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Resurrection Power

Resurrection Power

Choice Greetings:
I have a verse on my heart for you today:

Romans 12:12 TPT

“Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing continual joy. Don’t give up in time of trouble but commune with God at all times.”

In the past I have referred to this as a devotional lifestyle. For a few weeks it has been my privilege to share with you my thoughts in regard to my friend the Holy Spirit. As I have revisited these wonderful scriptures which help us to know Him better and recognize He is a person. As I have meditated on this incredible revelation of who He is as the third person of the God Head, my thoughts went to:

Philippians 1:10

“That I may know him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death”.

Here is what we know about His resurrection; Jesus was raised after He had been crucified in our place for our sins. To know Him in the power of the resurrection is to know the Holy Spirit who raised Him from the dead. Paul writes this for us to gage where we are spiritually.

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives’ in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Can we say that we also want to know Him, in the Power of His Resurrection? Take a moment to think about what Paul was asking God for. I think Paul realized that he could know the available power that raised Christ from a lifeless state. He knew the resurrection was the message, which could transform people from death to life. He lived in what he knew and demonstrated what he believed as seen in the book of Acts, which Luke records for us. The spirit of the resurrection is
the spirit of life. (Romans 8:11)

Have you ever experienced the resurrection power? If you have, you now know that it was the Holy Spirit that was operating in behalf of the Godhead. I was about 15 when my mother prayed for me when I was delirious with raging fever and boils all over my body. In a moment of time I was set free, from the pain and the fever. It was the Holy Spirit who worked in tandem with the Word of God bringing life into my body. It is with this in mind, I can pray with boldness knowing
that God honors His Word above His Name. I believe that even then the Lord introduced me to the power of the resurrection, which was the Holy Spirit who also incubated the earth in creation and through Him, God worked His wonders. I never have questioned the power of the Lord to heal from that moment on my bed, with my head in my mother’s lap, when the Holy Spirit touched me. Just think about its Jesus went down into death and when He came up from
the grave, He came back with keys to hell and death. He could not have done this if it had not been for the precious Holy Spirit, bringing the Word back to life. Therein He became the Living empowered by the Holy Spirit who is your Friend and mine. Peter should not be left out of this conversation; he has this to say as found in:

1PETER 3:18

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”

It is important for us to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit is to quicken the crucified Christ. Just as he quickens Christ, he quickens the believer. That being the case it is important to welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives to maximize God’s presence and enduement of power.

Luke 24:49

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

The word endue means to provide with a quality or an ability, a transfuse or to clothe. My desire and prayer for each and every one of us that God would clothe us with the Presence of God in a measure that we can operate in and in so doing bless the world around us. I want to thank you, for joining me in praying for this as well the times demand it. Paul also prayed that he would be able to know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings. What a prayer, in another passage he wrote
his grace is sufficient for us and His strength is made perfect in weakness. I believe he gives a bird’s eye view into the way that the Holy Spirit came, alongside to be with him, in the conflicts he experienced. I pray you will sense his continual presence with you at all times in the good and difficult stretches of the road before you.

HELP US MAKE IT KNOWN THAT LANCE WALNAU WILL BE HERE BEFORE THE MIDTERMS TO RALLY THE CHURCH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 2022

Let’s stand together for change.
Your loving pastor,
Cleddie Keith

The Promise of the Father

The Promise of the Father

Summer Greetings to each of you, who we are very thankful that you have chosen to be a part of our lives,

I want to take the time in this weekly letter to continue our emphasis on God the Holy Spirit. In both the old and new testaments, God’s wish is our Spirit infilling. It actually begins in the book of Numbers 11:29, where we see that Moses wished that God would put His Spirit upon all the people. It is interesting to me the pneuma-phobia ( the fear of the Holy Spirit), when the Bible is full of references to God’s desire to pour out His Spirit upon Israel and His chosen
people, Proverbs 1:22,23. In Isaiah 30: God was grieved because His people would not be covered with His Spirit.

