My Times Are In Your Hands (Confidence in the Lord) - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

My Times Are In Your Hands

Confidence in the Lord

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“My times are in Your hand…” (Psalms 31:15, NKJV)

Confidence is a big deal. If you are confident in something, or someone, you will go beyond the expected norm to get something done, to go somewhere (where no man has gone before!), or say what is really on your heart. You know you have the backing of another.

In the case of the believer, the Lord Jesus (Yeshua) has your back. For your times are in His hands.

I can only imagine (love these music lyrics!) what it will be like in our heavenly realm. I certainly look forward to that day. But in the here and now, we need to have the confidence in our hearts, in our heads, to work through our bodies; that what we are called to do here, what is our specific mission in this life, we can and must accomplish. 

The world, the nations of earth, knowingly or unknowingly, is depending on it. Being saved into God the Father’s family is more than getting a free ride to heaven. It is to do what He has given us to do here. Now. More than ever in our lifetime.

What have you been called to do? Do you know? Do you want to know?

Steve Martin saying

When we have the assurance that the living God of Israel is standing up, cheering us on, and giving us the energy and gifts of the Holy Spirit, along with the Comforter Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) Himself to walk with us…whatever the Lord Yeshua (Jesus) gives us to do, we can and must do it.

Faith to me is having the trust, the confidence in my God, Who He says He is, that what He says He will do, and what He has promised to me, to bring about its fulfillment in the exact time it needs to happen, gives me the boldness to step out in faith and do what I am supposed to do.

Do that “something” that we can know what we have been given the assignment to do.

At some point in our lives we need to just “do it.” That is an overworked advertisement and cliché, but none the less you know what I mean. You get my point.

And as the late, beloved musician, artist and missions-minded man Keith Green sang so much, “Jesus commands us to go!”

Hanging in our garage. Photo by Steve Martin

 There have been several key times in my life when a major decision had to be made. Each of the four times it involved my immediate family (numbering up to six, depending upon what year it was, and how many kids had arrived by then), our local church and my current job. Those times called for a move from one USA state to another. Major moves to be sure.

Was I hearing the Lord properly? Would my good wife Laurie walk in agreement? What about the financial concerns, the kids in school, the family and friends we had strong connections with? All these factors were needed to be considered.

Prayer? Yes indeed? Fasting? You bet! Council from others? Always wisdom in the abundance of counselors.

Proverbs 24:6 rightly says, “For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” (NASU)

After we have sought the Lord, confirmed His word to us, and made the decision to walk in faith, our trust that we are in His hands, He has our back, and we can move out, standing on the firm conviction we have, on the strong foundation He has given us, we did what we had to do.

We can do what He has called us to do. You can do what He has called you to do. We must. For His sake, our sake, and for the lives of those we will have an effect on by our obedience.

Others have walked in faith and have seen the fruit of their obedience. I love reading the biographies of the patriarchs, matriarch and other saints who have gone on before us, from Abraham, Moses, King David, Paul the Apostle, to Eric Liddell, Oskar Schindler, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and so many more.

 Eric Liddell, The Flying Scotsman

 

   Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "I have a dream."

Seeing Jews make aliyah blesses me, as they leave behind the comforts of one home to return to their real homeland, that of the Promised Israel (Yisrael). I am encouraged in my walk of faith, seeing people like our good friend Hadassah and her family, living near Jerusalem, hearing the Lord speak specifically to them, and responding accordingly.

She wrote for the Love For His People blog her message "Just Say Yes", “While I was watching the sun come up from the crater and worshipping, I was overcome with gratitude. I cried out to God, “Why have we been allowed to live here?” And just as at times before when we have asked this question, the answer was the same - because you said “Yes!”

Hadassah's family in Israel

This is part of the basics of life, to have that foundational trust in God our Father. Those who do have and maintain this confidence can hear Him speak personally, walk then in obedience, and do that which they have been created, before the beginning of time.

Our times are in His hands enabling us to do this. We must.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

 P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

We are blessed when the ministry receives gifts to support the families that we do, primarily for those living in Israel, Pakistan, Northern Ireland and India, and the hurting ones here in the USA. You also can share out of the abundance you have been given.

