Readiness – The primary sense is to go, move, or advance forward.

In the early 70’s when the book, “The Late Great Planet Earth,” was released by Hal Lindsey, the awareness of the return of the Lord Jesus was front and center. There was also a very popular song, “I Wish We’d All  Been Ready,” that accompanied the message throughout the world. 

Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head
He's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind
You've been left behind
SONGWRITER: LARRY NORMAN

The back and forth between the coming of the Lord Jesus—how, when, and where—is not what Jesus is addressing. He tells His disciples the importance of understanding the gravity and the certainty of the Master’s return. The work of sanctification of the Holy Ghost is to make the Bride of Christ ready. Our willingness and being in a state of preparedness with the awareness of the Holy Ghost working in us is essential in these days. We are warned not to listen to those who say, “Where is your master, did He not say He was returning?”

I read this recently sent to me from a brother: “We can provide for present needs, yet fail to prepare for the future, or we can provide AND prepare.” Be not deceived God cannot be mocked, whatsoever you sow THAT you shall also reap.

Readiness is the word I am hearing entering into 2023. 

Hallelujah!

-KC

Hallelujah! This is the day the Lord has made. Betsy and I will rejoice in it. January 13, 1973.

There was a chorus that we and the family and friends sang as we went out after our wedding vows. After we were pronounced husband and wife.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow them all the days all the days of their lives.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow them all the days of their lives.
And they shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, and they shall feast at the table spread for them.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow them all the days of the days of their lives.

Thank Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for your faithful promise to us.

-KC

Artwork: vecteezy.com

fashion — design, shape, mold, form, pattern, mould

leave — leave, desert, let go, abandon, forsake

cleave — adhere, stick, cling, cleave, join, gum

This morning I’m considering the creation of male and female. God distinctly separates them from the creation of Heaven and Earth. In the book of Enoch it is said that God did this to clearly show that creation was done for man.

Years ago Ern Baxter taught us this truth: God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are coequal but not cofunctional. In the same way, the creation of male and female are coequal but not cofunctional. This is God the Creator’s design and pattern for marriage. The word fashion is uniquely given concerning the woman. You can see it in the way she has been into fashion ever since.

The difference of how both came into being is very important. Man is dirt, breathed into by God. His beginning is, in relationship, connected to the earth. For the woman, being taken from the man’s side places her in a vital and strategic position. It has been said that Adam’s rib and Satan’s fib made way for woman’s lib. LOL.

Coming from and alongside, a picture of relational oneness and agreement. Much like our relationship to the Holy Ghost our Helper. She has been so positioned in God’s design that man has to be totally disobedient to not leave and cleave to her.

The making and keeping of vows to one another before God is holy and accountable to Him. When God woke up Adam and presented and brought Eve to him, He immediately related to her and named her woman. Not partner or significant other—woman. The cause of marriage was revealed instantly to him. He was leaving mother and father, in which he had none, and was to cleave to this glorious and wonderful creation. God’s gift to his loneliness, his need for relational help, and the place for his love to be given. This act of leaving and cleaving to one’s wife, for men, is the act of marriage.

Forsaking and actually divorcing himself from all others brings a continuing relational oneness that no man can put asunder. His eyes were to be only for her. His arms were to be only for her. His side reserved only for her. This is God’s design and she is fashioned for this place.

Tomorrow we will celebrate 50 years of Betsy receiving me—Hallelujah—and my leaving and cleaving to her and only her. He that finds a wife not only finds a good thing, but also finds God’s favor. What favor I was given and continued to have from Him. Thank you Holy Ghost for bringing us together on January 13, 1973. Eternal praise and thanksgiving forevermore.

-KC

When God created the heavens and the earth and all that it contained, He pronounced it as good. Not just a Paradise, but filled with His goodness. But during the process, He saw in man one thing that was not good. It was not good for man to be alone.

