The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

I have a dear friend in the United Kingdom (England) who sometimes writes:

“Story Time:” and then procedes to tell a story. Are you ready? Story time!

Sixty years ago, I heard this story. Whether it is apocrphal or true, I do not know. What I do know is – well, listen and you tell me.

The seminary was winding up its year, and it was customary for one of the students to be selected to give an address to the entire school. The faculty poured over the records and selected a fine, young man as the annual speaker.

The student was scared-to-death. His forte was as a scholar in the classroom. He had never given more than a short talk in one or two of his classes. Speak to the whole school?

“Oh, no!” he pleaded. But there was no backing out. He had been faculty-selected, and he was going to face the school with a formal address.

The day came, and he was literally shaking as he stood before the entire school.

“Duh…duh…do you know wha…what I…I’m about to say?”

Of course his subject had never been announced, so the entire school body said loudly and politely, “NO!”

“Wuh…well…neither do I, so let’s all go home.”

The exhausted speaker was devastated. “I’ve…I’ve ruined everything,” he said.

“No, you haven’t,” said the dean. “You’re just not used to speaking in public. Go back and study a bit more. We’ll let you speak again next week.”

Self-dejected, he dutifully returned to the books. He was not happy, but there was no other way out. He had to address the school –the entire school!

When the day finally came, he was on the platform, but not in good form for speaking. Yet,

he stood, walked to the lecturn, caughed nervously, looked scaredly at the school body, and said, “Duh…duh…do you know wha…what I…I’m about to say?”

His fellow-students were now thoroughly confused. Some said, “Yes,” and snickered beneath their breath. But some said, “No,” because they still had no hint as to what he would might say.

“Then,” the young speaker said, “Those who know, tell those who don’t know, and let’s all

go home.”

Literally mortified that he had failed twice, the dejected young speaker-to-be left the auditorium in devastating defeat!

“I am a total failure,” he said, “a total, total failure!”

“Oh, no!” said the dean. “You’re not a failure. In fact, we want you to stay with the school and teach! For what you said is a fundamental, biblical truth. It’s for those who know to tell those who don’t –before we all go home.”

I challenge you to think on this story and ask yourself –well, you know. Just do it!

We meet people every day who do not know Jesus. You do, too. Let’s pray for one another that we may share Him before He comes at the end of our “school year.”

Love and prayers always,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. What a trooper, Rose Marie is! We’re both convinced that this extended illness

has the purpose in bringing us into contact with lost, confused people. Some day

we’ll share some of our experiences in contacting the lost.

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,

Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

It may be wrong to speak forthrightly about one’s spiritual gift, but I have long believed the LORD gave me the gift of encouragement. I love to laugh, and while I never actually plan

to laugh, I enjoy making other people laugh, too.

We’ve been to a lot of doctors with the past few months, and their waiting rooms are always crowded with people with various hurts and ailements. One day Rose Marie wore a

surgical mask to keep from catching the caughs and sneezes of others. I had wheeled her

in in a wheelchair and left to park the car. When I returned to the waiting room, a number

of people were wearing masks as well. I looked dumbfounded as I searched the room for

my wife, and with a quizical look on my face I walked up to her and lowered her mask to

see if she were the one I had brought in earlier. The room roared in laughter!

The past five or six months have not been easy for either of us –or for our children and grandchildren. Yet, we have not become cynical or angry. Rather, we have found ourselves in the company of people whom we would never have encountered except for Rose Marie’s illnesses. At times, it has been viewed as a high price to pay, yet our LORD Jesus Christ paid a much higher price for sins not His own! And through some anxious moments, He has caused some lost souls to find our pathway and hear of the LORD’s blessings we’ve been privileged to encounter.

Yes, “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” but a “broken spirit” – a sour, aching, complaining spirit – just “dries up the bones.” Don’t give up! Whatever malady comes your way, however dismal the night or the day, DON’T GIVE UP! Look to our loving LORD, whose ever-present attitude is one of merriment.

We love and appreciate all of you, especially those whose skills are so encouraging,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

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,

Genesis 15:6, “Then [Abram] believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:2-5, “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.

3 For what does the Scripture say? ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.’

4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due.

5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness…”

“Just do the best you can. God understands.” That’s what a lot of people think. They consider them-selves “religious”; they go to church, the drop some money in the plate, and they congratulate the pastor on his sermon. Is there more to the Christian faith than that?

