Why Israel?
“Because I love
Jerusalem, I will continue to speak for her; for Jerusalem's sake I will not
stop speaking until her goodness shines like a bright light, until her
salvation burns bright like a flame.” (Isaiah 62:1 New Century Version)
In 1979 Laurie and I,
still newlyweds after two years, were part of a church group in LaSalle/Peru,
Illinois. The former Baptist pastors, Stan and Dixie Buren, had gathered a
small group of charismatics around them. Many of the members were seeking to be
more involved with a national Christian movement called discipleship. To better
achieve that purpose, we were invited to a conference held by Shiloh Fellowship
in East Lansing, MI. The gathering was at Mackinac Island, in the very north of
the great state of Michigan. Laurie and I made the long trip, with our two boys,
Josh and Ben in arms, along with a few other carloads.
As a young couple (24
and 20 years old) we were fervently seeking the Lord. We wanted, in our heart of
hearts, to be right in the middle of what He was doing. We were going to do
what it took to follow Him, trust Him, and see His will come, on earth as it is
in heaven. We were strongly committed.
The name of one of the
speakers, Derek Prince, was familiar to us. He was an author too. The magazine,
New Wine, published in Fort
Lauderdale, had regular articles featuring five Bible teachers on a monthly
basis. They were Derek, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Charles Simpson and Ern
Baxter. Personally, I devoured the messages each month, appreciating everything
that was written. Derek was one of my favorites of the five.
(To this day I have kept all the editions of the magazine’s publications from 1974-1986. Dick Leggatt, an editor of the magazine over its life span, is now President of DPM-USA, Derek Prince Ministries. Thank you Dick. And eight years after that Mackinac Island conference, in 1987, I began my eight years of working for Derek Prince Ministries, with David Selby, International Director, as my boss. Thank you David!)
(To this day I have kept all the editions of the magazine’s publications from 1974-1986. Dick Leggatt, an editor of the magazine over its life span, is now President of DPM-USA, Derek Prince Ministries. Thank you Dick. And eight years after that Mackinac Island conference, in 1987, I began my eight years of working for Derek Prince Ministries, with David Selby, International Director, as my boss. Thank you David!)
Derek Prince
Derek spoke on the last
night of the conference, Saturday, and shared a message based on a little pamphlet
he had written. It was called “Our Debt
To Israel.” The words, spoken straight forward, hit my heart. I knew there
was something very special about what he was saying, and that I needed to
understand it. For this I am eternally grateful, as he made the Bible’s words
on the subject clear, as to why Israel.
Pointing out that the
Bible itself was written and accurately kept over these several centuries, by
God’s chosen people, the Jews, was the starting point. All of the writers -
Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah and more –
were all Jews. Because of this reason alone we have a huge debt to the Jewish
people.
But the most important
reason of all, in regards to our debt to Israel and the Jewish people, is the
historical fact that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, was, is, and
ever shall be a Jew. He came down from heaven, God becoming man, to the nation
of Israel two centuries ago, to bring salvation to the world, both for Jew and
Gentile alike.
In our daily reading of the
Torah, the Scriptures, the Bible, as believers, we can know and understand the
Lord’s heart for the Jewish people, through which He came, and His everlasting love
for them now. We can see the fulfillment of His promises of restoration to
them, how He has brought them back to their rightful Promised and Holy Land. It
is now our part of our debt payment to them, to stand with them to the end of
time.
Having been to Israel 11
times as of this writing in February, 2014, my heart for Israel and the Jewish
people continues to grow in love and appreciation, with a firm, long standing commitment.
Our ministry, Love For His People, founded by Laurie and I in April of 2010,
monthly send financial and prayer support to Jewish families in the Land. We
are always looking to do more, as God the Father directs.
Why Israel? Because
without the Jews, which remain as God’s eternal choice to reveal Himself to the
nations, we would not have had a Bible. Nor would we have a living Messiah/Savior.
The Word says that in
the last days all the nations will again rise up against these whom have continually
been blamed for everything that has gone wrong. Really? Well, it is about time
that someone like us, as believers, prove them all liars, and that His eternal
Word is true. We are to stand for Israel because the Lord God of Israel, Who sees them as the "apple of His eye", has promised to protect and keep them in His care. He has proven this over and over again.
Why Israel? Because God
said so. And that is certainly enough for me and my house. May your heart and
commitment be to do the same.
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Love For His People
Founder
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 letters minister to you, please consider sending a charitable
gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless known families in
Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your
tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID
#27-1633858.
Go 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 this Ahava Love
Letter/Now Think On This with your friends.
Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com
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Ahava Love Letter/Now Think On This #107 - Why Israel?” Steve
Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (02.09.14 Sunday at 7:00 am in
Charlotte, NC).
All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter/Now Think On This can be found
on this Blog, and our newest website: Ahava Love Letters
