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Showing posts with label believing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label believing. Show all posts

Thursday, April 30

Dynamite Really Does Come in Small Packages


These mini-books are written to provide a sampling of real-life encounters with The Holy Trinity. This ministry series is the fruit of a life of praying without ceasing to ask God, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit for help and divine revelation in every-day experiences, big and small...

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened (Matthew 7:7-8).”
Anyone pursuing an intimate relationship with God will have or be presented with questions about God, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit. Meeting with The Holy Spirit in the pages of God’s Holy written Word is the way we learn and grow in the wonder-full Nature of Jesus Christ, by faith. This we have learned, and share on a daily basis in our life, together, with The Holy Trinity.
In our first mini-book of this series, you will join us on an experience that The LORD provided concerning “faith”. The “3 Keys to God-pleasing Faith” experience came about to fill our hearts, and the heart of anyone reading it, with answers to questions like, “What is so important about faith that Scriptures say that we cannot please God without it?” One chapter in God’s written Word, in The Epistle of Paul The Apostle to the Hebrews, encourages us and countless millions of Christ-followers to this day with its defining moments of faith that pleases God…
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful Who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trials of cruel mocking and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:1-40).”
If you want to move in the faith that pleases God personally, you are among friends with that very same passion here at Toward The Mark. The question is, “If this most important of gifts pleases God, just how do we go about obtaining it?” We invite you to send your e-mail request for your copy of this mini-book, with subject, “I want the kind of faith that makes God happy” today. As soon as we receive your email request we will get your little book, with the defining “faith” moments between us and God, in the mail to you right away!
Our second mini-book brings you life-changing experiences that The LORD used to provide clarity concerning “compromise” in the life of a Christian. When The Holy Spirit tugged on Keith’s heart to help God’s people that he saw being tempted and deceived by spirits of the enemy, Keith wrote about it in the teaching letter called, “Too Quick to Compromise”, now in mini-book. God’s written Word is clear about when the devil (the thief) and his demon spirits come calling, teaching us in John 10:10, “The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Add the wisdom of Who God is in Psalm 104, studying “The Nature of God” in the natural things all around us, and we become bound to accept only the defining things of The LORD in our Life of abundance IN HIM…
"Bless The LORD, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with honor and majesty. Who covers Thyself with light as with a garment: Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain: Who lays the beams of His chambers in the waters: Who makes the clouds His chariot: Who walks upon the wings of the wind: Who makes His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire: Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; at the voice of Your thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which You have founded for them. You have set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. He sends the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He waters the hills from His chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works. He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart. The trees of The LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which He has planted; Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knows his going down. You made darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun arises, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goes forth unto his work and to his labor until the evening (Psalm 104:1-23).”
Anyone pursuing oneness with The Trinity will, at times, be presented with opportunities to compromise in their pursuit of becoming one with God. Each one of us must be vigilant to seek God’s Word daily and to pray without ceasing in order to remain steadfast, immovable, and unyielding in our Life with Jesus Christ. We must come to the place in our hearts where we know, without a shadow of a doubt, “There is nobody and nothing worth compromising our relationship with Jesus Christ!”
We invite you to send your e-mail request today for your copy of this mini-book. Please be sure to include the subject, “A Steadfast Life with Christ is not ‘Too Quick to Compromise’” in your email. As soon as we receive your request we will get your little book in the mail to you right away!
The next mini-book in our series is based on an experience that provided clarity concerning “sin” and the “misrepresentation” of God and His Word today. The heart of anyone reading “The Abomination of Misrepresentation” will be presented with the truth about the Christian faith. What passes for Christianity today bears little to no resemblance to the teachings of The LORD Jesus Christ. Much like paint that is diluted to the point that it becomes useless, God and His Word are being diluted to the point that The Gospel of Jesus Christ is “misrepresented as useless” in the eyes of the masses of uneducated, inexperienced, unbelieving Believers everywhere. We ignore this to our own destruction!...
"These six things doth The LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren (Proverb 6:16-19).”
If you have ever been falsely accused, if you have ever been blamed for saying or doing something that you never said or did, if you have ever had something that you said or did turned into something so distorted that it literally had nothing in common with what you originally said or did,... then you know the feeling of being falsely represented. Many people experience “misrepresentation” every day and can surely empathize with others experiencing the terrible feelings that come with being falsely represented in the eyes of others. We invite you to send your e-mail request today for your advance copy of this mini-book. Please be sure to include “Advance copy of ‘The Abomination of Misrepresentation’ please” in the subject line of your email. As soon as we receive your request we will let you know when you can expect your little book in the mail!
God desires that each of us abide in Him, that we love Him with all of our hearts, and love our neighbors as ourselves. All of this, of course, is humanly impossible but with God all things are possible. If we will humble ourselves under the mighty and sovereign Word of God, then He will lift us up.
It's a fact... as we walk with God for Him to mold us to become more like Christ Jesus, we get to be God’s faithful witnesses He can use. And our lives become living proof of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached. It is our prayer that, as The LORD looks on your life, He will find you passionate for God-pleasing faith, never too quick to compromise, and rightly accused of rightly representing Him in your Life!
We pray God will use this blog and all of our resources to fan the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, the wonder-full ways and will of God, and His Plan and Purpose for you fulfilled with The Holy Spirit in this life. We are eternally grateful for our loving Toward The Mark Family of sponsors who makes this blog, and all of our resources, possible by their faithful prayer and monthly financial support! If you have any questions about our work, or if you would like to make a special tax-deductible donation, place a special order for any of our books, magazines, or CDs, or have a testimony or prayer request to share with us, please  send your e-mail request today or feel free to write a letter and mail it to TOWARD THE MARK, P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152.
Keep PRESSIN' IN!

