The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Thessalonians 1:1-3, “Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;

3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father…”

First Thessalonians was the first letter the Apostle Paul ever wrote. He greets the Thessalonians in the Name of the LORD Jesus Christ, adding “Grace to you and peace.” Grace is the beneficence God brings to us through His death and resurrection; it is always to our advantage. Peace is the serenity God brings to our hearts and lives. Grace always preceeds peace. Now, we can understand why the world-at-large is devoid of peace. It has not received His grace.

Notice that the Thessalonian Church was hard at work sharing the love and grace of God with others.

It doesn’t take much to encourage others. Rose Marie and I were at the clinic getting her procrit shot yesterday. A young girl across from us was receiving medication through an IV drip. Two friends were with her, and they were having a great time talking and laughing joyously, Undoubtedly, it was their intended effort to encourage the girl who was being treated. As we started to leave, I walked up to them, excused my intrution, and said, “You all are having so much fun! It reminds me of the Bible verse that says, “A merry heart does good like a medicine.” We talked for a few moments and I assured them I would be praying for them. The girl who was a patient was on the verge of tears when she said, “You have made my day.” She didn’t know it, but the LORD had made mine! He always does when we obey His voice.

It doesn’t take much to encourage others, especially if they have not received God’s grace. I didn’t preach to them. I didn’t tell them anything about myself. I simply used sentences that contained the words “Bible” and “prayer.” It was a sowing of the seed.

Now, it’s your turn. Just notice someone in need today and share what the Spirit gives you to share. You will both be blessed.

We’re praying for you; do, please, pray for us, too,

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 55:12-14, “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it;

Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, Then I could hide myself from him.

13 But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my familiar friend.

14 We who had sweet fellowship together, Walked in the house of God in the throng.”

Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

What is a “friend”? Throughout life we develop various acquaintances. Some stick with us through

thick and thin; others, are “fair-weather” friends. They are friends only so long as their relationship

with us benefits them. When read adversity strikes, they are nowhere to be found.

David describes those he thought to be friends in Pslam 55. Solomon, David’s son, who succeeded

him as king, describes a true friend in Proverbs 17. The differences between the two descriptions

is a vital instruction to us. It should cause us to evaluate and differentiate between those who are

our “friends” for our benefit and who are “friends” for their own.

It’s not that we should choose a friend because he can benefit us; but when trouble comes, how

others react tells us who is the true friend. In fact, when trouble comes, the true friend will act like

a “blood-related brother.” Adversity, then, becomes of value because it proves who is a true friend

and who is not.

Who are your friends? I mean, your true friends? Choose them carefully. They will not be many,

although many will say they are. In John 15:15, Jesus said, “No longer do I call you slaves (doulos,

servant)…I have called you friends (philos, beloved).” Jesus will always be your truest friend. He is

the one of whom Solomon spoke when he said, “…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Always trust Him! Share with Him the deepest secrets of your heart. He will “never desert you, nor will

(He) ever forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Jesus is and always will be your truest Friend.

Praying that you will always be safe in His Hands,

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,

Hebrews 12:5-11, “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.

11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

In case you missed it, the key word throughout this passage is discipline. Eight times in these seven verses, Paul

emphasizes discipline. The word “discipline” comes from the word “disciple,” which means “learner.” We are taught by

our parents; and their teaching –discipline—is for our good. As we grow older, we learn to discipline ouselves. When I

was a boy, my mother would awaken me when it was time for me to get out of bed. She would set before me on the

table food for my body’s benefit. As I grew older, I had responsibilities; therefore, I awoke and got out of bed to attend

to those responsibilites. As a child, my mother laid out the clothes I was to wear that day. As I grew older, I chose my

own clothes. All of that resulted from discipline.

God disciplines us because He loves us. He is training us to be like Himself. It is to our advantage to follow His

discipline. The things for which He disciplines us are not always easy or pleasant. That is because we do not yet

understand His ultimate purpose with us. Schools require discipline, and we are in the LORD’s school. We are to be

disciplined to read and understand His Word. What we are taught from Scripture, we are to live out in our daily lives.

Learning anything requires dedicated attention. It’s often unpleasant because it interrupts what we want to do. Yet,

later we will come to understand the value of doing everything the LORD’s way.

