Dear Partner,
Gloria and I want to thank you for being our Partners, and especially for your love and prayers. So many wonderful things are happening in this ministry. Our income for the first quarter is up approximately 12 percent over last year, with the month of March up 14 percent. And it’s still growing!
There’s a new, wonderful spirit of unity and excitement among the members of our staff. We are all especially thrilled about our Partners, and we’re praying for and believing with you. Receiving your healing and miracle testimonies is at the center of our thinking around here. We love you and receive your love—actually, the love of God through you. You’re family, and the family is growing. “LORD Jesus, thank You, Sir, for BLESSING our Partners beyond measure!”
Turn with me now to 1 John 4:16:
- And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Notice the phrase “believed the love.” “We have known and believed the love.” Just to mark our thinking, let’s write it like this: “We have known and believed THE LOVE.” We’re not talking about just any love, but THE LOVE. Why? Because God IS LOVE. He doesn’t have love. HE IS LOVE! So what is that verse telling us? Believe, or have faith, in His LOVE. Most Christians don’t have faith in His LOVE. If you were to ask them if God loves them, most would say yes, but they don’t really believe it. They just mentally agree with John 3:16:
- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
These believers have little or no faith in God’s LOVE. For example look at Mark 4:37-38:
- And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
- And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
LOVE Himself was asleep in that boat—the same One who was moved with compassion and healed their sick. Compassion is not a feeling, it’s a Person. Jesus said, “It’s the Father that dwells within me, He does the work” (John 14:10). It’s the Father, who is LOVE, who does the work.
People today often think and say the same thing Jesus’ disciples said in that boat: “How come You let this come on me, LORD? Don’t You care?” What is that? It’s unbelief! In what? THE LOVE—WHO IS GOD—WHO IS LOVE.
Now let’s go to Numbers 14:1-3:
- And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
- And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
- And wherefore hath The LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
The children of Israel had all just been miraculously delivered by LOVE Himself from a horrible, nightmarish existence, and look what verse 3 says they believed: “He just brought us out here to kill us.” Really? But people today often say and think the same kinds of things: “Well, I guess God called me into this ministry so I could die in this miserable place,” or “You know, I believe you have to be poor to truly serve God,” or “Maybe God put this sickness on my baby to bring me down a notch or two.” Are you serious? Would you put cancer on a child? Absolutely not. Why not? Because you love that child too much. God who IS LOVE has NEVER put sickness on anyone but Jesus. He has NEVER put poverty on anyone but Jesus. LOVE, who is God, hates sin and its horrible offspring which are sickness, disease, weakness, pain and poverty. But He has great compassion for the sick and the poor! Now we can see John 3:16 in its true light: “For God, who is LOVE, so loved the world that He, who is LOVE, gave His only begotten Son of His LOVE, that whosoever believeth on Him, who is LOVE, should not perish but have everlasting life—ZOE, the life of LOVE.” Wow!
In closing, let’s go back to 1 John 4:16 that says, “We have known and believed THE LOVE, [who is God].” That reminds us of what Jesus said in Mark 11:22: “HAVE FAITH IN GOD.” You already see it, don’t you? “Have faith in LOVE.” Not, “Have faith in His LOVE.” No, He is LOVE. So the rules of faith apply here. Let’s read it and tie it together.
Mark 11:22-25 says:
- And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in LOVE.
- For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
- Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
- And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Now you can see the connection between verses 22 and 25. Wow, how plain is that? It’s God’s—LOVE’s—faith to begin with. Faith works by LOVE or, by God, so LOVE demands forgiveness because that’s what LOVE, who is God, does.
Look at Ephesians 4:32-5:2:
- And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
- Be ye therefore followers of LOVE, as dear children;
- And walk in LOVE, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Last night I was lying in bed praying in the spirit thinking about this, and then I began to pray with my understanding: “LORD, I receive Your LOVE.” It became so very real to me. I was also praying this morning about what to write to you in this letter. I heard this: Receive the love of your Partners, and remind them how much you and Gloria, Pastors George and Terri and your daughter Kellie, really do love them. In fact, this whole staff loves you and prays for you every day—both in the Spirit, who is LOVE—and with our understanding. From time to time, interpretation comes, and prayers of victory, healing, miracles and financial breakthroughs are prayed out in the power of the spirit.
As you pray over your BLESSING SEED this month, receive the LOVE of God, who is LOVE. Believe the LOVE. Believe the goodness. Believe the mercy that endures forever according to Mark 11:22. I believe it in my heart and I say it with my mouth: “GOD, WHO IS LOVE, loves me. I am born of LOVE, who is God. His LOVE has been shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit, who is THE SPIRIT OF LOVE (Romans 5:5). Jesus, THE SON OF LOVE, went to hell so I don’t have to go. LOVE DID THAT FOR ME!”
Gloria and I love you and pray for you every day.
Love,
P.S. SOW IT FORWARD! Be a blessing. Pass this letter on to a family member or friend.
