Are you ashamed too? – Love For His People newsletter, Steve Martin

Are you ashamed too? – Love For His People newsletter, Steve Martin

 

Steve Martin, Love For His People Founder/President

May 27,2020 Love For His People in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Greetings Love For His People family, friends, plus a warm welcome to the new readers of these encouraging communications! K.I.S.S. Ever hear that? “Keep it simple, stupid.” (Don’t tell your kids that. They will repeat it. Trust me, having raised 4 and now 8 grandkids.) I grew up sitting under the teachings of Derek Prince, and appreciated the opportunity the Lord Jesus gave me to serve with his ministry, led with the leadership of the International Director David Selby, for a total of 8 years – three years in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (1987-1990), and then for a second tour of duty for five years (2000-2005) in Charlotte, North Carolina. Listening, watching, and reading the teachings brought forth from Derek, whom I consider one of the greatest Bible teachers who ever lived for 88 years he was here with us, gave me a solid foundation on which my faith walk now stands on today. And Derek always kept it simple. No yelling. No pounding. No running around the stage, hands up in the air as if I didn’t see him. No expoundatory messages that left one wondering, “What did he say?” Just plain, simple, Bible truth. Gospel truth – on salvation, blessing Israel, demons, end of the age, marriage, relationships, faith, hope, love. You know, the basics of life on which to live one’s life. Check him out.  Derek Prince International Ministries Are you walking in faith today? Need some? I hope your walk with our Lord has grown in these last 2-3 months as He has given us a “Sabbath, Shabbat” rest in Him, to slow us down and awaken us to what is really going on. Did you do that? No more playing church. No more calling ourselves believers and acting as the rest of the world has so done. Now is the time to stand up and be counted. You in? Ahava and shalom, Steve MartinFounder/President Love For His People ministry in Charlotte, NC USA P.S. For those who have known this ministry, serving the Lord and His people now for over 10 years, you know I don’t send out mass appeal letters, by mail or social media. Thank you to those who yet give to help support families in Israel, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. The Lord’s work continues daily. You too can use the online giving tools below, or send a check to: Love For His People P.O. Box 414 Pineville, NC 28134. I Am Ashamed “When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.” Daniel 6:10, THE MESSAGE I am ashamed. If you were to have looked around the country (the USA and all nations) and saw all the churches closed down, you would have heard what so many were saying, “Oh we must be closed for safety reasons.” Or, “The ruling government says no one can gather in groups of over 10 people.” Or maybe this excuse was used, “What will people think if we aren’t “complying” with what the “know-it-all” scientists are telling us. After all, they are the ones who know it all.” Or how about, “Because Bill Gates, Dr. Fauci, and Dr. Birx say it is so. They are right. They have the knowledge, experience, and truth.” I repeat. I am ashamed. As a Christian, who has proclaimed for decades that I serve the Living God, the One Who alone saves, heals, restores, protects, provides, directs, empowers…and then looked around all the others who have often said the same thing, but cowered in homes because of all the ones who declared otherwise, as if they were god themselves… Where has been the, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus!” proclamation we used to sing decades ago? No wonder the world thinks little of Christianity. No wonder we are not sought out as the ones having the answers, the solutions, the knowing of which way to go, when others continually have spoken that “their way is the way” and we as sheep just follow along like all the rest did, and do. It is a shame. It is wrong. It is saying to our God, the Creator, that during this pandemic that took the whole world down the path of pandemic fear and economic depression, that He is wrong, and they are right. And we, the ones who supposedly have the Truth, who have repeatedly said over and over that we are His children, instead chose to follow the words of the world, rather than the Word of God. For, when it comes down to it, that which we really have said is that we don’t believe Him. Where are the ones who fear God and not man? Who are the ones who would stand up and say, even after waiting through 2-3 months of this craziness, that we will serve the Righteous God, and not bow down to the empowered government that speaks out of ungodly, unrighteous, unholy spirits? What a shame it has been. And we have been ones who have brought shame on our Lord, after saying we do follow Him, but then we do not. How many would stand as Daniel did, when decrees were made, saying he could not pray to His God, for the ruling king was the one who was above all? Read again, or for the first time, Daniel 6:15-24. “Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed. Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, ” Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel spoke to the king, ” O king, live forever! “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” NASU I am proud, yes proud with a godly, righteous pride, that there have been a few who have stood in faith, and I among them, counting it a privilege to say that we do not bow down to that which seeks to take over the world, the world that alone belongs to Our God, Who never left His throne during all this time. I continue to stand with these, and encourage others to stand up, speak out, and serve the God they say they do, and must continue to do so now. This has only been a test the Lord allowed, in His wisdom and understanding, to see how we would react, how we would walk in faith or fear, and how we would respond to a work of the enemy, the one who continually attempts to destroy, kill, and usurp the will of the Lord God Almighty. What about you who call yourself a Christian, one who believes in Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach? What have you done to show it? And what are you going to do when it becomes really bad, when your faith must be shown and put into practice, in order not to bow down to that which is coming, that is not of God? Whose word are you really going to believe, and trust in? “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15, NKJV “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Romans 1:16-17, NASU Now think on this. Ahava and shalom, Steve Martin, Founder/President Love For His People, Inc. ALIYAH FOR HIS PEOPLE Event – ONE DAY ONLY. Saturday, July 11, 2020. Save with the early registration price now. Richard & Carolyn Hyde of the Galilee, Israel are also coming! “Meet the Speakers” luncheon added. Registration needed for both. Now is the time to get in on what the Lord is doing, gathering His people. Look here for: Info and registration – Love For His People website “By Faith. No Fear. Prepared For His Purposes.” Steve Martin These 14 short, inspirational messages will encourage you in your faith. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, calls us to be His disciples, strong and courageous as the days grow darker. We have been prepared. Let us go forth in His might and power. Only by His light and steadfastness directing our steps will enable us to do His bidding. “By Faith. No Fear. Prepared For His Purposes.” Steve Martin, Paperback and e-book. Paperback $8.95 and $1.95. Amazon Paperback ($8.95) and Kindle ($1.95):  By Faith. No Fear. Prepared For His Purposes. Love For His People, Inc.P.O. Box 414 Pineville, NC 28134 USA loveforhispeople@gmail.com Love For His People ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌Visit our website Donate using PayPalGivelify – Safe, Online Giving Now

