STOP LIVING among the Thorns

Jesus repeatedly warned His disciples about the pitfall of getting caught up in the things of this world, and I can personally testify to how important it is that we put His Word into practice.

      

  "Jet set", “Rush hour”, “Rat race”, “Fast lane”, “Fast Food”... There are countless phrases we know and use to represent the familiar word pictures that only begin to describe this rapid pace of life we live in the Modern World. How about that familiar saying we use often as good advice, “Stop and smell the roses.” This one came about in reaction to the hurry and haste of modern living. It is meant to be a warning that we must not let the hustle and bustle of our lives cause us to miss that which is truly of value in this life. For instance, in the parable of the sower (sometimes called the Parable of the Soils), Jesus said, “And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19) In this excerpt from the parable of the sower, Jesus tells us that if we get caught up with deceitful riches, and fleshly desires, they will cause the Word of God to be unfruitful in our hearts. Observe carefully, however, that Jesus said this will only happen if we allow it. Sadly, all too many of us do.

           So in what ways are we causing God's Word to be unfruitful? According to that same Parable, the seed of God’s Word was sown among those hearts which were “among thorns.” Jesus also listed the symptoms of being among thorns in saying, “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things.” Observe also that these three things operate like true thorns; They enter in. In other words, like a thorn that pierces the skin – bringing pain, perhaps drawing blood, and sometimes even injecting poison – worldly cares, deceitful riches, and fleshly desires pierce the heart. While not all thorns are poisonous, be assured that the thorns of which Jesus spoke carry deadly payloads!

            There is only one way to make certain we do not get caught in this trap of thorns, and that is to not be among the thorns at all. By spending time in God's Word, and maintaining our personal relationship with Jesus, the very things that have poisoned secular society will not have their way in our hearts and lives. Otherwise, investing our lives in the gain of temporary riches of this world will end up costing us the true riches. The Apostle Paul wrote about the struggle against the temptation of material wealth, "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10) He continues with this instruction, "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)

            Note that the Apostle Paul did not write “money" is the root of all evil as many wrongfully suppose. Rather, it is "the love of money" that is the root of all evil. The attitude of the heart towards material gain is the source of evil, not the material wealth itself. According to Paul, the victory against the allure of riches begins quite simply: Flee! Of course, there is more to it than that. We are also told to “follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Thus, when we are following the Holy Spirit of Truth into all Truth, we are also to “follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Herein is the great and true wealth to be found, for it is the character of the Lord Jesus Christ! “For godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) Thus, in order to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, we must continually live in the sweet presence of Jesus Christ, with His Word growing ever more fruitful in our hearts. For it is only in that way that we can be transformed to be like Him.

            So how does this apply Today? What are the specific ways in which the Word of God is rendered unfruitful in our own hearts? In truth, it would fill more volumes than a large encyclopedia to completely answer these questions. Nevertheless, as overwhelming as the situation may appear, it is definitely not hopeless! Remember, Jesus said that without Him, we can do nothing; but through Him, we can do all things! He does not intend for us to face this on our own. Rather, as we faithfully follow after the Holy Spirit of Truth, He will teach us to recognize the thorns for what they are: Death! It then becomes our responsibility to make the choice to not be among them. Therefore, let us proceed with the help of the Holy Spirit into a closer examination of the thorns.

            Life Among The Thorns

            “Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His Word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42) This oft-quoted passage of Scripture records an exchange between Martha and the Lord Jesus Christ. While Martha was rushing about the house trying to serve the guests, her sister Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His Word.” When Martha demanded that Jesus rebuke her sister and order her to help with the serving, Jesus gently admonished Martha instead. He told her that she was “careful and troubled about many things,” unlike Mary who had “chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Thus we see an example from Scripture of worldly cares choking out the Word and making it unfruitful.

            To summarize, Martha felt that serving the guests was just as important as having the Lord Himself present. She did not recognize what the "true riches" was! Consequently, she was impoverishing herself. Moreover, she was actively seeking to deprive her own sister of the riches of God, as well - not that Martha was aware of this! She was careful and troubled about many things, and this is the reason she was blind to the Truth. Such is the way of the thorns.

           Turning now to more modern examples, we find people rushing here and there like Martha. Their lives are filled with jobs, schooling, ball games, activity practices, grocery shopping, laundry, TV shows, movies, church activities, ... and the list goes on and on. There is nothing inherently evil with those activities, but what matters is the attitude of the heart towards them. Do these activities flow out of our relationship with the Lord, or are they choking it? Are those activities filling our minds and hearts with stress, cares, troubles, anxieties, and worries that are choking out peace, joy, and fellowship with God? For, whatever we do, however small it may seem, we ought to be walking in His presence!