Our nation is in trouble today because we have neglected the LORD’s discipline. Young people run in gangs because

their parents neglected to teach them how to behave in life. Eventually, even gang members will become parents, and

they will neglect their children just as their parents neglected them. Do you see where this is leading? It’s so bad now,

that even teachers are advocating giving all students the same grade. This is the LACK of discipline! And those who

slid by without rules to keep them in check will ultimate become our doctors, pastors, congressmen and Supreme

Court Justices!! What a mess!! So, get with it! Get with Him! Read and study His Word! Be disciplined, so that you

will be a competent leader and teacher. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Pro. 14:34).

Praying for you daily is one of our disciplines,

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,

John 6:39, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me,

that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing…”

Have you ever been lost? Well, I have, and a number of times. I’ve always had a pretty good sense of

direction, but I can remember being lost at night in a car in what I would call “foreign territory.” Scheduled

to preach at a church where I had never been, a friend offered to ride with me and show me the way. I

arrived on time at his house only to be told that he was not able to go. “Just take that road,” he said, “and

you’ll come right to it.” What else could I do? I was lost before I started. Add to that, it was raining! Eventually,

I arrived at the church, but not before being lost several times en route.

So much for directional lostness. Have you ever lost your courage? or your resources? or your thoughts?

or your friend? Yes, I plead guilty to each of the above. It’s hard to differentiate between the value of these

losses. Each has its own value. Where they congeal is in the person of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is the one who rescues us from all our losses. Our verse above confirms it. It is His will that nothing He

has given us will be lost! Count on it! Believe me when I say that everything I once thought was a loss, He

turned into a gain. Trusting Him is a “win-win” situation! It’s hard at the time. It seems impossible to turn it

around. But, that’s what He does. He wants us to be dependent on Him and on Him alone!

In a final analysis, the losses we encounter in life just may be allowed in order that we might learn to

depend solely on Him. Yes, we’re human and sometimes our emotions are raw. But “all things are working

together for our good” when they work for His glory. It all becomes a matter of faith. David recommends

faith when he says, “I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken…”

(Ps. 37:25).

You are remembered in our daily prayers,

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,

Jeremiah 33:3, “’Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

James 4:2c-3a, “You do not have because you do not ask…You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives,”

If you need anything, just give me a call. You know where I am. How many times have you had someone say this to you? But when you called, they did not answer or did not return you call. Were they really sincere? Or was it just someone “blowing smoke,” as it were? It sounded big and encouraging at the time, but fizzled out when the need was real.

Jeremiah was imprisoned when the LORD said to him, “Call to Me, and I will answer you.” The LORD already knew his situation and his needs. He was ready and available, but the first move was Jeremiah’s. How much we miss because we fail to call on the LORD! For one thing, we don’t know how much we don’t know. What about those guys who said to call them? They spoke big, but when you called, they didn’t answer. The simple answer is: we called the wrong person. Yet, you say, “But I did call! I called the LORD! I poured out my heart to Him, but He didn’t answer either.” What could be wrong?

It’s interesting how the answer to Old Testament questions are often found in the New Testament. James’ answer to our dilemma is two-fold: first, “You do not have because you do not ask…“ ”But, I have!” you say. “I have asked again and again. Why am I not hearing from God?” James then concludes that you “do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.” Think about it: Why do you ask what you ask? Is it for the LORD’s glory, or is it simply a selfish, self-serving request? Examine your motives carefully. Why do I want what I’m asking the LORD to give?

It’s embarrassing to say, but I once saw a car that I just couldn’t do without! I reckoned that with this nice, big sleek auto –and it was nice!– I could better witness to people about the LORD. Can you imagine anything so dumb? What would the possession of a car –any car—have to do with witnessing to others? Absolutely nothing! My motive was simply an excuse to get what I wanted. How did it all work out? Well, I got the car. It was nice; but I sort of forgot about the witnessing thing. As for the car itself, it would pass anything on the road, except the gasoline stations! It cost me money! I learned an expensive lesson. So, check your motives. Then, call on the LORD. He does know a lot more than you do! And He will “tell you great and mighty things, which you do not (currently) know.” God bless you!

Prayerfully yours always,

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.”