Your friends and servants in Christ Jesus,






To Show GOD BIG in a World that Sees Him small… 
sums up the reason the two of us, Keith and Brenda, stepped out in faith to focus on reaching the lost and strengthening believers everywhere, through Toward The Mark, Inc.  Our prayer, along with the entire team of this ministry, is that you will be encouraged and edified by the Secrets from God's Word that we share through Keith’s written and recorded accounts. 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 on-board TODAY!
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. 
We pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!



We INVITE You to...
see and share more from Toward the Mark…






To help you further your fight to victory through the battles that confront every one of us in these 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, natural, and theater of the mind, Keith's Scripture messages will build your faith and help you reach God's full potential for your life.
"LETTERS FROM THE FRONT" is available now...
Send e-mail request.


We pray God uses this message, and all of our resources, to fan the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, His wonder-full Ways, and our Father's 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 faithful prayer and monthly financial support! If you have any questions about our work, or if you would like to make a special tax-deductible donation, place a special order for any of our books, magazines, or CDs, or to share a testimony or prayer request with us, please e-mail us. Also feel free to write a letter and mail it to TOWARD THE MARK, P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152.

Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 - 2026 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply |



 

Sunday, March 29

Gearing Up for Missions Ahead



No matter what we are called to do... Gearin’UP our physical tools and talents to present “the very best” of all we are and can be, together with The Holy Spirit, gives us the cutting edge in ministering God’s Love into the lives of people.

