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