Kristian Stanfill - "Your Grace On Which I Stand" [Live @ Passion 2014] HD - playlist

Kristian Stanfill - Passion 2014

Published on Feb 16, 2014

Kristian Stanfill - "Your Grace On Which I Stand" [Live @ Passion 2014] HD

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Is Grace a License to Sin? by Sue Birdseye

Is Grace a License to Sin? 

by Sue Birdseye

IDENTITY NETWORK

Have you ever gotten a continual message from God over and over and over again, in as many different ways as you can imagine?

Lately that has been my experience with the gospel. Every book I pick up, every sermon I hear, every quote I find and every verse I read points me to the gospel - or at least it seems that way.

And although I've heard the concept of preaching the gospel to myself daily and understood it to some degree, I haven't got it as profoundly as I'd like.

I'm praying for understanding, for application and for ability to live out the gospel daily.

I just read these verses and again what struck me was the gospel!

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen" (Gal. 1:3-6, ESV).

God truly has been reminding me over and over again about His relentless, passionate and unconditional love for me - for all of us.

Grace….

The first word, grace (love that word, BTW), is defined as "an undeserved act of kindness." It represents all that we have received as a result of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross.

And then that other lovely word, peace, is a result of the grace we have received because of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross.

That sounds a little bit repetitive, but I'm trying to get that gospel message into my head and heart more deeply than ever - that the grace and peace that God gives us is because of Jesus, not us.

Isn't that freeing?

It was God's will for Jesus to die for our sins so that we wouldn't have to, so that we could have a relationship with Him, so that we would know that He loves us more than we could ever imagine.

I don't know about you, but I need to know that - I mean, really and truly know that.

Bogus Fears and Feelings

I have recognized lately that I really struggle with thinking I'm worthy of anything. I wonder if everything happened because I really am a complete mess  -because a lot of times I really feel like one.

Sometimes I feel like I'm such a failure. I wonder if I'll ever get things right with parenting, home management and my career (whatever that may be). I wonder if anyone would truly be able to deal with my life - really. I wonder if I could ever truly be a blessing of a wife to someone; my first time around didn't end so well.

The funny thing about my fears and my feelings is that know they are bogus. They don't reflect who I am in Christ. And I know who I am, so why do I struggle so?

Why is it so difficult to see my value as a child of the King? Why am I so impacted by my successes or failures in this sin-ridden world?

I think the key word is sin-ridden. Stuff is just gonna be a struggle here.

Fear is gonna assail us, but it doesn't have to defeat us.

Doubts are gonna rain down on us, but they don't have to drown us.

Failure is gonna happen, but it doesn't have to define us.

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? 

Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:31-35, 37-39).

More than conquerors! Seriously, how can we be more than conquerors? That's crazy!

Crazy good, though.

Free to Live

God didn't send Jesus to live and die for me so that I could live a life of defeat. He's not even content with me living a life of mediocrity. I'm free from the power of sin and death. I'll struggle, to be sure, but God has already given me all I need to live a life of freedom and victory.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Gal. 5:1).

I'm free to live without fear of condemnation. Free to live without fear of failure. Free to live without fear, period.

I'm not a slave to sin, to fear, to anxiety, to past mistakes, to expectations, to failures, to successes, to anything.

I don't have to fear because God loves me perfectly.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18).

But that love - that perfect love - that is God. That is the gospel. That is what Paul is talking about - the source of our grace and peace.

I want grace to impact me daily, to speak to the way I think about myself, others and life. But how do I make grace not just something I know about, but something I live for and by and with constantly?

Is it as simple as waking up and reminding myself of who I am and who He is? Is that it? I guess that's a definitely step in the right direction!

God's Pursuit of Us

Time in the Word - as always, that's part of the answer. It just is! When I look for it, I see the gospel everywhere in Scripture. God's relentless and loving pursuit of His people is all throughout the Bible.

Prayer - yup, prayer. Who would have thought of this?

I'm asking God to show me how the gospel of grace should impact me and my children. And God is showing me in little ways - in my parenting adventures, in my interaction with friends, in my attitude about things, in how I do what He's called me to do, in everything.

