Intimacy - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Intimacy

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“My beloved responded and said to me,

'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,

And come along.

'For behold, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone.

'The flowers have already appeared in the land;

The time has arrived for pruning the vines,

And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.

'The fig tree has ripened its figs,

And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.

Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,

And come along!'"

Song of Songs 2:10-13 NASU)

As my bride came down the church aisle that beautiful early evening, I sang these Scriptural words to her that I had written in my song, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along.” Though I had intended to sing several verses, I choked up on the second one. My heart was just overwhelmed at her beauty, her movement in that flowing white laced gown, and the presence of the Lord’s Holy Spirit in that place of matrimony. The time had come for us to be joined together as man and wife.

What seemed to have been a decade long wait was about to be fulfilled in that moment, as we were acknowledging the Lord’s plans and purposes for unity. Out of our desire to share the love in our hearts, He would also bring forth a family to demonstrate His love on the earth, in preparation for the eternal love in heaven.

From that day forward, we have grown in our care and provision for each other, sharing the gifts and spiritual fruit we each have had to give. In physical, emotional and spiritual intimate moments, we have experienced a touch of what the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have shared for all eternity. Believing that through the times of trials and required persistency, our hearts have been bonded together, the intimacy becoming more real in our lives together.

Being intimate with one other is not an “overnight sensation” that one can have with another simply out of a physical act. To participate in the intent of the Father’s love for mankind, there must be that commitment to be joined together for the long haul; to stand strong when the temptation is to flee; to keep the promise that was spoken at the altar years before. Intimacy is not for those who are looking for a quick satisfaction of one’s emotional lust, but is given to committed hearts who have been and continue to be willing to sacrifice for each other, time and time again. From that solid promise to stay through sickness and health, riches or poverty, until death do we part, the intimate moments are fully experienced, fulfilling the longing in each heart to be accepted, nourished and kept in committed and submitted love.

In today’s society there is the prevailing belief that there can be emotional intimacy without having a strong commitment to one another beyond a sexual act. When the Lord says that sex outside of marriage is wrong, it is because the Creator knows that a deep soulish tie will occur, bringing hurt and lasting pain when an improper joining happens. We were not created to share this intimate act in a non-binding relationship.

The emotional and physical act also carries with it a spiritual bond that has to be kept within the protected walls of marriage. Thus doing that which was intended only within the committed relationship of sacred marriage will produce an emotional scar, keeping us from experiencing real love. It will also leave a strong imprint that will need to be healed later. Our loving Father thus has warned over and over again that sexual intimacy is for the marriage bed only.

Laws are made to protect us, not to keep us from the Lord’s goodness and favor. Abiding in His laws of love and protection will bring eternal satisfaction, keeping our hearts pure and emotions strong. Breaking His loving laws will produce destruction in our spirit, soul and body.

Intimacy between a man and a woman is a beautiful gift from God. Keeping it that way is a protection for our society and the good of all mankind.

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 families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Click 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 #169 “Intimacy” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (03.29.15) Sunday at 12:30 pm in Charlotte, NC

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

Martyrdom - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Martyrdom

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” (Rev. 12:11-12 NASU)

Fear, especially of death, can grip a person, a city and a nation. It can keep you from doing the right thing, or speaking the truth when it is your time to stand for truth. Fear keeps us from love, and from walking in righteousness and justice.

Do you know who is the one who is the most fearful of all? It is the devil. The master of fear is the one who is the most afraid of all, for he fears the Almighty One Who will end his reign of terror on the earth. Out of this eternal fear and hatred, he continually seeks to kill, destroy and martyr the saints of God who have taken the Name of Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

During this short time of hellish destruction, while he yet been given time on the earth, men, women and children will give up their lives by the edge of the sword, rather than give up their souls to eternal hell. Because they are called Christians, these believers of Jesus will die by the hands of hateful “followers of God”, or more accurately, believers of Allah. These evil ones have masked themselves as the conquerors, when in fact their soon coming end will result in eternal damnation, along with Satan himself.

While it is gruesome to see our brothers and sisters blood flow from beheadings and ruthless torture, we need not fear that which may come to us too. We have a promise we can stand on.

