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Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 21

Songs For Strength To Press IN ...


All of my (Keith’s) Christian life, I have had a deep and abiding love for The Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church. This has been so much a part of my being that pastor friends have often called it “the hallmark of my life and calling.” My passion is to see God’s men, women, and children properly loved, respected, and raised up in the untainted ways of Jesus Christ, which is why we have been making our messages available in music, video, and printed resources for over 40 years. All are available for a donation, one-time or recurring gift, to help support our ongoing work.
In all my years as an evangelist at heart I have clearly seen how crucial the role that pastors and leaders are called to, and must play, in the adoption and rearing of God’s beloved children. In order for their roles to be fulfilled, God must be accurately represented. In pulpits and places of worship where God and His Word are not represented accurately, a lukewarm and lifeless future is inevitable. My, and Brenda’s, aim is to produce only and all Christ-centered resources as The Holy Spirit leads through financial contributions and prayers provided by our loving and passionate team of sponsorship partners. The heartfelt prayer of all of us at Toward The Mark is that the messages in these songs, like "I NEVER KNEW LOVE BEFORE"  and  "STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART",  serve to encourage each hearer to passionately pursue Jesus Christ, to meet with The Holy Spirit in the pages of God’s Holy Word, and to work with Him to apply the lyrics to building the very nature of Jesus Christ in their life with Him.
Whether you, and individuals in your social circles, are serving as church members or not, we look forward to how our messages in song will encourage you in your individual or unique needs. Various messages in our songs are proving to apply to a wide variety of needs in the family of faith in Christ Jesus. "Jesus said, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy of what he found, goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field (Matthew 13:44)."
We pray God uses this message to fan the flame in your heart to passionately pursue oneness in God, His wonder-full Word and Ways, and His Plan and Purpose for you in this life. We are eternally grateful for our loving Toward The Mark Family of sponsors who make this message, and all of our resources, possible by their prayer and monthly financial support! If you have questions about our work, about our mission, or would like to share a testimony or prayer request with us, please write to us. It is crucial right now that we remember who we are, and remember Whose we are! Though our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has won "the war" for us already, we have isolated skirmishes left to fight and overcome before He, The Great Conquering King, returns in ALL of His Glory with The Mighty Host of Heaven at His side. Now it's time for all of us to put our ALL into this fight, and to finish our part, each one of us, and to work with pure focus, fearlessness, love, discipline, and every single thing that God is here to equip us with by His Holy Spirit for... pressing toward the mark (becoming One In Him) for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)!
Before we close... we would be remiss if we did not INVITE YOU to take part in standing with us and our TTM Team and Family by making a tax-deductible donation. If you prayerfully decide to become a special part of our 2021 monthly sponsorship team, you will be joining our milestone *40th* ANNIVERSARY TEAM, which means your seed will be helping with regular and new initiatives reaching our God-given goals for His Kingdom. Stay tuned for next updates in our ongoing blogs of how The Lord is expanding TTM's reach. Listen in to our podcast channel with our "WON BY ONE" song lyrics *No NEED to FEAR it; We all NEED to HEAR it*... our re-released version of Scott Allen's (Mylon & Broken Heart) song, "WON BY ONE" that was most recently produced by Scott Allen and Keith.  Direct link is https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/3489319.
As we in The Army of Jesus Christ find ourselves in this final push just before the great trumpet sounds, we must take our thoughts captive, practice self-control, ask The Holy Spirit to meet with us in the pages of God's Holy Word, hydrate by the Living Water of His Word, and stay FOCUSED on His LEAD... at all costs. The proper context for all of our thoughts, words, and deeds will be found in God's Word, through The Person of Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit's tutelage as we meet with Him in The Gospel Jesus Christ preached. For it is only as we put on the mind of Christ that we will be able to be made new IN Him, which is the reward of seeking Him with our whole heart.
Once we are in daily pursuit of becoming ONE in God, through His Son Jesus Christ by the leading of The Holy Spirit, His wisdom and understanding that He builds *in us* changes everything! Always remember that, as we focus on working *with God*, The Holy Spirit will give us Christ's wisdom to overcome worldly obstacles and to inherit rewards that go far above all that we could ask or think! Watch and see!

If you have yet to invite Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, or if you have allowed something or someone to come between you and God, Paul The Apostle teaches Us, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on Jesus Christ will not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:9-13)." Right there where you are, pray this prayer, then REST-ASSURED and watch what God will do...

          "Dear Father God, in the precious Name of Jesus Christ, the King of kings and The LORD of all lords, I lay my life at Your Feet. I come before You, confessing that I am a sinner, and I ask for You to forgive me of all my sins - those that I know I have committed, as well as those that I am not even aware of.  I ask that You come into my heart and be my Lord. I lay my life, and everything in it, at Your Feet, and ask that You please take me and begin to change me to be like YOU. I ask that You redeem the time that has passed, and allow me the opportunity to become exactly what You have predestined me to be, from before the foundation of the earth. I commit my life to You now, and thank You for receiving me as Your own. In the wonderful Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, I pray, Amen."  And AMEN (So be it)!


            WELCOME HOME!

