Count the Stars - Now Think On This message by Steve Martin, Love For His People, Inc.

March 9, 2019 Greetings my friends in Internet land. Have I got a promise for you, because our Lord keeps His promises. Once stated, always kept. Be encouraged as you read this: Count the Stars. Having just published it this morning, be sure not to be left behind. (Wasn't there a book series named as such? We'll just leave it at that, as I expect to go through all that the Lord is bringing this way. I do know that He is calling out His love daily to all the peoples in all the nations. You know too?) Here is some more encouragement the Lord spoke through me for you last Sunday at the Antioch International Church in Fort Mill, SC where we also serve:  Resurrection After Decades! Be blessed, even as you are a blessing to others today, with ahava (love) and shalom (peace), Steve Martin Founder Love For His People ministry P.S. Know anyone with a birthday this month? I know a few. They live in Charleston! (Bob and Mary...) When you reach 65 and 63, respectively, you gotta have a greeting from your big brother! Laurie and I will be joining them next week to share a Shabbat meal together. Yeah! Then also in Israel May 2020 too. Where else but in the Land of the Promise, as David Peterman shared. Now Think On This Count the Stars Steve Martin “Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." (Genesis 15:5, NKJV) Have you ever tried counting the stars? If you live in a city or suburban area, you can hardly see any stars at all due to the bright night lights that light up the sky, which prevent the heavenly lights from shining through to your eyes. You must get out into the country, away from the glow of mankind’s rays, to see the ultimate canopy of the Lord God, Creator of the universe. Then you will experience His awesomeness. In the summer of 1973, fresh out of the Catholic high school in Waterloo, Iowa, (Columbus High, home of the Sailors!) I went on a mission trip to the hill country of northern Georgia. Blairsville, Georgia to be exact. Northeast of Atlanta, somewhat near the North Carolina state line. A group of older teenagers went on the six-week adventure to lead a summer Bible youth camp for underprivileged kids, sponsored by a Catholic mission. Being 18, I loved it! Quite the adventure driving my two-door, metallic blue 1963 Mercury Cougar all the way from Iowa, through Cincinnati, OH. It was a great time, forever stored in my memory banks. (And the rest of the story: Count the Stars) All Together Now - For His Purposes and Plans by Steve Martin I am a man who likes to see people connected. If I meet one person here, who can help another person over there, I enjoy putting them in contact with each other. If they are in Jerusalem, and I know someone in Iowa that can meet a need they clearly have, I will “reach out” (overworked words I know, but you understand it) for the benefit of both. Makes common sense to me. The Lord’s heart is certainly for that too. He is all about connecting, to having those He has created to get together and fulfill His purposes and plans for each. For that matter, He has intended it to be this way for us to use what each has been given, to “bring it to the table”, and fulfill the big picture that He has, not us.It is not about me doing my thing and you doing yours. Separately. It is about coming together and building together. When that happens, then the world will see the Lord’s body of believers as we were meant to be seen. Until now, the world thinks very little of Christians and Jews. In many cases, we are both despised people. And no wonder. Most often all they see is fighting, arguments, name calling, and rejection of what the other “church” or “synagogue congregation” is doing. I don’t blame them. If I was in the “unbeliever’s camp”, so would I. Guess what? Our God, the same One Who is bringing back the Jews to their promised Land of Israel, right now, even more so than what He has been in the last 70 years, is also speaking clearly to the other group, “the grafted in ones”, Christians, to come back to His plan, and start working together, in unity, as one. Paperback or Kindle. Amazon Paperback $12.959 Kindle $2.99 Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box 414 Pineville, NC 28134 USA loveforhispeople@gmail.com Love For His People  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌ Visit our website Donate

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Count the Stars - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Count the Stars

Steve Martin

“Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." (Genesis 15:5, NKJV)

Have you ever tried counting the stars? If you live in a city or suburban area, you can hardly see any stars at all due to the bright night lights that light up the sky, which prevent the heavenly lights from shining through to your eyes. You must get out into the country, away from the glow of mankind’s rays, to see the ultimate canopy of the Lord God, Creator of the universe. Then you will experience His awesomeness.