I'm getting it, slowly. I don't get things easily. I gotta work for it. But God is working with me!

I believe that God is showing me the huge amount of grace I need so that I can be a grace-filled person toward others.

My prayer is that grace would spill out of me all over everyone around me.

As God shows me how to live this grace-filled life, this gospel-centered life, I will share and we can grow together in our walk with the Lord!

Sue Birdseye

www.suebirdseye.com

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A Prayerful Denzel Washington Tells Young Actors, 'Get on Your Knees in the Morning' - CHARISMA NEWS

Denzel Washington recently told a group of young actors to pray every morning. (Facebook)

A Prayerful Denzel Washington Tells Young Actors, 'Get on Your Knees in the Morning'

5/28/2014 GINA MEEKS  CHARISMA NEWS

Denzel Washington recently told a group of young actors that a good way to make sure you pray every morning is to put your shoes "way under the bed at night" so you "gotta get on your knees in the morning."

The Academy Award-winning actor was seen speaking to the young people in a video R&B singer and actor Tyrese Gibson posted on Facebook Sunday. He encouraged the group of seemingly aspiring actors to use their talent for good and always remember to pray.

"I pray that you all put your shoes way under the bed at night so that you gotta get on your knees in the morning to find them. And while you're down there, thank God for grace and mercy and understanding. We all fall short of the glory. We all got plenty," he said.

"If you just start thinking of all the things you've got to say thank you for, that's a day. That's easily a day," he added.

The actor, who is currently starring in a Broadway adaption of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, told the young actors that before every show he and the cast gather for prayer led by a young boy, Bryce Clyde Jenkins, an actor in the show.

"We have a little boy in our show—we're doing Raisin in the Sun—and we have a circle. We pray every day," Washington noted. "And his prayer—this boy is prayed up. He just prays that we go out and touch someone tonight. He says, 'God, somebody out there needs us tonight.'"

Washington also encouraged the group to realize that while it is good to have money, they should not abuse their gifts for material gain.

"And we all have that unique gift to go out and touch people to affect people. Understand that gift, protect that gift, appreciate that gift, utilize that gift. Don't abuse that gift," he told the actors.

"You'll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. ... Now, I've been blessed to make hundreds of millions of dollars in my life. I can't take it with me, and neither can you. It's not how much you have but what you do with what you have," Washington said.

Watch the video below.

 

Stand Firm in Your Faith! Engage With God and He Will Bring His Dreams to Fulfillment - Catherine Brown

Catherine Brown:

Stand Firm in Your Faith! 

Engage With God 

and He Will Bring His Dreams 

to Fulfillment

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the Gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

Apostle Paul opened up his letter to the Church in Corinth by reminding the Believers of the simplicity of the Gospel truths on which they had taken their stand. He instructed them to hold firmly to what they had originally believed, otherwise it was all for nothing. In this regard Paul's words are timeless in their principle and effect.

The Gospel In A Nutshell

Paul preached the Gospel "in a nutshell" in verses 3 through 5 of 1 Corinthians 15. Sometimes we have to be reminded of the simple truths of the Gospel.

(Photo via Wikimedia Commons by John Singleton Copley)

Paul's Own Personal Testimony

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. 1 Corinthians 15:9

With great humility and gratitude for his salvation, Paul described his encounter with the risen Christ and his ensuing salvation experience. It's important we understand that he was not wallowing in self-pity and neither was he raising himself up in pride. He was just being honest about where he had come from. He had a balanced picture of his past, but his focus was on the future and he comprehended that all of this was made possible only by God's love and grace.

We Can Stand Because We Are Transformed By The Power Of Grace

But by the grace of God I am what I am... Verse 10a

Paul acknowledged the amazing work of God's grace in his life. He was reflecting on the fact he had been saved by grace, redeemed by grace, and kept by grace. He knew he had a past and considered himself the worst of the worst, yet because of grace he knew he was being transformed to be more like Christ Jesus.

...And His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Verse 10b

(Photo via Flickr by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue)

Grace affected every aspect of Paul's life: his sonship (identity); his destiny (present and future potential); his inheritance; his life on earth and his life after death in Christ; his self-image and his service to, with, and for God. God's grace is such a magnificent gift to the Church!

