A Prophetic Word to the Church

A Prophetic Word to the Church

DEDICATION:  
It is the heartfelt prayer of all of the Toward The Mark Team that this blog will serve to—in a big way—encourage, preserve, and ensure the role of Godly integrity in the lives of all who read it.

Dr. Myles Munroe once made this very sobering statement: 

“Wouldn’t it be terrible to wake up one day and realize that you spent forty years pastoring a church when you should have been driving a bus for a living? Or how about waking up one day after driving a bus for forty years to realize that you should have been pastoring a church?”

Please, never accept a leadership position in God’s Church for the pay or the recognition. Accept it only because it is your divine calling! God always provides for the fulfillment of His vision for our lives! This is especially true for those who have been called by Him to love and to feed His sheep. Based on the present condition of not only the church, but also the massive amounts of people that are going unreached in this country, I am of the opinion that about 95% of those occupying leadership positions today should be doing something else with their lives. As harsh as that may sound, here is why I say it. America has within just the last 30 years made the tragic transition from being a Christian nation to becoming a religious and an extremely materialistic society. This situation can only turn around as the right people, folks who are operating inside of their gifts and callings, assume church leadership. But how are we to know the difference?

In 1990, totally grieved about the treatment that I had seen so many of God’s people having to endure at the hand of “professional religious leaders,” I began to earnestly fast and to pray for them all. While in prayer, I received a timely word from the Lord. Remember, this Word came to me back in 1990. This is what He said:

“Be encouraged; it won’t be long now. I am dismantling the Church as you have known it, and am raising up a new breed of leader. The pruning process that is occurring even now will yield a fresh, new, and abundant crop of men and women who love and seek Me with their whole hearts. Their affection will not be divided! They have both seen and endured the painful wrath and tormenting flames of religion’s harsh taskmasters, and through it all have emerged victorious. This will be that generation that will be called My Bride. They will walk in purity and will be without spot or wrinkle because I will remember their sins no more. Untainted any longer by sin and the terrible stench of religion, they will be a sweet-smelling savor to Me and all who receive them. I will take pleasure in all of their exploits and will bless all they put their hands to because I know them intimately and because they know Me intimately (Because I am in them and they are in Me). Just as I called forth Lazarus from the grave, I will soon call these forth from the factories, from the job sites, from the kitchens, from caves, home offices, and all four corners of the earth. I will call all of those who have endured deafening loneliness for My Name’s sake, and while I have had them hidden in caves, they have trusted in Me, rested in Me, and waited on Me without fail. These are the joy of My heart and will be easily recognized by all who see them. They will be girded about in the spirit with the towel of loving and selfless service to others!”

*Find this Word to the Church, along with more of what we find when we look between the lines, in our book, "THE CRISIS OF ERODING INTEGRITY."  More info and availability @ Toward The Mark's website.  In Christ Jesus, Keith & Brenda Shealy

"I am dismantling the Church as you have known it, and am raising up a new breed of leader." - Keith Shealy

"But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."  (John 4:23-24)

If you would like to sow financial seed into the work and ministry of TowardTheMark:

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

Every gift is appreciated, tax-deductible, and helps.

Mail tax-deductible contributions by check or money order payable to  Toward The Mark, Inc  P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152. 

Thank you for sowing your financial seed into this work and mission that God has given! May God bless you with a 100-fold return on your gift of generosity!

We INVITE YOU...
see and hear, also follow and share, more from TowardTheMark:

 "Our Year of Opportunity" website;  
 "KeithAndBrenda BetweenTheLines Podcast" on TTM's Libsyn channel;  
 "Keith Shealy & Toward The Mark" on Facebook;  
 "Keith and BrendaLee Shealy's Videos" on the TTM Channel;  
 "Pressing In *Toward The Mark* Blogspot" on Blogger; and  
 "TTMSingingSgt" on Twitter ...
 for more Scripture-based messages, what the devil doesn't want us to know.

Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 - 2021 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply | Visit TowardTheMark.com website |
Connect with TowardTheMark on e-mail.

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Day 4, Paragraph 4 of Weekday Blog #1

*Starting our morning and day off great with the 10-minute Weekday Blog*

Our first DAILY blog, every Weekday in JUNE!

