Blessed To Be A Blessing - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Blessed To Be A Blessing

Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:1-3 Holy Bible, New Living Translation


Abram, whom later the Lord changed his name to Abraham (see added note below), was a blessed man. When he was called, he heard and obeyed. He left his known surroundings, his extended family, his father’s relatives, and began the journey.

Did he know where he was going? No. Had he done this before? I don’t think so. But I do believe the Lord had asked him to do smaller acts of obedience prior to this time, to build his faith up for this, one of “the big ones”. (Later, when asked to sacrifice, literally kill his only son Isaac, his faith had by that time grown even more, for that level of commanded obedience.) That is usually how the Lord works, even in our lives today. For He is the same – yesterday, today and forever.

Was Abram a great man before he was chosen? We are not told that he was. But based on the examples of other men and women, chosen by God over the centuries to fulfill a great purpose of our God - most likely he was not. He was probably just an “average Joe”, living and trying to be faithful daily to his wife Sarai (later Sarah) and his children in their provision and care.

The Lord chose this man Abram to be blessed, so Abram in turn would be a blessing. It was not solely for Abram’s own present and eternal joy and happiness alone, nor just for his family, but primarily so that all the families on the earth, throughout the centuries, would be blessed. The goal was to have him blessed, so he would be a blessing. That is God’s purpose in our lives today too.

History proves over and over again that the descendants of the Father of Faith, as Abraham is now known, have certainly blessed the nations. The Jews have given the world untold new inventions, technology, cultural and societal foundations, while continuing life even when being surrounded by all seeking to destroy them.

“Abraham believed this, and because he believed, he was blessed. All people who believe are blessed the same as Abraham was.” Galatians 3:9 (Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version)

As fellow believers in the One True God, the God of Israel, Who is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, we are called to walk in obedience as Abraham did. We too have been chosen by God, not because of our greatness or accomplishments, or because we were born in this country, to this family, with this education, etc., but because the Lord’s heart wants to bless, and use us to do so.

God our Father wants to bless the nations, His creation, for eternal enjoyment with Him. Having a true Father’s heart, we have been chosen to receive His blessings, so we in turn can bless those we are among, and those we are going to, all the while extending His Kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.

“Give us this day our daily bread” - part of the Lord’s prayer Himself while walking the streets of Jerusalem, and training men and women to be His disciples - is included in His priestly prayer. Receiving daily gifts in order to sustain life, to give out of that which we have received, continues to be His heart. His children, His disciples, receiving from His heart, to give to others who will then come to know of His love.

In your seeking His daily path today, be aware of that placed within you, given to share with those He brings you in contact with. Seek to be a blessing, as you have been blessed. In this way the nations of the world will be blessed too.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People. Inc.

Note: Abraham was originally named by his father as אברם (Abram) and later changed to אברהם by God. As every Hebrew name has a meaning, always related to the character of the person, it is important to know what their names mean. In the case of Ya'acov (Jacob - he grabs the heel) it was changed by God to yisrael (Israel - turns the head of God). As there was a change in character, there is also a change in the name.

While many suggest that Abram means "exalted father" and Abraham means "father of a multitude", both names in fact mean exactly the same thing "father lifted up" or "exalted father". The beginning of both names is אב (AB) meaning "father". The "ram" in Abram is דם meaning "lifted", a parent root. The "raham" in Abraham is רהם also means "lifted", a child root derived from the parent root Mr.

It does not make much sense to change a name if the new name means the same thing. This is why many attempt to make a change in meaning. But, to understand the real meaning behind a name change is important for understanding why God changed his name and the names of others such as Jacob to Israel.

In Genesis chapters one and two we have the naming of all of creation. We find that Adam named Eve, his children and all of the animals, while God named the light, darkness, sky and land. From this we find something very interesting. Adam had authority over his wife, children and the animals, while God has authority over the light, darkness, sky and land.

If you have authority over something, you have the right and responsibility to name it. Abram was named by his father Terah, the one who had authority over him. But, when Abram left his father's house and headed out on his own, God, who respected the authority of Terah previously, now takes the role of his authority and changes his name indicating a change in authority, not necessarily a change in character.

(Source: Jeff A. Benner, www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine)

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless known families in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available).

Contribution checks can be sent to:

Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box414 Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com
martinlighthouse@gmail.com
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People
Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople

Blogs: Love For His People
Now Think On This

Full website: Love For His People
YouTube: Love For His People Inc.

