GOD LOVED ISRAEL - Part 1 of 2 Pastor Abel Oyewale Nigeria, West Africa

Pastor Oyewale Abel and wife Margaret

GOD LOVED ISRAEL
Part 1 of 2

Pastor Abel Oyewale

Nigeria, West Africa

A. THE CONVENANT WITH ABRAHAM

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.” (Genesis 12:2)

The covenant with Abraham is of two levels. In some instances, God had resolved on what to do irrespective of Abram shortcomings. In other instances, He expected full obedience as a condition for Him to operate.

I pray that God will grant us power that we may never fail ourselves and fail God, in Jesus’ Name.

"So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him, and lot went with him. Abraham was 75 years old when left Haran." (Genesis 12:4)

After the flood in Genesis 11, God wanted a new nation out of the entire world, so He graciously chose Abraham and lavished His irrevocable covenant on him. God graciously chose and decided to enter into covenant with Abraham, but God expected implicit obedience from him. After Abraham had had some tough experiences He introduced some signs, added some cultural approaches, including the inevitable exiles.

God came to enlarge His covenant. He introduced an obligation for him, which was circumcision. The Lord must be obeyed. He changed the names of the couple. He expected faith and obedience. Has He changed, as He speaks to us to obey Him?

After what looks like the highest test in Abraham's life, to offer up Isaac his son, the covenant was reinforced and enlarged, making it eternal and irrevocable for him. This was also the beginning of the nation called Israel.

God still enters into covenant with believers of every nation today, as each individual first repents and then receives Yeshua (Jesus) as their Savior.

B. THE CONVENANT CONTINUALLY REVISITED

"No longer will your name be called Abram. Your name will be Abraham." (Genesis 17:5)

God had covenanted to bless Abram and make him a father of nations and kings. All these would be through the spiritually blessed Isaac. Ishmael was naturally blessed but not like the covenant son, Isaac.

Isaac grew and received the covenant from God. Covenant was also transferred to his son Jacob.

God is progressive in His revelations. He enlarged and extended the same to Jacob. He had done nothing to justify God's grace (Jacob did not “earn” the Lord’s grace) but that is how God operates. It is out of His indescribable love.

Jacob blessed his son Joseph and his children as he grew old and was dying, as God would have it. He blessed his children in line with the already declared eternally settled covenant of God.

The nation and people of Israel were conceived, born and supervised yet today through the covenant of God. They would, of course, have done better if they had stood on the principle of obedience.

Brother and sister, prepare your children for God and leave Him with all He might choose to do for them. The best thing is to prepare all our children for God, so that they can be carriers of God's covenant.

May our good God of Israel bless you all.

Pastor Abel Oyewale
Abba Father Fellowship International-Nigeria.
souls4christ2005@yahoo.com

+2348115306866

Read Part 2 here: GOD LOVED ISRAEL Part 2

Nigerian orphans who have lost both parents. Praying with thanksgiving for their Bibles.

Pastor Abel and his church members try to help them as best they can. Please use the DONATE button on the side columns to help or the tab on our Love For His People website above.

Some of the contents sent to Nigeria in October 2017

Pastor Abel wearing the t-shirt and hat from Israel below.

Bibles provided with funds sent from Love For His People

Below: Ahava Love Letter books sent 

from Love For His People

T-shirt from Israel included in the Pastor's Package from Love For His People

Help Love For His People keep sending teaching materials free of charge to international pastors, by supporting this ministry. We also send financial support for families in Jerusalem, Belfast, UK and Lahore, Pakistan monthly. Even a gift of $10 helps. Thank you.

Please donate online safely here, through our website. Click on the DONATE button found in the side columns of Love For His People blog, or the DONATE tab at the top of the blog page.

A USA tax-receipt will be provided for each online gift and check.

Checks can be sent to:

Love For His People, Inc.

