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Thursday, November 26

Thanks-GIVING is EVERYTHING

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"Have you ever asked, 'Why is there a difference between our THANKSGIVING to God on the last Thursday of November vs. everyday THANKS-GIVING to God?'... He is beyond worthy of our continuous and eternal thanks." -- Keith, Brenda, and Team TTM

A pastor friend once asked me the question, "If you were to prescribe just one thing that, if taken to heart, would immediately produce a profound change in the lives of those who practice it, what would it be?" Without hesitating I said "Gratitude!" He responded, "Why 'gratitude'?" I went on to share with him how the Holy Spirit once revealed to me that a heart full with gratitude for Who God IS unlocks the "gates" that lead into oneness with Him as noted in Psalms 100:4, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful (filled with thanks always) unto Him, and bless His Name."
When our heart is filled with thanks for God, for Who He is more than for what He can do for us, God can most certainly smell it. For God, a gratitude-filled heart is sweet in His nostrils. When God is our passion, so much so that we are continually grateful to Him, for Him, the contents of our hearts rise up before His Throne like a sort of invisible smoke, or a sweet-smelling savor, that is Holy, acceptable, and pleasing to Him. This sweet-smelling savor, or fragrance, is the praise mentioned in the Psalms 100:4 verse. God is the Consummate Family Man, and nothing makes Him happier than when His children love, and want, Him more than they want their own lives, or His "stuff" for that matter. "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God (the Kingdom that IS God), and His Righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
People we meet often ask us, "What is your mission statement, or what exactly do you do?" When we get asked this question, our answer is always the same, "We aim to show God BIG in the eyes of those who see Him small, and to bridge the gap between God and His beloved children." Every morning, we wake up to the vision of what it would be like if everyone we knew and met was truly and wholeheartedly grateful. They would exude gratitude to God for Who He IS, and also to others for who they are. They would have and display a level of uncommon respect for others. They would be quick to speak life. They would be selfless and always looking to help others in whatever way they can. They would be looking to see others through God's eyes, and would always be looking to see, and call out, the gifts that God has placed in them. They would fan the flame in the heart of others for completing the work God has wired them to full-fill. And every one of them would love God wholeheartedly, pursue "oneness" IN Him, and tell everyone what He means to them. They would be more keenly aware of the times we are living in, and would do everything possible to lift up the Lord's Name and glorify God in the eyes of others, not because they are told they have to, but because of their unquenchable passion for Him. During this Thanksgiving, and always, for everyone we meet, we aim to ignite a diligent pursuit for Who God IS more than for what He does, or can do! This is our goal and it's our every-day VISION that drives us!
Will you join us? We will be praying, and eternally grateful, for your decision to help us ignite an unquenchable passion in the hearts of others to thank God, continually, for Who He is more than for what he can do!
Your friends and servants in Christ Jesus,

     ...and the entire Team of Toward The Mark, Inc.

This blog message, and each of our full-Bible tools and resources, is made possible by the support of our faithful partners. If you would like to be part of helping us expand our outreach, we would like to invite you to become a monthly financial partner. Your support will go toward fulfilling our calling to provide effective, ongoing outreach tools for the churched and un-churched alike to know the love, truth, and salvation of Jesus Christ. We invite you to partner with us and, together, "press Toward The Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)."


CLICK HERE to make a tax-deductible contribution securely by PayPal.
Every gift is tax-deductible and helps. We thank you in advance for sowing your financial seed into the fertile soil of this ministry, and we pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!

Mail tax-deductible check contributions to:  Toward The Mark, Inc., P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152.


Share with others the practical and effective ways for knowing and showing the Love and Truth of the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached... for real Life that is victorious despite the hope-less world we live in.






To Show GOD BIG in a World that Sees Him small… sums up the reason Keith stepped out in faith to focus on reaching the lost and strengthening believers everywhere, through Toward The Mark, Inc.  Keith and Brenda's prayer is that you will be encouraged and edified by the Secrets from God's Word written and recorded in our work's products.  The complete collection of original podcasts, music, blogs, books, CDs, and other resources of Toward The Mark, Inc. are made possible by the prayer and financial contributions of the TTM Family of Partners.  We invite you to come onboard with us TODAY!