I think an important verse in regard to this subject is found in Zechariah 4:6, God’s source of power is the outpoured Spirit. The book of Acts of the Apostles, it would have not been a creditable book without the Spirits outpouring on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus told the disciples to wait for the Promise of the Father with the assurance that all who obeyed would receive, Acts 5:32. In Luke 24:49 the last promise Jesus gave with instruction was the Spirit would be sent to them. Have you ever considered what Jesus meant when He told the woman at the well, true worshippers will worship Him in Spirit, John 4:23. I especially love and believe what we find in John 14: 16,17; Christ prayed that the Father would send the Spirit.

It is easy when you begin to follow the chain- linked scriptures into an understanding of what God’s ultimate intention is when it comes to the of the Father. Time and again we can see the profound emphasis of the Father, Jesus went so far as to say the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send Him unto you, John 17:7. You can see for yourself how rich this subject is with the Word of God.

A very telling question is found in Acts 19:1-6, “Have you received the Holy Ghost?” Paul had a strong desire that the believers in Rome was that they would receive the Holy Ghost, Romans 8:1-16. In 1st Corinthians 12: 1-13, he prayed that believers would have knowledge of God’s gifts of the Spirit. Have you ever prayed that you would have communion with the Holy Spirit, Paul did 2 Corinthians 13:14?

My constant prayer for you is that you would have communion with the Holy Spirit. Did you know that you were redeemed that you might receive the promise of the Father through faith, Galatians 5:23? Not only did Paul speak of the promise of the Father but he admonished the Galatian church to walk in the Spirit, Galatians 5:16 and also to live in the Spirit, Galatians 5:23. It leaves little doubt how important it is to Godhead for individuals to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians it was through the preaching of Christ to the believers of Ephesus that they would be built into a habitation of the Spirit, you can find this in Ephesians 2:22. Finally both Paul and Peter write that we are chosen and elect of God through the sanctification of the Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 and 1 Peter 1:2. It is important for all of us to follow on to know the Lord and I think it is equally important to realize that life in the Spirit is available to each of us and that God is no respecter of persons. My personal testimony is that early on in my walk with God I came to know the Holy Spirit a person and not just an influence in my life.

Help us get the message out in regard to the special meetings. If you love our nation and I know you do. If you are concerned about our nation and I know you are.

Coming Events:
Labor Day Celebration- September 4th
School Starts- September 6th
NATHAN MORRIS- September 16th 17th 18th
LANCE WALNAU- September 23rd 24th

HELP US MAKE IT KNOWN THAT LANCE WALNAU WILL BE HERE BEFORE THE MIDTERMS TO RALLY THE CHURCH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 2022

Let’s stand together for change.
Your loving pastor,
Cleddie Keith

The Wonderful Gift of the Holy Spirit

The Wonderful Gift of the Holy Spirit

Choice Christian greetings to you today and every day,

I have been meditating on the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, who is promised to each and every one of us. Over the years one of my favorite lifetime studies is God the Holy Spirit. I met Him before I was saved, for on several occasions He saved my life and even spoke to me in situations. I can honestly say that I knew Him as a person before I received Him into my life. Let me tell you how I knew Him.

I knew the Holy Spirit by observation of what happened in my family, when the Holy Spirit came into their lives. There was an immediate change in the atmosphere of our homes and the center of their conversations. The Bible became the centerpiece in their lives. It was as though they delighted in the Word of God. They could not wait until Sundays, mid-week service or revivals. I was there it was as simple as that; no questions ask. They never let up talking to me about God
and His will for my life. It was like they confronted me with their lifestyle and their character. They became a visible yardstick of right and wrong. There was never any profanity in the house I don’t even remember one curse word coming out of my father’s mouth as a child and he never became a Christian until after I was converted to Christ. Never onetime, did I have to take an empty beer can to the curb for garbage pickup. The atmosphere of my home was like going to
church, there was no difference in what I felt in our home and in God’s house. They got their prayers answered, in many wonderful ways and I observed this on a daily basis. I was taught the Word of God and knew that the Holy Spirit was promised to the believer:

Luke 24:29: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

Acts 1:5 “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

I heard of the Holy Spirit through the preachers and my family. They taught without reservation these things about power:

