Gearing Up for Missions Ahead

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No matter what we are called to do... Gearin’UP our physical tools and talents to present “the very best” of all we are and can be, together with The Holy Spirit, gives us the cutting edge in ministering God’s Love into the lives of people.

"Delight thyself also in The LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart (Psalm 37:4).”

Among the wonderful ways we have seen God bless Toward The Mark outreaches, near the very top of the list is the way our passion for God and His people shines through the quality of our musical instruments and stage equipment. In song-writing and performing music at outreach events, our ministry is passionate about using only high-quality gear that can enhance the messages in our songs. This speaks to the promise of God to us in Psalm 37 above. As we continue to gear UP, our heart’s desires continue to become fulfilled and to extend.

It was not long after I got my first department store guitar and amplifier in the sixth grade that I learned, the hard way, how the quality of sound we produce in our music depends largely on the instrument we play. The dime store electric guitar that I had just got to play malfunctioned. Not knowing how to fix it, I took it to a member of a well-known regional rock band who lived in our neighborhood. After he looked it over, he asked to keep it for a week to work on making repairs on it. My friend then surprised me when he went upstairs in his house and brings back a Gibson Melody Maker electric guitar. He handed it to me and said I should take it home and play it for the time being. Getting to play my friend, Mike's, Gibson Melody Maker after playing my burdensome no-name instrument was like going from a rickety old bicycle to riding a Harley Davidson. As I improved my playing, expanding to play bass guitar and drums, getting the best essentials I could afford made all the difference along the way. Low-quality gear offers low-quality output; Higher-quality gear offers higher-quality output. In short, using cheap tools is burdensome while worth-y ones make for more fun and fulfilling missions to accomplish.”

Whenever God provides opportunities for us to present our original songs, whether it be for an audience of 20 or 2,000, we can confidently say that we are better equipped now than we have ever been. God has provided for us the kind of gear that can meet just about any venue requirement. When it comes to delivering God’s wonderful Word to His precious people, whether the platform be music, preaching or teaching, it is our responsibility to represent God and His Word with excellence. This also includes presenting with excellence the gear that He has given us for His work.

I cannot begin to recall how many times folks have come to me after an event and said something like, “From the moment that we walked in and saw the set-up on stage, not a mediocre presentation but, with quality gear on display before the event began, our hope and expectation of what God was going to do there that day went way up.” Most people can discern whether or not a person’s whole heart is in what they do simply by the way they present themselves. I have found that, more often than not, one who cares for and presents the tools of their trade speaks louder than the words they speak.

When we are truly passionate about representing God with excellence, using all we have to offer, we maximize The Holy Spirit’s opportunity to minister God’s Love into the lives of the people we minister to. Whether we are called to drive a bus, operate a cleaning business, or even work behind a desk, gearing up and performing tasks with excellence makes a difference. So, whether we are the driver, cleaner, or desk worker, we make sure to maintain and properly use all of the tools,equipment, and talents God entrusts to our stewardship at all times.

Remember, the physical things we get to have and use don’t belong to us. They, as well as the hearts of the people that God entrusts to our care, belong to God. Everything God entrusts to our stewardship belongs to Him! He trusts each one of us to be the most excellent steward over what He created in us (our talents and abilities) and what he brings into our hands!

Ultimately, if we are responsible agents of all that we are called to be and do to minister to others in our lives, if we maximize on the quality and function of all that is entrusted to us, then we get to return our possessions better than they were when we received them. For me and my team, as we work hard to gather and build better instruments and stage equipment, being blessed to hear words of affirmation from people we minister to is a small part of the rewards that compel us to keep on sowing and serving by faith and never stop “Gearin’UP” for The Master’s missions to come.

“And The LORD said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath (Luke 12:42-44).”

We are grateful for the wonderfully fruitful opportunities The Person of The Holy Spirit is blessing and has blessed us with, to glorify the Great Name of our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.  These are opportunities we simply could not take advantage of if not for the passion and support of our Toward The Mark partners to magnify Jesus Christ and send 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 being here to take part in our work. Our friends and our family of faith praise God for everything He has been doing in and through us to encourage and reach this end time's generation with The Gospel of Jesus Christ... and with The Gospel Jesus Christ preached!

Your friends in Christ Jesus,

    
    

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We couldn't do this without the help of our friends!
This blog channel, along with the complete collection of our original Bible-based podcasts, music, blogs, books, CDs, and other Toward The Mark resources, 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 provide effective, contemporary outreach tools that are available to everyone, the churched and un-churched alike. People everywhere are hungry to know more about the love, truth, and salvation of Jesus Christ. We invite you to partner with us to, "press Toward The Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)

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

...HEAR FROM GOD!

...THERE IS HOPE AFTER ABORTION!

...BORN TO TRIUMPH!

~ "Keith Shealy & Toward The Mark" on Facebook

~ "TTM SingingSgt" on Twitter

~ "Sharing with you the Secrets God Whispers to us" teachings on our website 

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!