"Delight thyself also in The LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart (Psalm 37:4).”
Among the wonderful ways we have seen God bless Toward The Mark outreaches, near the very top of the list is the way our passion for God and His people shines through the quality of our musical instruments and stage equipment. In song-writing and performing music at outreach events, our ministry is passionate about using only high-quality gear that can enhance the messages in our songs. This speaks to the promise of God to us in Psalm 37 above. As we continue to gear UP, our heart’s desires continue to become fulfilled and to extend.
It was not long after I got my first department store guitar and amplifier in the sixth grade that I learned, the hard way, how the quality of sound we produce in our music depends largely on the instrument we play. The dime store electric guitar that I had just got to play malfunctioned. Not knowing how to fix it, I took it to a member of a well-known regional rock band who lived in our neighborhood. After he looked it over, he asked to keep it for a week to work on making repairs on it. My friend then surprised me when he went upstairs in his house and brings back a Gibson Melody Maker electric guitar. He handed it to me and said I should take it home and play it for the time being. Getting to play my friend, Mike's, Gibson Melody Maker after playing my burdensome no-name instrument was like going from a rickety old bicycle to riding a Harley Davidson. As I improved my playing, expanding to play bass guitar and drums, getting the best essentials I could afford made all the difference along the way. Low-quality gear offers low-quality output; Higher-quality gear offers higher-quality output. In short, using cheap tools is burdensome while worth-y ones make for more fun and fulfilling missions to accomplish.”
Whenever God provides opportunities for us to present our original songs, whether it be for an audience of 20 or 2,000, we can confidently say that we are better equipped now than we have ever been. God has provided for us the kind of gear that can meet just about any venue requirement. When it comes to delivering God’s wonderful Word to His precious people, whether the platform be music, preaching or teaching, it is our responsibility to represent God and His Word with excellence. This also includes presenting with excellence the gear that He has given us for His work.
I cannot begin to recall how many times folks have come to me after an event and said something like, “From the moment that we walked in and saw the set-up on stage, not a mediocre presentation but, with quality gear on display before the event began, our hope and expectation of what God was going to do there that day went way up.” Most people can discern whether or not a person’s whole heart is in what they do simply by the way they present themselves. I have found that, more often than not, one who cares for and presents the tools of their trade speaks louder than the words they speak.
When we are truly passionate about representing God with excellence, using all we have to offer, we maximize The Holy Spirit’s opportunity to minister God’s Love into the lives of the people we minister to. Whether we are called to drive a bus, operate a cleaning business, or even work behind a desk, gearing up and performing tasks with excellence makes a difference. So, whether we are the driver, cleaner, or desk worker, we make sure to maintain and properly use all of the tools,equipment, and talents God entrusts to our stewardship at all times.
Remember, the physical things we get to have and use don’t belong to us. They, as well as the hearts of the people that God entrusts to our care, belong to God. Everything God entrusts to our stewardship belongs to Him! He trusts each one of us to be the most excellent steward over what He created in us (our talents and abilities) and what he brings into our hands!
Ultimately, if we are responsible agents of all that we are called to be and do to minister to others in our lives, if we maximize on the quality and function of all that is entrusted to us, then we get to return our possessions better than they were when we received them. For me and my team, as we work hard to gather and build better instruments and stage equipment, being blessed to hear words of affirmation from people we minister to is a small part of the rewards that compel us to keep on sowing and serving by faith and never stop “Gearin’UP” for The Master’s missions to come.
And The LORD said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath (Luke 12:42-44).”
We are grateful for the wonderfully fruitful opportunities The Person of The Holy Spirit is blessing and has blessed us with, to glorify the Great Name of our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.  These are opportunities we simply could not take advantage of if not for the passion and support of our Toward The Mark partners to magnify Jesus Christ and send us into this final hour's harvest! 
On behalf of the two of us, and those we are reaching, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being here to take part in our work. Our friends and our family of faith praise God for everything He has been doing in and through us to encourage and reach this end time's generation with The Gospel of Jesus Christ... and with The Gospel Jesus Christ preached!

Your friends in Christ Jesus,
    
    

We couldn't do this without the help of our friends!
This blog channel, along with the complete collection of our original Bible-based podcasts, music, blogs, books, CDs, and other Toward The Mark resources, 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 provide effective, contemporary outreach tools that are available to everyone, the churched and un-churched alike. People everywhere are hungry to know more about the love, truth, and salvation of Jesus Christ. We invite you to partner with us to, "press Toward The Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)


We INVITE YOU...
 see and hear, follow and share, more from Toward The Mark, Inc.:











To Show GOD BIG in a World that Sees Him small… 
sums up the reason the two of us, Keith and Brenda, stepped out in faith to focus on reaching the lost and strengthening believers everywhere, through Toward The Mark, Inc.  Our prayer, along with the entire team of this ministry, is that you will be encouraged and edified by the Secrets from God's Word that we share through Keith’s written and recorded accounts. 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 on-board TODAY!

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. 
We pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!


Keep PRESSIN' IN!
    

Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 - 2026 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply |
 Visit TowardTheMark.com website |  Connect with TowardTheMark on e-mail.




