“Determination” - message by Steve Martin

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Determination

Our walk with the Lord will bring us to events and situations where we are going to have to either stand strong, or we will turn and run. In my life, I have made that decision already. My life is His. I will stand, so help me God.

Yeshua (Jesus) had made that decision too. He was determined to do the Father’s will, and He did it.

We must choose to be as He was, and have the determination to do what is right before that time will certainly come.

“The Master, God, has given me a well-taught tongue, so I know how to encourage tired people. He wakes me up in the morning. Wakes me up, opens my ears to listen as one ready to take orders.

 

The Master, God, opened my ears, and I didn’t go back to sleep, didn’t pull the covers back over my head. I followed orders, stood there and took it while they beat me, held steady while they pulled out my beard.

 

Didn’t dodge their insults, faced them as they spit in my face. And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me, so I’m not disgraced.

 

Therefore I set my face like flint, confident that I’ll never regret this. My champion is right here. Let’s take our stand together! Who dares bring suit against me? Let him try! Look! the Master, God, is right here.

 

Who would dare call me guilty? Look! My accusers are a clothes bin of threadbare socks and shirts, fodder for moths!” Isaiah 50:7-9, The Message

 

When I was the office manager of a Canon copier dealer in Lansing, Michigan, between 1980-1987, I was asked to do an invoice for the company, billing a location that I had heard did abortions. I refused to do so. I wanted no part in it.

 

I would have been around 26, and we had three young kids at the time. I couldn’t afford to lose my job, but my Lord told me I was not to do that invoice. I told the owner as such.

 

He then made his wife, the co-owner, do the invoice. (In later years they asked me to become Vice President of the company, but even then the Lord had called me on to other work for Him, and that meant a move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to work for Derek Prince Ministries.)

 

Are we going to stand as Christians, when faced with decisions that will go against the actions and beliefs of those around us?

 

Now is the time to make that determination. Not when the time to stand faces us head on. We will need to have made that decision already.

 

Christians, and Jews, are among the most persecuted in the world. Times have not changed since Jesus’ time. We know the Bible says the same days are coming for us.

 

Decide now what you are going to do when called upon to choose.

 

Ahava and shalom,

 

Steve Martin

 

Message #21, April 14, 2026

#determination #SteveMartin #Jesus #courage #faith #Master #DerekPrince #Christians #Jews #Bible #persecution

Worship playlist - Antioch Infernational Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina; Steve Martin from Jerusalem, Israel

Worship playlist - Antioch Infernational Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina

Steve Martin from Jerusalem, Israel

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Antioch International Church worship team over the years. Playlist.

Steve Martin worship songs playlist

Videos recorded by Steve Martin, Love For His People in Charlotte, North Carolina

Love For His People Ministry was founded in 2010 by Steve & Laurie Martin. Charlotte, NC USA

#Worshipplaylist #AntiochInternationalChurch #FortMill #SouthCarolina #SteveMartin #Jerusalem #Israel

Beautiful South Carolina horses out in the springtime pasture. Thank You, Lord. Walk With Me, and See. Steve Martin

Beautiful South Carolina horses out in the springtime pasture. Thank You, Lord. Walk With Me, and See. Steve Martin

#Beautiful #SouthCarolina #horses #springtime #pasture #ThankYou #Lord #WalkWithMe #SteveMartin

 

"His Appointments" - message by Steve Martin

 

(Photo by Steve Martin)

His Appointments

 

We all have our disappointments. And yet when I look back, I can see our Lord’s hand in them - protecting us, guarding us, keeping us from going down a path that we thought was for sure the way to go.

 

Even when we say to ourselves and others, “I am positive this is the Lord’s will. How can it not be?”

 

And then it didn’t go as expected.

 

I recall the true Bible story of Joseph hearing that his fiancée, Mary, was pregnant before they knew each other intimately. And the child was not his. How greatly disappointed he must have felt? “Why, Lord? YOU GAVE HER TO ME!”

 

How did that turn out for Joseph? And Mary?

 

We can’t, we don’t, always see the Lord’s hand in our lives. We don’t have the capacity to carry it, to do it at the time, as He knows and does.

 

We have to trust in the Lord’s hands. He said He loves us. Is He a liar?

 

Thank You, Lord, for the times I didn’t marry that one; I didn’t get on that plane; my event was canceled…and then tragedy occurred exactly where "I just knew I was supposed to have been" before Your hand stopped me.

 

We must also realize that this life isn’t just about me. So many more are involved. I like the Jewish culture. It isn’t “me”, it is “us.” We need more of that.

 

His appointments carry us beyond the disappointments. When they come, keep looking for His open door. It is coming. I can promise you that, because He is ALWAYS Faithful.

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who wait for His faithfulness…” Psalm 33:18, NASB

 

Now, back to my blueberry bagel. It seems to have more purple in it this time. Yeah Lord!

 

Ahava and Shalom,

 

Steve Martin in Charlotte, North Carolina

 

Message #20 in the year of our Lord, April 6, 2026.