            We must be honest with ourselves in this matter. Where is the time spent at the feet of Jesus, listening to His Word? We must not fall into the trap of confusing most of today's church activities with the one thing that is needful! For today's church activities tend to cater to the "focus on works" like Martha rather than the "focus on the character" of God. For His purpose is to build the family of God, so that His Son “might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29) Our close relationships with Jesus Christ and with one another are so essential to things operating in the way God designed them that Jesus made this special request of the Heavenly Father on the night before the Crucifixion. He prayed, “Holy Father, keep through Thine own Name those whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one, as We are.”(John 17:11) Jesus asked that believers be one in the same manner that the Trinity is One. That is the strongest possible relationship! Consequently, it should be plain that our relationships with others have vast eternal significance.

            So where is the time spent in building godly relationships? This is an area of grave deficiency within Modern America, but it was not always this way. The United States was founded by a generation that had experienced a Great Awakening, a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, with attendant blessings in abundance. This was renewed by a Second Great Awakening a generation later. Since that time, the nation has gradually drifted away from God at a steadily-increasing pace, however confirmed at times by lesser awakenings. This deterioration can be described in terms of the thorns mentioned in the Parable of the Sower as the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things.

            During this decline, the nation has experienced the Industrial Revolution, the Technological Revolution, and the Information Revolution. While promising a better life and great plenty, these things that should have been blessings have all been used as insidious implements of destruction, aka the poison of the thorns.

            A simple, though prominent, example of this, is how the usage of the telephone has developed in our society. Before the advent of the telephone, families and friends frequently spent quality time together, especially during meals. They talked through their problems and rejoiced in each other's achievements. If someone in town was sick or had a need, the word would spread quickly until nearly everyone around knew about it. Neighbors truly behaved like neighbors, and did what they could to help out in any way that they could. All of this involved direct personal interaction and contact. Once the telephone became inexpensive and widely available, however, people began to use it increasingly, making it a substitute for face-to-face relationships, contrary to God’s design. “But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.” (1 Thessalonians 2:17) “Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.” (II John 1:12)

            Thus came the dawning of a new era of separation. Ironically, the world began to get smaller, while people began to drift away from one another. Other forms of communication, such as the internet, have followed the telephone, and accelerated the lack of personalization in our culture. Social networking online has become very popular, with billions of participants. Consequently, for many people, superficial relationships are replacing the tighter bonds forged by face-to-face fellowship.

            By no means are these the only examples of the choking power of the thorns. The misuse of radio and television, apart from the messages they might carry, are significant contributors to the decline of the bonds between family and friends. Televisions and music are almost inescapable in our communities. Many restaurants have multiple TVs so that at least one is visible no matter where a person looks. If that is not distracting enough, the constant flow of drivel from the Boob Tubes, plus loud music, makes personal interaction and conversation difficult, if not nigh unto impossible. As bad as all of that truly is, the situation deteriorates further when cell phones, I-phones, beepers, portable entertainment devices, and other such things are added to the mix. The hurried pace and continual distraction prevents reflection and close fellowship.

            More than that, the content of television, movies, and radio has steadily grown more and more poisonous since their inception. Sure, programming in the early years of these technologies might appear to us today to be extremely innocent but, rest assured that the men and women of God back then recognized clearly what was being done to the family unit and were appalled at this new war that was being waged against American households. Indeed, movies deteriorated so rapidly in the early twentieth century that Hollywood was forced to clean them up for a while. Yet that could not resolve the general decline of American society. For such problems are not resolved through mandated codes of conduct, but, rather, the hearts of the people must be changed. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” (Matthew 23:25-26)

            As technology advanced, the new riches of radios and televisions became more readily accessible to the public at large, and thus made their way into homes across the country. Product manufacturers lined up to utilize this grand new means of advertising, to fashion their commercials to offer the allure of the lusts of other things. Indeed, in order to draw as many viewers and customers as possible, many shows and advertisers began pushing the envelope, pandering to the fleshly desires of this vast new audience. Hence, riding new technology, an age-old strategy and stronghold asserted itself in our culture; Sex sells! The attack of mass manipulation had begun.