Wednesday, April 30

We're Bringing Back Testimony Time

"See flipcard titles"
A must-read for exposing all Christians to the most effective tool for winning the lost and increasing the faith of believers in Jesus Christ! --Keith, Brenda, and the TTM Team

One Sunday morning when I was about eight years old, our family was sitting in our usual pew in the sanctuary of Rosemont Road Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, VA. As we were quietly waiting for our pastor to begin the morning service, I began what had been my custom leading up to the service. As usual, I asked my mother for an ink pen so I could scribble on the back page of a church bulletin as I waited for Dad to give me his "It's time to stand and sing the first hymn" nudge on the arm.
           As we were standing up and beginning to sing, I can remember thinking, as I often had, how predictable the order of the morning services always were. Rarely, if ever, did the order of the morning service change. On this particular morning, however, things for me and my life would be changed forever.

           After the choir had led us in a few songs, we were asked to be seated. The pastor stood up from his high-backed chair that was prominently positioned on the platform and walked up to the lectern. He smiled, looked across the congregation, and said something we hadn't heard him say before, "This morning we are introducing something new here at Rosemont Road Baptist, and it's called 'Testimony Time'." After he said that, I can remember thinking to myself, "What is a 'testimony'?"

           Our pastor began to explain, "Starting today, at each Sunday service, after the choir has led us in singing, I will be offering everyone in our congregation the opportunity to stand and share how God has answered your prayers during the previous week." He then asked, "Is there someone who would like to be the first one to stand up and tell your testimony with the congregation, sharing something that God has done in your life? If so, just raise your hand."

           It may sound a bit melodramatic but I began feeling a kind-of anxious anticipation swirling around in the pit of my stomach. The sensation was one that I would never have equated to what someone might experience in The Church. The closest thing I could relate to that feeling was, on Christmas eve, when I was four or five years old, the anticipation of joy and fun of Christmas Day.

           Before the experience of this day happened, I had not so much as heard anyone even insinuate that God is really real. Just as curious to me was hearing the idea that God actually responds to a person when they pray. That morning, God would use a brave few who shared personal testimonies to reveal to me "the most effective tool" that we, in God's Church Family, could ever use for winning the lost and encouraging believers in The LORD Jesus Christ!

           Upon the pastor's extending the opportunity for someone to share their testimony, several hands went up. Words cannot express how excited I felt to see people raising their hands. I was eager to hear what those who were about to testify would say about how God answers when we pray. With my heart filled with expectation, I fixed my eyes on our pastor to see who he would call on first.

           Our pastor pointed to a gentlemen who then stood up and very humbly began sharing how God had answered his prayers just a few days earlier that week. I listened in awe as he shared how he had been going through difficult times financially. The man's voice began to crack as he told us how he and his family had come into such difficult times that he did not have money that weekend to buy bread or milk to feed his family. He went on to share how, out of utter desperation, he fell to his knees and called out to God for help, praying specifically, desperately, for God to help him to get food for his family."

           The next words I heard come by the gentleman's voice led me to realize that a heart of brokenness is the principal thing that Jesus Christ can use, and this is the point where He set His hook in my heart for the rest of my life. I heard the gentleman share that, the very next morning, opening his front door with a plan to go out and find someone or some way that might bring help for him and his family, he was greeted with a paper bag sitting on his front porch. He said that he looked around at the houses of nearby neighbors but didn't find anybody in sight. Then he said he slowly leaned down to look what was inside the bag. He said, "When I saw what was in the bag, I wanted to jump up and down and shout with joy! On my doorstep, in a regular paper bag, I found a loaf of bread, a carton of milk, and a five dollar bill!" My heart felt as if it would leap out of my chest. God had actually answered that man's prayer! I had never heard, nor felt in my heart, anything like that before. It literally felt like my chest had been flooded with perfectly-warm water.

           After that first gentleman had finished sharing how God answered his prayer, the others who had raised their hands stood and shared their testimonies too, one after another. Each one had actual, real-life accounts of God's answers to personal prayers. One man explained how he and his wife prayed, asking God to help him find a better-paying job that was closer to their home, and God answered their prayer. Another church member stood and shared how she was in need of a new place to live and how God had provided the answer to her prayer.

