The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 103:1-6, “Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;

3 Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases;

4 Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

5 Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The LORD performs righteous deeds, And judgments for all who are oppressed.”

Whether you know it or not, you were born to praise the LORD! It was always His desire to have

friendship and fellowship with you. And you and I were created to remember His divine blessings

and to praise Him for the outcome of all things, because everything He does is for His glory.

The whole of Scripture uses the word “bless” (blessings, blessed) more than 530 times. And David

uses it no less than 15 times in this psalm alone. You and I were literally born to praise and glorify

the LORD. Thus, as Barnes notes, “The call here on (our) souls is not to forget these divine dealings,

as laying the foundation for praise.”

The LORD God possesses the power to forgive sin and to heal all diseases. In some instances, He

elects to use physicians, who are knowledgeable and skilled, but all instances of healing ultimately

come from the LORD Himself. We may express gratitude to doctors for their knowledge and skill,

but we must never forget that it is the LORD who made us and it is He who puts together what sin

has displaced in our lives.

The LORD’s righteous deeds extend to the oppressed, whether the oppression comes from “harsh laws,

unjust governments, human slavery, or ungodly decisions by courts of law, which derive from human pride

and the power of wicked people.”

Rose Marie, my dear and faithful companion of 63 years, oppressed in health and hospitalized with yet another major surgery, has through multiple medical tests been cleared of all impediments and is scheduled to return home as soon as her strength has sufficiently returned. For this, we Praise the LORD exceedingly! We are not alleging uniqueness in this matter, for many of you have experienced the same or worse health troubles than she. But, we are seeking to be faithful in not forgetting the LORD’s gracious and bountiful mercies and compassions that are “new every morning” (Lam. 3:23).

We thank you exceedingly for your faithfulness in praying for her! Her unique expressions of humor have delighted her doctors and healthcare providers. What is more, the opportunities to witness to them have been multiple! And for that we praise the LORD, also! Thus, we invite you to join with us in a community of praise to Him, who created us for the same.

Heartily and thankfully in the LORD,

Nana & 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 1:1-2, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

There are always two roads which offer us the way to travel. There is the road

of ease and there is the road of challenge. There is the road of peace and the

road of conflict. There is the road of faith and the road of sight.

There are always two kinds of people who stand ready to advise us: the wicked

and self-serving and the righteous and loving. Both promise us prosperity, but only

one delivers counsel that leads to true blessing.

The one who is blessed is the one who delights in the LORD and in His teachings.

He lives in the Word of God and abides by it to the best of his ability. He does not

pretend to understand all the ways of the LORD’s leading or all that He sets forth

in His Holy Word. But his heart is for the LORD! He rejects the counsel of all who

reject the LORD’s Word. He chooses the LORD’s loving and tender counsel, knowing

that He knows what is best.

It is not always easy to walk in the ways of the LORD. The road is not always lighted

so that we can see the way clearly. But His Word gives us the confidence that His

Way leads upward to a Righteous City free from all suffering and pain. And in that

City is all that is sufficient for our every need.

We seek to live and abide in that Word and pray you will, also.

Nana & 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,

1 Thessalonians 14-24, “And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.

15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.

16 Rejoice always;

17 pray without ceasing;

18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit;

20 do not despise prophetic utterances.

21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

22 abstain from every form of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”

The bus, the airplane, the train! “It’s coming and there’s little time left. Now, remember

what I told you. When you get to grandma’s house, you be sure to…” Did you ever have an experience like that? You’re departing for a week to someone’s house and your mother is giving you last minute instructions. There’s not much time left, so she’s hurredily stuffing your head with last-minute thoughts.

Ever have something like that happen to you?

First Thessalonians is the Apostle Paul’s first letter. It’s chucked full of important instructions; but as he

nears the end, it seems he’s hurried with those “last-minute thoughts” he wants us not to forget. We are to

instruct, encourage and help those who are weak in the faith. They’ve been saved, but their like a newborn calf who is wobbly on his legs. They need help.

Don’t try to get even with people who do you wrong. It will hurt you and those you’re supposed to be helping. Always rejoice! Don’t be a gloomy gus. Look on the bright side of things! How do you do that?

