Dearest Friends in Harvest,

The story is told of a fisherman who had a large tank on the side of his fishing boat. It was perforated so that the water of the sea passed right through it. He would put the fish that he caught in this tank to keep them alive and fresh for the market, but he found that after they had been kept in there a few days they lost their firmness and flavor. . Their life in the tank was not their natural life. They did not have to struggle for their food, and they were safe from their enemies. Such a life of ease produces deterioration.

There was another fisherman there who also kept the fish that he caught in a tank on the side of his boat, but he always brought his fish to market in good condition. After his death his daughter told the secret. He always put a catfish in the tank and it kept the fish in fear of their lives all the time and they always had to struggle to keep out of his way. It was like their natural life in the sea. The afflictions and misfortunes which distress the children of God are not all to be explained as chastening for their wrong doings. There may be the catfish in the well placed there by Him who knows all th1ngs to keep them in the best of condition. Those who live in comfort and ease usually never amount to very much for the Lord. God, in choosing man, always selects those who have gone through trials and hardships.
A noted violinmaker went out into the timber to select his own timber for the making of his violin. He always chose the wood from the north side of the tree because he said it was used to the hard beating storms from the north and was tough and would stand more strain. This he said was better suited for violins. Those who have withstood the stormy trials and hardships of life are the ones who are best fitted for His service.

I read one time that the devil brings his brats and leaves them on your door steps but you do not have to take them in and give them a bed, keep them warm from the elements, feed and clothe them and finally adopt them. I had never heard this before but he took it even a step further, temptations are the devils children. The parable of the good shepherds faithfulness to his flock of sheep would be of no consequence if there were no wolf. For that matter the war lines of Philistia and Israel, where the Giant Goliath would come out and offer his challenge, “Give me a man to fight with”, would have never been complete without a shepherd boy that answered his war cry. Remember what David said in response to his arrogance, “THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S”.

In high school I was interviewed after winning the Golden Gloves welterweight Championship. The reporter asked me what I was thinking when I was in the ring? I told him I was thinking I must hit him more times than he hits me. That is how you win the match, just fight one more round, knowing that the one that fights one more round always wins.
The victorious are always fighting the good fight of faith.

Thank you for your love and blessings as we continue to lift up our eyes to the fields, for they are white unto harvest.

It is HARVEST TIME.

CLEDDIE AND GAYNELL KEITH

Good day to you, my friend; where and when this letter reaches you,

Have you ever thought about revival and how through history the record is that it always rested upon the shoulders of a faithful few. Consider with me the verse found in Isaiah 52:1: “Awake! Put on strength, Oh Zion. For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”

Looking back, I can tell you from my experience there has always been a group of believers who have paid or prayed the price for revival. Always remember God works through the church. Let’s start here;

Matthew 5:14-16: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it
gives light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven.”

The church is more than a building; it is a light house. It is the place where God dwells:

Ephesians 2:19-22:
“19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.”
A forgotten destiny is the greatest apostasy. Therefore, knowing the church (the ecclesia), the
family of God is to be redemptive in its nature. Let us never forget our calling and purpose:

Matthew 28:19-20:
“19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

If you look at the statements concerning the church, you will recognize that the strength of any great church is unity, obedience, faith, and the abiding presence of God. The Holy Spirit stirs people. He convicts the sinners and bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. It is when each of us feel that we are a part of Zion, that our participation is important, and the church begins to thrive. I believe the church is the most important part of any society. You can consider the consequence of it if it fails. When the church fails souls are lost for eternity.

Jesus loved the church and gave Himself for it; that is how important it is to Him. That is why we say, “We will work while it is yet day for the night comes when no man can work.” Once again thank you for your love for the church family. Your participation is vital, and your faithfulness is more than appreciated. It speaks of God working in and through us to fulfill the great commission.

I believe in you,
Pastor Cleddie Keith

MAY THE BLESSINGS OF THE LORD FIND YOU TODAY AND POUR OUT ON YOU FAVOR AND LOVE,

For several years a verse that has literally chased me down, is found in Exodus 23. Today I felt it necessary to share it with you as God has once again laid this truth on my heart and mind for you. Pay attention to the “I will” and “I am” found in this passage.

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

20 “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the
place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he
will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and
do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23 My
angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites,
Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. 24 Do not bow down before their gods or worship
them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to
pieces. 25 Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take
away sickness from among you, 26 and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a
full life span.

27 “I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter.
I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. 28 I will send the hornet ahead of you to
drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way.29 But I will not drive them out in a single
year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30
Little by little, I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take
possession of the land.

31 “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert
to the Euphrates River.

I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you.32 Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. 33 Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

This passage reminds me of the communion blessings that are associated with the humbling of our hearts as we partake of the sweet bread of the soul. The parallels are similar, and the blessings are easy to see and understand. When we do as God’s word instruct us, then we reap the benefits of what He has died on the cross for us to receive. This is why I often say that when I receive communion, I have a personal revival which opens the door to the ability to live a devotional lifestyle. You make the difference in the lives of those who benefit from the ministries of HERITAGE FELLOWSHIP.

