Think About It. Again. - "Remember When" by Steve Martin

Four years ago, to the week (07.13.15), the Lord gave me the inspiration to write about days gone by. Not to be nostalgic, but so that we would realize how much nations have changed, and sometimes it hasn’t been for the better.

When the Hebrews/Israelites crossed over the Jordan into their Promised Land, the Lord commanded them to set up an altar with large stones from the riverbed.  For two reasons. One, in order to be thankful for the crossing over into the new land, and two, to remember what the Lord had done on their behalf, for there were coming times when they would need to look back, see the altar, and know of His faithfulness back then, and for now.

“So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime and write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you." So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up.” (Deut. 27:2-4, NAS)

As you read the following message, know that the Lord is faithful. Even in the midst of darkness we can recall His presence is always with us, and do what is right.

Think about it. Again. Or for the first time.

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People ministry

Charlotte, North Carolina USA

July 8, 2019

Remember When

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NASU)

Remember when:

…you knew the neighbor across the street, whom your kids played with until it was dark out, and you could even borrow an egg if you needed too? Or if you were gone on a vacation for a week, and you came back to find your grass had been cut without asking anyone? Yes, the neighbor on the side of the house had kindly done it.

…you enjoyed having neighborhood gatherings, with each one bringing part of the meal for the grill, and you really did care about each other’s concerns that you shared amongst these friends?

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8-9 NASU

Remember when:

…you and a few others received an award in school, because you really did work extra hard, while most others showed little effort? Not everyone got a special one, which made it an extra achievement.

…the bonus you received on your job was because your contribution made a difference, and the management realized it. And so when others just did what was expected of them, you gave the extra effort, and thus achieved the greater reward given to a few.

 “The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the other five and said, ‘Sir, you gave me five talents; here, I have made five more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Excellent! You are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with a small amount, so I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and join in your master’s happiness!” Matt 25:20-21 CJB

 

Remember when:

…Dad worked over 35 years at the same place, and they blessed him with a real special Grandfather’s clock, threw a party, and all his co-workers celebrated with him? He worked hard and was rightly honored.

…you also could almost certainly count on staying with your company for a long period of time, knowing they cared about you and not just the bottom line? And you got a fair wage for the work you were expected to do, and you did.

"Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:5 NASU)

Remember when…

 

…you had a Grandpa and Grandma who had been married for over 40 years, demonstrating the love and commitment that they had declared to one another back when they were in their 20’s? Marriage was well respected. And along with that, following this union of one man and one woman, you were grateful that your Dad and Mom then helped create you after their wedding.

…you waited for the choice the Lord had made for you, while all the while keeping pure in your actions towards one another until she walked down the aisle? The honeymoon night was a very special time of coming together.

“Marriage should be honored by everyone. And every marriage should be kept pure between husband and wife. God will judge guilty those who commit sexual sins and adultery.” (Hebrews 13:4)

  

In all these things and more, our God certainly “remembers when”, and He is not slow in His rewards, nor is He forgetful about His promises to those who obey His laws, and also to those who don’t. Just because “days have gone by”, or “these times are changing” doesn’t mean that we can change what we want, when we want to change them. His eternal ways will certainly be made known by all – one way or another.

He knows what is written in each of our life’s book. That day will come for each of us, as He then shows it to us.

“Then I saw a large white throne. I saw the one who was sitting on the throne. Earth and sky ran away from him and disappeared. And I saw those who had died, great and small, standing before the throne. Some books were opened. And another book was opened—the book of life. The people were judged by what they had done, which is written in the books. (Revelations 20:11-12)

I hope you are still remembering to do what is right, and just, and certain in the eyes of the Lord. A crown of glory and eternal life in heaven awaits those who do.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People. Inc.

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.

  

Now Think On This #174 “Remember When” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (07.13.15) Monday at 6:00 pm in Charlotte, NC

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

The Unexpected - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

The Unexpected

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

  

“Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me.” (Psalm 23:4, Complete Jewish Bible)

Fear suddenly comes upon you. Your stomach churns as if you had just been punched in the gut. Panic wants to overtake you. Your head spins, looking for a quick solution to get you out of the mess you just found yourself in. What in the world are you going to do? Where can I run? Who can I call? What do you do?

You trust in the One whom you have trusted in thus far. You call on the Name of the Lord Jesus.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

'I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.' (Jeremiah 29:11-14, NASU)

You can believe that is true. God cannot lie.

