The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 2:15-16, “For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among

those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the

one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.”

Did you ever think of yourself as perfume? (To the fellows, cologne)

Paul did. He said that appear to others as a sweet smelling perfume,

whether they are saved or lost. ~ When I was in my teenage years, I

worked for an undertaker. I have seen and smelled death. In one

unforgettable experience, I was “allowed” to drive the ambulance

containing the corpse because of the smell. All windows open. Did

not help much. Yuk! ~ Paul says that we appear as we ought to

everyone, when we live daily in Christ Jesus. Ellicott says, “Conversion

is a daily, hourly thing. It is the ‘continuous revelation of sin met by the

continuous revelation of Christ.’ Is not this the deep pathos of life, that

within each of us is going on direst contest between the sin-principle

and the Christ-principle? Thus, it is that Christ for us is ‘life unto life.’

The more life, the more it creates. The more of Christ, the more of life;

the more of life, the more of love.” May it ever be so with each of us!

Please pray for Heather and Erin this week. Heather is going to camp

and Erin has a big test for college.

We love you all and pray for you every day,

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.”

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,

immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that

your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

The Supreme Court this week handed down some very important

decisions. Conservatives, by definition, adhere closely –even

strictly!—to the Constitution. Liberals view it as a “progressive

document” that changes with the culture of the times. Deviations

from the original intention, however, are quite dangerous. The same

is true of deviations from Scriptural truths. That is why Paul ended

this chapter with a strong and solemn warning. The words “be steadfast”

(??????? ???????) are imperative! We have no option to shift with the

times. Stand solidly with the Truth is what this means! Don’t move an

inch –not even a millimeter!! But abound (?????????????) in the work

of the LORD. Make no mistake about it, the LORD’s work is work!

Witnessing to unknown people is risky; what’s more it is tiresome!

But it’s not empty (??? ???? ?????) or fruitless or futile.

We were hungry and needed some food. Where should we go?

You’ll not be surprised that we ended up at Chic-fil-a! But, it was

more than just chance; it was of the LORD. The man in the next

booth wore a cap that identified him as Seal Team One! “Are you

a seal?” I asked him. “Twenty-nine years,” he replied. I identified

myself as the chaplain with the Civil Air Patrol. He has cancer;

but he knows the LORD. We talked and became friends. It might

have been “easier” to have never noticed his cap; but our further

communication by text demonstrated that our time and effort

were not in vain. Dare to step out and share your faith! I often

start with humor. Whatever works! Just stand tall and strong!

You don’t have to know everything. You know HIM; and He

knows everything.

We love and pray for you always,

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.”

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 13:1-2, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge;

and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

First Corinthians 13 is commonly called “the love chapter” of the Bible. Although the

apostle speaks of spiritual gifts, his emphasis throughout the chapter is love. Prophecy

basically means preaching; mysteries are truths that the LORD reveals through His

Word; and knowledge is insight and understanding of things beyond the ordinary. But

all of this is meaningless unless we have a heart and attitude of love. A preacher,

for example, may give astounding truths the congregation has never known, but if he

does it harshly and arrogantly without love, the LORD counts is as worthless. Love

(????? agape) is nowhere found in heathen literature. It is distinctly Christian!

Dr. G. Campbell Morgan cites love as the essential attribute underlying each of the

other gifts. Joy is identified as “the consciousness of love”; peace, as “the

confidence of love”; longsuffering, as “the habit of love”; gentleness, as “the activity

of love”; goodness as “the quality of love”; faith as “the quantity of love”; meekness as

“the tone of love”; and self-control as “the victory of love.”[1] What a life to know and live!

And all of this is His gift to us, if we yield daily to the Holy Spirit’s control!

We agape each and every one of you,

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.”

________________________________

[1]G. Campbell Morgan, The Westminister Pulpit (London: Pickering and Inglis, Ltd., n.d.), pp. 171-179.

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 10:13-14, “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.

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

Did you ever wonder why there is so much evil mentioned in Scripture?

Paul tells us in verses 6 and 11 of this passage that they were given as

“examples for us.” No, they are not there to teach us how to engage in

evil. You know better than that. They are there to teach us that 1) every

person encounters an appealing way to explore evil. In that, none of us

is alone. But, why does the LORD even allow us to be tempted? When

we are tempted and we resist the temptation, we are strengthened to

resist it when it comes again. But, you don’t know how hard it is, you say.

Oh, yes, I do! And sometimes I have sinned because I did not resist. You

are not alone. Were you ever physically weak because you needed food?

What did you do? You ate some food and were strengthened. It’s much

the same way with temptation. When we’re weak spiritually, we need

to reach for the Word –the Bible! As we read it, we are feeding our

spiritual lives and strengthening our resistance. No temptation is stronger

than your ability to resist. God has made it so. Our part is to get up and

get away from temptation as quickly as possible. Turn your mind away

from evil and toward God’s Holy Word. That’s His prescription. Use it!

Pray for us today, as we’re at First Baptist, Southwest City, Missouri.

We love you desperately,

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.”

Dear Grands,

1Cor. 8:4-6, “Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols,

we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there

is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in Heaven

or on Earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there

is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him;

and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.”

The idols that “existed” in Paul’s day were quite different from those that

exist in our world today. Yet, there is a close parallel in the principle he

sites. Psalm 115:6 and 135:17 emphasize the dead, physical presence of

dumb idols. Such idols exist, but they are mere lifeless substitutes for the

one, true God. The warning against false idols is that “Those who make them

will become like them” (Psa. 115:8). That’s what happens to those of the

world. For us, however, “there is but one God…” From Him come “all

things,” and “we exist for Him.” We do not belong to ourselves, to do

what we want or like. We have been granted life that we may do His will.

Additionally, it is through and by the grace of Christ that we even exist.

Each one of us is a temple in which the Holy Spirit lives. Any substitute

(idol) for Him is diametrically opposed to the will of the Father and His

Son. Are you serving an idol? Is anything in your life a substitute for Him?

Temptations abound! The LORD is our guard and deliverer.

Love and Prayers always,

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.”