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Passion Vacuum

Passion Vacuum

Dearest friends,
I hope you appreciate this week’s letter.

THIS WORD CAME ROARING INTO MY MIND LIKE A BULLET SHOT OUT OF A GUN THIS WEEK, I felt as though I should share it with you in our weekly letter.

PASSION VACUUM

WHATEVER LOWERS OUR ESTEEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES, is a PASSION VACUUM

1. When the passion for sport blinded a stadium of mockers to the possibility of God's long suffering to respond with empowering grace. i.e.: Samson, recall if you will and check the box. Here we have a man of God who knew the power of God but was willing to exchange it for what his eye lusted for. Enter Delilah, the super slide to binding, blinding and grinding. In the prison he learned that God gives men second chances. A key to this is Samsons hair began to grow again, his strength was in a vow, not just his hair. His hair was secondary to his vow. (No razor on his head and no strong drink). Commitment is reflected in a man's relationship with God. His unique gifting and power were directly related to purity.

2. Daniel! God joined those who defied a megalomaniacs decree. It seemed like too little too late, according to man's understanding, he showed up when the heat was excessive. He walked in the heat of the trial with them. A greater reality showed up in their furnace, why do I say, "Their furnace? They owned it!!!

3. God loves to show Himself strong on the behalf of those who fear Him. His eyes search to and fro over the entire earth seeking to find those who are in constant pursuit of Him.

4. A few weeks ago, I was asked by a young man, that I had never met, a question I had never been asked before. "How do you keep your Passion for God after all the years you have served the Lord?" My answer was simple wrapped up in one statement: I have always prayed, "I WANT TO BE POSSESSED BY SOMETHING GREATER THAN MYSELF." I am like a boy who told the Old Preacher, I want to know God like you do. He took the young man to a pond in the woods on a cool morning while morning dew was hanging heavy in the forest an while baptizing him held him under the water to the point the young man thought he was going to drown him. I thirst!! (THE STORY GOES UNTIL YOU ARE AS DESPERATE FOR GOD AS A DROWNING MAN IS FOR HIS NEXT BREATH).

5. The story of the lover in pursuit, at midnight. You must seize the opportunity of a lifetime in the lifetime of the opportunity. Some will go out of meetings like these with (wishes) instead of Marching Orders.

6. Steve Hill. I was asked to give a word at the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida. One evening, the Lord gave me this to say, "When the priest ascended up the steps to the altar of sacrifice, he had to have his buttocks covered." When men fall into shame, the shame of their nakedness is seen. What happens as a result of their shame is their loss of passion is manifest because their passion for God has been vacuumed out of their heart.

We Love you and encourage you to believe the truth of scriptures…

"THE BRIDE HAS MADE HERSELF READY"

Yours for Souls,

Pastor Cleddie

Evangelism 101

Evangelism 101

Dear Church families and Friends of Heritage,
I have this on my heart as I write my weekly letter to you.

SPEAK TO GOD ABOUT SOMEBODY AND THEN SPEAK TO THAT SOMEBODY ABOUT GOD!

EVANGELISM 101, is what the church is constantly teaching if it truly is New Testament Church.

• This past weekend, Rick Curry was used of God to set the tone for our Summer Passion Conference which begins this coming Sunday the 19th Father's Day and continues each day through Sunday the 26th. Our Special Guest for the week will
be Lenny Hernandez, Nick Chanda, Scott Willis, Randy Lee, Billy Price, Dave Jones and others. "Jesus showed Himself alive after His Passion" is a verse which has chased me all my Christian life.

You can find this verse in Acts 1:3:
"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

What was His Passion?
The simple answer is that the English word passion referred to Jesus' suffering long before it evolved other, more sultry meanings. Today, the word still refers to Jesus' torments, as well as to retellings of the crucifixion in the Gospels and elsewhere, even in pieces of music. Looking into the word passion you will find this:

Passion means sacrificial suffering as well as strong desire. Referring to both sex and death, passion encompasses the cycle of life in one word. The Latin origin of passion is “pati,” meaning “suffer,” and the word gained popularity in Christian theology referring to the sacrificial suffering of martyrs. What robs a person's passion for God should be put to death according to the scripture.

"They that are Christ have crucified the flesh with its affection and lust. If we live in the Spirit let us also walk after the Spirit." Galatians 5

The spirit of the world has a way of crucifying our passion for God and the things God cares about. The Believer is one who cares but is caring enough? Just as Jesus shred Himself alive after His death, burial and resurrection, we should show ourselves alive to God and men. I read a story about a Bible translation that described the love of God in their own special way, "God hurts in His heart for us."

