The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Isaiah 40:28-31, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD,

the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.

29 He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.

30 Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly,

31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles,

they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”

It’s been a long time ago, and I have forgotten his name, but I shall never forget his story.

He and his wife were headed to a gathering at church. She was holding some food she had

prepared for the occasion. Their car encountered another car at an intersection and was

turned on its side. He was thrown from the car, but his wife was trapped inside. In an instant,

he grasped the side of the overturned car and lifted it to an upright position. He was a stockily

built young man, but certainly no match for the overturned car –yet, the thought of his wife

being trapped inside provided a strength he never knew he had.

That’s the only encounter like that I’ve ever known. “But, didn’t it strain you severely?” I asked

him. “Not at the time,” he said; “but a day or two later, my arms and my shoulder suffered severe

strain! I’ve never known anything like it.”

The LORD promises us strength and increased power suitable to the needs of the occasion.

He give us courageous strength of speech. He gives us wisdom that meets the questions of

unbelievers. His strength restrains us from saying and doing things inappropriate to the time.

And, yes, He occasionally gives us physical strength that circumstances demand.

As we get older in life, the strength we knew in our youth lessens considerably. The LORD’s promise

is to give “His beloved sleep” (Psa. 127:2). We need, however, to work with Him by conserving the

strength He gives us through a good night’s sleep. Staying up late deprives us of proper rest and spells

difficulty for the next day. The Bible is our guidebook for everything! Read it and follow its instructions,

and you will know His renewed strength for everything in your life.

Praying daily for His strength and blessings on you,

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,

Luke 2:41-47, “And His parents used to go to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

42 And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast;

43 and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. And His parents were unaware of it, 44 but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

45 And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him. 46 And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.”

There is nothing so amazing as becoming the parent of a child! Surely, a mother is more conscious of this than anyone. Yet, all children are not alike! Some advance more rapidly than others. I can clearly recall the time when I became aware of my children’s intellectual growth. We were in Australia, sitting in our car, waiting for their mother. The subject of our discussion I have forgotten, but one of them said something that jolted my mind! “Where did that come from?” I remember thinking. And from that time onward, I noticed more closely their intellectual growth.

Despite the growing maturity of children, they often become so engrossed in things that they are unaware that they are lost their parents. That is precisely what occurred with Jesus. At the age of 12, He had become so focused on Jewish law that He forgot about His parents, who had departed for home. They supposed Him to have been with relatives. When they found Him, however, He was discussing weighty matters with rabbis in the Temple. And His wisdom and understanding astounded those who were recognized as experts in matters of religious law.

Never overlook the growth and maturity in others. Whoever you are and however intelligent you think we have become, there is always someone who knows more –someone whose insight into heavy matters is deeper than your own. No one, however, is wiser or smarter or more understanding of things than Jesus! His wisdom and knowledge is revealed in His Book, the Bible! Yes, His parents and His disciples walked physically with Him. They had the benefit of His first-hand knowledge of all things. But, they did not have the Bible as we now have it. Our advantage is at least equal, if not greater, in that all we need to know is encompassed in the His Word. Remember Isaiah 55:11. The Word of God in Holy Scripture embraces the power of its own accomplishments. Read it daily! Absorb it’s truth! There is no earthly match! Thus, whether you grow spiritually, depends largely on you.

We pray daily for your spiritual growth,

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,

Luke 2:8-11, “And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

10 And the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”

Some of the greatest things occur while we are working. Our minds and hearts were focused on the task before us, when suddenly it happened! It was a thought that flashed within you. It was something you had not anticipated, but in a split second it permeated your brain and then your heart. You were suddenly flooded with joy and peace –an experience unlike anything you had ever known!

This was the experience of the shepherds. Had they not been tending to their flock, they would have missed the blessing. They would never have seen and heard the angel of the LORD. They would never have been frozen in that glorious light of His presence. Whatever regrets or trouble they might have had were suddenly swept away in the flash of that heavenly brilliance!

