For Our Children’s Sake - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

For Our Children’s Sake

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

"And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:6, NKJV)

I’ve heard it said that it only takes a minute to become a dad, but a lifetime to be a father. How true.

In this day and age when masculinity and fatherhood are much maligned, ridiculed often, and made to seem as a choice to be avoided, it takes much encouragement for a man to be a father to those whom the Lord has given him. The lion’s heart of the Lord, to be an overcomer and walk in that which he has been created to be, must reside in the heart of today’s fathers. Otherwise, the next generations will continue to slide into the depths of hell that the enemy would so delight to see happen.

Having raised four children, along with my good wife who continues to give so much of herself, even now I find myself even more so interceding for those who follow after us, to have the courage, strength, wisdom and resolve to give of themselves for their children’s sake. When it comes to having a father in your life, really the one person meant to be that one is the child’s father himself. I thank God for men who do adopt the fatherless, the orphaned, and for others who mentor those without a male figure in their lives, but I thank God even more so for the men who are being what a father is meant to be for his children. Being the responsible God-ordained male figure in their life is so needed in our ravished families.

Personally, over those years I have felt so inadequate so often when raising my own kids. With the pressures of marriage, the daily job rigors, and the temptations that come at us to pursue one’s own ambitions and pleasures - when it came to giving of oneself, only by the grace of the Lord has His example kept me committed as much as it did. Without the heavenly Father’s upholding hands touching my own life, I shudder to think where my kids themselves would have ended up. It has been because of the love of the Father working in and through me, for any good accomplished results, having laid that foundation in their lives, to follow after Him.

When I see them struggle, trying their best to achieve good, my father’s heart wants to make it all simple and easy for them. And yet I know that they themselves will only know the Lord’s intervention if they press on through these times too. In time, they will have grown the spiritual fruit necessary to raise their own kids.

As I consider what my role continues to be today in their lives, for my role in fatherhood never stops, I believe one major purpose is to daily pray for them. To intercede on their behalf, asking for the Lord’s protection, provision, and divine purpose, remains a true commitment I maintain for each of them.

My power is limited. His power, through the working of the Holy Spirit, is limitless. Praying in tongues, a mighty prayer weapon, activates His strength and coverage that I simply cannot do.

I remain encouraged that the Lord’s word will continue to instruct and assist in our efforts to be strong fathers in our day. I remain committed to being the example I am meant to be to those who call me Dad. I remain steadfast in my daily promise to pray for them and other fathers who also seek to stand for truth, love and faith in troubled times.

Through the love of God the Father, those who are earthly fathers can be the godly fathers we are called to be, for our children’s and grandchildren’s sake.

 

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

  

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

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Now Think On This #344- in the year of our Lord 06.14.18 – “For Our Children’s Sake”, Thursday, 10:15 am

The Way To Go - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

The Way To Go

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

John Eldredge, a popular author from Colorado, came out with a book entitled, Wild At Heart (Thomas Nelson, 2001). I loved the book! While it spoke tremendously to the inner soul of men, I think some women also read it just to see what happened to “their man” after he put it down. I recommend it to anyone.

Since then, John has authored and published at least 14 more. I think I have read at least nine of them. There is just something about his writings that so encourage men to be men. He even has a book or two especially for women!

For my oldest son Josh’s wedding anniversary in 2015, I gave him one of Eldredge’s most recent books, Fathered By God (Thomas Nelson, 2009). At that time I hadn’t read it myself, but knowing the quality and insight that John shares, I had no hesitation in doing so. Up until a few years ago, I knew Josh had never read a book completely through, so I carefully chose what I suggested or gave him (other than my own books of course!) Josh is now 37 at the time of this writing.

I share that bit of factual news because Joshua told me once he had never even read a book through high school. Oy! He had since then worked to pay his way through school, married his beautiful bride Chelse, has diligently been employed at his current job for 14 years, fathered and is still raising four of our grandchildren, and is a very responsible man of the Lord Jesus. Way to go Josh!

After he read the book, Josh sent me a text saying he loved the book, and thought of me as a “sage.” My response, not knowing the contents of the book, back to him was, “OK. What is a sage?” I’ll leave the rest at that. I guess both you and I will have to read the book!

Sons are knowingly or unknowingly looking for examples in which to model their lives. In this American culture of thinking that the young have all the answers, and old men are just “old men”, they have not rightly been given, nor received on their part, the training, experience, and understanding of what it means to follow after the Lord, and knowing His ways.

