The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 39:22, “And the chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it.”

In our early teenage years, we began to get jobs. It was exciting to be responsible, to know that adults trusted us. Responsibility is always based upon trust. The Hebrew word for responsible is asah. It means industrious performance that results in accomplishment.

One of my high school friends got a job cleaning a barbershop. He was compensated for what he did, but he had to be there at an appointed time and he had to do a good job.

In our verse above, Joseph had been imprisoned unjustly. Potiphar’s wife had lied about Joseph, leading to his imprisonment. But the chief jailer saw that Joseph was responsible, and put him in charge of all the other prisoners. It’s important that we be and act responsibly in every situation. Think of this: when we pray, we are trusting the LORD to act responsibly on our behalf. But that cuts both ways. He assigns us duties, trusting that we will perform them honestly and dependably.

When the LORD called me to preach, He opened for me a small church. I was then responsible to study the Scriptures, produce two sermons a week, drive to the church, and deliver the sermons to the people on Sunday, and give guidance to the church that was in keeping with the Bible. I prayed for the LORD’s guidance, but I was responsible for carrying out my duties, as well.

We all trusted Him when we confessed our sins and asked His forgiveness. Now, it is for Him to trust us to share with others what He has done in our lives when He forgave us. The blessings of the LORD are not without responsibility. The big question is: Are we being responsible in sharing Him with others? Sharing Christ Jesus means living the new life – His Life– that indwells us. Honesty, truthfulness, kindness, love –all this speaks of Him as living within us. Then, sharing Him verbally with others is another responsibility. This is accomplished in multiple ways –ways in which the Holy Spirit guides us. Keep alert! Be ready to be responsible! He has put us in charge of the prisoners.

Our prayers for you are a part of our responsibility. We love being responsible!

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 Samuel 16:6-7, “Then it came about when they entered, that he looked at Eliab and thought,

‘Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him.’ 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his

appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man

sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”

“Gene, I don’t think that you’re going to be our pitcher.” I was about nine years old, and we had

gathered on the school playground for a game of softball. My pitches simply lacked the skill that was needed, and the words of my pastor were final. His words were hurtful at the time, but they

are as still as clear to my memory as if they had occurred yesterday. I was rejected!

Over the years, I have suffered rejection numerous times. I have been by-passed for jobs, terminated from jobs –yet, none of the word linger in my mind like those of my pastor now some

70 plus years ago.

Have you ever wondered what the sons of Jesse thought when they were rejected by the LORD?

Eliab, Shammah –all seven of Jesse’s eight sons had passed before Samuel, but none of them were the LORD’s choice to replace Saul as King of Israel. The Scriptures do not picture them as

evil or unworthy; they were simply not the LORD’s choice.

Rejection is not always a bad thing. As I review my multiple rejections, it is amazing to note that with each and every one, something better occurred. It didn’t always happen immediately, but it did happen! The key, I discovered, was not to be discouraged. Yes, it’s hard not to be; but if our lives belong to the LORD, and if we are confident of His involvement, and if our attitude and behavior aligns with His Word, rejection will take on an entirely new meaning!

No, I didn’t become the pitcher –ever! I became the catcher behind the batter. And I played every game, something even pitchers could never do! Be accepting of the LORD’s plan for your life. Keep a good thought, because “the LORD looks at the heart” –your heart.

Our prayers are lifted up 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.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 84:11-12, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He

withhold from those who walk uprightly.

12 O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in Thee!”

These two verses literally overflow with meaning! The psalmist praises

the LORD as the One who illuminates and invogorates mankind. Where

would we be without the sun that warms and produces life? Where would

we be if we had no relief from continual sunlight and its scorching heat?

The LORD balances everything so that we might receive His grace and

acknowledge His glory.

It is both a truth and a promise that He will not withhold any of His goodness

from us as we walk uprightly in honesty and love. Thus, when we discover

the absence of His blessing in our lives, we should examine our footsteps.