God, who is good, went to work to resolve this flaw, this loneliness in man. His very words: it is not good for man to be alone. There is not a more helpless and hopeless feeling than to be alone. So, the remedy was to make a helper suitable for him. Exactly what he needed: help.  The Scripture says, “suitable, fitting; according with; agreeable to; proper;” Just right for him, a helper.

It has been my experience when loneliness is in a person, it is the result of not receiving help or the difficulty of asking for help.

Since last Friday, I have been waking up and seeing Betsy lying beside me and the Holy Ghost flooding me with memories of His help in our lives. For men it is difficult to ask for help; for many reasons, but especially to ask or receive help from his wife. This is a good place to confess: there are very vivid memories where I missed God. Primarily because I did not receive Betsy as my helper. I have come to see that she is a type of Holy Ghost given to me. She is my helper and is called to be positioned alongside of me. He is our helper and comes along side of us also.

When God took away something that He gave me, that was so precious to me, I became very angry. I had forgotten it belonged to Him. I had lost relationships, house, possessions, vehicles, position, and was bankrupt. We left our home and both of our parents in Houston. As we drove off with the children waving to them out the back window of the van sobbing, I remember the anger that was burning out of control in me.

In fact, Betsy was driving because I couldn’t.

As we drove out of the city limits and I continued to burn, I heard her say, “Keith, I have only one question.” I thought, here we go, here comes the other shoe dropping. I said, “And what is that?” Her response was, “We are not mad at God are we? Because if we are, who will help us?” If I have ever heard a word from God, it was in her voice. In that moment she saved our lives. She never asked why I put us in this place. She just wanted to know how we were going to get through and reminded me that God was the only one who could help us.

I am eternally grateful for His joining her to me. Thank you Jesus for your divine appointment in our meeting. She was made suitable for me. In these 50 years, she has never left my side nor forsaken me. She is and has been my help. For she is Your goodness and help in my life. Glory to God.

-KC

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.

---

“Joy to the world the Lord has come, Let earth receive her King.”

— Isaac Watts

---

What a great song of confession and admonition in this great Christmas Carol. The call to the earth and all that dwell therein. “Let earth receive her King!” This declaration aligns itself with the word of God: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and they that dwell therein.” It is the truth of the creation and its creator God, and the redemptive price paid by King Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain. He holds the deed to all the earth and all its inhabitants. He is the King of the whole earth.

So we sing, joy, joy, exceedingly great joy to Him who all glory is to be given. Whether all that dwell therein acknowledge or receive Him, the deed is written and certified and signed in His blood—paid in full.

Joy, joy, unspeakable eternal joy forevermore.

-Keith Curlee, president

There is a Christmas song that declares how wonderful this time is every year—and it is wonderful. This year we decided to have the outside of our house decorated by a service. They provide the lights and come and decorate the outside of the house. They then come take them down; for older people how wonderful. As I drive through the neighborhood at night, it is so uplifting to see darkness being dispersed, as those who celebrate the light begin the celebration by lighting up their homes.

However one believes it is undeniable: the birth of the only begotten Son of God who was born in the fullness of time.

The darkness is dispersed and the airwaves are filled with carols, declaring that the Light of truth has come to all of mankind. Joy to the World, the Lord, the Light, has come. The heavens declaring the glory of God. Let earth receive her King. His Kingdom of His marvelous Light. Not only reminding us of the Light of the world, which He is, but His great light shown in the hearts of every believer who has come to Him.

In the beginning darkness covered the face of the deep, and God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” As we begin this time of declaring the birth of the Christ Child, may every heart be filled with His marvelous Light. May His face shine upon us now and forevermore. Glory to God in the Highest!

Keith Curlee, president

To give thanks to the Lord may be the first truth the Holy Ghost leads us into after “Abba, Father.” Thanksgiving is the entrance into His Presence. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. One of the first words, when I was exposed to spirit-filled people, was “thank you, Jesus.” This confession and praise to the Lord was continually on my lips after receiving the Holy Ghost. It came forth out of my innermost being.

Paul writes in everything give thanks—in everything. It is an eternal affirmation of the life that our God has given us. Out of our innermost being ought to be a river of thanksgiving flowing out of our mouths to our Lord Jesus and His Lordship in our lives. In Scripture, one form or another of thanksgiving is written 130 times.

