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Showing posts with label tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tools. Show all posts

Sunday, March 29

Gearing Up for Missions Ahead



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,
    
    

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.:











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!
    

Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 - 2026 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply |
 Visit TowardTheMark.com website |  Connect with TowardTheMark on e-mail.




Thursday, July 14

NEW, Mini-Series Weekday 9 of 20

*Giving a boost to our day and life, with this 10-minute Weekday Blog*
Our 2nd Blog Mini-Series, each Weekday in JULY!

Thank you for joining us as we
continue this JOURNEY
...
digging in to the 2nd - 
3rd CHAPTERS 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 #9 of 20-day Blog mini-series #2
Chapter THREE, "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth"
    
"Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth"
            In the same 2 Timothy 2:15-16 passage (from yesterday's focus), the phrase, "rightly dividing The Word of Truth" is contrasted with being able to "shun profane and vain babblings." The latter are evil in that they result in the increase of ungodliness. One very important way we avoid "profane and vain babblings" is by not taking one portion of Scripture out of context and running with it. This one gross error, alone - taking portions of Scripture out of context - has resulted in many wacky teachings and crazy practices (how about snake handling... anyone?). Rather important for us to embrace as a principle we practice is, as the Scripture tells us, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (2 Corinthians 13:1)

Question to ponder:

Have you ever heard the matchless and wonder-full spoken Word of God for yourself, or have you only settled for the interpretation of His written Word from others?  _________________________________________

Keith's "Comments from the Author":

          "Misinterpreting the Scriptures has a deadly effect. When we try to "figure out" God's Holy Word, using our carnal minds, and don't seek The Person of The Holy Spirit for the true definitions, what we are doing is misrepresenting God, Himself. God and His Word are ONE.  

          When I was in the 3rd grade, our teacher had all of us stand up and push our desks back to the walls of the classroom. She had all of us get into a big circle, facing into the middle of the circle and join hands. She, then, took a little note she had written on a piece of paper and told us she was going to read it into the ear of one of the students in the circle. She then told us that the person that she read the note to was supposed to tell the person to his or her right what she has told them was written in the note. Then that person would whisper it into the ear of the next person to their right, and so on, until the whispered message from the note reached the last person in the circle. Once the message reached the last person in the circle, the teacher walked to the student and asked him or her to whisper back to her what the note was supposed to have said, according to what they were told. After the teacher wrote down on a piece of paper what that last student whispered to her, she went to the chalkboard and wrote down each of the notes, the original from the 1st piece of note paper on the left side, and the last note from the last student in the circle on the right side of the board, so all of us could see them for ourselves. It totally amazed all of us when we saw that the original message had nothing in common with the final message that made its way around the circle. What does this have to do with 'rightly dividing God's Word of Truth'? It's much more than we may realize.  

          You see, when we as Christians, do not receive, by way of The Person of The Holy Spirit, God's original meaning for a particular verse, what happens is we wind up with the same kind of misinterpretation as took place in my 3rd grade classroom that day. This is how God and His Word become misrepresented. That is why we have so many denominations and separate groups of people who claim to be Christians. What's the difference? It's the involvement of our Teacher, our Tutor, our Mentor - The Person of The Holy Spirit. Without Him, God's Word becomes distorted, twisted, confusing, and misleading, producing the stench of dead religion. Herein lies the birthplace of God-less cults.  

          If, like us, your passion is to n-e-v-e-r be guilty of the abomination of misrepresentation, Brenda and I pray for God to give each of us a fresh outpouring of His Spirit into our heart and life with Christ Jesus, today. Selah."  


"Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with The Spirit of The Living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but The Spirit giveth life."  
(2 Corinthians 3:3-6)


*See you tomorrow, and please make sure to invite your friends who are lost or who just need encouragement too! God bless you!*

________________________________


Find this blog mini-series message, and more on the topic, in our book Keep the FAITH Keep Your VISION based on crucial, real-life matters for each of us. To ask questions, make a special donation, request a large quantity of books, or 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,
Keep PRESSIN' IN!



To Show GOD BIG in a World that Sees Him small… 
sums up the reason Keith stepped out in faith 35+ years ago to focus full-time 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 thanks to the faithful prayer and financial contributions of the TTM Support Family.  We'd like to invite you to join our family, and welcome you to become a special part of our regular sponsorship team TODAY!

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: 

      

      

      

      

      

      
Keep PRESSIN' IN!


This blog mini-series, 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!


Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2016 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply | (757)251-2440 TowardTheMark.com | Resources@TowardTheMark.com

Wednesday, July 13

NEW, Mini-Series Weekday 8 of 20

*Giving a boost to our day and life, with this 10-minute Weekday Blog*
Our 2nd Blog Mini-Series, each Weekday in JULY!

