The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Joshua 21:43-45, “So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had
sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it.
44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that
He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before
them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not one of the
good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all
came to pass.”

Who, reading this letter, would have believed 1) that former President Donald J. Trump would have been elected President of the United States for the second time?

And further, who would have dreamed that he would have tapped Arkansas’ former Governor, Mike Huckabee (an ordained Southern Baptist preacher), to be the U. S. Ambassador to Israel?

These are strange days, to say the least. Yet, notice what the LORD promises yet to give! 1) All the land sworn to their fathers; 2) rest on every side; 3) all their enemies into their hands; 4) every promise He has given to Israel.

Do you believe that with all the promises the LORD has given to Israel, He would ignore or overlook the promises He has given to His Believing people? What’s that old junior choir song that says…

Every promise in the Book is mine;
Every chapter, every verse, every line;
All are blessings of His love divine;
Every promise in the Book is mine.

Well, the promises are there! Have you found them? Are your trusting Him to bring them to pass in your life? Even at my age, I’m looking for the Rapture –that’s when Jesus returns physically, bodily and snatches us out of this old world and takes us to be with Him forever in Heaven! Oh, what a Day that will be!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

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

Dear Grands,

Isaiah 40:21-25, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23 He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.
24 Scarcely have they been planted, Scarcely have they been sown, Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the storm carries them away like stubble.
25 “To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.”

“Why are you not on time? Where in the world have you been? Were you not aware of what was taking place?” Those who hover over us often blister us with such rapid-fire questions with that we scarcely have opportunity to respond. Isaiah exemplifies this tactic with four such closely aligned questions in verse 21 that the people have little-to-no opportunity to answer.

Parents, grandparents, teachers, close family friends are those who often assume the position of authority when they warn and/or chastise children when the parents are absent. Subsequently, the prophet speaks of the LORD and utilizes the remaining verses to respond to the questions. It is the LORD Himself who “sits on the circle of the earth.” It is the LORD, who sits “above the circle of the earth…and stretches out the heavens like a curtain.”

Utilizing comparison, the LORD reduces world leaders to virtually nothing! He merely “reduces rulers (and all, whom He wishes); “to nothing.” Isaiah’s purpose here is to demonstrate the wideness of the gap between the LORD Almighty and mankind, whom He has created.

The Word of the LORD then concludes by asking, “To whom then will you liken Me that I would be his equal.” He is our authority! It is He who made and rules the universe. No created human being comes even close to being and doing what the LORD has done!
“To whom then will you liken Me that I would be his equal? says the Holy One.”

“We are,” as the Psalmist’s Word says, “the sheep of His pasture” (Psa.100:3). We would do well to remember our place and adhere to His commands.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

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

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 3:25-32, “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up and the skies drip with dew.
21 My son, let them not vanish from your sight; keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will walk in your way securely and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes…”

My day usually commences with breakfast, an hour “trip” in the Kehuna Chair, a cup of strong coffee, listening to Christian music on BBN Radio, and watching the television news concerning Israel.

Today was much like any other day, except that the Israeli news carried a “live” raid (i.e. live, as I viewed it) of Israeli air forces hammering Lebanon. Viewed from the cockpit, I have never before viewed a bombing raid that didn’t give the opportunity of a quick breath!

No Scripture passage could be more adept to what spiritual believers encounter than this one above, scripted by King Solomon for those who confront the enemy in battle.

Solomon warns Israel not to be afraid. Fear is the foremost enemy in any battle. Yet, for the believer, the LORD is his foremost shield. The earth and the heavens are the work of the LORD! And those who inhabit the earth are His people.

The seven verses noted above say “Do not” seven times. Israel often failed to heed the LORD’s warnings! If we are wise, we will elect to follow all that He says.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

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

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 3:11-18, “For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.

My memory at my current age is hardly what it was when I was a child. At any rate, I can well remember hearing these non-comforting words when I was “under the rod.”

“I’m doing this,” my loving parents said, “for your own good. We want you to grow up to be a good boy.” There were additional words that accompanied the unpleasantness they handed out on this poor soul. I think I knew it then. It was for my own good that I was suffering. There were some cute little ditties my mother uttered while I was under the rod. They seemed not-to-cute at the time, yet I ultimately came to understand their value.

The “profit” that is cited in verse 14 above was, as it turned out, of much greater value than I would have believed at that time. My earthly father was a quiet man; my mother was the chief executioner. They worked well together, and I still love them both for what they were and for what they gave my sister and me. I never received punishment that I did not deserve.

The wish of verse 13 ought to be the desire of every man and boy! Failure in verse 13 demonstrates its results in verse 14. And the full results come to us in verses 15-17. Thus, the full depth of meaning lies well beyond our childish years. It reaches into adulthood and is ultimately shared as needed with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The expression of Divine and parental love are together the tree of life; and “happy are all who hold her fast.”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

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

Dear Grands,

Prov. 3:5-13, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof,
12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.”

Notice that the writer commences with an admonition: “Trust in the LORD…” Have you ever had a medical doctor perform a procedure on you when you were not familiar with the procedure? Why did you allow it? You allowed it because he said, “This is what needs to be done. It may not be pleasant, but you will have serious complications if you don’t allow it.”

King Solomon, the wisest man in his day. He wrote the Proverbs above that says, “Trust in the LORD…” Believe what he says, don’t trust what you think. Solomon was reputedly the wisest of men. It might do us all well, were you and I to read the above passage again.

Solomon admonishes us to honor the LORD, share our wealth with Him, and live within His jurisdiction. Why? because He loves us and disciplines us and longs for us to trust Him completely.

“But, how do we know what He wants of us,” you ask. He tells us what He wants in His Holy Word, the Scriptures…the Bible. If you have never followed the LORD, you’re in for a huge and pleasant surprise! He will be with you in all of your life and gives direction as to how you and I are to live. You’ll be glad you followed Him, I can assure you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

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

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