The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 1:13-15, “And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were

staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and

Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the

women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15 And at this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred

and twenty persons was there together.”

Jesus Christ, who had died upon a cross and been resurrected from the dead, had just ascended into Heaven. The eleven (Judas Iscariot having died by his own hand) had returned to the Upper Room where they were staying. Doubtlessly saddened by the loss of the One, who had led them for the past three years, they had only His promise that the Holy Spirit would come and would lead and teach them, although in a manner different from that of Jesus.

Now, one of the most powerful events in the history of Christianity was about to occur. The Holy Spirit, who was eternally destined to reveal Himself to the eleven, was about to reveal Himself to them in mighty power. The Holy Spirit’s revelation of Himself was only the beginning. What the eleven did in that upper room prepared them to be used of the Spirit in furthering the spread of the Gospel.

Notice first, that they were “with one mind.” Nothing is ever accomplished if those responsible are divided in their thoughts of what should be done. Second, they “were continually devoting themselves to prayer.” It was many centuries later that Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”

Could it be that we’ve lost those secrets to revealing prayer? Something serious must occur to bring us together in “one mind.” Further, we must be “devoted to prayer.” The mere “Now I lay me down to sleep” kind of prayer will never open Heaven’s gates. The three-minute “hurried prayer” will never prevail, either. It must be devoted prayer. True Heaven-moving prayer is the emptying of the heart in praise to Almighty God, adoring Him, praising Him. He already knows what we want; He just has to know He can trust us with what He is able and willing to give. Pray for our country and her leaders. Pray for His ministers, whose responsibility is to reveal the truths of His Word to us. Pray that we will empty ourselves of all thoughts contrary to His revealed will. Then,

LOOK OUT! For it is then that the Holy Spirit will commence to move! 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,

Acts 1:6-11, “And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring

the kingdom to Israel?’

7 He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;

8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’

9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their

sight.

10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside

them;

11 and they also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you

into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’”

Why are we always more concerned about the things that we don’t know than we are about the things that we do know?

Students in school are often more worried about how many tests are required for the course than they are about studying

for the test that is forth-coming day after tomorrow. There was nothing wrong with the disciples’ question regarding the

restoration of the kingdom to Israel; however, I cannot help but believe that Jesus was more concerned about their being witnesses throughout the world.

There are some things that the LORD God had determined that are not to be known by anyone until the right time. Jesus

focused upon their receiving the Holy Spirit’s power. It was that power that would thrust them out into the entire world with

the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. One of the observable problems in many churches today is that pastors are

focusing on twisted theological minutia rather than practical, biblical teaching that feeds the needs of their congregations.

Of course, many congregations want what doesn’t disturb their activities.

Jesus ascended into Heaven in the sight of His disciples; and angels gave a quasi answer to their original question.

The lesson is: focus on what you know to be the LORD’s will, not on questions He reserves for future revelation. Oh,

He IS Coming Again! But, even the Son, Jesus Himself, does not know the precise time. Read His own words in Matthew 24:36. Share Him prayerfully, lovingly and regularly with those who need to know Him. And that’s everyone who doesn’t!

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 12:9-10, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake;

for when I am weak, then I am strong.’”

Some of you who have known me, have probably heard me boast of my late wife. She came from a very poor family and was

County High School, and with the calling of the LORD, enrolled in college.

To the contrary, I came from a middle-class family. My father worked in the clothing industry and my mother was a schoolteacher.

I attended only one elementary school and then enrolled in college. The LORD seemed to be the only common denominator Rose

Marie and I had. But we learned He was all we needed.

My boasting was of her determination to succeed, despite the poor educational background she had. We graduated college together

In 1957 and she had a greater GPA (grade point average) than I! She had begun in weakness, but the LORD granted her His

strength. To my shame, I ventured to achieve in my own strength, and lost the race.

When you’re discouraged and feel weak, remember the words of the Apostle: “I will boast about my weaknesses, that the power

of Christ may dwell in me.” Think of Christ’s power like “over-drive.” You’ve run and run and know you can never reach the finish

line; you turn to Him and He energizes you with strength –His strength—strength you’ve never known. If you will allow it, He will

always produce strength in you. So, be content with your weakness, with insults that the enemy (Satan) rains upon you. Don’t

worry about distresses or persecutions or difficulties. When you are weak and depend upon Him, He will strengthen you and see

you through it all.

Cheer up, ye saints of God;

There’s nothing to worry about;

Nothing to make you feel afraid,

Nothing to make you doubt;

Remember Jesus never fails,

So, why not trust Him and shout?

