Thursday, May 29, 2025

Israel - All kinds of friends and times of joy.

 

Steve Martin, Danny Boy

On the last trip I made to Israel, May 4-13, 2025, I once again shared life with our friends whom we have now known for over 14 years. Danny Boy (above) is a shop owner on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, Israel. Avraham Saidian and Uri Skalim are also people of the Land whom the Lord has blessed us with in their friendship and experiences.

And then...the video below is one of David Peterman and I speaking of the "almost" last day we had on this trip.

Ahava and Shalom,

Steve Martin
Love For His Ministry

Avraham Saidian and Steve Martin in his son David's shop.

Steve and Uri in his Ben Yehuda Street shop in Jerusalem, Israel


                        Steve Martin and David Peterman speak from the Lev Yerushalyim hotel in Jerusalem, Israel.

Love Broke Through by Steve Martin

 


Love Broke Through by Steve Martin

The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.” 2 Corinthians 13:14, THE MESSAGE 

 

When I returned to the place where I had once been, it was different. Or maybe my heart had been changed, coming back with a different one, or rather, one that had been enlivened once again, and prepared better to shine again. 

I know Danny Gokey sings about that. Both Keith Green and Phil Keaggy had also. 

Love had broken through, and now the Lord had given me once again a place to share His love, which I may not have done quite so well before. So now I have been given the opportunity to be there once again. 

There are places, people, opportunities in your life where the Lord once had you, and then you left, thinking that that wasn’t the way it was supposed to be, that if only you had done better, been wiser, or simply let His Holy Spirit lead as He can, your impact may have been a bit more everlasting. 

I want to assure you that even when you think it didn’t go right, when you thought you had messed up, that surely goodness could have been more good in the place of your footprint…the Lord had made His mark with the light you did share, and it was going to be better because of you. 

Love had broken through. When it seems most dark, the small flame which did come forth from your heart did shine; the seed was planted, and life did grow as a result. 

We don’t always know what is going on in the minds of those around us, who have been through a lot, seen a lot, and experienced a bit more than at times they could handle. But when we share the love of God, through a simple smile, a caring word, an act that otherwise might go unnoticed, our Lord Jesus Christ uses that to touch lives. And if you get the opportunity to go back, you will see just how much your life did affect them. If you don’t, then let it shine where He has you now. 

“…in all these things we are superconquerors, through the One who has loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39, Complete Jewish Bible 

By the love of the Father, through the outworking of the Holy Spirit, we have been given a measure of His grace and mercy to share to a dying world, a world which many not even want His love. But there will come a time when they certainly realize they need it, and Him Above All (another great song as sung by Michael W. Smith.)  

Opportunities will come today to share the love of God. Walk with open eyes, an open heart, and think a bit less about yourself, your needs, and give some of His grace and mercy to the one next to you on the job, in the school, or as you shop. 

Let the love of God break through. The world needs you. The nations need you now. And so does that one He gives you to show Himself to them. 

Now think on this and see what good things the Lord has in store for you and those around you. 

 

Ahava and shalom, 

 

Steve Martin 

Founder

Love For His People Ministry

 

 

Thank you for reading! 

 

 

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Originally published in the series: Now Think On This #453 - in the year of our Lord 08.29.19 – “Love Broke Through” – Thursday, 6:00 am 

 

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Seek the Lord...

 



Steve Martin, Love For His People
(Thank You, Holy Spirit!)

Apprehended and Recharged by Steve Martin

 


Apprehended and Recharged by Steve Martin

(Original Message #67 – in the year of our Lord 04.23.2022 – Apprehended” – Saturday, 3:00 am in Charlotte, NC USA)

 

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26, NASU

Returning from Jerusalem had not happened in quite some time for me. As you all know, one must go and come back for there to be a “returning.” And that hadn’t happened in two and a half years, since October 2019, because governments around the world chose to shut down everything in sight, when a deliberate and planned pandemic struck, believing they were in ultimate control of all things.

I certainly am glad that our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, is the One Who sits on the highest throne. He always has the final say. In time, all will bow their knee to Him alone.

“And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." Revelation 5:13, NASU

When Israel finally permitted non-vaccinated individuals to enter the nation, with a proclamation in March 2022, it took less than 3 days for me to book my next flight. The Lord had called me to support Israel and the Messianic Jews, and I was not about to let Satan and his henchmen keep me any longer from fulfilling that call.

Back in 2002, when I was being ordained as a Minister of the Gospel through Cornerstone Church (Pastor Mark DeVito, apostolic authority Ron Hill, and the five elders) in the little town of Pineville, North Carolina, which I call the “Bethlehem of Charlotte”, the Lord spoke deep into my soul, setting me apart for His plan and purposes. At the same time during that ordination, He also used the prophetic voice of Terry Kelson, renamed Ahava Hadassah of the Aliyah Return Center in Tiberias, Israel once she made aliyah from the USA to Israel, to speak forth a word over me. (She rejoices in heaven now!)

“You have been called as a scepter for Zion,” she said from among the small group of gathered believers.

That eternal word was deeply planted into my spirit. Since that time the Lord God of Israel has enabled me to walk it out. I am an ambassador for Israel.

Eight years after that special day our ministry named Love For His People was birthed, and both my good wife Laurie (aged 50 at the time) and I (aged 55 way back then) have given ourselves to further pursue what is the full understanding of His call on our lives, being one together for His plans and purposes. These 12 years since then have been one of slow growth, but the foundation is strong, built on the Solid Rock.

But, when I couldn’t get to Israel for those two years, my faith, hope, and love wavered. I was being held back from doing that which I had been apprehended to do. The enemy of our souls wanted to keep me from walking out God’s purposes given for me. In fact, I know that was what the evil one had intended.

Those of you who have walked for the Lord for any number of years know what I am talking about. These are battles we must go through, to further prepare us for what the Lord has redeemed us for. Remember the simple but true word, “No pain. No gain.”

The apostle Peter describes it very well in his Epistle to us.

“Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ — eternal and glorious plans they are! — will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.” 1 Peter 5:8-11, THE MESSAGE

The appointed time for the return to Jerusalem finally came. David Peterman joined me. While in the Land, we completed the tasks the Lord had given to us – to encourage, further connect, and build up His Messianic body and other Jews yet to believe on His Son Yeshua. No big meetings. No grand entrances. Just one on one with those who He has joined us.

Upon my return to my home, for a week or more I felt I had drunk 4-5 cups of cappuccino every morning. (And I am not a coffee drinker due to stomach issues.) Energy that I had lost over that previous period had been restored. New life. New hope. New vision for the things of the Lord.

The power of the Holy Spirit, much like that given at Pentecost (Shavuot) had come upon and within me once again.

I know now, with the attestation of Laurie who lives with me day by day, that this basically happens every time the Lord gets me to Israel and back. Walking in His calling in faith and obedience will do that. He is the One Who gives us the grace and strength to accomplish His strategies.

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14, NKJV

You too have been apprehended to do His good works. You, too, have been given a call that only you can walk out. It is vital that you are in proper alignment with Him – whether through your job, home location, church membership, or synagogue congregation – and that you stay connected so that you can allow Him to speak and direct your life.

Walk out the “mission from God”, just as the Blues Brothers did, to accomplish your God-given role in the Body of Christ. We all need you and me to do that. Our God will make a way for you to succeed in it.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Love For His People founder

Love For His People 12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, NC 28134

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com 

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Message #67 – in the year of our Lord 04.23.2022 – Apprehended” – Saturday, 3:00 am in Charlotte, NC USA