Dear Partner,
October is very special to me. Sunday morning, Oct. 8, 1961, at 10 a.m. in Little Rock, Ark., I met and fell in love with Gloria Jean Neece. Then, on April 13, 1962, a precious covenant of marriage was established in the same city, and she became Gloria Jean Copeland. Fast-forward to Nov. 2, 1962, I accepted Jesus Christ of Nazareth as my LORD and Savior. Gloria had done the same thing two weeks before but hadn’t mentioned it to me. Then in January ’63, both of us received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gave us utterance. And here we are now, over 60 years later. The LORD is good, and His mercy endures forever!
Let’s begin this month in Romans 12:1-3:
- I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
- And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
- For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Faith.
We are to PRESENT OUR BODIES, a living sacrifice—HOLY! That’s a powerful statement. The Apostle Paul pointed out that all men do not have Faith (2 Thessalonians 3:2). But God has dealt to “every man [or believer among you] THE MEASURE of Faith.” The moment we were born again, two wonderful things happened to every one of us: The Love of God was shed abroad in our hearts, and we all received the same measure of Faith. However, after our new birth, we needed the renewing of our minds so that we would no longer be “conformed to this world” but TRANSFORMED by mental renewing, or thinking, like the new creatures in Christ Jesus He re-created us to be (2 Corinthians 5:17). How, then, is the mind renewed? Jesus answered that question in Matthew 6:30-33:
- Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little Faith
- Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed
- (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Jesus didn’t say that His disciples and the crowd listening to Him had no Faith! He said, “O ye of little Faith.” Notice, He also said, “TAKE NO THOUGHT, SAYING.” Thoughts are taken, or released, by saying. You cannot fight thoughts with thoughts. Let’s look at Isaiah 55:8-11:
- For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith The LORD.
- For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
- So shall my WORD be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Jesus said, “My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” “It [My WORD] shall not return unto me void.” How will it return? By praying The WORD of God, out loud, filled with Faith! Therefore, we go to the blood-backed promises and facts of His WORD which guarantee the answer! So let’s do that. The Great Apostle wrote in his letter to his partners in Philippians 4:6-8 in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition:
- Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
- And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
- For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
Now read verse 9, AMPC: “Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.”
The Apostle Paul wanted his partners’ minds to be renewed from anxiety. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines anxiety as: “Concern…respecting some event…that keeps it in a state of painful uneasiness…or disturbance.” Worrying, which is fear based, is sinful behavior! That, dear Partner, is not just my opinion. So “back to The BOOK” for the answer. First Peter 5:6-7, AMPC, says: “Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”
In closing, let’s turn to James 1:2-4 in the AMPC. Remember now, James was the half-brother of Jesus—same mother, different father.
- Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
- Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your Faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
- But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
There it is: the “proving of your Faith,” which means “no defects; lacking in nothing.” Now look at Chapter 4:6-10 in the AMPC:
- But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).
- So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.
- Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery]
- [As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins].
- Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of The LORD, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].
Look again at verses 7-8 in the AMPC: “So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].
“Submit yourself to God” is always first. Then “resist the devil, and he WILL flee from YOU”! Why? Your Faith in The WORD and the Name of Jesus has become fully developed. Second Corinthians 10:3-5 in the AMPC says:
- For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.
- For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,
- [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
How many thoughts? Every thought! That, again, is the renewing of the mind. All different kinds of thoughts can, and probably will, cross your mind. When they do, my own practice is to SAY, out loud, “NO! I DON’T TOUCH that with my thought life! NO, YOU DON’T! Get back in that jail where I put you in obedience to Christ!” Say it, don’t just think it. Jesus said that in Mark 11:23-25, AMPC:
- Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.
- For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].
- And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.
If that doesn’t set you on fire, your wood is wet! Pray The WORD! Believe The WORD! The answer is yours NOW! I heard The LORD say last year, It’s now time for your million Partners to come before the end of 2025. That’s so easy for Him to do. “Go, ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14), and speak to those who are, by the will of our Father, to be our Partners, to come from the north, south, east and west. And BLESS, beyond measure, all those who are already our Partners—ALL OVER THE WORLD!”
As you sow your BLESSING seed this month, build your confession of Faith around the “worry not” scriptures in this letter, and don’t let them depart out of your mouth. Meditate, or think, on them DAY AND NIGHT, and refuse to think on anything else. Romans 10:8-10 says, “THE WORD OF FAITH, WHICH WE PREACH” should be “IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”!
Gloria and I pray for you at every meal, and the KCM and EMIC staff pray for you every day. Go to Romans 8:28, AMPC:
- We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Remember: God Loves you, we Love you, and Jesus is LORD!
Love,