• His power was Divine, Luke 4:14, Luke 3:21,22
• His power was comforting, John 16:7
• He gave us power to witness, acts 1:8 (I heard this often)
• His power was for spiritual BOLDNESS, Acts 4:31
• He Anointed us with power to speak, Acts 2:1-4

I watched as people tarried for hours, literally for hours as they sought the Divine gift of the Holy Spirit. I saw people under the power, I heard prophecy and tongues and interpretation come from common people under the power. I saw manifestations of the Spirit and watched as people were healed under the power. I heard the great stories of missionaries who attributed everything that happened in their lives to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and His guidance in
their lives. I listened as my uncle’s taught and preached the Word of God and it spoke to me when one new it but me.

I heard the Holy Spirit preached and taught about not an It or an influence or even just a power but as God the Holy Ghost. I am not sure anyone knew I was listening, but I was. There was so much to be learned, so many verses to confirm what I heard in regard to where God was taking me on my life journey.

The Holy Spirit has led me into a promised inheritance. He has been to me sweet communion in difficult times and is with me 24/7 as I follow on, to know the Lord. What Joel prophesied to the prophets in the book of Numbers 12:6 I have personally experienced. I have been purged by the Spirit as Isaiah spoke of Isaiah 4:4. It was the Holy Spirit who taught me to take God at His word. One of the most important things I have learned as I walk with and live the Spirit Filled life is to ask. Check this out:

Jacob asked for a blessing, Solomon asked for understanding, Elisha asked for a ‘double portion’, David asked for a renewed spirit within him, to be thirsty is asking and God promised to pour out His Spirit on the thirsty, Paul asked that he might be strengthened by the Spirit in his inner man.

I love the FACTS and ACTS of the Holy Spirit.

• HE BROODS OVER US, (THE FIRST TIME WE SEE HIM HE IS BROODING OVER THE CHAOS) GENESIS 1:2
• HE FILLS AS AT PENTECOST, ACTS 2:1-4
• HE CONVICTS AND CONVINCES, JOHN 16:8-11
• HE REGENERATES, JOHN 3
• HE UNITES, GALATIANS 3:2
• HE DWELLS IN US, 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19
• HE SEALS, EPHESIANS 1:13
• HE OVERFLOWS WITH BLESSING, JOHN 7:37,39
• HE INSTRUCTS i.e.: THE ANOINTING, 1ST JOHN 1:27
• HE SETS FREE; BY LAW, ROMANS 8
• HE EQUIPS, 1 CORINTHIANS 12

I hope you are benefitting from these weekly letters, as much as I am. The conditions to be met for receiving is easy to discover, first and foremost is hunger of soul Matthew 5:6 and the second is surrender 1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 12:1.

Grace Is

Grace Is

Happy “Red Hot Days” of summer to you,

I was in Ft. Worth, Monday and looked down at the monitors on the dash, it was 105 the A/C was on low and I was perspiring. The grass in the medians was as brown as fried bacon and the pin oaks were bowing in prayer. When I flew out of DFW on my way home, I prayed for rain, to break a drought that has lasted 58 days and has caused the cattleman to have to take their stock to the auction houses where they line up for miles, with their cattle in their trailers because the
grass has dried up and there is nothing for their livestock to eat.

I was in and out of my old childhood hometown, but I left with good memories. I was on an assignment; it was just another play I ran for my coach, but this would be the last. Just like he had done so many times when I was a kid in a high school football game. He had been our coach for all four years starting at the ninth grade and he was beloved by everyone. He had nicknamed me, “Sticks” because my legs were so skinny, I had to tease the hair on my legs to keep my socks
up. We would be standing on the sideline and the game was not going our way and he would call for me. “Sticks” get in there and do something. For the last 25 years he has asked me to speak at his funeral, it was something I did not really want to talk with him about. We usually don’t want to talk about such things, do we but I agreed. It was like this when the pastor asked for me to come up the pulpit and speak it was like Coach Elo Nohavitza calling me on the
sideline saying, Sticks get in there and do something. He called me when he gave his life to Christ, he has been raised Catholic and married Anna a sweet Baptist girl whose love for Jesus and by her example, she became his evangelist leading him to Christ by her Godly life. We had stayed in touch for over 60 years and my Mom would see him she would update Coach on where I was and what I was up to. One of my friends who I played baseball with for five years, whose son happened to be the lead staff pastor the church where the funeral was held told me Cleddie, every time he talked about you, he cried. Three months after Coach had called me and told me of his conversion, he called rejoicing to tell me he had won his first convert to Christ, he was just as happy about that as he was his own salvation. His influence on me as a young man has lasted a lifetime.