Now Think On This #136 “Blessed To Be A Blessing” by Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (03.31.14) Monday at 5:30 am in Charlotte, NC.

Anything Goes. NOT! - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Anything Goes. NOT!

Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“And this know thou, that in the last days there shall come perilous times, for men shall be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, evil-speakers, to parents disobedient, unthankful, unkind, without natural affection, implacable, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, not lovers of those who are good, traitors, heady, lofty, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of piety, and its power having denied; and from these be turning away…”

2 Tim 3:1-5 (Young’s Literal Translation YLT) 

There used to be good, well-established standards in life. It used to be where everything was “black and white”, and you could count on grounded “Do this. Don’t do that” principles to help guide you in day to day decisions each are called to make.

In the past, if a law was in place, you didn’t break it. If the item wasn’t yours, you didn’t take it. If the photograph was not good to look at, well, you just didn’t look at it.

Not so anymore. Or so it would seem in this American and other worldly cultures that are so prevalent now. Anything goes, or so we would be led to believe. Many now think that you can do what you want to do and live with whom you want to live with. You can say whatever you want to say, and never have to own up to the fact that it was just simply wrong. “Must have been the previous guy’s fault, or the way my parents raised me” is an acceptable excuse.

You would think that all is OK, that you won’t be held accountable. If you are caught, you can just say, “I made a mistake,” give a press conference, and keep the job you had. Or if you are asked to step down from a position of authority, whether in the government, both national and local, or in the sports spotlight, or Lord forbid, even in some church settings – you will still get full pay, as others around you, that you yourself have put in place, will soften the sin and lengthen the lie. They will report to the public that you have been placed “on a leave of absence until it is all worked out”, acting as if it never happened in the first place.

You can even assume that because that guy is doing it, they won’t tell on you, because most likely they are doing it too. “You do your thing. Let me do mine, and we will all get along just fine.”

Is that the way it is? Is that the way it was meant to be? Is there not a God in heaven who established a righteous way of living, and will hold us accountable for it, based on His goodness and not our own unrighteousness, or on our warped mindset that “whatever will be will be?”

There certainly is! There certainly is a righteous way of life, of living, of having moral guidelines set in place, which is to our benefit if we walk in them. There certainly is the eternal God, whom the Bible declares is absolutely true; the heavens above declaring that which is absolutely true of His glory; the history of Israel, which absolutely declares and proves His promises fulfilled – there certainly is the God of Glory and Righteousness, Who will judge and hold each responsible for his life lived on this planet!

Those who have known the commands of the Lord, which still remain in solid stone, even if the ungodly judge sitting on the court glibly says otherwise…we need to be the ones who stand up and proclaim His Name. We need to be the ones who say to our children, “This is the way, walk in it.” We need to be the ones who don’t just sit by the well and watch the world go to hell.

The Holy Spirit in me compels me to speak up. The holy commandments, given to keep us living with peace, joy and righteousness, need to be kept established in our hearts, and then lived out for the world around us to see.

I for one am not going to trust in some wrong teaching that some rapture will take me out of here and let the nations perish without the knowledge of the Living God, the Creator of All. We have been called to be the light on the hill, the proclaimer of His Good News, the ones who are the hands and feet of our Lord, to take and make a clear and sound message in all the areas of life we inhabit and have been providentially placed in.

Let us rise up, empowered by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), and sound the alarm that death and destruction are not the way it has to be. We have the Truth. We have the Life. We have the Way. It is Jesus, Yeshua Himself, giving us all that pertains to eternal life. It is meant to start in this life too.

And if we get martyred in the process, as least we will have died with our boots on, and didn’t shrivel up watching some wasted TV program to pass the hours away.

We serve the Living God of Israel. We serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Through His grace, mercy, and love for all, let us be the ones we have been called to be, and let the world know it too.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People. Inc.

   

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless known families in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH  OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin and  Love For His People  

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople 

Blogs: Love For His People

No Think On This

Full website: Love For His People

YouTube: Love For His People Inc.

Now Think On This #135  - Anything Goes. NOT! by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (03.27.14) Thursday at 5:00 am in Charlotte, NC.

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on our newest website: Now Think On This

“Let Go & Let God” Now Think On This by Steve Martin

“Let Go & Let God” - Now Think On This
by Steve Martin


“The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and He saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord's presence as I live here on earth!” Psalm 116:6-9, New Living Translation


“Let go and let God.”