Your Loving Pastors,
Cleddie and GayNell Keith

Specific Prayer Points:

Job 22:28
You will also decree a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.
James 5:16
...the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

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

Greetings with heart felt prayers for you and your family,

The words to this song we sing in our services is playing in my heart and head this morning - “HE’S NEVER GONNA LET, HE’S NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN.” Isn’t it wonderful, knowing no matter what you are going through that our God is there with us regardless of what we are facing? Sometimes we need to be reminded of how good God really is to us, so let me remind you. I will begin with a familiar verse for most of us:

Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, stands in the way of sinners or sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3, followed by several other fabulous eye-opening text:

Psalm 32:2
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord...
COMPUTES NOT INIQUITY. (God has a computer with a delete button)

Psalm 34:8
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trust in him.

Psalm 40:4
Blessed is that man that makes the Lord his trust, and respects not the proud, nor such as
turn aside to lies.

Psalm 65:4
Blessed is the man whom thou chooses, and causes to approach unto thee, that he may
dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy
temple.

Psalm 84:5
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee...

Psalm 84:12
O Lord of hosts, blessed is he that trusts in thee.

Psalm 94:12
Blessed is the man whom thou chasten, O Lord, and teaches him out of thy law;

Psalm 112:1
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, that delights greatly in his
commandments.

Proverbs 8:34
Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my
doors.

Often, I speak of “an open heaven” and it is as though God is allowing Kentucky to experience what I mean when I chose these words. For the past two weeks, millions have watched on social media or personally have gathered in Wilmore, Kentucky, a town of 6 thousand people, to observe what God is doing on the Asbury Campus. Around the clock prayer, worship and the dynamics of a visitation from heaven is taking place there. People have reported being saved, healed and delivered in the sessions. Backsliders by the dozens have been overcome with the reality of their cold hearts toward God and repented publicly of their sin.

We realize that God has been moving in an unusual way in our Fellowship. For the last three years our intercessors have been praying without ceasing for a turn-around in our nation. Our declaration has been:

Isaiah 28:14-18 Amplified Bible

Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, you arrogant men
Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem!
Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
And with Sheol (the place of the dead) we have made an agreement,
When the overwhelming scourge passes by, it will not reach us,
For we have made lies our refuge and we have concealed ourselves in deception.”
Therefore the Lord God says this,
“Listen carefully, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a tested Stone,
A precious Cornerstone for the [secure] foundation, firmly placed.
He who believes [who trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone] will not be
disturbed or give way [in sudden panic].
“I will make justice the measuring line
And righteousness the mason’s level;
Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies
And waters will flood over the secret [hiding] place.
“Your covenant with death will be annulled,
And your agreement with Sheol (the place of the dead) will not stand;
When the overwhelming scourge passes through,
Then you will become its trampling ground.
God has heard from on high and He is rending the heavens and coming down.

What has happened in the Commonwealth is spreading across America. We have heard the sound of marching in the tops of the Mulberry trees like David of old. This week we are blessed to have Rick Curry back with us on the weekend, to share with us a “look what the Lord has done” story that we have hosted for the last 28 years. We were born into the Kingdom for such a time as this.

Your loving pastor,
Cleddie Keith

Greetings to all those who make our life better every day, as we follow on to know the Lord. By now I am sure that you have heard of the amazing things God has been doing on some of the Christian College Campuses in our region. To give you a recap on February 8th a young lady a sophomore at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky publicly repented of her attempt to commit to suicide. She told the students in the chapel service how she had gone to high bridge a Kentucky landmark, to jump to her death. As she was contemplating her final moments, she called her mother to tell her goodbye. As you can imagine her Mother raced to the scene and was able to talk her out of what she had planned to do. She then ended her confession with, “I need God.”

What followed was a spontaneous response from the students in the chapel service began to gather around her and pray with her. Momentarily, other students followed by repenting of sin in their lives and consequently the chapel service has continued with people staying and praying through the night and it still continues around the clock. People by van loaded with people are going to observe what is taking place. In Lexington just a few miles away Saturday morning 45 pastors gathered in the MAN of WAR Church of God, to cry out to God for revival. Our friend Rick Curry former Nazarene minister, who God raised up several years ago to go to all 120 counties in Kentucky with a message that God was going to start a revival in Kentucky that would sweep across the nation is giving us daily updates on what is happening in the region and across the state can be found on his web site if you would like to hear what is going on at ground level.