You’ll be sorry you worried at all

Tomorrow morning!

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 106:21-30, “They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt,

22 Wonders in the land of Ham, And awesome things by the Red Sea.

23 Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him,

To turn away His wrath from destroying them.

24 Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe in His word,

25 But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.

26 Therefore He swore to them, That He would cast them down in the wilderness,

27 And that He would cast their seed among the nations, And scatter them in the lands.

28 They joined themselves also to Baal-peor, And ate sacrifices offered to the dead.

29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds; And the plague broke out among them.

30 Then Phinehas stood up and interposed; And so the plague was stayed.”

From Genesis to Revelation, the word plague () ?????nega( and ????? (plege) strikes fear in the hearts of thinking people.

We are most fearful of things we cannot physically see or mentally comprehend. Historically, plagues have not been mere happenings, but encompassed peoples of nations, who had forgotten or neglected the LORD. Few truly intelligent people today would overlook what our world is experiencing in the Coronavirus as incidental. I say “truly intelligent people,” because everyone in that category view nothing as “chancery”; they all see such tragedies as either severe warnings or sure judgments from Almighty God.

Look at our verses above: Were the people of that day worse than the people of our day? Determine for yourself. “They forgot God; they despised the pleasant land He had given them; they did not believe His Word; they grumbled in private and refused to listen to the Voice of the LORD.” Further, they engaged in the vilest evils of their time, joining themselves to false gods and sacrificing to the dead. All of this provoked the LORD God to anger, and “the plague broke out among them.”

You may say that nothing of what His people did in ancient times to provoke Him is occurring today. And I would reply that “none is so blind as him who will not see.” It was the German philosopher Friedrich Hegel who said, “The one thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history.” And George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We have

a worldwide plague of evil existing in the Church today, and many pastors, are both personally and professionally denying and repudiating the very Word of God, leading congregations across the globe deeply into apostasy. Do we think the LORD is asleep? Do we think He has not seen what is being done?

We need a Phinehas today, someone who will stand up and intercede for the Church and for the world-at-large! Note that Phinehas stood alone! He had no cadre of believers supporting him. He had no position of national authority. He stood alone for God. And God plus one is still a majority. David stood alone against Goliath. The boy’s five loaves and two fish stood over against 5,000 hungry people. We’ve learned a lot from science; but science itself is not an active power. The LORD God alone is the power. It is time for us to forsake all sin and trust in human endeavors and call upon Him in serious prayer. “And so the plague –this plague (will be) stayed.”

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 12:1-5, “Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the

Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago– whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know,

God knows— such a man was caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I know how such a man– whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows–

4 was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

5 On behalf of such a man will I boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.”

Maybe you’ve heard of the young college man who published two novels while still in school. The title of one was,

The Most Humble Man on Campus –and Why I Am. His second book was published just a year leater, while still

studying for his baccalaureate degree, was entitled, My Humility And How I Achieved It. Neither was well received.

The Apostle Paul knew the futility of boasting, and while he allowed that it was sometimes necessary, it was never profitable. There are numerous interpretations of the passage above, but my investigation has led me to believe that

Paul himself was the “man in Christ” to whom he secretly alludes. Whether it physically happened or was a spiritual vision, he avows he does not know. So, we must rest it there.

The fourteen years, however, Paradise, and the third heaven, we must acknowledge were all physical and spiritual in nature. Did not Jesus Himself say to the penitant thief on the cross, “Today, you will be with Me in Paradise”? Paul acknowledges that while he does not have clarity regarding everything that happened on that occurrence, he heard

words that reached beyond his understanding; and for that reason, he was not allowed to repeat them.

Many saints throughout Christian history have experienced phenomenal events and have shared them only with family and close friends. Never, however (at least in my research), did any one of them ever boast or brag about their experience. They were solemn and sacred occurrances, thus they were held quietly awau from the ears of the general public, and revealed by others only upon the death of the one who experienced them.

I am an expert on nothing –especially, with respect to humility; yet, I know from experience that some encounters I have had could have only come from the LORD. Scripture teaches us that the LORD Jesus Christ alone is to receive praise for all godliness. So, when we encounter some spectacular event for which we cannot give a rational spiritual explanation, we must let it go and simply give quiet and humble praise to the LORD for allowing us to experience His hand in the spectacular. Whatever else you do, please don’t write a book! God is capable of making things known. Just give Him the Glory!

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.”