In the summer of 1973, fresh out of the Catholic high school in Waterloo, Iowa, (Columbus High, home of the Sailors!) I went on a mission trip to the hill country of northern Georgia. Blairsville, Georgia to be exact. Northeast of Atlanta, somewhat near the North Carolina state line. A group of older teenagers went on the six-week adventure to lead a summer Bible youth camp for underprovided kids, sponsored by a Catholic mission.

Being 18, I loved it! Quite the adventure driving my two-door, metallic blue 1963 Mercury Cougar all the way from Iowa, through Cincinnati, OH. It was a great time, forever stored in my memory banks. (Read the full story in my book, The Promise – One Man’s Journey to See God Revealed).

One thing I very much remember to this day were the nights, both black and white. At those late times of the finishing day (or the beginning of the new day, as with the Jews, as written in the Torah when God created each day), if the clouds covered all above you, you could raise your hand in front of your face and not even see it. It was that so utterly dark. Midnight blackness!

But if it was a clear night, looking up from these northeastern mountains in Georgia, the Lord God Almighty revealed Himself in glory, for the stars were fantastically brilliant. The heavens were filled with His creation in one of His very vast realms. Because of the sheer numbers, you could not count the stars. Wow!

Imagine the promise the Lord had given Abraham, beginning in Genesis 12, of the immense number of descendants that was coming forth of his lineage, if he obeyed. Once he had heard the Lord’s word to “leave your country and go to the place I will show you”, the promise for Abram (later changed to Abraham) was beginning to unfold. His reward would be great.

“Now Adonai said to Avram, “Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

So Avram (Abram) went, as Adonai (the Lord) had said to him, and Lot went with him. Avram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Avram took his wife Sarai, his brother’s son Lot, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, as well as the people they had acquired in Haran; then they set out for the land of Kena‘an (Canaan) and entered the land of Kena‘an.” (Genesis 12:1-5, Complete Jewish Bible)

Obedience to the word of the Lord, written in His Word the Torah, the Prophets and the Psalms (and all of the Bible), will always bring a reward. Abraham believed, and it was rewarded to him. And not only to him but “…all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

“By trusting, Avraham obeyed, after being called to go out to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going. By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Yitz’chak (Isaac) and Ya‘akov (Jacob), who were to receive what was promised along with him. For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God.

By trusting, he received potency to father a child, even when he was past the age for it, as was Sarah herself; because he regarded the One who had made the promise as trustworthy. Therefore this one man, who was virtually dead, fathered descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and as countless as the grains of the sand on the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:8-12, Complete Jewish Bible)

In Genesis 215:1, the Lord even says to him that it would be an “exceedingly great reward.”

When we hear and obey the Lord, He honors our faith we have thus demonstrated. He will then allow His favor to come upon us, and He will provide covering and protection for not only us, but also for those whom He has given under our care and watch – our families, our churches, our cities, our nation.

Next time there is a clear night, drive out from the city lights, and look up. Try counting the multitude of stars if you can. When Abraham saw those very same heavenly creations centuries ago, he believed that the Creator would keep His promise. And He certainly did. Not even the hatred and anti-Semitism of all these past centuries could keep the Lord from fulfilling His promise to the chosen people the Jews, and all believers who call upon His name and were martyred for their faith.

Just look at the state of Israel today, and you know that the Living God, the Lord God of Israel, has indeed kept His promises. As Luke wrote in Acts 3:21, it is now the “times of restoration of everything which God spoke through the mouths of His holy prophets from eternity.”

Have you ever received a word from the Lord? You most certainly have! The Bible itself is His guaranteed Word to you. Believe it! Walk in His promises! See Him move in your life, your family, and even in this nation, the very one you live in.

