The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 12:8-9, “Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times

that it might depart from me. 9 And He has said to me, ‘My grace is

sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly,

therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of

Christ may dwell in me.”

In our previous Grands Letter, we noted Paul’s thorn in the flesh.

In the two verses above, he voices the astounding miracle again.

The LORD did not answer Paul’s prayer as he had prayed it. Instead,

He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in

weakness.”

I saw this play out last night in Rose Marie’s hospital room. It was

time for staff change, and the nurse who had been attending her

was going off duty for the night. She came in to say “goodnight.”

Rose Marie (Nana) engaged her in spiritual conversation, asking

outright if she knew the LORD. The nurse was pleasant, and noted

that she had visited several churches over the years and named

two that were to her liking and said why. That’s when Nana said

“It’s not the church –the denomination—that’s important; it’s

Jesus!” Then, in her characteristic way –and with impeded breath—

she quoted Scripture after Scripture, not stopping, but breathlessly

continuously until she finally said, “Let’s… have… prayer.” We

joined hands around and over her bed and I prayed for the nurse.

It was evident that she was “moved,” as she told us of her sordid

past and fought back some tears. It was indeed a “moving” time.

There would have been little hope for Nana to have said anything,

except that His power was perfected in her weakness. When I got

home, I wrote her a follow-up email and indicated the Scripture

Nana had given her from her sick-bed. Never underestimate the

Power of the LORD! He’s everywhere within those who know Him,

and His strength always compensates for our weaknesses.

We continue to pray for you every day,

Nana & Dado III

Update on Nana: She has pneumonia in both lungs. Her doctors

are “fighting” it with medications. Her spirits

are strong and bright. She’s not up to visitation,

due to her limited breathing. But she rejoices

to know that you are praying for her.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 12:6-7, “For if I do wish to boast I shall not be foolish,

for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one

may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

7 And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this

reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn

in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me– to keep me from

exalting myself!”

These verses depict Paul’s attitude after his experience of being

caught up into Paradise. It was a marvelous and mystical experience,

to say the least. Some believers’ experiences have come close to

that of the apostle. D. L. Moody, in his dying hours, described being

moved toward Heaven and its glories, while Earth was receding.

No one knows how Moody would have reacted, had he lived after

that. Paul understood his human nature and how he would have

been tempted to boast of his experience; therefore, the LORD gave

him a “thorn in the flesh“ to keep him from thinking more highly

of himself than he ought to think.

There are multiple ideas afloat as to what Paul’s “thorn” actually

was. We may never know for sure, but he seems to have had an

eye problem (see Gal. 6:11). Whatever it was, it kept him humble.

Our problems differ, but they are all intended to keep us from

thinking more highly of ourselves than we should. Does that mean

we should go around moping, saying, “Oh, poor me. I’m just so

unworthy. I’m just not fit for anything”? Absolutely not! Nor are

we to say, “Hey, look at me! There’s no one who can be or do what

I can!” When we accomplish something, we are to see how the LORD

enabled us to do it, and give Him the glory. Our strengths and

accomplishments are from Him, and He alone should be credited

with the notoriety. Certainly, the LORD uses others to accomplish

great things, some of which accrue to our benefit. In such cases,

we should view their accomplishments as the LORD’s working through

them for our benefit, but always for His glory!

You are ever in our daily prayers,

Nana & Dado III

Update on Nana: When I left the hospital last night, she was upbeat,

and doing better. She will have an X-Ray today to

determine the decline in the pneumonia. Stay tuned—

and keep praying with thanksgiving!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 11:32-33, “In Damascus the ethnarch (governor) under Aretas

the king was guarding the city of the Damascus in order to seize me, 33 and

I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his

hands.”

You’ve probably never had anyone hate you so much that they truly

wanted to kill you. But “religious differences” will often do that. Paul

preached the Good News to the Jews. The Jews resented his message

and, more than once, they plotted to kill him. He notes in Acts 2:24-25,

what is recorded about the Jewish plot against him.

It’s never been my misfortune to experience hatred like Paul experienced.