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"Hello Beautiful" - MercyMe! in Charleston, SC

"Hello Beautiful" - MercyMe! in Charleston, SC

Steve Martin

Published on Mar 17, 2019

"Hello Beautiful" - MercyMe! in Charleston, SC (#9 of 22) Videos filmed and shared by Steve Martin - to give appreciation to and love for those we support, through Love For His People, Inc.

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Travel & Events

God's View of a Woman by Frank Viola - Identity Network

God's View of a Woman by Frank Viola

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Editor's Note: What follows is the transcript of a spoken message Frank Viola delivered to a church in Chile. Keep in mind that the Chilean culture tends to have a very low view of women. 

After tonight's message, if this recording gets out of this room and someone hears it in your country, I will be declared a heretic. I may even be in danger of my life. 

Further, after tonight's message, some of the men in this room may not want me to come back. The women, however, will want me to move here! 

Note the following passages: 

"And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the tomb, and how His body was laid" (Luke 23:55, KJV, emphasis added). 

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren" (Acts 1:14, emphasis added). 

Let's take a trip back to ancient Israel and look at how women were viewed before Jesus came. Generally speaking, the Jews had a dim view of women. Jewish women were not allowed to receive an education. Hence, they were largely uneducated. Their only training was in how to raise children and keep house. 

Women were also largely excluded from worshipping God. In Herod's temple, there was a special court that stood on the very outside. It was called the Court of the Gentiles. The Gentiles could go into that court, but they were limited to that area alone.

