Heritage & Restoration
Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain which is your heritage, the place, Adonai, that you made your abode, the sanctuary, Adonai, which your hands established. Adonai will reign forever and ever.” (Exodus 15:17-18 Complete Jewish Bible)
Heritage is an awesome reality in the Lord. It is having a history to look back on, live with in the present, and then go forward into the future. What a great gift to us from the Lord – for those who know Him.
To realize what our heritage is in the Lord, and then to experience that which He has passed on down to us, is simply grace and mercy. To comprehend what has been received through the Jew and Gentile believers, found not only in our Bible, the Holy Scriptures, but also displayed in all of history - the Judeo-Christian culture, our spiritual education, and much more given to us - what we have in Jesus (Yeshua) is beyond what our minds and hearts can understand in this age.
For heritage found in the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, we are indeed blessed people.
In 1985 I first heard of Heritage USA, located just south of North Carolina in Fort Mill, SC, by watching this guy named Jim Bakker and his wife Tammy Fae. Their PTL Network was carried on our local East Lansing, Michigan TV channel. I remember having to record the daily show on a video tape as it aired at 5 am in the morning, when it was rebroadcast, in order to view it later that night, or whenever I had time. By the end of the year we had bought three Lifetime Memberships to Heritage USA, as they were called – two for us and one for a ministry family living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the time.
This particular ministry couple “swore” they never would use the membership. But the Lord knew what plans He had for them, and in 1994 they “just happened” to move their ministry to Charlotte. In 2001 they then bought Fort Hope, the 21 acres Jim Bakker and Heritage USA had once owned to rehabilitate homeless. I know. I was the Administrator!
Many do not realize the full story of what the heritage of Heritage USA meant to so many, but knowing what it did for our family, it was a real blessing from the Lord. Our three oldest kids even today have many good memories of the summer times we were able to spend on the property. (Our
youngest, Christen, was just 4 months old when we last stayed on the former Heritage USA property. But she
since then graduated from MorningStar's Comenius School of Creative Leadership,
CSCL, in 2004, which now had educated many young people in the Lord on that
restored land!)
When we moved from Michigan to Florida in August of 1987, the ministry had gone through a tremendous upheaval beginning that April, and it looked like the end had come, as we knew it. Within several years the 2000 acres, along with all the buildings and such, would be deserted.
The scoffers of Christianity, both "believers" and otherwise, had a grand old time laughing all the way.
Jumping ahead 27 years to 2015, a good portion on the former Heritage USA property has now gone through a tremendous restoration. No less than seven churches/ministries call the former property their home. That number includes MorningStar Ministries (Rick Joyner), Antioch International Church (Peter Wyns & Jess Enns), All Nations Church (Mahesh & Bonnie Chavda), The Movement (Lathan Wood), Fresh Fire (Todd Bentley), The Upper Room (Russell James), Vision For Israel (Barry & Batya Segal) along with other churches and small ministries. Having attended all of these churches (as well as served on the staff of three of the ministries), it is a great joy to see what the Lord has done.
As the old time Gospel song declares, “Look what the Lord has done!”
And as for Jim Bakker? Released from a prison cell in Minnesota after serving time for 5 years of the original 45 year sentence, he was left with absolutely nothing.
But in December of 2015, just prior to the celebration of his 76th birthday on January 2, 2016, he was declaring the Lord's Jubilee in his life. Jim was rejoicing in the Lord’s grand restoration process, as he continues to build a new ministry called MorningSide Ministries, near Branson, Missouri. Remarried now to Lori Bakker, with the PTL Network back on the air with his daily Jim Bakker Show, a complete restoration has come. Now again with multiple acres of land, a beautiful hotel, retirement and rental cottages, a media university for young and old, barns for both gatherings and the cattle which graze on the Missouri land, and a new prayer chapel rising on the mountaintop – the Lord’s Mighty Hand of restoration is leaving yet another heritage for many, many believers.
It is great to see what the good Lord has done again. Restore, redeem, and give us heritage that can be found in Him.
As for me and my house, we are too enjoying the fruit of restoration that has come to the former property here near Charlotte. MorningStar Ministries, occupying 42 acres, with the Grand Hotel and more, is our home church. We are grateful for our church family. To see that which we sowed in faith 30 years ago, now reaping a bountiful harvest and leaving further a heritage for our generation and the others behind us, is of great encouragement.
The Lord Jesus is in the restoration business. He always has been, beginning with Adam and Eve, and now continues to move through all the nations, bringing salvation with restored relationships for many who will, with Him and His Father.
The wounded, the hurt, the abandoned – all can find hope and love in the family of God. He is preparing an end-time, the Bride of Christ, for our Messiah, our soon returning King.
No plans of man can stop the purposes and plans of our God. He will complete the full restoration of our heritage found in Him.
Thank you Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus our Lord!
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People, Inc.
P.S. I would be
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Thanks! Steve
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Now Think On This - In the year of our Lord 12.31.15 - #227
–“Heritage & Restoration” – Thursday at 7:00 am
All previous editions of Now Think On This can
be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This
Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this
encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social
media icons below. Thanks! Steve
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We are living in the last days, the times prophesied long ago, right before the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, returns. Even as He spoke to the prophets of old in Israel, continuing through Jesus’ time on earth, and with the early church, the Lord is fulfilling His promise. His Eternal Word that He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and we would prophesy.