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 messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

DONATE TO BLESS FAMILIES IN ISRAEL, PAKISTAN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

 
Love For His People, Inc. is a 501(c)3 ministry in the USA.

How to Know If You Are Called to Missions - Kerry Olson CHARISMA NEWS

How to Know If You Are Called to Missions

5/8/2017 Kerry Olson  CHARISMA NEWS

One of the most frequent questions asked related to missions is: How do I know that I am called?

It's a question we hear all the time at Bethany Global University, since our school is dedicated solely to training missionaries. If you're curious, you can learn more how you can earn your degree while doing missions at bethanygu.edu.

While there are many ways in which God leads and guides His people into world missions, there have been two classic answers that people tend to give: "You don't need a call because He has already called you" and "You better know God has called you before you go." I believe a combination of both is necessary.

The 'Everybody Is Called' Perspective

On one side of the coin, you have the often quoted line from the late singer Keith Green, who stated that "You don't need a call. You're already called!" Another person has stated that "You don't need a call when you have a verse" referring to the multitude of Bible verses in the Old and New Testament that form part of God's revealed will (the Great Commission) that we go to all nations and preach the gospel.

In another song, Keith Green wrote: 

Listen to the full song here.

Keith Green had to go to the extreme end of the spectrum to balance out the Church that emphasized a need for a special revelation or manifestation to go to the mission field.

Think for a minute of what the world would look like today if every Christian literally embraced God's command to go and sincerely said to God, "I am going to the nations to preach the gospel. If it's not Your will for me to go, stop me!" I can hear many of you saying, "That's too radical and extreme!" Yet to be truthful, we have gone to the other extreme, not bearing the spiritual fruit I believe the Holy Spirit desires.

I believe that as we get to know God's character and study His Word, it becomes impossible not to know His will! We cannot be moved by a message that does not move us first; therefore, it is vital and necessary to understand God's global plan and what He desires for His Church. Understanding where we fit in this plan is another thing altogether, and the best way to describe this, in my opinion, is that it is a process.

The 'Specific Call' Perspective

During the 30-plus years I have served as a missionary, there have been circumstances and difficulties during which the only thing that kept me on the mission field was that I knew God sent me. The prophet Jeremiah arrived at one of these crossroads in his ministry where he wanted to "throw in the towel and call it quits." Jeremiah was thinking about returning home to the "normal" life when he cried out to God saying:

"But if I say I'll never mention the Lord or speak in His name again, His word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold on to it. I can't do it!"

As it was with Jeremiah, the call of God on your life is something you cannot escape. We obviously have free will and can choose to serve Him or not, but if we are in a right relationship with God and walking with Him, we will learn to be in tune with his desires and plans for us. Ephesians 2:10 states:

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them."

5 Tips for How to Discover Your Calling

Finding God's direction for our lives is very personal and often subjective, yet here are a few basic principles that have helped me:

1. Be in movement.
   God uses those who are actively serving Him and stepping out in faith to test the waters and discover what He has in store. Be in movement. Start knocking on doors to see which one He might be opening.
2. Be willing to do anything.
   If you really have a servant's heart, you will be willing to serve in any capacity. God will place specific desires in your heart, but don't rush to push open the door yourself. Serve, and in the process of serving, God will open the door for you, and He does a much better job of it!
3. Start by serving at home.
   We must be faithful in the little before we can be released to serve in "greater" areas. It is vital to understand the ministry and local church before you can be sent by them to the "uttermost parts of the world."
4. Be involved in short-term missions.
   Before thinking about going out full time, get some short-term cross-cultural experiences under your belt and, better yet, mission training. Where you serve short term may or may not be an indicator of where God wants to send you long term. Be open to His leading.
5. The call of God is something that grows on you. 
   Many missionaries testify that when they began sensing God calling them to Thailand, for example, that everywhere they turned they saw something relating to Thailand. They turned on the TV, Thailand! They opened the newspaper, Thailand! They attended a conference and sat next to someone from Thailand! God specializes in this, and we need to be in tune with how He is leading.

