Labyrinth - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Labyrinth

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God.” (Eccl 9:1, NKJV)

As for us, I can count the many churches my good wife and I have been a part of over these decades, serving in fellowship and in friendship. It numbers 11, since 1980. From Illinois to Michigan, then Florida and now North Carolina, we have been around. In Charlotte alone, since 1994, it has been six churches. So we know a lot of people attending different Sunday morning services!

Though to my knowledge I am not Jewish, I could say that I certainly have the heart of one, and at times thought I was like a “wandering Jew”, going from place to place. We made many friends and connections during these decades, and though some would consider this “bouncing from place to place”, it has been something I wouldn’t consider amiss. The Lord knows that when it comes to pollinating as flowers are by bees, we certainly can say we have done that. It also has given us the opportunity to connect churches to each other through these friendships.

When I received a prophetic word back in 1995 that I was in a labyrinth (at the time I had NO idea what that meant), I can now look back and see how the hand of God has directed. Even as the dictionary says, “a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze”, I realize indeed that that word was from the Lord. This time has been an irregular network of passages. The journey has been a maze.

If you find yourself in a sort of labyrinth moment, or year, or even decade, don’t consider yourself too weird. It very well may be the Lord God of Israel directing your path. If you had asked Him to do so with an honest and seeking heart, you very well may find yourself too going from place to place for a certain period of ordained time. But know that there is an end, and once finally settled you will know it has been well worth the journey.

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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Now Think On This #349 - in the year of our Lord 05.08.18 – “Labyrinth”, Tuesday, 3:20 pm

Fellows in a Ship - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Fellows in a Ship

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 THE MESSAGE

Driving down the highway on that Sunday morning, enroute to my wife’s Mom’s house in Illinois, I knew I was missing something. Then I realized it was the time of worship and gathering together with friends that we wouldn’t be involved with that morning.

Vacations (or holidays as my Brit and Canadian friends would say) are important – to take a break from the routine, day to day norm, and do something else for a short time. It can be very similar to a short sabbatical, when some rest and re-energizing takes place. Then once over, you are ready to get back into the thick of it.

But there are some things we have been encouraged not to do, especially on a long term basis – forsaking the assembly with the Lord’s people.

Occasionally Laurie and I will miss the weekly gathering we have done all of our lives, in obedience to the Word of God. We have taken the time, the effort and the commitment to worship together on a regular basis with family and friends who share our common beliefs and goals. We had raised our four children to do the same, hoping that in their adult lives they too would value the importance of having a committed church life.

I appreciate the TV ministers, as I have my favorites that I record and watch as I can. But they cannot replace those one on one relationships we have with those in the church fellowship we are members of.

The writer of Hebrews, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh), strongly encouraged the believers to avoid not worshiping together. Some had already begun to do so in the early church days, even making it a habit, as the eternal words are translated in the New American Standard Bible version, “…not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some.” (Hebrews 10:25) He went on to say that even as the last days draw nearer, even more so would the importance of fellowship be important, not the opposite as some would believe.

Knowing of those who have dropped out, quit the church, or now have little or no fellowship with believers in a regular, gathered together assembly, I have seen their spiritual and then natural foundations weakened, causing them to waver in their stance for what is good and truthful. They have fallen by the wayside, deceived by the deception that having koinonia, the gathering together for a common purpose, is no longer worth the time and effort it takes. They are not only sorely missed, but have hurt their own spiritual lives and place in the Body of Christ they were called to fill.

As a young believer, one pastor gave us a simple illustration of fellowship. “It is two fellows in a ship.” Yes, real simple, but the Lord didn’t make the full Gospel complicated. It is His purpose and plans that we have fellowship with one another, in order to encourage, help out, and give to each other that which He has imparted to each of us to share.

If you are in a good fellowship situation, guard the temptations that will come at times, to quit and leave. If you are not with a committed group of believers, meeting on a regular basis, I strongly encourage you to not give up seeking one. The input they will give you, and your presence in their midst will build up the walls of protection and increase the shared love we will so desperately need in these last days.

If you are not in a ship, get in one, and do what it will take to remain in it, as the turbulent times are going to increase even more so in our lifetime.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Love For His People. Inc.

 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.

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

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

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Now Think On This #160 - “Fellows In A Ship” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (06.30.14) Monday at 9:30 am in Peru, IL.

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on our newest website: Now Think On This

Sharing Love From Sweden - WE NEED EACH OTHER by Eva Haglund

March 26, 2014

Shalom Steve!

Many greetings from Stockholm!

Thank you for serving God with "Love For His People"! Thank you for all good things you write and also for your support for Israel and the Jewish people!

Just now I have read what Rick Joyner wrote about that we need each other. I totally agree with him! I  have been thinking and share some of my thoughts about the subject:

WE NEED EACH OTHER

Sometimes Christians are so stressed and do not think they need each other. Some will just seek the Lord and some just want to evangelize without friendship. We need seek the Lord and we need intercession in a world who really need intercession but we also need each other. God is not impersonal and want us not to just do things for Him but to have a relation with Him -  to have Him as your friend. Our heavenly Daddy and Jesus have much fellowship. In John.21 we can see for instance that Jesus had fellowship with the disciples. We as Christians need each other, too. 

The church is not a building as many people think.

The church is the Body of Christ with Jesus as head, not any strong  leader but Jesus.