It would be nice if you could run down to the local grocery store and buy a package of hope. After all, don’t we find we need it every day? A few good helpings daily sure would be nice. It is not quite that simple to get, but hope is certainly possible to obtain and keep. 

The way I have found hope is by believing the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, as put forth truthfully in the Bible. Through the centuries, the words written in the Word have proven accurate and life-changing for those who have chosen to believe. I include myself among them. The daily news will get you discouraged. The bank statement and monthly bills, which arrive by mail or on your smartphone, will drain you of your pursuit of happiness. 

One minute you are “up”. The next minute you hit a wall. What is it that keeps us pressing on to accomplish the good in life? Family and friends can be a good source of support, but even then, those relationships can falter. We need more. We need hope in our lives. 

My desire and prayer is that as you read these messages, you will obtain hope. Not a hope that will get you just through this day, but an eternal hope where you can stand strong, press on, and know deep in your heart that when it is all said and done, what He, Jesus, has said and done will be the very truth that keeps you until the end. 

Find hope. Keep it within, and know that the faith, hope and love of the Almighty God will always be there for you. He is our only hope.

Purchase here: Amazon - Paperback $8.95

#Hisappointments #Jesus #Yeshua #SteveMartin #Bible #disappointments #faithfulness

Love For His People Ministry was founded in 2010 by Steve & Laurie Martin. Charlotte, NC USA

Want to see Steve Martin's daily messages? Look at my new blog, "Morning Place To Be with Steve Martin"

 

Look here every morning: Morning Place To Be

Look here every morning: Morning Place To Be

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Where it began...I can't begin to know it. But come and see!

                       

Where it all began...must have been in Lawrence, Kansas, in August of 2025. 

My good wife Laurie and I flew to Kansas City to be with one of my sisters (I have 5), 

Janet, and her husband, Nate. It was a very pleasant time of touring the city, the 

countryside, the small towns, and the parks found in central Kansas.

When Nate told me about his "$4.95 Sip and What Not" (not the real name) at the

 local coffee-and-bagel restaurant, I just had to do it. I was raised looking for the 

"good deals".

When we got back to Charlotte, North Carolina, I checked out the local one. And 

sure enough, every morning I could get a cup of coffee (limit one every two hours, 

mind you), and I liked adding a blueberry bagel just to ease my conscience.

Lo and behold, this website began with that theme. "Morning Place To Be."

I like to write, so this will be one of those "not so heavy with all the news" places to 

go, as you, too, enjoy your coffee every morning.

As they say (sometimes, though it gets worn out), "Enjoy."

Be blessed,

Steve Martin

P.S. Nate in the top photo is on the left. More grayer, though a wee bit younger, 

than I am. Ha!

#MorningPlaceToBe #SteveMartin #morningcoffee #bagel #encouragement

"All Hands On Deck" by Steve Martin

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All Hands On Deck

Each of us has been given gifts (talents) as the Lord shared to the listeners in the Gospel. What they did with them (or only one) determines how their reward, or not, resulted.

We each know individuals who are using their gifts from the Lord for the good of His Body. We surely recognize the “more noticeable one” – the pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelists, and even a few apostles in the church.

But I want you each to know, the ones who don’t have those “titles” ( and don’t get me started on “titles” so prevalent these days) that you are just as important.

The main leader in any church, synagogue or ministry, the visionary, certainly needs the administrator to carry out the dream. There may be the engine, but without the wheels that vehicle is not going anywhere fast.

So you having a hospitality gift, or a child development gift, or the one who uses his skills to construct or maintain the properties the Lord has entrusted to us; or even the one who leads worship in the home group of seven – you are just as important.

Not every job is “ministry”. Trust me, I know, after having been with ministries and churches on staff for over 35 years.

The Lord and His Body needs us all, serving together, each sharing his/her talent(s) for His plans and purposes.

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10

Serve on!

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Love For His People

#allhandsonDeck #Nascar,#SteveMartin

The Movement Centre with Bishop Lathan Wood and Steve Martin

My good friend, Lathan Wood, and his congregation have done an incredible job buying and restoring an older church building in Gastonia.

He gives me a tour of both buildings. Having seen the “before” and now after results, I was amazed. Wonderful Movement Centre team!

#LathanWood #MovementCentre #gastonia #northcarolina

For a bit on the lighter side. My new blog “Morning Place To Be” with Steve Martin

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Check this out! Morning Place To Be with Steve Martin

Have a coffee and a blueberry bagel as you view and watch. For a lighter place to go each day.

Be blessed,

Steve Martin

#MorningPlacetobe #SteveMartin #lighterside #morningcoffee #blueberrybagel

Worship Our Lord Jesus with Steve Martin - playlist

 

                                    Worship Our Lord Jesus with Steve Martin

                  - playlist with these six songs sung at Succat Hallel in Jerusalem

#WorshipOurLordJesus #SteveMartin #worshipsongs

Love For His People Ministry was founded in 2010 by Steve & Laurie Martin. Charlotte, NC USA

Back again soon in the Land

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The week of March 9, 2026 - flying back to Israel to make more videos! Stay tuned.

