Lives Laid Down - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Lives Laid Down

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16-17 NKJV)

After recently gotten back from Israel, the Land which the Lord has prophetically brought His chosen people back to, I have been contemplating on some of what I experienced. Seeing, hearing, feeling and touching what He has done there is simply miraculous. The Jews truly are becoming a light to the nations, as He said He would make them.

"I am God. I have called you to live right and well.

I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.

I have set you among my people to bind them to me,

and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,

To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:

opening blind eyes,

releasing prisoners from dungeons,

emptying the dark prisons.”

(Isaiah 42:6-7 THE MESSAGE)

One amazing sight that touched me over and over again was to see in action the mothers of Israel raising their children. Now I am not saying this just because we are close to Mother’s Day here in the USA. I am writing this because many have lost something when it comes to family, and need encouragement to walk in the truth.

By the mercy and grace of God over these many centuries, the Jewish people have kept, and continue to keep, what the Lord had intended from the beginning. When He created and ordained husbands and wives, to be fathers and mothers, He knew only the existence of love and sacrificial life, as lives laid down, would be the bedrock to have families flourish, and raise children unto Him.

One family I spent time with there in the Jerusalem area was celebrating their child’s first birthday. Now that is a great thing for those of us who have had a child, or a grandchild, and have done that. The first birthday is always really special.

But when it is the ninth child that has come out of the marriage covenant of man and woman, that simply is God. Fulfilling the word, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, " Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it…” (Genesis 1:27-28 NASU) is the very first commandment given to mankind.

Mother of nine in Israel, with birthday child on lap

In much of today’s society we have almost reached the point where we scorn those who, as man and woman, do get married, have children, and spend a great portion of their lives raising them.  Day in and day out, by so often laying down their own wants, pleasures and pursuits, these who do as the Lord has directed, are giving themselves to their children. Even more so, seeing these Jewish mothers giving so much of themselves by raising their children, makes one again thank God that there are still ones fulfilling His purpose and plan, walking them out in reality, within families.

Women who choose to do this – biblically marrying and having children, raising them with all they have - are to be the most highly commended among mankind.

My own mother, Lila Martin Parker, now reaching an age a bit beyond 80, still gives of herself for her eight children that she and Dad raised, and the many, many grandchildren that followed. Over those decades, much sacrifice, much heart, soul and body were totally given to do this marvelous life act – to give out so her children and their children could receive.

Louis and Lila Martin family 1973

And my own good wife Laurie, herself the mother of four, lives daily to bless her children ongoing. And now also, with her seven grandchildren, is seeing part of her life’s generational reward come through them.

Steve and Laurie Martin Family in 2013 (We need an updated one, as Levi is not present yet!)

Indeed, let us honor and bless all mothers, these admirably women of God, who are truly walking out His divine will. I so do myself.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. And may the good Lord bless my daughters Hannah and Christen as they raise their children, and daughter-in-law Chelsie with her four!

P.S.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

We are blessed when the ministry receives gifts to support the families that we do, primarily in Israel, Hungary, India, Pakistan and the hurting ones here in the USA. You also can share out of the abundance you have been given.

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 - In the Year of our Lord 05.11.17 - #281 – “Lives Laid Down” – Thursday, 4:15 am

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

Single Moms - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Single Moms

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.” (Deuteronomy 10:18-19, NKJV)

Over the years I have always been amazed at the strength, character, and the sheer determination that comes forth from the heart of a single mom towards her children. Especially those women that have been left behind with small children, with little or no income from the father or husband. My heart has gone out to them many times, trying to give wisdom and support in whatever manner or level of assistance that was necessary and appropriate. But I know I never personally did enough.

From the beginning it has always been in the heart of God the Father to have each and every person in a family. Beginning with Adam and Eve, He desired that together a man and a woman, as husband and wife, would bring forth children, and share in the responsibility of provision and full support until the children reached adulthood. They were to instruct their offspring in the ways of the Lord, and then watch them raise their own family at the proper time.

Far too often, primarily because of death, divorce, or a one-night stand leaving the girl with no man around, many teenagers and young women have been left all alone to raise the child/children. It is a very tough job. Only they know just how tough it is, as loneliness, despair and discouragement abound.

There are many who have chosen not to depend solely on the government, but instead are working one or two jobs, or more, to pay the rent, buy the food, keep the kids clothed and warm, while making sure they are getting a good education. It all weighs very heavily on them daily. If there is no extended family around, or a church that understands their role to assist them, it is very overbearing. Tragically, we as believers have far too often left it up to the government to provide support and provision for them.

I don’t have all the answers. But I do know that our Lord has a tremendous heart for these single moms, and the kids that they daily lay down their life for. I believe He has gifted people in His body to be there for them. I do hope those ones take every opportunity, with the Lord’s grace and provision, to do so, while the rest of us help hold up their arms also.

If you are a single mom, I pray you will be comforted, cared for, and given the love you need and desire, as much as you have given out already for your kids.

And I pray the Body of Jesus Christ will rise up and have you in the family you are meant to be joined with, in the larger family of our Lord.

With His love and comfort,

Steve Martin

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

We sure could use your help to bless the families we do in Israel, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the hurting ones here in the USA. Please give out of the abundance you have been given.

In May, 2016, my wife Laurie and I will be traveling to Israel to spend time with our friends. We support them in word and deed. We have our plane tickets in hand. We love Israel.

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 - In the year of our Lord 12.14.15 - #220 –“Single Moms”

 – Monday at 6:45 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

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

We sure could use your help to bless the families we do in Israel, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the hurting ones here in the USA. Please give out of the abundance you have been given.

In May, 2016, my wife Laurie and I will be traveling to Israel to spend time with our friends. We support them in word and deed. We have our plane tickets in hand. We love Israel.

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 #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

“Release!” Now Think On This by Steve Martin

“Release!”

Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“At daybreak, the court judges sent officers with the instructions, "Release these men." The jailer gave Paul the message, "The judges sent word that you're free to go on your way. Congratulations! Go in peace!" Acts 16:35-36 (THE MESSAGE)

In the late 1980’s Laurie and I, along with our four kids, lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As part of my being on the Derek Prince Ministries staff, our likely church choice was Good News Church. That was Derek’s home base from his worldly travels. And because of his time away so many months each year, along with the other apostolic teams of Mahesh Chavda and Jim Croft, the local elders had asked a pastor by the name of Geoff Buck to come from Carmel, CA and serve. Geoff did come, and was a great pastor and teacher, with a prophetic gifting too, whom we much appreciated.

One of Geoff’s prophetic words on a Sunday morning got into my spirit. It was a word one receives at a particular time and your response is, "Yes, that is good.” And then the Holy Spirit implants that into your heart, and seems to sear it into your brain’s storage files. It is a rhema word, one fresh from the Lord to you, that you seem to never forget.

Geoff spoke a prophetic word about the “silver-haired” men and women of God, who would come into the fulfillment of their calling once they reached the age when the hairs on their head had turned to silver. Being my hair at the time was still a solid brown, being less than 40 years old, I knew the time coming was for a distant future in our lives. But the word was planted, and grew over the past decades.

With my earthly time period of 60 years coming real close on this planet, for this head of hair, I have already experienced the silver-haired reality, but am longing for more. Many of you are too. And as my good friend Morris Ruddick likes to say, and write, there is plenty of “something more” we are desiring ahead for us.

The Lord God of Israel is known for taking young adults in their 20’s and 30’s, speaking a word to them that gets into their spirit, and then using decades of reality living to train, prepare, bring increase of wisdom, and more fully relying on His strength (for the Lord knows our physical strength is waning!) to bring about His purposes and plans through them. We have been so prepared. We are so ready for the release!

As things begin to open up, with ministry opportunities, time and resources to go beyond the 40 hour weekly job, my sense is that those years of longing for the release are coming upon many of us. Having spent the long hours in morning prayer, attending weekly church classes and weekend conferences along the way, our time “on the bench” is concluding, and the launch is most definitely coming.

Daily I have been even more fervently praying for the release from the daily jobs both Laurie and I continue to faithfully serve in, anticipating that time when that will be done. The open doors, allowing us not to be restrained by the needed commitment to these hourly jobs, will be the path we are walking through, to go to the nations. I firmly believe that the time is at hand.

Many of you too have had the same longing, the same calling, the same urge from Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), these many decades. As Moses was released after 40 years in the desert, as Joseph was released after his time in Egypt, as Jesus was released after His 30 years of training, so we will be released into the greater purposes of our Father. We have been prepared. We are ready.

The time of the silver-hairs has come. Our generation is going to take the nations for the Lord, to lead the generation that will follow behind us, and to do great exploits for the Mighty God of Israel Whom we have faithfully served all these years.

It is not so much a wake-up call for us, as it is a “Here I am, send me now Lord!” cry that is going to be fulfilled.

Release is coming!

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 #134  “Release” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (03.25.14) Tuesday at 5:30 am in Charlotte, NC.

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

The Tide Is Turning - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

The Tide Is Turning

Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify Him. For He will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.” Isaiah 59:19, New Living Translation

“‘Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs in the camp of the saved?" The hand of God has turned the tide! The hand of God is raised in victory! The hand of God has turned the tide!" Psalm 118:15-16 THE MESSAGE

I can sense it in my spirit. The tide is turning. The Lord God of Israel has said, “Enough is enough”, and He is turning the tide in the heavenly realm, and thus in the earth.

For decades the wicked have risen up, proclaiming their agenda, pushing their immoral acts, pressing down on the godly standards of the Judeo/Christian foundation. They have removed the stones of the righteous, replacing them with heretical lies and godless ways.

In my spirit I can hear the Lord say, “Now it is MY time. It is MY time to raise up the standard and show Myself strong. It is MY time to let the earth know that the King of kings and the Lord of lords is in full control. It is not the heathen. It is not the oppressor. It is not the tormentors who think they rule. MY Kingdom will be established, even as I have spoken in My Word, and recorded by My prophets, centuries ago.

It will be My Word that will set the course of the nations. Even as man and the rulers of the nations think that they are moving mountains, they are but hills in My sight, and they themselves will be moved.

I am raising up a generation of young people who will look to their fathers and mothers for godly direction, for wisdom in how to advance, for righteous counsel in what they are being called to do. It is I, the Living God of Israel, Who will establish My purposes, My plans.

Those who have laughed at My people and at My words will not stand. They will see the right hand of God move, and remove, and build up the righteous foundations again.

The tide is turning. Because I am the Creator of the oceans and the mountains, and because they serve Me, I will use them in the natural as a forerunner of what I am doing in the spiritual."

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 #132  “The Tide Is Turning” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (03.20.14) Thursday at 5:30 am in Charlotte, NC.