Who (Whose) Are You? - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Who (Whose) Are You?

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works,

and that my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:14, NKJV)

Struggling with self-image is quite common in all nations. We strive to live up to the perfected images blasted out through social media, television, magazines, radio and newspapers. If we aren’t the “perfect” specimen, then we have a problem. Or we “are a problem” and unacceptable. Right?

Aren’t you far too often made to believe that - daily, continually, until you actually believe it, and think it must be true? It doesn’t matter if you are 10, 17, 25, 48 or 63. Or even the golden age of 82 and beyond. We have all struggled with not being accepted, but rejected, for who we are. Or who we are made to believe we are not.

We all are so bombarded with what is the “norm”, that we lose all matter of reality, and Whose we really are.

We each for sure have had a degrading parent, a demanding boss, a deliberate, insecure person in leadership who believes they know who we are and what we should be. They have asked the question so pointedly to us, either out loud or silently to themselves and others around us, “Why can’t you live up to the expectation and perfection that I demand of you?”

How wearing on our soul that becomes. Not receiving the encouragement needed, but instead getting the regular dose of that which discourages us, which makes us feel and believe we are less than what we should be. As a human being no less.

But who is to be our judge? And who sets the so-called life standards? Who decides who is worth living, even from conception, or who can continue to live on?

“If you can’t function “normal” anymore, you are gone.”

Who has the authority and right perspective, taking all matters of judgment into being, in deciding if your very being is worth the very ground you stand on?

Here is the answer! Here is the One Who alone can, and will, decide who you are, who you were created to be, who you can be if your trust and confidence rest in Him.

Take this truth from the very one Who created you. Believe the One who knows all, sees all and will establish you in all.

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God — you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration — what a creation!

You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.

Your thoughts — how rare, how beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them!

I couldn't even begin to count them — any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!” (Psalm 139:13-18, THE MESSAGE)

Often I purposefully quote the Lord’s Word to myself, which declares, “my times are in Your hands.” It is He who decides the what, when, how, and so what in my life.

As He states so forthright in Psalm 31.

“You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness.

2 Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me.

3 For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. 5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

6 I have hated those who regard useless idols; but I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,

8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.

9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body! 10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.

11 I am a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and am repulsive to my acquaintances; those who see me outside flee from me. 12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I hear the slander of many; fear is on every side; while they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life.

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."

15 My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. 16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save me for Your mercies' sake. 17 Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You; let the wicked be ashamed; let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! 20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city! 22 For I said in my haste, "I am cut off from before Your eyes"; nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You.

23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person.

24 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (NKJV)

Yes, we have the One Who will preserve us, Who will strengthen our heart; Whom we can place our hope in and know that He Who is faithful will always be faithful.

Be assured today, that whatever, whoever comes against you, that your Creator stands with you, and will see you to the end.

Thank You, Jesus. We love You, Yeshua.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

   

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

  

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website: Donate

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

We'd love to keep in touch with you. 

Sign up here: Love For His People Contact Form

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

Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 08.13.17 - #306 – “Who (Whose) Are You?” – Sunday 5:35 am

God Is My Salvation - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

God Is My Salvation

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid.” (Isaiah 12:2, NKJV)

How often have you seen someone start a message from Scripture using a verse or two out of Lamentations?! Have you ever read Lamentations recently? Well, neither have I, until this morning.

During my daily reading of the Word of God, this month in Isaiah, I was reading chapter 12. Not only are those verses, from the Jewish prophet of the Living God of Israel, promises made to the chosen ones for that day, but also for us today who call upon the name of the Lord Yeshua. And that is why I was then led to Lamentations. I love how the Holy Spirit directs our steps, even in our reading of His eternal Word, the Torah, the Scriptures, the full Bible.

“Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind,

therefore I have hope. The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” 

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:20-26, NASU)

We had often, back in the day, sang those verses loud and clear, in proclamation mode in fact. “The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

Every morning, every noon, every evening we have the joy and extended call to us…to call on the Name of the Lord. For He is our salvation. He is our hope. He is the lovingkindness demonstrated daily as we put our trust in Jesus, Yeshua, Adonai, Yahweh, Morning Star, the great I AM. He is.

 (I love the new song by Paul Wilbur on his latest CD/MP3 Forever Good -  “Call on the Name”. Check it out sometime. I even provided the link for you!)

“Then you will say on that day," I will give thanks to You, O Lord; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation."

Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say," Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted." Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; let this be known throughout the earth. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 12:1-6, NASU)

What a promise we have, that we can stand on constantly, continually, as we walk the walk, talk the talk, and abide in His presence, whether that be in the secret place every morning during our Bible reading and prayer time, or in the midst of our daily job each of us work at. The Promise holds true - He will be with us, the daily Salvation of our soul.

In a recent youth gathering we started in our home, (primarily age 18 upward) I mentioned that many will have the “worship experience” (new fad name for it?) for an hour or two on Sunday morning, but what happens when the full worship team isn’t with you when the boss is in a foul mood, and you happen to get the brunt of his (or her) wrath on Monday?

Our experience with our Lord needs to be so deep within our soul, engrained within our emotions, that even when we are wrongly treated, falsely accused, or just plain lied about on the “job experience”, that we are still standing firm on His promises we know in our heart to be true - the solid foundation of His Word on which we stand.

The book of Lamentations and the book of Isaiah are to be just as real and impacting in our lives today as they were for those in the “days of old”. 

Scripture is eternal. It was for them then, and it is certainly still is for us now. And it will be for the future. Why? Because He is the eternal Word made flesh and dwelt among us.

“The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, Complete Jewish Bible)

Jesus is the Promise. He is the Word. He is the One who we can trust in, rely on, and know He is with us always – on the Saturday or Sunday morning experience, or on the Monday through Friday ones.

“Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, Complete Jewish Bible)

Keep looking up. Then you will see Him within.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

  

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website: Donate

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

We'd love to keep in touch with you. 

Sign up here: Love For His People Contact Form

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

Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 08.06.17 - #305 – “God Is My Salvation” – Sunday 7:05 am

The Returning Remnant of Israel - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

The Returning Remnant of Israel

 Steve Martin

“A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.” (Isaiah 10:21, NASU)

Dear loved ones and those who love the good people of Israel,

This special Now Think On This writing shares the love the Lord has for His chosen ones, the Jews. All who call upon the Name of the Lord have been chosen, but because He is the Lord on High, God Almighty, He has clearly chosen the Jews to be His light to the nations, the ones who will show Himself strong on their behalf. (No Christian church Replacement Theology here!)

“So now Adonai says — he formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Ya‘akov back to him, to have Isra’el gathered to him, so that I will be honored in the sight of Adonai, my God having become my strength — he has said, “It is not enough that you are merely my servant to raise up the tribes of Ya‘akov and restore the offspring of Isra’el. I will also make you a light to the nations, so my salvation can spread to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:5-6, Complete Jewish Bible)

Though at times they have walked in blindness, He has promised to reveal Himself to them. Simply because He is the God of Love. As Christians, we have had the mercy of the Lord upon us, and have been grafted into the olive tree upon belief in Jesus (Yeshua). But that acceptance of His mercy towards us also hasn’t replaced His heart for the Jews. He is still drawing them after Himself, that they too might see and know of the Savior, Yeshua Himself. For He is HaMashiach, the Messiah.

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

"The Deliverer will come out of Zion,

And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

For this is My covenant with them,

When I take away their sins."

Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.” (Romans 11:25-32 NKJV)

The Lord is fulfilling His promise, to bring the Jews back to their Promised Land, the Land of Ysra’el, the land belonging to them. Abraham received the promise, and the Lord has not withdrawn it.

“The Lord appeared to Abram and said, " To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev.” (Genesis 12:7-9, NASU)

The Living God of Israel has said He will bring them back, and He is, right before our eyes in these last days, the End of Days.

“Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

21 A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

22 For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

23 For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord God of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land.

24 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, "O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. 

25 "For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction."

26 The Lord of hosts will arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt.

27 So it will be in that day, that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness.” (Isaiah 10:20-27, NASU)

We stand with the people of Israel, in prayer support, supplications and decrees of goodness over them. We declare in boldness that it is their God, HaShem, Who is doing this on their behalf. He is, and will continue to, reveal His ahava (love) and grace to them, as He draws them to Himself.

Until He returns in glory, may they see, on this day and every day, our hearts of love and desire for goodness and mercy be upon them. May they see and understand the love from their brothers and sisters, those of us who as true believers have called ourselves Christians, the love of Yeshua.

“To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood, who has caused us to be a kingdom, that is, cohanim for God, his Father — to him be the glory and the rulership forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds! Every eye will see him, including those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the Land will mourn him.

Yes! Amen! “I am the ‘A’ and the ‘Z,’” says Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, the One who is, who was and who is coming.” (Revelation 1:5-8, Complete Jewish Bible)

Even so, Maranatha. Come Lord Yeshua and reveal Yourself to Your brethren.