As Don Moen wrote, “it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.” May all our thanks be given to Him first, and may heaven be filled with our thanksgiving today and always. To Him be Glory forever and ever.

Hallelujah!

I have been in the Middle East for 60 days, and I am always amazed at how aware I become of the prophetic plan of God in these last days concerning the nations. God’s great sovereignty and His heavenly plan is unfolding before us here. Where so much of man’s plans are instigated in the fallen and sinful nature of mankind through the deception of Satan and his demons—the prince of the power of the air.

In these passages we see David’s crying out to the Lord concerning the condition of his nation. He pleads his cause and asks for salvation from the ungodliness that is manifested in its people. The nation has given itself to the deceiver and his deception, leading them into the final day of the Lord and His wrath.

Ezekiel 39, Gog and Magog, Russia’s Putin, has begun to gather the nations into the epicenter of the earth. The invasion of Ukraine and the blatant demonic obsession of Putin and his ally Iran—Persia—is growing stronger and stronger. Iran is supplying drones by the thousands and weapons to come to the aid of Putin and his plans to drag the nations into this conflict designed to trap them in the end-time snare. Make no mistake, this will not end between Ukraine and Russia. Iran will demand Putin payback in this alliance. They will demand he help them take action against Israel to eradicate their enemy.

Just as the nations have been indecisive on going all in against Putin, they have already conceived in their one-world political and religious agendas for the destruction of Israel and its ally the U. S. of A. All nations prophetically will turn on Israel, and their only hope will be the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, and His covenant with them. It has taken President Biden one week to congratulate Netanyahu for his reelection. This administration through its globalization plans have opened the door for the last days rise of Israel’s destruction.

As we saw in our own recent election: the predictions of a common constitutional agenda of law and order, economic stability, the protection of our children from immoral indoctrination, the destruction of our borders, and the continual battle against abortion rights, to name a few. This agenda is designed to continue to sow discord against the faith of those called and chosen of God. As Obama continued to propagate his America, based on his faith in Islam and his contempt on the Judeo Christian values, which once again have been exposed as he ran to rescue the so-called Biden administration of the left.

The days of the United States, unless there is a great awakening from this deception, seem to be numbered, and it will go down from internal corruption. As David pleaded, vindicate us O Lord from deceitful and unjust leadership. Since the 2008 election of Barrack Obama and his Muslim influence, I have had to fight what David battled. Mourning because of the enemy and have come against the spirit of despair and rejection of another election of deceit and unjust people.

The only red wave that is relevant for believers is the ultimate red wave that was shed on the cross, the blood of the Lamb of God. There is no other name where which man can be saved, JESUS! May His red wave flow through the earth one more great time, an end-time harvest. It says we overcome the evil one by the blood of the Lamb, the red wave of God, and the word of our testimony, and lastly that we love not our lives, even unto death. The Father sent the Son, the Son testified of the Father, and we are to lay down our lives, by the Holy Ghost in rejection of the world and its ungodliness.

We are no longer a nation whose God is the Lord. Our leaders’ lips expose godly values at election time, on both sides, but our hearts are far from Him. All of these plans are and will be nullified by Him. As David sang, Fear the Lord all you people, the plans of nations and man will come to an end. He frustrates them and they only confirm His eternal will, His plan, that stands forevermore, from generation to generation.

Prayer can change many things, but it cannot change the sure word of prophecy. As Paul said, “despise not prophecy, but examine it and hold fast to that which is good.” When Jesus came to the place of laying down His life He showed us the struggle of it, but He laid down His will for the Father’s will.

Thank you Jesus for loving the Father and loving us that we might live with you forever. Hallelujah!

—Keith Curlee, President

This is my 52nd day in the Middle East dwelling with brothers and sisters who have, as Peter said, “a like faith as ours.” As the Psalmist wrote and sang: how good and pleasant it is!