Thank you for joining us for this
ground-breaking JOURNEY...
through the 1st CHAPTER of Keith's book,
“Keep the FAITH…Keep Your VISION”!

If you will read this book in its entirety, then you will be equipped
to begin walking with the confidence and authority that Jesus Christ
came and died to provide for us, in order that we may work *with*
Him, be *fulfilled* in our work, lead a *successful life*, and...
      

Day FOUR,
Paragraph FOUR:

    
The truth is, without God we can do nothing!  Another way to say that truth is to say, *on the outside* of God we can do nothing and, conversely, *with*, or *on the inside* of God we can do all things.  The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can begin accomplishing God's purpose for creating us.  Until then, we cannot truly be fulfilled.  However, when we do realize that truth, then is when we can live genuinely successful lives.  For us to fully understand and truly realize our dreams and visions, we must work within the context and fulfillment of God's vision for us.  In other words, it is only by fulfilling God's Will and Purpose for creating us, so specially and intricately as He has each one of us, that we can be fulfilled, that we can live successful lives.

Question to ponder:

What is one thing that you have done in your life that gave you a sense of satisfaction? Did that accomplishment give you a sense of fulfillment, or lasting satisfaction?  _________________________________________

Keith's Comments:

"This I have learned:  In order to walk in fulfillment, we have to realize that God is the Consummate Family Man.  The reason that you are here, and the reason that I am here, is to walk with God and to work with Him to fulfill His plan and purpose for all of His Creation.  To take what God has given us, when the Scriptures say, ‘God created us for His good pleasure,’ what does that mean?  In short, it means that God created us to work with Him 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.  He created us to not only work *with* Him but, just as importantly if not more importantly, to rest and trust *in* Him and to *dwell* in Him continually.  Think about that for a moment.  The ‘good pleasure’ that God receives from us is not in our fulfilling things f-o-r Him; it’s to be *with* Him constantly – God IN us and us IN Him.  I struggled to understand this, early on in my Christian walk.  I wondered, ‘How is it that God actually receives pleasure and joy from *spending time* with me?’  This is exactly the point God wanted to get across to each of us.  And He wanted us to understand it so much that He sent His One and Only Son to fulfill His desire and passion to be able to be with us continually, us *in oneness with Him*.  This means that, even though we live on earth, we can, simultaneously, live *in God*, and it is Christ Jesus Who made the way for us to be in this world and to have a dwelling place in God at the same time.  Fulfillment is when we use the gifts and the talents that we enjoy the most in our lives, and we use them *with* God. To relay to those around us who don’t know that reality that GOD IS WAITING with open arms to lead them, too, into fulfillment, is fulfillment as well.  When I accomplished things in my business career, using the skills and talents God had wired in me, satisfaction was always temporary and sometimes even painfully so.  Where I was channeling my abilities is what needed adjusting, by God.  When I asked Him for and received His adjusting, that is when fulfillment came, and it was a lasting feeling like I had never imagined, and continues without end.  I consulted Him as ‘Chief Operator’ in my life, as well as ‘Manufacturer’ of me and my life.  And He continually fills me up, full to overflowing.”

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
(Romans 12:2)

********************************

This book is based on real-life matters that are crucial for each one of us to embrace in our life. To ask questions, make a special donation for a large quantity of books, or if you would like to share a testimony or prayer request with us, please click for e-mail, or write a letter and mail it to the address shown on our website, and as provided below.

We pray God bless you greatly as you have greatly blessed us and the entire Toward The Mark, Inc. Family!

Your friends & servants in Christ,

Take me back to the top of this page.

Take me to the top of yesterday's page *DAY 3*

Take me to the top of *DAY 2*

Take me to the top of *DAY 1*

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.  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 onboard TODAY!