Go out and try counting the stars some night. Sense the ever-living Holy Spirit’s presence lift your spirit to the eternal heavens. Have even more faith and believe our God the Father for even more of Himself!

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. Listen to this encouraging word the Lord gave me on March 3, 2019, during our church meeting: "Resurrection After Decades"



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Now Think On This #396 - in the year of our Lord 03.05.19 – “Count the Stars” – Tuesday 3:55 am

James Goll: Prepare to Dream With God and Count Your Prophetic Promises - JAMES GOLL CHARISMA NEWS

Yes, the stars continue to speak! Are you counting? (Pixabay)

James Goll: Prepare to Dream With God and Count Your Prophetic Promises

 6/3/2017 JAMES GOLL  CHARISMA NEWS

Did You Know That the Stars Speak?

They did in Abraham's day! The creator of the universe gave a direct and amazing word to one of His friends. He told him to go out and count the number of stars that lit up the sky at night. Imagine, counting the stars at night!

So, what did Abraham do? He went out and started counting the stars. I suppose it went something like this. After telling his wife, Sarah, good night, Abraham goes on a long walk in the evening air, pondering and peering into the heavens. In obedience, he begins to count the stars while talking to himself and God. "One, two... four... 27 ... 45 ... 155 ... 2006 ..."

"Wow, count the stars?! What do you mean, I cannot count the number of stars — they seem so limitless."

The Lord replied, "Abraham — count the stars."

Perplexed a bit as he attempts to mentally perceive what the man upstairs could mean by this strange command, Abraham continues in his quest of following the unseen voice. "3,7—oh, I forgot — where was I? Oh, where did that one come from? Wow, it sure is shining brightly!"

The Promise Revealed

The voice comes again, but this time offering some inside explanation.

"The number of the stars will be the number of your descendants."

"What, huh? Did You know that Sarah and I have been married for a long time and we don't have any fruit — let alone... Well, You know that, uh. Well, you know, right? So I don't mean to underestimate You, but what You are saying is impossible! But I guess You already know that, right? Whatever!"

But the voice of the Master persisted, "Count the stars. How many are there?"

Yes, the stars spoke to Abraham. Perhaps for a while, the voice of the stars haunted him as he would go out night after night staring into the realm of the impossible. But somewhere along the way, something changed.

Did the circumstances change? No, well, not yet at least. What changed then? Abraham, like the rest of us, went from mentally assessing to heart believing. It's the typical path of 18 inches from head evaluation to a heart of faith trusting in the One who promises.

Somehow God's dream seeped into Abraham's heart. After many trials and tests and errors, Abraham reached a place when he went out at night and rejoiced when he looked up! "Yes, there's a promise. Yes, that one is for me. That star is declaring that God's Word will come true! In fact, that glimmering light right there is saying to me, the promises of God are 'Yes and Amen!'"

Yes, the Stars Still Speak

You know the rest of the story. It is a piece of history that has affected us all. You see, God is a dreamer and He is looking for people who will dream His dreams with Him.

In every generation, dreamers arise. They think outside of man-made boxes and dare to forge ahead. Today a new breed of dreamers is arising. They not only talk of things to come — they call the promises into being in the here and now. They not only believe God has a dream, but they dare to believe God has invited them to partner with Him in the birthing of His dreams on the earth — as it is in heaven.

Added on top of that, these Abrahamic faith dreamers also believe God wants to partner with them in the fulfilling of their dreams. Really? Yes, a company of reformers are emerging across the face of the earth. They not only believe in God's big end-time harvest, but they believe they have a part to play in the "Greatest Show on Earth."

Yes, these believing believers are watching their dreams come to pass right in front of their very own eyes. They are living their dreams.

Behold, here comes another dreamer! Will you join the growing throng?

Yes, the stars continue to speak! Are you counting?

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