This morning I awoke to a hymn I sang as a boy…

1 Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
Naught of this world's delusive dream:
I have renounced all sinful pleasure-
Jesus is mine! There's nothing between.

Refrain:
Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor:
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

2 Nothing between, like worldly pleasure:
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him ever sever-
He is my all! There's nothing between. [Refrain]

3 Nothing between, like pride or station:
Self or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved! There's nothing between. [Refrain]

4 Nothing between, e'en many hard trials,
Though the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self denial-
Triumph at last, with nothing between! [Refrain]

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only only and to Jesus. Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” -Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

In this Holy Ghost verse we see the need to fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the race set before us as authored by Him concerning our life that is set before us. He has authorized our place in the race that He has begun in us and has also determined its end. He awaits us at the finish line.

I am 73 and know if I am not caught up in the air at the great shout and the trumpet sound, I have a day where I will cross the finish line and be received by Him. The key to this race is remaining in an enduring, perfecting faith as all those in Hebrews 12. The men and women of God endured all things and continued to and finished that which was begun in them and finished in them.

Webster’s 1828 defines fix:
To make fast; to fasten; to attach firmly; as, to fix a cord or line to a hook.
To set or place steadily; to direct, as the eye, without moving it; to fasten. 
The gentleman fixed his eyes on the speaker, and addressed him with firmness.

In order to run we also must set aside anything that so easily entangles us—the sin—and impedes our progress, but also can cause us to stumble. It is like trying to run a race with our shoestrings tied together. A constant distraction which causes us to look away from Him. We think that we are looking to the finish line, but this is not so. He is the finish line and we are fixed on Him. We have entered the race because of Him and have run the race because of Him and can only finish because of Him. For He Himself fixed His eyes on the Heavenly Father. He only did what He saw the Father doing and He ran—showed us how and ran the race before us. He came and in faith and endurance ran the race and finished in the arms of His Father and ours. He cried out as He died, “IT IS FINISHED!” Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus!

As Paul writes to His beloved Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” -‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He fought to stay in the race, to keep His eyes on Jesus. He finished as he started: in faith, an enduring faith. Let nothing come between us and Jesus. Glory to God.

Keith Curlee, President

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Jesus preached and taught the Kingdom of God just as John the Baptist first came announcing the Kingdom of God is at hand. The disciples were always asking Him when He was going to restore the kingdom of Israel. We as believers do not know the difference between the kingdom and the Church—both instituted and ordained by God. One is not greater than the other, yet Jesus taught us to seek the Kingdom of God first. The word Church, gathering, is introduced by Jesus when Peter confesses Him as Christ the Son of the living God. At that point, Peter believed in Him and I believe was born again. We are born again to see the kingdom of God. The acknowledgment of Jesus as God’s Son was an acknowledgment also of Abba Father. Jesus told him, “The Heavenly Father has revealed it to you, not flesh and blood.” Jesus no longer saw him as Simon Barjona’s flesh and blood—man—but changed his name, acknowledging He saw Him as the Heavenly Father saw Him.

Simon, meaning “reed-like” or “wavering,” Barjona meaning son of Jonas—which can be translated as “wine-bibber.” Roughly translated, Simon Barjona means “unstable son of an alcoholic.” Now, Jesus gives him a new name. He is now Petra, stone, rock, one who is stable, and someone to build on. A new creation, a new man. Later Peter writes we come to Him as living stones and Jesus being the Chief Cornerstone, rejected by unbelief.

Jesus has begun to build a new house, a temple of living stones, a spiritual house, for a holy priesthood, offering up sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. No longer are we reed-like, wavering and tossed to and fro like drunkards, living for ourselves and the world. Paul exhorts us, “be not drunk with wine, which is dissipation—“a descent into drunkenness and sexual dissipation, the squandering of money, energy, or resources.”

Being born again is just the beginning. We must also be baptized and continually filled in and with the Holy Ghost, the power of God. We are God’s spiritual house, built by the architect of our faith, made alive, new creations by our believing in the only begotten Son of our Heavenly Father. We have been called and appointed to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. He Makes All Things New! Hallelujahs to the Lamb!