Without fathers (over 33%, or 24 million children in America had only a caring mother in the home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau), young kids have not had that needed grown man in their personal life, to train them to live for the Lord, be a responsible young man, work a respectable job, find a good woman as their wife, raise a family, or give back to society from which they owe much. 

They do know how to play a video game hours on end. Wow, where is that going to get them? They have missed it. We are the ones responsible too for that

God the Father intended from the very beginning that one generation would procreate and raise the next generation. One man married to one woman has always been His plan. This “we know best” current theology will never improve, or eternally replace, His perfect plan. His heart has always been to have men be men and women be women. That is the path we must stand strong for and walk on, as believers in the Lord Yeshua (Jesus).

Our sons and daughters, whom we have brought into this world, need our wisdom, guidance, input and firm hand to point them in the right direction. We are not to let them find it on their own. That belief has not gotten them anywhere of lasting value. We must be the ones as their lighthouse, raising them and then letting them go in the grace and purpose of their eternal Father.

I give thanks for responsible fathers and mothers who have trained up their children in the way they are to go. These young ones will be those the Lord will anoint even more so to take the Gospel to their own generation.

And He will also save many others, those currently on their way to hell, who are living in an earthly one here, by demonstrating His miraculous salvation and freeing them also to stand before the gates of hell, taking back others on their way there.

Proverbs 22:6 truthfully reads, “Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old he will not depart from it. (NASU)

For all this, we as believers give you thanks, Father God, for showing us the way we have gone, and need to continue to go.

Something to think about.

Love you,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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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

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Now Think On This #209 “The Way To Go” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (11.21.15) Saturday at 8:15 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

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

Community in the Last Days - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Community in the Last Days

by Steve Martin

“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” (Acts 4:32 NKJV)

Any of you remember the days when you knew who your neighbor was, by name, and if you needed to borrow an egg, Grace next door always had one? And she really didn’t expect you to pay it back.

Remember the days when your lawn went uncut for a few days longer than it was supposed to, because the sickness you caught held on, but George got his out his lawnmower and just came and took care of it?

How about those times gone by when you needed a ride to the store, and gave Harry down the street a quick call, knowing he’d help you in your time of need?

It was a time when we just helped one another out. First, because we actually knew one another, and second, because that was just what we did. We were part of a close knit community, knowing the families who shared the neighborhood we lived in and with whom our kids played with each other. Outdoors of course.

Those were the days some have never seen in their lives. They have grown up in more recent times, possibly moving so often that they can’t remember the names of their school classmates two years ago, as they changed so much.

Many of us still cherish those good memories, and even desire those times to come back. I don’t think they will ever return as then, but I do have the hope that the Lord is bringing us back to those types of relationships necessary to survive in these coming last days.

You see, the Father God has always had it in His heart for people to be in families, in close-knit communities, in relationships where you know the ones you are meant to be close to. Throughout history He has given us the example of living in community life, supporting one another as needed, caring for the young and old in our midst. The Jewish community has been that example, even in the early days of the church, when they were together and had all things in common.

This Jewish heritage, part of our Jewish roots as believers in Jesus, who Himself grew up in a close-knit Jewish culture, has continued through the centuries demonstrating the heart of the Father. They have been given as a light to the nations to display the desired care and concern that God has for individuals, families, and the extended family life.

This community life is even more though than just having a next door neighbor there for that egg, or giving a hand to cut the grass. Actually having ongoing relationships - sharing concerns, helping one another raise kids in a healthy environment, and participating in His love in a real way beyond just talk - I believe He is going to restore.

As members of the Bride of Christ and the One New Man church of believers, we will live in such a way that others really will long for what we have together. They will see the love and desire it for themselves.

In these last days to come, no longer will our living exist for just “hers and mine and maybe two more.” We will be in real community - sharing, giving, supporting and depending on those joints whom we are connected to. Not in just some spiritual sense, but in the actual here and now.

Tough times tend to bring people together in living out actual community. He will see to it that His people do come together, and be the people we are called to be. Together. One heart, one mind, having all things in common. I believe that day is coming sooner than we think. 

I look forward to it, personally.

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 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 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 #127  Community in the Last Days   Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (03.09.14) Sunday at 1:30 am in Charlotte, NC).

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog,

and on this our newest website: Now Think On This