            There are far more examples than this of what has happened to our nation since it began its decline. "Many indeed have run to and fro, and knowledge has increased." (Daniel 12:4) Highways, rockets, cities, malls, airports, computers, microwaves, and many other such things are testaments to that prophecy. While these riches of technology are not evil unto themselves, modern society has seized upon them, immersed itself in them, and become enslaved to them. Simply consider most people's reaction to the notification of a telephone call, text, social media post, etc! They have to immediately interrupt whatever they are doing, even a conversation with someone else, to take a look at it. Modern technology has become an amplifier for the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things!

            This, then, is life among the thorns, and the poison thereof renders the Word of God unfruitful in the lives of all that are afflicted by them. The results are wedges being driven between people, and increasing division where unity once came naturally as is essential. The worst effect is especially between people and their Maker.

            Many people wonder why so many miracles occur in third-world countries today, and no longer in America. In the past, this country has seen the visitation of the power of the Almighty, such as through Oral Roberts Ministries in the forties and the Miracle of Azusa Street at the beginning of the twentieth century. To find the answer, we need look no further than the thorns. They choke the Word; and the church in America has become ensnared by them. One symptom of the rampant growth of the thorns in the church is the multitude of new “easier-to-read translations" of the Holy Scriptures. In harmony with the modern “I want it now, drive-through window, microwave dinner” mentality, the church is seeking instant understanding in the Word of God. Yet, only Jesus can open our understanding of the Scriptures. “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.”(Luke 24:45)

            Thus, in attempting to do in human strength what only God can do, the accuracy and power in the teaching from God's Word is affected. The new, “easier-to-read” translations add to its destruction of the accuracy and power of the teaching of God’s word, both in print and from the pulpit.

            For instance, if you look up John 8:31-32 in some of these fancy new translations, you will find a verse that is terribly confusing. The trouble is the substitution of one word with another. In the case of the New International Version (NIV), the writers replaced the original word “make” with the word “set”. Here is how the scripture reads in the King James Version of the Bible, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

            What difference does this make? Well, consider what you would think if I had asked the question like this, "What difference does this set?" You see, these two simple, little words mean two completely different things. And the fact is that the original manuscripts of the Holy Scriptures uses the Greek word from "eleutheros" with the definition "to make free". In other words, from the beginning God has intended for that verse to be understood as, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

            Talk about the power in a seed! More often than not I hear people – thinking that they are quoting Scripture accurately – say, “the truth will set you free”, when that is just not true. To set someone free means that they are released immediately. To make someone free means that their heart is remanufactured over a period of time, if they are obedient to maintain their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and walk in His word. That is God’s way.

            The difference is that simple. “Set” means to release immediately and “make” means to remanufacture over time. In other words, to set a person free is to change their circumstances; internally they are still the same. To make that person free is to change their heart little by little, day by day into the image of Jesus Christ; their circumstances are incidental. To be made completely free is to be completely transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God. That is both the conclusion of the remanufacturing process and the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

            Can you see how a believer might become disillusioned with God because of this one error? When a Christian living in this high-speed society, where patience has all but become a curse word, goes to church and hears from the pulpit that the truth will set him free from his bondage, and it does not happen, what is he to think? If you went to the altar expecting to be immediately released from your troubles, only to leave unchanged, what would your reaction be? Would you fall prey to the lie that God does not love you enough to answer your prayers?

            Many Christians live their lives today in a constant state of confusion and rejection, because they do not know the Truth! In other words, since the knowledge of the Truth is necessary for true liberty, then a lack of knowledge of the Truth is bondage. It is ironic that, in the Age of Information, billions of people are in bondage because they have been deceived. They do not know the Truth. Is it any wonder that God is not that real to them? Do not let that happen to you! Just because there seems to be a majority of people who are doing, or partaking of, something, it does not mean it is the right thing!

            “Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 55:6-13)

            This is a call to come out from among the thorns! This same message is found in the following passage of Scripture. “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4)

            I encourage you to not be distracted by the people rushing around you, nor to chase after material gain which can never satisfy. Rest in God. Enjoy your relationship with our Heavenly Father and with each other. Take pleasure in His wonderful creation all along the way.

            Finally... while "Stop and smell the roses" is good advice, it is far more important that we stop living among the thorns!

            Keep PRESSIN' IN!

      

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"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ... ."  (Galatians 6:2)

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Get TWO STEPS You'll Need so You Can Be "Made Free" from a Terrible "RUT" Where You're STUCK

Are you stuck in a "RUT"? Get the TWO STEPS you need to BECOME FREED.

    I once heard it said that, "A 'rut' is a coffin with both ends kicked out." Because the person is stuck but still "kickin'", the coffin is left "open-ended". While the person's life, goals and dreams are trapped and contained, there is life that awaits them when they are able to become free, and begin making their way forward again.