Shabbat Shalom and ahava (love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

  

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website: Donate

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

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

Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 08.04.17 - #304 – “Returning Remnant of Israel” – Friday 5:20 am

"Ever Be" - Your Praise Will Ever Be On My Lips"- Transformation Church

"Ever Be" - Your Praise Will Ever Be On My Lips"

- Transformation Church

Indian Land, South Carolina

A special edition to this page!

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People

Charlotte, North Carolina

USA

Time To Move On When You Are Called To Move On - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Time To Move On 
When You Are Called To Move On

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“From one man he made every nation living on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the limits of their territories and the periods when they would flourish. God did this so that people would look for him and perhaps reach out and find him although in fact, he is not far from each one of us, ‘for in him we live and move and exist.’” (Acts 17:26-28, Complete Jewish Bible)

There have been several times in my walk with the Lord Jesus (Yeshua) over these many years when I heard Him say, “Now is the time to move.” No, it wasn’t in an audible voice (someday!), but in that sense you get when you know that it is Him. He is wanting your attention, for He has something important to say to you.

The upcoming move may mean relocating to another city, state or country; a career job change; or a change in a relationship, good or bad. My family even moved from Illinois to Michigan to be involved with a church in the 1980’s. It was after that decision had been made, to hear and obey the Lord to move our household, that I found the job He had prepared ahead of time as provision.

Hasselbring-Clark Company, Lansing Michigan

My employment as Office Manager, 1980-1987

Often, people make decisions based on the other way around – finances, climate or state benefits; or maybe even recreation opportunities. Then when it doesn’t work out as they had hoped, they blame it on God. Priorities need to be in God’s order, if you really want to succeed.

An upcoming change begins during that season of your life when the Holy Spirit starts giving you small drops in hint form, letting you know that something new is coming. For me, this usually begins a year before the actual move takes place. I start getting an uneasiness where I am at physically. If it involves a job, the grace begins to depart where I am working. Things around me that were exciting aren’t just so anymore. I get the feeling that the time is coming.

I have learned to realize that it is time to move when I am called to move.

Of course there are times and seasons when you just have to press on in a situation, to wait for the breakthrough to come. Moses certainly did. Joseph had to. Many can testify of the difficulties endured while being directly in the center of the Lord’s will. You can learn a lot of the Lord’s ways when you do so. But in this message I am not referring to those times. That is another message for another time!

The Lord moves His people around to get them in the right place at the right time. Ever feel like you are a square peg in a round hole? I have at times. Even now, very recently, as the last seven years of accounting work is just about over. The grace is gone. The work becomes very frustrating. The time to move on is now.

Hearing His voice and then obeying out of your commitment to follow Jesus, wherever He leads you, is the best, and for your own good, only path to follow. Remember back when, when you first got saved? You probably even sang the popular campfire tune, if you are around my age, “I have decided…”

Don’t let the comforts of living in the lounge chair in front of the Sunday sports game keep you from following Jesus, with all your heart, soul, and yes, even body. Don’t become so set in your ways that when He calls again, to go on the next adventure that would change your life forever, keep you from saying, “Yes Lord. Do unto me according to Your Word.”

Our good friend Hadassah in Jerusalem wrote about their family of seven making aliyah to Israel from America many years ago. I echo her urging – listen to the Lord Yeshua if that is you He is beckoning now. (Read here: Just Say Yes)

Do you realize that the verses often used in church gatherings, to call sinners to have a “come to Jesus” moment, and in paintings of our Lord and King humbly knocking at the front door, were not being spoken to unbelievers? These words were spoken to the church, those who had already believed Yeshua was the Messiah. He was talking directly to them then, and even so, you and I today.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:20-22, NKJV)

It is so important for each of us to hear the Holy Spirit instruct us, and lead us in the way we are to go in these crucial, final days. It may even be a life or death decision. We best be wise in how we choose.

Choose wisely, young man, and old man, teen girls and all other ladies, and seniors too!

Better get your move on. Jesus still calls and shows us the way ahead.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

  

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families and pastors in Israel, Pakistan, Northern Ireland, and Nigeria, whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website: Donate

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box 414   Pineville, NC 28134

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

Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 07.30..17 - #303– “Time To Move When You Are Called To Move” – Sunday 3:10 pm

Our ministry outreach to help supply international pastors with our teaching materials is much appreciated by them. We hope you can join us to bless them. Remember in the past when someone gave you a free book that taught you of our Lord's love and grace? Return the blessing to another.

Nigerian pastors received our books. July 22, 2017

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website: Donate

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

USA tax receipts are provided by our 501(c)3 ministry Love For His People, Inc.