Persistently Consistent - Steve Martin

 

Zoe

Persistently Consistent - Steve Martin

“Four things on the earth are small; nevertheless, they are very wise — the ants, a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer…” (Proverbs 30:24-25, Complete Jewish Bible)

We all have heard stories of the ants, of how they work and work and work. I can certainly attest to that. Living here in the South (southeastern part of the USA) over these past 30 years has presented many encounters with the red fire ants. These are the ones that when they bite you, you know it because it hurts. Then a short time later, small, red blisters cover your ankles or elsewhere on those parts of the body that were exposed. Sometimes they even get you under your socks, and then it is later that you feel their bite. Just great.

I have found a method that works for me, to rid my beautiful, weed-infested yard of their hills. For if you don’t deal with them, you will have nice mountains of red clay all over your scenery. So what I found that works is this.

Step on the mound with your foot (shoe on of course) to flatten the mound out. This causes them to eventually move on to the neighbor’s yard. Or if the mound has already grown to be bigger than your foot, take a plank of wood, lay it on top, step on it, and then roll it over to smash the next section. Repeat as needed. Works every time! No pesticides. No buckets of hot water to carry. No bleach killing the rest of your lawn.

It must be said of the ant colonies – they are persistently consistent.

They never give up. They never give in. They keep on working even better than the Energizer Bunny did. (Is he still around, or did his battery finally die out?)

One thing that I have found that also “works” in my Christian life, is to be faithful in the small and the large, is to be persistently consistent in what I do. Then I trust, as He promised, that I will finish the race and get His reward.

After all, who doesn’t like rewards? Even Zoe, our now deceased 12-year-old loving Dachshund, knew that if she consistently finished her doggy supper she would get a rawhide bone! You can bet she likes rewards.

"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?” (Luke 16:10-12) New Living Translation

Want to know what are some things in the disciplined Christian life that please our Father in heaven? Seeing His children be faithful in prayer; spending time learning about His ways in His Written Word; and being the one who others can count on when a need needs to be met.

If you learn to be persistently consistent in your doing, you shall obtain the reward, and help others achieve that objective also.

Good servants of the Most High can be counted on, for they have learned to press on and not give up.

Nature - God's creation. Photos by Steve Martin

Nature - God's creation. 

Photos by Steve Martin

 

Intimate - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Intimate

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8, NASU)

Most people fear to be intimate. Decades of rejection, initially in our lives due to the separation we had with our God until new life, rebirth took place, kept us from having honest, soul to soul communication with Him and with each other. I know I do, struggling at times to express what I really want to. It’s that sense of uncertainty of what the other may think, feel, or want to share with us in return.

It is quite common I believe among us. We want to. We need to. But we somehow can’t. (Especially for us macho men!) So we have the small talk, the short quips, the “meet and greet” five minutes during the church service.

We are missing out on being intimate, especially with our Lord Jesus. And that is the One we really need to start with. If we can’t be intimate with our Creator, our Father, the One who gave Himself totally for us, how can we be intimate with one another? I am still seeking to find out what all is missing. The lack, I need. The love and intimate cup need to be filled more often than it has been.

There have though been real moments in being with the Lord, those times when touching His heart has just been a real, reachable joy. Those “almost raptured” times during God-filled worship in a large gathering of His people, when the anointing of the Holy Spirit just comes over us. It seems as close to being with Him that we may know, this side of eternity. It’s as if we just can’t hug Him enough; speak words of built-up heart thanks to Him; crawl up in His lap and sit, staying in His presence, not wanting to leave that place for a long, long time.

Sounds too heavenly, right? Not attainable you say? But it is.

Because of His tortuous pain on the brutal cross, we can now receive healing.

Because of His tearing down the huge curtain of separation, we can now touch Him.

Because of Who He is and what He has done, we can be as close as we want to be with Him.

“But I'm in the very presence of God — oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home.

