40 Something? - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

40 Something?

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Now David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. The period which he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.” (1 Chronicles 29:26-27, NASU)

Have you ever wondered what 40 will get you? No, I am not thinking about what prison sentence comes with what crime. I think about all the times the Lord God of the Living Bible uses numbers to get across His point, or to bring about His purpose in a person, people group or nation.

When I use my PC Bible Study software to give me all the references to the number 40, it stops after just one Bible version. There are just too many to list them all! And that is just with the number 40!

Here are a few samples of the ones most known about, which are historical facts, not just figments of imaginations, or used just to give some idea of the length of time. No, they are real periods that occurred in history. And they meant something then and can serve as a measure of time for us today.

The following are all from the ERV version, which uses “40” instead of “forty”.

1.      Gen 7:11 “The rain fell on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights.”

2.      Gen 25:20 “When Isaac was 40 years old, he married Rebekah.”

3.      Ex 16:35-36 “The people ate the manna for 40 years, until they came to the land of rest, that is, until they came to the edge of the land of Canaan.”

4.      Ex 24:18 “Then Moses went higher up the mountain into the cloud. He was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.”

5.      Numbers 13:25-26 “The men (10 spies) explored that country for 40 days, and then they went back to the camp.”

6.      Joshua 14:7 “(Joshua speaking) Moses, the Lord's servant, sent me to look at the land where we were going. I was 40 years old at that time.”

7.       2 Sam 5:4-5 “David was 30 years old when he began to rule. He was king for 40 years. In Hebron he ruled over Judah for 7 years and 6 months, and in Jerusalem he ruled over all Israel and Judah for 33 years.”

8.      2 Chronicles 9:30 “Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for 40 years.”

9.       Matt 4:2-3 “Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and nights. After this, he was very hungry.”

10.   Acts 13:21 “Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was king for 40 years.”

As I meditate on these verses, and what transpired in each one, I see testing (40 days or 40 years) and rulership (40 years for these kings). For several there were 40 days or 40 years of testing, walking it out in faith (or until they were released from unbelief.) For others, it was 40 years of ruling as a king.

Maybe in your life, as in mine, you can see time periods of 40 days, or on a longer length, 40 years, as a time period in which the Lord was working something out, or putting something in - preparing you for the call He has on your life.

(Photo - Negev Judean desert, Israel. Steve Martin, 2017)

When I was 23, I never thought it would take 40 years to follow, in preparation for the final call on my life; when I would “retire” from one segment to begin what I consider will be the best and final one. I am “retiring” on October 31, 2017 from my accounting job that has consumed 55 hours per week of my time. When I turn 63 on November 23, 40 years will have gone by since that 23^rd year, when I got married.

Celebrating our 40^th anniversary of marriage on October 7, 2017, will be a major accomplishment for Laurie and I. Was it all a “time of testing” in order to build the foundational pad needed to launch from, out into the “promised land” (atmosphere)?  I think maybe so. Then the ruling will begin, as a king, for we have been prepared to take the Gospel even further into territories from our home base.

What has been your 40 days, or 40 years? I would bet (surely there is a verse for that!) that if you look hard enough backward in your natural and spiritual walk, you too will see what the Lord has done, where He has taken you, and who around you is now involved with the plans and purposes the Lord, God of Israel, has in store for you too.

I find it very interesting, and encouraging. I think you will too.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

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 donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website using the DONATE button on either side column.

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 Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter. 9(And all other social media platforms!)

 Steve Martin

Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 08.23.17 - #309 – “40 Something?” – Wednesday, 5:40 am

LoveMusic! - Garments of Praise - Robin Mark live worship from Northern Ireland

Garments of Praise

Robin Mark

Live worship from Northern Ireland

Robin Mark

Aug. 16, 2017

Dear LoveMusic! listeners,

When we first featured a song by Robin Mark, Revival, it rose to the top of our chart as one of your favorites. Not surprising, for we need revival in our countries. And now is as good a time as any.