Aren't you glad that Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitudes? He shewed Himself alive and we should do the same, that would be the full exposure of our heart for the lost. My prayer today is give me a Passionate Passion for souls.

I believe in you and so does the Lord. He gave us a job to do and He trust us to Take Care of Business.
Yours for Souls.
Pastor Cleddie

My Favorite Verse

My Favorite Verse

I know that you may think that it is an unusual text to find my favorite verse, but it has always been my choice and today it makes more sense than ever.

YOU HAVE AN ANSWER

YOU HAVE AN ANSWER

I heard this story years ago and it is just as profound now as it was then. An infidel had finished a lecture when a little old lady asked him a question. Let me share her question with you, “Ten years ago I was becoming a widow with 8 children. I had no provision I was left with nothing but my Bible to give me direction and strength. Sir, my children have been not missed a meal. As you can see, I am moving slowly toward the grave, we are a happy lot and I am looking forward to immortality and heaven with Jesus.”

The infidel started to respond but she cut him off mid-sentence, “I don’t want to disturb your comfort....” “That is not the question, keep to your point. What has your way of thinking done for you?”

The infidel tried to move on to another point but the crowd, responded with a thunderous applause; The old woman had put him in his place, and she won the day and silenced the infidel. How many times have you felt as though you were ill equipped to answer the questions of this frazzled world? Simple questions can stop a naysayer in their tracts but isn’t that what Jesus did? Truth is a great power and you have the experiences of answered prayer to prove this very thing.

These verses are ‘hay maker’ punches to those who champion unbelief:

1 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 18 -21
The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written,
I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I’ll expose so-called experts as shams.

So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.

1 Corinthians 1:18-21
If you keep reading in this chapter, you will find and expose on how God looks at human wisdom:

26-31 Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high- society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own
horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”

1st Corinthians 1:26-31
You are the only Gospel some people will ever read.

Thank you for the way you lean in with us to the work God has called us to do. Thank you for loving God. Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for caring for the lost. Thank you for your prayers.

Yours’s for Souls,
Pastor and Mrs. Cleddie Keith

p.s. You have the answer!!!

The Book of Praises

The Book of Praises

Top of the Morning to you are Good Afternoon my friends, whatever the case may be,

Did you know that the entire collection of the Psalms is entitled “Praises” or “The Book of Praises”? It may surprise you to know that the Greek verb from which the noun “psalms” comes from indicates, “plucking or twanging of strings,”. It implies an association with musical accompaniment. The English uses this word as a background. In (2 Tim. 3:16) speaks of Israel’s ancient, God-breathed “hymnbook,” which defined the proper spirit and conduct of worship. From the divine perspective, the Psalter points to God as its author. Approaching authorship from the human side one can identify a collection of more than 7 composers. King David wrote at least 75 of the 150 psalms; the sons of Korah accounted for 10 (Ps. 42, 44–49, 84, 85, 87); and Asaph contributed 12 (Ps. 50, 73–83). Other penmen included Solomon (Ps. 72, 127), Moses (Ps. 90), Heman (Ps. 88), and Ethan (Ps. 89). The remaining 48 psalms remain anonymous in their authorship, although Ezra is thought to be the author of some. The time range of the Psalms extends from Moses, which spans about 900 years of Jewish history.

Today, I have one Psalm on my mind Psalms 87 spotlighting verse 7.

The Sons of Korah/ A psalm. A song.

1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.

2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.

3 Glorious things are said of you,
city of God:

4 “I will record Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush
and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.”

5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.”

6 The Lord will write in the register of the peoples:
“This one was born in Zion.”

7 As they make music they will sing,
“All my fountains are in you.”


In this psalm the sons of Korah contrast Zion with other cities and teach that there is no other city in comparison to Zion. The ultimate compliment is all my fountains are in you where God has made His dwelling place. Remember Jehovah Shammah (The Lord is There). Zion is the source of all my pleasures and it brings out the song and dance in me.

I recently had an experience where all the fountains of God like a geyser erupted from within my being, it was the most spiritually exhilarating experience I have ever had. It was as though words gushed out of heaven at me and with every word there was heavens answer. Negative and Positive words each were answered with Heavens reply and answer, which eclipsed ever word spoken. “ALL MY FOUNTAINS ARE IN THEE.”

LET ME GIVE YOU AT LEAST ONE ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT HAPPENED.

WORRY WAS ANSWERED BY ONE WORD-WORSHIP.

