Showing posts with label Ethiopia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ethiopia. Show all posts

Friday, April 22, 2022

The Promise Will Be Fulfilled – Steve Martin, Love For His People

 

The Promise Will Be Fulfilled – Steve Martin, Love For His People

(L-r) Steve Martin, Kokeb Gedamu, David Peterman April 2022 in Jerusalem, Israel

April 21, 2022 Love For His People Charlotte, NC USA

THE PROMISE WILL BE FULFILLED

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:4-6, NKJV

The first book that I ever wrote (now numbering 33 in total thus far as of April 2022) was of the heart’s desire that the Lord put in my being when I was 10 years old. It was to be a missionary doctor in Africa.

For most people, Africa is not the first choice of one’s missions destination. Hawaii, yes. Africa, not so much. When people would pray, “Lord send me out, but not to Africa” my prayer was “Lord send me out. To Africa!”

That desire continually grew to go to that continent and share the love of Jesus.

I believe what started in the heart of my Mom, Lila Mae Martin, whom I remember when as a young child hearing her share her hopeful thoughts on how she had wanted to be a missionary to Africa in her early years, was put into me as a little embryo.

Then the Lord watered that seed as I began reading books in my early teens on the missionary activity of Dr. David Livingstone, the British physician and pioneer missionary explorer to Africa in the late 19th -century Victorian era, and other African missionaries I could find biographies on.

In 2013, after spending a few years compiling my thoughts and putting them on paper, I published my first book, and autobiography, and entitled it, “The Promise – One Man’s Journey to See God’s Word Revealed.” The first chapter began with what the Lord had put in my heart at 10. The last chapter ended with the fact that after two promised but disappointing endings to get to Africa which never occurred, once with Mahesh Chavda in 1994 while on staff as the Administrator (Chavda Ministries/All Nations Church in Fort Mill, SC) and again with a worship team ministry in the late 1990s, I never got there.

I somewhat dismissed the hope that I would ever walk on the African land and be with the precious people. In the meantime, the Lord turned my heart to Israel and the Jews, which has blossomed into a fantastic journey with Him and His people.

In May 2019 my good friend David Peterman had just returned from his first trip to Israel and spoke of his divine appointment in meeting Ethiopian Messianic Jewish Rabbi Kokeb Gedamu, and that I should meet him too. I purposely did so on my next trip to Jerusalem in Oct. 2019.

In short, both David and I were impressed with this man, his life’s story, and the connection that the Lord had done between the three of us. After reading Kokeb’s book Journey Beyond Imagination and spending further time with him and his wife Menalu in Jerusalem in April 2022 (see my report on our website Kokeb Gedamu) I believe the Lord gave me renewed hope that through this man my Father would bring about the fulfillment of that Holy Spirit impression that He had given me 58 years ago in 1964 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as a 10-year old boy.

On April 20, 2022, my good wife Laura Jean (aka Laurie) kept her promise to our grandson Jack Blade that she had given him at Christmas in December 2021. It was to be a day trip to the North Carolina Zoo near Asheboro, NC as his Christmas present, and on his 9th birthday. And so…I got to go too!

When we entered the park, we had the choice between going to the “Africa” frontier or the “North America” section to visit first. As the leader for the day, Africa was to become our first adventure trek.

Shortly just inside the vast acreage was a painted sign on the sidewalk, with the word “Africa” imprinted on it. (See the top photo of this message.) This occurred at 11:07 am, as recorded by the date stamp on the photo.

Believing the Bible and the Word of the Lord, that He first gave to Moses, and I had received for myself many decades ago, I again affirmed my belief in the Word, and stood on the sign. And took a photo of my feet thereon to prove it.

“So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God fully.’ Joshua 14:9-10, NASU

(Side note: This is the reason I have taken so many photos of my feet standing in many places. Several times in Israel I have done so. Believing God’s Word and literally standing on it.)

Jack Blade, Steve & Laurie Martin North Carolina Zoo April 20, 2022

As Laurie, Jack, and I continued trekking the “vast lands of Africa”, at 1:34 pm the Lord had me recall Kokeb and his Ethiopian trips, with this thought through His Holy Spirit, “Send him a WhatsApp and ask when he is next going to Africa.”

And so I did, writing, “Kokeb, if it works out, someday I’d like to go with you to Ethiopia. Ever since I was 10, I felt the Lord was going to send me to Africa.”

At 3:38 pm, from his Denver, CO home while in the USA, he responded, “Yes, Steve let me when do you want to go? October will be possible.”

Excitement filled my spirit. I caught up with Laurie walking ahead of me with Jack (most of the time she “Walks With Me” …) and told her what Kokeb said.

She replied, “Sure. Just don’t be gone on our 45th anniversary.” That special date coming up is Oct. 8, 2022. What a good wife to think of those things!

I wrote Kokeb back, and he responded, “Praise the Lord. Yes, we can do it after the 8th.”

We serve a great God. We serve the ONLY GOD, the Living God of Israel, Who first puts the desires He has for us to walk out into our hearts, and then gives us those same desires for our hearts, all the time showing us His love by bringing them about.

Thank You, Jesus! Or as Laurie likes to proclaim often in joy, “Hallelujah!”

And so, when I get back after the first African trip I will take, I will write the second book, the sequel, to “The Promise.” Make sure you pre-order!

What a God we serve! He is Faithful and True in all that He does.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Love For His People founder

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Message #66 – in the year of our Lord 04.21.2022 – The Promise” – Thursday, 5:45 am in Charlotte, NC USA

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Does This Zephaniah 3 Sign Prove We Are in the End Times? - KELLY MCDONALD JR. CHARISMA NEWS

Many Jews are returning to Israel. Is this a sign of the end times? (Pixabay)

Does This Zephaniah 3 Sign Prove We Are in the End Times?