The first verse quoted above says that “Abram [Abraham] believed in the LORD.” But when Paul encountered some in his day that held to a “good-works salvation,” he raised the question of when Abram was declared righteous. Was he justified before God by his works, or was he justified by faith?

Paul concludes in verse five above that faith and faith alone is how man is reckoned as righteous. One can even believe that God exists and fall short of being declared righteous before God Himself.

God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of all mankind. Believing in Jesus is the key to being declared “righteous” before God. It’s a matter of commitment, a matter of trust and a willingness to obey His instructions in Scripture.

I came to know Jesus when I was seven years old. I didn’t understand everything at that age, but I

knew that Jesus died on a cross for my sin –and I knew what sin was! I simply told Him in prayer that I was sorry for my sin and asked Him to forgive me and be my LORD and Savior. I know a lot more today than I did away back then, But that prayer was a start. Do you know Him? If you don’t, you need to. If you do, you’ll learn more and more through a daily reading of His Word, the Bible.

And that will enable you to trust Him all the greater. God bless you! You’re on your way!

We pray that you will grow in the grace of God and share Him with others,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

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,

Isaiah 12:2-4, “’Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid;

For the LORD God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.’

3 “Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation.

4 “And in that day you will say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name.

Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name

is exalted.’”

Repetition is not always bad. As children, we had to be told things over and over and over,

until what we were told had been learned, engrained deeply within us. Had our parents not

drilled us on important matters, we would not be remembering them now.

Isaiah was one of the chief prophets in Israel, and he again and again recalls that the LORD is his salvation and the Person in whom he puts his trust. None other. And because he trusts in the LORD, God alone is his strength. He sings joyously about the LORD.

Recall a time when you went on a long hike. You had run out of water and had grown intensely thirsty. Then suddenly, you came upon a small stream. How joyously it was to

have discovered this cool, refreshing water. That’s the picture Isaiah holds before us when speaks to us of what salvation brings. The salvation of the LORD is always refreshing. There are no situations, no conditions under which He cannot produce what we need.

What the LORD provides for us in our need is precisely what we make known to others. We are to make others remember that His Name is to be exalted. Therefore, we sing praises to Him daily and from the deep recesses of our hearts. Live daily in the Word of God! Spend time daily with Him in prayer. You will be refreshed by His presence. And you will have something to share with others. Praise the Name of the LORD!

Robert Browning was a poet. So was his wife, Elizabeth Barret Browning. But Elizabeth was weak and sickly. One day she said to him, “Robert, you are so strong and good. I am

but weak and sickly. Why do you stay with me?”

Robert replied, “Your weakness needs my strength; and my strength needs your weakness.”

So it is with us and God.

We need to pray for one another that God may be glorified,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

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 119:73-77, “Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments.

74 May those who fear Thee see me and be glad, Because I wait for Thy word.

75 I know, O LORD, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me.

76 O may Thy lovingkindness comfort me, According to Thy word to Thy servant.

77 May Thy compassion come to me that I may live, For Thy law is my delight.”

When we really come to know the LORD, we begin to understand that He alone is the recipient of all glory. We are alive because He intended it that way. He fashioned (appointed) us to be “to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12).

Evangelism (the telling of the Good News of salvation) begins with those who “fear (stand in awe of [Him]” and and see Him in us. Christianity is comprised of faith in Jesus Christ; and the indwelling Holy Spirit manifests a change in us that causes others to see Him. We are not to be like others, even others who claim to know Him. We are to be like HIM!

His judgments (arrangements, plans) area always righteous (right, just). Even when we are afflicted (oppressed, violated), He is faithful in what He allows. Then He comforts us with His Love and perfection. And when we look back and see it all, we learn that while we were benefited by His hand, it was all intended to be “to the praise of His glory.”

Our comfort is the result of His loving kindness that we may say with the psalmist, “May Thy compassion come to me that I may live, for Thy law is my delight.”

May the LORD bless and use you “to the praise of His glory,”

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Rose Marie is gaining strength daily! And for that (among many other things) we

Praise the LORD! We thank you for your earnest prayers for her. She faces yet

another surgery in the days ahead. Please pray for her strength. Thankfully, she

is not in any pain; she’s just weak.

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.”