AT THE SOUND OF THE WORD WORSHIP, EVERY ENCOUNTER I HAVE EVER HAD IN GOD ROLLED INTO ONE AND I WAS AWARE OF A MEASURE OF WORSHIP THAT TOOK ME BACK ALL THE WAY TO MY EARLIEST BEGINNINGS IN GOD. IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING LIKE, SUDDENLY THE HEAVENS WERE FILLED WITH AN ANGELIC HOST, IT WAS A COLLECTION OF DIVINE MOMENTS WHERE GOD HAD MET ME AT SURRENDER OF MY HEART AND LIPS TO ADORATION. I AM LIMITED IN MY ABILITY TO EXPRESS WHAT I SAW AND HEARD.

THEN IT WAS LIKE A LIBRARY HAD COME ALIVE AND WORD AFTER WORD CAME FLYING AT ME WITH THE FORCE OF UNDERSTANDING. EACH WORD WAS ANSWERED WITH A DIVINE EXPRESSION, WHICH SEEMED TO TAKE A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME BUT IN TRUTH IT ONLY LASTED FOR MOMENTS. I WAS TOTALLY INVIGORTED WHEN IT STOPPED BUT I WANTED IT TO CONTINUE. IT WAS LIKE GOD HAD GIVEN ME AND EXPANDED CONCIOUSNESS DURING THIS ENCOUNTER.

I can say with the sons of Korah that all my fountains are in thee. He alone is my source of dancing and song.

We believe in you,
Pastor Cleddie and GayNell

God bless you today, with all you do for the Kingdom and your investment in the ministries of Heritage as we live life together. You are a blessing to those we serve.

Each

Each

Good Morning or Good Evening, whatever the case may be when you find yourself reading this weekly letter, Isn’t it ironic, what we find ourselves facing today?

Let me just give you a refresher course on the word irony because we are certainly faced with a great deal of irony today. One of the best definitions of irony is something that is exactly opposite of what is meant or expected to happen. I think one of the most appropriate words to define the culture of today is Ironic. Let me give you a few examples:

1. It is ironic that the Law Enforcement Officers today require our help today? They have become the victims.

2. It is ironic that a culture that votes to end the life of an unborn child would care about a shortage of baby formula.

3. It is woefully ironic the gender debate that is poignantly contrary to what God expected or intended, when he formed us male and female in the womb and the genetic markers prove this.

I could go on and on but I think the point is well taken.

In a spiritual conversation let’s turn to the question of Faith. You know the Word of God says, that every man is given a measure of faith, then it is ironic that some people would live life without cashing in on what God has given. The book of Hebrews chapter 11, is called the Faith Chapter of the Bible, for good reason, the word faith is used 24 times in this one chapter. As you read it, it is as though something stirs inside you, that measure of faith is quickened and an infusion of expectation comes alive. Let me give you a list of a few of these heroes of faith, the mere mention of their names has a way of bring anticipation into our hearts and minds in all situations. You know them like old friends; Gideon, Samson, Moses, Joseph, Jacob, Sarah, Abraham, David and several more. These along with some whom are not even mentioned except to say the world was not worthy of such gallant individuals they are simply called, ‘OTHERS’. It is said of the ‘OTHERS’ that THEY OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT.

It would have been something else to have been asked to build and ark, or be walk with God in such a way that He chose to just take you home with Him after a long walk one evening, can you imagine being tagged Father of the Faithful? Dare to be a Daniel or a Gideon even though you are the runt of the litter but that is not our calling, these are all examples of what happens when a man or a woman uses his or her faith.

Those who are listed at the end of the chapter are not quite so conspicuous. They however like us are all important and the eye cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee. One of my favorite studies is the word, EACH. You may say, how could a word like that be of any interest or even considered a favorite word study?

TOOLS
Acts 2:3
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon (each) of them.

TOOLS
Philippians 2:3
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let (each) esteem other better than themselves.

TOOLS
2Thessalonians 1:3
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward (each) other abounds; Have you ever thought of yourself as an, EACH?

I have and I am thanking God for EACH one of you today, as it is expected of me, BECAUSE YOUR FAITH GROWS EXCEEDINGLY, AND THE AGAPE LOVE OF EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL TOWARD EACH OTHER ABOUNDS. I encourage you to esteem EACH other, better than yourselves. That is the ironic contrast of Christianity in comparison with this world. I believe in each of you and I encourage you to use your faith, for the irony would be that you would choose not to use it, in a world that is filled with irony.

God bless you today and make His face to shine upon on you, for the favor of the Kings face is like a cloud of latter rain.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Cleddie and GayNell

Once again thank you for your support of all we do in the work of the Lord, EACH of you are a blessing.

DARKER THAN A MILLION MIDNIGHTS

DARKER THAN A MILLION MIDNIGHTS

Can you imagine how dark it must have been the night before the flood came upon the earth? The destruction that was coming was never in consideration. While all the while Noah was, “building an ark to the saving of his house”. What was going on can be found in modern language.

