Ahava Love Letter - "Happy Birthday Israel!"

Ahava Love Letter

Happy Birthday Israel!

“Who ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Is a country born in one day? Is a nation brought forth all at once? For as soon as Tziyon went into labor, she brought forth her children.” (Isa. 66:8 CJB)

Dear family of friends,

Celebrations are meant to express love and appreciation for those being honored. We rejoice with ones reaching a milestone in their lives, whether as individuals, a group, or even a nation.

At sunset on May 9, 2011, the nation of Israel celebrates her 63^rd birthday. Even as the prophet Isaiah foretold centuries earlier, the Lord would return His Chosen Ones to their Promised Land. Jews have always lived in this eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, but in 1948 they once again had this portion of the earth in their hands, never to give it up again.

Birthing a baby is tough work. As a husband, and then as a father, I stood by my wife’s side, doing all I could during the “out coming” of our four children. Granted, my labor was only putting ice chips in her mouth, and  offering a hand to squeeze on until it turned blue. That was nothing compared to what she endured. And coming through the birth canal for each child had to have been a rough trip too. That I know. I did it once myself!

At the time of Israel’s rebirth, and every year since then, you, my friends in Israel, have been surrounded by hostile and warring nations committed to destroying your history and very lives. The years of amazing survival, growth, and becoming a “blessing to the nations” since that first year, has been achieved by your perseverance, blood, and commitment by living in The Land. And most certainly by the hand of the Most High God, Who has promised to protect you for all eternity. And that He will.

I salute the people of Israel. I say “Well done!” for all that you have indeed done. And despite the daily pressures, both in the natural and the spiritual, through the battles you have fought, and will fight, you will, for generations to come, prove that you are indeed the Chosen Ones of the Living God of Israel!

Happy birthday Israel!

Ahava to all, and especially to you, my Israeli friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

P.S. We still have a few seats left on our annual Ahava Adventures ministry trip to Israel Oct. 29 – Nov. 8. We need to hear from you now if you are planning, or are even considering coming, on this lifetime opportunity. It is at a cost of only $2495 (which no one may never see again) from Charlotte, NC to Tel Aviv (and back of course!) Check our website or e-mail me at martinlighthouse@gmail.com ASAP.

Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a charitable gift to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. Our website  http://www.loveforhispeople.com/ lists the opportunities available. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)

©2011 Steve  Martin      Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box 470035   Charlotte, NC 28247-0035      

E-mail: ahavaloveletters@gmail.com

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Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858.  Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.

Ahava Love Letter #25   Date: May 7, in the year of our Lord 2011    

Israel Flag In The Wind - Photo by Steve Martin

Evening Honoring Israel 2011 - Beit Yeshua, Beit Shofarot, Highway To Zi...

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Honoring Israel Night - Beit Yeshua, Beit Shofarot, Highway To Zion & Love For His People

In a sign of unity in support of Israel, Beit Yeshua hosted this Night Honoring Israel in Lincolnton, NC May 6, 2011.  Night was led by Curtis Loftin and Doug Williams. Beit Yeshua was joined by Beit Shofarot (Yossi Wentz), Highway To Zion (Cathy Hargett), and Love For His People. (Steve & Laurie Martin). Photos by Steve Martin

President Shimon Peres Address Celebrating Israel’s 63rd Year

Dear Friends,

As we celebrate 63 years of statehood, we can look back on the historic miracle of the birth of a nation – the State of Israel. And we can laud one of our greatest leaders, David Ben-Gurion, for declaring the establishment of a Jewish state – a homeland – one momentous day in May 1948. Immediately afterward we were attacked – outmanned, outnumbered, outgunned.

From the debris of the War of Independence arose one of the best and most moral armies in the world. The desert turned into a model of state-of-the-art agriculture admired by all. Israel’s development in fields such as hi-tech, science, technology and medicine has placed her at the forefront of advances in these areas the world over.

On the day of the proclamation of the State of Israel, it was stated that this newly founded nation would be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel. We abide by the Jewish code of moral values instilled in us.

We are still facing evil forces, especially those that emanate from Iran. This call, by a regime that is a danger to the entire world, should be met by an uncompromising mobilization of the international community. We are determined, together with our supporters everywhere, to fight anti-Semitism and delegitimization.