 

Five steps above the Gentiles court was the women's court. The women were limited to that one area. Fifteen steps above that was the Jewish men's court. Thus men were given far more privileges to worship God than were women. 

A woman had no voice in her marriage. Her father decided whom she would marry, when she would marry and why she would marry. A woman couldn't divorce her husband under any condition. Only a man could initiate a divorce. 

Jewish women were to be seen as little as possible in public. In fact, young men were warned about talking to women in public - so much so that it was a shame in ancient Israel for a man to talk to a woman in public. Consequently, most women stayed out of the streets. 

Women were Inferior 

Women were regarded as inferior to men. They were regarded as property, just like cattle and slaves. Jewish males prayed a daily prayer of thanksgiving. This prayer shows how poorly the Jews looked upon women. It goes like this: 

Praise be to God. He has not created me a Gentile. 

Praise be to God. He has not created me a woman. 

Praise be to God. He has not created me an ignorant man. 

This was man's view of a woman in first-century Israel. It was not much better in other cultures. In fact, ever since the Fall of humanity, women have been regarded as second-class citizens - inferior to men. But something happened that changed all that. 

Jesus came. 

Take Your High Place 

In Jesus Christ we find God's view of a woman. Not man's view. Not the American view. Not the European view. Not the Asian view. Not the African view. Not the South American view. Not even the Chilean view. But God's view. 

Jesus Christ is God made flesh. As such, He embodies all of God's opinions. In His earthly life, Jesus was the visible expression of God Himself. By His actions and His words, we discover God's view of a woman. And that view was utterly contrary to the prevailing view of His day. 

Consider this. When God decided to make His entrance upon this planet, He visited a woman. He chose a woman to bring forth the eternal Son, the Messiah - the Anointed One for whom Israel had waited thousands of years. 

The life of God was first placed in the womb of a woman before it got to you and to me. And God was not ashamed. 

Sisters in Christ, this is your Lord's view of a woman. Take your high place. 

But that's not all. As Jesus ministered, He ripped down all social conventions that were pitted against women. On one occasion, He rose to the defense of a woman caught in adultery. He became her attorney and saved her life. And God was not ashamed. 

Jesus was noted for palling around with sinners. He supped with prostitutes and tax collectors. We are told in John 4 that He met a woman, and He did something that shocked the disciples: He talked to her in public. And He was not ashamed. 

Not only was she a woman, but she was a divorcee. But not only was she a divorcee, she was actively living in immorality. Yet not only was she a woman, a divorcee, an adulteress living in sin, she was worse than a Gentile. She was a Samaritan - a half-breed. (A Samaritan was a person with whom Jews were never to talk.) 

Your Lord talked to this divorced, adulterous, Samaritan woman in public, and He forgave her of her sins. And He was not ashamed. 

Sisters, take your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

Women are Heroes 

But that's not all. Jesus Christ had a custom of using women in His parables and making them heroes. He talked about the woman who searched and found her lost coin. 

He spoke of the woman who was unrelenting in the presence of the unjust judge who honored her for her persistence. He spoke of the widow who dropped all the money she had into the temple treasury and praised her for doing so. And He was not ashamed.

Sisters, take your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

Once Jesus was dining with a self-righteous Pharisee. And in walked a woman. But this was not just any woman. She was a woman of the streets-a prostitute. Upon seeing the Lord, she dropped down to her knees and did something unsettling. 

In the presence of Pharisees, this woman unbound her hair and poured costly perfume upon the feet of our Lord. This unclean woman touched Jesus Christ in public. She wept, washed His feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair. 

This scandalous and improper act mortified the self-righteous Pharisees. At that moment, these religious leaders lost all respect for Jesus and doubted that He was a true prophet. But your Lord was not ashamed. 

Sisters, take your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

But that's not all. Your Lord allowed an unclean woman to touch the hem of His garment, and He was not ashamed. In fact, He praised her for it. He also gave a Canaanite woman who was viewed as a dog in the eyes of Israel one of the highest compliments He ever gave anyone. He also healed her daughter, and He was not ashamed. 

In the Lord's last hours on this earth, He stayed in a small village called Bethany. It was there that He would spend His last days before He gave His life on Calvary. In Bethany, two women whom Jesus loved had their home: Mary and Martha. They were His friends, and they received Him. And He was not ashamed. 

Sisters, take your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

The Women 

When Luke writes his Gospel, he refers to the 12 disciples with the shorthand phrase "the Twelve." The Twelve lived with the Lord for three-and-a-half years. And they followed Him everywhere. 

But Jesus also had a group of female disciples. Luke also used a shorthand phrase to refer to them. He simply called them "the women" (Luke 23:55; Acts 1:14). Interestingly, Luke used this phrase the same way that he used "the Twelve." 

They were the Lord's disciples also - the female counterpart to the Twelve. The women followed the Lord wherever He went, and they tended to His needs. And He was not ashamed. 

Sisters, take your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

But there's more. The greatest disciples of Jesus Christ were not the Twelve. They were the women. The reason? Because they were more faithful. 

When Jesus Christ was taken to die, the Twelve fled. They checked out. All the disciples (except John) said, "See ya!" But the women stayed with Him. They didn't leave. 

They followed Him up to Calvary to do what they had been doing all along - comforting Him, taking care of Him, tending to His needs. And they watched Him undergo a bloody, gory crucifixion that lasted six long hours. 

To watch a man die a hideous and horrible death is something that goes against every fiber that lives inside of a woman. Yet they would not leave Him. They stayed the entire time. And He was not ashamed. 

Sisters, take your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

Following His death, it was the women who first visited His burial. Even after His death, they were still following Him. They were still taking care of Him. 

And when He rose again from the dead, the first faces He met - the first eyes that were laid upon Him - were the eyes of women. And it was to them that He gave the privilege of announcing His resurrection, even though their testimony wouldn't hold up in court. And He was not ashamed. 

Sisters, take your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

On the day of Pentecost, the women were present in the upper room, waiting for Him to return, along with the Twelve. 

Unlike His male disciples, the women never left Him. They followed Him to the end. Their passion for and dedication to Jesus outshined that of the men. And God was not ashamed. 

Throughout the Lord's life, it was the women who tended to His physical needs. It was the women who looked after Him. It was the women who supported Him financially during His earthly ministry (Luke 8:1-3). 

It was the women who cared for Him up until the bitter end as well as the glorious climax. Not the men. The women were simply indispensable to Him. And He was not ashamed. 

His Bride 

But beyond all these wonderful things that the Lord did in showing us how beautiful women are in His eyes, He did something else. He chose you - a woman - to depict that which He came to earth to die for - His very Bride. And He is not ashamed. 

Sisters, rise to your high place. This is God's view of a woman. 

Brothers, honor your sisters in the kingdom of God. For God honors them. When our Lord pulled Eve out of Adam, He didn't take her out of his feet below him. Nor did He take her out from his head above him. He took her out of his side. 

Sisters, you are fellow heirs in the kingdom of God. You are fellow priests in the church of God. You are honored. You are cherished. You are valuable. You are needed. 

You are His friends, His followers, His daughters, yea, His own kin. 

So sisters, take your high place ... this is God's view of you. 

Frank Viola has helped thousands of people around the world to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and enter into a more vibrant and authentic experience of church. He has written many books on these themes, including God's Favorite Place on Earth and From Eternity to Here. His blog, Beyond Evangelical, is rated one of the most popular in Christian circles today. 

Frank Viola

www.frankviola.org

 

 

 

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Editor's Note: In my new forthcoming book Leadership Through Love, I devote a whole chapter to the role of women, and how I too highly regard their role today. 

Steve Martin, Love For His People, Inc.