            Whenever we are confronted with issues that could potentially pin us down to the ground, we must know the right choices to make by following the Biblical point of view on the issue. Any choice we make apart from the Biblical mandate will have consequences that abound to the choice. In the circumstances we deal with to become "free" or unstuck from the rut, we can rest assured that it'll be worth it to pursue all that gives our life real meaning!

            You probably well-know what it is that got you stuck in the rut, but now you need to know what it will take for you to get out. What doesn't really matter is whether the consequences abound from your own poor choices, or from the poor choices of others. Either way, there are two liberating steps we are about to share with you that are absolutely guaranteed to help get you on your way to becoming "free". However, before you go any further, it is crucial that you first meet one foundational requirement. Without possessing this one most important and pressing need, there's simply no way you'll be able to succeed. You n-e-e-d to have "the want-to"! Have you got the all-important "want-to" you need for the pursuit of the way to being freed? If not, you need to get it, or this is as far as you are effectively able to go.

            I'm glad to see that you have decided to continue on this journey with us. Having "the want-to" for being free makes the pursuit worth paying almost any price that comes with it! As much as we would rather find ourselves "set" free from our issues and struggles, that is not the way God works. We must respect time, and remember that it is "time" that plays the biggest part in God's law of process. God chooses to gradually work things out from within us, 99.9% of the time. Instead of our being "set" free, it is His Word that "makes" us free. Jesus teaches us,  "If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32) In other words, if we truly want to be free to "live" the life of fulfillment that God intends for us, we must be prepared to be "made" free over time. Ready to get started? Okay! Here we go...

            1st) STOP TALKING ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS... the more we talk about a problem, the more we breathe life into it, and the bigger it grows! On the other hand, STOP discussing things that keep it alive (how bad it is, what might happen to make it worse, the ifs, ands, and buts about what caused it, etc.) and watch it become smaller and smaller, and soon come to "die"! It's really that simple! So, the next time you're about to pick up the phone and talk to a friend, go, instead, to the ONE Who is waiting with your problem's solution; go directly to Jesus Christ. When you look to the Scriptures, there you will find, the Lord Jesus resides "between the lines".

            2nd) GO INTO YOUR PRAYER CLOSET... ask the Person of the Holy Spirit to help you clear out any un-forgiveness in your life. There are three parts to this, each of which IS A MUST! First, pray for Holy Spirit to bring to mind anyone in your life that may have been offended by you in any way. Secondly, pray to forgive anyone in your life who has done you wrong or offended you in any way. Thirdly, and vitally important to getting unstuck from a rut, pray to be able to forgive yourself! When we talk about forgiveness, we so often overlook the importance of forgiving ourselves. And it's quite often that, what put us in the rut we find ourselves in is, a decision we made by our own poor choosing. We MUST learn how to forgive ourselves, just as well as we learn to forgive others. NOTE: Be prepared for this part to be difficult, or challenging to say the least, because we will be forced to confront our pride and subdue our ego. Dropping your pride is crucial to going back to those you have offended, and also to those who have offended you. We can't emphasize enough how crucial this is! Un-forgiveness is like a wall that separates us from God and others. Un-forgiveness keeps us isolated, unproductive, and incapable of moving forward to fulfill what God is waiting for us to fulfill with Him. Un-forgiveness will serve to keep you down, and in a pit of lifeless existence. We must realize, and always remember, that the "rope" God throw to us, to deliver us from out of our ruts, is the Person of Jesus Christ. Trust me, once you have cleared out all of the un-forgiveness in all three parts of your life, you will experience a newness in your ability to move about "freely"! The air will smell fresher! Colors will seem brighter! Even your steak will taste better! By the way, if you look to the Scriptures, then you will find, the Lord Jesus resides there "between the lines".

            We pray that this blog message helps fan, into flames, your passion for loving, trusting, believing, and following God wholeheartedly. We especially pray that you will become "unstuck" from any rut you may be in now, and that you will also learn what you need to remain "freed" from "ruts" to begin with. If you will constantly seek direction from the Person of the Holy Spirit, your life will be ever better; I guarantee it!

Keep PRESSIN' IN!.

            "If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

            "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14)

________________________________

           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 "Keep the FAITH, Keep Your VISION" book offer, get another Keith Shealy & Toward The Mark 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, 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.

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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!

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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)

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Every gift is tax-deductible and helps, and we thank you for it!

Mail tax-deductible contributions by check to the order of:
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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!