#Jerusalem #Israel #travel #busride #Ridewithme #SteveMartin #LoveForHisPeople

"Abraham Lincoln and the Holy Land" - message by Steve Martin

 

Abraham Lincoln and the Holy Land

 

“For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.”  Psalm 143:3, NASB

Well, that’s not a Bible verse anyone will put on their refrigerator!

And yet we go through those seasons when we feel exactly that – crushed, forsaken, “Where are You, Lord” times in our lives. So, then what?

Abraham Lincoln, our beloved 16^th American president, was known to have had “melancholy”—or simply depression. We can certainly understand why, amid the Civil War, his young son’s death, and his wife Martha’s health issues.

I have several books on my bookcase and have read most of them. They are not just for show.

Though he was not known as a churchgoer, he did call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus for guidance, courage, and fortitude to stand for righteousness in many political and life situations. Battered, hated, and later assassinated, he did seek the Lord in his times of depression and melancholy.

On his deathbed, it has been written that Lincoln spoke these words to his wife, Martha, as she drew near with her ear.

“A strong case can be made, based on the “Personal Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln” (kept at the Illinois State Historical Library), a manuscript Noyes W. Miner, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Springfield, Illinois, who wrote of his conversations with Mary Todd Lincoln in 1882, and several other references, that these were Abraham Lincoln’s last words:

“We will visit the Holy Land and see those places hallowed by the footsteps of the Savior. There is no city on earth I so much desire to see as Jerusalem.”

 

These are the words that follow in the manuscript: "and with that word half spoken on his tongue, the bullet from the pistol of the assassin’s entered his brain, and the soul of the great and good President was carried by the Angels to the New Jerusalem & above.” (see here: Abraham Lincoln's Last Words)

There are at least ten fascinating facts about Lincoln and the Jews. Look here for more: Lincoln and the Jews. But that is for another day, another message.

We can all admire President Abraham Lincoln for the life he led and the courage he displayed, even as he fought spiritual and natural battles most of his life. And while I am on the subject, we can also give thanks to the Lord for the great President Donald J. Trump, who is to our country, and his ongoing support for Israel and our Jewish friends in their Land.

Lord, give us courage to also stand against the enemies that seek to destroy them, our friends, the Jews in Israel.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Love For His People in Charlotte, North Carolina

Message #8, 2026, “Abraham Lincoln and the Holy Land”, Feb. 26, 2026, 11:30 am

Steve Martin's bookcase - Abraham Lincoln set

#AbrahamLincoln #HolyLand #message #SteveMartin #melancholy #depression #courage #Jerusalem #Israel, #Jesus

DAVID’s SHIELD Supporting Brave IDF Soldiers, Christian Friends of Israel Jerusalem

Christian Friends of Israel Jerusalem's DAVID’s SHIELD Supporting Brave IDF Soldiers 

Article by Steve Martin, CFI volunteer

 shield@cfijerusalem.org

 

THE WINTER SEASON at any army base can be a bit more brutal than elsewhere in a country. 

Making do with government supplies and equipment just does not make one feel “warm and cozy” at times, while in the realm of protecting one’s country. Especially when the setting is out in the fields of the low country, with winds coming off the sea nearby. Though one does not expect soldiers to have it all “as at home,” we do want them to be alert, prepared, and ready for their active duty when called upon. We want (need) them to have the resources that one would expect them to have. But they always do not. 

So, it was with the IDF soldiers, whom the volunteers with Christian Friends of Israel came to connect with, befriend, and share the love of Yeshua through practical means. We want them to know, being mostly Jewish, that the Father has sent many Christians to “bear them up” and bring some of His provision from the people around the world.

Steve and Laurie Martin (USA) and Elisabeth Oelwein (Germany) did just that in the middle of December, when the sun had set and the cold wind blew. They came to bring His love and warmth. After the two-hour trip to collect the military clothing to Askelon, meeting with our supplier, we drove further south to meet with Avi, commander at a base just near Nahal Oz, the one raided, partially destroyed, and saw the murder of 18 women soldiers monitoring the security system, by Hamas killers. 

With his duties requiring him to be on mission that afternoon, after a three hour wait, we drove to another base 45 minutes away to meet with Noar, a 43-year-old volunteer commanding a force of young soldiers. Noar was excited when he received the warm blankets and supplies, calling them candy for the men. Returning to the base, the two young soldiers who greeted us there, David and his “brother-in-arms,” who had lost a brother on Oct. 7, 2023, were filled with gratitude and acceptance when we unloaded the van full of winter clothing and toiletries. 

These two were younger than some of our grandsons. A father’s heart for them indeed welled up inside me. Just as His heart does daily. Christians, helping Jews, in their Promised Land given to them by the Living God of Israel. David’s Shield is helping to fulfill the mandate given to Christians from the Lord, to lift their arms as they return to, and fight to keep, their Land.

Steve Martin CFI Volunteer 12.17.25

 Lyailya Telgarina, Outreach Coordinator Project David’s Shield; shield@cfijerusalem.org

#DAVIDSHIELD #SupportingBraveIDFSoldiers #ChristianFriendsofIsrael #Jerusalem #SteveMartin #CFIJerusalem