Perhaps you have not yet identified God's will for your life. If that is the case for you, get closer to Him, ask Him what He has for you, and search your own heart to make sure you have correct motives. Put into practice the steps listed above and don't forget it's all about being connected to Him.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

Kerry Olson is a Bethany Global University alumni and serves with Bethany International as an International Project Coordinator. He also trains, mobilizes and sends out Latin American servant-leaders to the world's least-reached peoples. 

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Sheep, Goats and the 2nd Coming 🐑 - Ron Cantor, Messiah's Mandate

Sheep, Goats and the Second Coming One of my favorite passages as a new believer was the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. I had Keith Green’s song about it memorized. But a few years later I realized I had it all wrong. It’s not a parable at all—but a real life event! Check out latest video teaching below.

Don't Quench the Spirit in the Next Move of God - J. Lee Grady

Don't Quench the Spirit in the Next Move of God

 5/27/2015 J. LEE GRADY  charisma magazine

Have we trivialized the Holy Spirit? (Vitaly Vitorsky)

Last weekend, my wife and I helped lead a retreat for ministers in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I knew most of the couples who were joining us, but I was surprised to learn that one of the attendees was Sally Fesperman, a leader (with her late husband, Jay) during the early days of the charismatic renewal of the 1960s and 1970s.

Sally is 88, but she is as bright-eyed and energetic as any 20-something I know. She loves to talk about her relationship with Jesus, and she shared many stories about the early days of renewal when thousands of Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians were discovering the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Sally brought back so many memories of the mid-1970s, when I was filled with the Spirit as a teenager.

While in the mountains God spoke to me from Isaiah 35 about another wave of the Holy Spirit that is coming soon. He told me, from verse 6: "Waters will break forth in the wilderness." I have never been more convinced that God is going to refresh us again with a sudden outpouring of His presence and power. I was so excited about this promise that I asked Sally on Friday morning to pray over us, and to prophetically pass the torch of renewal to the younger generation.

I wept when Sally prayed over us because I am desperate to see revival. However, by Saturday I was sobered by the responsibility of receiving this torch of renewal. That's because I know that when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the American church more than 40 years ago, we mishandled this precious gift.

I believe God will visit us again soon, but we must prepare now to avoid the mistakes of the past. Here are five ways we mishandled the outpouring of the Spirit in the last season:

1. We exploited it. The first attempt at quenching the Spirit's power in the New Testament church was made by Ananias and Sapphira, who were full of greed (see Acts 5:1-11). The same thing happened to the charismatic movement in the 1980s, when prosperity preachers with dollar signs in their eyes showed up to merchandise the Spirit's anointing. Swaggering evangelists in white suits and Rolexes began pushing people to the floor and convincing crowds to dig into their wallets to give in "miracle" offerings. And so began the slow but steady sell-out. We didn't realize the greed was driving us farther and farther from the Spirit's blessing.

2. We fabricated it. In the early days of renewal, charismatic leaders had a sense of holy awe when they prayed for people. They didn't want to do anything to grieve the Spirit. But somewhere along the way, some ministers realized they could fake the gifts of the Holy Spirit and still draw a crowd. Charlatans began hosting charismatic sideshows, complete with faked healings, spooky stage drama and mesmerizing manipulation. God's holy anointing was replaced by mood music and a quivering voice. Anybody with discernment could sense that the Spirit's sweet presence had exited the building.

3. We corrupted it. In the early charismatic days, I cut my spiritual teeth on meaty messages from firebrands such as Judson Cornwall, Leonard Ravenhill, Corrie Ten Boom, Keith Green, Derek Prince, Joy Dawson and Winkey Pratney. They preached regularly about the fear of God. Their messages demanded holiness. But if you fast-forward to today, you will find that much of the preaching in our movement has been reduced to drivel. It is sad that people can attend a "Spirit-filled" church today and never hear a sermon explaining that fornication is a sin. It is sadder that we have preachers in our pulpits who shamelessly flaunt sexual sin under the banner of a cheap grace message that will actually send people to hell.