We INVITE YOU ... 
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Tuesday, November 3

THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID...

  One morning recently, as we were praying, The Holy Spirit prompted us to begin warring in the spirit realm against the lawless devils increasingly manifesting themselves through people like George Soros, the Obamas, the Clintons, and scores of additional willing accomplices. We warred on behalf of those around the nation who, as a result of such increasing lawlessness, are losing companies, homes, their families, loved ones, and everything they worked so hard for over the years in their lives.
 
            We cursed at the root every devil, foreign and domestic, that has taken up residency in the souls of government officials, down-line employees, media teams, big technology officials, and the financial backers and socialist attorneys that have been making it possible for them to weaponize everything they can against all that God loves: Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, His Church Body, and our cherished U.S. Constitution.
 
As we prayed, our hearts began to grow increasingly heavy with the weight of hopelessness and fatigue God's people are feeling.  With each passing day, the oppression of uncertainty has grown with regard to the impact of the Corona Virus and the most important election in our nation's history.
I (Keith) was beginning to experience a seemingly unbearable weightiness as I saw in The Holy Spirit how burdened millions of mothers and grandmothers are.  The immense weight of fear those parents are carrying is filled with overwhelming uncertainty for the future of each child they have.  Bren and I both could feel how desperately they feel from frustration and concerns, simultaneously.  Though I couldn't possibly express in mere words the tormenting feeling The Holy Spirit was showing us, I will tell you, it was heart-shattering. 
In a few moments I became aware of what The Holy Spirit was doing to equip me with how to pray and speak to the things that They (The Trinity) wanted to address. It was then that I was compelled by The Holy Spirit to ask Him to please relay to us a message from our Lord God and King, a message we can provide to God's beloved children to equip them with His Peace, His Courage, and His Wisdom in the midst of our mounting national "chaos".  After making the request, I laid still listening to hear The Holy Spirit's sweet voice in response.
After just a short time of intently waiting and listening, I heard Him respond, through a vision, with a message for His children.  With indescribable gratitude to our Lord and Savior, we are here to relay to you this inside glimpse into what The Trinity is doing right now... in response to the cries of God's beloved children.  The Holy Spirit has shared this with us, for us all.  We pray that His message below will encourage you in the very same way that our Lord has used it to encourage and sustain Brenda and me. 
Speaking on behalf of The Trinity, THE HOLY SPIRIT Said, "RELAX, what is taking place in America right now is in Our Hands. We are drawing the serpent out of his hole and in-to the Light of Truth. Once he and his lies are fully exposed, then We will cut off his head." The Holy Spirit went on to say, "All who have been, and are now, his evildoers and hardhearted hosts, all who have been his willing accomplices, will be soon unveiled and fully exposed from their hiding places. They will be judged. Until that time, it is your Father and your Lord Jesus Christ's desire for all who love Us to be wide-eyed and looking out for everyone whose soul and spirit is sore and hungry. Look for anyone who has any form or manner of need--like those who have lost their jobs, homes, loved ones, families, and anything else lost as a result of wicked deeds of people being used by Satan.  This is a 'cleansing'.  Help people in their places of difficulty, encouraging them with all that The Father is doing for us now.  Search out and find those who are in the Family of God first.  Search out and find the adolescent Believers who are in diligent pursuit of Christ Jesus. Go to the elders in Christ Jesus, especially those carrying the heaviest of spiritual and emotional loads, and refresh them in Me, The Holy Spirit.  For those elders, and for the weary souls around them that are caught up in the cares of the news media and world, speak My Hope and My Peace over them and their storm-weary souls.  To those who have pulled back from wholeheartedly pursuing Me, collapsing under the weight of 'emotional' battle fatigue, God says to 'Speak Jesus Christ's Courage, by His Authority, into each one of their lives and souls.  Reassure each of them that their Father and their King Jesus Christ hears each of their cries and knows their every thought.  Assure them that they are not alone!  Remind them that We are, indeed, continually with them and with everyone who loves Us and calls on the Name of Jesus Christ, God's Holy Son!  Remind God's people to look to NO other source for provisions or protection, but trust wholly in God and Him alone! Remind them repeatedly, as often as possible, that GOD is The Divine Provider, their very Source of all things LIFE!  Declare this Truth to everyone.  Lead them all to call on Christ Jesus and to know He will hear them, He will receive them, and He will comfort them always, and most certainly now in this time of 'purging out the devils'.  Now, RELAX and know that your Father and King knows everything. Watch and see the Glory of The Father and King!"
