The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Peter 3:8-11, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…

“Hey, are we there yet?” Sound familar? This and similar questions reflect the voices of young children when en route somewhere exciting with their parents. Believe it, when I tell you that some Christians –make that many Christians—voice the same when the subject of Judgment Day comes up in conversation. “Everything’s just like it has always been,” say some, while others want to debate the “one day is as a thousand years” phraseology.

Peter is simply saying that time does not exist in the LORD’s thinking like it exists in ours. Nevertheless, the LORD has not forgotten what He has promised about that terrible day of destruction called “the Day of the LORD.” Certainly, the LORD Jesus is going to come again, but that’s another thing altogether. The Day of the LORD will be an horrendous time, when He will bring Divine Judgment upon the world that did not want to acknowledge Him as LORD! He has not forgotten His promise, nor is He slow in bringing it to pass.

Do you know how a thief comes? He comes in the still of the night when people are unaware of his coming. It will be the same with the LORD Jesus. But, when He comes, it will be “with a roar, and the elements (like atomic particles) will explode mightily and destruction of mankind and its possessions will suffer under intense heat! The Earth and all its works will be totally destroyed! When the huge worldwide flood came in the days of Noah, the LORD promised never again to destroy the Earth with water; but He said nothing to Noah about fire.

How should mankind prepare for such destruction? Simply stated, on the whole, it cannot. But, individuals can and should prepare and escape. That there is an available escape is stated in that 11TH verse: “What sort of people ought you to be?”

Peter’s reply to his own question is “be in holy conduct and godliness.” In other words, get on God’s side and escape the destruction. He’s not coming out of joy for destruction. He wants everyone to be saved. He wants us all to accept His Son, Jesus Christ! That will be our only way of escape.

“Are we there yet?” Not quite; but every day brings us closer to that terrible day. If you don’t know Jesus, confess your sins to Him and ask Him to accept you into His family. If you do know Him, start telling those who don’t, so that they can escape the destruction! Time, even as we know it, is now running out!

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 Peter 3:3-7, “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,

4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,

6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.

7 But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

Remember the “false teachers” of whom Peter spoke earlier in his second letter? Those who had previously been fearful of blasphemy against the LORD are now encouraged to mock and blaspheme. They seem not to fear the LORD’s coming, although the writings of other apostles agree with Peter that Jesus is indeed coming again!

The argument of the mockers is that everything has remained the same from the beginning of time. They seem to forget that the LORD God created the Earth, the heavens, everything! Besides having created the world, He destroyed that world through a worldwide flood in the days of Noah. The world was destroyed because of man’s sinfulness. “But things are doing well now,” some would say.

Peter’s answer to those who neglect the LORD is that the present heavens and Earth are going to undergo a day of judgment and destruction –not by another worldwide flood, but by fire. It is all being reserved for the LORD’s great “Day of Judgment and Destruction,” which will focus upon the remaining ungodly world population.

Remember, too, the words of the Apostle Paul,

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who

sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal.6:7-8).

The world will indeed be one day destroyed by the same Power by which it was created. Those who are trusting in Jesus Christ will be rescued. Those who ignore or deny the Person or Power or Word of the LORD, will suffer destruction and Hell. If you have not received Him, trust Him right now! Pray and confess your sin and believe in Him as your LORD and Savior. He is your only hope.

If you have already trusted Him as your LORD and Savior, keep your life spiritually and morally clean, and witness to those who do not yet know Him. Today is the day of salvation!

“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…

encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still

called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the

deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:7, 13).

If you need help to come to know Him personally, please let me know!

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 Peter 2:19-21, “…by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

How often have you heard someone say, “I’m free to do whatever I want”? How often have you said that very same thing?

In yesterday’s Grands Letter, I mentioned that Second Peter 1 deals with “moral corruption” and Second Peter 2 deals with “doctrinal corruption.” Peter well may have both areas of corruption in mind when he writes that “by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.”

Slavery is a very slippery slope. It’s so easy to say, “That’s something which I’ll never do again!” But, before long, you’re doing that very thing and making excuses for doing it! It’s not only wrong, but it’s dangerous! Peter’s warning is especially geared to Christians. Yes, you “escaped the defilements (sins)” that used to plague you because you gave your heart and life to Jesus Christ. He forgave you and cleansed you, and you started out on a new track. But, then—you slipped back, and became “again entangled” and “overcome.” Now, you’re worse off than ever! You’re mad at yourself, but temptation ensnared you! What can you do now?