“…they did not love their life even when faced with death.” (Rev. 12:11) Our temporary life on earth is nothing compared to the eternal life in heaven with our Lord. Therefore we can stand without fear when faced with death. For this reason, heaven rejoices at the death of a godly one.

"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."

(Rev. 17:14, NASU)

Our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Africa, China and more, are with the Lord, and He with them, for they have been called and chosen. They will be faithful even to the end, as they face the edge of the sword. The lord of Lords and King of kings’ strength and love will empower them to give their lives for the greater glory, to later join Him in heaven when others will be judged and condemned to the eternal lake of fire for their murderous actions.

We need not fear our coming time of martyrdom, should that also be the end of this temporal life for us. I for one do fully expect that at some point I too will be called upon to proclaim my faith in Jesus, and be killed as a result of my conviction and belief. By His compassionate grace, I will look into His eyes of love, rather than the eyes of the evil doers.

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.

"And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." (Rev. 22:1-7 NASU)

A glorious time awaits those who give their lives for the One Who gave His life for us. These are the faithful and true words that we can believe, now and forever.

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 families we know 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 #168 “Martyrdom” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (02.27.15) Friday at 8:00 am in Charlotte, NC

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

Wearing Down The Saints - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Wearing Down The Saints

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One…”

Daniel 7:25 NASU

The devil is constantly directing his henchmen to use any means possible to wear down the saints of God, the believers in Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach). Their goal is to get us to quit the fight, to lay down our weapons, and to take us out from fighting the good fight that rages on in the spiritual realm. They will use both natural and spiritual weapons of war to push us down, cause us to grow weary in doing good, and keep us from standing strong on the solid, eternal foundational truths of God’s Word.

I became even more so aware of this during a time of personal sickness. The constant coughing that nagged me for days, both day and night, wore me out in my mind, my emotions and my physical being. During a particular night of constant coughing, robbing me of valuable sleep, the Lord was making me even more so aware of the same tactics which the enemy of our soul does use to wear us out. It can be that ongoing pounding at our beliefs, which brings such weariness at times that we become discouraged in the fight and want to give up. That is what the lying accuser of the brethren confronts us with as we chose daily to walk in faith.

In the 2014 movie Unbroken, which portrays a portion of American Louis Zamperini’s World War II endurance – surviving first a plane crash, enduring 47 days in the Pacific Ocean lifeboat, and then living through brutal captivity in the Japanese POW camp - brings a stark demonstration of being beaten down, to wear one out, in the attempt to break the spirit and bring mental surrender. But from a strength that had to come from the Lord, Whom He ultimately accepted as His deliverer, Louis survived.

Today, as the world around us continues in its fast moving plunge into darkness, we see the rise of evil realities being exposed through godless forces. Believers are being left homeless, tortured, raped and murdered, as they will not bow down to the false, wicked god of the destroyer. These martyrs are choosing life over death.

We have these Scriptures from our Lord to stand on from Matthew 24:7-14 (NASU).

"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Our faith will be tested. The enemy is increasing his attacks against the Lord’s anointed, to wear us down. But by the grace of God we can endure to the end, and see our God’s kingdom come.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

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 families we know 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 #166 - “Wearing Down The Saints” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (01.11.15) Sunday at 11:30 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

Big Picture. Full Picture. - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Big Picture. Full Picture.

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“You're a fountain of cascading light, and you open our eyes to light.” Psalm 36:9 (THE MESSAGE)

You are surrounded by the forest. All around you is nothing except the dense foliage, with a few streaks of sunlight piercing the darkness. You can’t see much at all and you think this is it. This is the known world.

As the camera pulls back, the forest gives way to a winding river, and then majestic clouds as the view expands higher up. Moving quickly now, you see through the lens a large land mass, surrounded by a huge ocean. Then the round ball of earth comes into further view, followed by a galaxy with massive groups of stars. There is no stopping point to the vastness of the creation.

At times our world we move in seems nothing more than what we can see through the trees in the forest. The daily routines, work schedules, and the ongoing maintenance of life keep us from seeing the big picture. For some, our boundaries are the small confines we are familiar with, and it sometimes seems that is all we can handle. Keeping life simple, within that established and familiar perimeter, is ok within our world, we at times believe.