Prophesy comes in many ways – through the spoken word, signs, dreams, visions, tongues. All are used by the Lord to speak to His people, give them guidance along the way, and show His provision for the plans He has for us. As we walk along His path chosen for us, He desires to encourage and reveal His plans to us. He most certainly uses His Written Word. He also uses prophetic words. Here are a few that He has given to me.
I am continually amazed at how He speaks, how He directs, and the assuring results of His guidance. We need the gifts of the Holy Spirit operating in these times. As the Bible says, He desires that all would prophesy, in order to assist believers in knowing His will, and speaking to non-believers that we serve an All-Knowing God, Who shows us the way.
The gifts of prophesy, seeing signs and wonders, and experiencing His love through His fascinating methods is for all. I hope you are encouraged in seeking Him as you read these stores of how He moved in my life.
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People
About Jim Bakker from his website: Jim Bakker
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Pastor Jim Bakker is a pioneer of Christian Television. From humble beginnings, he rose to build one of the largest ministries in the world.
As a young man, Pastor Jim was called to “make Jesus real” to the world. During the golden era of television, he was divinely inspired on what medium he could use to do just that. He dreamed of a night-time Christian talk show-one that could display the format and quality of The Tonight Show hosted by Johnny Carson.
In 1966, his dream came true. While hosting “Come on Over”, a children’s show, on Pat Robertson’s fledgling Christian station in Virginia, Pastor Jim became the founder and host for the first Christian talk show – “The 700 Club”.
For eight incredible years, Pastor Jim hosted the ground-breaking variety show with the top ministers and singers of the day. Pastor Jim and his family later joined Paul and Jan Crouch in California to pioneer a new television ministry. Pastor Jim was the first President and a founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network, which today, still beams around the world with 24-hour a day Christian programming.
In 1974, Pastor Jim relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina to birth one of the most dynamic ministries the world has ever known-The PTL Club, The Inspirational Network, and a state of the art Christian retreat center called Heritage USA.
At the height of the ministry, there were 86 religious services held a week at Heritage USA. By 1986, Heritage USA was the third most visited destination spot, following Disney World and Disney Land.
PIONEER OF CHRISTIAN TELEVISION
Pastor Jim also pioneered Christian television in 52 nations as well as founding Heritage School of Evangelism, Heritage Academy and related schools. In addition to his many responsibilities at PTL, Pastor Jim authored more than ten books, and developed several special editions of the Bible.
In 1987, Pastor Jim Bakker resigned as President of PTL after a moral indiscretion he had committed seven years earlier that was brought to the public’s attention.
PTL was placed into bankruptcy by its new management and in 1989 Pastor Jim was indicted and sentenced to 45 years in prison on charges of overbooking the lodging space at Heritage USA.
Pastor Jim was re-sentenced in 1991 to 18 years and then later reduced to eight years in Federal prison. He was released on parole in 1994 after serving five years. On July 22, 1996, a Federal Jury ruled that PTL was not selling securities by offering Lifetime Partnerships in Heritage USA, affirming what Pastor Jim said since the very first day he was indicted. His case was overturned and the judge was dismissed from the case.
In 1998, while working in the inner-city ministry of the Dream Center of Los Angeles, Pastor Jim met Lori Graham. After an abusive marriage of years of substance abuse, Lori founded a ministry of women who were suffering the emotional scars from abortion. They married that year and have totally dedicated their lives to ministry.
In 2002, Pastor Jim and Lori were blessed with the happiness of expanding their family with five beautiful children from the inner-city of Phoenix where Lori had ministered for years. In that same year, Pastor Jim and Lori were offered the opportunity to move to Branson, Missouri to begin the Jim Bakker Show.
In 2003, sixteen years to the date that Pastor Jim had made his last broadcast from PTL, he and Lori launched their new television ministry from Branson, Missouri.
With the help of PTL Partner, Jerry Crawford, the ministry staff converted a bar/restaurant to a café/television studio called Studio City Café. Mr. Crawford’s marriage was healed at a seminar at PTL 25 years before and he took on a personal mission to help Pastor Jim launch his new ministry.
THE JIM BAKKER SHOW
The Jim Bakker Show is an hour-long daily broadcast that is aired throughout the United States, Canada, and the entire world through multiple broadcasts on Direct TV, Dish Network and other worldwide satellites.
The show is broadcast from a new Christian Retreat Center called “Morningside” located just outside Branson, Missouri. This 700-acre property is a thriving Christian community that also serves as the backlot for The Jim Bakker Show andmultiple other LIVE broadcasts.
The main building serves as the world headquarters for The Jim Bakker Show and related ministries. This building has an enclosed, Old World style Main Street that Pastor Jim has named “Grace Street” which has served as the broadcast studio. This building also houses
Grace Chapel, the
Fireside Cafe, and other shops as well as over 100 condos.
Pastor Jim is considered to be one of today’s experts on the Book of Revelation. Since prison, he authored, “I Was Wrong”, “The Refuge”, “Prosperity and The Coming Apocalypse”, and more recently “Time Has Come”. His message is one of grace and total restoration.
Millions relate to Pastor Jim and Lori’s testimonies of the redemptive power of love. If God can put Pastor Jim and Lori’s lives back together, then He can do it for anyone.