God, I'm telling the world what you do!” (Psalm 73:28, THE MESSAGE)

David need not be one of the few who knew what it was to be close, to draw near, to really get close to God. It is not a scary thing. It is an awesome thing. We CAN know, deep in our soul, deep in our spirit, close to our heart, His presence.

Let me share something personal as if I usually don’t most often.

Zoe Girl Martin - pure love

I can finally declare that I am thankful for my dog, especially with this particular action on her part. It has taken me a few months to come to this point where I can say, “Thank you Lord for Zoe, this 12-year old Dachshund you created, who has to get up now once or twice in the middle of the night, drink a big bowl of water, and then let it all out. Yes, I can finally say, “Thank you, Lord.”” (She has Cushing’s. You’ll have to look that up if you are curious enough.)

Because…along with the re-energization that I get each time I return from being in the land of Israel (the promised land for both Jews and those who the Lord has joined together along with them), with the Lord’s Spirit waking me up in the middle of the dark night since then, my little 14 pound Zoe also gets me up in the middle of the silence and almost deep sleep. Because of Him using her, I have had more moments of experiencing intimate times with Him these past days and months.

When all is quiet, undisturbed, and time is given for taking time to be with Him alone…putting on the earphones, tapping the praise and worship music app on the smartphone playlist, and just giving Him seconds, minutes, maybe even an hour to be with me, in intimacy, has refreshed my soul, lifted my spirit, and renewed the initial vision, purpose and plans He has to reveal even further. He has given me times of being intimate with Him.

And yes, it is possible to be intimate with each other I am certain. It starts with being intimate with our Lord, where His heart first becomes yours, and His life then dwells in ours.

I like to sleep. Most of us do. Sometimes I believe it is overrated when we could be doing so much more. But I no longer mind it when the Holy Spirit awakens me in the middle of the night, using Zoe or any other means He chooses. Being with Him is worth the time.

My prayer, both for you and I, is very simple. “Lord, we want You. We need You. Come and fill my heart with Who You are so we can love those who yet don’t know, or want to know You more.”

May He answer this prayer for you and me today, tomorrow, and beyond.

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 the streets of Jerusalem? Come with me sometime! And in the meantime, watch my short videos that I recorded in October 2018 as I did that just that. Jerusalem October 2018 playlist

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: 

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+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn.  We appreciate your help.

Now Think On This #369 - in the year of our Lord 11.20.18 – “Intimate”  Tuesday, 5:00 am

Arms of Love Video Series - Love For His People production with Steve Martin. First edition will be published today! - 08.08.17

Love For His People 

Arms of Love
Video Series

First edition will be published today! - 08.08.17 (8x8x8)

Aug. 8, 2017

Charlotte, North Carolina

USA 

Greetings to our friends now, and new ones coming along.

This morning around 4:50 am I recorded the very first edition of Love For His People's new video series we are calling, "Arms of Love".

After sensing the Holy Spirit's nudge to do such a project, and knowing the additional time and costs involved, we are moving out in faith. It will be a small beginning, but we believe the Word of God, which states in Zechariah 4:10,  "For who has despised the day of small things?" (NKJV). We won't!

When the Lord then says "Now is the time", I don't often ask how will I do it, or when do I start, or say, "Now may not the the right timing for this." His timing is always perfect.

This photo depicts where we will do our main production. Right here in our former two-car garage, which was then transformed into a NASCAR man's cave back in the '90s, and then got saved and now has become the "Martin Museum of Moments", the prayer room, and the grandkids hang out den when they come over to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

The "new" Love For His People Arms of Love studio

So why not now make it the Love For His People studio? As my good UK English friend Martin Berger (GODTV representative) would say, "Brilliant!"

We will feature "story-telling" by myself. Maybe even reading a chapter or two out of my book 

Arms of Love (now translated in Urdu/Pakistan and soon to be in the Nigerian Yoruba language).

My good wife Laurie will be featured, as she speaks of life from a woman's point of view. Having raised two boys, two girls, and also with seven grand kids (along with me), she has some great wisdom and practical mentoring words to speak forth. Laurie has also "raised" literally hundreds of two-year olds, being she has served with the Calvary Child Development Center in Charlotte, North Carolina for the past 16 years. You want to know how to raise a two-year old? Well, I know one who can help you!