           Our family had been attending that same church for several years by this time. We had heard our pastor preach lots of Sunday morning sermons, but this was our first experience with "testimony time". This was when it dawned on me that none of the very good sermons our pastor had preached ever ‘won’ my heart to Jesus Christ like hearing those precious church folks, with heartfelt conviction, share how Jesus Christ responded to their calling out to Him in prayer.

           What joy it was that flooded my heart that day! Hearing those testimonies changed me like nothing I had experienced before. I realized that God is real! My heart was won to Jesus Christ because I heard real-life testimonies! Listening to those precious believers give actual accounts of our Lord and Savior's love for, and involvement in, our day-to-day lives forever welded my heart to The Holy Trinity. Though I could not see our Father, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit with my natural eyes, I knew I had just "met my Family" that is closer to me in the spirit than those who were physically sitting next to me in the church pew.

           By the time we left the church that day, a paradigm shift occurred in my heart. The "distant" God that I had only heard mentioned on certain occasions, that I had always thought of as far, far away, had now become "realer than real". Suddenly, unexpectedly, The LORD God became close at hand and had begun to reveal Himself to me, personally. And this was only the beginning of my "Life" as a Believing Believer in Jesus Christ.

           Ever since that Sunday morning in 1963, I've witnessed over and over and over again how a Believer's testimony is the most effective tool for winning people to Jesus Christ. Since that day, until now, I've not witnessed anything more effective at increasing our faith like sharing our spoken and written accounts of God's, Jesus Christ's, and The Holy Spirit's personal involvement in our lives. As we press forward, continually setting out each day to challenge and encourage our fellow believers by sharing our testimonies, we want to remember to stay vigilant that we don't miss the mark along the way. In our experience, if Satan and his minions can use "roadblocks" against us in their wicked attempts to hinder us or, if possible, derail us in our mission to deliver "the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:9-11)” into the ears of any- and every- one that we speak to, they will.

           One of Satan's favorite roadblocks, sadly a very effective weapon, is distracting believers, especially the spiritually-young believers, away from regularly telling their testimonies. We can see how crucially important the practice of "telling our personal testimonies" is, but we must be intentional to "realize what our testimonies are and gather them with The LORD" first. The devil's ploys work to induce "the testator" with "spiritual amnesia" when it comes to recalling the wonder-full things that God has done in their life. This, in turn, results in greatly hindering, or the outright theft of, the potent seed of the testator's testimony. Satan's ultimate objective is to stop that seed from getting access to, and taking root in, fertile soil of a hearer's heart.

           There is a second weapon of Satan that we need to be sure our fellow believers are aware of. Satan will deploy the wicked spirits of intimidation and fear "to discourage" us, or "to steal our courage" from us, for the purpose of hindering our testimonies from making their way into a hearer's or reader's heart. As you well know, in these tumultuous times, we must be especially bold where sharing our testimonies with others is concerned. We must also be diligent to invest in the lives of those whom we sow "the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:9-11)”. This nurture is crucial for us to assist in the life of a new brother or sister in Jesus Christ.

           When we find ourselves being attacked by this third favorite roadblock of Satan, as happens more commonly, hearing Satan's lying devils of intimidation and fear yelling in our spirit's ear, we are particularly fond of this wonderful Scripture in The Proverbs, chapter 28 and verse 1. The verse reads, "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion (Proverb 28:1)." There is a stark difference between an "unbelieving-believer" and a "Believing Believer". When it comes to sharing what God has done in their life, the "unbelieving-believer" is often apathetic and quick to avoid sharing their testimony, while the "Believing Believer" is most often "bold as a lion" and quick to share, passionately, the things God has done in their life, to magnify Jesus Christ in the hearers' hearts.

           There are many stories of heroic believers written throughout The Holy Bible, God's written Word. Perhaps the most popular story is the heroism and righteous boldness in the account of David going up against, and defeating, Goliath, the Philistine giant. On that note, we would like to offer a rather profound observation that we recently heard a pastor share about David's "rock-solid faith" and "lion-like boldness".