The Fruit's on the End of the Limb

When was the last time that you "went out on a limb" or, as we Christians say, stepped out in faith for something, especially to the point of actually hearing the limb cracking under you?

W hen I was in grade school, I remember very vividly the passion that I had for building things, especially tree forts. Each night before my friends and I would start to build, and we built quite a few in those days, I would lie in bed and my mind would come alive with visions of a tree house that was second only to the one in Walt Disney's movie, "The Swiss Family Robinson." I could see it all so clearly: Ladders; trap doors; rope swings; windows; and so much more. I could hardly wait to get home from school to get to work on it.

As you can imagine, each day in class was quite a battle for me as well. It never failed, I would find myself headlong in a fight to stay focused on my school work while, at the same time, struggling to hold at bay the temptation to daydream about everything I had planned for that afternoon. I regret to say that, more often than not, it was a skirmish that regularly ended in my defeat. Once the final bell rang, I grabbed my books and headed for the bus with my bud's. It seemed like the bus ride that actually took about twenty minutes took every bit of an hour. It goes without saying, we could hardly wait to get home! When we arrived at our bus stop, we would jump off of the bus, run home, change into our play clothes, gather up our tools, and head straight for the woods. Finally, it was time to make our vision a reality!

Anyone who is well-versed in the fine art of tree fort construction will tell you that the first order of business is always the selection of the perfect tree. Living in Virginia Beach, Virginia at the time, we found that the best trees were either maple or oak. Even though we also had lots of pine trees, they were not as desirable since their limbs were usually much higher up and rather brittle. Once we had picked out the best tree, we then set out to locate the materials we would need. Fortunately for us, the housing development where we lived at the time was only a few years old and was surrounded with quite a few new home construction sites. We would grab our little red wagons and head straight for the nearest scrap pile. While one guy was picking up discarded nails, others would be digging through the piles for scrap 2x4s and ply wood. Once we gathered everything we needed, we then loaded it all on the wagons and headed for the woods.

With our tree picked out, all of the materials gathered together, and with our dads' saws and hammers in hand, it was finally time to begin construction. We went right to work. Our first project was to cut short pieces of 2x4s to nail to the trunk of the tree. These would serve as a makeshift ladder. Once we nailed enough of them up high enough to reach our desired build site, where the limbs were just right, it was then time to frame up the floor. This was perhaps the most crucial stage of the project. Here is how it works. The bigger you want your fort to be, the further out on the limb you would have go to nail up your first floor supports. So really, the size of your fort was directly related to the courage of the guy whose job it was to make that first trip out on the limb. To put it simply: little courage, little tree fort; big courage, big tree fort! After quite a few painful plunges to the ground, I was able to develop a pretty fail-safe method of doing this. I would climb out on the limb until I heard it starting to crack, then slide backward about two feet and nail the floor support at that spot where I could reach. It never failed. This way we knew that we were actually building the biggest tree fort that we could for the size tree that we had chosen. It was interesting, you could actually look at the size of some of the other guys' tree forts and tell a lot about their level of courage, or lack thereof. Sadly, most of their forts were really nothing more than small platforms nailed very securely to the truck of their tree. It's a simple fact, 'scaredy cats’ never build big tree forts!

I soon found that the same theory we used for building tree forts also applied when picking apples out of a neighbor's tree. It did not take but a few seconds to see that the apples did not grow out of the trunk of the tree and, if we wanted to enjoy them, we were going to have to go out on the end of the limb to get them. Sure, you can cling to the trunk where it is much safer, and occasionally reach far enough to grab an apple or two, but if you really want an abundant harvest, you will have to go out on the limb. This is not a task for the faint-hearted. The whole time you're out there, you're faced with two thoughts: First, just how good the apples are going to taste once we get out to them; Secondly, just how fearful it was to think of taking that much-dreaded plunge to earth. I eventually learned that, the more I would venture out on limbs, the less often I would fall.

When was the last time that you went out on a limb or, as we Christians say, stepped out in faith for something, especially to the point of actually hearing the limb cracking under you? For some, it could be getting the courage to share your love for Jesus with unbelievers. For others, it could be asking their boss for a much-needed promotion, or getting the courage to leave a church body that is steeped in religion in order to pursue one that practices the complete Word of God. No matter what you are pursuing, the sound of the limb cracking under you means different things to different people. To most, that sound represents impending doom that usually results in the abandonment of reaching their goals in life while, to the rare few who have overcome fear and doubt, that cracking sound is always an indication that abundance lies just ahead.