I heard the words in my spirit. I knew it was the Lord. Even in that deep sleep, when He speaks, I have learned to recognize His voice.

The day had barely turned to March 21, 2014. It was going to be the first full day of spring. The clock’s red letters said “2:12”. As in “A.M.” As in, “It is still quite dark outside here in Charlotte, NC.”

But I had woken up, or to put it correctly, I had been woken up with His words, “Let go and let God.” When I confirmed the time on the clock placed at the headboard of our bed, I quickly reminded the Lord that I had a long day ahead that Friday. It was going to be around midnight before I’d probably get to bed again, and I really wasn’t wanting to get up just yet.

But in learning to trust Him in these things, having experienced Him this way in the past, when awoken with a word spoken from Him, I responded. I got up. The five hours of sleep would have to be enough for that day.

There were a few things that I knew He was speaking that word to me about. One was the upcoming income tax due, whereby the remaining $1100 was going to have to get paid. There were yet another 24 days to see His hand provide for that. I was being challenged in my trust.

My faith level had already risen a degree, when He sent the unexpected room renter from Minnesota this week. He had arrived just last Sunday, after responding to an ad I had placed on a website that morning at 5:30 am. This upcoming rental income would cover three fourths of the tax bill. Thank you Jesus.

I am most grateful for this provision, as the Lord takes care of our needs. The years in walking His chosen path for our lives, for my good wife Laurie and I, have proven His love over and over again to us and our family. Walking His walk brings the joy and fulfillment He desires for His children.

But I actually don’t think this word, His word, “Let go and let God,” was just for me. I think it is for you who are reading this.

Our Lord, God of heaven and earth, Creator of all and Caretaker over Israel, truly cares about matters in our lives. That income tax bill that is due in three weeks; that long day ahead where more sleep would have been good in preparation for it (or so we think); the child whom we have raised, with as much love as we knew how, and yet still has not followed the Lord’s ways as we had spent long hours praying they would; He most certainly cares about that.

The Lord is saying to you, “I am in control. I am taking care of that concern. You can put it back in MY hands, and watch Me take care of it.”

In addition, there is the thought that the "Let go and let God" may be in connection to something else. Sometimes He calls us to let go of the "cup" we are holding - that treasure or object we know came from the Lord in days gone by. It may be the best cup we have ever had. It may actually be an actual object, like the #24 Jeff Gordon NASCAR cup I used to really admire, or you might have even a championship cup from your favorite team 20 years ago.

On the spiritual side, it may be that prestigious role you have always filled, but now the Lord is calling you to let go of that one, for the new one He has prepared you for these past years while doing that current one. In my life, it was letting go of leading worship and a praise band, so I could give that time to writing books. I love it even more now - the new role He has placed me in!

It may be that event, person, or passion that is keeping you from letting go so you can take the next path the Lord has in store for you, which you won't know about until you let go of this one.

But if we let go of that past, He has a better one for us now. He wants us to move on and live in the here and now. We have to let go of that and go forward with the now. Fresh manna daily, right?

As the Psalmist wrote in the Scripture shared above, “And so I walk in the Lord's presence as I live here on earth”, we too can choose to walk in our Father’s presence, each and every day, with His Holy Spirit as our Guide and Comforter. We can choose to abide under the shadow of His wings, protected by the flurry of activity around us, remaining peaceful in His loving care.

My prayer for you, for my family, for those who have entrusted prayer concerns to me, is that you will also this day, “Let go and let God.” I am trusting in Him and keeping my eyes fixed on Yeshua, the Author and Finisher of my faith. I hope you do too.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People. Inc.


Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

These Feet Are Made For Walking - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

These Feet Are Made For Walking by Steve Martin


“No one will be able to withstand you; Adonai your God will place the fear and dread of you on all the land you step on, as he told you.” (Deut. 11:25 CJB)



The Lord gives us prophetic signs. I believe that, and so I look for them. Even as Jesus Himself spoke of signs, and gave us plenty, and the prophets of old were given signs to reveal a portion of the Lord’s purposes and will, so we too can expect to receive them. Do you believe that?

Over the years the Lord has spoken words to me about my feet. Beginning in 2002, He began speaking prophecy about how my feet would take me to many lands - walking on dirt, clay, sand and paths. At the time, as we usually tend to do, I thought it was a strange word, but it was one I would remember. Sitting behind an office desk 40+ hours a week doing accounting and administration work, I was ready for my feet to do some walking. In boots, sandals, or just plain tennis shoes! He had given me a promise that my feet would go!