This morning when I woke up I my morning muse was on Grace, these are just a few of my thoughts, It is dangerous to kid one’s self when it comes to Grace.

“The one thing that I do not want and that is someone else to define for me is grace.”

Grace is the power to love when it would be easier to despise. Grace is the strength to say, yes to hard task, when it would be easier to just ignore the reality of a need.

Grace is the disposition to love the unlovable because you understand that in different circumstances in your life you could have been dealt a different set of cards. (The Apostle Paul said it best, “But for the GRACE OF GOD THERE GO, I.”

Grace is the liberty to change my horizon and life goals for I to press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in God. Grace is the awesome privilege of the redeemed to become a reflection of their Redeemer in the best and worst of times.

Grace is the attribute of the Sovereign God, who has given us His Grace in life. It is a tricky word for on the one hand it means, freedom, independence and liberty. On the other hand, it means, subjection and dependence. (It is like a young woman who leaves home for the university that felt she had achieved her sovereignty for the first time in her life. Her interpretation of freedom is seen in her rebellion to the house rules of her family. Her problem was that she became her
own Sovereignty and as a result her independence without subjection brought her into the dilemma of, he owns willfulness.

Grace is a wanting to please the one who has imparted His grace to you in the first place.

Grace is the ability to show up when needed or when you happen to show up and someone needs a helping hand, you pitch in and remain until a task is finished.

Grace is a wanting in your heart to obey the words of Jesus, not just to say you believe in Him.

Grace is love compelling you to go the second mile when only one is required.

Grace is the unique gift to laugh at yourself when it would be much easier to just sit down and cry.

Grace is the reminder that you represent the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and you cannot allow your emotions to be unrestrained and your mouth to defy who lives within you.

Grace is with candor to be able to say, “I know whom, I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” Grace is Yes, to I am His and He is mine.

Grace, Grace God’s Grace, Grace that is greater than all my sins,

Grace, Grace God’s Grace...

Grace that can pardon and cleanse within.

I love you; I believe in you and we need you,

Have a great rest of your week,
Yours for Souls,
Cleddie “Sticks”

 

Mother Of All Sins

Mother Of All Sins

Dear Church Family and Friends,
I have never written a letter like this one before where I share the notes from a previous Sunday Mornings Message, but I felt impressed to share this as we go into the upcoming weekend with Kim Wieler from Canada.

THE MOTHER OF ALL SIN’S

Galatians 5:13 Amplified Bible

For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another.

Philippians 2:3,4 Amplified Bible

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.

Philippians 2:1-4 The Message

He Took on the Status of a Slave
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of
following Christ, if his love has made
any difference in your life, if being in a
community of the Spirit means anything
to you, if you have a heart, if you care—
then do me a favor: Agree with each
other, love each other, be deep-spirited
friends. Don’t push your way to the
front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the
top. Put yourself aside, and help others
get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with
getting your own advantage.
Forget yourselves long enough to
Lend a helping hand.

James 4:3 The Message
“You ask [God for something] and don’t
receive it, because you ask with wrong
motives [out of selfishness or with an
unrighteous agenda], so that [when you
get what you want] you may spend it on
your [hedonistic] desires.

Galatians 5:16-18 The Message
“My counsel is this: Live freely,
animated and motivated by God’s
Spirit. Then you won’t feed the
compulsions of selfishness. For
there is a root of sinful self-interest in
us that is at odds with a free spirit,
just as the free spirit is incompatible
with selfishness.

