"Snakes in the Grass" - Steve Martin, Love For His People

 Snakes in the Grass

“Kick out the troublemakers and things will quiet down; you need a break from bickering and griping!” Proverbs 22:10, The Message

When I saw the black snake sneaking through the underbrush along the trail my two grandsons and I were walking on, I was immediately drawn to a subject by the attention of the Holy Spirit. This could be a message one should consider more fully in writing about.

The words contention and strife came to mind, moving as snakes in the grass.

In 1990, a popular book was circulating among those involved in the deliverance ministry. It was written by Frank and Ida Mae Hammond, titled "Pigs in the Parlor." Those confronting the evils that existed then, and still do even to a fuller extent, found this book to be very practical and instructive. It was a necessary tool in bringing freedom to those bound by satanic forces.

In many ways, Christians limit the acknowledgment of evil activity, along with the subtle forms of its expressions, to the “deep dark jungles of Africa”, believing it does not exist in our modern, exalted Western societies.

Oh really? Everything that affects the natural, spiritual, and physical mind and body is just a result of a lack of job opportunity, low levels of education, and/or dismissal of mental health, so that drugs cease to have any effect, in a positive way?

The Holy Spirit spoke to me to address an issue that I have noticed more frequently in our midst. It is the contentious spirit, the one that seeks to bring continual strife among families, neighbors, communities, and nations. We know that the devil, Satan himself, goes about seeking to kill, steal, and destroy. Scripture also says of him, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Contention in a home can be evidence of a spiritual presence that is not of the Holy Spirit. Strife, arguments, and ongoing conflicts can certainly point to the work of the enemy, who is trying to inflict his wrath on those he hates. He especially goes after all who call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach, Christ the Messiah. Bring them down, and his mission is successful.

As the world grows darker, the Lord promises to shine His light on the activities of our enemies. We are witnessing it in many areas of government, education, and world events. Allowing it to shine down to a more personal level in our homes, bringing peace and harmony by driving out the works of the enemy, further enhances the shalom of the Living God of Israel.

Consider this matter more closely and do not dismiss it as just everyday life that you have to live with. We can and must change our cultures, beginning in our homes, by the grace and love supplied by the Lord Himself.

We all can have more of life in the Lord. Live it more fully in freedom and within His expression of love.

(For further study on the subject of demons, Satanic activity, and the deliverance ministry, I recommend two more books.

One of my favorites on the subject of deliverance is Don Basham’s Deliver US From Evil.

Derek Prince, whom I consider the best Bible teacher I have known, also gave strong, biblical teaching on the subject of spiritual warfare in his messages. For a complete look at Derek’s full library on spiritual warfare, check here: Derek Prince Ministries USA)

Ahava and Shalom,

 

Steve Martin

P.S. Laurie and I are volunteering in Jerusalem, Israel, with Christian Friends of Israel for three months, Oct. 15, 2025 – Jan. 12, 2026. Read all about it! Steve & Laurie - Time Coming for Jerusalem Volunteers. We welcome your prayers and support as we together bless Israel and His people in their Land.

In addition, we certainly are grateful for your support, as it costs this ministry in order to send these messages each week. For example, Love For His People’s Constant Contact subscription is $45/month alone. We also have no paid staff to prepare them, but it does cost. To continue sending these weekly messages I need your help. Thank you.

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Love For His People Ministry 12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, North Carolina, USA

Message #8 in my new series (2025): "Snakes in the Garden" July 17, 2025

Watch the action of the snake below. Captured on video by Steve Martin, July 12, 2025, in Stevens Creek Nature Preserve in western Charlotte, NC.)

#SnakesintheGrass #SteveMartin #LoveForHisPeople #Yeshua #Jesus #Satan, #demonicactivity #contention #strife #DerekPrince #DonBasham #spiritualwarfare #pigsintheparlor #deliverusfromevil #demons 

Deliverance From Evil - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Deliverance From Evil

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1-3 (NASB)

When the young girl rose up violently from the floor, rapidly pulled up by something, from laying flat on her back, and spoke in a loud, man’s gruff voice, “I am not leaving her. I have been here too long” - my opinion of whether demons existed or not needed no further proof of their reality.

And a decade before that, in 1973 when I was still a young adult and open to all that would try to convince me of the other side in the supernatural realm, I saw the movie The Exorcist with actress Linda Blair, in my high school senior year. That was indeed demonic, and no one can convince me otherwise.

With the passing of these last 45 years since then, when most of America yet seemed to follow God, the increase of demonic activity, revealing itself through witchcraft, anti-Semitism, racism and white supremacy (to name a few, all in the same classification) should be enough to convince anyone who walks and talks that the work of demons and their leadership from the underworld has vastly increased in people’s lives.

Even Walt Disney Pictures has very subtlety pushed their spiritual agenda on our kids, in the guise of fun, wholesomeness, tolerance, and acceptance, when all along it is simply witchcraft too.

The Bible teachers and deliverance ministers I sat under for clear Scriptural truth, during my early Christian years, laying a great foundation in my spiritual life, included Derek Prince (his classic book They Shall Expel Demons is a must-read), Don Basham (his book Deliver Us From Evil also a classic), and Mahesh Chavda (read Only Love Can Make A Miracle). They taught, straight from the Word of God, that demons, deliverance, and spiritual warfare was very real, and as believers, we need to know how to combat and overcome the forces opposed to our very existence, and that of our families and friends.

There are far too many Christians, and of course non-believers, who would like to dismiss the work of the enemy as non-existent; choosing instead to allocate everything affecting us as either a physical, mental, or ancestral problem. Hence, they will use natural means to try and overcome a spiritual problem.

Is everything bad thing caused by demonic activity? No, of course not. Most of our situations are caused by sin in our own lives that we bring on ourselves, through disobedience to God’s Word. Drunkenness, alcoholism, sexual perversity, homosexuality, and pornography are not caused by a disease, but most often are results of sin and generational curses brought down through sin of our forefathers. But there is certainly demonic activity that requires deliverance, and which will not “be cured” except by this supernatural action. Generational curses can be broken. Watch Dr. Peter Wyns: Blessings or Curses or get the book (Blessings or Curses - book.) 

As darkness increases exponentially during these times and as the satanic force sees his time drawing to an end, especially since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, we must know, practice, and confront head-on the deceit, lies, and the deception that abounds. Deliverance can bring freedom.

The Holy Spirit will open our eyes if we ask. So, we must ask.

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/President

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I very thankful to the Lord Jesus, and blessed to note that this is the 450^th Now Think On This message I have written. 

When I started out writing in the fall of 2010, after a return trip from Israel and asked the Lord, “Now what?” as we started Love For His People ministry that spring, He replied, “Write love letters.”

And so beginning with the first ones, known then as Ahava Love Letters (see a few of those here in my book of the same name: Book - Ahava Love Letters by Steve Martin 2013, the Holy Spirit has given me inspiration to share His heart.

Please sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter: Now Think On This. The sign-up form is on our ministry website: www.loveforhispeople.blogspot.com

You are welcome to help support the families in Israel that we do. Give now. Givelify.

Love For His People ministry

P.O. Box 414

Pineville, NC 28134

loveforhispeople@gmail.com

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Now Think On This #450 - in the year of our Lord 08.22.19 – “Deliverance from Evil” – Thursday, 6:20 pm

Why Israel? - Ahava Love Letter/Now Think On This (Steve Martin)

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!)

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

Those were the Days, but Better are Coming - Jim Croft

Those were the Days, but Better are Coming
Jim Croft

In the early ‘70s Bob Mumford, Derek Prince and Don Basham held weekly teachings at the Governor’s Club in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The meetings were well attended as the worldwide Charismatic Renewal was in full swing. In ’74 the brothers launched a church called, Good News Fellowship. In September of ’75, Derek asked me to found a satellite branch that became known as Good News Church.

There are many exciting things that I could say about our services. I will only focus on one. It is the prophetic dynamic of our worship. To this day, I still get many comments from aging members and visitors that it was the most memorable time of their Christian experience.

The worship team was comprised of a 10 piece orchestra; at least 4 singers; the worship leader; and a cast of skilled interpretive dancers. Here is a sample of what might occur in most any Sunday service. One of the instrument players would get a spontaneous melody line from the Lord. It was often our cellist, Cheryl or our flutist, Sue. They would play through a melody that had not previously been heard on this planet. The entire orchestra would have revelatory insight for the direction that the piece was going. Whether the essence was classical, country, or rock, it sounded as though it had been rehearsed all week.

At the onset of the second play through, one of the singers would begin to sing lyrics in unknown tongues. After a bit, either one of the platform singers or, perhaps a prophetically inclined parishioner would come to the microphone and sing the lyric’s interpretation in English. At that, the worship singers would all sing in their prayer languages to the same melody line. After a pause, one of them would sing the interpretation.

A new song of the Lord would evolve with chorus and verses. Usually, the entire congregation would unite in singing the chorus. The content of the lyrics could be about the attributes of a member of the Godhead; any imaginable aspect of redemption; and future glories of the Body of Christ. Whether the tone was worshipfully delicate or that of rhythmic praise, the sheen of God’s presence glistened from tearful eyes and smiling faces as each spontaneous installment of verses came forth.

At varying points during these episodes, it was not uncommon for one of the dancers to minister to the Lord in interpretive dance. Their dance was so anointed that the message of the spontaneous song could be discerned without hearing its lyrics.

More Better

Oh’ how I have longed for repeats of those days of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Tonight, I am getting a message in tongues with an interpretation. As I have listened to myself singing several times, the unknown languages seemed to vary, but the interpretations had little variance. I suspect that the message is comprised of more than one language as there do not seem to be the customary repetitions of articles and verbs of a single language. I will give the tongue message with phonetic spelling and then give the interpretation as it comes to me.

Tongues

Et-treach, Wo meek? Et-treach un gaases et-treach un shoeetta zo na tringgal twilla? Ap chan twa gena, bingo eem motetra neech tre mesa dua ing gen. Na peep ean ba twing Sangu Trinco ta timach bosta ean tabchan met ean drunsa twing Sangminyah.

An Interpretation 

Who, I say? Who is this who is created from the nation discounted? It is many people, who will arise and walk the earth united. It is the people of the Living God who will cover the world manifesting the presence of the Spirit of Christ.

That is my hope and I am sticking to it. So be it!

Jim Croft
jcm888@comcast.net

Editor's note: I added the Holy Spirit artwork at the top of this blog page. Steve Martin

Ahava Love Letter - "Demons & Fire Trucks"

“Demons & Fire Trucks”    “As I watched, thrones were set in place; and the Ancient One  took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, the hair on  His head was like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames,  with wheels of burning fire.” Daniel 7:9 Complete Jewish Bible

Dear family of friends,

My wife Laurie began her 13^th year on staff at the Calvary Development Center this August of 2013. In addition to being a grandma of her own six, she also is one to 10-12 new kiddos each year. All of those will become two year olds during that school year. (Imagine that, those who have raised one or more two year olds.) I highly commend my good wife for her dedication and faithfulness. She touches many lives.

Every August, at the start of each new school year, the daycare teachers have a moment during the Calvary Church Sunday morning service when they are introduced and acknowledged. Thus we attended this church gathering that morning, rather than our usual Antioch International Church. It was a bit different to say the least, for the following reason.

Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC

The meeting was to have started promptly at 9:45 am. After saving our seats in the proper section, with about ten minutes to spare, I went to the bookstore, as custom would have it, to check out the latest. I was glad to find birthday and thank you boxed cards, which I always need. The “Tabernacle & Ark of the Covenant” pamphlet would also come in handy as a resource Bible study tool, so that got put on the check-out counter too. If they had a Snickers candy bar sitting there next to the cash register, it would have been added to the purchase. Gotta have that mid-morning energy, as I figure.

Just before the nice elderly lady rang up the fourth item, the fire alarm went off. It was a different sound than what I would have known, but it brought the intended reaction. Everyone started moving. I calmly asked her to finish my transaction, so I wouldn’t have to come back later. She did, even as the security man said we needed to evacuate. I was thankful for his patience with me.

Three thousand people filed out the doors in orderly fashion, The fire trucks came. False alarm.

#24 to the rescue!

Back into the massive, beautiful and glorious sanctuary we went. Seven minutes later - the fire alarm went off again. As one later asked me in a text, “Was that part of the sermon message?” “I didn’t think so,” I responded.

Growing up as a believer in the 1970s and onward, I was privileged to sit under the Bible teaching of Derek Prince, Don Basham, Charles Simpson, Ern Baxter and Bob Mumford. I am to this day very thankful for them and their shared lives. We were taught well, and along with all their other foundational, bedrock lessons for our daily Christian walk, we were also introduced to the reality of demons and their menacing, hateful activity. We weren’t “looking for a demon behind every rock” as some critics would have thought, but we did learn to develop spiritual eyes and discernment, and be aware of that which the human eye cannot detect.

So when the fire alarm went off that second time, my mind kicked into a higher level of awareness, wondering what the Lord had going on here, and what was He trying to say to myself, and others who may have been asking. And no, I didn’t think it was a demon standing by the alarm switch pulling on it for a good time.

My actual thought was, “Lord, are you saying we need to get out of our comfortable pews and into the world that is on fire (both in the natural and the spiritual), and this is just another way how You are speaking? Trying to be loud and clear about it?”

I think so. The alarms are sounding all over in the nations. People are dying and going to hell without the saving knowledge of the only living Messiah, Jesus Christ (His Hebrew name being Yeshua HaMashiach.)

Will this just be another routine week for each of us? Or will we become more aware of the "fire trucks", the demon activity, and the spiritual warfare happening all around us, and take our part in fulfilling His purpose that He has called each of us to? Time is fast coming to a close as we know it.

 Ahava (love in Hebrew) to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

P.S. On the east end wall of the very large foyer at Calvary Church is this display. May we also be one impacting the world with our light that the Lord has given each of us to carry where we are at. And where we are going to.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858.

Please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless Israel with our humanitarian ministry. 

Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH  OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards:www.loveforhispeople.org/support

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. Box 414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)

Please share this Ahava Love Letter with your friends.

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin  and  Love For His People  

  

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter 

Blog: http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com 

  

Full website: www.loveforhispeople.org

YouTube: Steve Martin (loveforhispeopleinc)

Ahava Love Letter #69   “Demons & Fire Trucks”  ©2013 Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2013 (08/19/13 Monday at 5:45 am in Charlotte, NC)

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog:

 http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com   

     

Here are the last few:

I Like Mike (#68)

Disappointed with Small Beginnings? (#67)

Rise Again (#66)

The Cities (#65)

How can You Mend A Broken Heart (#64)

Anxious (#63)

Hidden (#62)

Get Back in the Boat (#61)

Need Money? (#60)

Rejected? (#59)

In Your Building – Guard Against Distractions (#58)

Connections (#57)

Your Name (#56)

Lost, But Not Forgotten Friends (#55)

Yes!