I know this thought is foreign to most Americans and to most who live in western societies but, this world is not our home. 

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,” – 1 Pet. 2:11

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” – Phil. 3:20

When Jesus came to earth the first time, He came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom not the Gospel of this world.

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” – Matt. 9:35

““And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” – Matt. 24:14

While many preachers today are preaching a Gospel of the world; how coming to Jesus will make you more comfortable, or happy, or prosperous, Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom which was to come, the Kingdom of Heaven. He said “Peace I give you, not as the world gives you”. In other words not a peace that prepares you for this world but a peace that prepares you for heaven. He said, “In this world they will hate you and persecute you but be of good cheer for I have overcome this world.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” – Matt.5:10, 11

Approximately 1/3rd. of the Bible is made up of prophesy, words getting us ready for the kingdom of heaven. All of the Gospel Jesus preached was the same. It was not aimed at making you comfortable in this life but in the next! As the Lord’s disciples, we are commissioned to preach this same Gospel of the Kingdom.

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”- Matt. 28:18-20

I recently received a message on Face  Book that greatly blessed me because it reminded me that I had been faithful to this call to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. As I am now older, much older, and don’t get out so much to meet people, the devil began to accuse me of not being faithful to His call. I hope she will will not mind me using her words in this article –

“Bev Levin Smith: Chuck, I was reminded today that I attended a retreat at Eden in 1983 where you spoke on Ezek 38-39 I believe. (my brother is JimCherie Levin and he invited me to come). Being there that weekend changed the trajectory of my life. I was not following the Lord at the time; but after that weekend, I decided in my heart to go to Eden, which I did the following fall. I never turned back from following the Lord after that year. Thank you for the influence your studying, your speaking and sharing have had on my life and countless others. Surely God is still speaking and I want to hear Him.”

Yes, the Gospel of the Kingdom is Jesus died on a cross as payment for our sins that we would be accepted into a heavenly kingdom. He rose from the dead as our first fruit because we too will rise from the dead, or be raptured to meet Him in the sky when He returns, and return He will! The Gospel of the Kingdom is that Jesus is coming back with ten thousands of His saints to defeat the lord of this world and all those who follow him. The Gospel of the Kingdom is that Jesus is going to reign on this earth for a thousand years and we will reign with Him. The Gospel of the Kingdom is that after that 1000 years a new heaven and a new earth is coming where there will be no more death and God Himself will wipe away every tear away from our eyes and there will be no more sorrow or crying.

There will be no Covid19 virus there and there will be no socialists or communists or atheists or Muslims there either, only children of God bought by the blood of Jesus.

I invite you to come.