God gives us everything for knowing and exposing what the enemy doesn't want us to know.
The overwhelming truth of the matter of what's known by most as "Halloween" is its foundation which is based on demons and darkness of Hell. This fact is not only set to begin on the Earth in the hearts of those who choose to accept it as "innocent fun" but is also to keep us participating in what actually goes against anything of our Father and Creator God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our Comforter and Counselor Holy Spirit. Those who choose the dark, unclean spirits of this world are in danger of all-out death and destruction. As for us Shealys, we won't stand silently by while we see folks who are, knowingly or not, offering themselves to the spirits that come to advance Satan's vindictive agenda. Instead of allowing him to hide in the shadows or masks of darkness, we are, and will continue to be, standing and speaking up to shine Christ's Light and Life of salvation to all who we know and meet. The joy and privilege we have is to use our physical being and talents to the glory and Gospel of Christ Jesus, which is utterly... priceless.
So, talking about the message we are here to share, is it correct to say we look forward to having fun on the events of October 31st? Yes! And, even more than the fun we get to have, we love sharing The Light of God in Christ Jesus, along with everything He brings in His wake, in every day and part of our lives! On events like Oct. 31st evenings, we choose to counter the darkness, specifically we are "unmasking Halloween", by offering The Gospel of Jesus Christ, endearingly naming this occasion "Jesus Christ is The Light" night at the Shealys.
Having the opportunity to see and get to know hundreds of kids and parents who have come to count on us to be here sharing printed and spoken portions of The Living Word of The Living God, we are personally grateful. We always ask The Lord God to bless each life that we are able to touch, counting on His blessing to go to each individual who receives a pocket-sized Bible or Scripture-based book we have been able to provide, prayed over from our hands and hearts to theirs. That's hundreds of lives He is able to touch, change, and, prayerfully, save in the Truth of The Gospel of Jesus Christ! Then, in the interactions we so enjoy, and rejoice in having, we really never know when we have also delivered a revelation or prophetic word The Holy Spirit laid out just for the ones we have spoken to. We will only know, truly, when we get to stand before Christ Jesus one day... what a day, glorious day, that will be!
As we pray, praise The Lord, and offer The Gospel of God's Love in Christ Jesus, these are some essential Truths Father God wants us to make sure our kids know:
1. God always wants you to be close to Him.
2. There’s nothing to fear in opening your heart to Him.
3. You are individually, uniquely hand-made by God.
4. He will always be there to hear you and help you.
5. His love for you is eternal and completely yours.
6. God’s Love is an unconditional gift from Him to you.
7. He loves you as-is, perfectly designed for His plan in Creation.
8. His strength active IN you enables you to do greater things.
9. His Voice guides you step-by-step to find real Life.
10. He wants to do in you what is priceless in this Life.
11. God is our Father bringing new Life through life’s trials.
Jesus Christ IS The Light. And the world's darkness can't touch what He shines INto and through. In Him is Life where no devil or darkness can prevail! Being His kids is an eternal gift we are here to proclaim by sharing, reflecting, and presenting our personal testimonies of His presence and work in every day of our lives. Knowing the love, fulfillment, joy, and countless more qualities we get to gain in this Life with Father God, through our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, we want to lead everyone we can to Him, sharing His enormous blessings and inheritance He offers to us all, everywhere, to the ends of the earth. If we all can be loved in His Family, filled full with His joy, and more, what a celebration to be jointly made free from whatever darkness once had us bound! We, the entire team of Toward The Mark INC, can speak to the worldly bondages because we're no different from any other person being born into our human nature in sin, far outside of our Loving Savior, searching for freedom, wholeness, and spiritual Life. As we have said time and time again, and will say countless times more, "All you really need to do is tell what Christ Jesus has done for you."
The Lord's Will is for all of us, each one, to desire a life lived with Him, not to compromise where we fall into the trap of being bound by this world of darkness or death. We continue to press "Toward The Mark" for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)! Our gratitude is endless as He continues to answer our prayers, pouring Himself in so He comes pouring out from us, again and again. Thank you for coming by to fill your heart, mind, will, and emotions with the everlasting Love of God in Christ Jesus, because He loves you and so do we.♡
Satan and his minions are frauds. Although Satan presents himself as having some great and powerful offerings, he can do nothing beyond what his Creator God allows him to do. This also applies to all of the fallen angelic host. They will eventually be imprisoned in Hell, along with those who have rejected Absolute Truth - The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - to instead follow the ways of death, being yielded to the sin that stole from them the years for which God had so many wonder-full things planned. Such people will experience complete separation, eternally, from God in Christ Jesus. Despite the misconception that the multitudes will stick together until death and beyond in "partying in the things of sin and Satan on this earth", the hereafter for them will be NO party.
“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with The Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:7-9)
Every single cell of our being can become consumed with the reality that God is so close to us here on earth - He is "at hand", literally a reach away. While we have a pulse, we have a will and the privilege to choose to accept God and reject Satan and all he has to offer to his agents - loss, torment, ultimate destruction, and death. In our experience Satan goes to devious extremes to blind us from that fact.
Until our heart stops beating, we have a choice to make and a will to choose. God has gifted us with the privilege to accept the great sacrifice that His Son Jesus Christ paid, so we could have eternity to spend with our loving, joyful, peace-filled Father in Heaven. Only when we have glimpsed into Hell, or have had the unfathomable honor of standing in the Divine Presence of Almighty God, can we even begin to perceive the infinite enormity of what Jesus Christ has freely given of Himself, for each of us!
God has no desire that people should go to the eternal place of torment, but that every one of us be saved. So, He has provided The Way of escape, His Name is Jesus Christ..
“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die....” (Ezekiel 33:11a)
So, how does one escape an eternity from that most terrifying of all places? You must receive the Gift of Faith to believe the Truth of the Gospel. You must repent by turning away from your sins, and ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart and to be your Lord and Savior.
You might ask, How do I do that? It is simple to begin your salvation journey starting with this prayer from your heart: "Father God, in the precious Name of Jesus Christ, The King of all 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 am asking You to please 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 and my Savior. I lay my life and everything in it at Your feet, and ask that You please take me now to begin the process of changing me into Your likeness. I ask that You redeem the time that has past and allow me the opportunity to become exactly what You have predestined me to be from 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, Amen."
So that you have a better understanding of why it is necessary for you to pray that prayer of commitment to God from your heart, I would like to bring to your attention this story found in the book of John.
"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit . Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind blows where it listeth, and thou hear the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and know not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:1-16)
As you can see, only God can offer us eternal life, peace, and joy! All who end up like Satan will experience death and eternal suffering. So, the next time you hear someone say that Hell is going to be a party, like "Hallow's Eve" or Halloween, let them know that they have been given the wrong address. Then tell them that the only eternal CELEBRATION will be held in God's house and that He is personally inviting them to prepare to come.
We are grateful for the wonderfully fruitful opportunities The Person of The Holy Spirit is blessing us with, to glorify the Great Name of our Father and Lord Jesus Christ, opportunities we simply could not take advantage of if not for the passion and support of our TTM partners to magnify Jesus Christ by sending 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 taking part in our work, friendship, and all our family of faith has been doing to encourage and reach this end time's generation with The Gospel of Jesus Christ... and with The Gospel Jesus Christ preached! Your friends and servants in Christ Jesus,
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.
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