KELLY MCDONALD JR.  CHARISMA NEWS
Standing With Israel
"For then I will restore to the peoples a pure speech that all of them may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshippers, the daughter of My dispersed ones, will bring My offering" (Zeph. 3:10)/
Zephaniah chapter 3 describes the return of Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach) to rule and reign. In this chapter, we learn about Christ defeating the armies gathered at Armageddon (verse 8). However, we also learn about a special group of people coming back to the land of Israel from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.
During the destruction of Samaria in the 720s B.C. and the conquering of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., the Israelite people became scattered. Some Israelites went into captivity to the east. Some fled northward into Russia and then into Europe. Some went westward to the coasts of North Africa and even into Ireland. Another group went south into Africa.
In this week's segment, we want to focus on this southern migration and how God is calling those Israelites back to the Promised Land. Papyri written in Aramaic have been found on Elephantine Island, near the city called Aswan in southern Egypt. From the archeological digs and papyri, we learn that the Jewish people had established a temple complex mirroring the one in Jerusalem. We know for certain the temple goes back as far as 523 B.C., which was over 60 years after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.
These Israelites kept traveling south, some settling in Ethiopia. Others traveled all the way to South Africa. Today, there are a group of people in Ethiopia called the Falashas. When they were first discovered, they were known simply as "beta Israel" or the house of Israel. Some of their customs are identical to those of Israelites who traveled in other directions. In Zimbabwe and South Africa today dwells a tribe called the Lemba, who are also remnants of Israelites who traveled south. Their priestly class—Bubas—have the same genetic traits as the priests in Israel.
As time has passed, the identity of these peoples has become more widespread. Their return to the Promised Land is a definite sign that we live in the last days. Although the fullness of this verse comes to pass at Christ's public return, it is starting to happen now.
At certain times in the last 30 years, Israel allowed Ethiopian Jews to return back to Israel. The program was abruptly stopped in 2013. In 2015, Israel approved a program to bring the remaining 9,000 Falashas in Ethiopia back to the land. In January 2016, Israel announced it was going to re-start the "law of return" (Aliyah in Hebrew) program for those who live in Ethiopia who can prove their Jewish ancestry. Sixty-three Ethiopian Israelites arrived in Israel just last October. The goal is to have the remaining Falasha people brought to Israel by 2020. There are currently over 135,000 Ethiopian Israelites living in Israel.
We could soon see a greater number of Jewish people from Southern Africa, including Madagascar and South Africa, begin to return to Israel. These migrations from the southern part of Africa back to the land of Israel are vivid reminders of Zephaniah 3:9-10. Furthermore, they remind us that we are at the very door of seeing our Messiah return. 
Kelly McDonald Jr. is an ordained evangelist at Hungry Hearts Ministries in Jackson, Tennessee. He has written over 40 books and booklets on pursing Christ, Hebrew roots and end-times prophecy. He is currently president of the Bible Sabbath Association (BSA). You can follow him at: kellymcdonaldjr.com
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Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Will Yet Another Israelite Save Egypt From Famine? - Tsvi Sadan ISRAEL TODAY

Will Yet Another Israelite Save Egypt From Famine?

Tuesday, July 26, 2016 |  Tsvi Sadan  ISRAEL TODAY
Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent historic visit to Africa didn't receive proper coverage in the media. Behind the ceremonies and mutual compliments lies a fundamental recognition that Israel is a power to be reckoned with, and not just in terms of raw military strength. 
African nations are fascinated with Israeli ingenuity. Being less influenced by the African-Arab countries, Kenya and Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania are now looking forward to African-Israeli cooperation. According to Netanyahu, the African leaders spoke with him about the need for "regional and international cooperation in all areas, including cyber-defense, data-gathering, promotion of new technologies and development."
Following Netanyahu's foray, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrived in Israel. Those familiar with Israeli-Egyptian diplomatic relationships know how exceptionally rare this visit was. The arrival of such a high-ranking Egyptian official right after Netanyahu's successful visit to Africa could be seen as acknowledgement that Egypt needs Israel as a trusted arbiter in Egypt-Ethiopia negotiations regarding the allocation of Nile waters. And, indeed, that would be a most interesting reversal of roles.
Zvi Bar'el (Haaretz) and Evgeni Klauber (Mida) have both proposed that Shoukry's visit has to do with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that is supposed to be finished next year. This dam will dramatically affect the flow of the Nile upon which Egypt's entire livelihood depends. 
Since 2011, Ethiopia has to date spent $4.8 billion on the project, which aims to dam the Blue Nile near the Sudanese border. Ethiopians take great pride in the project and believe that "the Blue Nile river - in the Bible it is called Gyion [Gihon], being one of the three rivers that water the Garden of Eden." 
But the dam will impact nearly all of the Nile waters, making it a direct challenge to the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement between Sudan and Egypt, which The Ethiopian Herald has termed "the Faustian agreement by Egypt and Sudan under the British colonizers."
In 1970, then-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said that it was better for Egyptian soldiers to die on the battlefields of Ethiopia than to die of thirst in their own country. Three years ago, former-Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi made it clear that "Egypt’s water security cannot be violated at all" and that "as president of the state, I confirm to you that all options are open."
Amidst such high tension these two countries need a third party that both can trust. Last year it was Palestinian official Mohammed Dahlan who mediated the dam agreement. The drastic pushing aside of the Palestinians in favor of Netanyahu is a clear indication of the deep, often unseen, African change of attitude toward Israel.
PHOTO: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Jerusalem, on July 10, 2016 (Flash90)
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