Good news always supersedes! When will this good news come? It is before you here and now. It is yours if you will believe it. It goes beyond you. It encompass others, if they will only believe. The LORD, the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior, has come!

It was a spectacular moment in the lives of simple shepherds. And His coming means a spectacular joy to you –if you will allow it. The LORD has specific work for each of us; yet, no work is of greater value than another. Never look upon His task for you as of greater or lesser importance than the assignment He as given to someone else. It is what it is! He knows where you “fit” into His marvelous plan. There were many whose responsibilities were greater than those of the shepherds; but they were not the recipients of the angel’s announcement. Just do the work He has assigned you. Do it without complaint. You will be blessed!

We pray for you, and we value your prayers for us,

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,

Luke 1:37, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

My mother was told by her doctor that she would never have a child. Her mother’s response was: “He hasn’t reckoned with God.”

We often speak of the “four Gospels,” Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. But in reality, there is but one Gospel; and it is addressed to four different groups of people. Matthew speaks to the Jews; Mark, to the Romans; Luke to the Greeks; and John to the Church. Each expresses the Gospel in terms peculiar to his group, but there are no contradictions in the truths they each reveal.

Sir William Ramsay, the noted British chemist, Nobel Prize recipient, and atheist, was converted by faith to Jesus Christ. He wrote:

“I take the view that Luke’s history is unsurpassed in regard to its trustworthiness….

You may press the words of Luke in a degree beyond any other historian’s and they

stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment.”

In his first chapter, Luke records the miraculous births of two sons: John the Baptist was born of a woman well beyond her child-bearing years; and Jesus Christ was born of a virgin girl, who had never had a sexual relationship with a man. These two women were at opposite ends of the birth spectrum, yet the LORD used both of them to convince us all that “nothing is impossible with God.”

Job of Old Testament times said, “I know that Thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

The Apostle Paul added this convincing word, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

We are currently facing some difficult times. They are likely to continue. But, we must not become discouraged. The LORD has performed some astounding miracles in the past, and His overall purposes will not be hindered or overcome. You may be facing some turbulence in your life at this time. Just know and remember that nothing can hinder the will of Almighty God. He controls His purpose in every situation, and He will give you His strength to survive if you only trust Him.

We pray for patience, as we await His performance,

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,

Mark 16:19-20, “So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.”

Touted as “the world’s greatest theoretical physist,” when the late Stephen Hawking died, among his final statements were these words:

“I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe

and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realization that there probably

is no heaven and no afterlife either.”

These words lie in stark contrast with the words of our LORD Jesus Christ, who said,

“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” (Jn. 14:2-3).

A recent story in the news identified the numerous real estate holdings of President Donald Trump. Among those vast holdings of hotels and golf club resorts, there are numerous mansions boasting exquisite furnishings, all of which are overlaid with gold. For a boy who was reared in a modest, but comfortable home, such luxury is overwhelming. Yet, there is a home called Heaven that outranks the totality of the world’s opulance.

The promise the LORD Jesus left us when He ascended to Heaven, was that He was coming again and would take us to live with Him throughout eternity. In the meantime, as the work Christ came to do on Earth was completed, He left His disciples to share His Good News with all mankind. Our text says, “And they went out and preached everywhere…” At the same time, they were not alone, for “the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the Word by the signs that followed.”

However difficult work is, it is always easier when someone works with us. It should be easier still, when we realize that our fellow-worker is the LORD Himself. His Holy Spirit was given to us when we first believed on Him; and now, that same Spirit guides and energizes us in the sharing of the Gospel with others who have yet to believe.

Dr. Hawking had “a profound realization that there probably (was) no heaven and no afterlife…” In other words, he didn’t know; he just wasn’t sure. But we have a hope – a future certainty, “an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast…” (Heb. 6:19). And that hope is confirmed by His Word and by those daily miracles that we experience when we pray and believe. Don’t live in doubt! Live in hope! And share the LORD’s Word daily with those who have yet to believe.

Praying lovingly for you every day,

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.”