Sodom or Salem

Sodom or Salem

I hope you are having a wonderful day, wherever you might be as you read our weekly connect with you.

It is so good to be home, it was wonderful to visit family, but it is always good to get back home after a vacation. There are times after a few days away from the work place, I find myself thinking now I can relax and get some rest. As you know we visited our daughter in Las Vegas. This city that never seems to sleep is an in your face reminder of shades of grey. Last year GayNell and I had our family room remodeled and she chose grey as the color from Sherman Williams. There was only one problem in the color choices they have about twenty shades of grey. That is makes it difficult to make up your mind as to what color you will choose. God is the God of light and darkness He is the God of extremes, wouldn’t you agree, Heaven and Hell and Life and Death or extremes? It is the adversary that deals in shades of grey, not our God. Imagination helps us to see that a white lie is just a shade of grey? Truth is always easy to recognize because it is white and a lie is permanently black.

In Las Vegas there are places that are more like Sodom than Salem, The Hebrew meaning for Salemis PEACE AND COMPLETE. Sodom on the other hand just a few miles away as the crow flies represents the extreme in regards to SIN.

Sodom represents the evil which is the result of the misuse of their free will by created beings and that the body, with its passions and impulses, is to be neither ignored nor despised but sanctified. In the Word of God, the “flesh” that is spoken of disparagingly is not the human body but human nature in rebellion against God.

Theologians divide sin into “actual” and “original.”Actual sin is sin in the ordinary sense of the word and consists of evil acts, whether of thought, word, or deed. Original sin(the term can be misleading) speaks of an inherited consequence of the fall of man found in Genesis chapter 3, whereby one man's transgression,all became sinners. In Sodom the original purpose of man was violated by immoral and depraved acts. You and I both know for God to condone sin in any fashion would be for Him to deny His own character. The Cancel Culture of today, is championing the cause of Free Will without any consideration God’s Word, such as, “Be Ye Holy for I am Holy.” Have you ever compared Abraham and Lot, uncle and nephew?

Have you ever considered they both are spoken of as Righteousin the New Testament?

Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Not only isUncle Abraham called righteous but Nephew Lot is called righteous as well. It may be well to consider that Lot was the first in a long line of humanity that bought into a get rich quick lifestyle. He saw the well-watered plains of Sodom and Gomorrah and by hastened choice must have said to himself this is the fast lane, for my family and I. It really became what he must have thought,for he knew a good deal when he saw one. It all was going as planned, he moved into Sodom became even richer, he was recognized by the elders of the city and became a member of their city council. Do you remember Jesus' words, “The gates of Hell cannot prevail against it?” What was Jesus talking about in this text? He was talking about City Councils or what men call Supreme Councils cannot prevail against the Church. Could this be what we are seeing right now in Washington?

(CONCERNING ROE vs WADE) What we gain by intercession we must remember, we keep by intercession.

It always pays to read the whole story in the Bible.

Lot’s choice worked well for him, for a while but things changed rapidly when Chedorlaomer and three kings came to town, who were not in Lots plans but they were in God’s plans. Lot was taken as a hostage to prove that the Sodom was totally captured. I have always been amazed by what followed, Abraham heard what had taken place and sent 318 of his servants to bring them all back. It seems like a small army but when they returned Melchizedek met Abraham and told him, “God gave you the victory”.

There is a world of difference between Salem and Sodom as redeemed eyes can plainly see. Have you ever stopped to think about what Lot thought concerning the choice he had made when Abraham told him he had first choice of the land before them? Abraham more than likely invited Lot to return home with him to Salem, which we know as Jerusalem today. (Jeru-Going Forth and Salem-Peace)I am reminded daily that Moscow is no Peace Center, Ezekiel 38 and 39 at the same time Jerusalem is God’s Peace Center. That is why we pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. The story of Sodom is a caveat, a warning for all of humanity in regard to the consequences of choice. If you allow me I will share with you some fresh insights from this story. In the book of 2Peter2:7,8, it is only appropriate that the Holy Spirit would inspire Peter of all the writers of the New Testament to write this verse:

7 And God delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man (dwelling among them), in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

Lot got what he wanted but he did not like what he got. Our choices are ultimately important our choice to follow the lifestyle of Jesus is a Salem Choice. We follow the path that leads to peace.

Once again, I BELIEVE IN YOU,
Pastor Cleddie and GayNell

How can we say thanks for all the Lord has done for us? For me it is to continually to honor him with my first fruit and my offerings given to extend His Kingdom. Thank you for your faith and faithfulness, by which we share life together.

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