May we never reach the end of understanding the magnitude and mercy of God's grace.

Addressing Half-Truths, Mis-Truths, And Heresy

Paul went on to teach about the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of Believers in Christ. He was addressing mistruths, half-truths, and potential heresy in the Church, which was dangerous and could have led the Believers astray. By verses 56-58 Paul reminded the Believers of the victory they had in Christ over sin, law, and death:

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain."

Paul had opened up his teaching letter by exhorting the Believers to hold firmly to the word of God in which they had first placed their faith, and he ended his exhortation by encouraging the Church to stand firm on its faith foundation. Paul's message is as relevant to us today as it was to the Church in Corinth!

We must choose to stand firm in our faith no matter what circumstances we experience, whether in the valley or the mountain top.

(Photo via Flickr by Ryk Neethling)

Paul encouraged the Believers to give all to Jesus and to serve Him in whatever capacity they were graced to do so. He reminded them that they had an inheritance and a reward in Christ.

How You Can Stand Firm

The Bible speaks of "standing firm" in many contexts. How do we stand firm? Here are a few practical, Bible-based hints to do just that:

• Don't return to old idols; old lifestyle; empty, religious ritual; or other gods: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

(Photo via Flickr by Mish Sukharev)

• Be self-controlled and alert/resist the devil:"Resist him, standing firm in the faith..." (1 Peter 5:9).

• Be patient, don't grumble, don't judge: "You too, be patient and stand firm..." (James 5:8).

• Stand firm and hold to Biblical teachings/truth: "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you..." (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

• Be consistent in prayer and with the armour of God: "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth..." (Ephesians 6:14).

• In surrender and service to God: "...give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord..." (1 Corinthians 15:58).

• By not giving in to temptation: "But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

What Are Some Of The Effects Of "Standing Firm In Our Faith"?

• Deliverance the Lord will give to you today: "...Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today..." (Exodus 14:13, see also 2 Chronicles 20:17).

• You will go from the pit to the mountain top/firm foundation: "He lifted me out of the slimy pit...He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand" (Psalm 40:2).

(Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

• You will be positioned to intercede for nations: "...stand before me in the gap on behalf of..." (Ezekiel 22:30).

• You will have righteous confidence on the day of judgment: "...For we will all stand before God's judgment" (Romans 14:10).

• However, the wicked cannot stand before God – they will perish: "Therefore, the wicked will not stand on the day of judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous" (Psalm 1:5).

Let's thank God for His wonderful mercy and abundant grace today! God's deliverance births His destiny dreams in our lives. If we will stand firm in our faith and engage with God, He will bring His dreams to fulfilment in us. He can use our surrendered hearts to reach out to others in His love, for His desire is that none should perish and all should come to repentance.

Come on, Church, it's time to love the nations into the arms of our Beloved Saviour.Our Heavenly Father gave us everything in Christ. Can we, by grace, now give him more of our lives so that others may come to know our beloved Jesus?

God bless you today and always,

Catherine Brown
Founder/Director, Gatekeepers Global Ministries
Co-Founder, Scottish Apostolic Network

Email: admin@gatekeepers.org.uk
Website: gatekeepers.org.uk

Catherine Brown is the founder/director of Gatekeepers Global Ministries (GGM) and is a sought-after national and international preacher and teacher. She is presently leading a global evangelism and discipleship mission entitled "GGM 7 Million Souls" and is working with her team and valued partners from many nations to achieve the vision objectives.

Presently, there are 34 GGM global partner nations with 126,400 new disciples and 109 church plants. Catherine operates in an impacting apostolic/prophetic mantle with a strong revival thrust on her preaching, serving the Church and the lost through Christ's Gospel of love. She has ministered in Europe, Africa, Israel, and the USA and has had the privilege of seeing people saved, baptized, healed, and delivered in the glorious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, with signs and wonders following.

Catherine's passion for Christ and His Kingdom is contagious, and wherever she ministers people are envisioned, equipped, empowered, and mobilized. She is married to Stephen and they have four lovely children and live in the West Coast of Scotland.

