The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Timothy 3:1-9, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.
9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.”

A second sign of the end times is surging apostasy; that is, a departure from the truth, both doctrinally and morally (1 Timothy 4:1-3; Jude 1:1-16).
Writing in 1964, the late Dr. John Walvoord, of Dallas Theological Seminary, said, “The Scriptures predict that there will be a growing apostasy or departure from the LORD as the church age progresses, and its increase can be understood as a general indication that the Rapture itself is near.”
In the period of Church History, known as the “Dark Ages,” men were ignorant of the truth; but never before had there an age when the truth was openly denied and repudiated. This current age is surely marching toward a climax with a monumental falling away, both doctrinally and morally.

Life in this current age might be viewed as somewhat easier, inasmuch as it has yet to completely fall away both doctrinally and morally. Yet, when doctrine begins to fade, the failure of morality is not far behind. And when morality begins to give way, doctrine easily accommodates it by being quickly shoved to the side.
Fifteen times in the New Testament, the word “alert” (???????? gregoreo: to be awake, to watch) shines before us as a beacon of warning. Thus, it behooves us to give heed.

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,

Judges 9:1-3, “And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives, and spoke to them and to the whole clan of the household of his mother’s father, saying,
2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.”
3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem; and they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our relative.”

The modern return of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel is virtually “miraculous!” Such a return by a people group that had been scattered among the nations is historically unprecedented.

Indeed, the Jewish People are the only exiled people to remain a distinct people despite being dispersed to more than 70 different countries for more than 20 centuries.

The modern-day return to the Holy Land began as early as 1871 when a few Jews began to trickle back into the land. By 1881, about twenty-five thousand Jews had settled there.

At the first Zionist Congress in 1897, led by Theodor Herzl, the Jewish people officially adopted the goal of reclaiming the land. The regathering was very slow. By 1914, the Jewish population in the land was only eighty thousand.

During World War I, the British sought support from the Jews for the war effort. So, the British foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour, issued on November 2, 1917, what has become known as the Balfour Declaration. The declaration was stated in a letter from Balfour to Lord Rothschild, a wealthy Jewish entrepreneur. In the letter, Secretary Balfour gave approval to the Jewish goal of reclamation. “His Majesty’s Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. . . .” The declaration stirred Jewish hopes for establishing a homeland in the Holy Land and encouraged more Jews to return. By 1939, when World War II broke out, about 450,000 Jews had returned.

Adolph Hitler’s atrocities actually provided the greatest momentum for the establishment of a national homeland for the Jews. The United Nations approved a national homeland for the Jews, and British control of the land ended on May 14, 1948. The new nation was given five thousand square miles and had a population of 650,000 Jews and several hundred thousand Arabs.

Now, it would appear that Israel’s enemies have determined to join together and dominate the Jewish State. “Fear not,” however. Pray for Israel! Under the LORD’s Hand she will prevail!

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,

Deuteronomy 9:23-26, “When the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go up and possess the land which I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; you neither believed Him nor listened to His voice.
24 “You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day I knew you.
25 “So I fell down before the LORD the forty days and nights, which I did because the LORD had said He would destroy you.
26 “I prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.”

Oh, the problems we face when we don’t listen to the LORD! Read again verses 23-24. Failure to obey the the directives of the LORD is bound to bring about difficulties for ourselves, those of our own households, even our nation! It’s so easy blame our situations on someone else, yet His Word says, “You have been rebellious against the LORD…”

Moses took the counsel of the LORD very seriously! The remedy for most (if not all) of our problems is for us to get right with God! I sometimes receive email from long-time friends, asking: “What am I do do about my situation?” I know no better solution to any situation than what we read in verses 25-26 above. We know the LORD possesses the answer to every problem. It’s just that He will not allow our puny, two-minute prayers to terminate some serious situation in which He is involved!

When a loved one is encountering life-threatening surgery, we certainly don’t want the surgeon to relinquish his work just to answer some irrelevant question! We want him to “stay the course!” So should it be with us toward the LORD: “Trust and obey and stay out of His way!” Just be faithful. Stay the course! Stay in the Word! This is His world – His creation! He will always do that which is right; and He will always be on time! Worry is the primary tool of the enemy! Yet, it’s effective only when we allow it to be.

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,

Psalm 122:1-9, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem,
3 Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is compact together;
4 To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD– an ordinance for Israel– To give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 For there thrones were set for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you.’
7 May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, ‘May peace be within you.’
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.”

One of the many unforgettable aspects of our time in Australia, was the emphasis of pastors regarding the Second Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. We were there when the “6-day war” was fought in Israel. Many of those Godly old preachers have gone on to be with the LORD; and if they have knowledge of what is occurring on earth today, they surely know how close we are to the Second Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ for His Church.

I have intentionally highlighted verses six and seven above. Jerusalem is currently not at peace, although the entire situation has enabled discussions in Israel (and hopefully, here) of the Second Coming of Christ. Jews For Jesus is quite active in Israel, as are the Gideons. (If you have ever noticed Bibles placed in hospital rooms or hotels, they were placed there by the Gideons, and at no expense to the recipients). CBN-TV reports regularly on the Israeli situation. All of this gives emphasis to the LORD’s promise that Jesus would return in the air and for His own.

With our world in current torment, we have unprecedented opportunity to share the Gospel with those who do not know Him. In my years, I have never known greater troubles than those that exist today! Jesus’ Coming is surely very near.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

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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,

Psalm 103:1-7 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6 The LORD performs righteous deeds and judgments for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.”

What a precious psalm! Of course, all of the Scriptures are precious; however, this one is indeed special. Notice how the psalm begins with the human cry: “Bless the LORD…!” Such should be the initial cry of all of us –especially, those of us who truly know Him through His Son, Jesus!

Read with emphasis the five activities of the LORD: 1) He “pardons” our sins; 2) “heals” our diseases; 3) “redeems” us from the pit (ultimately, from Hell); 4) “crowns” us with love and compassion; and 5) “satisfies” our years with all good things –just think about all of that!

Further, He “performs” multiple things that are well beyond our performance ability, and including the marvelous things He produced for Moses and through him for Israel!

How can we endeavor to praise Him, if not by yielding to Him our very lives? What more can we give? “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy Name.”

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