I have, however, been misunderstood –and by my those, who believed

precisely what I believe—to the point that all I could do was withdraw.

Sometimes, we have to do that. Remember when David was sent by his

father, Jesse, to take food to his brothers who were with King Saul’s

army? Goliath was there, and David asked, “Who is this guy who would

defy the armies of the Living God?” His brothers were obviously embarrassed

by David’s bold speech and they chastised him for it. “Who are you, little

sheep-keeper?” The Bible says he turned away from them.

The whole point here is this: When those who oppose our witness of

Jesus Christ to the point of angry argument, it is not wrong for us to

turn away. They may say angry and hurtful things, but it doesn’t matter.

They will have heard our witness. The LORD will take it from there.

Perhaps some other believer will pick up where we leave off. Even that

is not our concern. We have said what He intended. We can and should

continue to pray. But our turning away acknowledges that the whole

affair now lies in His Hands.

Prayerfully and trustingly we continue to pray for you,

Nana & Dado III

Special Note on Nana: She remains in hospital, as they treat

the pneumonia. Any sickness lays stress on the heart; therefore,

she is being monitored closely by a most competent nurse.

Please continue to pray earnestly for her. I will keep you updated.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

II Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war

according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the

flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are

destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the

knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the

obedience of Christ…”

Some people can be downright nasty—even people you try to help.

The Corinthians were like this. They would not have known Christ or

the Gospel, had it not been for Paul. But when they sinned, and Paul

wrote them quite sternly, they said, “Yeah, he’s big and blustery when

he writes. But would he be so bold if he were here in person?”

Paul’s reply was, “Try me! Although I am human just like you, my

tools for correcting you are not human; they are “divinely powerful”;

they can destroy fortresses, the strongest barriers you can construct.

My weapons can destroy every thought and every reasoning you can

build “against the knowledge of God.” What’s more, I am ready for

the fight! Paul was no patsy. The Corinthians prides themselves on

their oratory (You know, the “how not, brown cow” stuff.) Paul was

not like that. He was bold without the beauty they looked for in

speech. But the LORD used Paul’s “weakness” and made it more

powerful than the Corinthians could have believed.

So it is with you. Let the LORD lead you in how and what you say.

Let others laugh and ridicule. It doesn’t matter. His Words through

you will bring their ways down. And that’s all that matters.

God bless you abundantly! You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Nana & Dado III

Note on Nana: She’s back in hospital with possible pneumonia.

She’s getting superb care, good rest, is in excellent spirits. Please

pray for her full and complete recovery. She prays continually for

you. (No Visitors at this time!)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Exodus 1:22-2:11, “Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying,

“Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter

you are to keep alive.”

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi.

2 And the woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he

was beautiful, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide

him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar

and pitch. Then she put the child into it, and set it among the reeds by

the bank of the Nile. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to find out what

would happen to him.

5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her

maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the

reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her.

6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying.

And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”

7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse

for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”

8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So, the girl went and

called the child’s mother.

9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse

him for me and I shall give you your wages.” So the woman took the child

and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s

daughter, and he became her son. And she named him Moses, and said,

“Because I drew him out of the water.”

This is one of the precious, historical accounts of how God provides,

despite the intentions of men to destroy His people. It’s interesting,

too, because it is the forerunning account of how Herod intended to

slay the baby children of Israel in order to eradicate “the King of the

Jews,” even our LORD Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul assures us that “No temptation has overtaken you

but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow

you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation

will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it”

(1 Cor. 10:13).

Why, then, are so many “Christians” being evil and doing evil in

today’s world? It is not that God has abandoned them; rather, it

is that they have abandoned God. Are they then lost for eternity?

They are if they have never honestly repented of their sin and

accepted Him as LORD and Savior. Still, some “go on their way…

choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life…” (Lk. 8:14).

Numerous biblical prophecies give solid confirmation that we are

living in the Last Days. If we are living in sin, we had better get

right with God. If we are failing to share Christ with others, we

had better get busy. The LORD alone can save the lost; but He

has saved us so that we might tell others of His saving grace.

We love and prayer for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”