Keep PRESSIN' IN!

    

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This Lost and Dying World Needs You...

Do you know how I know that God has put something in you that is crucially important to the fulfillment of His plan for all of creation? You're HERE!

I (Keith) once had a very sobering revelation of what it would be like to stand before the almighty, all-loving God without having finished the things for which He had put me here on earth to do. To say the least, just the thought of not finishing and being abundantly fruitful, made my heart sick! There I was, standing before the all-loving God, "Love" Himself, not having been fully "about" my Father's business while on earth. I had not multiplied my talents, nor used the abilities God had given me for His purpose, for glorifying His matchless Name.

I can remember being overwhelmed with grief, not from being condemned by God, but from a deep regret and sorrow I felt from within me, the likes of which I had never known. I found myself wishing I could just have a second chance to go back and work WITH GOD to use the gifts the way HE had planned for me to use them. I had used my talents for my own purposes, rather than God's; I had wasted too much time. I can now tell you, without a doubt, that when my time on earth is done and I stand before God I will have given everything I had within me and "DIED EMPTY!"

Before our college football games at Ferrum, we used to say to one another, "Leave it ALL on the field!" Now, with all of our strength, we encourage you to do the same, while you still have the game ahead of you! Overcome the intimidation, fear, and procrastination, and get on course to finish what God has so richly programmed you to fulfill from the foundation of the earth. Before it is too late, get the things that God has richly deposited in you, out, into the hands and hearts of others who need it. Don't take the books, the music, or anything else God has planned for only you to complete, to your grave! This lost and dying world needs you to "keep your head in the game!" This lost and dying world needs you to "leave it ALL on the field!"

For more about fulfilling God's Plan, more like this message and with more details, email us your request for your copy of TTM Magazine. When you do, mention our special offer to include in your mailed package a special copy of our book, "Letters From The Front" and twelve of our most requested teaching messages, in their entirety, contained inside our "Letters From The Front" book. We will be glad to send your copy along with your TTM Magazine request, and also a copy for your friend(s) and loved one(s), all for your donation of any amount that The Lord puts on your heart to give to support this work. We appreciate you and your joining us here on our Pressin'IN TowardTheMark blogspot.

~ Hear our podcast:  Don't look to Dad for what only your Father has!

~ Listen IN by clicking:

~ Check us out at "Keith Shealy & Toward The Mark" on Facebook

~ Feel free to join us at "TTM SingingSgt" on Twitter

~ See as we are "Sharing with you the Secrets God Whispers to us" on our TTM website

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We couldn't do this without the help of our friends!

This blog post, along with each of our original podcasts, music and video recordings, books, magazines, and other resources in our ministry collection, is made possible by the faithful prayer and financial support of the TTM Family of Sponsorship Partners. If you would like to become a part of the TTM Family, your monthly financial support of any amount will help toward fulfilling God's call on our lives to make Holy-Bible-based messages available to the churched and un-churched individuals alike. You are invited to partner with us in working with God to fulfill His desire for everybody to know Christ Jesus as He IS... The Way, The Truth, and The Life... personally. We will remain steadfast to "... 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 help toward providing effective, practical outreach tools for ministering the love, truth, and salvation of Jesus Christ.

Help fan the flame in the hearts of those who are looking to increase in their faith, courage, and strength through Christ Jesus!  Give your tax-deductible gift today and help make more messages and resources like this possible!  Become a part of The Family of Toward The Mark, Inc. Sponsors.

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

Every gift is appreciated and helps.

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!

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        Take me back to the top of this post.

        Take me to "Is GOD accelerating time?" post.

        Take me to "WINNING THE LOST *Part III* Count The Cost..." post.

        Take me to "WINNING THE LOST *Part II* We Can Only Give What..." post.

        Take me to "WINNING THE LOST *Part I* Throw off Religious..." post.

        Take me to the "Gratitude is Literally The KEY" post.

        Take me to the "Award Shows and Idols" post.

        Take me to "What Quality Guitars & Instruments Should Be" post.

        Take me to the "HAPPY BIRTHDAY American Flag & USArmy" post.

        Take me to the "D-Day 75th Anniversary" post.

        Take me to the "Out of the Shadows" post.

        Take me to "What is God's View of Abortion" post.

            Our sincerest hope is that you are encouraged as you take in this blog. We'd like to invite you to take advantage of even more messages of encouragement, for you and your friends and family members, specially available now in one of our most-requested Toward The Mark books entitled, "Letters From The Front." We want to personally invite you to get your personal copy today.

            Our book  LETTERS FROM THE FRONT is 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... click here to e-mail us your request.

Would you write and let us know how this message has fanned the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, His Ways, and God's Plan for your life? If you would like to request a special order of "LETTERS From The FRONT" or another of Keith Shealy and Toward The Mark's resources, mention "COMPLIMENTARY COPY PLEASE" for an extra THANK YOU book copy that we will be happy to include with your order. Also, 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 are eternally grateful for our loving Toward The Mark Family of sponsors who, without their friendship, financial support, and faithful prayers this work would not be possible!