Are we walking with Him? Are we living in His Word, the Holy Scriptures?

They are indeed the spiritual food we need for the life He wants us to live.

Are we trusting Him for the provisions we both need and desire? We often

accurately recognize what we need, but we fail to look to Him for the

provision of it. The LORD wants to bless us just as our parents (and we as

parents) want the best for their children. Yet, to reward us with blessing when

we behave contrary to the will of the Rewarder, is to overlook justice. Parents

sometimes do that. God never does that!! Sin always has consequences.

And although consequences are grevous, they are necessary teachers to

bring us to righteous living.

So, don’t despair when you get “spanked” for doing wrong or neglecting to do

right. Just tell the LORD you are genuinely sorry (repent), and He will forgive

you and strengthen you for living in His sunlight.

Love and prayers for each of 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,

Psalm 66:16-20, “Come and hear, all who fear God,

And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.

17 I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue.

18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;

19 But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His lovingkindness from me.”

What a great peace it is to be delivered from the troubles we encounter in life! “Hey, let me

tell you about what almost occurred in my life, and how I was rescued!” We’ve all experienced those moments of escape. Whew! When it’s over, we want to share the escape, but only with others, who will understand and rejoice with us.

Those anxious moments are multiple: sickness, accidents, fears of all kinds –those moments

when we cried out to the LORD for help and deliverence. In those moments, we repented of

every sin we could recall. We knew at that moment that the LORD would not hear us unless

we admitted to evil we had allowed to enter into our hearts and lives. In desperation, we pled

with God to forgive us of those sins and to hear our prayer for deliverence from the fears that

plagued us in that moment.

But how do we know when we’ve been forgiven? How do we know that the LORD even heard

our prayers? Yes, we prayed in faith that He would hear, but how could we know with certainty that He heard us? The internal release from anxiety that He gives to our innermost being is His assurance that He has heard and answered our prayer. How do we know with assurance the word of a friend who says, “It will be safe with me. I will guard it. I will protect what you have

given me.” What greater friend do we have than Jesus? If we cannot trust Him, there is no such

thing as trust with anyone anywhere. It is He alone who releases us from the anxities of life. But His release requires our repentance and agreement to stop sinning, whether in our minds or by our hands. How gracious He is to release us when we pray!

We continue to pray for you every single 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.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 56:9b-13, “This I know, that God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise, In the LORD, whose word I praise,

11 In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

12 Thy vows are binding upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to Thee.

13 For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling,

So that I may walk before God In the light of the living.”

There are times in all of our lives when it seems that everything and everyone is against us. We go to bed thinking that in the morning all will be better, if not completely well. Yet, the morning light only awakens us to the reality of the trouble we prayed would be erased.

David had the same problems –even worse—than those we face. His very life was in jeopardy! No one it seems would believe his words. The LORD was his only advocate.

“All day long they distory my words;

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

They attack, they lurk. They watch my steps.

As the have waited to take my life.”

Yet, despite the gravity of his situation, David grasped and held securily to the hope he had in God.

“This I know, that God is for me…

“In God I have put my trust,

“I shall not be afraid.

“What can man do to me?”

I have on numerous times been in similar situations, but never in fear of my life. I was once

threatened by a demon-possessed man, who said that one of us (him or me) would be dead

by a certain time he designated. Knowing it to be demonic, I took it seriously and prayed.

Yet nothing occurred, except the man’s strange, subsequent confession to a mutual Christian friend: “He truly is a man of God.”

Yes, there are circumstances that at the moment seem to overpower us. But the shouts and

screams of Satan’s most vocal patriots are just that: shouts and screams. They threaten, but

they have no power that can overpower the power of Almighty God! Remember that God is

for His own and we are kept safe in the confines of His promises. “What can man do to (us)?”

What, indeed!

You are covered daily by our prayers, as well as the prayers of others.

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.”