These two ways of life are contrary to
each other, so that you cannot live at
times one way and at times another
way according to how you feel on any
given day.

Why don’t you choose to be led by the
Spirit and so escape the erratic
compulsions of a law-dominated
existence? * * *”

MY JOB AS A PASTOR IS TO KEEP YOU HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION....

From week to week, I must be aware that some may have made a wrong turn on the way to Heaven.

HOW BAD IS SELF WILL?
SELF WILL, TURNED PARADISE INTO A DESERT.

So Lot looked and saw that the valley of the Jordan was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah; [it was all] like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar [at the south end of the Dead Sea].

GENESIS 13:10
REMEMBER LOT? REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE?

SELF WILL, SHUTS OUT THE BLESSINGS OF GOD.

NUMBERS 20:11
11 Then Moses raised his hand [in anger] and with his rod he struck the rock twice [instead of speaking to the rock as the Lord had commanded]. And the water poured out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank [fresh water]. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed (trusted) Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, you therefore shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

Disobedience caused the children of Israel to beg the King of Edom for water, if Moses would have only spoke to the rock as was instructed water would have flowed freely. What we see here is that Moses disobedience, created a problem for the God’s people.

SELF WILL, BRINGS PUNISHMENT
1ST SAMUEL
MOTHER OF ALL SINS: SELFISHNESS

Cleddie Alton Keith

In order to be baptized you have to be dead. I baptized people who never left their past behind. The mother of all sins is selfishness.

We were formed in our mother’s womb. Fearfully and wonderfully made. But we are selfish it is the manifestation of the human will.

“To thine own self be true.” Came from Shakespeare. Advice from a father to a son going off to college he tells him, “Son, to thine own self be true.” I see a problem in America now. Be true to greed, fame, fashion and Capitalism. Some may be true to themselves when, it is their nature to be Timid and Bashful.

ARE YOU TRULY FREE? Once again listen to Galatians 5: 13-15

“You my brothers are called to freedom. Only do not let your freedom become opportunity for worldliness and selfishness. But through love seek the best for each other. You have to take the low road. Prefer another’s best over your own.
Do nothing through factional motives or strife. For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the
best for one another. For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].” But if you bite and devour one another [in bickering and strife], watch out that you [along with your entire fellowship] are not consumed by one another.”

ATTITUDE OF SELFISHNESS VS CHRISTLIKE NATURE

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or
was afraid of losing it].” Philippians 2:3-6 AMP

ASKING WITH SELFISH MOTIVES

“You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires.”

James 4:3 AMP

SPIRIT OF GOD IS AT ODDS WITH SPIRIT OF SELFISHNESS

“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be
annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are contrary to each other, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on
any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? * * *” Galatians 5:13,16 MSG

ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS: HOW TO GET TO A CERTAIN DESTINATION

You might stop and ask for directions. Today if I asked you what the shortest distance between two points it is a straight line. I have been given directions that took me the roundabout way to get to my destination.

It is my job to give you easy to follow directions to Heaven. Some give confusing directions in regards on how to get to heaven.

SELF WILL

Turned Sodom and Gomorrah turned to ashes.

Gen 13:10
1st Samuel 13:10-15

It is in this text you find the demise of Saul when he took it on himself, to make a sacrifice when it was the only the priest who were allowed to do this.

“ As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, [a]Samuel finally came; Saul went out to meet and to [b]welcome him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering away from me, and that you did not come within the appointed time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 therefore, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for the Lord’s favor [by
making supplication to Him].’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.” 13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for [if you had obeyed] the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man (David) after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as
leader and ruler over His people, because you have not kept (obeyed) what the Lord commanded you.”

NOTE TO SELF;
You can shut down the blessing of God in your life by your own self will.

SELF WILL
1 Sam 15:23

You can be Living on your own agenda and be Punished for it. Self-will brings punishment and injury to others.

• Peter cut off ear of man who came to take Jesus away.
• Prodigal being SELF WILLED wanted his blessing before they were distributed to him at his father’s death. It was when he was eating the husk left over after the pigs had already had their meals that he came to Himself. Listen to the cry of a man who realized he had abandoned the good for what was accursed.

