Day 14, Paragraph 14 of Weekday Blog #1

*Starting our morning and day off great with the 10-minute Weekday Blog*

Our first DAILY blog for each Weekday in JUNE!

Thank you for joining us for this
ground-breaking JOURNEY...
through the 1st CHAPTER of Keith's book,
“Keep the FAITH…Keep Your VISION”!

If you will read this book in its entirety, then you will be equipped
to begin walking with the confidence and authority that Jesus Christ came and died to provide for us, in order that we may work *with* Him, be *fulfilled* in our work, lead a *successful life*, and...
      

Day FOURTEEN,
Paragraph FOURTEEN:

    
In order to be truly successful, we must know what manner of being we truly are. The spirit comes first, the soul next, and the body last. When we are born again, God recreates our spirits in His image. The next order of business is the remaking of our souls. This is where the will of God is to be fulfilled in us, and because of this, the soul is where the enemy focuses his attacks. Even as there are abortion clinics working round the clock to terminate the lives of countless thousands of God's young ones, there are even greater attacks being waged against God's people specifically for the purpose of aborting the gifts that He has placed in each of us for the fulfillment of His will while we are here on the earth. This may be surprising, but it is nonetheless true: the vast majority of abortions that assail humanity on a daily basis are not being performed with a scalpel. They are actually being performed with something much sharper: the wagging tongues of ungodly people! For it is by lying words that the gifts and callings of God are aborted in the lives of people.

Question to ponder:

When you look at children and others around you, do you see them through God's eyes, or do you see them through your own?  _________________________________________

Keith's "Comments from the Author":

"One of the things that I remember from my many years of playing the sport of football is how crucial to success the art of the 'fake-out' is.  Boxing is another sport that depends on that same art.  Just like a football player, the greatness of a good boxer is his ability to convince his opponent that he's about to get hit with the left hand when, in fact, the hit actually ends up coming from the right hand.  If there's anyone who has ever mastered the art of the 'fake-out', it's the devil and his wicked spirits.  You see, just as we mentioned in today's paragraph, the devil and his minions know that, if they can get people so focused on thinking abortion solely taking place in abortion clinics, then he has succeeded in the art of the 'sucker-punch'.  While everyone is focused on the terrible death of little baby bodies, a mass slaughter of infinite proportions is being conducted by the wagging tongues of the ungodly people on the gifts and calling of God in the lives of others.  For example, Brenda and I were just talking the other day about how grateful we are for our dads.  My dad, though he wasn't physically home with us during the week much, because of his job, whenever he was home he was always encouraging me in whatever I was doing at the time.  If he ever condemned me for anything I was doing, I can't remember it.  I was always free to do whatever I had an interest in doing and being a part of.  See, Dad released me to excel in whatever I was interested in doing, unlike many of my friends who lived under the heavy hand of parents who, for lack of a better way of explaining it, wanted to accomplish through their children what they couldn't, or didn't, when they were young.  Just think about the millions and millions of dollars parents spend every year on educating their kids to do things that God never intended for them to do and to be. Most of those parents believe they are doing a good thing, hoping to lead their children into a good career field, but it so often turns out to not adequately prepare that child for what they're truly called to.  So often, the abortion of God's will and calling for children's lives, sadly, begins right in their own homes.  Having said that, we encourage you with all of our hearts to take another look at each of your children; take another look at other people around you; and ask the Person of the Holy Spirit to impart to you the purpose for which God has impregnated each one of them to fulfill with Him.  And, as soon as He reveals that to you, begin to encourage the gift and calling out of them and INto full fruition.  When the Lord returns, we pray He finds you 'speaking life'!"

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."  (Romans 16:17-20)


*See you tomorrow, and invite your friends to join in too! God bless and keep you!*

_____________________________

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Your friends & servants in Christ,

Take me back to the top of this post.

Take me to yesterday's post, *Day 13*.

Take me to the first post of this week, *DAY 11*.

Take me to the first post of last week, *DAY 6*.

Take me to the beginning, *DAY 1* of this Blog.

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.  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 Support Family.  We'd like to welcome you onboard TODAY!

We INVITE You ... to follow and share these resources that are available as well, for helping build your faith in God, His Will, and His Ways:

~    "Keith Shealy & Wisdom Wednesday" on Facebook 

      

~  "TTM Singing Sergeant" on Twitter
~  "Sharing Messages God Whispers" on the website
~  "Between The Lines TTM Podcast" by Keith Shealy 

      

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BITTERNESS for the Believer

"This I've learned... We don’t pursue forgiveness because we are told to or because we are simply wanting to silence something in us. We pursue forgiveness because it’s a matter of life and death." - Keith

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

"Being 'born again' is the paradigm shift that occurs in our heart as the result of what we see through God’s eyes the moment we enter into oneness with Him."

Find this, and more, in our latest edition of TTM NEWS.

Whether it’s our skin color, an opposing team, or “that other church,” the truth is this: people tend to criticize harshest those things they understand the least.  Therein lies satan’s deadly trap.  You see, it is when we are IN God, as Jesus teaches us in John 17: 20-26, that we can see ourself and others through His eyes.  It is what we see, when we are looking through His loving eyes, that breaks the chains of bitterness and unforgiveness in our heart against ourself and others.

When we finally see ourself and others the way God sees us, it is at that moment that we are born again.  Being “born again” does not happen at the altar when we give our life to Jesus Christ.

What takes place on the day that we “commit our heart and life to Christ” is we make the commitment to turn our backs on our old stinkin’ flesh nature, with all of its sinful ways, and pursue oneness with our Father.  Being “born again” is the paradigm shift that occurs in our heart as the result of what we see through God’s eyes the moment we enter INto oneness with God.

If we cannot see ourself and others the way God sees us, as His beloved children created uniquely and with a divine purpose, we will not know who we are, or who anyone else truly is.  And then, it is a fact that, if you do not know the purpose for a thing, you will only abuse it.  The purpose for a thing can only be found in the mind of the maker of the thing.  The Maker of you, me, and each one of us is God, so only HE knows what we are made to do and to be, so we must pursue Him for a fulfilled purpose, and "LIFE".  People, by nature, tend to most abuse the things, and individual people, they understand the least.  This is why, seeing ourself and others through God’s eyes is imperative.

Before we can see ourself and others for the priceless works of art that God has created each of us to be, we must be clean of all bitterness in our hearts.  Jesus, knowing better than anyone, the way to free ourselves from the deadly effects of holding on to bitterness against others, said, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24).

Jesus also teaches us, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22).

You see, we don’t simply pursue forgiveness because we are told to, or because we are trying to silence hurtful voices in our minds.  We pursue forgiveness because it is a matter of life and death. Bitterness in our hearts separates us from God.  God is life.  Without, or on the outside of, Him we can do nothing, including truly LIVE.

Let’s see, 70 x 7= 490 times to forgive.  In other words, Jesus told Peter that forgiveness is essential!  Therefore, bitterness for the believer ... is NOT an option!

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)

For more on this topic, and many others, see "TTM Magazine," celebrating 30 Years of Service, on our website at TowardTheMark.com.   

We invite you to Follow:"Toward The Mark's Wisdom-Packed Wednesdays" Facebook page, Keith'sBetweenTheLines Podcast channel,
"Sharing with youthe Secrets that God Whispers to me" monthly teaching on the website,
and "TTMSingingSgt" Twitter page...for more Scripture-based truth, unveiling God's Word on real-life matters - what the devil does NOT want you to know!