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Showing posts with label king. Show all posts
Showing posts with label king. Show all posts

Monday, August 19

Gratitude IS Literally The Key!

Remember...
           In Matthew 6:33, Jesus gives us the starting place where it all must begin, "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God (the Kingdom that IS God), and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Remember...
           God gives us, in Psalm 100:4, the KEY to ONEness, saying, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name."Just before Jesus was arrested, here is John's account of what Jesus prayed.... just as we also pray:

           "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be ONE; as Thou, Father, art IN Me, and I IN Thee, that they also may be ONE IN Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gave Me I have given them; that they may be ONE, even as We are ONE: I IN them, and Thou IN Me, that they may be made perfect IN ONE; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My Glory, which Thou has given Me: for Thou loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me. And I have declared unto them Thy Name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be... IN them, and I IN them (John 17:20-26)."
     We cannot enter in-to ONEness with Jesus Christ, as He prayed in the garden just before He was arrested, without first having obtained a heart filled with GRATITUDE to God for who He is more than for what He can do for us. Gratitude is the KEY that unlocks His gates... that provides the way for those who WANT Him to begin their journey toward becoming One IN God, One IN Jesus Christ, and One IN The Person of The Holy Spirit
           We so enjoy watching the lives of truly grateful people. When you are with someone who is exceedingly grateful to God for Who He is, they will also be grateful for those around them. They will have and display a remarkable level of uncommon respect for others. They are quick to speak life. They are selfless and are always looking for ways to help others in any and every way they can. They look to see others through God's eyes, being ready and willing to help others to recognize and call out the gifts that God has placed in them. They fan the flame in the heart of others to complete the work God has wired them to full-fill. And, lastly, people who know and love God wholeheartedly are truly grateful to Him for Who He is and can't help but tell everyone about Him. Everyone can see how they live life being more keenly aware of the times we are living in, willing to do whatever they are called to do for lifting up our Heavenly Father to be glorified in the eyes of as many people as possible. And the work they do and life they live comes from their passion for God, not their need for approval.

           We encourage you to ask the Person of The Holy Spirit to meet with you in the pages of God's written Word. There is where, if we will ask Him, and wait on Him, He will bring to light all of those times when He has answered our prayers along the way, in turn, making it possible for us to recall and reflect on all of the wonder-full things He has done for us throughout our lives. In turn, our hearts will become filled with gratitude that compels us to offer up thanksgiving to Him, for Him and for everything He IS and everything He does. Satan knows full well that, if he can deceive us into critically condemning others with our words, then he can steal our joy that comes with being IN ONEness with our Father, with Jesus Christ, and with the Person of The Holy Spirit in your life.

           "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Colossians 3:15

           Our sincerest hope is that you have found some encouragement in this blog. We want you to know that there is even more notes to encourage you, and your friends and family members, in our most-requested book of Toward The Mark, "Letters From The Front." We want to personally invite you to get a copy for yourself, just click here to e-mail us.

           The rarest and most fun people in the world have a heart that is filled with gratitude to God for WHO HE IS more than for what He can do for them! You are invited to join us in always remembering to, no matter what, KEEP PRESSIN' IN!


           Consider using our  LETTERS FROM THE FRONT book, a special collection of 12 of our most-requested teaching titles:

Sin Makes Ya Stewpit
The Cart's Before The Horse;
The Crisis of Eroding Integrity
The Fruit's at the End of the Limb
Too Quick to Compromise
The Rarest of All Breeds
Please...Stop Stinkin'
3 Keys to God-Pleasing Faith
Let It Go!
Understanding the Fear of The Lord
Into The Secret Place
Give to Give!


    This collection of twelve teachings, when taken to heart, will help you emerge triumphant over seemingly impossible situations...
"LETTERS From The FRONT" available by request, please click here to e-mail us.



Would you write and let us know how this message has fanned the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, His Ways, and for God's Plan for your life? If you would like to request a special order of our book "LETTERS From The FRONT" or any product from Keith Shealy and Toward The Mark, or if you have questions about our work, resources, or giving tax-deductible donations, please click here to e-mail us. We welcome you to also feel free to write us a letter and mail it to TOWARD THE MARK, P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152.


