The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 6:31-35, “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.

32 “And if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

33 “And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34 “And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount.

35 “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”

There may not be a harder task than this one Jesus assigns to all of us. Notice carefully that He does not say, ‘Do to others as they do to you’; or ‘Act toward your enemies like they act toward you.’ No, He specifically says, “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.”

In verses 32-35, He says that there is no reward in loving or doing good or lending things to those who do the same to you. How does that differentiate Christians from non-Christians? It doesn’t! The lost act the same toward their lost friends. No, we have to be different. We are instructed to “love (our) enemies.” But how do we love someone who literlly hates us?

I had an experience like this some time ago. Someone, whom I believed to be a true friend, turned on me with a vengence! I could feel the anger rising within me and knew that if I didn’t remove myself from the area, I just might say something that would come back to haunt me. Oh, I wanted to blast him with some classic verbiage! My old nature (and by the way, even a Christian has an old nature) –my old nature wanted to castigate the rudeness that had come my way. But in that moment, I remembered who I really was –a servant of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit comes to indwell every person who repents of his sin and asks Christ Jesus to be his LORD and Savior. So, it was the Holy Spirit that enabled me to love this person.

Sometime later, I had a specific opportunity to make contact with that person again. I spoke with an attitude of true, Christian love. And his response was gracious and one of gratitude. Lost people all know how to fight verbally and physically. But, they don’t know how to contend with genuine love.

By the way, Jesus said that we are to “expect nothing in return.” Even if your momentary adversary is hostile to your expression of love, in time, he will come to realize that you had done something he could not do; namely, love someone in the midst of conflict. Don’t depend upon yourself. You cannot do it alone. Just yield to the Holy Spirit of God, and He will reward you abundantly!

We love you and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Next Thursday, 21 March, Rose Marie will have an angiogram. To those in the medical field,

it is a normal and relatively simple process. But, when one is already ill, even a simple procedure

seems gigantic. The LORD has given her peace in some recent procedures, for which we thank Him;

but this procedure is invasive. We would both appreciate your prayers for her. God bless you!

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,

Luke 6:26-28, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets.

27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

This era and culture in which we currently live is a 180-degree turn from the culture in which I

grew up. Oh, people weren’t as openly rude and crude as people are today. Now, I don’t mean

everyone, just those who seem to have nothing of value to say except to criticize everything

everyone else says or believes.

I turned off the news tonight when they seemed to be obsessed with who said what and why.

Everything anyone says is turned on its head and linked with something so far removed that it is

impossible that they could be even remotely involved. Killings rage throughout the world and in places of which we would never before have dreamed. But to even mention such a tragedy is to

become linked with it in the mindlessness of a thousand accusers.

What are we to do in the light of this melee? However unlikely is seems, if everyone were to speak

well of you, just beware! They are praising you to your face, but speaking despicably of you when

you are not present. What are we to do?

First, love your enemies. The word “love” is agape. The Holy Spirit loves them through us when

we find it impossible to love them by ourselves alone. Second, “do good to those who hate you.” Accomplish something honorable, something commendable on their behalf. Third, “bless,” speak

well, say good things about those who say evil things against you. Finally, pray, beseech the LORD

to do good for those who mistreat you. Nobody said it was easy. But, it’s only our carnal, selfish selves that want “to get even.” When the LORD handles things, He redeems the offending parties and restores a friendship we thought had been lost forever. God bless you and you forgive others!

Our love and prayers are for you on a daily basis,

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,

1 Corinthians 3:5-7, “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”

As I sat down to write this letter, an email appeared at the top of my inbox. It is not my purpose to boast of anything, as it is the LORD who produces servants as they believe upon Him. Thus, it is my trust that this following email will generate a warmth in your heart as it has mine:

“Dear Mr Gene Jeffries

Fifty three and a half years ago, way back in 1965, the 12th September, to be exact, I was saved under your ministry at Blockhouse Bay Baptist Church in Auckland, New Zealand.

I just wanted to make contact with you to encourage you that what you did way back then is still bearing fruit today.

My testimony is this – I was brought up in a very stressful, non-Christian family. I was the youngest of 3 children and had never gone to church. My older brother and sister had somewhat disappointed my parents by getting into a little bit of trouble. At 13 years of age, I so didn’t want to also disappoint my parents that I made a decision to be a ‘good girl’. I thought that good girls went to church and I knew that my school friends went to a church, so I asked them if I could go along, feeling a little embarrassed that I knew nothing of the Bible. I’m pretty sure they would have agreed that that was the easiest bit of evangelism they could be involved in! So off I went to Blockhouse Bay Baptist with them on that September morning. Wonderfully, and ‘by chance’ – NOT – the Trans Pacific Crusade was in full swing and Gene Jeffries preached the Gospel. I figured this was all part of being ‘good’ so I went forward on the altar call as they sang “Just As I am”. Although I was green and didn’t really know what I was doing, I have never looked back and I must testify that God has been so faithful these past 53 and a half years. About three weeks after this, a Christian friend at school mentioned the devil. I asked “Do you believe in the devil?” seeing as I thought he was like a pixie or a gnome! When she said she did, I figured that I should too. So my story is a little different in that I really didn’t know much about what I was doing, but I am so thankful that the Lord gave me this opportunity so long ago and has kept me ever since. In 1969/1970, I spent the summer in Sydney and I recall seeing you at Sydney Baptist Tabernacle, feeling delighted to be able to say ‘thank you’ back then.