4. We denominationalized it. When the Holy Spirit fell on certain groups in previous decades, their leaders assumed that the blessing of God was an indication that they were "special." Some denominations even taught that all other Christians would one day come under their group's banner—because they believed they had elite status. Sectarian pride might sound spiritual, but it is still pride. And don't ever think that nondenominational church networks are immune to this virus. There are trendy new groups today that claim to have a corner on truth. Their subtle message is, "We are better." Don't let this smug attitude quench the Holy Spirit.

5. We professionalized it. In the early days of charismatic renewal, there was a sense of childlike wonder as people discovered the power of the Spirit for the first time. The meetings were Christ-centered, the sermons were solidly biblical and the fellowship was deep. We could sing They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love because we felt a deep bond with each other in the Holy Spirit.

But it didn't take long to replace the genuine sense of New Testament koinonia with something colder and less inviting. We began emphasizing titles. We discovered slick marketing techniques. Churches and their budgets grew. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the megachurch: We lost our simplicity. We turned church into a business. We stopped being relational and we became professional.

I'm not against growth, megachurches or marketing. The Holy Spirit can produce and direct all those things! But if we sacrifice the freshness and warmth of relationships on the altar of professional Christianity, we may discover the Holy Spirit has withdrawn from our ministries.

May the Lord help us to cultivate an atmosphere that attracts His presence rather than repels Him. May we be ready to receive the baton as a younger generation embraces the promise of another move of God. Come, Holy Spirit!

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale and other books. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, at themordecaiproject.org.

Pockets of true revival are breaking out across America. Want to know more about the next great move of God? Click here to see Jennifer LeClaire's new book, featuring Dutch Sheets, Reinhard Bonnke, Jonathan Cahn, Billy Graham and others.

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Appreciating Worship Leaders - Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, David Crowder, Don Moen, Jesus Culture...

"Just a few of my favorite ones..." Steve Martin

Chris Tomlin - Passion 2014 Atlanta

David Crowder

Matt Redman - UK

Jesus Culture - USA

Don Moen

 

Darlene Zschech - Australia

Jesus Culture

John G. Elliott

John G. Elliott - Nashville

John G. Elliott

Back in the day...1970's and '80's

Joshua Aaron - Israel

Keith Green - heaven in now his home

The early Jesus Music - some of the best

Love Song - '70's California

Marty Goetz - USA

Paul Baloche - Texas

Paul Wilbur - Messianic music

Jacksonville, FL

Rueben Morgan - Australia

Robert Critchley - Canada

Robert Critchley - Canada

Robin Mark - Ireland

Ted Pearce - Messianic worship

Joel Chernoff of LAMB

Messianic Jew

...and then the best quartet ever! 4HIM!!!