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Darlene Zschech

Darlene Zschech: 'Grace, Grace' as Chemo Starts

CBNNews.com

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Christian singer-songwriter Darlene Zschech says she has started to lose her hair as she begins chemo treatments for breast cancer but she hasn't lost her desire to worship.

Zschech, who announced on her blog in December that she has breast cancer, recently finished round one of five chemo treatments.

On her most she shared what she is learning through her battle with cancer and where she finds her strength.

"All I can say is, 'grace, grace and more grace'," she wrote. "I am learning to rest in every promise from Jesus. In fact, it's His Word that is giving me the strength to inhale and exhale, moment by moment."

"To be completely honest, this has been very confronting. It definitely makes me look sicker than I feel. In saying that, I am finding great freedom through this. Mark [her husband] keeps reminding me how much money we'll save over the next while on hairdressers!" Zschech said.

The famed worship artist also said writing has been a great comfort to her during this season. She said she plans to share songs birthed from this trial.

"I have songs and thoughts that I will share with when I am on the other side of this mountain," she shared. "In fact, we are already planning a Thanksgiving service at our church in November, where we will record songs birthed during this season."

"We simply want to fill the place with praise for all that God has done," Zschech wrote.

Watch this: Darlene Zschech video on CBN News

When You Can't Forgive Yourself By R.T. Kendall

When You Can't Forgive Yourself By R.T. Kendall

R.T. Kendall

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First Corinthians 13, the great love chapter of the Bible, is a perfect demonstration of the cause and effect of total forgiveness. The apex of this wonderful passage is the phrase found in verse 5: Love "keeps no record of wrongs" (NIV).

The Greek word that is translated as no record is logizomai, which means "not to reckon or impute." The word is important to Paul's doctrine of justification by faith.

For the person who believes, his faith is "credited" to him as righteousness (Rom. 4:5). This is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 13:5.

Therefore, not to reckon, impute or "count" the wrongs of a loved one is to do for that person what God does for us, namely, choose not to recognize his sin.

In the same way, forgiving oneself means to experience the love that keeps no record of our own wrongs. It is one thing to have this breakthrough regarding others; it is quite another to experience the greater breakthrough - total forgiveness of ourselves.

So many Christians say, "I can forgive others, but how can I ever forget what I have done? I know God forgives me, but I can't forgive myself."

We must remember that forgiving ourselves is a lifelong commitment. In precisely the same way that I must forgive others every single day, I must also forgive myself (Luke 6:37).

The Process of Forgiving

We must renew our commitment to forgive others each and every day for the wrongs done to us. Forgiving ourselves is also a daily process.

We may wake up each day with the awareness of past failures. We may have feelings of guilt - or pseudo-guilt, if our sins have been placed under the blood of Christ.

But forgiving yourself may bring about the breakthrough you have been looking for. It could set you free in ways you have never before experienced.

Sometimes we are afraid to forgive ourselves. We cling to fear as if it were a thing of value. The truth is, the very breath of Satan is behind the fear of forgiving ourselves.

Jesus knows that many of us have this problem. This is a further reason Jesus turned up unexpectedly after His Resurrection in the room where the disciples were assembled both in terror and in guilt.

Jesus wanted them to know they were totally forgiven; He also wanted them to forgive themselves. He spoke to them as if nothing had happened (John 20:21). This gave them dignity and showed them that nothing had occurred that would change Jesus' plans and strategy for them.

I remember one Sunday just before I was to preach at the 11 a.m. service. I had an argument with my wife, Louise, and stormed out of the house, slamming the door in her face.

Before I knew it, I was bowing my head on the upper platform at Westminster Chapel before several hundred people. I was thinking, I should not be here. I have no right to be here. Lord, how on earth could You use me today? I am not fit to be in this pulpit.

There was no way to resolve the situation at that time. I could only ask God for mercy and try my best to forgive myself. Never in my life had I felt so unworthy.

But when I stood up to preach, God simply undergirded me and enabled me to preach as well as I ever had. When we are emptied of all self-righteousness and pride, we enable God to move in and through us.

Why We Can't Forgive Ourselves

At the end of the day, I believe there are several causes for our inability to forgive ourselves.

