The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 2:19-22, “But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.

20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.

21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

22 But you know of his proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.”

In Longfellow’s poem, The Courtship of Miles Standish, Captain Miles Standish asks his friend John Alden to propose marriage to Priscilla on his behalf. Ever the faithful friend, John goes to visit Priscilla and does as requested, even though he is in love with her himself. Priscilla guesses John’s true feelings for her and declares, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?”

In the last Grands Letter, we looked at the importance of “attitude.” Intentionally or not on his part, Paul continues that theme, only

he looks at the situation from the standpoint of the one in authority. Paul is imprisoned at this time in his life, and while he would love

to visit the Philippian Church, he has decided to send Timothy in his place. Why Timothy? Simply because he possesses a “kindred spirit.” Timothy is like Paul in that he is genuinely concerned for their welfare.

While the two above paragraphs lack a smidgen similarity, they both show genuine concern for others. Being the shy person that I am,

let me boldly ask you: “How concerned are you for those around you who are in need?” Do you pray for them? Do you share the Word with them? How concerned are you? Are you aware that the Scriptures teach, “…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13:3, 5); and that that verse speaks directly of some of your friends?

When the LORD saves us, we are committed to Him and His purpose. He doesn’t call all of us to the same vocation in life, but He does call each of us to share His death, burial, and resurrection with those who do not know Him. To some, that means missions; to others,

Is may mean medicine or pastoral ministry or business. He calls us to various job-positions in life in order that we may come in contact

with others, who need His saving grace, and might not hear it otherwise. Let’s ask ourselves: Are we “of proven worth”? or are we seeking after our own material interests instead of the eternal interests of Jesus Christ? Seeing that Heaven and Hell both exist, what

is more important, His interest or ours?

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,

Philippians 2:5-11, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In 1946, a man named Truett Cathy opened an eatery in Atlanta, Georgia and called it “Dwarf Grill.” By 1993, he had 500 restaurants. By 2010, he had 1,500 restaurants. In two more years (2012), sales had reached $4,000,000,000 — that’s BILLION! Want to know how he did it? On the spiritual level, it was prayer; on the human level it was “attitude.”

No, money is not everything; attitude is! That’s why Paul emphasized attitude in the lives of all believers. Give me a few moments of conversation, and I will know whether or not you’ll be successful. How? Your attitude! Cathy’s restaurants today serve good food. Some of it is unique. But it’s not cheap. So, why do people keep coming back, back, back? If you’ve ever been to a “Cathy place,” you knoiw the answer. It’s the attitude of the employees.

Jesus’ attitude was one of submission to His Father. When God the Father decided to create the universe in which we live, He appointed His Son, Jesus, to be the Constructionist. Paul tells us that Jesus did not regard His equality and position with the Father in Heaven as something to be grasped with retention. He was and always has been willing to do His Father’s will. He said so in John 8:29, “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.” Attitude!

My guess is that you know someone who has climbed the “success ladder,” who has never had a good attitude. “So there!” you say. “How that for your essay on attitude?” My answer is simply that you have not read all of the verses listed above. The person you know may have made money, but he will doubtlessly never, with a bad attitude, be exalted by God. He will never possess an acceptable name in God’s sight. No one will ultimately bow the knee in reverence to him. But on one significant Day, he will bow before Jesus, and he will acknowledge that the Christ, whom he ignored in life, is THE KING. And with all that Christ Jesus did for mankind by dying on the Cross and rising from the Tomb, He did in obedience “to the glory of God His Father.” That’s the supreme attitude!

What is your attitude? Have you trusted Christ Jesus as your LORD and Savior? If not, why have you not? And if you have trusted Him,

what is your attitude toward unbelievers? Are you lovingly witnessing to them about Christ? If not, why not? Give your attitude some serious thought. Yield it, along with everything in life, to Jesus. One day, you’ll be glad that you did. 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,

Psalm 2:1-12, “Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand, And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed:

3 “Let us tear their fetters apart, And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.

5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury:

6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee.

8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Thy possession.

9 ‘Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware.'”

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.

11 Worship the LORD with reverence, And rejoice with trembling.

12 Do homage to the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

For some days now, the streets of Hong Kong have been flooded with people, angry that the Chinese government reneged on a promise of freedom they made when Hong Kong was transferred from Great Britain. Now, the streets of Tehran are overflowing with angry people – angry because the Iranian government is giving money for nefarious purposes to other nations rogue governments, while depriving the Iranian people of basic needs, while raising the price of gasoline on its own citizenry.

Yet, all of this rage emerges from a deeper source than politica. It’s a spiritual unrest that demonstrates its resistance against the LORD Jesus Christ. The source is spiritual, regardless of the nation. This psalm reveals the source of a host of rampages throughout history.