My oldest daughter Hannah Avalos will come on at times and tell her encouraging stories learned from being a newly-wed several years ago, as she joined hands with her husband Jonathan Avalos and then helping to raise his then 5-year old son Payton. (As an ordained minister, I got to be both Father-of the-Bride, just like the comedian actor Steve Martin in the movie of the same title, and officiating pastor! I don't think that Steve Martin has the ordination papers though.)

Maybe we can also get Hannah's spouse Jonathan to share about his life in being a Physical Trainer, and do a few exercises "live" to get us all in shape! Check him out! Personal Trainer For You 

By the way, this day that the Lord has made, July 25, 2017, is Jonathan's 34th birthday! Send a greeting to his Christian Strength Coach Facebook page or his personal one Jonathan Avalos.

Hannah and Jonathan Avalos

Hannah will have many great stories to share of miracles, and of our Lord Jesus' (Yeshua's) work being outworked through those experienced blessings, especially with their now 19-month-old son Levi Zachary. Born with TAR syndrome (missing both forearms and having needed blood work done weekly the first full year), we all have seen the Lord's arms of love around Levi's arms of love.

Grandson Levi - he likes the "toys" found in our kitchen.

But wait! This commercial isn't over yet! Our pet Dachshund Zoe Girl Martin just might wobble in on the set at times. She thinks she can go anywhere and do anything anytime, being a full-grown woman now at 11 (that is 77 years old in human years!)

With her small arms of love, I guess we will let her make her presentation...how to eat 3x daily, and then sleep for 20 hours a day.

I guess I am a bit excited. Knowing what the Lord has done with the ministry, and now this, taking another big step forward, has to get one excited.

Thank you Jesus! Stayed turned. We will have the first one today.

Be blessed in your blessing others today,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

Charlotte, North Carolina USA

P.S. You can help us help others. Please give a gift today. Online gifts: Contribute Here

Love For His People, Inc.

P.O. Box 414

Pineville, NC 28134

We have been a USA non-profit since 2010. Gifts are tax-deductible.

P.S. My son Ben is working on a new log for this Arms of Love video series. It will look great!

Persistently Consistent - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Persistently Consistent

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Four things on the earth are small; nevertheless, they are very wise — the ants, a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer…” (Proverbs 30:24-25, Complete Jewish Bible)

We all have heard stories of the ants, of how they work and work and work. I can certainly attest to that. Living here in the South (southeastern part of the USA) over these past 30 years have presented many encounters with the red fire ants. These are the ones that when they bite you, you know it because it hurts. Then a short time later, small, red blisters cover your ankles or elsewhere on those parts of the body that were exposed. Sometimes they even get you under your socks, and then it is later that you feel their bite. Just great.

I have found a method that works for me, to rid my beautiful, weed infested yard of their hills. For if you don’t deal with them, you will have nice mountains of red clay all over your scenery. So what I found that works is this.

Step on the mound with your foot (shoe on of course) to flatten the mound out. This causes them to eventually move on to the neighbor’s yard. Or if the mound has already grown to be bigger than your foot, take a plank of wood, lay it on top, step on it, and then roll it over to smash the next section. Repeat as needed. Works every time! No pesticides. No hot buckets of water to carry. No bleach killing the rest of your lawn.

      

  

It must be said of the ant colonies – they are persistently consistent.

They never give up. They never give in. They keep on working even better than the Energizer bunny did. (Is he still around, or did his battery finally die out?)

One thing that I have found that also “works” in my Christian life, in order to be faithful in the small and the large, is to be persistently consistent in what I do. Then I trust, as He promised, that I will finish the race and get His reward. 

After all, who doesn’t like rewards? Even Zoe, our 10-year-old loving Dachshund, knows that if she consistently finishes her doggy supper she gets a rawhide bone! You can bet she likes rewards.