The State of Israel is prepared to do its share, even at a painful cost, to achieve peace with our neighbors. We are hopeful that the winds of change sweeping our region will herald new opportunities of peace, security and prosperity for all.

We all share the hope that Gilad Shalit will be reunited with his family immediately.

The bridges of kinship that link the Jewish state with the Jewish communities around the world are vital to us. You are full partners in our success. Looking back, we have much to be proud of. Looking forward, we still have much to achieve. Together we can accomplish anything and everything. Together we can prevail. And together we shall celebrate many more independence days to come.



President Shimon Peres Address Celebrating Israel’s 63rd Year

Tornadoes in the Southeast: Peace in Conflict - Rick Joyner Video | Prophetic Perspective on Current Events

Tornadoes in the Southeast: Peace in Conflict - Rick Joyner Video Prophetic Perspective on Current Events

Is Allah the God of the Bible? - Dr. Bill Duerfeldt

                                                

Is Allah the God of the Bible?

Way back in 1982 my wife, Cindi, and I took our second trip to Israel.  One day a Muslim cleaning lady came into the hotel room while we were still in the room.  Somehow she detected that we were Christians.  (We were attending a Christian conference and maybe there were brochures in the room or something to that affect.  I don’t recall and it doesn’t matter.)  Anyway, in her broken English she pointed to us and said, “Christian”; she pointed to herself and said “Islam”; and then she waved her hands around the room – either indicating the hotel, or more probably all of Israel – and said “Jew”.  Then she looked heavenward and said, “All same God.”  Smiling brightly she left the room. 

At the time I took her comment at face value – after all, Christians, Jews, and Muslims all worship one God.  Moreover, in the Islamic faith, Jews and Christians are included with the Muslims as “People of the Book”.  So, at the time I concluded we all must worship the same God, yet each in our own way, and in our own understanding.  It sounded good at the time.

But is that really true?  Do Jews, Christians, and Muslims all worship the same God?  Is “Allah”, the god of the Muslims, also the God of the Bible?  Let’s look at the facts.

Let’s begin by first looking at the God of the Christians and the God of the Jews.  Do these two religions worship the same God?  Without belaboring the point, I think it is self-evident that Jews and Christians do worship the same God.  For example, the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) liberally quotes from the Tanakh (Old Testament), making abundant references to the God of Israel.  Moreover, there is nothing in the Brit Chadashah which contradicts the Tanakh (unlike the Koran, which we shall see later.)  And, of course, Yeshua (Jesus) identified Yahweh, the God of Israel, as His Father and ours.

This God of the Tanakh and the Brit Chadashah has a proper Name.  His Name, as revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 3) is written in Hebrew with four letters (yod, hey, vav, hey).  These four letters are called the Tetragrammaton (Greek = “Four Letters”) and is written יְהוָה. The Name is probably pronounced “Yahweh”, although no Jewish person, would ever attempt to actually pronounce The Name for fear of breaking the Third Commandment.  Instead, whenever the Tetragrammaton appears in Scripture, the Jewish person will read “Adonai” (Lord).  In our English Bibles, the Tetragrammaton is nearly always translated LORD, and written in all capital letters.  (Occasionally the Tetragrammaton is translated GOD, also all in capitals; for example:  Ezekiel 11:16.)

This God – the God of Israel, the Living God, the God and Father of Yeshua (Jesus) – also goes by many other Names throughout the Scriptures.  He is El Shaddai – God Almightly.  He is El-Elyon – God Most High.  He is Yahweh Tzava’ot – the LORD of Hosts.  And the list goes on and on.  Yet despite His many different Names, it is clear from both the Tanakh and the Brit Chadashah that the God and Father of Yeshua is identical to the God who revealed Himself to Moshe (Moses) on Mt. Sinai.   After all, Yeshua Himself was born, lived, and died as a Jew; as did all His original Apostles and disciples.  They were not worshipping some foreign god; something which would have been utterly inconceivable to them.  They were worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the One True God of the people of Israel – Yahweh.

Well, then…what about Allah?

