Dear Partner,
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God, the Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. We have offices and staff on five continents, so you and I, as Partners in this ministry, are doing our part in bringing to pass what Jesus said in Matthew 24:14:
- And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
To what gospel is Jesus referring? His Holy Spirit answered that question through the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:6-8:
- But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
- Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
- But what saith it? The WORD is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, The WORD of faith, which we preach.
First Corinthians 15:1-8 is the gospel of the Kingdom! Let’s look at it:
- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
- By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
- For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
- And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
- And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
- After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
- After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
- And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Now let’s read verses 20-24:
- But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
- For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
- For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
- But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
- Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
There it is. THEN COMES THE END! Let’s keep reading in verses 25-27:
- For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
- The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
- For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
Hold your place there and go to Ephesians 1:19-23:
- And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
- Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
- Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
- And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
- Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Now turn to Chapter 2:4-6:
- But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
- Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
- And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
We are NOW sitting with Him, Christ Jesus, who is at the right hand of our Father in heaven. That, dear Partner, is the very heart and soul of the gospel of the Kingdom. Remember what we read in 1 Corinthians 15:27, that He has put all things under Jesus’ feet? Now read Ephesians 1:22-23 again:
- And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
- Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
He is the Head, and we are His Body. SO HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS UNDER OUR FEET. Wait a minute, now. Never, ever forget the fact that we are forever His in a covenant ratified by the precious, sinless blood of the Lamb who, through His death, burial and Resurrection, we are:
- Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
- Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God (Romans 3:24-25).
We have faith in His blood! Now let’s return to 1 Corinthians 15:45-50:
- And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
- Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
- The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is The LORD from heaven.
- As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
- And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
- Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
We are still talking about the gospel of the Kingdom. Let’s read on through verse 57:
- Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
- In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
- For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
- So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
- O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
- The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
- But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.
What? There is the gospel of the Kingdom which we preach. Look at verse 57 again in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition:
- But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our LORD Jesus Christ.
And now look at 1 John 5:4-5:
- For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
- Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
A final note: Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21:
- And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
- Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, span class=”partner-letter-text-underline-double” style=”text-decoration: none; border-bottom-color: #005bac; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-width: 5px;”>the kingdom of God is within you.
Then in John 13:34-35 He said:
- A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
- By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Now turn to John 14:14-17:
- If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
- If ye love me, keep my commandments.
- And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
- Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
As you know, we are seeing great and wonderful things happening by the Holy Spirit on our college campuses. The “Jesus Revolution” movie has been picked up by Sony® and has gone worldwide. I remember when the Jesus Movement happened in the 1960s and ’70s. We were in it! Well, that’s another story.
As you sow your BLESSING seed this month, remember, you are in a BLOOD COVENANT with THE GOD WHO IS MORE THAN ENOUGH (Genesis 17:1-7; Galatians 3:29)! We belong to Christ, so we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the (blood-backed) promise!
May is such a beautiful month. The flowers are out and in bloom. Heaven is always like that. We pray for you every day. And remember: GOD Loves you. We Love you. And Jesus is LORD!
Love,