  After The Holy Spirit had delivered that message, my heart was flooded will the joy-filled reality that the lawless spirits that are sweeping across our country right now, working through the lives of the willing, is providing countless opportunities for each of us to work, side by side, with our Father, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit.  We have opportunities to serve to fan the fires of hope and courage in the hearts of God's beloved children, and in ways that could not have been possible without these current events.  We must take our thoughts captive, and RELAX, and ask The Holy Spirit to meet with us as we get into the written pages of God's Holy Scriptures.  We must be listening for His sweet voice of guidance and encouragement that leads us into God's assignments for us as we encourage others along in theirs.  We must keep our focus fixed on Christ Jesus!
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (indulgence), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man (Luke 21:34-36)."
It is crucial right now that we remember who we are, and remember Whose we are!  Though our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has won "the war" for us already, we have isolated skirmishes left to fight and overcome before He, The Great Conquering King, returns in ALL of His Glory with The Mighty Host of Heaven at His side.  Now it's time for all of us to put our ALL into this fight, and to finish our part, each one, and to work with pure focus, fearlessness, love, discipline, and every single thing that God is here to equip us with by His Holy Spirit for... pressing toward the mark (becoming One In Jesus Christ) for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)!
If you have not asked Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior in your life, or if you at one time asked Jesus Christ into your heart but have allowed something or someone to come between you and Him, our Father is calling you to come to Him now.  Right there where you are, relax in quiet stillness with The Lord God, and say the following in prayer as you begin watching for what God will do.
"Dear Father God, in the precious Name of Jesus Christ, the King of kings and The LORD of all lords, I lay my life at Your Feet. I come before You, confessing that I am a sinner, and I ask for You to forgive me of all my sins - those that I know I have committed, as well as those that I am not even aware of. I ask that You come into my heart and be my Lord. I lay my life, and everything in it, at Your Feet, and ask that You please take me and begin to change me to be like YOU. I ask that You redeem the time that has passed, and allow me the opportunity to become exactly what You have predestined me to be, from before the foundation of the earth. I commit my life to You now, and thank You for receiving me as Your own. In the wonderful Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, I pray, Amen." AMEN (So be it)! 
WELCOME HOME!
If you have just prayed this prayer, we want to congratulate you for making the greatest decision that you'll ever make! By accepting Jesus Christ, or rededicating your life to Him, as your personal Lord and Savior, you have begun the wonder-full process of being grafted into the family of God, and we welcome you "Home" to God's Family. We would also like to invite you to contact us so that we can send you information that will help you begin growing in your relationship and daily walk with God. We encourage you to begin attending a Holy-Spirit-filled, full-Bible teaching church right away.
We would advise you to begin reading The Holy Bible daily, even if you don't seem to understand it.  Always remember, God's Holy Word as is written in The Holy Bible is alive, LIKE NO OTHER BOOK ever written!  Each time we rendezvous with The Person of The Holy Spirit as we are read God's inspired messages to us there, it becomes stored in our heart where The Holy Spirit can have access and bring it into our everyday life and remembrance.  You will find that The Holy Scriptures will become applicable to whatever you go through, at any given time.  It is so wonder-full!
Start listening to Spirit-filled Bible teachers right away, especially being new in your walk with God.  You will be encouraged, strengthened, and fortified by getting good teaching regularly.  However, be aware that Bible-teaching alone will not be enough to fulfill your need for increasing your faith and walk in Christ Jesus.  There is no substitute for cultivating close relationships with faithful believers that follow Jesus Christ and live and serve by God's Word in their life.  Prepare yourself to expect that, now that you have begun the transformation process with Christ Jesus in your heart and life, there will be times when you will be tempted to go back to your old ways of living your old life.  It will be times like those when you will find out how crucially important it is for you to be hanging out with strong Christian friends and mentors.  There really IS strength in numbers! (Selah)
And remember... now more than ever before, Keep PRESSIN' IN!
We encourage you to get a copy our book LETTERS FROM THE FRONT, a special collection of faith-building messages that will help anyone with overcoming the hindrances that have kept many of God's servants from walking with the confidence and authority that Christ Jesus came to earth and died to provide for us!  Twelve life-changing chapters include:


;
Sin Makes Ya Stewpit!
The Cart's Before the Horse
The Crisis of Eroding Integrity
The Fruit's on the End of the Limb
Too Quick to Compromise
The Rarest of All Breeds!
Please...Stop Stinkin'
Three Keys to God-Pleasing Faith
Let It Go
Understanding the Fear of The Lord
Into the Secret Place
Give to Give


  To help you further your fight to victory through the battles that confront every one of us in the turbulent times we live in, get your copy of our book, " LETTERS FROM THE FRONT." In this collection of 12 letters written from the front lines of battle fought in the spiritual realm, in the natural realm, and in the theater of the mind, will, and emotions, Keith provides Scripture messages to build your faith and help you reach your life's full potential in God.  Get LETTERS FROM THE FRONT for yourself and others by mailing a ministry donation of $10/copy or more made out to Toward The Mark Inc, P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown VA 23692, or by going to TowardTheMark online.
  
We pray God uses this message, and all of our resources, to fan the flame in your heart to passionately pursue God, His wonder-full Word and Ways, and His Plan and Purpose for you in this life.  We are eternally grateful for our loving Toward The Mark Family of sponsors who make this blog, and all of our resources, possible by their prayer and monthly financial support!  If you have any questions about our work, about our mission, about making a special tax-deductible donation for our books, magazines, or CDs, or to share a testimony or prayer request with us, please e-mail us.  Also feel free to mail us a letter to:  TOWARD THE MARK, P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown VA 23692.
With love we lift you to our Lord in our prayers, hopeful that you have determined to, "Suit Up" and overcome. We appreciate you eternally for taking part in our work by downloading this Pressin'IN *TowardTheMark* Blog!
 
Your Servants in Christ Jesus,

    
To Show GOD BIG in a World that Sees Him small… 
sums up the reason Keith stepped out in faith to focus on reaching the lost and strengthening believers everywhere, through Toward The Mark, Inc.  Keith and Brenda's prayer is that you will be encouraged and edified by the Secrets from God's Word that Keith recounts in our written and recorded products.

We couldn't do this without the help of our friends!
This blog message, along with the complete collection of original podcasts, music, blogs, books, CDs, and other Bible-based resources of Toward The Mark, Inc. is made possible by the faithful prayer and financial support of the TTM Sponsorship Family. We'd like to invite you to come on-board, to become a part of the TTM Family as well, by becoming a monthly financial partner. Your support will go toward fulfilling our God-given calling to help provide effective, contemporary outreach tools that are available to everyone, the churched and un-churched alike, all who desire to know more of the love, truth, and salvation of Jesus Christ. We invite you to partner with us, as we, "press Toward The Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)

Keep PRESSIN' IN!


We INVITE You ... follow and share more Toward The Mark resources we make available to help build you up by building your faith in God's Word, His Will, and His Ways: 




 






CLICK to give a tax-deductible gift securely by:
Every gift is tax-deductible and helps! And we thank you for it!

Mail tax-deductible contributions by check or money order made out to:
Toward The Mark, Inc., P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152. 

Thank you in advance for sowing your financial seed into the fertile soil of this ministry! We pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!







Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 - 2020 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply |