Hope - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Hope

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

  

^”Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12, Tree of Life (TLV)

As I sat across the table from Hope, I wondered if her middle name was Joy. Wouldn’t that have been nice! (I know a Joy by the way. I know Grace, Faith, and even Prudence. What names the Lord has given these lovely ladies!)

Hope was doing a short interview of me for the seasonal work at Samaritan’s Purse here in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Operation Christmas Child Shoebox season was fast approaching, and I wanted to be a part of the team again this go around. I had served here two previous years, and was looking forward to another time with Franklin Graham’s great program for worldwide kids. Blessed to be a blessing.

I had hope.

Some people don’t. They have lost hope in their dreams; their vision has vanished; they see things around them and wonder, “What happened? Why am I here when I thought it was supposed to be so much better?”

Those are real hurts and pains. I know. I have had them myself more times than I care to remember, or even write about. You believe something for so long, and then nothing. Nada. It ain’t happening. Or so you thought for so long.

But it is. It will happen. One thing we can count on in life is that the One who gives life, dreams, provides vision and leads us down a good path is the Lover of our soul. The One who gives is so capable because He is the same One who gave all. He gave His life for us.

This is one thing I do know. Jesus (Yeshua is His beloved Hebrew-given name) cannot lie when He speaks; He cannot hate when He loves; He cannot steal when He gives us His provision. He cannot because it is not in His eternal nature to do so. It is just not there.

What is there in His eternal being is real hope, real love, real encouragement, real joy, real passion for saving the people in the nations.

Without Jesus the people perish. One gunshot, one hurricane, one earthquake and it can be all over for those who have not called upon the Name of the Lord. He is our only hope.

My heart-felt prayer is that you have hope today. Let it be renewed, let it be abundant, let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart afresh and let you know there is light at the end of this tunnel you are in. For the Light has come, He is eternal, and where there is hope there is life to press on through whatever comes your way.

Hope in Jesus today. Be confident in what He has planned for you. He knows what it is and it is good.

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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P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

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

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Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 10.04.17 - #320 – “Hope” 7:00 am

Samaritan's Purse Workers FREED In Sudan - HELLO CHRISTIAN

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Faith Groups Stand in the Gap for Mideast Refugees

Faith Groups Stand in the Gap 

for Mideast Refugees

CBNNews.com

Friday, September 18, 2015

The massive wave of illegal migrants entering Europe is creating a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of families continue to flee from war and religious persecution in the Middle East.

Now Christian relief agencies are on the ground, doing what they can to help the refugees.

Samaritan's Purse is working with churches to distribute 2,000 backpacks in Macedonia. The packs are filled with hygiene items, blankets, towels, diapers, granola bars, and candy.

CBN News spoke with the ministry's Dr. Natalie McDermott, who said the outreach shows the refugees the love of Jesus Christ.

"Our goal with Sam's Purse is to be the hands and feet of Jesus; it's to meet people where they're at and bring them love in a practical way by meeting their needs," she explained. "So sharing love with them and sharing the Gospel with them when the opportunity arises."

"I think for them it's a reflection of who Jesus is when they see us meeting their needs and just loving them where they're at, regardless of who they are or where they're coming from, just loving them in the place where they are right now," she said.

CBN's Operation Blessing is also on the ground in Europe, providing refugees in Hungary with food and plastic tarps to help them stay warm.

It's a critical need as the cold and rainy winter season can cause widespread disease throughout the camps.

Watch video: Faith Groups Help Refugees

Christian Bakery Fined $135,000 for ‘Discrimination’ Against Gays. Then They Get More Bad News.

Christian Bakery Fined $135,000 for ‘Discrimination’ Against Gays. Then They Get More Bad News.

BY MICHAEL HAUSAM | HEADLINES, LEGAL, NATION, POLITICS  

IJR Review  April 25, 2015

IJRSHAREEMAIL

Aaron and Melissa Klein, the Oregon-based owners of Sweet Cakes Bakery, learned Friday that the judge overseeing the sentencing of their discrimination conviction recommended a $135,000 payment to the lesbian couple which was refused service.

The backstory: two years ago, the bakery refused to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple, citing religious beliefs. In January, 2014, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries brought charges against them for violating Oregon’s Equality Act of 2007. They were found guilty in January, 2015, with a financial penalty potential of up to $150,000, to be determined at a later date.

The judge’s recommendation was issued Friday. In a statement on the ruling, which awards $135,000 to Rachel and Laurel Bowman-Cryer, for “emotional suffering,” the Bureau of Labor and Industries said this:

The facts of this case clearly demonstrate that the Kleins unlawfully discriminated against the complainants. Under Oregon law, businesses cannot discriminate or refuse service based on sexual orientation, just as they cannot turn customers away because of race, sex, disability, age or religion. Our agency is committed to fair and thorough enforcement of Oregon civil rights laws, including the Equality Act of 2007.

The amounts are damages related to the harm suffered by the Complainants, not fines or civil penalties which are punitive in nature.

According to the Washington Times, the order is not final and both sides have 10 days in which to respond before a final amount is issued by the labor commissioner. Also, either party could appeal the decision via an appeals court.

Melissa is clearly distraught about the decision in an interview she did for The Daily Signal:

In an interview with the Family Research Council, the Kleins responded to the news:

It’s very discouraging. This is not money coming from a business, this is not money coming from an insurance fund, this is money coming straight from our bank account.

This is money that should be used to pay my mortgage, money that should be used to feed our kids, not something that should be given to others. This is a decision I made because of my faith, and now the government is now saying it doesn’t matter, your kids can suffer for it as well.

You have unsubstantiated emotional damages — that’s what this came down to. There was never any physical or financial harm done to the plaintiffs. This was specifically to emotional damages. It takes a lot to explain where $135,000 comes from.

Immediately after the ruling was issued, the Facebook page for the bakery announced that a GoFundMe account was set up but a subsequent post stated that it was shut down:

This is what is written:

“The gofundme account that was set up to help our family was shut down by the administrators of gofundme because they claimed it was raising money for an illegal purpose. We have told gofundme that the money is simply going to be used to help our family, and there is no legitimate breach of their terms and conditions. We are working to get the account reinstated.

However, in the mean time, if you would like to donate, you can do so here: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/christian-couple-faces-135000-fine/
For all of you who gave to the gofundme account before it was shut down, we so appreciate your love and generosity. Gofundme has told us that we will still receive those funds.”

There is a donation page that people are taken to upon following the link:

Image credit: Samaritanspurse.org