The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 10:1-6, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.

2 “But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.

3 “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

4 “When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

5 “And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.”

If you’ve ever been around animals (i.e., cows, horses, etc.) when a storm was brewing, you will surely have noticed how the cows gather with other cows, and the horses gather with the other horses. Isn’t that strange?

Well, not really. I can remember being at a church youth meeting at the Pastor’s home when I got a telephone call from my mother about a similar situation. It’s just normal for “relatives” (animal or human) to want to be with their own kind when ominous conditions arise.

Jesus cited this very situation in the passage mentioned above. Those who truly belong to Jesus (i.e., have been born again of Him) truly belong to Him; so when ominous, worldly situations occur, those who are His just naturally gather around Him! We read the Scriptures more fervently; we think about praying; we might even attend church services more frequently.

Now, consider this: if gathering to Jesus is normal in ominous times, why isn’t gathering to Jesus valuable all the time! “How’s that,” you say? Why isn’t reading the Bible valuable all the time? Why isn’t attending church also valuable? Why do we visit close friends when they are in the hospital?

Being “Jesus’ people” means behaving like Jesus’ people. No, we aren’t always able to literally be where our Christian friends are. But a phone call, a text message that says we care means far more than we might think.

“This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them. they did not understand.”; but we now understand, because He has just reminded us in His Word!

See you in church on Sunday!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

“‘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'” (John 14:2-3)

“.’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'” (Acts 1:11)

I have often kidded bankers, saying, “If you can’t trust your banker, who can you trust?” It gets a laugh, and at the same time, it’s demonstrative of my sincere trust in them: what they say, what they do.

But, I have a greater trust than in my bankers. I trust the words of my LORD Jesus Christ, who said, “I will come again.” His first coming was to fulfill the Law and to die on the Cross for our sins. He vindicated His death and its value to us by rising from the grave three days later. Evidence of His Resurrected Life is vindicated in the testimony of those who visibly saw Him after His Resurrection and from testimonies elsewhere in the Scripture.

The Apostle Paul said: “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also” (1 Cor. 15:3-8).

Why do firemen respond to fires? Why do they often enter burning buildings? Why do they respond to calls that relate to human health issues? They do it all for the preservation of lives! If you follow the news even casually, you know that the world at large is in turmoil! Wars, domestic disturbances, and riots abound! People are harassed and killed because of what they believe. Jesus is coming to end the strife and turmoil that prevails on the Earth He once created.

The times that I have called the first responders, I was told to be prepared – to have the door unlocked, to move furniture or anything that would impede their quick and safe entry. Time was of the essence! And so it is with Jesus’ Coming. We must be prepared. We must unlock the recesses of our hearts and move sinful impediments out of the way. His coming is rapid; there is no room for hesitation.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and LORD? I’m not asking for your church’s denomination. What is imperative is whether you know Him! If you don’t, please turn your life over to Him now! Don’t put it off!

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will” (Matt. 24:43-44).

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that God is all we need until He becomes all that we have.”

–Corrie Ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Numbers 11:21-29, ‘It was Moses said, ‘The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’

Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?

The LORD said to Moses, ‘Is the LORD’S power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.’

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent.

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again.

But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other was Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp.

So a young man ran and told Moses and said, ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’

Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, ‘Moses, my lord, restrain them.’

But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!’

The young boy was going to camp. His father was thrilled for his son as he remembered his own youthful days in camp and the spiritual commitments he made in his own life. One thing he needed, however, was not purchased for him by his father. ‘Don’t worry,’ the father said, ‘I will get what you need and I’ll get it to the camp on time.’

These two accounts are not in exact parallel. Moses was worried that the LORD might not provide sufficient food for the 600,000 people as He had promised. The boy was concerned that what he needed his father would not provide on time.

Spiritual provisions are always superior to the physical. At the same time, when the LORD promises to provide, we ought never to doubt it. His love for us is infinitely superior to our love for those in our families.

His Word 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).

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

‘We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.’ – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Galatians 5:17-24, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”

Like it or not, there’s a war being waged within each of us! It’s what we want to do versus what the LORD wants us to do. It occurs before we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior; and it continues even after we have been saved. Verses 19-21a lay it all out unmistakably.

Verses 22-24 list what the LORD desires—things that He will promote within us once we have trusted Him as LORD and Savior of our lives. At the same time, we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit, Who is working to arrest the wrongs that flourish within us. It is He that encourages and promotes those factors of His love and grace.

There are fifteen undesirable “deeds of the flesh” that wrestle against nine “fruits of the Spirit.” The ones we feed are the ones that prosper and flourish. Yet, in this instance, less is more. Additionally, there is no law against the fruit of the Spirit. It is the LORD’s desire for each of us.

Little children are trained by loving, intelligent parents to do what is right. We are our LORD’s “little children” until we learn to obey Him. It is then that we come into spiritual maturity and learn to live “to the praise of His glory!”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Ecclesiastes 7:8-12, “The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

9 Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools.

10 Do not say, ‘Why is it that the former days were better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.

11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good and an advantage to those who see the sun.

12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection. But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.”

Solomon didn’t always live a God-honoring life. His virtue lay largely in the wisdom he expressed in his writings. Preachers don’t always live godly lives, either; however, they quite often share soul-stirring messages from their pulpits. Congregations need to be tolerant of their pastor’s sermons because they come from the Word of God; and if they are prayerfully prepared, the LORD Himself has placed them in their hearts for the people with whom the pastors share.

All of that being said, “The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.”

Solomon notes that “wisdom is protection just as money is protection.” Have you ever thought of that? You have, if you’ve had a wreck and discovered that you’d neglected to renew your car insurance! We have the tendency to forget things we believe have little to no importance.

Solomon concludes our thinking here when he says that “knowledge is wisdom that preserves the lives of its possessors.” Of course, that preservation derives from the wisdom that comes from God.

This current, human writer is no one to boast of wisdom. In fact, he bemoans the lack of that commodity in his own life, even as he is led to warn others of it. One has to wonder if Solomon bemoaned his own negligence, even as he warned others of their neglect.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom