I Love BOTH Hanukkah AND Christmas - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

I Love BOTH Hanukkah AND Christmas

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Yeshua spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life.” (John 8:12, Complete Jewish Bible)

I love both Hanukkah AND Christmas!

Only in the past few years have I really understood the Feast of Hanukkah (Chanukah is another spelling in Hebrew), also known as the Festival of Lights, or Feast of Dedication. Having been raised a Christian, I considered it a Jewish celebration, for Jews only. After all, that was in the Old Testament, right? That part of the Bible is only the Jewish part of the Bible, the Old Covenant, isn’t it?

But then I had my eyes opened and my spirit enlightened, through an understanding of our Jewish roots as believers. Now knowing that Jesus was born in a Jewish family (His Hebrew name is Yeshua), the twelve Jewish apostles were Jewish, and the Bible was completely written by Jews (with only one or two Scriptural books the exception, written by Gentiles), I had a change of heart. I could celebrate Hanukkah too, just as my Messiah Yeshua did!

“Then came Hanukkah in Yerushalayim. It was winter, and Yeshua was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo’s Colonnade.” (John 10:22-23, Complete Jewish Bible)

Or if you prefer the NKJV, “Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.”

There are several Messianic Jewish books and websites that completely give further understanding to this winter feast, so I won’t be trying to do that here. But just knowing that the Lord miraculously provided 8 days of oil to burn the Hanukkiah (the 9 candle stick menorah), when they only had one day’s supply of oil to begin with, shows us the provision that He gives as we trust in Him. 

We can also visibly see that the main candle, called the server, is the one that each night lights the others. It fully represents the Servant Jesus Himself, Who gives us the light to pass on. I can understand that with my Gentile mind.

We actually have several Hanukkah menorahs in our home. I like our David’s Harp one the best.

Christmas is such a joyous part of the season. Though I believe Yeshua (Jesus) was actually born during the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall, I really enjoy the Christmas songs on the radio, the Christmas tree in our house, the welcoming wreath on the front door, and the fun and love shared in the giving of presents to each other. In our home, Christmas above all represents the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, who lives each day of the year as our Savior and Lord.

If the world chooses to celebrate along with us, let it be so! Let them sing “O Come O Come Emmanuel” on the secular radio station, along with “O Holy Night”. May they greet one another joyfully with “Merry Christmas”, being Christ (Christos, or Messiah) is the most joyous (merriest) one of all!

I love it when our small town of Pineville, North Carolina decorates the city streets with heavenly angels on the light poles, proclaiming the Good News with trumpets (shofars!); the silver bells hanging down, swinging in the breeze while ringing out His birth; the large Scotch pine Christmas tree, lighting up the town square, evergreen with His life and the colorful lights testifying of His love for diversity. After all, He has created so many of us, with such creativity and our different nationalities - the most multi-color that these lights represent well!

  

Christmas at the Martins

And of course there are the beautifully wrapped presents, delighting our grandkids, being taught how the Wise Men blessed their Savior too with good gifts, signifying their adoration and worship.

In both Hanukkah AND Christmas, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, is revealed as the Light of the World in both!

Celebrate this exciting season of love! May both Jew and Gentile understand that Hanukkah AND Christmas can be shared in our One New Man love. I for one certainly have no problem with that, and give thanks to my Lord for both.

Happy Hanukkah AND Merry Christmas, from our house to yours.

“And God bless us, everyone!”

 May your days be filled with peace, joy and love.

Happy Hanukkah AND Merry Christmas!

Our ministry Christmas card - 2015

The Martin Hanukkiah fully lit in past celebration.

We love you,

Steve & Laurie 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 11.29.15 ) #215 - “I Love Hanukkah AND Christmas” – Sunday at 4:30 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

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

"9 Out of 10" - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

"9 Out of 10"

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

Usually when you hear of someone getting “9 out of 10”, you think it was a good thing. One hits 9 out of 10 baskets in a basketball game, or has par for the first 9 out of 10 golf holes – they have done very well.

If you were in a high school math class and you answered 9 out of 10 questions correctly on a test (pop quiz!) you’d get an A, or at least a B+. (Do they still grade that way in school? Or does everyone get a passing grade just to move them on?) Or maybe you passed your last driver’s license test at the DOT, Department of Transportation, because the one testing you gave you a hint or two, not wanting you to fail. Trust me, that happened last time I was there when I turned 60. That younger man certainly was a nice guy.

Recently I had the opportunity to bless a group of people with something I considered important. At least it was for me. Because I had put in a lot of effort to complete the project, and was excited to share it with others, I thought the response would be good. Believing that the Holy Spirit had given me the inspiration to do it in the first place, I naturally expected an acknowledgement from the recipients.

But it didn’t happen. At least not in the way or timing that I thought it would or should. Never heard from them until I asked one or two about it sometime later. Just to make sure it got to them.

Some told me that they had forgot to let me know it came. Another had a major extra job they were working on, and didn’t think more about it. Others just didn’t give it an extra thought.

Now I had a bit of the taste of what Jesus must have felt like when He experienced the following.

“Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:11-19 NKJV)

After reading that, you probably also reacted like I did, thinking the other nine were thoughtless and totally unthankful. Why would Jesus have even bothered with them in the first place?

Even though they had just been healed from a debilitating disease, one that also attributed to the rejection they certainly received from others, they didn’t even bother to come back and thank Yeshua. They had been facing an early death, but now, after a miraculous deliverance from their sickening condition, they showed no appreciation whatsoever.

Only the one out of the 10 came back to give thanks to the Son of God. Only the one. And this guy wasn’t even in the societal class of “accepted ones” in the local area, but considered a “foreigner”, a lowly Samaritan. These were people generally ostracized and looked down by the religious Jews.

My heart has had another learning experience. Giving thanks is so vital to our spiritual health – both in giving and also receiving.

When someone does something good for you, give thanks. Do it anyway that is appropriate for the gift received. Either verbally, with a short text, a card for one who likes those, or whatever – just show your appreciation.

We are to have a thankful heart. Growing in appreciation for the goodness of the Lord and others in our lives does a great thing for our soul and spirit. The Lord blesses those who do.

Paul instructed the Colossians in his letter to the early church members, which is for our instruction too.

“And be thankful - let the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in you, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to God in your hearts. That is, everything you do or say, do in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:15-17, Complete Jewish Bible)

As we grow in thanksgiving, we will see a lifting in our inner man, within our spirit. We will be letting go of an uncaring, ungrateful attitude, and receive more of the Lord’s heart of joy and peace.

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 #206 “9 Out of 10” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (11.13.15) Friday at 7:00 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

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