Biography In the business of music, 15 years might as well be a lifetime; however, for four ordinary guys who couldn’t imagine anything better than singing about Jesus, the past 15 years have been more like a dream come to life. 4HIM has been about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through the powerful, incomparable medium of music since their beginnings singing with the well-known ensemble group, Truth. From the four ordinary guys who formed while sitting down at McDonald’s to explore the idea of forming a four-man pop-gospel group, 4HIM presents ENCORE…FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, their final project as 4HIM, a collection of career favorites, as well as a solo song from each member. “We couldn’t think of a better way to write the closing chapter to our story than to sing our way out,” 4HIM states,  “We hope you hear our hearts in ENCORE and know how blessed we’ve been to be a part of your lives.” Since their formation in 1989, their harmonic convergence—the likes of which hadn’t been heard in Christian music since the Imperials took audiences by storm in the late 1970s—blended the best of tradition from past decades in Christian music with modern pop sensibilities and no-holds-barred, real life lyrics.  Christian radio ‘got it’ right of the box with the group’s first No. 1 single, “Where There Is Faith,” and audiences began to sit up and take notice of the fresh-faced foursome from down south. 4HIM managed to transcend any of those potential pratfalls, continuing to make music that not only met the needs of listeners but pushed the creative envelope as the mainstream pop music scene evolved into something a little less slick, less produced. By the time 4HIM’s ‘best of’ album released in 2004, all four men were contemplating ‘where do we go from here?’ Not because they were drifting apart or because the opportunities were few and far between. No, call it sixth sense, the sense of discovery, of beginning to understand that there could be life beyond the ministry they’d devoted the biggest part of their adult lives to. After much prayer, Andy Chrisman decided to pursue a lifelong passion as worship leader at a local church in Celebration, Florida. Mark Harris had begun writing new songs for a solo project. Marty and Kirk were also busy writing and doing production work on their own. Each one, in his own time, began to feel the excitement of seeing new roads winding out before them. They began, one by one, to sense God saying “I am doing a new thing in you.” And so, with gratitude for all God has done over the past 15 years, they began to write the closing chapter in the story of 4HIM.  Taking a walk down memory lane, 4HIM recorded new versions of their biggest hits on the farewell project.  Once again their longtime producer Michael Omartian produced the project, which features nine favorite 4HIM songs, in addition to a medley and one new track, “Unity (We Stand),” featuring guest vocalists Point of Grace and Jeromy Deibler of FFH. Four bonus solo songs from each band member will also be included. “This project will hopefully capture the spirit of the songs and where we are now in 2005 musically, spiritually and thematically it will be a trip down memory lane with a new twist,” Mark Harris explains.  “We wanted to do this last project as a gift to our loyal fans—to commemorate all the years of faithful support we have received from them.” Throughout their time together, 4HIM has received much acclaim for their 11 hit albums including an RIAA Gold certified album (The Basics of Life), 24 No. 1 radio singles, eight Dove Awards including three “Group of the Year,” and a Grammy Award nomination as well as Alabama’s Music Hall of Fame for The Governor’s Achievement Award.  In addition to their numerous tours across the nation, the group has also been featured performers with the Billy Graham and Louis Palau crusades. AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS 2003 Dove Award nomination – Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year 1998 Dove Award - Group of the Year Dove Award - Inspirational Song of the Year for “Center of the Mark” 1998 WOW! Inspirational Award nomination - Performing artist of the Year 1997 Grammy Award nomination - Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for The Message 1996 RIAA certified gold album for The Basics of Life 1996 CCM Magazine’s readers’ poll - Favorite Long Form Video for The Ride Comes Alive 1995 American Songwriter - Christian Artist of the Year 1995 Dove Award - Group of the Year 1994 CCM Magazine - Song of the Year for “For Future Generations” 1994 Dove Award - Group of the Year Dove Award - Inspirational Album of the Year for The Season of Love 1993 Christian Booksellers Association Impact Award - Cassette Jacket Design for The Basics of Life Christian Booksellers Association Impact Award - Total Promotional Campaign, Music for The Basics of Life 1993 Dove Award - Group of the Year Dove Award - Inspirational Album of the Year for Generation to Generation 1992 Christian Research Report Reporter Poll - Best Group 1991 Christian Research Report Reporter Poll - Best Group 1991 Dove Award - Best New Artist 1990 Christian Research Report Reporter Poll - Best New Artist VIDEOGRAPHY 1996 The Message in the Making 1995 The Ride Comes Alive 1993 The Basics of Life 1991 Face the Nation DEVOTIONAL BOOK 1998 The Basics of Life ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS • A career total so far of 22 number one singles • Partners in hunger relief with World Vision—featured performer on World Vision 2003 Spring Tour • Nominated by Alabama’s Music’s Hall of Fame for The Governor’s Achievement Award • 2002 “4Guys And A Fruitcake” Christmas tour with Chonda Pierce • Featured performers with the Louis Palau crusade and the Billy Graham crusade • Co-headlined a national tour with Point of Grace • Co-headlined 1998 fall national tour with Jaci Velasquez and special guest Michelle Tumes • Headlined 1998 Spring tour with special guest Big Tent Revival featuring Jeni Varnadeau • Performed at “Sold Out 1998” Promise Keepers conference the day before the Super Bowl • Co-host of the 1998 NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Bobby Clampett/4HIM Pro-Am Classic Golf Tournament—