"The "Kingdom of God" is at Hand" is what Jesus went around teaching.   Yet over 2000 years later most of us have no idea what he was talking about.  Jesus spent most of his time teaching about the "Kingdom of God"  to his disciples and it went right over the disciples head at first, that is until they were filled with the "Holy Spirit" and Jesus spent 40 days after he was raised from the dead teaching "Kingdom Principles" to the disciples.

To start to understand the "Kingdom of God" and "Kingdom Principles"  you have to transform yourself back into the time period in which existed when Jesus was teaching.   In those day a 'Kingdom" referred to the total some of land that belonged to a King.  Within the Kingdom, usually at the most defendable place within the Kingdom was a fortified area that protected the king.   Usually there was an outter wall, that was well guarded/manned as a first line of defense against any enemies. Then there was an inner wall that protected the King and those most valuable to the King. Then within the inner wall was the King's Palace, the home of the King and his Family.

 So a "Kingdom" normally was formed like this, miles and miles of open land the the subjects of the "Kingdom" lived in and worked.  Then the Palace area that was made up of an "Outer Wall" and an "Inner Wall".  The outter wall was the first line of defense against the enemy and within the inner wall was the Kings Palace and those people most important to the King usually his Family. 

Let's look at the "Kingdom of God" as it is dscribed in the bible.  When you first are "Saved" which means you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are transformed into the "Kingdom of God".  This is actually a great thing, you have everlasting life as it says in John 3:16:

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.

Those right there are shouting words and are worthy or a celebration but it is only the beginning of the story.   At this point in time you are in the "Kingdom of God" but outside the "Outter Walls" looking at the "Kingdom of God".  As Jesus said in John 3:3:

John 3:3  - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

The process of being "Born Again" is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and now you can see the "Kingdom of God".  Another words, you are outside the "Outter Wall" looking at the "Kingdom of God".  I don't know about you but I never liked standing on the outside looking at what could be so I always pursued being on the inside.  So how do you go from standing outside the wall to being placed into the "Kingdom of God".   Amazingly enough the answer is found in John 3:5:

John 3:5  - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

This is were it gets interesting.  This is refferring to "Gods Elect" or "God's Chosen".  See the Christian Life is actually a two step process; The First step is when you are called and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and the second step is when you are Part of God's elect, Chosen by God, Adopted by God, as a "son of God" made part of God's Family.  As it states in Matthew 22;14;

Matthew 22:14 - For many are called, but few are chosen.

The goo news is that Romans 2:11 and many other places in the bible it says;

Romans 2:11 - For there is no respect of persons with God.

That right there should make you jump up and shout.   That means that God has not predetermined who he will choose and adopt.  Since God is no respector of person he has to be willing and desiring to "Choose Everyone" that qualifies to be chosen, adopted into the family of God as a "son of God".  I Beleive Hebrews 11:6 gives us some insight to what it takes to be chosen by God and for God to adopt you into his Family as his son;

Hebrews 11:6 - But without Faith it is impossible to please him:  for he that cometh to God must beleive that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

So let's look at that scripture for a minute.  I see four criteria that will put you into position to be chosen by God and adopted by God as a son of God into his family:

1.  You must beleive that he is.

2. You must diligently seek him.

3. You must beleive he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

4. Faith pleases God so you must learn to or at least attempt to "Live by Faith".

If this teaching is different then most teaching that you have heard you might want to stick around because in other letters to you I plan to explain more deeply what I have started to explain in this letter.   For now what I want you to take away from this letter is that there might be more to this christian experience then you are currently being taught.