           Just before going to stand up to the giant Philistine, Goliath, David went to a nearby river bed and, The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 17, he chose "five" smooth stones to take with him. So, if David truly knew in his heart of hearts, without any doubt whatsoever, that God was about to deliver him a decisive victory over the giant Goliath, then why would he gather "five" stones for his sling if he would only need “one” for Goliath? The reason is, knowing that Goliath would not be alone, David gathered enough stones to take down Goliath AND his four brothers! Now THAT'S the way a "Believing Believer" thinks!

           It is our heartfelt desire that this blog will help challenge and encourage our ministry friends and family to "encourage" Christian brothers and sisters you come into contact with to recall and share their testimonies as well for the purpose of "winning souls". "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise (Proverb 11:30)." Please let us know if there is any way we can assist in your personal campaign to "Brag on God, Jesus Christ, and the wonder-full Holy Spirit".

           When you get a break, and a nice cup of coffee or cocoa to sip and enjoy, WATCH our recent video series, "When It Comes To Sharing Your Faith" on Toward The Mark's Rumble channel  or on the Toward The Mark YouTube video channel  or on Brighteon videos by Toward The Mark.


WE’RE BRINGING BACK “TESTIMONY TIME”! It’s the time for us to resolve in our hearts that, without a shadow of a doubt, "There is nobody and nothing worth our relationship with Jesus Christ!"

             If you have not given your heart and life to God in Jesus Christ, or if you’ve fallen away from your pursuit of oneness in Him, pray this prayer, RELAX, and watch 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."  And AMEN!!!

            WELCOME HOME!

            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 would encourage you to begin attending a Holy-Spirit-filled, Bible-believing church right away.


            Begin reading The Holy Bible daily, whether you understand it or not. Always remember, God's written Word in The Holy Bible is like no other book that has ever been written! When we rendezvous with The Person of The Holy Spirit as we read what God has written there, it becomes stored in our heart for The Holy Spirit to access it to bring to our remembrance.  You will find that the Scriptures will become applicable to whatever you are going through, at any given time!

            There are wonderful Bible teachers on television and on the radio that can, especially early in your walk with God, help you to begin receiving good teaching, and encouragement, right away. Although very informative, these programs are never to be a substitute for close relationships with people who love and serve God. At times, the transformation process that you have now begun will be difficult, and you will be tempted to go back to your old ways of living your old life. It will be during times like these that hanging out with strong Christian friends and mentors will be crucially important. There really IS strength in numbers!

            To help you grow in your journey to, as Jesus prayed in the garden, become *one* with our Father in Heaven, we have teaching resources that, if taken to heart, will help lead you INto ONEness with Christ Jesus. We have books, music CDs, customized individual teachings, blogs, podcasts, Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn messages, and videos you can take advantage of simply by contacting us. We would like to be among the first to welcome you into the Family of God... right where you "belong", now and always! (Selah)

            Always remember to, no matter what, Keep PRESSIN' IN...  learnin', and growin' *with* our Lord and Savior.  You might consider using our book  LETTERS FROM THE FRONT, the special collection of keys to defeating hindrances that have kept many of God's servants from walking with the confidence and authority that Jesus Christ died to give us! Twelve life-changing teaching chapters:

;
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 these 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, natural, and theater of the mind, Keith's Scripture messages will build your faith and help you reach God's full potential for your life.
"LETTERS FROM THE FRONT"
available at
TowardTheMark online.


We pray God uses this message, and all of our resources, to fan the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, His wonder-full Ways, and His Plan and Purpose for you in this life. If you have any questions about our work, or if you would like to make a special tax-deductible donation, place a special order for any of our books, magazines, or CDs, or to share a testimony or prayer request with us, please  e-mail us. Also feel free to write a letter and mail it to TOWARD THE MARK, P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152.
May God bless you greatly as you carry this truth in your heart. 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 faithful prayer and monthly financial support!
Your friends and servants in our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ's love,
         

    
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, 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 ... to follow and share these resources that are also available, for helping build your faith in God and His Word, His Will, and His Ways: 





  "Between The Lines PODCAST" on TTM's Podcast Channel
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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!




"Blessed be The LORD my Strength which teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My Goodness, and my Fortress; my High Tower, and my Deliverer; my Shield, and He in whom I trust; who subdues my people under me (Psalm 144:1-2)."


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