May you be greatly blessed as God writes this message in your heart. We praise Him, with eternal gratitude, for our loving Toward The Mark Family without whose help and support this work would not be possible!

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. We are praying for you to be encouraged and edified by our written and recorded product accounts from The Gospel that Jesus Christ preached in our written and recorded products.


We couldn't do this without the help of our friends!
The blog message you have just read, along with each of our original podcast, music, and video recordings, CDs, books, magazines, and other resources in our ministry collection is made possible by the faithful prayer and financial support of the TTM Family. If you would like to become a part of the TTM Family, your monthly financial support of any amount will help fulfilling God's call on our lives to make Holy-Bible-based messages available to the churched and un-churched alike. You are invited to partner with us in working with God to fulfill His desire for everybody to know Christ Jesus, The Way, The Truth, and The Life...personally. We "... press Toward The Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14) Would you consider helping us expand our outreach capabilities by becoming a monthly financial partner? Your support will go toward helping to provide effective, practical outreach tools for ministering the love, truth, and salvation of Jesus Christ.




Every gift is appreciated and helps.


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 vision and mission God has given to this ministry! We pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!







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















"See sidebar Pressin'IN Blog titles"

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click here to e-mail us

Monday, October 2

Defeat the GIANTS that Stand between You and Your Promotion!


"Intimidation and fear comes to protect and preserve the 'giants' that come to kill, steal, and destroy our Life; Promotion only comes when we face down and defeat the giants that stand in front of us." --Keith, Brenda, and the TTM Team

DON'T FEAR THE GIANTS IN YOUR LIFE; ... THEY'RE GREAT EXERCISE FOR YOU! Until "Goliath", David was known by most folks as just a lowly shepherd boy. But, when David ran toward and killed "Giant Goliath", that lowly shepherd boy became a national hero in King Saul's kingdom. David was able to be used to deliver God's people because David had learned early on in life that, to trust God and to walk in the Strength of God, defeating the "giants" that come along (such as bears, lions, etc) is not only possible but is essential in our everyday lives. So when David faced Goliath, a giant who was intimidating everyone in Saul's army, David was fully equipped to fulfill God's plan on the battlefield, when everything was on the line. You see, the bear, the lion and any other "giants" that David had to confront and overcome in order to protect his sheep proved to be essential exercise for him to be prepared to defeat the giant Goliath that threatened God's flock..

           "But The LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for The LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but The LORD looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7)."

           "And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid  (1 Samuel 17:22-24)."

           So, if we are going to fulfill God's plan for our lives, we cannot ignore or run from the opportunities we have to team with God to overcome the giants in our lives. The next time fear jumps on you, see it for what it is: a great opportunity to practice winning. When you trust God to help you overcome your giants, you will not only see the Lord move on your behalf, but those around you will witness your victories, and their faith can also be built up for overcoming the giants in their own lives.

           REMEMBER: The purpose of intimidation and fear is to protect and preserve the "giants" (anything that comes to kill, steal, and destroy us); But Jesus Christ came to give us Life.

           "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5)."

           We know many people today who do not attend a local church nor hang out with truly dedicated Christian friends. If you are not connected with a church body for whatever reason, we and our TTM Family of Partners would like to present you with an opportunity to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life.

           Also, if you, for whatever reason, have drifted away from The Lord God, we invite you to return Home where you, truly, belong. Giving your whole heart to Jesus Christ is "the most important" and "the best" decision you can and will ever make in your lifetime!"

           Pray this prayer...
"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!

            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...  learnin', and growin' *with* our Lord and Savior.  You might consider using Keith and Brenda Shealy's book  Overcoming Intimidation, 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! Ten life-changing teaching chapters:

;
Run to the Roar!
The Counterfeit Boldness of Presumption and Pride
Fear of Death
For Thou Art With Me
Boot Camp
The Whole Armor of God
The Overcomer
Victory
Prayer of Salvation
Welcome Home!


  This 10-chapter book of teachings,
when taken to heart,
will help you emerge triumphant over seemingly impossible hindrances keeping you from reaching God's full potential for your life...
"Overcoming Intimidation"
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 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: 






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 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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