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;

and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.

24He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine,

but the Father’s who sent Me.’”

A pastor friend of mine visited me this week. I showed him my library and he was amazed at the number of books it contains. “Have you read all of these books?” he jokingly asked. And I gave him my standard response (as I’ve been asked that question several times): “I’ve read some of all of them.”

The world in which we live is literally FILLED with books! Solomon said, “the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body” (Eccl. 12:12). And the only book that emphasizes true love is the Bible. Jesus’ love reaches through virtually every page, and He says that those who love Him will keep His Word; and those who keep His Word will be loved by the Father. When our lives become the home of the Word, the Father’s love makes its home within us.

In his first epistle, John wrote: “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). It is my earnest hope and trust that you and all readers of this Letter truly love Jesus. What exceeds my hope, however, is the certain knowledge that He loves you! With so much hate and evil in the world today, we all need to be exposed to Christ Jesus’ love. You’ll find it quickest in the New Testament section of your Bible. His love is what preserved His Word; and it’s all there for 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.”