The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 3:12-14, “Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,

13 and are not as Moses, who used to put a veil over his face that the sons of Israel might not look

intently at the end of what was fading away.

14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same

veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.”

Everything of true significence in the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament. Remember

the saying,

“The New is in the Old concealed;

The Old is in the New revealed”?

So it is in the verses previous to ours here. Paul had been talking about Moses and the veil (mask)

that he wore to prevent the children of Israel from seeing the glory of the LORD fade from his face.

Since we have a greater hope than Moses, we ought to have great boldness in speaking of the

LORD.

When people don’t know the LORD Jesus Christ, their minds are hardened. The Jews who read

Scripture today, read it in Hebrew! And in Hebrew, there is greater meaning than in any language into

which the Old Testament has been translated. So, why do they not see “the Old revealed”? Simply,

because they have a veil over their minds. “Well, why don’t they remove that veil?” They cannot

because it is removed only in Christ.

What Paul says about the Jews here can be understood of Muslims, Hindus –any of the religions

of the world—in that salvation in Jesus Christ opens the door of the mind and the heart of all lost

persons. Furthermore, He gives us the understanding of salvation and the courage to make it

known to others.

I received a mailing today from Child Evangelism Fellowship, based in Warrenton, Missouri. A video

showed African children facinated with the bold, colored pictures that helped tell the story of Jesus.

One child was so excited that she shared it with her non-Christian parents. Ultimately, the entire

family came to faith in Christ; and that family founded the only Christian church in that area of Africa!

You have no idea what your witness of Jesus can do! Be courageous! Be bold! Be loving! Help

remove the masks from the minds of those who have yet to meet Jesus! The time is NOW!

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,

2 Corinthians 4:1-4, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,

2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the

manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the

glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Every single day, the President comes forth with a press interview in which he outlines the Nation’s continuing response to the

COVID-19 virus that has infected our nation and our world. In my process of communication today, I received the following challenge from a young lady:

“I was asked to be a part of 1 million+ prayer chain to pray for the slowing of the Corona virus and the gospel to go forth

through this in whatever means God has planned for our nation. The idea is you pray when you receive this text and then

send it to 8 other people, (but in your case, you have loads of folks I’m sure you’d love to send this off to!!”) Clever girl!

The Apostle Paul had a similar, but more vital challenge. There were difficulties in his challenge, too. But, he received and dispensed his challenge without losing heart. He began by renouncing shameful things in his own life. We don’t know what Paul was referencing in his own life, but we do know what our consciences tell us is wrong in our own lives! One thing we do know is that all wrongs, whether with Paul or with us or with other believers – it all hides the Gospel from those who need to be saved. Yes, Satan is masking the Gospel against the minds of lost people, too; but so are our sinful lives! He’s getting us to do his filthy work by being tainted with his own filthiness. I wonder who’s the sucker that’s falling for his evil tricks? Humm…

I printed the young lady’s request (although she did not request that I do it in this venue) because I believe in prayer. The most skilled of surgeons scrub before they go to surgery. Scrubbing really has nothing to do with their surgical abilities, but they want to be clean from every microscopic object that is possibly on their hands, lest the surgical procedure itself be nullified by germs. The same is true

of our praying. We may have the words to say, and the knowledge of how vital it is that the LORD responds, yet if our lives are littered with the germs of sin, the LORD will not respond to our prayers as we wish.

Recently, I have been asked whether I think this COVID-19 has any bearing on the Last Days. Listen to these closing words of Jesus

in Matthew 24:21-22:

“…there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.

“And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall

be cut short.”

The Coming of the LORD Jesus is infinitely closer than when I was that young lady’s age. Time is on the march! Be vigilant! Be courageous! Be clean! Be prayerful! Share Jesus! He wants to save the lost! And through this COVID-19, He is getting the world’s attention!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Please feel free to share this young lady’s request with others. We’re all in this together.

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,

2 Corinthians 2:14-16, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet

aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;

16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.”

If you’ve ever gone somewhere, expecting to be met by a close and beloved friend, only to find he was not there, you have

more than a good idea how the Apostle Paul felt when he arrived in Troas and found that the intended Titus was not there.

Instead of commencing his ministry, Paul went in search of Titus.

Paul never mentions whether he found Titus. Apparently, he did not, because he journeyed on to Macedonia. And all the time,

he was praising the LORD saying, “…thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ…” Paul would not allow

anything to mask the joy he possessed in Christ. To the contrary, he spoke of Christ as manifesting the “sweet aroma of the

knowledge of Him in every place.”

There are commentators that see a parallel between what Paul states about an aroma and the incense carried by militarists

coming home in Roman triumph over an adversary. That may be true; yet, I like to think that Paul’s reference came from

Christ Himself. When we are like Him, we demonstrate a charismatic aroma of love and courage that reveals to others that

we know Him and are dependent upon Him for every victory our life experiences. Moreover, that spiritual aroma is Christ’s

aroma working its way through us and anchoring itself in the Father. Even pleasant physical aroma is always cited in Scripture

as a tribute to the LORD.

At the same time, that aroma is noted by those among whom we walk. It may manifest itself through us to others in a smile of

love, or in a tender act of kindness, or through a thoughtfully sincere word of encouragement in a dark and uncertain hour. When appropriate, that aroma bursts forth in courageous triumph, sharing the Good News to those who are bound by the chains of sin.

Who knows who is awaiting such a word? And sensing the aroma of Life in us, no doubt they wonder why we fail to share such

good things with them. When was the last time you courageously shared Christ with someone? Do it today! Jesus will provide

the courage you need. He provides the aroma, too, that makes them want you to stay close and share His love.

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,

2 Corinthians 3:7-13, “But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was,

8 how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?

9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.

10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it.

11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,

13 and are not as Moses, who used to put a veil over his face that the sons of Israel might not look intently at the end of what was fading away.”

One of the more significant aspects of the COVID-19 is the need to wear a mask! As I thought about masks, I was reminded of the mask (veil) that Moses used to wear. Paul mentions that veil as it concealed the fading glory of the LORD on the face of Moses.

Having gone up on the mountain at the LORD’s direction, Moses’ face was glowing when he returned and the people witnessed it. Since the glow gradually faded and did not remain, Moses veiled his face to conceal the fading of the glory. Paul uses this to show that the Old Law (the Law of Moses) was not permanent; it was but the precursor to the New Law of Life that was coming in Christ Jesus our LORD.

We often use masks for different reasons. Sometimes we seek to mask our disobedience.

Sometimes, we mask our unteachable spirit. But, when we focus intently upon Jesus and fellowship consistently with Him, the glow of His holiness affects our lives so that those among whom we walk sees Him reflected in us. It is then that we reflect His love and glory and speak of Him with great boldness! Don’t mask your life! Let the likeness of His love radiate from your very being.

Mike Lindell of my pillow.com spoke in the Rose Garden today at the invitation of the President. Like other speakers of great companies, he had a prepared speech with regard to how his company was helping in the COVID-19 crisis. At it’s conclusion, he turned to President Trump and said, “I have another few words I’d like to say.” And getting the affirmative nod from the President, he gave glory to Almighty God and encouraged his listeners to pray for an end to the crisis. It was excellently presented!

See how the LORD uses His people? He can use you like that, too; but on one condition:

Don’t wear a mask! — not the wrong kind! God bless you abundantly! I pray for you daily.

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 14:1-6, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place

for you.

3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you

may be also.

4 “And you know the way where I am going.”

5 “Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?’

6 “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’”

If the 23RD Psalm is the Old Testament’s most beloved psalm, these six verses from the Gospel of John must be the

New Testament’s most beloved. Verse one should calm all the fears and uncertainties that surround us today. It is

not that we should behave as if the virus does not exist; rather, we should not behave as if there were not answer.

You may remember the quotation I cited in a Letter of some time ago. The man was a neighbor and worried over

everything. His signature quotation was: “Don’t tell me that it doesn’t pay to worry! Nothing I ever worried

about ever happened!”

Jesus knew the concern His disciples had. He pointed them beyond themselves (what could they do anyway?), and

said, “You believe in God, believe also in Me.” That segued into the presentation of His Father’s house, Heaven!

Often, we just need to change the focus of our thinking. We know that God does not waste anything; therefore, when

Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you,” it is the promise of something far greater to come!

Knowing, too, that they were sad at the thought of losing Him – they had walked and learned from Him for three

years – He said, “I will come again,” and the promise included taking them (and us!) to be with Him forever. But,

when Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know…the way,” Jesus said, “I AM the way… No one comes to the Father

but by Me.”

In summation: yes, we have a crisis on our hands. But it is NOT a crisis that is erased by worry. In fact, it is NOT a

crisis to the LORD! So keep your eyes and thoughts on Him! Concentrate on His Word and His promises! Don’t you

think that the loss of my dear, irreplaceable wife of 64 years makes Heaven and the Coming of Jesus more desirable?

But, you don’t have to endure the sorrow; just focus on Him and His Word! And pray in faith believing! Keep the Faith!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S.: As you contemplate Christ’s Coming and the Mansion He has prepared for you, absorb the attachment

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.”