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DON'T Take Your Gifts to the Grave With You... We NEED 'em!

"Fulfilling your purpose God put IN you to fulfill, w-i-t-h Him, is much more important than you might t-h-i-n-k it is!"

Did you know that there are areas of real estate in your own community that contain something so valuable that all of the world's money, diamonds, gold, and every other precious mineral pale by comparison? What are these places? Your local cemeteries! They are the most wealthy places of all, because buried in graves are songs that were never sung, books that were never written, businesses that were never started, and encouraging words that were never spoken. All of those and countless other wonderful things that never became more than good intentions are now lying six feet under the ground.

            WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? Why do so many people talk about doing great things, but end up taking the visions and dreams that God placed in their hearts to the grave? The answer is simple. They never found out why God put them on earth, and so their lives were mere shadows, having no real meaning. They did not succeed in fulfilling the purpose for which God created them, because only in His purpose is the secret to a successful life to be found. DON'T MISS IT!

            SO, WHAT ABOUT... the people who have written hit songs or best-selling books? Are they successful? They are IF those things were done w-i-t-h God, because what the ungodly understand as success is not truly success at all. While it may be true that they pursued their dreams and accomplished some, or even all, of their vision, whatever someone accomplishes without (on the outside of) Christ is not in the will of God, and is achieved by the arm of the human flesh. Such efforts are the "abuse" of their own being - the "ABnormal USE, or "abuse" of God's original intent for that person's being, with the gifts and talents that He placed in them for His purposes and for His good pleasure. The truth is... Without God we can do nothing!

            The sooner we realize this... 
...the sooner we can begin accomplishing God's purpose for creating us.
...only then can we truly be fulfilled!
...only then can we live genuinely successful lives. For our dreams and visions can only be fully understood and truly realized within the context and fulfillment of God's vision for us. In other words, it is only by fulfilling God's will that we CAN BE fulfilled.

            How do we know what God's "will" is for us, that thing that He has placed in us to fulfill, with Him? Here is a hint. What do you have the most fun doing? What is that one thing that you wake up in the mornings, and go to bed at night, thinking about accomplishing? Remember this, God will never call you to do something you do not like to do. Why is that? Because He knows far better than we do that, if we do not enjoy doing what we are called to do, we simply will not "want" to do it.

            Fact: the Person of The Holy Spirit can help you identify the unique thing God wired in you, that thing God has given you as a gift, for the purpose of working with Him to lead His kids into His loving, open, and waiting arms., Now, get with The Holy Spirit, ask Him to show you what God's Will is for you, and have fun "with Him" fulfilling your calling! GOD LOVES YOU, AND YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS!

            We need what God has created in you for the sake of encouraging all of us, so don't take your gifts, your books, your music, your messages, your businesses, etc. to the grave with you! Press through the intimidating spirits that come to discourage you away from completing the purpose that God has placed in you. And, just as Jesus did on the cross, FINISH TRIUMPHANT!

            NOW, if you haven't invited Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, right there where you are, say this prayer to God. "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 can ever make! By accepting Jesus Christ, or rededicating your life to Him, as your personal Lord and Saviour, you have begun the wonderful process of being grafted into the Family of God, and we welcome you home. We would like to invite you to contact us so that we can send you information that will help you begin growing in your relationship with God. We would also 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 welcome you into the Family of God... right where you "belong", and always will! (Selah)

            And, remember, no matter what,  KEEP PRESSIN' IN... and learnin', and growin', w-i-t-h our Lord and Savior, and with Keith and Brenda Shealy & Toward The Mark's:

XII SMOOTH STONES book, holding the collection of these 12 most-requested Titles:

No Matter What!	The Magnetic Mantle or Why Cats... Have Kitties;
Fire, Pressure, and Them Slithery... Snakes	The Ultimate Home Gym
Vampires In The Church	STOP...
The Great Deception	The Invisible Man
God Is So Much Bigger Than You Think!	Die Empty!
Building Godly Friendships	The Secret To A Happy Life

Twelve of Keith's best lessons-learned that are most-requested by friends and fellow-readers are printed in our book, "XII Smooth Stones" available at TowardTheMark online

We pray God uses this message 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: 

~  "Keith Shealy & Toward The Mark" on Facebook 

~   "TTM Singing Sergeant" on Twitter 

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!

           Take me back to the top of this post.

           Take me back to "The Magnetic Mantle...Why Cats Should Have Kitties".

           Take me to "Valentine's 5-Step Prep" post.

           Take me to "Run TO the Roar!" post.

           Take me to "Overcoming Intimidation" post.

           Take me to "The Heart of Thanksgiving" post.

           Take me to "The Invisible Man" post.

           Take me to "The Abomination of Misrepresentation" post.

           Take me to "Living Among Thorns" post.

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

Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 - 2017 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply | (757)251-2440 TowardTheMark.com | Contact TTM by EMAIL

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