We INVITE You ... to follow and share these resources that are available as well, for helping build your faith in God, His Will, and His Ways:

~ "Keith Shealy & Toward The Mark" on Facebook
~ "TTM Singing Sergeant" on Twitter
~  Keith Shealy's "Between The Lines Podcast" on Libsyn.
~ "Sharing Messages God Whispers" on the website

This blog message, along with the rest of our inventory of Bible-based resources, is made possible by the support of our faithful monthly partners. Would you consider helping us expand our outreach capabilities by becoming a monthly financial partner? Your support will go toward fulfilling our God-given calling to help provide effective, contemporary outreach tools, available to everyone, the churched and un-churched alike, for getting to know 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)

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 to the order of:
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!

True Happiness - The Secret to a Happy Life

  What if you were to randomly stop people on the street and ask each of them, "What is true happiness?"  We can anticipate that, with very few exceptions, the responses would include such answers as...

  

.

"Happiness is :

-- being independently wealthy";
-- having a new house, boat, or car", 
-- finding, marrying, and settling down with the person of my dreams"; or
-- achieving success and fame in business, sports, music, school or even church."

  However "good" all of these things might seem, they simply can NOT produce true happiness.  They may bring temporary pleasure, or even elation for a time, perhaps, but never TRUE happiness.



TRUE happiness is the product of the following 5 SECRETS TO A HAPPY LIFE!  From the very start, we want to encourage you to read and re-read each of the five secrets slowly and intentionally for detail.  Also, take time to print out several copies to post in places where you'll regularly see them, as well as, to have handy to pass on to others in a moment's notice.  Lastly, and as importantly, begin praising God, in advance, for developing in you the personal experience of "Pressin' In" and putting these secrets into action, step by step.  And, as you do, watch what remarkable things He will do as He moves and blesses you! 

~The Secret to a Happy Life is printed in its entirety, with 11 additional messages in Keith's book "XII SMOOTH STONES". Be armed and ready for battle against the giants in your life with your book copy available for a tax-deductible contribution to the ministry at Keith Shealy & TowardTheMark books  Remember, every gift helps, is tax-deductible, welcomed, and much-appreciated!~

#1: BE RECONCILED TO GOD. You must be born again! This requires true repentance: the turning away from all sin in your life. Sin is anything that separates us from oneness with our heavenly Father. So, sin is not limited to overt vices such as illicit sex or abuse of drugs- those are simply examples of ways we are prevented from being one with our Creator. Sin is anything that builds a wall between us and God. A wall that can only be torn down as we turn our back on our old way of life, find new friends who love Jesus, and seek God with our whole heart.

#2: BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD. This step is crucial to achieving the happy life, yet it is one few believers take. Remember, the Word tells us that we reap what we sow. If we sow of the Spirit, then we shall reap of the Spirit. So what is a new-born believer to do to sow of the Spirit? “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1 Peter 2:1-2) So, fall in love with God's Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to tutor you. And don't become frustrated if you can't figure something out where the Scriptures are concerned. Just READ, RELAX, and ENJOY, and especially remember this, God requires, not that we figure out His Word, but that we do it. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves!" (James 1:22)

#3: BE THANK-FULL. It is one of the hallmarks of the truly happy life, and as such, is a major indicator of walking in the Spirit. For how can we enter His gates and go into His courts except it be by the Spirit? Conversely, the absence of thankfulness should be regarded as a warning sign that repentance is in order, because departing from iniquity includes departing from un-thankfulness. A heart that is full of thanks will express gratitude freely, both to God and to others. The un-thankful heart will not. Finally, the thankful heart is a place of joy. "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." (Psalm 100:4) As a crucial side-note, remember this: praise is not what we do; praise is a "result"... A result of what? Praise is like a sweet-smelling, invisible smoke that goes up before God's Throne from a heart that has become filled, to overflowing, with gratitude for Who He is, more than for what He does. This "sweet-smelling fragrance" is pleasing to God. So, be thankful or, as we like to say, be filled with thanks.

#4: BE IMMERSED IN THE JOY OF THE LORD. Why is this? When we walk with God, it fills His heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory. He, in turn, bestows the same upon us (1 Peter 1:8). It is when we actually see Him happy that we experience for ourselves what true happiness is. Without the joy of the Lord, we will never experience a truly happy life. Moreover, the joy of the Lord makes us strong. “For the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-10) In other words, when we are blessed to see God happy, it results in our being made strong.