Peter says it would have been better that you had not known the way of righteousness, than knowing it and then turning away from the LORD’s commands and instructions. Don’t despair! We’ve all been there! If we’re talking about moral corruption, we must confess it and yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s mercy and forgiveness. If we’re talking about doctrinal corruption, we need to flee from the source and bury ourselves in the Word of God –the Bible—until our minds have been cleansed of the putrefaction of false doctrine and we have come back to the purity of the Holy Word.

Both moral error and doctrinal error can be swept from our minds and hearts. But such is a process. We must genuinely want to be free from both, and we must trust the LORD to cleanse us. Many servants of the LORD have failed; but the LORD has never failed any of His true servants. He will not fail you! God bless you abundantly! You are in my prayers!

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 Peter 2:1-3, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;

3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

In the first chapter of Peter’s second letter, he majors on moral corruption. In this second chapter, his emphasis is on doctrinal corruption. Does that make sense to you? It sure should! The natural tendency of the natural man is toward immorality. We possess fallen Adam’s spiritual DNA! Immoral man seeks to justify his immorality by turning away from doctrinal soundness. And preachers, who are often themselves engaged in immorality, accommodate the immorality of their members by turning them away from the truth of God’s Holy Word!

Peter is Jewish by birth, so when he says that “false prophets also arose among the people,” he means among the Jewish people. One does not have to read far into the Old Testament to discover the problem the LORD and His true prophets had with the Jewish people. But, Peter is not hounding the Jewish people; rather, he is saying that the Christian Church is going to have false teachers, too. With the subtly of the serpent of Eden, these false teachers will “secretly introduce destructive heresies” that will even deny the LORD Jesus who Himself paid for their sins with His own death on Calvary’s Cross!

There will then be a notable embrace of false teachings by even true believers, because this teaching will allow them a continuing alliance with licentious and evil behavior. Yet, they will not escape the LORD’s judgment. They will bring swift destruction upon themselves because of the maligned truth coming from the pulpits of these false teachers. Those same teachers have their own agenda: greed and pride and self-satisfaction. They are NOT the LORD’s ministers! And the judgment that fell upon those evil prophets of old is not dead. The same destruction is destined to destroy these modern day ministers, as well. Be careful! Be VERY CAREFUL of whose teachings you embrace! Be certain that they are HIS TEACHINGS from HIS WORD and for HIS GLORY! We, too, are accountable to the LORD for what teachings we imbibe and embrace!

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 Peter 1:17-21, “For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’–

18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

19 And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

It’s the nature of a loving father to want to display the nature and works of his son. Such was our Heavenly Father’s desire to display the Divine Nature of His Son; and He did so in Christ Jesus’ Transfiguration. On this auspicious occasion, Jesus’ human nature was overshadowed by His Divine Nature, as His holiness was unveiled before the disciples on the mountain. The Father said, “This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well-pleased.”

There’s nothing like an eye-witness! And Peter was there and signifies his presence as one who both heard and saw it all.

What’s more (if there ever could be!), we possess that same prophetic Word, which is certain, provided that we pay attention. Peter describes our faith-reception of this momentous event as “a lamp shining in a dark place,” but only until the daylight comes, enlightening our hearts and informing our minds. That Day is on its way!

Furthermore, Peter assures us that “no prophecy (as this Transfiguration of Christ was) has or ever will come from some human interpretation or by an act of man’s will. True prophecy comes only when pure and godly men are moved by the Holy Spirit of God. Only then, can it be revealed.

The prophecy we possess and hold dear is now all contained in the LORD’s Holy Word, the Bible. We seek to understand its message, but we dare not seek to inject our thoughts into it, as if our thoughts were comparable to His thoughts. True prophecy is His and His alone. And we depend upon His Holy Spirit to make clear to our minds what His men have recorded in the Bible. Think of how holy His Word is when you read it. Think of its power to accomplish it’s own intention when communicated to the lives of unbelievers. Another girl died today, aged only 17. Did someone ever talk to her about Jesus?

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.”