Good Morning,

As I write our weekly letter to you the sun is coming up and I am greeting the day with a prayer on my heart for all our church family and friends.

Hello Neighbor,

 I have good news for you today and it is something you can share with your family and friends. You can find what I am writing in this letter within the book of Hebrews as my point of reference.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, to all the great women of our lives who teach us how to love and embrace the future by faith.

The World is Waiting for the manifestation of the Sons and Daughters of God,

Join with us and the millions to pray for the people of Israel. This is a monumental challenge to bring 100 million believers together to pray for the major cities of the planet where the majority of the unreached people live and exist. The following flyer is all the information you need to join in this World Changing Season:

Hope this post finds you having a great day, knowing that nothing can separate you from the love of God.

Greetings to all of you whom God uses to inspire us to pray for you as members of our adopted family,

Dear Pilgrim,

I think we can all agree that we are on a journey of faith. Considering all that we have celebrated in Passion Week 2023; the journey begins at our faith in His resurrection.

The word beginning is important in the Bible, such as we find in Genesis 1:1; “In the beginning...”

We all know Solomon was called the wisest man in the Bible. He has this to say: “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

David said of God’s words: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” Psalm 111:10

“Your word is true from the beginning: and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalm 119:160

Isaiah adds this insight into the Omniscience of God: “I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.” Isaiah 48:3
“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” Isaiah 64:4

Mark begins his letter with this affirmation: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1

This all leads up to this passage I have on my heart today, found in the Book of Mark:
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows…
For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.” Mark 13:8,19
THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS

In Matthew 24 verse 5 is a stern warning concerning false Christs, followed by a list of cataclysmic devastating things that will come on mankind. These things are spoken of as birth pains. Could this be what we are seeing taking hold of people worldwide today?

THE GREAT RIFT

I read a report this week that the Great Rift in Africa is splitting open in Kenya. It is reported that a fifty-foot-wide crevice has opened in the Great Rift and is causing great concern; even suggesting that it could split off and make a separate continent. Vernel and I have been there with a team for a conference several years ago. When I read the article I thought, could this be a sign as well. Do you know where this rift is finished on the continent? It geographically finishes on the Mount of Olives, in Jerusalem.

Yesterday, we celebrated Christ’s resurrection. Today I call your attention to the fact that he will return just as He has prophesied. It is Zechariah who tells us how and where He is going to return. Just as Jesus rose from the dead and ultimately ascended into heaven, Zechariah reminds us that, on this day, Christ’s “feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the mount will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley” and that one day “the LORD will be king over all the earth.” Zechariah 14. The ultimate triumph will be when He returns, and God has made the earth His footstool.

The beginning of sorrows is like a two-edged sword for those who believe; It is a watchword for those who refuse Christ, and it will be unimaginable how great these sorrows will be, because the earth has never experienced such woe.

Keep looking up child of God, for He is looking down. He is coming for those who are looking for Him.

I appreciate your trust and support of all our team does from week to week to serve; especially this week as we rejoice in the response of those who came to Christ yesterday. Our Hispanic Congregation and our French Speaking Congregations join with us in pursuing His Passion and thank you for your investment in souls.

He Lives World Without End.

Pastor Cleddie Keith

May this day and every day bring with it the blessings of the Lord to you and yours,

Today, I was thinking of The Power of Recall and I thought about Lamentations chapter three, where Jeremiah is going through unspeakable trial and tribulation. Things changed when he writes, “I recall to mind as Jeremiah did these words in chapter 3:
GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS
THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
IT IS BECAUSE YOUR COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT
THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED

Jeremiah said, “I recall this to mind, therefore I have hope”. Then he goes on to say, “The Lord is my portion, says my soul therefore I hope in Him.” Often in my life I have found that the only thing I can do is wait, which is not always a bad thing. “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa. 40:31).

It is good to remember this, when our soul speaks up, we need to listen. Our soul will line us up with the Word of God.

Have you ever noticed that our brain is not mentioned once in the entire word of God?

However, our mind is mentioned in several Bible verses, 96 different times to be exact.

Paul wrote to the church of Thessalonica these words:

1 Thessalonians 5:14, KJV: “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men”. I think this is an interesting choice of words, in that the word feeble means; It implies faltering, stumbling, fainting. It means to be weak, sickly. I was reading and found this choice bit of information to pass on to you:

During the Passover, when the firstborn sons of Egypt were being killed, the Israelites who had put the blood of a lamb around their doorframes were being healed. Any Israelite who had suffered with a physical ailment was made whole as they ate the meat of the lamb they had slaughtered. They applied the blood, and they partook of the lamb, and it brought healing to them. God simultaneously judged the Egyptians and restored the Israelites. God always has a way of preparing us for the journey that lies ahead of His people.

Jesus taught this: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37

Often, I have found it necessary to call to mind Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusts in thee.” When Jesus delivered the demon-possessed man in Gadara, people went out to see Jesus and here is what they found:

“And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” Mark 5:15 It is in looking at this verse we can understand what it means as we read in the Amplified Bible, Romans 12:1-2, when Paul is writing to the church and says: “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].”
My soul is singing out loud this morning,

I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on, Jesus, Yes I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on Jesus. And it feels so GOOD TO KEEP YOUR MINDS STAYED ON JESUS, HALELLUJAH, HALELLUJAH, I’M FREE, I’M FREE, I’M FREE.
Once again thank you for your blessings to our lives and to the well being of Heritage Fellowship, it is our pleasure serving and being a part of your lives. You are in my prayers today and on my mind.

His Servant and yours,
Pastor Cleddie Keith