Zoe driving my Hyundai Elantra.

"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?”

(Luke 16:10-12) New Living Translation

Want to know what are some things in the disciplined Christian life that pleases our Father in heaven? Seeing His children be faithful in prayer, spending time learning about His ways in His Written Word, and being the one who others can count on when a need is needing to be met.

If you learn to be persistently consistent in your doing, you shall obtain the reward, and help others achieve that objective also. 

Good servants of the Most High can be counted on, for they have learned to press on and not give up.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

We are blessed when the ministry receives gifts to support the families that we do, primarily in Israel, Hungary, India, Pakistan and the hurting ones here in the USA. You also can share out of the abundance you have been given.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Click here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People. If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box414   Pineville, NC 28134

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

Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin and  Love For His People  

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople 

Blogs: Love For His People,   Now Think On This

Full website: Love For His People

YouTube: Love For His People Inc.

Now Think On This - In the Year of our Lord 05.26.17 - #285 – “Persistently Consistent” – Friday, 12:47 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

Dogs - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Dogs

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so. God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:24-25, NKJV)

For a long time I considered writing about dogs, but didn’t think it would be a good Now Think On This message. My thought was, “Why would the Lord have me write about dogs?” But now I feel so led. (Sorry cat lovers. I probably will never write about cats. Just not my cup of tea.)

Because I believe the Lord will have us enjoy His creation of creatures also in heaven, how appropriate that we can share that love for them while on this earth. After all, He created them even before He created mankind, so it wasn’t an afterthought of His. All of His creation of birds, fish, reptiles and mammals are quite a feat. But it seems that dogs have been especially helpful, loyal, and the favorite of most people.

For a long time our family did not have a dog. A few stray cats had made their way into our lives over the years (for the kids’ sake, not mine) and even a white rabbit was a wholesome pet. Finally, ten years ago, as a fulfillment of a promise I had made to my good wife Laurie, our Dachshund Zoe was the hit Christmas present of the year. She remains a joy in our home yet today – a few inches longer and a lot of pounds heavier.

Zoe on a car ride

I am fascinated by dogs. As I watch them in their daily motions, one of which is how they respond when seeing a friend or family member, it brings delight. With the tail wagging, the eyes lit up, and even a playful bark in greeting, their expression of love does the spirit good. Even the wet licks of love, another kind showing of affection, keeps spreading more of their own joy to the other.

One can learn patience from them. Waiting at the front door for the home arrival of the family member, it seems that time does not deter them as the clock ticks by. They will wait as long as it takes.

They are content with the simple things they have – a favorite toy chased after during playtime; a tossed bone after the dinner table is cleared; a treat given to them once they have returned from the morning outing. For some it is the words, “Want to go bye-bye?” which brings a run to the door, knowing a ride in the car with the window down, and head out of it, is coming. It doesn’t take a whole lot to please a dog.

A dog is a true companion when one is sick, or lonely, or just wanting to share a time on the path walkway with another. Their presence seems to bring the peace of the Lord. Their protective nature guards the home and family in a way no other sense of duty can. With a keen nose and sensitive ears, they are ready at all times.

With an attitude of thanksgiving, I am glad we have a dog. She is yet another demonstration of the Lord’s love for us, and His display of His vast and amazing creativity.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

  

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

We are blessed when the ministry receives gifts to support the families that we do, primarily in Israel, India, Pakistan and the hurting ones here in the USA. You also can share out of the abundance you have been given.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Click here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People. If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box414   Pineville, NC 28134

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

Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin and  Love For His People  

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople 

Blogs: Love For His People,   Now Think On This

Full website: Love For His People

YouTube: Love For His People Inc.

Now Think On This - In the New Year of our Lord 06.04.16 - #259 –“Dogs” – Saturday at 12:45 pm

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

Spring in Charlotte - THANK GOD!

THANK YOU GOD!

BEAUTIFUL CREATION 

AGAIN!

 

Photos by Steve Martin

Charlotte, NC

March 1, 2014