When I woke up this morning I had just gotten a text message from a friend who is newlywed. (I keep my phone on silent when I go to bed. Smart thing to do. Derek Prince, the great Bible teacher whom I was honored to serve on his ministry staff for eight years, often said, “There are no emergencies in the kingdom of God.”) They got married in her country, went on a fantastic honeymoon in another country, but when they came back to cross over into his homeland to start their new life together, they were stopped at the border. The paperwork hadn’t been done as it was supposed to have been done. She couldn’t cross over. 

They were then told it was going to take much legal paperwork, several months, and could cost thousands of dollars. Dollars they didn’t have. Bills they never dreamed of having to be paid on the road ahead. The unexpected had just happened.

How many times have we faced challenges and circumstances when the impossible was facing us, and we didn’t know where to turn, who to call, or what to do next. We seemed frozen with fear, which itself wanted to keep us there. But that is when we need to stand on His Word – that He never leaves us, never forsakes us, never lets the enemy have the final victory.

All of us have faced these situations. A traumatic car accident; a tragic turn of events; an impossible place in our life when it looks as if we have been forsaken, forgotten about, and left standing alone. That is where and when we need to stand on His Word.

“Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me.” (Psalm 23:4)

When these times come, we need to know in our heart, our soul, our very being that the Lord Jesus, Yeshua, is faithful to see us through whatever comes our way. Even if death itself stands at the door and says he has got us now, we must be firm in our belief, that even then, eternity with our Lord awaits us on the other side.

Whatever you face today, this week, or this month, know that He is on your side. You will not fail, you will not fall, you will not be left standing alone. The Living God of Israel has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. He will see you through.

I told my friend that on the phone. It may be a tough road ahead, but the Bible is full of examples which have been given to us to show His faithfulness towards those who believe.

Be reassured in your faith. Stand strong. He is a BIG God, and we are His.

“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” (2 Timothy 1:2-14, NASU)

Be at peace. For the Lord will always be your strong tower. You can run to Him and He will see you through.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

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Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 10.08.17 - #323  – “The Unexpected”

Sunday, 7:07 am

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."— Jeremiah 29:11

Top photo: Olive tree near Jerusalem, Israel  May 2017  Steve Martin

Despite Mass Persecution, Jews Cling to the Hope of Jeremiah 29:11 - JONATHAN BERNIS CHARISMA NEWS

More than six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. Anti-Semitism continues to strongly rear its ugly head today. (Wikimedia Commons )

Despite Mass Persecution, Jews Cling to the Hope of Jeremiah 29:11

8/1/2016 JONATHAN BERNIS  CHARISMA NEWS

What makes the history of the Jews surprising is that the Jews have survived and thrived, despite many attempts to destroy them. The ancient pharaoh tried to destroy the Israelites by killing all the male infants. The twelve tribes of Israel were carried into captivity by the Assyrians and later the Babylonians. Jerusalem was again destroyed by the Romans in the first century and the Jews forced into the Diaspora. The Crusaders, marching through Europe on their quest for the Holy Land during the early centuries of the Middle Ages, slaughtered entire Jewish communities.

During the Spanish Inquisition at the end of the fifteenth and into the sixteenth century, Jews were forced to convert to Christianity and then banished from Spain and Portugal. Countless thousands of Jews were eventually put to death. Less than a century ago, the Nazis exterminated over six million Jews along with millions of other "undesirables" such as gypsies, the elderly and the infirm, in their attempt to wipe the Jews off the face of the earth.

It would take pages to list all of the other attempts that have been made to eradicate the Jews. In my book A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days, I wrote about some of the more recent ones:

The Suez War of 1956: In the early 1950s, Egypt closed the Suez Canal to Israeli ships. The United Nations ordered the canal open, but Egypt refused. Then, Egypt's President Nasser sent scores of terrorists into Israel, saying, "Egypt has decided to dispatch her heroes, the disciples of Pharaoh and the sons of Islam and they will cleanse the land of Palestine ... There will be no peace on Israel's border because we demand vengeance, and vengeance is Israel's death."

His foreign minister, Muhammad Salah al-Din, added, "We shall not be satisfied except by the final obliteration of Israel from the map of the Middle East."

After hundreds of Israelis were killed, Israel had no choice but to retaliate. The Egyptian army was quickly and easily defeated, and Israeli troops pushed deep into Egyptian territory before a cease-fire was declared. President Eisenhower pressured the Israeli government to return the land that had been conquered in battle, and Israel complied and returned the Sinai Peninsula

The Six-Day War of 1967: On May 20, 1967, Syria's Defense Minister Hafez al-Assad announced, "Our forces are now entirely ready to ... explode the Zionist presence in the Arab homeland. The Syrian army, with its finger on the trigger, is united ... I, as a military man, believe that the time has come to enter into a battle of annihilation."

Ten days later, Israel's old enemy, President Nasser of Egypt, said, "The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel ... while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan and the whole Arab nation. This act will astound the world. Today they will know that the Arabs are arranged for battle, the critical hour has arrived. We have reached the stage of serious action and not declarations."

The world was astounded, all right. After six days of war, the Arab coalition was utterly defeated.

The Yom Kippur War of 1973: The next war began on October 6, 1973. It was Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Israel did not expect and was not prepared for the coordinated surprise attack undertaken by Egypt and Syria. On the Golan Heights, fewer than 200 Israeli tanks faced an invasion of 1,400 tanks from Syria. Along the Suez Canal, some 436 Israeli soldiers tried to hold off an estimated 80,000 Egyptian troops.

At least nine Arab countries were actively engaged in the assault on Israel, contributing troops, weapons and/or money. Libya's Muammar Gaddafi sent $1 billion in military aid to Egypt.

This has been life for the people of Israel. They are either at war, or being threatened by war.

Again, there is no way, other than God's intervention, that the Israeli people could have withstood the constant attacks against them.

Today Jews in many parts of the world continue to face ongoing persecution and violence. And yet the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob continue to grow in economic strength and in numbers. Why? There's only one reasonable explanation, and it is a supernatural one. God has protected and guarded the Jewish people. He promised to watch over them and give them a future, and He has done so.

In Jeremiah 29:11, He promised in the midst of their exile to give them a future ... and by application, the same promise applies to us, those who "love God and are called according to His purpose" This promise is for you, today." 

Excerpted from A Hope and a Future by Jonathan Bernis (Charisma House, 2016).

A Jewish Believer in Yeshua (Jesus), Jonathan Bernis is president & CEO of Jewish Voice Ministries International (JVMI). He has worked on the forefront of world evangelism since 1984, taking the Good News of Israel's Messiah to the far reaches of the earth, to the Jewish people, and also to the Nations.

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!

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TRUNEWS with Rick Wiles - Raymond Ibrahim “Islam’s New War on Christianity”

TRUNEWS 02/10/16 Raymond Ibrahim “Islam’s New War on Christianity”

  

Rick Wiles greets Christian journalist and the author of 

“Crucified Again: Exposing Islam’s New War on Christians”, 

Raymond Ibrahim, to discuss how a weakened West is emboldening 

Islamic extremism and perpetuating a disgusting culture of sin. 

Rick will also host a roundtable on the populist revolution in New Hampshire, 

the Pope’s visit to Mexico to promote open borders, and the looming 

billionaire showdown.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and 

not of evil, to give you an expected end.
– Jeremiah 29:11 / KJV

Raymond Ibrahim | Official Website Download MP3

To donate to TRUNEWS, click below.

Safe and Secure – Supporting has never been easier.

Read more at https://www.trunews.com/trunews-021016-raymond-ibrahim-islams-new-war-on-christianity/#7mHQxEQFQSfqC87j.99

Hope. In the Lord. Jesus.

"Peace or Panic - The Choice is Yours!" Bobby Conner - The Elijah List

"Peace or Panic - The Choice is Yours!"

Bobby Conner, Bullard, TX

The Elijah List

How to Maintain a Tranquil Soul

We must discover the pathway to abiding peace and true tranquility! If we look out at the chaos and confusion, the death and destruction, we can be overwhelmed. However, if we will lift our vision higher and look up to focus our attention on Christ the King, our outlook will vastly change (see Isaiah 26:3).

Christ Jesus warns us that a time is coming when many will fall prey to fear and panic because of the things they see coming upon the earth.

And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring (the echo) of the tossing of the sea, men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. 

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and [all His kingly] glory (majesty and splendor). Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near. Luke 21:25-28 (AMP)

Living in Perfect Peace

Nirvana will not be generated by people or prescription pills. It is not obtained through yoga or occult meditation or any other occult practice. True tranquility of soul, genuine godly peace, is only found in the person of Christ, not in some ritual or pagan practice. He alone is the Prince of Peace. (Photo via Pixabay)

The antidote for negative thoughts or emotions is simple: We must obey the Word of God. The only cure for fear and anxiety is abiding in the Word, the person of Christ Jesus. Paul declares in Philippians 4:6-7 (AMP):

"Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

The answer to stress and anxiety is not medication but a living relationship with the Master! This is the pattern we need to learn: As we turn our inner focus, our will, to Christ and place our affections on Him, adjusting our thoughts to the Word, we will discover abiding peace. This is the Enoch walk of the overcomer!

Christ's presence within us is our assurance that we can live in peace, even in times of pressure and turmoil. The promise is much more than just merely getting through the tough times – He promises us perfect peace and constant contentment.

Does this sound too good to be true? Hardly! This is the abundant life purchased for us by the broken body and spilled Blood of the Lamb of God at Calvary. He died and rose again to birth the Kingdom of God within us when we are born again.

The Prince of Peace abides within us! We have a Blood-bought right to walk in uninterrupted shalom, free from all anxiety and fear, because of the living, breathing presence of Christ in our temple. 

(Photo by Jennifer Page "The Way, The Truth, The Life" via elijahshopper.com)

This is not too good to be true. Despite the arguments of your mind and heart, the Scriptures are always true – and they are filled with examples of people who lived in peace in overwhelming situations.

Abraham believed God, even as he raised the knife over Isaac (see Genesis 22). Caleb and Joshua believed God's promises after 40 years in the desert (see Numbers 14:38).

Mary believed God's Word, having never known a man – and her soul rejoiced (see Luke 1:26-38). Christ Himself believed His Father even as He was crucified. When He overcame sin, fear, and death at Calvary, we overcame them in Him. We were united with Him in death, and we are united with Him in His resurrection. The Cross stripped all power from fear and anxiety; they no longer have legal mastery over our souls – unless we let them rule.

We must not allow fear and anxiety to rule in our lives. We must first recognize the voices of the enemy – spirits of fear, rejection, accusation, and more. We must then repent from coming into agreement with these evil spirits and begin to hate evil with a perfect hatred. 

Then we must renounce the presence of these demonic beings in our lives and cast them away in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Ask for and receive forgiveness from your heavenly Father for having come into agreement with the lies of the devil.

As we submit to God and resist the devil, we will experience the peace of God that surpasses all human understanding. In our union with His resurrection, we have been given open access to perfect peace. How do we abide in this peace as a daily, lived experience? We do it by keeping our minds, wills, and emotions fixed on Christ and living lives of repentance from sin. 

Whenever your thoughts or emotions stray from the Prince of Peace, recognize the temptation of the evil one. If your heart has already come into agreement with his evil suggestions, simply receive forgiveness and return to the heart of your Beloved, which is found in His Word.

Despite the Storms...

Ponder the promise in Isaiah 26:3-4, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength."

We must never doubt that God is good and that He does good. Instead, we must be confident that "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him" (Nahum 1:7).

This is the Rock on which we can stand when the storms come our way – and they will indeed come (see Matthew 7:24-27). (Photo by Adbar via Wikipedia)

Despite the storms, however, God's plans and purposes for you are wonderful. 

Jeremiah 29:11 says: "'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the Lord, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'"

You must distinguish between the truths of God and the facts of your existence – and choose to trust the Lord, no matter what you perceive or feel. Look not at the facts of your life, and do not place your emotions upon the facts of your life but upon the truths of these marvelous Scriptures. 

Then you will abide in peace. Instead of worry and anxiety, recall this to mind: "The Lord's compassion and mercies are overwhelming. When I recall this, I have hope. I am not consumed because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness!"(Lamentations 3:20-24, paraphrased).

Your battleground is not the circumstances of your life. The true battleground of the enemy is in your mind, will, and emotions. Keeping your thoughts and heart focused on good things will prevent darkness from overtaking your soul:"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9).

Paul wrote, "Be anxious for nothing..." (Philippians 4:6).

We must stay focused on Christ and His unchangeable Kingdom if we are to have abiding peace during these days of chaos: "But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:33-34).

There is no greater warfare than our abiding with the Prince of Peace. The God of peace will crush our foe under our feet (see Romans 16:20). The moment you feel the loss of peace, repent and ask for the Forgiver Himself to flood you with His peace. Have no doubt – He will bring peace because He always keeps His promises.

Stay in HIM – stay at peace!

Bobby Conner
Eagles View Ministries
Email: manager@bobbyconner.org
Website: bobbyconner.org

Bobby Conner: This "Gentle Giant" is uniquely anointed with refreshing humor and razor-sharp prophetic accuracy, which has been documented around the world. Bobby's dynamic capacity to release outstanding demonstrations of the miraculous – healings, signs and wonders – reveals the very heart of the Father toward us! 

Surviving a dramatic abortion attempt by his mother, being rescued again by the hand of God from drug dealing and suicide, the story of Bobby Conner is a display of a man who now walks in his God-ordained destiny to set others free! Highly esteemed as an internationally acclaimed conference speaker, Bobby has ministered effectively to over 45 foreign countries as well as here in the States for many years.

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