In May 4, 2007 several of us were gathered at the Vision for Israel & The Joseph Storehouse (Barry & Batya Segal) office in Charlotte, NC where I was the USA Director (2005-2010).

One of prophetically gifted men present to minister to the 24 people gathered was Chas Haynes from Columbia, SC. After others had a time of receiving encouraging word, it was my turn. I was ready. Here is one message shared and it came through Chas.

“I keep seeing “new ministry, new ministry, new ministry”. It keeps coming to me over and over. I believe that the Lord is shortly, if He’s not already started, shortly going to be moving you into some new areas of ministry. Of course obviously you are very gifted administratively, but I see you being used in that way, with that anointing, but in different areas than you have ever been in before. I see you going into brand new situations. I see you going into some things that, frankly, you are uncomfortably with, because it kind of takes you out of your box or out of your comfort zone, or whatever.

I see you resisting somewhat, in saying, “I don’t know about this. I don’t know if I can see me doing this.” But I see you stepping out and the Lord beginning to bless.

I see you standing like, before, a marshy area, a quagmire. The footing, just obviously to the vision, looks unstable and unsolid. Not something you could walk on. But I see you pondering for a while, and then stepping out, into the mud and the muck, and where your foot hits is all of a sudden solid ground. And then you take another step, and it is solid ground.

Everywhere your foot hits, even though it doesn’t look solid and doesn’t look stable, as soon as your foot touches, it is solid and it is stable. And I see you walking out in the middle of this marshy area and all around you it looks unstable and looks impossible to walk on, but I see you standing in the middle of it.”

Ok, well that was a strange word was my immediate thought. But I will give it time, Lord, to develop. And so it was.

When I left Vision For Israel in June, 2010, it was because the Lord had told me in November, 2009, that it was now time to start a new work. A heart’s desire and a long held dream was going to come into being.

The name was to be Love For His People. So in obedience, I gave my notice to Barry Segal a few days later, that I would be leaving June 30, 2010. This would give him and the board members time to decide what they wanted to do in replacing me at the helm.

Talk about “brand new situations, unstable, looks impossible, mud and muck”! But if we don’t step out in faith, how will we ever get to where we are created to go? It is, and will continue to be, always a walk of faith and trust in our Creator. It even gets a bit more challenging as we proceed up the mountainous path He has prepared for us. If we choose to walk in obedience and trust.

Beginning with that word first received in 2002, these feet of mine have been to Israel 11 times, the UK, Germany, France, China, Hong Kong, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, and even Chicago! All for the purpose of doing the work He first put in my heart as a six year old boy 1st grader in Gilbertville, Iowa, to take His love to the nations. The nuns were an inspiration to be a servant for Jesus.

When I go, I like to take photos of my feet. It helps reaffirm to me the prophetic fulfillment of His word. And it shows to others that His Word is true, as we take His loving Gospel to the nations.

So if you happen to see a picture of my feet, either on a street, a beach, or even in a plane, don’t think I am being too weird. Just excited to be doing the good Lord’s work, and being His feet on this planet.

Now think on this, for your sake,

Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc.


P.S. Following are a few photos I took of my feet. Yes, these feet (sometimes they will have boots on) are made for walking. Even Nancy Sinatra said so!


The starting point – my prayer chair at home.


Tel Aviv – Mediterranean beach Oct. 2010


Even in the Shepherd’s field – south Jerusalem 2010

This is the Heritage rock I picked up in 08.03.04 at the former Heritage USA/PTL grounds in Fort Mil, SC. It was a promise to made, made by the Lord in 1985 when I first walked on that ground, about the Lord giving us the land where our feet shall trod. It is true. I have put my foot on it several times.


Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

If these letters minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless known families in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available).

Contribution checks can be sent to:

Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box414 Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)
Please share this Now Think On This Letter with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com
martinlighthouse@gmail.com
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter
Blogs: Love For His People
Ahava Love Letters
Full website: Love For His People

YouTube: Love For His People Inc.

Now Think On This #125 “These Feet Are Made For Walking” Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (03.02.14) Sunday at 8:00 am in Charlotte, NC).

All previous editions of Now Think On This & Ahava Love Letters can be found on this Blog, and our newest website: Now Think On This & Ahava Love Letters