“I PERISH WITH HUNGER!!!”
You are perishing apart from God.

EVEN JESUS SAID THIS IN:

John 5:30-31
I can of my own self do nothing except what I see my father doing. THIS IS AGAPE LOVE IN MOTION HE WAS SURRENDERED TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER COMPLETELY AGAPE LOVE. Disinterested unselfishness. Unselfish Love is agape love.
HAVE YOU EVER READ THIS IN THE MESSAGE BIBLE? I FIND IT VERY ENLIGHTENING.

Proverbs 15:23...
“Who are the people who are always crying the blues? Who do you know who reeks of self- pity? Who keeps getting beaten up for no reason at all? Whose eyes are bleary and bloodshot?

It’s those who spend the night with a bottle, for whom drinking is serious business. Don’t judge wine by its label, or its bouquet, or its full-bodied flavor. Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with— the splitting headache, the queasy stomach. Do you really prefer seeing double, with your speech all slurred, Reeling and seasick, drunk as a sailor? “They hit me,” you’ll say, “but it didn’t hurt; they beat on me, but I didn’t feel a thing. When I’m sober enough to manage it, bring me another drink!”

Some reek with alcohol. Some reek with self-pity. I’ve been in a lot of churches where they reek with pit to such a degree that they should go ahead and announce their Pity Parties on Sundays and Mid-week. Forever wanting handouts. Always begging.

Who keeps getting beat up for no reason at all? They are beating themselves up.
Self-pity can be self-inflicted.
The Bible speaks of these things that should be dealt with.
Self-serving.
Self-important.
Self- Controlled
Self- Destructive
Self- Centered
Self- Pity
Self- Willed
Self- Saved man
Self- Made man

Luke 6:25
Trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself.
Not content. Pressing ahead.
I am satisfied with a Divine Dis-satisfaction
Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. The 12 men.
My primary concern is Heritage.
Watch, so you don’t get contaminated by Pharisees yeast. People don’t know the difference
between the leaven and the unleavened.

PHARISEE YEAST

In the meantime, after so many thousands of the people had gathered that they were stepping on one another, Jesus began speaking first of all to His disciples, “Be continually on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees [that is, their pervasive, corrupting influence and teaching], which is hypocrisy [producing self-righteousness].

Luke 12:1 AMP

PHONINESS
“By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee
yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip, and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.”

Luke 12:1 - MSG
- watch that you don’t become contaminated by that which is not the true complete gospel. People obsessed with measuring their muscles. Some Church people never get around to doing anything for God. Don’t exercise what God put in them.

I HAVE LEARNED THE MORE I DO THE MORE I SEEM TO HAVE THE POWER TO DO.

Obsession with self is dead end. Naval gazing. Attention to God leads us to open free life. Person Absorbed in self ignores God. Ignores what God is doing. I don’t want God to ignore me. I don’t want to live a selfish life. When I was young, I fought to win. Played to win. My self dominated life controlled me. When I gave my heart to God my mother said there’s going to be times when God says, “Son, come back down with me to the potters house. And I’ll make you and shape you all over again.” OBEDIENCE to God will slay every giant of selfishness.

When I finished the message Sunday Morning. I had an unusual thing happen to me. I was reading a scripture and it was like a prescription of what God wanted from us as a church family. This is the reason I am sharing my notes from Sunday Morning 7/17/2022. Here in is the verse that came to me after the message yesterday.

Joshua 3:1-5
3 1-4 Joshua was up early and on his way from Shittim with all the People of Israel with him. He arrived at the Jordan and camped before crossing over. After three days, leaders went through the camp and gave out orders to the people: “When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it. Make sure you keep a proper distance between you and it, about half a mile—be sure now to keep your distance! —and you’ll
see clearly the route to take. You’ve never been on this road before.” 5 Then Joshua addressed the people: “Sanctify yourselves. Tomorrow God will work miracle-
wonders among you.”

Other translations translated it like this; set yourselves apart, consecrate yourselves. Get Ready God’s about to do something.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers for Heritage Fellowship.