What does then follow revival, in our hearts and souls, is the real desire to honor and worship even more the Living God of Israel, Yeshua (Jesus). HE IS REVIVAL, and when His Holy Spirit comes, we do put on the garment of praise.

Our prayer is that revival is working in your life, and you too are putting on the garments of praise to replace discouragement, disappointment, distrust, and disillusionments. We all have had them. We can get His victory through them as overcomers do.

We all need Jesus. Come Lord, bring revival, and we shall indeed put on the garments of praise!

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin

Love For His People

Charlotte, North Carolina

USA

Thank you, Robin Mark, for your ministry!

Help Love For His People continue to keep bringing you LoveMusic! We also send monthly funds to pastors and Israel-supporting ministries in international lands - with free teaching materials. Financial support for families in Jerusalem, Belfast, UK and Lahore, Pakistan continue monthly. We count on you. Even a gift of $5 helps!  Thank you.

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Above video: YouTube: ChristianMusicDemand  Published on Jun 25, 2008

Here is one with the lyrics: Garments of Praise with lyrics

We've Only Just Begun! - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

We've Only Just Begun!

Steve Martin

“Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25-26,  NKJV)

On a Friday night in July 2017 Laurie and I met with three lovely ladies we have known for years, two of which we had not seen in quite a few. So many years, in fact, that the youth and vigor we once knew we possessed, we each thought had come and gone.

“Not so!” says the Living God of Israel.

Sitting around the Martin family room, sharing of past adventures we had had together, primarily in the work of the ministry, brought back sweet memories of what the Lord had done thus far in our lives. We also spoke of what He was now doing in our midst. But then we shared some concerns of what we thought were yet to come, being four of us had already reached the 60’s decade. Not the 1960’s (though we all lived through that), but the years of life thus far on this planet. With the “golden years” fast approaching, we may have, just may have, considered in our minds that our time here was coming to an end.

Except for my good wife Laurie, the young one at 58, the years of vigorous youth which we had known had become the years of the slower silver hairs, even if covered over with another color.

But then again, the Lord had His say on the matter. He told us how He saw it, as follows.

During our prayer time at the end of our gathering, He gave me this picture in my mind, demonstrating how He looked upon us from His heavenly throne above. This came as His Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, was moving down here among us, in our very midst.

Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, where I have labored as an accountant for the past five years, has another new office/residential/retail space building that has risen more than 24 stories above ground. It is about ready to cross the finish line of completion. In man’s eyes, it is a very significant and magnificent work of skill, beauty, and awe.

When the foundation was being dug a year earlier, in 2016, the vast numbers of men in their orange construction vests, with their mighty machines of great power, kept digging deeper, and deeper, and deeper. I was quite amazed as to how far down they went, even as they continually removed truckload after truckload of unearthed dirt and solid rock, which had been buried there, probably since the creation of the earth. I mean, it was extremely deep! (And I have the photos to prove it…)

Staring up at the fantastic building, on my way back to the Charlotte Center City Partners office from my lunchtime prayer walk, one would never know what lay beneath the street level, where thousands pass by each day. That very deep foundation, having taken much time to establish, had been necessary to sustain the weight and “glory” that now rested securely on it.

Charlotte, North Carolina building (photo by Steve Martin)

This almost completed work was about ready for the planned purpose always intended at the beginning by the architects who created it. Once it was but an image in their mind. Now the towering project rising into the sky was almost done.

We can only imagine what was in the minds of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit back then before time began. In time though, we will know.

“God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” (Ephesians 3:20, THE MESSAGE)

And so, as the five of us finished our cherished time of fellowship together, holding hands in a circle of praise and prayer, the Lord vividly and clearly reminded me of that building image, that picture of a rather beautiful structure, and the very deep foundation that had been necessary for that tower of power to stand tall on.

This clear image, of what is really a natural demonstration to show us of what He has always seen in the spiritual realm, in our lives, and now most needed in this earthly hour, is the very spiritual dimension that He has brought us through in our lives.