I am personally a product of revival, looking back my family was swept into the Kingdom of God because of God’s intervention in my uncle’s brother’s life being spared after having his arm and shoulder pulled off in a rock crusher on the construction of a Texas hi-way. God spared Jim Anderson’s life and he went on to become a missionary to India and ultimately the director of missions in the Pacific Rim for the Assemblies of God. His brother and sister became missionaries to India as well. My uncles became pastors, and our entire family was eventually saved. I have always said that “Healing is the dinner bell to salvation”. I recently read that 80to 90 % of all the believers outside North America attribute their salvation to divine healing. This week I came to the conclusion that my sweet tooth is the moving of the Holy Spirit in revival. Have you ever had a song stick in your mind and play over and over again like in is a record stuck in one grove? Today as I write this to you, I can hear:

“Praise God, God’s Holy Spirits in this land,
Reach out and touch Him if you can,
From the high, high mountain
To the deep, deep ocean.
God Holy Spirit’s in this land.”

Is there a place in your heart to welcome the Holy Spirit? As you read this letter, I am praying for you and your family to experience what my family did in the 1940 and eighty years later they still walk with Him. I have firsthand experience that when God moves, He moves, generationally, just as he did in the Bible. Is this your desire for your family and friends? My prayer goes like the words of an old song Lester Roloff used to sing on his evening radio broad cast, “God give a passion burning within of sinners dying lost in their sins, we’ve a commission Jesus to preach, I’ll do my part Lord others to reach.”

I want you to know how much the church staff and I appreciate all of those who helped behind the scenes to make the last two weekends in our Kingdom Business 23 and the Winter Bible Camp Meeting, so special. I personally believe the fruit of these meetings will bare fruit for years to come. It goes without saying that our intercessors have impacted every song, every sermon, every testimony in each and every meeting that brought about a crescendo of the presence of
God that still rest on us today. With this let me remind you that your love and support of a place where the Spirit of God is Welcome means everything to us.

Expand our Hearts in 2023,
Pastor Cleddie Keith

The top of the day to you, because this is the day that the Lord has made!

Have you any scars? Scars always tell a story; some are good scars, and some are not so good. I have scars from my youth. When I graduated from High School in my senior year, the annual listed the colors that defined me; saying my colors would be black and blue. That tells you a little bit about me. I have scars on the back of my head, scars in my mouth and lips where it took 90 stitches to sow me back together. I have a scar on my lower back from two different invasive surgeries along with several scars on my abdomen. If that is not enough, I have a scar on my left arm where they had to place two metal plates in my arm when it was necessary to repair a compound fracture as the result of a boating accident.

This is nothing compared to my cousin Bobby. He was with my Uncle Elec when he hit a bridge head on, resulting in the car catching on fire and causing my uncle’s death. My cousin was burned over 75% of his body and he was only eight years old. He lost toes and flexibility in his one leg as the result of heavy scaring. He was so badly burned they took him to Shriners Burn Institute in Dallas and did numerous surgeries. His scars became my Uncle Ellsworth’s scars. They took the skin off my uncle’s back and surgically attached it to Bobby’s legs to replace the skin that was burned off him.

I was speaking in Cincinnati one day to a group of pastors, shortly after I came to the tri- state region. I was speaking about the fact that I had been here for a couple of years, and I had never heard of them. One preacher was insulted. He was a great brother, but I learned a long time ago that the dog in a pack that gets hit is the one that yelps. I told the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table gathering at Exeter. When they met, they would take off their armor and all identifications, to sit bare-chested at the King’s Table. This way they were able to proudly show the scars they bore for their King. I plowed on through the message and at the end of the meeting a young man came up to me and introduced himself. He had been called to go into the mission field and was praying for God to show him a sign that it was the will of God. His father, who was not a Christian, was opposed to his son going into missions. He said, “Pastor Cleddie, the place
that I am going to is Exeter, England.” He served there for several years.

Paul wore his scars as a reminder of his determined end. I love the way Eugene Peterson
paraphrases it:

Galatians 6:14-18
The Message

14-16 For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master,
Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world,
set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little
patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what
you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is
doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this
standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on
them!

17 Quite frankly, I don’t want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far
more important things to do—the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body
scars from my service to Jesus.

18 May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours,
my friends. Oh, yes!

My cousin Bobby lived despite the scars. He played football and softball with us. He even took part in the fireball toss our family played on Christmas family gatherings. He walked with a limp all his life, but he never allowed his scars to hold him back. You can rise above your personal life situations, and you can live with scars. Bobby was and still is an inspiration to me then and now. Scars did not dictate the story of his life. It may be a good life example to you as well; don’t let your scars define who you are.

Jesus swore His scars. When doubting Thomas questioned the reality of who He was, Jesus said, “Here, feel my scars.” His scars were for us; on His back, His feet, His hands, as well as the thorn printed scars in His brow. These scars were for you... Last week we closed Kingdom Business 23. It was a highlight of many people’s lives.

The fruit of the meeting will be seen in years to come. As people left the conference, they left with a Kingdom Mindset and fire in their souls. Thank you to all the home folks who worked so hard to host those who came and worshipped with us.

This Friday, join us for our Winter Bible Camp Meeting with Dave Jones and Nick
Chanda from Great Britain. Friday 10 am - Saturday 10 am

Your loving Pastors,
Cleddie and GayNell