Yesterday I woke up and had a flood of memories fill my being, some I posted. This morning, I was remembering our period of engagement and the word given to us concerning our invitation. Besides the usual announcement and logistics one of the first words we received was concerning our invitation. After we were engaged, Betsy and I decided to put this word on the front of the invitation.

From July 1972 until November, we went to three conferences on marriage and received the revelational truth on marriage. In a series on the Kingdom God and you, the fourth teaching was on Ephesians 5:26.

Marriage is not instituted or an institution. It is and was ordained by God before the fall. The Holy Ghost inspired Moses to write this eternal truth.

The definition of cause is as follows: That which produces an effect; that which impels into existence, or by its agency or operation produces what did not before exist; that by virtue of which any thing is done; that from which any thing proceeds, and without which it would not exist. Cause is a substance exerting its power into act, to make a thing begin to be. -Webster’s 1828.

The Pharisees came to Jesus asking him about divorce. He told them that because of the stubbornness of one’s heart, God gave Moses a writ of divorce. Jesus continues to say, “It was not so in the beginning.” Marriage was  ordained in the beginning, where there was nothing but good.

The 60’s atheism movement, led by Madalyn Murray O’Hair, begin to erode the truth of creation. As this demonic attack on the word of God increased, that which was created came under man’s scrutiny and unbelief. That which was held sacred became secularized. In the beginning God created male and female, made He them. These are the only two beings that make up marriage. Only a male can be a husband and only a female can be a wife. These are the very genders they were made and given the capacity to function in this relationship.

If the Church is to have any cause it should be this truth. This should be our priority one. After all, we are the Bride of Christ. A mentor once said: if you have dysfunctional marriages you have a dysfunctional church.

Paul writes clearly concerning marriage. The three builders, Moses, Jesus, and Paul, all quote this passage in Genesis 2:24. If the Church should be an advocate of any cause it should be marriage. God hates divorce because of the stubbornness of men’s hearts. Stubbornness is rebellion and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.

We must uphold the sanctity of marriage without feeling we are condemning people who have been through divorce. Marriage is holy and ordained by God who is holy.

Onward and upward. Hallelujah!

-KC

This morning I woke up thinking of the week before this glorious gift that was to be part of God’s great goodness and mercy in my life. We are one week away from celebrating our 50th golden anniversary.

I remember the only thing I could pray and think about was, “please Lord, may the rapture of your Bride not be this year. So much was being taught and written; Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey was at the forefront. I was one of the summer evangelists for Baylor University the previous year. In every revival meeting, I preached on the rapture and second coming. I could not wait for the sound of the trumpet and the shout of heaven.

Suddenly, one week before receiving this beautiful woman as my wife, I changed my tune.

The only focus of importance was to make it to the altar on January 13, 1973 at the Evangelistic Temple in Houston Texas. I prayed, “Lord Jesus, you have waited almost 2,000 years for your glorious bride, please wait at least another year so Betsy and I can be husband and wife, covenanted in marriage.”

I realized how much our bridegroom has been waiting for His Bride to make herself ready.

For four months, night and day, Betsy and her mother prepared for the wedding day to come. The invitations to be created, printed, and sent. A dress to be found, caterers to be hired, wedding cake, groom’s cake, menu to be chosen, flowers, music, dresses for bridesmaids, tuxes to be rented, ministers, musicians, wedding gift list, showers, luncheons, honeymoon, etc. etc. I am sure I am missing more.

The bridegroom waits as the preparation for the glorious day approaches. Of course, I was included and asked how I liked various things, but the preparation in readying for this day was the bride’s. As I write this post, seeing what goes into the ceremony, how much more preparation is going on by the Holy Ghost preparing the Bride of Christ for such a Bridegroom—our Lord Jesus.

John the Baptist said, “the one who has the Bride is the Bridegroom.” My own anticipation and expectation pales in comparison to the great love, sacrifice, and patience of Jesus as He intercedes for His beloved Bride.

The Holy Ghost being sent into the world, after Jesus made a way for His Bride to be covenanted to Him, is a great mystery. Marriage, Paul says, is a great mystery. But he was speaking in reference to Christ and the Bride, the true Church. As I remember the wife of my youth, in this week to come, the mystery to me is how God brought such favor to love me faithfully and to show me what love is.

Thank you Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for our marriage covenant in you.

-KC

Read part 1 and part 2.

The blameless way, walking in His way.

David gives us insight into hating that which causes one to fall away. He hates the work of this spirit that is working in that which shrinks back. Paul speaks of a great falling away in the days to come. This spirit that is spoken of by David is to be cast off—not letting any part cling to him. It is not in any way to take hold of him. The power of this spirit is like a sticky substance or an entanglement.

Entanglement: To adhere closely; to stick to; to hold fast upon, especially by winding round or embracing; as, the tendril of a vine clings to its support.