In the business world it is a well-known fact that the risk-takers eventually become the money-makers! This same principle also applies to our life in Christ. If we truly want to live the abundant life that Jesus Christ came to provide for us, we are simply going to have to turn loose of the trunk, or go beyond the place of comfort in our lives, and climb out to where the fruit is. "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) We refer to this process of going out on the limb as "stepping out in faith". And, if we are going to be successful as Christians, "walking by faith" will have to be a regular part of our daily life. Successful Christians do regularly what unsuccessful Christians do only occasionally! "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) As a matter of fact, our living life by faith is not simply an option, it is mandatory if we want to be pleasing to God. Paul teaches us, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

If we truly want to be successful in God's eyes, we must make “stepping out in faith” our way of life. Think about it for a moment. Do you personally know and love God enough to trust Him and to stop clinging to the fruitless truck of life's tree? If not, abundance will always remain out of reach for you. Everything is based on faith where God is concerned and, frankly, those who do not trust Him will always live on the outside of a whole, fulfilled life. Ironically, this is where the vast majority of folks who claim to be Christians dwell today. The Church today is filled with hearers of God's Word, but very few who are the doers. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22)

The unsaved world, whether they know it or not, looks for people who will lead the way IN-to life's fulfillment. Sadly, though those leaders are supposed to be us in the Church, the unsaved world AND the Church today are both in desperate need of "godly heroes". What this means for you and me is that we have the priceless opportunity to both speak and model God's Word to this lost and rapidly dying generation.

What part has God called you to play in this end-times harvest of souls and can you say without a shadow of a doubt that you are doing everything that you possibly can to see that calling fulfilled in your life? One of the most widely publicized accounts of someone stepping out in faith was Peter stepping out of the boat and walking across the water to meet Jesus. "But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. And He said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus." (Matthew 14:24-32) Peter was the only one of the disciples who loved and trusted Jesus enough to even try stepping out.

Never forget, it is always better to try and fail, rather than to never have tried at all! One thing I can guarantee you is, if we never climb out there, we can be sure to never eat of the fruit of abundance!

Imagine how God feels when we believe Him enough to attempt something that we have never had the courage to try before. Much like the jubilation that occurs between parents at the sight of their child taking their first step, God also rejoices when we, as His children, attempt to step out on His Word, like Peter did.

Is there something you are praying for that has not yet come to pass? Is there something that you have wanted to do for a long time but, for one reason or another, you have not yet attempted it? I encourage you to throw off any fear or doubts you may have, and get out there! Launch out into the deep and see if Jesus won't bless you in the same way that He blessed Peter and the guys for their obedience in Luke 5:4-7: "Now when He (Jesus) had left speaking, He said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy Word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink."

There is indescribable abundance that God has in store for any one of us who is obedient to act on His word! As a matter of fact, take a look at what resulted from Abraham's obedience to God when he was asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac, who he and Sarah had waited over 100 years to bear. In offering his son as an act of his trust in God and the promises of God, he fulfilled his assignment for his life. "And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice." (Genesis 22:15-18)

Think about that for just a moment.  Because of that one act of Abraham's obedience, every generation since then has been blessed! Not only do we suffer when we fail to act on God's Word and assignment for our lives, but think of all of those who will come behind us who will miss out on their own inheritance, if we fail to obey God's voice for our lives.

Be courageous, be strong, throw back your shoulders, and walk right into the face of the intimidating spirits that have, in the past, hindered you from possessing the fulfillment of God's promises for your life.  And never forget, "When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walk through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." (Isaiah 43:2)

I encourage you with all of my heart to set aside a time to pray and fast for the purpose of hearing God's voice for your life's assignment.  If I had not faced my own fears where climbing trees were concerned, we would have never enjoyed playing in the nicest tree forts or eating the sweetest apples.

God has blessing beyond measure waiting for you, as soon as you get out there and take those steps of faith.  "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13)

Thank you so much for allowing Brenda and I this opportunity to share our heart with you.  We  pray that this blog message will, in many ways, help you as you “press toward” the high calling of God in Christ Jesus for your life. And, to help you further in your pursuit to fulfill God’s purpose for you in your life, read this message in its entirety, and eleven more messages, in our book Letters From The Front available at TowardTheMark.com. If you have any questions or would like to place a special request for multiple book copies, please send us an e-mail or order by mail at the address shown below.

Your friends & servants in Christ,

This message, and all of our Bible-based resources, is made possible by the support of our faithful 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 for the churched and un-churched alike 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)

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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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