Anger. We may be angry with ourselves. Look at the Old Testament story of Joseph. As a type of Christ, Joseph said to his brothers, "And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you" (Gen. 45:5).

These brothers were beginning to get the message that Joseph had forgiven them; he didn't want them to be angry with themselves. That is the way God forgives. Jesus does not want us to be angry with ourselves for our sins.

Not forgiving ourselves is self-hatred. Joseph's brothers had hated themselves for selling Joseph into slavery. They could not take back what they had done.

Some Christians who can't forgive themselves are, underneath it all, angry with themselves. But God can begin today to cause all that happened to fit into a pattern for good.

God will take the wasted years and restore them to good before it is all over. It is just as Joel promised: "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten" (Joel 2:25).

In some cases it is fear more than anger that is a barrier to our forgiving ourselves. Regret leads to guilt, and guilt can lead to fear: the fear of missing "what might have been" or the fear that what has happened cannot possibly turn out for good.

True guilt and pseudo-guilt. There are two kinds of guilt most of us will struggle with: true guilt (a result of our sin against God) and pseudo-guilt (when there is no sin in our lives). When we have sinned, we must confess it to God (1 John 1:9). The blood of Jesus takes care of true guilt by doing two basic things:

1.    It washes away our sin - as though it never had existed.

2.    It perfectly satisfies God's eternal justice.

Whereas discipline is necessary because we are sinners, sin that has been confessed to God is totally forgiven by Him. Any guilt we feel after that is pseudo-guilt.

There are two kinds of false guilt:

1.    The kind that comes when sin was never involved in the first place.

2.    The kind that comes when sin has been forgiven by God.

Pseudo-guilt - though it is false - s also very real; we feel keenly guilty. But there is no good reason for the sense of guilt.

Take, for example, a person who is driving a car when a child runs out into the street at the last second and is struck down. The guilt can be overwhelming, but there was no sin. It doesn't need to be confessed to God.

The other kind of pseudo-guilt comes when you have confessed your sins but you don't feel forgiven. Once we have acknowledged our sin, we should accept our forgiveness and leave the rest in God's hands.

During the years I have developed a sense of failure as a father. I wish I had given more time to T.R. and Melissa in my early years at Westminster Chapel.

I now understand that putting them first - rather than my church or sermon preparation - would have allowed the Chapel to carry on just as well. Of course, I can't change the past.

But for me to continue to feel guilty over this is not pleasing to God because He has already totally forgiven me. If I let myself dwell on my failure, I am giving in to pseudo-guilt and sinning as I do because I am dignifying unbelief. I must keep destroying the record of my wrongs - every day.

Not forgiving ourselves is a subtle way of competing with Christ's atonement. God has already punished Jesus for what we did (2 Cor. 5:17). Instead of accepting Jesus' sacrifice, I want to punish myself for my failures. This competes with Christ's finest hour.

Fear

Fear is one of the main reasons we do not forgive ourselves. The person who fears has not been made perfect in love, and fear "has to do with punishment" (1 John 4:18).

Recognizing that fear - and punishing ourselves for our mistakes - displeases God should result in an ever-increasing sadness for this self-loathing spirit. We are required to walk away from our past folly and not look back.

My wife was greatly blessed by the music ministry of Janny Grein and her song "Movin' On" at a Rodney Howard-Browne meeting. Louise remembers Janny shouting out the words, "Let the past be past - at last." God speaks those words to us.

Let the past be past at last. Forgive yourself as well as those who have damaged you.

Pride, self-righteousness and self-pity. Our unforgiveness of ourselves may be traceable to pride. We, in our arrogance, cannot bear having the Lord do everything for us so graciously, so we think we must help Him out a bit.

Our pride must be eclipsed by humility. We must let God be God and the blood of Christ do what it in fact did: remove our guilt and satisfy God's sense of justice.

Just as fear and pride are like identical twins, so are self-righteousness and self-pity. We feel sorry for ourselves and show it by not forgiving ourselves.

Pseudo-guilt can develop into very real guilt before God. It is false guilt, since God says, "You're not guilty." We make it into real guilt when we in effect reply, "Yes, I am."

