The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Jude 1:1-4, “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.
3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Only recently, I received a periodical from a school I attended. It included a pastor-list that indicated how much time each man took to prepare a sermon. It was as interesting as it was informative. I had to wonder how many times these pastors were interrupted in the course of their study.

In the case of Jude, the Scripture above simply notes that he changed his study and writing to emphasize the need to write of the common salvation they all had in Jesus Christ.

Jude’s note is a reminder to evangelists and evangelistic pastors that the churches they serve need to be fed the whole Gospel from time-to-time. It’s not that there are no lost people within their congregations; rather, it is that the regular attendees need occasionally to be built up in the faith.

Notice verse four above. Some in Jude’s thinking had just “crept in unnoticed.” There are people who need and want to hear the gospel, too. They’re not regular church members; they just need to hear about Jesus Christ.

It just may be that Jude knew some who had “crept in.” I’m sure you have people like that in your church. I’m confident there are those like that where I attend. We need to be prayerful and ready to witness to anyone as the LORD leads. Maybe that’s why they came! May God bless them; and may He bless you, as well!

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,

2 Kings 18:1-6, “Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king.
2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
3 He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.
4 He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.
5 He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.
6 For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.”

How old is “old”? Some men are competent to lead others at the age of twenty-five; some are not competent in just about anything at that age. It really amounts to the “worth and ability” that exist within the man, does it not?

Hezekiah was evidently more spiritually active than his father, Ahaz. How we know is that Hezekiah tore down and burned all the idols his father had allowed to remain. Pretty good spiritual sense, I would say, and for a 25-year-old king!

Hezekiah trusted in the LORD. He clung to the LORD. Where are we in comparison with Hezekiah, who kept the commandments the LORD had commanded Moses?

We demonstrate our problems today when we seek to follow the LORD without divesting the wrongful activies that ought to have long before been erased.

Further, Hezekiah “did right in the sight of the LORD” by removing “the high places and cutting down Asherah.”
Have we destroyed the “Asherah” in our lives? We live in a desperate hour. The pattern of Hezekiah lies before us. We dare not fail!

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,

Galatians 1:6-10, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is
preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

The Galatians were a wild and wooly people. You’ve met people like that, I’m sure. One minute they were for something; the next minute, they were against it. You just never knew where they were on anything.

The purpose –at least, one purpose—of the church is to focus on the Word of God and to stand firmly on it! It was just not the Galatian way of behavior on anything.

It’s hard to be certain, but this was probably not the first time Paul had instructed them in the clarity of the Scriptures. Parents know the seeming futility of their instruction to their children (How many times have I told you …?) Maybe you’ve wondered why your pastor has emphasized something so often. Could it be that…?

One thing is certain: the Scriptures are non-contradictory! So, if you find instruction in one place, you will not find it contradicting somewhere else. So, read Galatians. Trust the instruction of the Apostle Paul, and you will always be walking in the way of the LORD!

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,

Galatians 1:1-5, “Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),
2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.”

Paul commences his Letter to the Galatians by citing his spiritual credentials: he is “one sent forth by Jesus Christ…” All ministers who dare to share the Gospel must acknowledge their calling. Sadly, there are those whose lives fall short of the spiritual and bring suspicion upon their calling and upon their teaching.

Nevertheless, there are false ministers, who pretend to have been sent from the LORD Jesus Christ. Paul wastes no time on exposing false ministers; rather, he launches immediately into his message, proving its validity by exalting Jesus as the Christ.

Sadly, the age in which we are living appears to have a plethora of false teachers, who have “hoodwinked” those who need to hear either by sidestepping the Truth in their preaching or in their lives! Some have never been called! Rather, they have utilized the pulpit to enhance their wealth and their popularity!

My guess is that Paul is stoking the fires of his spiritual wrath for the day he meets these imposters –if they make it to Glory! I thank the LORD for my pastors! They may be as close to perfection as possible. I’ve just never had the opportunity to speak to their wives.

Pray for your pastor! If it’s ever discovered that he possesses ideas or desires foreign to the Scriptures, just slip away and find a pastor who exalts Jesus! He blesses those who honor Him!

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 4:1-8, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness
2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry.
3 And the devil said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’
4 And Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.”’
5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said to Him, ‘I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
7 Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.’
8 Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.

Someone, somewhere once asked: “What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?” Interestingly, the one who asked the question did not even attempt an answer.

Many of us have experienced the leadership of the Holy Spirit in what, at the time, seemed an impossible situation. I confess to being inevitably biased when it comes to Israel. I pray for Israel. I am duly aware that Jews are not Christians per se –at least, the vast majority are not. But biblically and historically Israel is the people of God. Israel is a special people with a special place in the heart of the LORD!

I do not pray for the eradication of all Iranians, who are the historical enemies of Israel. They are people, too –people who need the LORD, although they are far from Him. But, people in Israel and people of Ancient Persia (Iran) both need the LORD!

Recent converts from Iran are now testifying openly, and quite con-vincingly, of their faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. The same is true of the Israelis.

Satan would have everyone to believe that both groups are on his side. Truth be told, some each group are –and they will suffer eternal damnation in Hell. Satan is clever! He even endeavored to convince Jesus that he, Satan, was right when he tempted Him to turn some stones into bread – and later (v. 7) even to worship Satan himself!

It was all a rouse! –a satanic trick, endeavoring to bring Jesus down.
He would have none of Satan’s evil devices. Yet, Satan has not stopped trying! If we possessed but a fraction of the determination to convince a lost soul he needed Christ — !

We need to pray! We do when we’re sick and when our doctor says, “I’ve never seen anything like this before!” Whoa! This is serious!! Yes, but more so is salvation in Jesus Christ.

What shall we do? Trust Jesus! Ask Him to forgive your sins! Tell Him you’re believing in Him for eternal salvation. Mean what you pray! Read the Bible daily, especially the New Testament. Believe what you read in Holy Scripture and You will experience a new life in Jesus Christ.

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