Keith Curlee
President, Triumphant Mercy Ministries

INCRE’ASE, v.t. To augment or make greater in bulk, quantity or amount; as, to increase wealth or treasure; to increase a sum or value.
1. To advance in quality; to add to any quality or affection; as, to increase the strength of moral habits; to increase love, zeal or passion.
2. To extend; to lengthen; as, to increase distance.

From Jesus’ ascension to the Father and His seating on the throne of God, the Kingdom of the government of God has been on the increase. Since the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came in power, the Kingdom of God has been increasing in the earth. The Holy Ghost is the zeal of God and this is being accomplished in spite of the darkness getting darker and the events of our day. The satanic boasts and exhibition of his works cannot hold back the increase of the government of God in the earth. The Word says there shall be no end to the increase. 

Which brings us to the question: How does God see increase? First of all, it has nothing to do with numbers. Many are called but few are chosen.

And we cannot fail to to give account of  John the Baptist definition and confession of how increase is seen:

This revelation of John clearly establishes the work of the Holy Ghost, the zeal of God, and the Lordship of Jesus on the throne of our hearts. This was the early believers’ greeting to one another: “Jesus Is Lord!” The work of the Holy Ghost in us is the increase of His Lordship in our lives, spirit, soul, and body. We are admonished to:

As we see all the more clearly the place and work of the Holy Ghost to establish the Kingdom of God in us, that place is surely meant to be a large one. There He, the Holy Ghost, is revealed who is the filler of the vacancy that Jesus left at His ascension in His disciples. At Pentecost they received a whole wealth of personal gracious action—abiding, revealing, teaching, leading, and conveying in their innermost man the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Becoming very present while absent and while invisible should be seen. Hallelujah!

This baptism, or infilling, is essential in making Jesus Lord. It is the Holy Ghost with our spirit that brings us endless application of truth in our experiences. Experiences of our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, conforming us to His image.

May today we see the increase of His Kingdom in our inner man as the Holy Ghost, the zeal of the Lord, does His glorious work in us. Increase! HALLELUJAH!

Keith Curlee
President, Triumphant Mercy Ministries

‬‬Luke begins to make an account to Theophilus as to what he has seen and heard in his time with Jesus. He tells us that Jesus continued to teach them on the kingdom of God as He moved about amongst them after His resurrection. Knowing that He soon would ascend to Heaven, He continued to reveal the things of the kingdom of God. He preached and taught on the kingdom of God from day one as He went about Israel, declaring to seek the kingdom of God first.

For Him, this is priority one, first of all, according to the Lord of all.

Nothing has changed concerning His message to them and those who shall follow. Now He commands them to go and wait for the promise of the Father, the baptism and pouring out of the Holy Ghost, which they had heard from Him before the cross. He will send another, the spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost. He will not leave them as orphans, abandon, or forsake them. Paul later writes,

Jesus is clear where the kingdom of God resides—it is in the Holy Ghost, and He shall be in you, and with you. It is not from below, not of the earth, not of the flesh, and cannot be inherited. He is to be received just as the Father and Son are. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

We are admonished to not let the kingdom of God or the Holy Ghost to be spoken of as evil. Both cannot be seen by the world, but just as they hated Jesus they will hate His followers and will not cease to make war with His subjects. The kingdoms of this world will be conquered and become His: our King, Jesus.

What grieves me are theologians and denominations who, in their teaching, discount the Holy Ghost baptism. Peter declared, “Repent, be baptized, and receive ye the Holy Ghost.” He is not a second experience. He was not diminished in any way at the apostles’ passing for He is in us and is with us. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. No less God and coequal with the Father and Son—just different in function. God three-in-one, in absolute agreement. For righteousness, peace, and joy of the kingdom are in the Holy Ghost. For we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Why? Because it is in the Holy Ghost.

These next 50 days from last Sunday until the feast of Pentecost I am asking Him to reveal and lead me into more truth concerning the Kingdom of God.

Hallelujah!