Some years ago we saw a black slime as a viscous substance. This is to be hated. A perverse heart shall depart from me. I will not know wickedness that perverts the word of God.

The work of falling away is of the one who secretly slanders. The meaning of the devil is “one who slanders.” Secretly is the way it starts: to deceive or sow discord. This demonic deception is to be destroyed, exposed, brought to the light. That which is done in secret is to be shouted from the housetops and cast down.

A prideful countenance in one is to be confronted and not endured. Contention is the spirit behind these looks. A haughtiness and proud look will not be endured. Contention cometh before pride and pride before the fall. This is the fallen state of the unrenewed mind and disrupts the unity and purpose of our walk and work. It is not to be endured.

Our eyes are to be continually on the faithful, those who uphold the Lord in their hearts, and walk in humility with their God. Humility is perfection in the eyes of the Lord. His favor rests upon the humble and there is perfection in this attitude, in its service and work.

Help me Holy Ghost.

David comes back to his house. The work of deceit shall not be in his house. Speaking truth shall be the standard, being led by the spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost, the presence of God. No lies shall remain. When David arises He sings and blesses the Lord, acknowledging who He is, and binds, rebukes, and casts down the wicked in the land. That all evildoers may be cut off from our cities where our houses are set. The Lord our God will cut them off—their influence and their wicked ways.

Daily, may we continue to pursue our Lord Jesus and His way which is blameless, without spot or wrinkle, as we come into this new year.

-Keith Curlee, president

Psalm 101

A Psalm of David.

I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, Lord, I will sing praises.
I will carefully attend to the blameless way.
When will You come to me?
I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall leave me;
I will know no evil.
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy;
I will not endure one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart.

My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;
One who walks in a blameless way is one who will serve me.
One who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
One who speaks lies shall not maintain his position before me.
Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
So as to eliminate from the city of the Lord all those who do injustice.

Read part 1 and part 3.

Continuing in Psalm 101 as we start a new year—to walk in the blameless way. As David carefully speaks, giving attention to His heart toward God.

He starts by walking in His house first. From his house he saw Bathsheba; from the same balcony where he praised and prayed every morning.

Walking in integrity in every room of our house is the highest priority. There is nothing that goes unheard or unseen before our Lord. David now sees the importance of what he puts before his eyes. The standard now is: what is in his house must be of worth. “I will set no worthless thing before me.” The word set has a sense of lasting. No matter what is in the house, he judges it with integrity, defined as purity; genuine, unadulterated, unimpaired state.

Jesus says, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear, how important it is to our walk. Our walk begins in our house. Continuing to inquire of the Lord in this passage.

-Keith Curlee, president

Psalm 101

A Psalm of David.

I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, Lord, I will sing praises.
I will carefully attend to the blameless way.
When will You come to me?
I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall leave me;
I will know no evil.
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy;
I will not endure one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart.

My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;
One who walks in a blameless way is one who will serve me.
One who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
One who speaks lies shall not maintain his position before me.
Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
So as to eliminate from the city of the Lord all those who do injustice.

Read part 2 and part 3.

New Year’s profession to follow in the blameless way.

In the early 80’s I heard a brother, Des Evans, share on this passage as a devotional with a small group of brothers in Dallas, Texas. From that time on I have begun the New Year professing and reflecting on how to be faithful and accountable in walking it out.

David professes a standard to walk by in his relationship with the Lord. This is not a self help list or a self improvement adjustment. Nine times he says, “I will carefully attend to keep me in the blameless way.” When I meditate on these, it is a good way to measure my walk by the Holy Ghost standard found in His Word.

David holds true to his relationship with the Lord in singing. declaring God’s nature, and His worthiness to be praised. He sings of the mercy and justice of God—God the judge of all mankind and man’s way. As he does all through the Psalms, he implores us to sing to the Lord, sing praises.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5 concerning being spirit filled: singing psalms, hymns, singing in the spirit, making melody in your heart. David says “I will sing” some 13 times in his Psalms. He declares the greatness and awesomeness of His Lord and God.

We read in Psalm 59:16: “I will sing of thy power, yea, I will sing a loud of thy mercy in the morning; for thou has been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.” He follows up in verse 17: “unto thee, O my strength, I will sing; for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.” In Psalm 75:9 he sings: “I will declare forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.”

These are just a few examples of his heart’s awareness of his Lord and who He is. The first priority of David—his “I will”—is to sing to the Lord. I will sing praises and for David, the praises of God will be continually in his mouth.

To be continued…looking into this passage for the New Year. Sing Praise!

–Keith Curlee, president

Psalm 101

A Psalm of David.

I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, Lord, I will sing praises.
I will carefully attend to the blameless way.
When will You come to me?
I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall leave me;
I will know no evil.
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy;
I will not endure one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart.

My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;
One who walks in a blameless way is one who will serve me.
One who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
One who speaks lies shall not maintain his position before me.
Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
So as to eliminate from the city of the Lord all those who do injustice.