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Showing posts with label broken. 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 |



 

Thursday, March 31

What The Devil Fights To Keep Us From Knowing

"Sharing the great news about Jesus Christ is much easier than you might think!"--Keith, Brenda, and the TTM Team

In these times when wickedness is abounding, we as believers in Jesus Christ have in our possession something that can overcome the work of the devil in the lives of those around us... our testimony!
           Write down the things that Jesus Christ has done for you personally. That is your testimony. Make copies and begin passing them out to your friends. Send them to those in your social media circles, in your workplace, in your family, and even to those who you may have been a bit too intimidated in years past to share it with.

           With each passing day the door of opportunity we have to show God big in the eyes of those who see Him small is closing. If we are going to take advantage of what little time we do have, to lead those who are bound by the chains of poor life choices to Jesus Christ, and to help them onto the path of being made "one" in Jesus Christ by the leading of The Holy Spirit, it is going to take every one of us sharing "the word of our testimony."

           John reveals this vital three-part combination in one of his passages, Revelation 12:11, "And they overcame him (the devil and his minions) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." The written and spoken accounts of our cherished encounters with God are our testimony, whether He knocked us off of a horse as He did Saul, or moved on the heart of someone to slip us some money just as a bill came due. Our testimony is a story that can provide to the skeptics the substantive evidence of an unseen God.

           In a paragraph or two, write down your story, and send it to everybody you know!   Remember, YOU may be the last opportunity somebody has to hear the great news of Jesus Christ!

           Paul The Apostle teaches us ...

"That if you confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on Jesus Christ will not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of The Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:9-13)."


Let's keep Pressin'IN y'all!
Keith, BrendaLee, and The TTM Team


           To those who have given up houses, lands, relationships, jobs, and their very lives to diligently pursue oneness with God, and resist all manner of distractions to fulfill God's plan for you, we dedicate this message to you. To those who haven't invited Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, right where you are, pray to God this prayer, rest in His presence, and watch what He will do...

"Father God, in the precious Name of Jesus Christ, the King of kings and The Lord of all lords, I give my entire life over to You. I come before You, to confess to You that I am a sinner, and I ask for You to forgive me of all my sins - those that I know I have committed, and 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 I ask You to please take me, right now, and begin the process of changing me and molding me to be like YOU. Father, I ask You to please redeem the time that has passed and allow me the opportunity to become exactly who You predestined me to be, even before the foundation of the earth. I commit my life, and everything I have, to You now. Thank You for receiving me as Your own. All this I pray in the wonderful Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Amen."  And AMEN!!!

WELCOME HOME!

           If you have prayed that 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.


           You will want 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!!! And, remember, no matter what, KEEP PRESSIN' IN!

           To help you grow in your journey, as Jesus prayed in the garden, to becoming one with our Father in Heaven, we have teaching resources that, if taken to heart, can help lead you INto oneness with Christ Jesus. We will be glad to offer you a selection of our books, music CDs, individual Teaching Messages, more from our library of Pressin'IN Blogs, Between The Lines TTM podcasts, social media videos, quotes, and posts, and much more; just  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.

            And remember, 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 by
e-mail request any time 24/7
.


We pray God uses this message, and all of our resources, to fan the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus and Father God's wonder-full Word, Will, and Ways 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 Podcast Channel
     Hear Special Request (Podcast): *FOCUS*



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)."
Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 - 2022 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply | Visit TowardTheMark.com website |  Connect with TowardTheMark on e-mail.



Friday, May 31

OUT OF THE SHADOWS

"The Word of God says, 'Believe!' But how? Make up your mind: fear or Faith; fear or Freedom.  We all choose to believe in something.  If you 'fear', it's like a disease that is both preventable and curable."


"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us." 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9....



Our senior pastor, Pastor Clay Davis, now 80-something years young (our best estimate from nearly 40 years of clues we've gathered), is also our friend and mentor for how to walk in restful faith with The Triune God.  He is a tremendous example of how we can reach to the very heart of the matter of fear and overcome it.  We asked Pastor Clay to tell us how he would explain is the best way to deal with fear that comes to rob us of life, and what advice he would offer others, no matter if they are in the church or un-churched.  We enjoy listening to our beloved elder and family pastor as the "preacher in the church pulpit" though he now shares his wisdom with us from his living room recliner.

Pastor Clay told us how he had received a certain birthday greeting card, with a tractor on the front, that said, "I wouldn't say you are old but..." (inside) "if you were a tractor tire you would be lying on your side, full of petunias."  Then, there was another "friendly" expression, when he said he was told that he lied so much about his age that someone would have to cut him in half and count the rings in order to know just how ole he really is!  In Pastor Clay's wonderful way of expressing how he really feels about his age he said, "God blessed me with a lifelong marriage to my (late) God-fearing wife, with four successful children, twelve incredible grandchildren, retirement, good friends around me, and many other blessings; I am not afraid of growing older."