I believe in you,
Pastor’s Cleddie and GayNell Keith

Grace Is More

Grace Is More

Summer Greetings to my friends of the Harvest,

Today, we live in what is called the Dispensation of Grace but:

“GRACE IS MORE THAN A FREEDOM FROM SIN, IT IS THE
POWER TO WIN THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH.”

I copied this poem many years ago and taped it in the front of one of my many Bibles.
Under the law with its tenfold lash,
Learning alas, how true,
That the more I tried the sooner I died,
While the law cried, You! You!! You!!!!

Hopelessly still did the battle rage,
“Oh, wretched man”, my Cry.

And deliverance I sought by some penance bought, my soul cried! I, I!!, I!!!

Then came the day my struggling ceased, And trembling in every limb.
At the foot of the Tree, called Calvary, where One died for me,
I sobbed out, HIM! HIM!! HIM!!!

I am sure there are churches that would find it hard to claim any identity with us but in the mission’s fields of the world where faith is mandatory to exist, the lines, which separate us, are not so easily seen. Many have changed as they have come to the realization that to be effective you must be filled with all the power of Holy Spirit and not just talk about it. In those lonely fields, the influence of the Presence of God in the life of our missionaries has become impactful
and greatly appreciated. Today, the amazing grace that saves us is the motivating power that still sends men and women to the four corners of the world. We cannot allow ourselves to minimize what God has maximized.

I, for one cannot but chose to overemphasize what the Lord promised when at His, departure He said, “It is expedient that I go away, for if I do not go away the Comforter cannot come.” Let me encourage you to become more familiar with John’ s Gospel chapter’s 14, 15 and 16, it is in these chapters that I met the Holy Spirit as a person over 60 years ago. You can read it in several different translations and expand in your heart and mind the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.
The Spirit filled life is not just and initial sign but it is far more as we are we go from dullness to fullness and only what we know into revelation which is promised to us, in that He will guide us into all truth. The Holy Spirit is faithful to place emphasis on what the Word places an emphasis on, and we must, do the same.

I love to observe the work of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of people who have said an unequivocal, YES TO GOD. This word is not often used but it means, (in a way that leaves no doubt). I personally believe our job is to keep faith in the supernatural alive for all to see and enjoy. Remembering these words, “I am the Lord I change not”.

I believe in you,
Pastor Cleddie Keith

What You Gain By Intercession

What You Gain By Intercession

I am writing you again today, to express my appreciation for your work with us in our High Kingdom calling,

We are seeing wonderful things happening in the highest court in the land and at the same time we have seen the adverse reaction to rulings, which have been made regarding the sanctity of life. Once again, I remind you of the prayer we have been praying, I am sure with millions of believers through the last two years, which I refer to as the largest prayer meeting in the history of the world. It is my conviction that the changes we are seeing in Supreme Court Rulings are a
direct result of the worldwide intercession, which has been taking place. Once again may I remind you what we gain by intercession we keep by intercession?

ISAIAH 28:14-19

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. “As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning after morning it will pass through, by day and by night, and it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.”

FROM TIME TO TIME I FIND IT NECESSARY TO REVISIT BIBLICAL WORDS, WHICH MAKE IT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE DAY, IN WHICH WE ARE LIVING.

The word on my mind this week is the word HERESY, which means: any perversion of the Word of God. Easton’s Bible Dictionary states the word HERESY comes from a Greek word, meaning a self-chosen opinion or the sect holding that opinion. Heresies came to be understood as self-chosen doctrines that do not originate from God.

J.B. Phillips in his translation of the New Testament looks at 2 Peter and writes:

2 1-3 “But even in those days there were false prophets, just as there will be false teachers among you today. They will be men who will subtly introduce dangerous heresies. They will thereby deny the Lord who redeemed them, and it will not be long before they bring on themselves their own downfall. Many will follow their pernicious teaching and thereby bring discredit on the way of truth. In their lust to make converts these men will try to exploit you too with their bogus
arguments.