For many, the bigger picture is rarely seen, if at all. Just maintaining the day in, day out routine is enough for the typical person, seeking to make it through another week, another season, another year. What is happening elsewhere offers nothing that will touch our lives. Or so it would seem.

To have a world concept, to go beyond what we typically come in contact with, requires something outside of ourselves. It will push us to see more than we would normally want to see, to get involved within a sphere outside of our own. Having a world view will require more than the “me and mine” attitude, if we are to affect the world beyond our known borders.

At times I am content to keep within the confines of the world I typically walk in – to do well on the job, maintain the few relationships I have, and accept the routine I have grown accustomed to. It just seems good enough. And yet fulfillment lacks. More must be attained.

Seeking the Lord’s purpose and plan for our lives will bring the full picture in view, as we realize that His world, the one we have been called to walk in, is beyond ours. Having His vantage viewpoint gives us the opportunity to get beyond our immediate surroundings and expand our world view.

As time goes by, the zeal we had to change the world in our youth must not be replaced with a complacency and tendency to shrink back from serving His purposes. Rather than believing we have completed our assignment and can now sit back and let others do it, our prayer must be to have His passion and love for the world renewed in our spirit. It is a daily walk, one that by His grace we can keep pressing on to achieve.

The enemy would like for us to sit back and let the world go by, allowing “que sera sera” – whatever will be will be. But that is not what we have been given to do, and we must continue to walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirt, Ruach HaKodesh, to be overcomers in this life.

The big picture, the full picture, has the world in view. Our place in this world is to continue to bring His kingdom into that part that He has for us to impact and fulfill. Until He calls us home to our eternal reward, let us keep seeking the Lord so we can be instruments of His love here on earth.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

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 families we know 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 #165 - “Big Picture. Full Picture.” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (01.05.15) Monday at 9:00 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

Expectations - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Expectations

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Col. 3:2-4 NASU

Expectations come and go, rise and fall, and can be fulfilled or left hanging as we press forward. We experience different levels of expectations during our lifetime, as we seek to know the will of our Father, Who knows all and desires to see us walk in His way. Along that way, each of us will be given the opportunity to learn to trust in Him, expecting His promises and purposes to come about as He has said. Often that trust and faith in Him is tested, even as disappointments and setbacks occur.

In times past I have been told that my expectations were too high, that I need not hope as much as I did. Most often it was because I was looking at people to bring about a certain fulfillment in my dreams, rather than the Lord Himself. There had been opportunities to experience something different and new, but when circumstances or the people I looked to did not bring about the expected result I was hoping for, I had to guard my heart from disappointment and press hard into the Father’s heart for an answer. 

At times it was not easy. At times it seemed that I had gone as far as I would or could go, and really didn’t want to believe again for a better result. The temptation was to settle for things as they were, and be content with that. But we all know that that doesn’t bring fulfillment, does it?

After spending another time slowly re-reading the biblical story of Joseph and his expectations, and the resulting situations, I once again became encouraged to trust that the Lord does redeem our times and seasons. It is though in His time. Those pits and prisons are real. But also the release and triumph can be just as real. It becomes a matter of time for His plan to become reality for us.

As we hear or read of others who have gone before with their life stories, we realize that they too had to overcome the disappointments, the failures of oneself and others, the unfulfilled expectations that they had placed their hope in. They had to daily press on, to push forward, to contend for the prize set before them, in order to gain the higher ground. It was a battle, in an even great spiritual war.

In Isaiah 40:30-31 the Word says, “Young men may grow tired and weary, even the fittest may stumble and fall; but those who hope in Adonai will renew their strength, they will soar aloft as with eagles’ wings; when they are running they won’t grow weary, when they are walking they won’t get tired.” Complete Jewish Bible

Whether young or old, we must keep our hope in Adonai, our Savior, in order to renew our strength. When anticipated expectations do not come about as we had hoped, once again we must stand on the foundation He has laid. Once again we must experience His renewal, His uplifting of our wings, as we run the race set before us. Though we will become weary and tired, He will not fail us in our journey.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

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 families we know 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 #164 - “Expectations” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (11.11.14) Tuesday at 8:30 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