P.O. Box 414

Pineville, NC 28134

"IF YOU OBEY" - Pastor Oyewale Abel of Abba Father International, Nigeria, West Africa

Pastor Abel with his wife Margaret

IF YOU OBEY

Pastor Abel Oyewale

Abba Father Fellowship International

Nigeria, West Africa

A.God Commands Obedience

"If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands I gave you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth." (Deuteronomy 28:1)

If is a conditional word. The covenantal blessings of God for His people are premised on the condition of obedience. God Commands us to fully obey Him, not turning aside from any of the commands.God expects total, not selective, obedience.

The sin of the Amorites, "But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again for the iniquity of the Amorite." ( Book of Genesis)

The sin of Amorites may have been part of why God dislodged them. Israel, privileged to occupy their place, should have therefore remembered that the only way to remain in the Promised Land was to remain faithful to the covenant-keeping God.

"And the Lord gave unto Israel all the Land which He sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it and dwelt therein." (Book of Joshua)

God gave them possession of the Land as He had promised. Obedience and fidelity would be the best way to reciprocate His kind gesture, and their continued possession of the Land largely depended on this.

The need for obedience also became more evident in the fact that the survivors of those nation among them would continue to be divinely rendered powerless before Israel, as long as the latter adheed strictly and faithfully to Yahweh and His ways.

To all of us - we need to be reminded that the divine favour we enjoy is conditioned on our continued faithfulness to God.  Don't we need such reminders each today? Think of it.

B. GODLY BLESSINGS ON THE OBEDIENT (DEUTERONOMY 28:2-14)

"All these blessings will come upon you and  accompany you if you obey the Lord your God". (Deuteronomy 28:2)

Obedience attracts God's blessings immediately, and as with Abraham, his obedient faith brought him immeasurable blessings. 

As it says in Deuteronomy 28:3, "Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field."

This verse highlighted few of the countless blessings that would attend Israel's faithfulness:

- Blessings on the goings in and out of the obedient
- Divine Security
- Abundant all-round prosperity and countless stay in Promised Land
- Headship in all things

Please remember that all these blessings are premised on their continued obedience to God's commands. God is forever faithful to His word. In fact, He has bound Himself by His word. Why would anyone then think that he or she can enjoy God's blessings without total obedience to His word?

Brothers and sisters, the only way to be happy to the fullest in Jesus is to trust and obey Him without reservations.

May the God of Israel bless everyone reading this message, in Jesus Christ Name.

Shalom,

Pastor Abel Oyewale
Abba Father Fellowship International
Nigeria, West Africa

souls4christ2005@yahoo.com

+2348115306866

Nigerian orphans who have lost both parents. 

Pastor Abel and his church members try to help them as best they can.

Please use the DONATE button on the side columns to help.

Help Love For His People keep sending teaching materials free of charge to international pastors, by supporting this ministry. We also send financial support for families in Jerusalem, Belfast, UK and Lahore, Pakistan monthly. Even a gift of $10 helps. Thank you.

Please donate online safely here, through our website. Click on the DONATE button found in the side columns of Love For His People blog, or the DONATE tab at the top of the blog page.

A USA tax-receipt will be provided for each online gift and check.

Checks can be sent to:

Love For His People, Inc.

P.O. Box 414

Pineville, NC 28134

The Lord likes numbers. So I do too. - Steve Martin, Love For His People

The Lord likes numbers. So I do too! 

Steve Martin, Love For His People

June 30, 2017

Ever wonder why the Lord told Abraham your ancestors would be more than he could basically count?

Genesis 13:14-16, "The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. 

16I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered." (NASB)

Why does the Apostle John give such detailed information, about fish of all things?

"So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have now caught."

11Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn." John 21:9-11 (NASB)

Not quite the fish in the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret), 

but I took this photo in Alaska in 2015 and wanted to show it. (Steve Martin)

And how about Job? (Iyov in Hebrew) Such detail. A true accounting picture, and historical fact!

"When Iyov prayed for his friends, Adonai restored his fortunes; Adonai gave Iyov twice as much as he had had before. 11Then all his brothers and sisters came to him, also all who had known him before, and they ate a meal with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evils Adonai had inflicted on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12Adonai blessed Iyov’s later situation even more than his earlier one — he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.

13He also had seven sons and three daughters." 

(Job 42:10-14, Complete Jewish Bible)

Camel from the Land of Israel in my "transformed garage". 

Maybe a descendant of Job carved it? Probably.

(photo by Steve Martin)

SO....

I wanted to share with you these following numbers. Being an Accountant by trade (tent-making job!), I check on all kinds of numbers and statistics throughout the day. 

T'was exciting to see these ones for our blog Love For His People as of June 30, 2017 at 6:30 am EDT. (Even our clocks give us numbers. Just can't escape them, can you?)

These statistics below give a good "snapshot" of who, what, where, when, how and so what? 

And...I am especially delighted at the wide range of nations that read our ministry website. That is why I often give Europe and other regional news, in addition to primarily sharing Israel and USA news, along with my Now Think On This messages.

Thank you Lord for numbers!!!

Joyfully,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. Let me know what you think. 

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com 

Thanks!

Help us keep sharing Good News, to keep you informed.

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DONATE TO BLESS FAMILIES IN ISRAEL, PAKISTAN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, WITH YOUR LOVE.

 
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V'ahavta (...and you shall love...") Hadassah from Jerusalem - “Just Say Yes”

V’ahavta  

וְאָהַבְתָּ    ‘…And you shall love…’ 

V'ahavta (...and you shall love...")

Hadassah from Jerusalem

“Just Say Yes”

“Now the LORD had said to Abram, ‘Get out of your country, from your family… to a land that I will show you…’ So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him.” Genesis 12:1,4

God said. Abram obeyed. He left everything- home, family, friends, country, all that was familiar. He was going… only God knew where. Abram trusted, completely. He said, ‘Yes’ by his obedience.

One night in 1979, God spoke to my husband and told him to take his family to Israel. To live. At the time, we had no idea why we would go to Israel. We weren’t missionaries. We knew nothing about Israel other than what was in the Bible and the news. We had no friends there. And we hadn’t a clue about Jewish immigration - Aliyah as it's called. We hadn’t even heard the word before!!

Clueless would adequately describe us at the time. 

The only thing we knew for certain - God said “Go”. We said, “Yes”.

With our hearts looking towards the Land, we spent the next 10 years learning and getting prepared. Finally, in 1989, we took our five children and followed the Lord to Israel. It wasn’t a Garden of Eden. There were probably more tough times than good ones. LOTS of ‘giants’ in the Land and, as we learned, in our hearts also. We were tested and tried and stretched. And…. we learned.

We learned who Y’shua really is and what a relationship with Him is like. We, on the battleground, became more experienced in spiritual warfare. We practiced loving when we weren’t loved. We experienced the Presence of God.

Through all of that there never was a time that we regretted our decision. We have now lived here for a combination of 18 years.

Haifa Bay - photo by Hadassah 

This week I was blessed to travel the Land for five days. From Caesarea, to Haifa Bay, to the Sea of Galilee, and Capernaum.  Down to the Dead Sea and then on to Mitzpa Ramon, a crater near Egypt. What a wonderfully blessed place this is.

While I was watching the sun come up from the crater and worshipping, I was overcome with gratitude. I cried out to God, “Why have we been allowed to live here?”

And just as at times before when we have asked this question, the answer was the same - because you said “Yes!”

Mitzpa Ramon, a crater near Egypt

Those who follow Y’shua have many times when He says to us, "Leave all that is familiar. Move into My will. Receive My promise, My task, My desire."

It is always so easy to start weighing out the pros & cons of obeying. But like Abram, God is wanting our unqualified yes!

In relation to Israel (which is what these messages are about), what is He asking of you?

Using the Word as your insight to His will and plan, where is your part?

What about sharing the Gospel with Jewish people who do not know their Messiah as yet? 