Thank you for joining us as we
continue this JOURNEY
...
digging in to the 2nd - 
3rd CHAPTERS 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 #8 of 20-day Blog mini-series #2
Chapter THREE, "Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth"
    
"Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth"
            Now, one easy way to pervert the scriptures is by not applying the principle called rightly dividing the Word of Truth. "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:15-16) In essence, "rightly dividing the Word of Truth" means to interpret Scripture with the meanings that are the original, God-assigned meaning. The appearance of the word "workman" in this passage is instructive. In general, a workman needs skills and tools that are appropriate for the trade in which he is engaged. In the specific case of working with the Word of God, the workman is to apply skills and tools that are suitable for studying and understanding the Word. The workman who does this will not need to be ashamed, because the result will be the increase of godliness in the heart of the workman.

Question to ponder:

Since our human minds are limited in our capability to grasp what is written in God's Word, how do we come to comprehend it as God intends?  _________________________________________

Keith's "Comments from the Author":

          "I have so enjoyed reading about the character of Christ Jesus, especially where Scripture explains how, it was for the joy that was set before Him that, He endured the cross. Though countless benefits were the result of fruit Christ bore during His lifetime on earth, and even when enduring those horrible hours leading up to His crucifixion and death on the cross, the part about the 'joy' He foresaw in it all got my attention early on in my walk with The Lord. What was He anticipating that was going to be so wonderful that, He not only went to the cross willingly, but He went 'joy'fully into the horrors of the crucifixion process? That question can be answered in the six words... The Person of The Holy Spirit. For the sake of relaying the importance of The Holy Spirit coming, though crude it may be, I have a little analogy I uncovered in my early quest to learn more about the Lord and Savior that I love, before I was aware of just how wonder-full The Person of The Holy Spirit is.  

          In my early days as a budding musician, my band buddies and I learned to use sound equipment that was key for us to be able to relay, to everyone listening in our audience, the messages we had written within our music and song lyrics. We needed to take with us our instruments, stage gear, and sound equipment that would help us provide the music quality and volume for the audience to hear and understand each word we sang and each note we played. As a young musician, always enamored with the latest and greatest instruments and equipment on the market, it wasn't until our small garage band got our first gig to play at a backyard party for 6th graders that we were hit with a harsh reality... we haven't planned for transportation. It's just a fact that, if you don't have a way to transport you and your equipment to the venue, the music you've spent so much time playing and the messages you've spent so much time writing into it gets only as far as the inside of the garage you practice in. That fact about 'transportation we needed' is much the same for the way The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in getting God's Word to us. Where our walk with Christ is concerned, The Person of The Holy Spirit is like the vehicle that provides the way we get to the venue where we ultimately want to be. Without the Holy Spirit, we do not hear the Voice of God. The Holy Spirit, among so many other things, is God's Messenger. He's our Teacher. He's our Interpreter. He comforts us. In fact, with Christ Jesus and the Person of The Holy Spirit being ONE in thought, without asking for the Person of the Holy Spirit, we will always be on the OUTside of the conversation and what constantly flows through His Heart of love for us. Without the Holy Spirit, we are cut off from obtaining and gaining God's wonderful wisdom that is mandatory for understanding His written Word. Be aware that, when we avoid or discount the Person of The Holy Spirit, we are crippling our own mind, ourselves in whole, and everyone who is around us.  

          If, like I've explained I used to be, you have no idea of just how crucial your relationship of oneness with, and 'joy' in, The Person of The Holy Spirit is, Brenda and I pray for you to receive an outpouring of His Spirit into your heart and life with Christ Jesus, today. Selah."  


"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth... ."  
(2 Timothy 2:15-16)


*See you tomorrow, and please make sure to invite your friends who are lost or who just need encouragement too! God bless you!*

________________________________


Find this blog mini-series message, and more on the topic, in our book Keep the FAITH Keep Your VISION based on crucial, real-life matters for each of us. To ask questions, make a special donation, request a large quantity of books, or 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,
Keep PRESSIN' IN!



To Show GOD BIG in a World that Sees Him small… 
sums up the reason Keith stepped out in faith 35+ years ago to focus full-time 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 thanks to the faithful prayer and financial contributions of the TTM Support Family.  We'd like to invite you to join our family, and welcome you to become a special part of our regular sponsorship team TODAY!

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: 

      

      

      

      

      

      
Keep PRESSIN' IN!


This blog mini-series, 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!


Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2016 | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply | (757)251-2440 TowardTheMark.com | Resources@TowardTheMark.com