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Showing posts with label breathe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breathe. Show all posts

Saturday, December 24

God... Can These Bones Live Again?

These last few months have presented us with many wonderful opportunities to glorify our King Jesus Christ in a number of different ways. As we sat down to begin writing to attest to you how wonderfully The Trinity had both presented to us and led us through each assignment on the list, The Holy Spirit drew our focus toward two in particular.

       For starters, during the run-up to the elections we produced, packaged and mailed out packets containing a copy of our own "TTM Christian Voter Guide" along with a pocket-sized copy of "The Constitution of The United States". Especially leading up to election time, we as Christians and Americans are blessed with the priceless opportunity to bring attention to and promote the two most sacred "ancient landmarks" that we have been given as gifts by God: His Holy written Word and The United States Constitution. These two sacred landmarks are what Satan and his human accomplices are working frantically to destroy in the eyes of the American people, using tell-a-vision (TV), radio, online social media, print communications, and the like. Our "TTM Voter Guide and Pocket Constitution Campaign" is not simply another mailing, we view it as our ministry Team's return-volley against the demonic forces of Satan who are bent on the destruction of God's children and humanity as a whole from receiving The Truth, Who is in fact Jesus Christ. We pray, "Oh, Father God, In Jesus Christ's Holy Name, let each of us stand before You on that great and glorious day having given our all for the sake of spreading The Truth, Who is Jesus Christ, and for the fulfillment of Your dream for Your creation, in Jesus' Name we pray, Amen!"

        As a side note, please pray and fast with us that the great news of The Trinity that we share on social media will continue to increase in viewership, despite Satan's all-out war to blind the public to all we are doing to lead others in-to oneness In Jesus Christ. This includes the many messages we have posted on Pressin'IN Blog, on our Toward The Mark Podcast Channel, and have produced and released in both written and recorded media, all for the sole purpose of spreading the wonder-full Gospel of Jesus Christ and The Gospel He preaches.

     Now, here is the second thing that The Holy Spirit had illuminated to us. As you read this we pray that you will see why we have saved it for last.  As we have been in our times of prayer with The wonder-Full Trinity, I (Keith) have increasingly been shown something that we believe wholeheartedly is, not just a Word from God for Brenda and myself but is also, a Word from God for you. It all ties into my being asked some forty plus years ago to play and sing my original songs that our Father, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, and I had written together and performed for a crowd at The University Of North Carolina (UNC). An event that I have thought back on over the past six months in particular and thinking to myself: "Has my music and reaching folks in concert settings, like I have done on so many occasions in the past, served its full purpose?"

        As a result, I began asking our Father, if the platform of music that He had anointed me for at one time could ever live again. I asked if it was in His plan for my life to anoint me for a new season of musical fruitfulness, like He had done so graciously so many years ago. Within the same week of my asking God that question, as I was in prayer, I saw in my spirit Ezekiel's vision where The LORD carried him in The Spirit over a valley that was filled with "dry bones". The "bones" implying that many people had died there long ago, long enough for the flesh to decompose. "Dry" bones implies that the bones of those people had been there so long that every cell in them had died, clear down to the very marrow, which takes many, many years.

       We have a question for you. Is there something that God has shown you, something that has not come into fruition in your life yet? Is there something that you have been believing God for, with all of your heart, but it has not yet come to pass? Is there something that you have believed God for, something that could reach many for Jesus Christ, but, whenever you have tried to make it happen, you seem to hit a wall? Or, like me and my performing my songs, is there a passion, a vision you still carry, something you had done in years past but have recently been wondering if it could live again? 
Bren and I believe wholeheartedly that, as you read Ezekiel's vision, God is going to breathe His Holy Spirit, His Life, into whatever it is that you have prayed fervently to come into fruition.  
     Bren and I believe that God has held you in reserve until now for many strategic reasons. We pray, in The Name of Jesus Christ, believing, as you read Ezekiel's vision, that the very same Holy Spirit that filled those "dry bones" and raised up a mighty army from what was seemingly dead and gone forever, will breathe the Life of God in-to you and will raise up the vision you have carried for so long! Now, take a deep breath, relax, read slowly and listen intently for the still small voice of The Wonder-Full The Holy Spirit as you are reading...

       "The hand of The LORD was upon me, and carried me out in The Spirit of The LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of The LORD. Thus saith The LORD GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews (Vigorous strength; muscular power) upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am The LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said He unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith The LORD GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith The LORD GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel." Ezekiel 37:1-12

       We are here, in the time when God is calling us to stand up and speak to the armies of God in Christ Jesus' Mighty Name and by His Authority. Much like Abraham waiting and waiting for God to fulfill His promise to him of a son, many believers are in that hour after they have walked with our Lord faithfully but have grown weary on their journey. The Lord is calling all whom He has used in years past to "arise" and "advance toward" the fulfillment of God's dream for their lives. No longer will they be convinced by deceiving spirits saying, "That once-wonderful season when God was working through you, and all of what He put in you, is o-v-e-r." The Lord says to you...

