The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 1:1-5, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface

of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the
waters.

3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from

the darkness.

5 And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there

was evening and there was morning, one day.”

These opening verses speak to us of the commencement of life. When

“In the beginning” was uttered in Scripture, it initiated life -the life of
everything! As we look into the far reaches of the heavens, we know that the
LORD has put them there. All that we have is from Him, and all that is from
Him is absolute perfection.

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” These words-His
Words-are the first to be recorded in Scripture. And without His words, His
works would not be visible. It is He who is the Light, and it is His Light
that gives meaning to His Words and purpose.

The Light He called “day”; the darkness, “night.” If we understand His
words, we are able to understand His works and purpose. He made us to live
in His universe, and to love Him as He first loved us.

Ultimately, sin endeavored to besmirch and topple the LORD’s words and
works. Satan, chief of the fallen, rebellious angels, invaded human life and
works feverously to undo all that the LORD has accomplished.

Especially, Satan wants the LORD’s creation to rebel against Him and
enthrone Satan in their lives.

Jesus is God’s Son, the One whom the Father surrendered to the Cross to
redeem lost humanity. If you have confessed your sins to Jesus and are
trusting Him to have forgiven you your sins, He is your Savior – the One
with Whom you will spend eternity in Heaven. If you have yet to confess your
sins to Christ and trust Him as your LORD and Savior, it is vital that you
do it quickly! Time is rapidly running out!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

I Samuel 13:5-13, “Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel,
30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the
seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of
Beth-aven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were
hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in
cliffs, in cellars, and in pits.

7 Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and
Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed
him trembling.

8 Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel,
but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.

9 So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.”
And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And it came about as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering,
that behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.

11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that
the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the
appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,

12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at
Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself and
offered the burnt offering.”

13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the
commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD
would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.”

The Philistines were perpetual fighters. They seemed always to be picking a
fight with Israel. Some people are like that yet today. They would rather
fight than anything. I was in seminary with a boxer. I never saw him fight,
but he talked more about it than he did about his studies.

Israel’s problem, however, was not so much with the Philistines, as it was
that they didn’t wait for the LORD. Saul was, at that time, king of the
Israelites. He had informed them he was coming, but Israel got scared and
offered a burnt offering to the LORD before Samuel arrived. Samuel verbally
chastised Israel for offering the sacrifice and for not waiting on Samuel.

Have you ever rushed ahead of the LORD when you knew waiting on Him was
best? The LORD can handle everything! Why do we think we ought to forge
ahead when He has clearly told us to wait? Why do we wait when He has told
us to forge ahead? Why do we seem never to do what He says?

In the end, Israel and Saul all suffered. Maybe we should think more clearly
-more biblically– about things. What has the LORD said? Why are we anxious
when we know He can and stands ready to fix things?

Heartily in Christ,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Luke 2:21-23, “And when eight days were completed before His circumcision,
His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was
conceived in the womb.

22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses
were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every first-born male that
opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”).

One of the strange things that makes the Bible a Holy Book is that the same
verse that gives information on one matter gives information on another
matter. Some of you reading this Letter just now are men. Did you understand
that 23rd verse when it says, “Every first-born male that opens the womb
shall be called holy to the Lord”?

Notice that it does not give exclusivity, it simply means that if you are a
male and the first-born in your family, according to Scripture, you are
“called holy to the Lord.” It should follow then, that we who are the
first-born males in our families should behave throughout life as one
“called holy to the Lord.”

One of the vital characterizations for the first-born male, therefore, is to
live a pure and holy life. We are “called to be pure,” although we are not
always pure. Jesus is our Supreme Example. He was throughout His earthly
life what the Father wants us to be.

It is not my place to offer judgment regarding who is truly saved and who is
not; yet, I observe, just as you do, those who say they are “Christians,”
but

live contrary to the true Biblical definition. Whether they are truly “born
again” believers, the LORD alone knows. Thus, it becomes our responsibility
to pray for them. If they are true believers, they will appreciate our
prayers; if they are not, they need our prayers all the more.

We are living in difficult times. Word meanings are often scrambled, making
it virtually impossible to know with certainty who is and who is not a truly
“born again” believer in Christ. We must live the life that leaves no one in
doubt about us. May 2025 ever and always reflect the LORD in our lives!

Heartily in Christ,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Luke 2:15-21, “And it came about when the angels had gone away from them
into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, ‘Let us go
straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the
Lord has made known to us.’

16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the
baby as He lay in the manger.

17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been
told them about this Child.

18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the
shepherds.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that
they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

21 And when eight days were completed before His circumcision, His name was
then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in
the womb.”

You will recall from a previous Grands Letter that shepherds were on the
bottom rung of the social scale in Biblical times. All of that reminded me
of an old man I knew as a kid. He lived in a shallow cave-like shelter,
where I often visited him. I’m quite sure my mother was “not in the picture”
of those visits, because she would have issued a strenuous “thou shalt not!”

It was quite different with the shepherds, however. They had reason to be
excited -and they were! We have no record anywhere of anyone seeking to
hinder them on their journey. They would not have stopped these shepherds,
anyway! No one was thinking of heritage or anything -just where is that
Baby?!!

How reasonable it would have been for those shepherds to think of finding
the One who would one day die to take away their sins! (I have to wonder if
anything like that entered their minds.) Had it not been for the Holy
Scriptures and/or those Magi from that foreign country, you and I would be
“in a pickle” today!

We need to be like the shepherds, who “went back, glorifying and praising
God for all that they had heard and seen.” We can be! We can share the Good
News of the Christ Child, who went to the Cross for our sins! That’s chapter
one of the true Christmas Story!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Luke 2:15-20, “And it came about when the angels had gone away from them
into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, ‘Let us go
straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the
Lord has made known to us.’

16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the
baby as He lay in the manger.

17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been
told them about this Child.

18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the
shepherds.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that
they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

They were poor kids, the poorest of the poor. Still, they probably didn’t
notice their poverty much because the kids they ran with were poor, too.
Interesting, isn’t it, how we notice the lack in other people’s lives, and
often fail to notice what is missing in our own life?

Shepherds in biblical times were looked upon as the poorest of the poor.
They were off the charts on the poverty scale; yet, these poor lads were
honorees of the LORD in that they were permitted to witness the LORD at the
birth of the Christ child, Jesus.

Undoubtedly, these shepherds were told the background of the story: Mary and
Joseph were tentatively engaged, yet there had been no intimate relations
when Mary was notified by the Angel of the LORD that she was to have a baby
-a baby boy, to be quite specific!

Just how much she shared with the shepherds, we are not told. Still, it was
enough for them to believe and share freely with others, some-thing they did
indeed!

When we believe, we become excited! And when we’re excited, we tell others!
Sometime, it’s just a short, few words; sometimes, it just bubbles out like
water in a broken pipeline! Sometimes people are excited; sometimes, sadly,
they are not -or pretend not to be! Yet, tell it we must –and will! “It’s
for those who know to tell those who don’t know!”

Forget the gifts and all. One does not have to possess great wealth; he just
has to understand the meaning – the true meaning of CHRISTmas!

They shepherds knew the true meaning; and they told others! When we know the
true meaning, we will tell others, too. Do you know? Have you told someone?
Use the Gospel Tract that is attached! Pray for that “someone” to believe on
Jesus!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom