Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news, and messages by Steve Martin.
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Monday, July 13, 2026
Miss Quincy, Texas Longhorn Lionel and Steve give thanks.
Miss Quincy, Texas Longhorn Lionel and Steve are grateful for the Jesus’ creation.
Video creation by Steve Martin using ChatNow.
Sunday, May 3, 2020
What First-Century Christians Could Teach Us Today – Michael Brown
What First-Century Christians Could Teach Us Today – Michael Brown
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What First-Century Christians Could Teach Us Today
11:00AM EDT 4/27/2020 MICHAEL BROWN
Growing up in a country like America where we get to vote and influence the government, it’s difficult to imagine what it would feel like to live under an absolute monarchy. Or a tyrannical dictatorship. Or an oppressive, all-controlling regime. Yet the early followers of Jesus not only lived in such environments, but they flourished and grew. What can we learn from these early believers? What would they each us today?
First, they would teach us that no matter who leads the nation, no one can stop the gospel. And no matter what form of government we have, the church can grow and thrive.
I do imagine that these Christians would be amazed at the liberties we enjoy. (Obviously, they would be amazed by a lot of other things too.) They would likely tell us to do our best to guard these liberties.
But they would remind us to put our trust in God not in government and not to confuse patriotism with the kingdom of God.
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Second, they would encourage us not to get caught up in partisan politics, a concept that would have been largely unknown to them.
You see, in the Roman Empire, there were not rival political parties, with your vote making a difference between which candidate would come into power. You did not have Democrat vs. Republican (or the equivalent). And while there were different social and philosophical factions, there was not a political divide. For the most part, the emperor was supreme.
For the early Christian, then, the divisions were more basic. There was light and darkness. There was the church and the world. There was the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. There was heaven and hell. And there were saved people and lost people.
That is how these early believers saw their world, and that is how they saw their mission. Put another way, although they brought about powerful cultural change through the gospel, their focus was not on reforming the Roman Empire. Their focus was the Great Commission.
They still had to deal with the distractions of the flesh and the world, just as we do today. But partisan politics did not vie for their attention. Or consume their emotions. Or divide them as believers.
That’s why I say that they would encourage us not to get caught up in partisan politics.
Again, they might well encourage us to exploit our democratic liberties to the full and even to run for office, if some of us were called to do so. But I believe they would help us to step above the political frenzy that so dominates and divides our nation.
Third, they would remind us that the church is not a building, especially at a time like this when our church buildings are shut during the COVID-19 crisis.
In my just-released book When the World Stops, I have an entire chapter devoted to this subject, titled, “What Is Church and How Do We Do It?” And I am convinced that this is one of the major lessons we must learn during this forced lockdown: The church is not a building, and Christianity is not a spectator sport.
I would think that these first believers would be stunned to see our large church buildings and cathedrals. But it would not be because they had never seen magnificent buildings. To the contrary, those who were alive to see the second temple (which was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70) would have seen something far more spectacular than our largest megachurch facility. And the Romans themselves knew how to build.
It’s just that the believers met in homes back then. There was no such thing as a church building. Consequently, a greater emphasis was put on being the church more than on going to church (although they certainly emphasized the importance of meeting together).
In this context, they would remind us that the preacher is not a performer. And the body is not an audience. And, to say it again, Christianity is not a spectator sport.
This doesn’t mean they wouldn’t welcome church meetings of all sizes and buildings of all sizes. It’s just that their emphasis would be put on every member of the body being connected and activated. It would be on the priesthood of every believer.
Fourth, these early Christians would remind us of the need to rely on the power of the Spirit. While they would rejoice in the many ways the gospel can spread today, ways that would have been unimaginable to them, they would encourage us not to lean on technology. Or human personality. Or worldly techniques.
Instead they would urge us to remember the words of Jesus, who said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8)
It is by the power of the Spirit that they rocked their world. It is by the power of the Spirit that we can rock ours.
What other lessons do you think these first believers could teach us today?
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is His latest book is Jezebel ‘s War With America: The Plot to Destroy Our Country and What We Can Do to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter, or YouTube.
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Monday, May 13, 2019
Love or War? Now Think On This by Steve Martin
Love or War?
“A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge
increases power. For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of
counselors there is victory. (Proverbs 24:5-6, NASU)
A well-known and highly respected prophetic teacher, Rick Joyner of Morningstar Ministries, said a few years ago something to the effect that we will be people of war. At the time I didn’t want to hear that. We are called to be people of love, right? Love is all you need, yes?
It had long been a
conflict within me as to what is the correct Christian’s response to the evil
that continually rises up around us, whether it be on social media, the
national news broadcasts, the “higher learning” of our educational system, and
even within the entertainment sectors of our society that preach, yes preach,
their ideology of secularism, anti-family, and anti-Semitism on the big screen
and the little ones most people carry in their pockets. It even shows up in the
so-called “Disney-style” family movies, which more and more are just the outreach
tool used by proponents of witchcraft and “other lifestyle” propaganda.
So, do we just let these
self-expansions of the “we will love you the way you are” attitude continue, and
let all things around and abound as “whatever will be will be”? Or do we stand
on biblical principles and fight back? And if so, how do we fight back?
Do we love and not make
war? Or do we love, and yet at the same time make war.
Throughout Scripture our
God shows His hand in how He deals with those who embrace evil and reject His
rule and principles.
He clearly speaks His
Word, even to His own chosen people, when they failed to follow His commands.
It reads in Psalm 106:34-39, “They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord
commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and
served their idols, which became a snare to them.
They even sacrificed
their sons and their daughters to the demons (i.e. abortion and infanticide – added), and shed innocent blood, the
blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of
Canaan; and the land was polluted with the blood.
Thus, they became
unclean in their practices, and played the harlot in their deeds.” (NASU)
Jesus, the God of Love, Himself said this, as recorded in Luke 12:49-53, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." (NASU)
If the God of Love Himself
came as the Son of Man to bring division, to divide the right from the wrong,
should we just sit idly by and let the wrong become as the “new right”?
I don’t think so.
In my theology, which comes
from the Word of God, on which I will continually stand, I will constantly believe
both the Old and New Testaments (as Christians call these Scriptures.) I will
do as Joshua proclaimed he would do.
"Now, therefore,
fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which
your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for
yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers
served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land
you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua
24:14-15, NASU)
I am not going to keep
silent and let anyone else tell me what gender my kids are, nor my grandkids;
nor will I shut my mouth, and keep from writing these messages and stop sharing the Gospel truth because they just might offend or step on another’s toes; or out
of threatened retaliation, fear or false love.
Powerful prayer will
protect our homes, while at the same time tear down strongholds that have been
allowed to build up around us, due to our own laziness, self-interest and lackadaisical
attitudes adapted in decades gone by. Action in the prayer closet while taking
action on the front lines - we must be doing both.
After putting on the
full armor of God, both to defend the onslaught against us, and to go on the
offensive to be overcomers as we are called to be, we must battle and take back
the land stolen from us.
Don’t allow the enemy
of our spirit, soul, and body continue to steal, destroy and kill that which we
have held dear to our lives. We must stand strong, fight the good fight, and be
on the offensive. We must speak the Truth louder, write the messages stronger,
and live our lives with His God-given gifts and inspiration to proclaim His principles
and reclaim this land, our cities, and this nation.
The enemy isn’t
quitting or just lie down. The one who hates us is not going to play fair, nor
give up. If we continue to sit back and do nothing, we will lose that which
others have lived and died for.
Jesus died for us.
Others have followed in His footsteps, because of their faith and commitment to
Him and His purposes. We very well may be called upon to do the same.
I have already made the
decision that I will do just that. I will love, but I will also make war.
Now think of this,
Ahava and shalom,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People,
Inc.
P.S. On May 10 I returned from my 20th
trip to Israel. And guess what? I brought back for you my last 58 short videos
I entitle “Walk With Me in Israel”. Watch them here on our YouTube channel: Walk With Me - Israel May 2019
If these messages have
ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today,
and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel whom we consistently
help monthly through our humanitarian work.
Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each
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Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)
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Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
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Now Think On This #421 - in the year of our Lord 05.12.19 – “Love or War? Or Both?” – Sunday,
3:30 pm
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