The bottom line is this: Not forgiving ourselves is wrong and dishonoring to God. But God will use the sorrow we feel over what we've done to draw us to Himself.

Guilt and Grace

The initial work of the Holy Spirit is that He convicts of sin. When we walk in the light we know the blood cleanses us of sin, but walking in the light also reveals sin in us that we may not have seen before (1 John 1:7-8).

The sense of guilt God instigates is temporary. God uses guilt only to get our attention. When we say, "I'm sorry," and mean it, that's enough for God.

He doesn't beat us black and blue and require us to go on a 30-day fast to supplement Christ's atonement. He convicts us of sin to get our attention, but having done that, He wants us to move forward.

The ability to forgive ourselves therefore extends from an understanding of grace. Grace is undeserved favor.

Mercy is not getting what we do deserve (justice). Grace is accepting what we don't deserve (total forgiveness).

It may seem unfair when we have been so horrible. We have let God down; we have let others down.

But it is fair (1 John 1:9). The blood of Jesus did a wonderful job. God is not looking for further satisfaction.

All accusations regarding confessed sin come from the devil, who works either as a roaring lion to scare or an angel of light to deceive - or both (1 Pet. 5:8; 2 Cor. 11:14). Never forget, perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18).

Let the Past be Past

The sweet consequence of not keeping a record of all wrongs is that we let go of the past and its effect on the present. We cast our care on God and rely on Him to restore the wasted years and to cause everything to turn out for good.

We find ourselves accepting ourselves as we are with all our failures (just as God does), knowing all the while our potential to make more mistakes. God never becomes disillusioned with us; He loves us and knows us inside out.

Moses, David, Jonah, Peter - all these men in the Bible had to forgive themselves before they could move into the ministry God had planned for them. It's time for you to follow their example.

That is exactly what God wants of you and me. Let the past be past - at last.

R.T. Kendall

www.rtkendallministries.com

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I am not ashamed...

"I am not ashamed of who I am or where I started. I am not ashamed of the path I have struggled through. I am not ashamed to be hidden. I am His. I am shining. I am who I AM by the grace of God. Men of importance may not see me, but the Man sees me and is pleased. This is my rest, my hope my NOW." ---GOD WATCHERS (Don Nori, Sr.)

Note: Artwork added by Steve Martin, editor of Blog

"The Love Heart of God" -lovingly written by Steve Martin

Dear family of friends,

The love heart of God is expressed to us in many ways. Sometimes we just have to "look" and see Him there. Whether He shows us through His creation, His people, or supernatural random acts of love, He is there. Calling out to us to know and experience Him in our daily lives.

Through these photos I took, and this poem He has me sharing with you, may His love touch your heart today. In a deeper way than you have ever known. He loves YOU!

The "heart of the Lord" revealed in His creation.

This photo was taken with my Blackberry phone on April 10, 2013. It was around 4:30 pm, after I arrived home from work. It is located at the foot of our steps leading up to our front door.

The bed faces east. Towards Jerusalem.

This purple flowering heart is another way the Lord shares His with us.

This morning, while meditating and considering the Lord's ways in my big, black, cozy prayer chair, the Father gave me this simple poem. Just another small expression of His love.

"Some say He is not aware
Of life and what we really share.
Others think He doesn't know
When men and more have lost their soul.

But with His heart and by His hand
He counts the hairs and waters land.
The love of God can simply be
Revealed through grace for you and me."

Steve Martin
April 11, 2013, 3:55 a.m.

"Heart of God" shining on the wall

On Feb. 25, 2011, as I was in Antioch Internantional Church (Fort Mill, SC) preparing for that night's Shabbat service for our Beit Tikvah ("House of Hope") meeting, I saw this on the east wall. It was around 4 pm in the afternoon. There are windows only on the west and south walls.

I took two photos with my Blackberry phone. Believing at first that it was a reflection off some necklace or other jewelry, I diligently searched around the chairs. Then I checked to see if anything by the windows could have been causing the image. Nothing.

So my conclusion? Just a simple, but effective way that the Lord again shows His love for us.

Steve Martin