All Nations
Steve Martin
“All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.” (Psalm 86:9-10, NKJV)
If you consider the current status of the nations of the world, more than likely you would not say that they will ever magnify or acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the King of kings nor the Lord of lords. In fact, if you just for a moment think of those represented in the United Nations, your confidence that this will ever happen decreases even more. Very few nations, if even a handful, call upon the Name of the Lord at this present time. Personally, I might consider two at most. Guess which ones?
And yet…the Scriptures state in many verses that ALL NATIONS will one day come and worship the Living God, this One and Only Living God of Israel.
Consider this verse, written by one of the minor prophets of Israel, and yet very profound, a shepherd named Haggai.
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:6-8, NKJV)
All nations will be shaken. Then they shall come to the Desire of All Nations.
In the spring of 1994, my good wife Laurie and I were included as founding members of All Nations Church, at the time just getting established in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Those first ones were Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda, Michael and Leslie Adams, Art and Ruth Maki, and a very nice lady many called Yoo-hoo, or sometimes Lois Hanks. She was the Chavda kids’ grandma nanny. They and all others called her Yoo-hoo because when entering a home she would announce her arrival with, “You Hoo”.
Later that summer the Chavdas and us moved our families to Charlotte, North Carolina, landing here ahead of two semi-loads hauling our belongings after the long 14-hour trip on July 4, 1994. The former 13 acres of Lamb’s Chapel property, now covered over by part of the huge development of Ballantyne in south Charlotte, including the once converted horse barn and all that became our church building, was the memorable scene of glorious nights, particularly with the weekly Friday all-night Watch of the Lord. (You can read much of these days in my book, The Promise – One Man’s Journey to See God’s Word Revealed, published in 2013.)
The church was so named All Nations because it was our belief that the Bible was true, and all people, from every tribe and tongue, would one day come to the Desire of All Nations, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach.The Word of God is forever true, with Haggai 2:6-8 as the foundational Scripture.
Fast forward almost exactly 25 years. In a Sunday morning, March 2019 gathering of Antioch International Church, located on the former Heritage USA (PTL) property, once holding the ministry of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Laurie and I, now members there, were part of the worship team as background vocals. (All Nations Church now resides just across the railroad tracks of that same property, which was part of Heritage USA, and once known as Fort Hope. I was still on staff there in 1999 as the Administrator when we purchased the 36-acres of good land.)
The flags draped above the Barn assembly room of Antioch International Church
Fort Mill, South Carolina
As I later thought of it, to myself I wondered if all nations will indeed come. I searched the Scriptures later when I got home. It was confirmed in the written words of the Good Book, this will truly will happen. There will be those from each and every nation that will come and bow the knee to the King of Israel, ruling from the holy city of Jerusalem.
There is also a warning given in several verses in the same Scriptures. Those people of the nations which refuse to give the proper homage to our God and His Only Son will pay the price of their pride, ignorance, and obstinance.
“I will also gather all nations,
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
And I will enter into judgment with them there
On account of My people, My heritage Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
They have also divided up My land.
They have cast lots for My people,
Have given a boy as payment for a harlot,
And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.”
(Joel 3:2-3, NKJV)
My heart cry, reflecting that of my Lord and Savior Jesus, is that each and everyone reading this message will choose now to be included with those, gathered from all nations, who call upon the Name of the Lord. Let all other names be called liars, but His Name, Adonai, Hashem, the Blessed Lord, be called the Name Above All Names, by all nations.
Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc.
P.S. Thank you, Lord! My 400th message!
P.S. Thank you, Lord! My 400th message!
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Now Think On This #400 - in the year of our Lord 03.17.19 – “All Nations” – Sunday, 4:45 pm