When any people seek to live life without the guidance and sustenance of the LORD, they are doomed to failure. When unrest in the human heart reaches the boiling point, a host of unforeseen things occur.

The laughter of the LORD in no way signals His delight. He is like a frustrated parent, whose instructions are shrugged off by a rebelious child. “Didn’t I tell you,” the parent asks, “that you would hurt yourself doing that?” God’s Word is provided in numerous languages, that the world’s people might avoid the adversities we view today. Governments that waste the substance produced by its own people are hardly different from the people, who resist the Truth and blessing God has provided through His Son for all mankind.

Governments and their nations are severely warned: “Worship the LORD with reverence, and rejoice with trembling.” Worship the Son, Jesus Christ. Commit your lives to Him. His Divine LOVE is strong; yet, so is His anger toward those who resist Him! Blessing is promised to those who live for Him; wrath is certain for those who do not. The “worship” to which we are called will produce rejoicing.

Do you know Him? The only escape from His ultimate wrath lies in your commitment to His blessed Son, Jesus Christ. He loves you, and wants you to love Him, too.

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,

Ephesians 6:21-24, “But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.

22 And I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.

23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love incorruptible.”

I sometimes receive inquiries from friends asking how I am doing. They are genuine and loving in their inquiries. And while my situation

may not have changed much, it is heart-warming to know that there are those who care. The Apostle Paul had inquires about his situation, too; and he responds to his inquirers by sending a faithful Christian brother, who will comfort their hearts with his message.

Paul responds, but he turns their inquiry into a message of comfort on behalf of others. Some people can do that. We all should do that! Look at Paul’s words: Peace, love, faith, grace! They are all there in his response, and they are his intended focus upon them! We live in an extremely selfish world! Far too many are concerned only about themselves: I, me, mine. Peace comes from doing, not from receiving, and has its roots in love. Love –true love (agape) —is the intense and lazer-like focus that is beneficial to another. Faith is unwavering trust, an outgrowth of true love. And grace is the outpouring of God’s incorruptible love that flows into and through the uncluttered hearts of His people.

One has to wonder what such a quadrant of Divine characterization would result within a person, a home, a community, and a nation. Were we to launch such an effort, we might be surprised at the change that would occur. But how could such be realized? It would come under the auspices of the LORD, Who can do all things, and through Whom all things are possible! Yet He works through us. He has only to know that we are willing for such a Divine Word to first commence in us. Don’t wait on someone else! Be willing to be THE channel through whom He works! Every Revival in human history started with a single heart willingly yielded to Jesus Christ! Think about it.

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,

Ephesians 6:14-20, “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

When I was in the second grade in school, Miss Jones taught us to write in script. In the first grade, we drew the letters. But, one day I approached her desk and she was busy. She was writing. And I was surprised to see that she was not holding her pencil the way she

taught us to hold ours. Shy as I was (cough! cough!), I called her on it –and I got a look that said, Son, don’t ever do that again. To the best of my recollection, I never did. But, all of that taught me a lesson: namely, be what you teach others to be! Do what you teach others to do!

Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter to the Ephesians. Like he always does, he instructs us how to behave in the way he was taught by the LORD Jesus Christ. “Stand firm.” Soldiers don’t slouch. It gives the appearance of laziness and uncouthness. Christians aren’t to be like that. “Gird your loins with Truth.” Don’t have anything to do with lies or deceit. Always speak the Truth! Christians are to be surrounded with Truth. Be completely filled with righteousness, too! We’re not to be “show-offs,” but we certainly don’t want to neglect our responsibilities. We have Someone to share! So, have shoes that accompany your feet as you go faithfully about sharing the Good News of Jesus!

Do everything with faith. Be faithful; act faithfully toward others. The shield of faith will protect you from the onslaughts of the enemy. Keep your head on straight and tight! Keep the salvation of Jesus Christ in the fore of your mind, making it easy to recall for those who need to hear it. “It,” remember is the Word of God. It’s not what you or I think; it’s what HE says that counts. Be prayerful and alert. What’s more, remember me in your prayers! I need to be alert, too, when I share Christ with others. Remember, too, that I’m not geographically where you are. Still, I’m trying to speak boldly, but I’m handicapped with some chains. Just keep me in your prayers, please.

Did you notice what I noticed? Everything that Paul told his readers to do, he was already doing! I’m a spiritual infant, unworthy of all comparison to the maturity of the Apostle Paul; still, everything I encourage you to do in these Grands Letters, I endeavor to do as well. I pray for you daily; and I need your daily prayers for me. None of us are all that we ought to be; yet together and with the LORD’s strength, we can realize victory! He’s Coming! Let’s not be caught short when He comes!

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.”