Wow, what a month! This one will go down in the books.
It is hard to believe that February 2023 has come and gone but the memories will last forever. It was as though God filled our calendar with his agenda. As a result, we are grateful for all that has taken place in Heritage, in the State of Kentucky, across the nation, and around the world. We live for seasons like this. The scripture speaks itself as found in Acts 3:19 (The Living Bible): “Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord.”
Repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that time after time your souls may know the refreshment that comes from the presence of God.”
I have watched as old and young experience this season of refreshing which is sweeping the nation and once again my heart rejoices when God visits his church in such a beautiful manner. In the past I have said when God moves among His people everyone has a story to tell and this is the essence of the Holy Spirit moving among us. Kentucky has been blessed to be the epicenter of what God is doing and it is sweeping colleges and churches in vast numbers.
It all began with one sophomore student who at the end of her public confession of sin, cried out; I NEED GOD. What was a heartfelt plea became the spark that set hearts ablaze in what is called GEN-ZER’S. Don’t you think it wonderful what God can do with the testimony of one individual? It causes one to think of the woman at the well or the cripple at Gate Beautiful, or the young man in John 9, who was born blind. Each one of these powerful stories, are meant to build
our faith and create a passion in our heart for more of God. I look at the story of the man born blind as a good example of a man who had an experience and the scribes and Pharisees having a doctrine but no experience, their rules kept them from seeing Jesus for who He really was. I look at the woman at the well who found what she was looking for and it was Agape love, for that was the first time in literature that women were spoken of with value, it was as though Jesus called her lady. I look at the crippled man at the GATE BEAUTIFUL as an example of mankind at hopes door the temple of God and suffering from his birth with a defect. The greatest birth defect is found in the fact that we are born in sin and shaped in iniquity. “Born with our faces toward Hell”. It is the church that should be the panacea for ills of the community. Jesus demonstrated this for all to see as the lame man went walking and leaping and praising God through the temple
and He is still the remedy, Sin the Cause, Christ the Cure.
We are grateful to all who have for so long prayed for God to heal our land, knowing that He is the Balm of Gilead, moves us to hope for our nation and our children. Like the writer to the book of Hebrews pens in Hebrews 11:16; those that desire a better country, “God is not ashamed to be called their God”. I thought I would leave you with an interesting fact about the Ides of March. It is from Roman history but that is just an expression most would not understand the meaning. What does it mean?
It was a time to settle your debts. He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay, I needed someone to help me find my way. This is what happens when we accept Christ as our redeemer. He alone can set us free, for He paid sins debt on Calvary.
Thank you for investing in the lives of all that we are privileged to serve wherever Heritage comes in contact with a hurting world. It is good to welcome our Guatemala “23” Team home. They have been wonderful in their representation of Heritage on the mission field.
Yours for Souls,
Cleddie Keith