The Red Scarf - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

The Red Scarf

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

"…then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14, Complete Jewish Bible)

When my Charleston sister Mary requested a photo I had taken in Ireland in May 2018, of her wearing a red scarf as we walked the Dublin city park, the Holy Spirit quickened me to write about the blood. The red blood that flowed from the Savior’s body. For us.

Walking with the red scarf.

The red blood that saves us from our sin.

Remember the Christian hymn (so ancient by some terms these days) we used to sing in church? “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” (Robert Lowry (1826-1899 – See below for the full lyrics from 1876.)

How many still believe in the blood of Jesus? How many still believe in sin? If there is no sin, then why the big deal about the blood? Some would say there is no longer any need to preach about the blood of the Messiah, to teach about the necessity of His sacrificial death on the Roman cross, that rugged tree.

Does it matter what others would say about something they have dismissed, to do away with “sin”, “guilt”, “shame”, “forgiveness”? If there is no God, then it would not matter.

But because there is the One and True God, then it most certainly does. To use a now worn out cliché’ in another way, “Sin matters.”

To put this in simple terms, we needed a restoration, a redemption, a way to return to the Creator of all life, the One Who sets the rules. Because of sin committed back in the Garden of Eden (and yes, Adam and Eve really did exist) there became a separation from God the Father for all mankind. But down through the many centuries He patiently and consistently revealed, first to the Jews, and then the Gentiles, how to get that relationship restored.

There must be a cleansing from the wrong. There had to be Someone to become the Passover lamb, the one who knew no sin, to fulfill the requirement that the Holy God had properly put in place. Only the Son of God, Yeshua, met that established law, and only He could fulfill the prophetic promises of His coming with exactness. Only He could meet the requirements of perfection, to bring about the forgiveness of sin.

It was sin that removed us from God the Father, being His Holiness does not permit sin in His presence. It was the unblemished blood that could bring us back. Only the blood of the Messiah would meet that requirement. Without spot. Without blemish. The Perfect Lamb of God. He was the substitution for us, to forever cover the sin that would have kept us from the eternal relationship God the Father so desires with us, His creation.

“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:17-21, NKJV)

For those of us who believe, who have repented and received Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on our behalf, in order for us to be restored to God the Father, for eternity we will give thanks.

For those who have yet to acknowledge that their sin has separated them from God, and can only be forgiven when they call on the Name of Yeshua (Jesus), may your heart be opened to the truth, and may you too receive the gift of eternal life that comes only through confessing and believing.

“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9-13, NKJV)

A new year lies ahead of us. It would be best if you walk with God, and let Him bring the restoration before you can begin to know what life is all about, including the plans and purposes He has for you.

As for the red scarf, may it be a reminder for all of us that His shed blood covers us, and allows us to have full relationship with God our Father, His Only Begotten Son, and Holy Spirit too.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. Want an adventure walking on short adventures? Check this out: "Walk With Me" video series with Steve Martin.

Also, I hope you get my latest book, Adventures in Courage, out this November. Paperback or Kindle versions. My 19^th authored publication. (Yes, this is an advertisement!) Buy here on Amazon: Adventures in Courage

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$50 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. Click here: DONATE 

(or use the DONATE buttons on the blog.)

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

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P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

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Now Think On This #378 - in the year of our Lord 12.29.18 – “The Red Scarf” - Saturday, 6:30 am

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

1.    What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

o    Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2.    For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3.    Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4.    This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

5.    Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

6.    Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Robert Lowry, pub.1876 copyright status is Public Domain

Desperation - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Desperation

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot.” (Psalm 34:6, The Message)

The Merriam-Webster dictionary states that desperation is the “loss of hope and surrender to despair.” Loss of hope is a terrible thing. When there is no hope, not much else is left to cling to.

There will certainly come a time when many will reach a point where things get desperate, with no seemingly place to turn, people to call, or even a hopeless prayer to be said. Of course, having no belief in God, with many of these it is happening already.

Those who have no faith, whom have denied the factual proof of the Living God of Israel in their heart, head and history, trusting instead in their deceived mind, may never reach the point of salvation. Instead of giving up the pride that has exalted them to lofty human levels, they continue to lift their fists of anger and hatred to Him Who sits on the throne.

How ironic. They deny Him in every step of their being, and yet demonstrate their despite of the very Creator when something goes terribly wrong in their life, and those around them. Rather than call on the Name of the Lord, Who alone is salvation, they choose to continue down their path of destruction, heading further into the pit of darkness.

This need not be so.

All through Scripture we read where saints of old had to cry out to the Lord, desperate for Him to respond. David on the run from Saul; Job in the middle of his not-so-helpful friends; Paul while being stoned by the religious. Each were to experience those times of desperation, where no human answer was readily available to change the situation they had been brought to.

Yes, we are brought to situations where we have the choice - to call on the Lord and His salvation, or continue to deny His very presence, and reap the consequences that are promised to follow.

The Bible, that book which has remained accurately constant since the days it was put down on stone and paper, is our only hope. For anyone who seeks an answer, needs the truth, and is willing to repent of their own ways, it is THE ANSWER for all who will. For all who will call on the Name of the Lord.

“…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." (Romans 10:9-13, NASU)

If you are reading this, I hope you have already trusted in the Lord Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach, to deliver you from your sin and haughty ways. You thus know now that He who delivered you in the beginning will continue to deliver you to the end. He is faithful. He never changes.

For those who have yet to come to the realization point, where nothing else can or has changed your life, having tried all else, this is now the time where you need to make that decision, to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, Savior of the World, and rest in His assurance that no matter what comes your way, He will be there to save you through it. He happened for those saints of old – He will happen for us too.

“Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors,  to the Servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel; and He has chosen You."

(Isaiah 49:7, NKJV)

The One whom the nations abhor, the Redeemer of Israel and those who come to Him, is the faithful One, the Solid Rock on which to stand.

As we see and hear of many in desperate situations, now is the time to stand on the solid rock of His Word, and see Him once again save His people in their time of need. May we also do our part in being His, the Body of Christ, His arm of hope and salvation, and show Him as the answer to those who need Him even more so now.

For those yet to come to the Messiah, the Lion and the Lamb of God, who has already come once and is soon coming again, my prayer is that you will know firmly in your heart that He will come and save you, for no other god or human can do as He alone can and will do for you.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Yeshua, Yeshua, Yeshua. The only Name that saves.

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 buttons on either side column of our blog.

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. (And all other social media platforms!)

Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 09.02.17 - #310 – “Desperation” – Saturday, 8:15 am