My purpose for writing this is to thank you again and to encourage you that your labour is not in vain in the Lord, I haven’t done any outrageous exploits for God, but He faithfully cares for us and my faith is by far the most important aspect of my life. My husband is a prison chaplain – seeing wonderful results – and we are involved in world missions. I am 66 now and I look forward to seeing you again and joining you in praising and adoring our great God. Worthy is the Lamb!

The Lord continue to bless and keep you.

Barbara

Pray for Barbara and her husband, living now in Brisbane, Australia,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Please pray for Rose Marie, as she has multiple medical meetings

this week. She is a trooper! May the LORD bless her abundantly!

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 115:9-11, “O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.

You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.”

I made a hurried trip to the pharmacy this week for some needed medicine. I was checking

out when I reached for my wallet – it wasn’t there! I had already rung up my purchases, and

now I have no money to pay for them! It was a combination of embarrassment and fear.

What was I to do? I looked up and the bank inside the store was open. I said to the clerk,

“Hold these items for me and I’ll be right back.”

I know all the employees at the bank, since I bank there all the time. But, the girl who waited

on me was new. Would she trust me without any identification? She asked my Social Security

number and I fumbled it on to the keypad; and without any additional identification, she asked,

“How much money do you want?” Here was the element of trust; and it enabled me to continue

my payment to the store and be on my way.

The psalmist admonishes us to fear the LORD. The entire psalm contrasts the weakness of pagan idols with the strength of Almighty God. “Trust in the LORD…” is mentioned three times. And the

promise is that “He is their help and their shield.” Help signifies provision –needy provision. How

would we live without the provisions of the LORD? Shield signifies protection. We are not

sufficient to protect ourselves. We need the LORD’s protection! And the key to both is trust!

Do you trust the LORD? Do you really? The word trust is mentioned 164 times in Scripture. That

should be sufficient for us to believe the LORD and that He is adequate for all our needs. Ask Him

to erase all doubts from your mind and fill it with His all-sufficiency! There is no God like Jesus!

Let us as Christians pray for one another,

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,

John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

2 “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.”

Parents can be wonderful teachers. My mother taught me all of the nursery rhymes almost

before I could walk. It’s still unknown whether she or I got the most out of what she had taught

me. I delighted to talk (I know how hard that is to believe!) and did so before I walked. Mom, on

the other hand, delighted to parade me in front of people where we all shared in the “delight.”

I had a good childhood, but like all children, there were moments of dismay and trouble. When

trouble occurred, I was taught to “take it to Jesus in prayer,” which I did. I came to know Jesus

when I was seven years old. I learned from my parents, who learned it from the Bible, that Jesus

had an eternal home for all who believed upon Him. If it were not so, it wouldn’t be affirmed in the

Bible.

“Where is Jesus?” I used to ask. The answer was always the same: He is in Heaven building

mansions for everyone who believe in Him and will someday be there for ever. I later came to

learn tht there was much more to Jesus’ Coming again. My parents didn’t know much about

that because their pastors didn’t know much about it. So, it was only preached that Jesus is God,

and that He would return some day.

As strange at it may seem for you to hear it, the truth is that I grew up knowing less about His

Coming than my parents. It was when I entered college and met the girl to whom I am now

married, that I learned about the Rapture and the Antichrist and the Mark of the Beast. How did

she know so much? She knew it because her pastor preached it. And believe me, he KNEW it!

Later, he became my pastor, too, and we had long talks about the Bible and the Second Coming

of Jesus Christ.

Why do preachers today neglect preaching about Christ’s Second Coming? Some neglect it because their pastors did not give that doctrine its rightful emphasis. Some pastors are lazy and

just want to repeat other men’s sermons. Some pastors are liberal and want to allagorize the historical truths of the Word. But, mark my word: JESUS IS COMING AGAIN! And everyone is

not going to be greeted with gladness. It will be too late then for them to “get on board” with Jesus.

His Coming is for His own, those who believed upon Him and were watching for His Return. In

what category are you? Do you know Him? Have you repented of your sins and trusted Him as

your LORD and Savior? If not, please do it today! “Now is the accepted time. Today is the day

of salvation!”

We pray for you and for those who are lost.

Help us to reach them with the Gospel of Christ,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Rose Marie’s angiogram has been postponed until next Thursday.

Monday, she has another radio-nuclear test –this time, tapping

the red cells to see where the blood-leak is. We’re praying about

all of this, but especially about the angiogram. Hopefully, the

surgeon will be able to insert a stent and free up the blood that

serves the colon area. Please pray with us!

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.”