            If you have just prayed this prayer, we want to congratulate you for making the greatest decision that you'll ever make! By accepting Jesus Christ, or rededicating your life to Him, as your personal Lord and Savior, you have begun the wonder-full process of being grafted into the family of God, and we welcome you "Home" to God's Family. We would also like to invite you to contact us so that we can send you information that will help you begin growing in your relationship and daily walk with God. We would encourage you to begin attending a Holy-Spirit-filled, full-Bible focused 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 that can, especially early in your walk with God, help you to receive good teaching and encouragement right away. Though informative, those Bible-teaching 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! (Selah)

            And remember... growing in Godliness requires purity of focus, staying steadfast, immovable, and uncompromising in the faith of Jesus Christ, and now more than ever, no matter what, Keep PRESSIN' IN! You might consider using our book  LETTERS FROM THE FRONT, the special collection of keys to defeating hindrances that have kept many of God's servants from walking with the confidence and authority that Jesus Christ died to provide for us! Twelve life-changing chapters include:


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


  To help you further your fight to victory through the battles that confront every one of us in these turbulent times we live in, get your copy of our book, "LETTERS FROM THE FRONT." In this collection of 12 letters written from the front lines of battle fought in the spiritual, natural, and theater of the mind, Keith's Scripture messages will build your faith and help you reach God's full potential for your life.
"LETTERS FROM THE FRONT"
available by sending
email requests to TowardTheMark HERE.


We pray God uses this message, and all of our resources, to fan the flame in your heart for Christ Jesus, His wonder-full Ways, and His Plan and Purpose for you in this life. 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! 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.
With love we lift you to The Lord in our prayers, hopeful that you have determined to press "Toward The Mark" for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14). We appreciate you eternally for taking part in our work by reading and sharing this Pressin'IN *TowardTheMark* Blog!

Your Servants in Christ Jesus,

    
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, all who desire to know more of the love, truth, and salvation of Jesus Christ. We invite you to partner with us, as we, "press Toward The Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)

Keep PRESSIN' IN!


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Thursday, September 12

AWARD shows ... and idols?

What is the purpose behind "AWARD shows"? For the most part, award shows, hit charts, and the like are venues for parading and celebrating sinfulness. They provide public recognition for those who Satan has deceived into misdirecting their God-given talents. A platform of opportunities to magnify God in the eyes of all who watch is rather programmed for self-centered misuse of one's gifts. These worldly programs also set up fleshly idols in the eyes of the viewers, especially the “get ‘em while they’re young” shows, pitting young souls against one another in front of millions of viewers.
            What is the goal of the contestants? Each one of them hopes for the coveted label of idol. That was also the quest of Lucifer. The result for Lucifer was he earned his way to the final decision of "The Judge", to quote another popular TV show, “You’re fired.
            The use of that word “idol” is very revealing. For thousands of years, idols have been used by Satan to sway the hearts of men away from God and into bondage, thereby keeping them from pursuing their specific role in God’s plan for Creation. The objects humans worship such as idols, graven images, famous or infamous people, charms that are perceived as having some magical power, and so on, are no different from the bait the award shows offer, as mentioned earlier. Rather than being worthy of adoration, however, idols are nothing, “We know that an idol is nothing in the world (1 Corinthians 8:4).”

            You may be thinking or saying to yourself, “Hey guys, hold on a minute. I don’t worship these people. I only watch those shows for entertainment.” Perhaps you are merely interested in the music, but stick with us on this and consider the wisdom in the Scripture, “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:5).” The music of a person seeking the status of “idol” most certainly falls under the classification of “the song of fools”. So, with that in mind, I encourage you to choose the better part and hear the rebuke from a wise man named James, an Apostle and half-brother of Jesus Christ, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (James 4:4).”

            According to the James 4:4 Scripture, friendship with the world is spiritual adultery, making a person the enemy of God. Another wise man, the Apostle John, wrote, “The whole world lieth in wickedness … keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:19, 21).” John told us that the whole world lies in wickedness, not just some of the world. He specifically mentioned that we are to have nothing to do with idols. Then, yet another wise man, Apostle Paul gave this admonition, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).” The good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God, then, is to be found in the renewed mind that is not conformed to this world.

            The combined message from these three wise men can be put into the following summary… Don’t be conformed to this world because the whole world lies in wickedness; But if you are conformed to this world and don’t keep yourself from idols, then you are a friend with the world, an enemy of God, and a spiritual adulterer.

            In light of those stern words, observe the promise God made to those who choose to heed the warnings defined therein. That is, God’s promise is for those who turn away from the ways of the world in order to pursue friendship with Him, to pursue the renewed mind that is not conformed to this world, in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of The Living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith The Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith The Lord Almighty."

            This is such a wonderful promise of God! He will receive those who come out from among the world and remain separate unto Him, not touching that which is unclean. The Lord Almighty will be their Father and they will be His sons and daughters. So, then what will happen to the idols? The prophet Isaiah told us, in Isaiah 2:17-18, "The LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish (destroy)."


            If you have not invited Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior in your life, stop right where you are and pray this in communication with 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!!!

            Every one of the sons and daughters of The Most High God need, and do well to heed the words of wisdom from Apostle Paul's writing in Philippians 4:8-9, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Selah... Amen (Let it be so as we pray in The Name of Christ Jesus)!

Check Out "Yours Is A WonderFull Life...No Doubt" podcast:


THANK YOU for choosing to plug in at the Pressin'IN Blog of TTM!

      We must challenge ourselves to watch for and record the breakthroughs God helps us to press in to pursue and recognize, daily, as James 4:7 promises, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

      Halleluia! We look forward to hearing how we can stand with you in celebrating your wonder-full life with no doubt! God bless you,

...and the TTM Family!


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