The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 10:7-10, “Jesus therefore said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the

sheep.

8 ‘All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

9 ‘I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find

pasture.

10 ‘The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might

have it abundantly.’”

Jesus addressed His disciples once again with “Truly, truly.” This double term simply indicates the validity and emphasis our LORD is placing upon what He about to say. By His own insistence, He is the door of the sheep. He is the guardian of them and their going in and out is measured according to His will. All who came without His message is a thief and a robber. He alone is the door.

When anyone enters into His fold of necessity comes through Him. In New Testament days, the shepherds slept on the ground at the entrance to the sheep fold. No one could enter without awakening the shepherd; and no sheep could exit without awakening him. Thieves were notorious (aren’t they always?) and their ways were nefarious, but those persons who enter, enter only through Jesus Christ. Once they enter, He renders them saved and secure. Never can they be lost again!

Moreover, Jesus saves not only to secure people, but that they might have abundant life! Abundant does not mean “more stuff”; rather, it means that what His life is of immensely greater value than the life the world knows. It’s actually like coming alive after having been dead! What a joy it is to be secure in Christ Jesus and to have His Holy Spirit dwelling within and guiding our steps according to His will. It reminds us of that

Old Testament verse that says,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6).

I sincerely hope and pray that you are currently living your life in Him!

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 9:24-25, “So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him,

‘Give glory to God; we know that this man (meaning Jesus) is a sinner.’

25He therefore answered, ‘Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that,

whereas I was blind, now I see.’”

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were always in a wrangle with someone over something in

the law. This time it was with a man who had been born blind, but was now seeing. None of

this was their business, but that’s what they mostly did –meddle in business not their own.

Jesus had encountered the man while he was blind; and the man cried out to Jesus for healing.

Jesus gave the man sight, and that was what stirred up the “hornets’ nest.” Oh, by the way, the

healing occurred on the Sabbath. That made the situation all the worse in the eyes of the religious leaders.

They mercilessly berated the man who could now see! Our verses commence with their second

round of complaint. “Give glory to God,” the religious leaders said, “we know that this man (meaning Jesus) is a sinner.” The former blind man’s response was classic: “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.”

Newly converted believers are often confronted in a similar fashion. Critics will often insist on the believer explaining some “tough” verses in the Bible. If that ever happens to you, just remember this former blind man: “One thing I know,” he said. “I was blind, now I see!” Don’t allow anyone to

sway you from your faith and trust in Jesus. It’s not wrong to say, “I’ve only been a Christian for a short while. I don’t know everything in the Bible; but I do know that my life has been changed, since I ask Jesus to forgive my sins and come into my life.” This writer has been a Christian for

over 70 years, and in the LORD’s ministry for over 60 years. And I’m still learning! Stay the course! Live in the Word! Talk often with the Savior! Share your faith! God will bless and use 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,

John 8:34-37, “Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the

slave of sin.

35 And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.

36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

37 I know that you are Abraham’s offspring; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place

in you.’”

Okay, gang, quiet down and listen up! Virtually, every reader has been somewhere and heard words from a leader that sounded like that. High school basketball, football; college soccer, vollyball. Accepting that you have heard words to that effect, I can tell you that Jesus’ use of “Truly, truly” means much the same. He is getting ready to share something of vital importance, so He repeats the word “truly.”

What He goes on to say is as simple as it is important. Everyone has committed sin, so everyone is the slave of sin. Slaves do what their masters tell them. Satan is in charge of all sinful attitudes and activities. His followers don’t even have to pre-judge what they’re thinking or doing; it’s all just evil, and Satan is the ultimate source of it, and pushes it in all of our lives.

Freedom is precious to everyone. (Just lose a little of it and see how precious it is!) Yet, when we sin, we often (but, not always) do it without thinking. We think we are the authority, when it’s actually Satan. We are conceived and grow up with that spiritual DNA that inclines us toward evil.

We need the Son, Jesus, desperately to set us free! When He died on the Cross, He satisfied His Father’s will by becoming the Supreme Sacrifice for our sins. And when we accept Him as our LORD and Savior, sets us free –free indeed!

Until we experience freedom from sin through Jesus Christ, His “Word has no place in (us).” And that Word, coupled with faithful prayer, is how the Holy Spirit keeps us “on track” with the Father’s will. If you’ve yet to trust Him, do it today! It’s the simplest GREATNESS you’ll ever experience!

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 8:28-32, “Jesus therefore said, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I

am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

29 “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are

pleasing to Him.’

30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.

31 Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, then

you are truly disciples of Mine;

32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”

Have you ever met someone who was so “hard-headed” that he couldn’t be persuaded of anything? That’s exactly what characterized the crowd to whom Jesus was speaking. They challenged everything He said! Finally, He was forced to say, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know…” His referral was of the Cross on which He was to die.

What He said to them was straight from His Father. The Father who sent Him into the world, was always with Him. Jesus was never alone. Further, everything He did, was what the Father willed Him to do. And it all acrued to the glory and pleasure of the Father.

“As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.” This verse (vs. 30) grabed my attention. Jesus was not formally “preaching” to them, as He had in the synagogue; it was just a conversation about His relationship with His Father –and “many came to believe in Him.” Just as prayer can be offered anywhere and under multiple circumstances, so it is with witnessing.

Christ’s transition then focused on those who had believed in Him: “If you abide in My Word,” He said, “you are truly disciples of Mine.” So it is today. Trusting in Jesus for salvation is vital; however, belief does not terminate with salvation. It is but the first step in what the LORD desires. He wills us to abide (make our home) with Him, just as parents want their children to make their home with them.

Further, He wants us to do those things that bring glory to His Father. Living correctly, worshipping correctly, witnessing correctly –all of this and more! Still, it’s not dreary; nor does it cramp our style, because our style has become His style. Has His style taken effect in your lifestyle yet? Better hurry! Whom the LORD loves, He admonishes. I’m praying for you! Please pray for me!

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,

Matthew 8:5-10, “And when He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, entreating Him, 6and saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering great pain.’

7 And He said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’

8 But the centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 ‘For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, “Go!” and he goes, and to another, “Come!” and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this!” and he does it.’”

10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said to those who were following, ‘Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.’”

How would you outline this brief passage? I’ll give you some hints.

1. Look at the Circumstances: a centurion’s servant is very sick (v. 5).

2. Note the Compassion: Jesus offers to heal the servant (v. 6)

3. Listen to the Commander: “I am not worthy…” (vv. 7-9).

4. Examine the Comparison: “I have not found such faith…” (vv.10-12).

5. Marvel at the Conclusion: “Go your way, let it be done to you as you have believed.”

and the servant was healed that very hour” (v. 13).

The outline is quite simple. What I discovered it that it not only works with physical healing, but

with spiritual healing, too. Sickness is not always physical. In fact, the worst kind of sickness is

spiritual. It’s having all kinds of problems without knowing a solution.

Jesus is The Healer! Our sickness is sin, and He went to the cross to pay for our sin. Are we worthy? Not in the least! Does Jesus heal spiritually from afar? Indeed He does! Physical doctors (not to put any of them down) have to physically see us, examine us physically. Jesus saves us

wherever we are, and without the need of His physical presence. We only have to exercise faith.

For when we are sick enough of our sin –and where it’s leading us—and when we truly believe,

He saves us.

Oh, the Scriptural outline can make a good sermon, but the Spiritual faith can create a New Life! Have you discovered that? If so, have you shared Christ with somone who hasn’t met Him? Why do you suppose the LORD put those verses in the Bible? Have you wondered about that?

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.”