As usual, our body needs each other's part ,1 Cor.12, so we need sisters and brothers not just in a church building but much in friendship. Even if you cannot know all, still how love and have some contact with people you also cannot know well. 

It is not good for us to stand alone. We need each other. We need each other in friendship to pray together.  For instance, you can worship together but also do other things. Take a walk and look at the nature with friends.

We also need meetings together. It can be in a house as Mary had meetings in hers, as in Acts, or in a building. If three friends meet in  a home seeking God  - that can also be a meeting. We need more of house of prayers today. We need to pray together and worship.

We do not need clubs but fellowship. In the Bible it talks about hospitality and in Acts 2:46 they broke bread from house to house and had fellowship. Jesus also prayed in John.17:21 that love will be a testimony to the world. 

He tells us to love one another in John. 15:12-13. He does not just mean to see each other in a church building but to have real fellowship among Christians. When Jesus tells us to wash each other`s feet I also think He talks about to take care about each other - show care to our sisters and brothers. I also believe in forgiveness - not to be bitter to anyone. 

However I believe it is good to have mature leader/leaders in a local church who care for people and do not have a hard heart but has been touched by the heart of the Father. I think all in the Body has the same value but with different gifts. We need to be one in Christ Gal.3:28. I think it is a new time when also God wants to work, to do more things in teams and that it is a new time when He wants to restore more of the love in Body of Christ.The enemy has stolen much of it among us. 

The enemy wants us to be bitter to each other, so he can bring more division to the Body. But we need forgiveness and love among each other. I believe also that when guided by God, Christian friends can live close to each other as in Ps.133. It is written about blessings with it. Sometimes Christians live so far away from each. I think that it is not good. If we live so far from each other, it is hard to be together. It is easier to pray together, have a meeting and other things together also in friendship if we do not live so far away from each other.

Jesus is the head as the body. He is a real Friend. We need Him first. This Friend gave His life for us in love. Friendship with God ought to go hand in hand with friendship with each other. 

If you do not have friendships now - He want us to get them back!

TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER

Wash the feet - showing care. 
Like a servant - giving out...

Love is to give... Wash the feet -

"ask anybody how it is - how are you" ?

Giving bread to a friend who do not have

...Write that letter...

Call that person who is alone... 

Invite anybody for a dinner...

Wash your friends dishes... 

We are cleansed by your water,

but reaching out is

showing love.

Wash each others feet.

Eva Haglund.

We need to come together!

Blessings!

A Word of Love From Sweden - Eva Haglund

Shalom Steve!

I wish you a nice beginning of the new year!

I saw on your blog that there were a man who lived in Peru who did painting. Is he a relative? There were nice paintings! My husband comes from Peru.

You wrote about Rick Joyner. I do not know him so much but have gotten a good impression of him. For instance he talks about love in Body of Christ - fellowship and care of each other.

Not so many talk about this and I think it is important to talk about what Jesus did. He prayed that there will be love from God in the Body of Christ, which will be a testimony to the world (John 17:21.) I think it is, for instance, as in Acts 2:46. The enemy has stolen it from quite a lot in the Body of Christ. Instead there sometimes are as if clubs. In 1 Cor.12 we can read that we need each other much in friendship.

Jesus say in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this than to lay down ones life for his friend." Jesus talked about love. Why then are there not so many who preach this. To be hospitalble and have fellowship. That is love - not just a smile. There needs to be much more fellowship.

Jesus says also, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Sometimes some Christians have a good heart to evangelize but are not interested in friendship. You also have to have friendship so people who get saved have friends to come to.

We can see that Jesus had fellowship. For instance in John 21 they were eating together, talking and Jesus made breakfast and a warm fire. Jesus is the Friend. You can talk to Him when you eat breakfast or go on a walk. He is the best Friend among friends.

Our heavenly Daddy and Jesus have much fellowship and are not impersonal. They talk to each other.

Christian conferences can be good and it can be good to be at one. But if you want to go to conferences, when is there time to have a cup of coffee with a friend and have time with God? I like to be at a good conference but also to have time in fellowship with God and friends.

Jesus gave time and shared His bread. For me this also means fellowship because I think to share bread can also be to talk with each other around a table. Where there is just a club in the Body of Christ I think God wants to restore so it will become as He wants.

There are also friendships but I think there needs to be more. I think also that we are not created just to do things for God or just to ask God for things but to be a close friend to God.

This I think is where worship comes in because it has to do with the relation to God. Dance as unto God I think is also worshiping Him with the body as Mirjam and David did.

To have a relation with God is to read His Word because Jesus is the Word.

I think the Bible symbol for instance can be bread. Jesus is the Bread, the Life of Bread. (John 6:35)

Jesus did not just talk or preach about love For instance, when He told us to wash each others feet, He did this to show care. He lived love. He was like a servant and gave all in love. He is life. He is love.

Thank you for many good things you write and give on the blog!

Blessings,

Eva

A HEAVENLY TREASURE …

Money.

Love. Love not. What will I choose?

Who is God- a hard God?

A God of love?

The money, the idol in the bank.

Is it worth to live for?

Is money, things more worth than care and love?
Who is God?

Did he keep his love in heaven or did he gave?

He gave his Bread - his life…

He gave ALL he had not because he had to but by FREE WILL…

He preached by his life that he is a God of love.

He gave ALL he had in a deepest pain - NAILED for us…

The pain he carried he carried for us - a love more worth than money-

He the King - thought that we were more worth than all money in the world…

You are rich if you have him…

Eva Haglund.