        "What you just 'knew' was your 'hay day', the fulfillment of Your Father's Will for your life, was actually your Boot Camp, your time of preparation! NO, you are not finished... far from it! The time you have been praying for, been sowing for, and been working towards and waiting for has arrived! You have been in preparation for this hour! The lies you have heard, the fiery darts from the enemy that have come to convince you that your time is done, has in truth served to temper you and to set your resolve for what is at the door, for what I had designed and created in you from the foundation of My Earth." The LORD says, "I have allowed your bones to dry up, which takes many years, so when those who see Me breathe My Life INto you, they will know that it is Me that has chosen and prepared you for this hour! You will not be operating on your last season's anointing. You are not be propping up something that I use to do. You are moving forward in what I have raised up for you! I have prepared you for this exact time! My Mighty Army is being revealed now... and there is no force in hell or on the earth that can stop them! Now, step forward into the vision I have written and am birthing in you, and I will meet you there!"

       "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you (James 4:8)." That is His PROMISE to you!

       We pray that these words bless you greatly. We want you to know that we are standing alongside you in prayer, from now and through to the complete fruition of the wonder-full gifts and calling that our Father has created in you... from the foundation of His Earth. Thank you over and over again for standing with us, as we are daily working out all that God has worked in us for His glory! The marriage supper of The Lamb is on the stove! Can you smell it?

       Thank you for your love and friendship, especially in our collective efforts to glorify Jesus Christ day in and day out. We love you and pray for you that God blesses you beyond your ability to contain it all... for all you do, or have done already, that makes our work possible.

       "The LORD gave the word: great was the company of those that published it (Psalm 68:11)."


Your friends and 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 channel, 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...
 see and hear, follow and share, more from Toward The Mark, Inc.:

Keith and Brenda "Between The Lines" Podcast on TTM's Libsyn Channel











                CLICK HERE to make a tax-deductible contribution securely by PayPal.
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!



"Blessed be The LORD my Strength which teacheth 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 subdueth my people under me (Psalm 144:1-2)."

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 Visit TowardTheMark.com website |  Connect with TowardTheMark on e-mail.



Friday, June 30

Murder by WORDS??

"Do you think God's Commandment, 'Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 20:13)' applies only to taking someone's life by inflicting stab-wounds, a gun-shot, or stick and stones, or could it apply to 'words' that really c-a-n hurt, too? The truth changes lives, forever."

In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus Himself said, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca  ('empty-headed, vain, fool, a godless moral reprobate' as defined in Vine's Expository Dictionary), shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."

            You see, you do not need a knife or gun, sticks or stones, to commit murder! All you need to do is "sow harmful word seed" into the life of a person, and death will follow. Luke teaches us that, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45)."

            Now is the time to make things right!

            If there is anyone in your life that you have "murdered by using your words", either to his or her face or behind their back, go to them now and ask them for their forgiveness. Or, is there somebody that has, in the eyes of others, "murdered you with their words"? Go to him or her, ask them for their forgiveness for what may have led them to have negative feelings toward you, and watch God's Healing begin to free you to move into the wonderful things He has planned *for you a-n-d Him* to do together.

            If you sow good seed, by speaking "word-seeds of life", you will reap a harvest of "life." Sow weed seed, by speaking deadly words, and what do you get? Weeds, choking the life out of the harvest that, instead, needs nurture and cultivating! It IS really that simple. Practicing godly integrity where our speech is concerned will always minister life to the hearer.

            Check out a statistic I learned from a Pastor friend of mine some time ago. He shared with me where he read the results of a study explaining how it takes, on average, seventeen words of encouragement to cancel out just one discouraging word spoken into the life of a person. He said that you can find some cases where the discouraged person never recovers at all  like when a certain discouraging word is repeated over and over in life, inserted time and time again. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.  (Proverbs 18:21)."

            We all have a wonderful opportunity to turn the tide of destruction in the lives of those around us. When we truly understand how, by speaking thoughtfully, with carefully-chosen words, we can help to make a difference in a hurting area of a person's heart and life, we will eventually bless the lives of whom we speak. Be conscious, choose carefully, and think first before speaking, what you choose to say.

            Remember, before you speak, ask yourself, "If I say what I'm thinking, will I commit 'MURDER BY WORDS'?" If your answer is, even remotely, possibly "Yes", reconsider and choose, instead, to "SPEAK LIFE!"

            If you haven't invited Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, right there where you are, pray this in prayer to God, "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!

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


            We advise you to 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!

            CONGRATULATIONS!!! We would like to be among the first to welcome you into the Family of God... right where you "belong", now and always! (Selah)

            And, remember, no matter what, KEEP PRESSIN' IN... and learnin', and growin' w-i-t-h our Lord and Savior, using Keith and Brenda Shealy & Toward The Mark's book XII SMOOTH STONES - the collection of these 12 most-requested Teaching Titles:

No Matter What!
The Magnetic Mantle or Why Cats... Have Kitties;
Fire, Pressure, and Them Slithery... Snakes
The Ultimate Home Gym
Vampires In The Church
STOP...
The Great Deception
The Invisible Man
God Is So Much Bigger Than You Think!
Die Empty!
Building Godly Friendships
The Secret To A Happy Life



Twelve of Keith's best lessons-learned that are most-requested by friends and fellow-readers are printed in our book, "XII Smooth Stones" available at TowardTheMark online.


We pray God uses this message 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 Christ,

    
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, His Will, and His Ways: 





  "Between The Lines PODCAST" on TTM's Libsyn Channel
HEAR (podcast): PRESSIN' In With God... Trade Anxiety & Fatigue for Confidence & Strength!
+ Keith's song *WON by ONE*


CLICK HERE to make a tax-deductible contribution securely by PayPal.
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 - 2017 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply | (757)251-2440 TowardTheMark.com | Contact TTM by EMAIL

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