While in each of our minds we may have considered those many years that have come and gone, as ones of lost energy, disappointments, and discouragements along the way, and wondering how we could now accomplish what had been in our hearts of desire since our youth, the Lord was saying to us, “During those decades of preparation, with My digging and digging and digging even more, I have been readying you for the work I have called you to do in these last days."

"I have seen all this from My heavenly throne above, delighting Myself in the fact that you, along with a vast number of so many others, Jews and Gentiles joined together as the One New Man; you who are My “bought with the blood”, after being “sought by My Spirit”, are now ready to be “caught along in the glorious cloud” coming down to this first heaven, to be My witnesses in the nations. You will be part of the greatest revival this world has ever seen! It has taken this long to get you ready for that which I have now begun to bring to the finish.”

He was telling us, we are not done. And as we heard on the radio back then, in the decade of the 70's, have only just begun! 

(Sing it mighty loud Carpenters! Thanks for those prophetic words to us, whether you knew it or not!)

(Listen below, but only after you finish reading this message!

Lyrics too included far below. In the deep foundation...)

The Lord has been doing the hard, necessary work in our hearts, in our characters, in our entire spirit, soul and body over these many, many years, because He knows what it will take to finish the job, and complete the work that He so long ago started with His creation of Adam and Eve in that Garden of Eden, at the beginning of man's time as we know it.

In Jesus' (Yeshua) coming the first time, He touched the daily lives of His Chosen Ones the Jews and then wrapped His arms around all the Gentiles who would. Now He is launching the “silver hairs”, yes, that is exactly you and me, into the nations to gather in the remaining ones who will, before His soon coming return.

We are ready Lord! You have prepared us so well in all Your wisdom and knowledge!

Now is the time when we are being released to go, gather, and see Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

Yes, we are ready. Yes, we have been prepared. And yes, the final push has already begun!  

It will be power against power, demonstrating His love over the enemy’s hate, as Jesus is once again revealed in all the earth - this time as the Almighty King of kings and the outstanding Lord of lords, redeeming the people who will receive His outstretched arms of loving salvation.

Even so, Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus! We have been so prepared and so ready to get in the final game. 

For Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever, amen!

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. This marks the 300^th edition of what first started in October 2010, after my 10^th journey to the Land of Israel, as the “Ahava Love Letters”, which then became my “Now Think of This”words of encouragement.

Thank you Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, Who brings the inspiration to share Jesus’ heart of love, Yeshua, from our Heavenly Father, Abba. I love You! And I love you!

P.S.S. Listen to the Carpenters sing their all-time hit, and envision what the Holy Spirit was speaking then, and now. We've Only Just Begun

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 and pastors in Israel, Pakistan, Northern Ireland, and Nigeria, whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858. 

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website: Donate

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 Now Think On This with your friends. Steve Martin

Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 7.15.17 - #300– “We've Only Just Begun!” – Saturday 7:02 am 

DONATE TO BLESS FAMILIES IN JERUSALEM, PAKISTAN, NORTHERN IRELAND AND NIGERIA WITH YOUR LOVE.

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

We've Only Just Begun

Carpenters 1970

Lyrics

We've only just begun to live
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we're on our way
(We've only begun)

Before the risin' sun, we fly
So many roads to choose
We'll start out walkin' and learn to run
(And yes, we've just begun)

Sharing horizons that are new to us
Watching the signs along the way
Talkin' it over, just the two of us
Workin' together day to day
Together

And when the evening comes, we smile
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow
(And yes, we've just begun)

Sharing horizons that are new to us
Watching the signs along the way
Talkin' it over, just the two of us
Workin' together day to day
Together
Together

And when the evening comes, we smile
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow
And yes, we've just begun

Written by Nichols Williams • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore

Paul Wilbur "Days of Elijah" (+90 playlist)

Paul Wilbur!

Sing with all your might!

Dance with all your might!

Bless the Living God of Israel!

Steve Martin

Love For His People

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