Pray! You don’t always have to be on your knees to pray; you can be in a foot-race and be praying for strength to finish while your running. Understand that the LORD is in control of everything, so you can give Him thanks even when things seem turned against you.

There will be times when you will know the Holy Spirit is urging you to do or say something. Do it! Don’t put it off! And whatever else, don’t forget to read the Bible –God’s Word! It’s the spiritual food you need to give you strength to do what He wants you to do. The Word will keep you from evil things, and God will make you to be more-and-more like the LORD Jesus Christ. He is faithful! He will always be near to help and comfort you. He is faithfully working out His will in your life. Work with Him. There’s no life better than His!

We love you and pray for you,

Nana & Dado III

P. S. Rose Marie is progressing well. She is receiving superb care from her doctors and nurses.

Our whole family looks forward to her returning home soon. Please keep us all in your prayers.

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,

Colossian 4:2-6, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;

3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;

4 in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.

5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.

6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.”

Prayer is always toward God. As we are devoted to Him, prayer should be natural to us. We should

always be thankful to Him for all He has done for us. At the same time, we should be praying for one

another. Paul was always seeking an open door to the hearts of others –a door through which he

could share the Word of the LORD.

Have you ever considered that the circumstances that surround you are ultimately for Jesus’ glory?

Paul was imprisoned in Rome when he wrote this letter to the Colossian church. He was not seeking

to be released from prison; he was seeking for ways he could share the saving grace of Christ Jesus

with those around him. Are we doing that? He admonishes us to “make the most of the opportunities”

that we have.

We are to be wise in how we share the saving grace of God. We seek for the niche in the person’s

life where we can talk about Jesus. Each person is different, but the Gospel is the same. So, we are

to look for the “opening” in our conversation with them where we can introduce them to the Gospel.

The circumstances Rose Marie and I face at this present time are difficult. Her recuperation from

surgery is not easy. It takes time and is consummed with physical pain. My routine is now all about

her, just as it ought to be. Yet, in the midst of all of this “inconvenience,” we have been able to share

Christ with so many people! –people we would never have known or even encountered had it not been

for her illness and hospitalization. We’re trying to “make the most of every opportunity.”

You can join with us in these opportunities by remembering us in your prayers. This letter goes to only

a fraction of those who are praying. We rejoice that you and they are sharing with us in these

opportunities for the Gospel. The LORD chooses the battle; we are simply His servants who “fight” on

the front lines. May He bless you as you pray. The ultimate victory is His. Praise His Holy Name!

Lovingly and prayerfully yours,

Nana & 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 4:10-13, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

There is nothing so exciting –so fulfilling—as giving to the needs of others! Just seeing the face of one you have helped is its own reward. At the same time, there are moments when we ourselves need the help of others. Paul recognized his own needs and rejoiced that the Philippian believers had once again sent him sent him help. Paul was not begging for help. He had learned how to cope with whatever circumstances confronted him. He knew the difference between a cold hamburger and a hot, juicy steak. You do what you can with what you have, and you don’t complain.

I cannot honestly say that I cannot recall a time when I was desperately hungry. I do, however, remember times when I was treated with sumptuous meals. There is a secret to both: it lies in our yieldedness to Christ. Whatever we encounter, He is sufficient to satisfy us. The LORD Himself said to the prophet Jeremiah, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27). And just a few verses following our verses above, Paul wrote: “…God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

The fact that God is able and willing to “supply all (our) needs” does not mean that we are to neglect others who have needs. Many missionaries live under less-than-desirable conditions. They have needs some of

us have never encountered. It remains for us to hear and heed the LORD’s call to provide for them. Don’t

say, “The LORD Himself will provide for them,” when He wants to use you in the process. Jonah had to

die to himself before he was prepared to witness to the Ninevites. You have no idea what the LORD has

in store for you when you reach out to help His other servants.

“’Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together,

running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be

measured to you in return’” (Lk. 6:38).

We love each and every one of you, and we pray the LORD’s blessing on your lives,

Nana & Dado III

P. S. Nana (Rose Marie) is progressing well and is tentatively scheduled to return home on Monday!

Join our family in praising the LORD!

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.”