#5: RECOGNIZE THAT THE PLEASURES OF SIN ARE SHORT-LIVED LEADING TO LONG-TERM SUFFERING, WHILE THE TRIALS OF GODLINESS ARE SHORT-LIVED LEADING TO EVERLASTING HAPPINESS! Trials are a necessary part of the happy life. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2-4) “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17) While not all trials are the Lord’s chastisement, both chastening and trials are used by God to work the character of Christ into our souls. As James wrote, “the trying of your faith works patience”; but only if we “let patience have her perfect work.” Why? When we allow patience to have her perfect (aka: complete) work, then we will be complete, wanting (or "lacking") nothing. Such is the state of godly contentment which is yet another sign of walking in the Spirit. If there has been one thing that I would place at the very top of the list of reasons why so many Christians today are not happy, it would be that, when the trials of life come, they run. The trials of life, and "the baptism of fire" as Scripture refers to it, are *priceless gifts* from God. Without them, dying to our sinful ways would not be possible. So remember, when the trials of life come, resist the temptation to run away from or escape them. Let them do their perfect work. You'll be *happy* you did!!

We invite you to read and share the details of Keith's 2nd most-requested book "XII SMOOTH STONES" on page #67 of  TTM Magazine  available by clicking here to request your copy by e-mail request.  We thank you in advance for connecting with us.


Consider "XII SMOOTH STONES"  for  your next classroom group or Bible study; It's an excellent resource for church leaders and those who aspire to become leaders in the body of Christ."


We accept financial contributions that help support the work of the ministry, and your tax-deductible gifts are as you feel led to give. We will be eternally grateful for your support and sponsorship!



Keep PRESSIN' IN! 

 

As you listen in to "The Secrets for a Happy Life" podcast, which is also, like this blog message, based on Chapter 12 of Keith's Book XII SMOOTH STONES, you'll hear Keith's original song, "I'm Gonna Follow You" as well.  From Keith's newest CD entitled "Between The Lines," here is a sneak preview of a few of the lyrics:

"I don't wanna do it if it ain't right;
 I just want to stay well in Your Sight.
 I don't even care what they might say-ay;  I'm just gonna follow You... anyway! " ...

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:13-14)   #PressTowardTheMark

________________________________

          We thank you for joining together with us for this message! We hope this, and each of our blog posts, helps fan the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, His wonder-full ways, plan, and purpose for you 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 an order for our special offer of "Keep the FAITH, Keep Your VISION" or another Keith Shealy & Toward The Mark Inc. book or CD, or to share a testimony or prayer request with us, please click here to e-mail us. If you prefer to write a letter, mail it to the address found below & on our website.

We pray God bless you greatly in carrying this message in your heart. Thank you for taking part in this blog, and in each of our blog posts that have been made possible by the faithful support of our loving Toward The Mark, Inc. Family of sponsors!

Your friends & servants in Christ,

Take me back to the top of this post 

Take me to the "What the devil DOESN'T Want You to Know" post

Take me to the Journey through Chapter ONE of Keith's book, *Keep the FAITH*.

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.  Our constant prayer is that you will be encouraged and edified by the Secrets from God's Word that we recounts in our written and recorded products.  The complete collection of original podcasts, music, blogs, books, CDs, and other resources of Toward The Mark, Inc. has been made possible by the prayer and financial contributions of the faithful family of Toward The Mark, Inc. We'd like to welcome you on-board, as a family member also!  Join TODAY!

We INVITE You ... to follow and share these messages and resources:

~  "Keith Shealy's Toward The Mark" on Facebook      

~  "TTM Singing Sergeant" on Twitter

~  "Sharing messages God Whispers" on the website

~  "Between The Lines (TTM) podcast" by Keith & Brenda Shealy       

This blog message, along with the rest of our inventory of Bible-based resources, is made possible by the support of our faithful monthly partners. Would you consider helping us expand our outreach capabilities by becoming a monthly financial partner? Your support will go toward fulfilling our God-given calling to help provide effective, contemporary outreach tools, available to everyone, the churched and un-churched alike, for getting to know 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)

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 to the order of:
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 TTM, Inc.! We pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!

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

"See flipcard titles"