(Romans 1:16, 10:1)

To pray for the peace of Jerusalem? (Psalm 122:6)

To be a watchman on the wall? (Isaiah 62:6)

To comfort His people? (Isaiah 40:1)

If you are truly Jewish, to make Aliyah? (Isaiah 43:5,6; Jeremiah 29:11-14)

If you are Gentile - to help facilitate the Aliyah? (Isaiah 49:22)

Has He made His desire known?  He has a place for you in what He is doing these days in Israel.   

I would encourage you, like Abram, to say, ‘Yes’.

With our love from Israel,

Hadassah

Nissim & Hadassah

Jerusalem, Israel

June 2017

Hadassah and Nissim, her accountant husband, live in a settlement just outside Jerusalem with their dog Molly. After making Aliyah (immigrating) from the U.S. with their five children in 1989, they are now semi-retired and open their home to guests and those wishing to make Aliyah. When not busy with their 16 'GrandWonders', they enjoy a quiet life of study, prayer and learning to serve the LORD.

DONATE TO BLESS FAMILIES IN ISRAEL, PAKISTAN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

 
Love For His People, Inc. is a 501(c)3 ministry in the USA.

06.21.17  #3

More Clearly - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

More Clearly

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!” (Psalm 68:35, NASU)

Have you ever driven west from Iowa, Illinois or Minnesota, heading to the region in the USA known as the Rocky Mountains? Then you will know what I am talking about.

I remember as a pre-teen kid Dad and Mom would load up the 1962 Ford station wagon, sky blue in color, hitch Dad’s homemade camper trailer to it, painted to exactly match the color of the Martin vehicle, and haul all eight of us (at that time, before there were 10) on a camping trip to Colorado. A bit crowded it could be, but with the very back end having a bench seat on each side of the car that came up out of the floor, we made it work.

Clark Griswold and his wife Ellen, kids Rusty and Audrey in the box-office hit National Lampoon’s Vacation (Warner Bros 1983) couldn’t have carried it out any better than we did. Four is no match for eight.

As we cruised along Highway 80 into the setting sun, passing the six foot high cornfields in the flat (very flat) farmland of Nebraska, we entered the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado. At first, no big deal. All looked about the same. But then, up ahead, a hazy outline began to be seen off in the distance. Just clouds? Maybe a rain storm? Car window needing washing? (Probably that especially.)

When the outline came more into focus, the gray became blacker. Then we could see white caps on sections at the top. And finally, the awesome, majestic, created mountains of the Lord came into full view. What a spectacular sight to behold!

Our God is like that. At times we can barely make out who He is, or what He is doing with us. It is just as the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see obscurely in a mirror, but then it will be face to face. Now I know partly; then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me.” (Complete Jewish Bible)

Our God is an awesome God. We do not see or understand everything clearly now. Sometimes we seem to be just walking in a haze. But as we continue to stick to the path set before us in obedience, step by step, we will eventually see what He is doing, and more fully understand later how He actually did it.

Thinking of the Jewish Patriarchs of Old – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and of course Joseph and Moses (along with their faithful wives!) – following after the Lord will always mean having to push forward in faith. (Hey, there may even be a step backward or two. Each of the afore mentioned had their times of doubt, unbelief, and misguided moments. But the faithful Lord they served didn’t leave them there, but carried them through.)

We who bow our knees and serve the living God of Israel, the awesome and perfect One, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, will more clearly see Him as He is. We will comprehend the greatness of His works, the love of His heart, and the prefect ways He watches over His People.

There is nothing or no one who can stop His eternal plan from being fulfilled, for again, our God is the awesome God. There is none like Him in all His glory and power.

Thank you Lord!

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

 P.S. And if you are ever to Colorado, and in the Denver area, give my good friend Morris Ruddick a shout out!

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

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Now Think On This - In the Year of our Lord 05.14.17 - #283 – “More Clearly” – Sunday, 6:30 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