Many folks, Pastor Clay explains to us, consider "the 'O' word", OLD, to be almost worse than "the 'F' word", FEAR!  Those are people who can't see tomorrow or what it may hold.  They begin to conjure up the unknown things that foster fear.  And fear ushers us right into the shadows of worry and stress.  Webster says that a "shadow" is something that only allows partial illuminations because of some opaque (unclear) object.  Shadows or clouds around us keep the "Son" from shining, leaving way for a fear of the unknown.

Jesus said to the ruler of the Synagogue, in Mark 5:36, "Be not afraid and only believe."  This is all-inclusive, regardless of money, man, sickness, sorrow, ....
... Jesus says, "Fear not!"
... God says, "Fear Not!"
... The Holy Spirit says not to yield to evil spirit imaginations.
As Pastor Clay would say, "That scores three to one; GOD WINS. The Word of God says, 'Believe!' But how? Make up your mind: fear or Faith; fear or Freedom.  We all choose to believe in something.  If you 'fear', it's like a disease that is both preventable and curable."

Let's follow that thought for a moment because there are many people we know suffering through fear, growing older being just one of their reasons.  There are folks who fear what was said yesterday that they cannot take back today.  Then, perhaps, some have fallen into fear from making a mistake today that will lead them to "face the music" tomorrow.  Fear, worry, and undue concerns cause high blood pressure, ulcers, and all kinds of other problems in our body that also come to erode our mind!  Pastor Clay gives a perfect example of this, by telling this story:

"

I am reminded of one of my favorite characters in the Bible, the man with the withered hand.  Let's call him 'Clay'.  He was a basket-case, hiding behind his clothes while he was engulfed (in the spirit) in the shadows.  He was deformed, sickly, an introvert, inwardly ugly, feeling unimportant, somewhat abandoned, and was nearing the end of any hope of ever being accepted by others and considered 'normal'.  In the third chapter of Mark where Jesus went into the Synagogue, the Pharisees were waiting, as always, to trap Him in something He would say or do that could be considered unlawful on the Sabbath day.  Jesus ignored them and, in compassion, called out to the man in the shadows, 'Come out.  Come on, I see you hiding there.'

Jesus seized the opportunity to reveal His Love to those who would choose to accuse Him, even if He knew they would not accept it.  Jesus already knew the heart and dilemma of the shadow-man's broken soul before Him.  Jesus simply said to the man, 'Come out of the shadows and stretch out your arm.'  Wow!  Can you imagine the silence and the anticipation?  The man could perhaps stretch out a good hand, or perhaps even a leg.  But, no, not this ugliness that has never been useful or even able to be moved.  But the man had to feel the Love and Authority in the Voice of The Master.  In that instant of God-given faith, the man reached out to Jesus.  And Jesus reached out to the man and made his arm WHOLE!

In a split second, a new man stood before the crowd.  If the man had said 'no' or walked away, or said, 'not now, maybe later', none of the freedom or anything would have come to happen.  Jesus was really saying, 'Stretch forth your shortcoming, your illness, your troubled finances, your doubts, your fears, your ...(whatevers)!'  Jesus asks us daily to step forth and walk in His Word.  Does that mean we won't have problems or situations?  Absolutely not!  Will He take our hands and walk with us every step of the way?  Absolutely, yes!  He will!  This is a promise He has never broken in the past, and He will never break ever.

In October of 1970, I stepped out of the shadows when I heard His Voice in my heart saying, 'come to Me.'  I have never looked back!  I heard the call from Matthew 11.  'Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and I will give you rest.'

"

Are you born again?  Then rest in Jesus.  Are you unsaved?  Step out of the shadows and rest in Him.  How, you ask?  Tell Him you love Him, repent of the sins in your life, commit yourself to Him, and He will do the rest.

Until we take our last breath and we hear our heart beat for the last time, we must make up our mind that we will overcome fear and become one with God in Christ.  If we will repent for our sins and accept the greatest sacrifice and gift that was paid by God's Only Son, Jesus Christ, then we move "out of the shadows" and into "The Light of the world" and to ultimate freedom for eternity with our loving Father in Heaven. 
 
We pray God bless you greatly in carrying this message in your heart. Our thanks for taking part in this, and all that is made possible by the faithful support of our loving Toward The Mark, Inc. Family of sponsors!

Your friends & servants in Christ,

Thank you for joining together with us for this message from our hearts! We have posted it to help fan the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, His wonder-full ways, and His plan and purpose for us in this life. To ask questions about our work and organization, to make a special tax-deductible donation to help in this work, to place a special order for our special offer of "Keep the FAITH, Keep Your VISION" or another Keith Shealy and Toward The Mark book or CD, or to share a testimony or prayer request with us, please click here to e-mail us, or write a letter and mail it to the address on our website, which is also provided below.




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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!



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