3-9 But judgment has been for some time hard on their heels and their downfall is inevitable. For if God did not spare angels who sinned against him, but banished them to the dark imprisonment of hell till judgment day: if he did not spare the ancient world but only saved Noah (the solitary voice that cried out for righteousness) and his seven companions when he brought the flood upon the world in its wickedness; and if God reduced the entire cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes (when he sentenced them to destruction as a fearful example to those who wanted to live in defiance of his laws), and yet saved Lot the righteous man, in acute mental distress at the filthy lives of the godless—Lot, remember, was a good man suffering spiritual agonies day after day at what he saw and heard of their lawlessness—then you may be absolutely certain that the Lord knows how to rescue a good man surrounded by temptation, and how to reserve his punishment for the wicked until his day comes.”

I am concerned with the parallel’s taking place where God answered heresy with judgment. One thing for certain which we know regarding God, is that the Judge of all the earth will do right because he is Just. “Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in with power and love, Our God is an awesome God.”

This week I celebrate your love for God, Church and Country. Thank you for loving God and believing the truth that sets us free. I want to remind you to pray for Pastor Vernel, as he and his daughter Bri are in India, he is there to speak in a business conference. I also want to remind you of our upcoming special weekend July 22-24th with Missionary Evangelist Kim-Lynn Wheeler from Canada. I promise you that you will not want to miss a service, Kim is a man of God with a
story of faith that will take you to new levels in God.

I believe in you,
Pastor Cleddie Keith

DEFECTORS

DEFECTORS

In light all the controversy surrounding the reversal of ROE VS WADE, I feel it necessary to remind you that what is gained by intercession is kept by intercession. This is not a time to be silent but to be pro-active and to keep praying and becoming more involved in the local issues and the grass roots issues of the election process. Bill McGrane has told us that only 300 votes can change a local election. So, knowing this we now know for certain our votes count. I was blessed in the primaries by going into the voting station and finding the Pasquerella’s working there, you could do this as well. Ladies and gentlemen, we must get involved. Times, they are a changing as the old song goes.

I have been thinking about the DEFECTORS today, those who are defectors from the constitution. They are deep into the philosophy of situation ethics and their spin on things is not only unconstitutional it is blatant rebellion against conscience and the MORAL GOVERNMENT OF GOD.

There is it seems a spirit of defection permeating our culture at this time in history. Thinking along this line, I think it is glaringly evident that there is a defection from truth in many churches on our watch. Denominations have turned against THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE, ISRAEL, by buying in to the coexistence philosophy. However, this is not the only sign of DEFECTION.

There is also the danger of personal defection:

The first step is, the LOSS OF VISION! “Where there is no vision the people perish.” I would add, no redemptive vision. Some start out toward the goal but the cares of life creep in and God is no longer first in their lives and they leave their first love. They are leaving God to say, “I have SOMEWHAT against them BECAUSE THEY HAVE LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE.” Is it possible that in the so called grace message that is being preached in some churches today that God could have some WHAT’s against us?

The second step in defection is: OBSESSION WITH THE WORLD, “life has a way weakening our
resolve to follow on to know the Lord.” Our passion for spiritual things is subdued by current events. DAILY HEADLINES SOFTEN OUR PERSISTENCE and the magnetic hold of hope for a bright future is dimmed and dammed by the incessant chatter of media and talking heads.

The third step toward defection section:
You may ask why I call it THE DEFECTION SECTION because birds of a feather flock together. I have found that defectors tend to merge with one another somewhere along the way. “Any man who puts his hand to the plow and looking back is not fit for the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” They will follow the pathway of excuses to defect from the call on their lives.

The fourth step toward defection is the drift that leads to going back all together:
Here is the scenario…DRIFT/STOP/ GOING BACK. I call it the eccentric spiral when a man starts at the center, CHRIST, and then begins to spiral farther and farther away from Christ and His teachings. He then begins to write his own rules and regulations as we see happening in people lives and culture today.
I personally want to thank all of you for your appreciation for our special speakers and guests for 2022 End Time Passion Conference last week.

Thank you for your continued support,

Pastor Cleddie

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