Interestingly, amongst the many Names of God in the Tanakh, there is an Aramaic word, אֱלָהּ (pronounced “‘elahh”; and translated God or god) which does appear some 95 times.  In 79 of those cases, the word clearly describes “Yahweh”, the God is Israel.  (e.g. Ezra 5:1). In the other 16 instances, the word refers to a pagan god. (e.g.,Daniel 5:4)  It’s noteworthy that in three verses of Scripture (all in Daniel), the same word is used both for the God of Israel and for a pagan god, although the distinction is easily made by the context.  These are Daniel 2:47, 3:28, and 5:23.

In addition, a similar Hebrew word  אָלָה (or “alah”) also appears in the Jewish Scriptures – some 36 times, as a matter of fact.  Interestingly, in fully one half of those occurrences in the Tanakh, the word “alah” is translated as “curse”.  [See Deut. 29:20 as one example.] 

Now, some may argue that the word “allah” is simply the Arabic word for “god”, just as “el” is the Hebrew word for “god”.  That is true.  But is that the whole truth?

Consider Exodus 34:14:  “For you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose Name is Jealous, is a jealous god.”   If we put in the Hebrew for three of the key words, the Scripture would read – “For you shall worship no other “el”, for “Yahweh”, whose Name is Jealous, is a jealous “el”.

Likewise, in Arabic it would read – “For you shall worship no other “allah”, for Yahweh, whose Name is Jealous, is a jealous “allah”.  However, no Muslim would ever accept that rendition.  To a Muslim, Yahweh is not God; Allah is God.  According to the Koran, “Allah” is not simply a linguistic Arabic designation for God – such as Deus in Latin or Dios in Spanish.  In fact, Islam unequivocally teaches that Allah is his proper name!  (Sura 3:2)

This point is made abundantly clear in the reciting of the Shahada, the statement of faith required by every new convert to Islam, and recited at least twice daily by every believing Muslim – “I bear witness that there is no allah but Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger (or servant.)”.  This is in stark contradiction to the entire Bible.  As we have already seen, God’s proper Name in the Bible is the Tetragrammaton – and this Name occurs over 9000 times!   In contrast, the two words “alah” and “elahh” occur only 131 times combined, and can mean either “any god”, or even “a curse”.  The point I want to make clear is that neither “elahh” nor “alah” can ever be considered to be God’s proper Name.  The Scriptures are absolutely explicit -- His proper Name is יְהוָה (Yahweh).

But let’s look even deeper.  How does “Allah” of the Koran, compare with “Yahweh” of the Bible?  Do they share the same attributes; the same characteristics?  Do they interact with history and humanity in the same way?  In other words, are they the same Being as the followers of Islam proclaim? 

I will take up that discussion in a forthcoming “Ahava Love Newsletter”

Dr. Bill Duerfeldt, Asheville, NC.

israel today | Israel to US: Congrats on bin Laden kill, now stop criticizing us! - israel today

israel today Israel to US: Congrats on bin Laden kill, now stop criticizing us! - israel today

March of Remembrance - Cathy Hargett, Highway To Zion founder

March of Remembrance - Anne Frank diary entry read by Jewish 13 yr old

March of Remembrance - Steve Martin, Love For His People

March of Remembrance - China Grove, NC

March of Remembrance - Rabbi Yossi Wentz of Beit Shofarot Messianic Syna...

March of Remembrance - China Grove, NC

In memory of the more than 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, Love For His People took part in the annual March of Remembrance on May 1, 2011. As part of this world-wide event, we marched in the China Grove/Landis, NC streets (northeast of Charlotte, NC.) Jews and Gentiles came together on this day to honor those killed in the six death camps (and two more concentration camps) in Europe. (Video recording by Steve Martin)

Dreams From A Father's Heart: Dreams From A Father's Heart - Sharing The Love

Ephraim (on right) with orphans while living in Ghana, before fleeing to Liberia in March, 2011.

Ephraim (center) with orphan boys.

Ephraim on Skype when talking with Steve Martin.

Dreams From A Father's Heart: Dreams From A Father's Heart - Sharing The Love: "Dreams From A Father’s Heart - Sharing the love of a father to the next generation In a time when they are needed the most, 1 Cor..."