“I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” – Now Think On This by Steve Martin

April 26, 2020 Love For His People ministry in Charlotte, NC USA

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 1);38-39, NASU

Remember these lyrics back in the day? “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine there’s gotta be a little rain some time.”

So sang Lynn Anderson in 1970 on the country-western radio stations as they were known way back then. The songwriter must have used a very loose interpretation of Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) own words to His disciples, “If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.” Matthew 10:38-39, THE MESSAGE

The modern, syrupy gospel some would dish out to the gathered on Sundays and on social media platforms would make it seem that the sole purpose of Jesus saving us would be to give us happiness, to make this life rosy before we die and go to the next one.

We constantly hear with misguided words that if we are not happy then something is terribly wrong. If life is not going the way we were told it would be when we came to Christ, then all of our self-love actions can’t be worth the effort to be a Christian.

If the songs we sing, even the “Christian praise and worship songs” that populate the radio, YouTube, and love stations aren’t focused on “me, me, me” then something must be totally out of order.

It is to be all about “me”, right? Jesus came to make “me” happy, yes?

A generation which is brought up hearing that the love of God is all about me and my happiness, then we, as the ones who were/are to be teaching them, have really, really missed the mark in showing them the right way.

Yeshua did not call the 12 main followers, and the seeking crowds, to get on the road of “It’s All About Me Way”.

What did He really say when He called the disciples?

Take up His cross and follow Him.

“And He was saying to them all, ” If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.  “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?” Luke 9:23-26, NASU

Living a self-love life is far from the one Yeshua called us to live. Going after that which we are told is necessary to make us happy is not the Gospel that Jesus preached. It is not the life we are to be living as disciples of the Life-Giver.

Followers of Yeshua lay down their lives for others as He did. Those who have been called to be His disciples are not to be seeking what we think is “best for us, what makes us happy.” We are to be seeking and doing what makes HIM pleased with our lives.

That is a life of self-giving, sacrificing, living for others, caring for the ones who have not, preaching the real Gospel, the one that Jesus and the early apostles took to the nations, as they laid their lives down. And yes, even got martyred in the end for doing just that.

One concern I have for the generations living now is that many have bought into the false gospel that it is all about us. Jesus never taught that. His true disciples never heard that. The true followers of Jesus who have lived and died through the centuries that have followed never prescribed to anything of a self-love gospel, but to the one that they too were saved to give themselves to the plans and purposes of the Father, in His love to save others.

Never were we promised a rose garden. We were promised the opportunity to follow Jesus, to take up His cross and follow Him.

“As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.  “You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'” 

And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.” Mark 10:17-22, NASU

Paul preached the correct Gospel. So must we be doing the same.

“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22-23, NKJV

Trials and tribulations are what we are promised. Accepting that, let us thus get on with doing what He wants us to do. By His grace others will come to know the saving knowledge of accepting His salvation and live.

As the shaking continues in the nations, which is the Lord’s doing as He had prophesied through His prophets prior to these end times, our purpose in living is to have His purpose in living. When you know that, and do it, then whatever He brings your way will be the best.

We have been called to live, and die, for others, even as Jesus Himself laid down His life for us.

Let’s get on doing it.

Now think on this.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Founder/President  Love For His People, Inc.

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Now Think On This #504 – in the year of our Lord 04.26.2020 – “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” – Sunday, 5:55 am in Charlotte, NC USA

"Come Near To The Altar" - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

“Come Near to the Altar"

"Moses then said to Aaron, "Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then make the offering for the people, that you may make atonement for them, just as the Lord has commanded." (Leviticus 9:7, NASU)

Times of worship create an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves in prophetic waves. Those open and attuned to His Spirit sense this movement, and quietly wait for His word He will share through them, for the good of those gathered.

Such occurred in a Sunday morning meeting church service where my wife Laurie and I were part of the worship team as singers. In the midst of the beautiful song, "Worthy of It All", my spirit began to well up inside me. At the same time, tears wet my closed eyes, as I longed to see and glorify the Lord and experience His presence in our midst.

As I often have shared in these messages, when the Lord gives me a word to proclaim, it typically is just that, a single word. Then I must step out in faith and begin to share, trusting that more will follow. And as this happens, He is faithful to give more. 

Just like Peter stepping out of the boat on the water, we must take that first step. Then He is there.

The words, "Come near to the altar" came into my spirit, and though I didn't get a chance to share them publicly at that time, I believe the Lord has a word for you reading now, to hear what He has to say to you in encouragement.

He is beckoning us to come near to the altar, that place where you take the first step, to move towards Him, whether you have done before or not, in order to present yourself to Him and await what He will say to you. It is not some weird religious thing that some would think, but it is His calling out to us to move toward Him. He promises He will be there as we approach Him. 

He is desiring us to seek Him, to come before Him as His children, and receive each day what He would speak, share, and instruct us to do. Often, it may just be to come and be in His presence, to rest in His peace. Don't we all need that?

The altar is also the place where our lives are presented to the Lord for His purposes, where we say to Him, through our hearts, "Here I am. Do as You desire. My will is to do Your will, as I lay down my thoughts and my plans today in order to know what Yours are, and to do them."

Jesus continually presented Himself to the Father, not seeking His own achievements, but to know and do what the Father would give Him to do.

"Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." As He spoke these words, many believed in Him." (John 8:28-30, NKJV)

As we come to the altar, a spiritual place to meet Him where He is at, we too will receive all that He wants to give us - healing, direction, restoration, wisdom, provision. The list goes on as we give ourselves to our Lord. It will always require movement on our part. But as He draws us to Himself, and respond in movement, He is there. 

It is a sacrifice on our part to present ourselves to the Living God, the One Who continually watches over Israel and His people. But it is His delight to meet with us, and confide in us.

I encourage you today to give yourself to Him, by coming near to the altar. Not out of fear in condemnation if you don't, but out of that desire to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him with all your heart. As you do, the sacrifice you give will become the energy to live as He grants us His life.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

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Now Think On This #429 - in the year of our Lord 06.12.19 – “Come Near to the Altar” – Wednesday, 5:15 am

JESUS WAS SELF-DISCIPLINED AND SACRIFICIAL by Pastor Abel Oyewale Nigeria, West Africa

Pastor Abel with the new Israel t-shirt (IDF) 

and hat sent from Love For His People

JESUS WAS SELF-DISCIPLINED AND SACRIFICIAL

Pastor Abel Oyewale  Nigeria, West Africa

Oct. 30, 2017

A. HIS DISCIPLINED LIFE (JOHN 4:27-42 )

"Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work." (John 4:34 )

Indiscipline is not the character of GOD. It has cut many lives and ministries short. Jesus is the perfect image of GOD. He came to reveal GOD'S manners by leading a life of self-discipline.

Your level of discipline will determine your chances of overcoming temptation. Jesus was subjected to series of tests in the devil's hands. He overcame by the word and through self-discipline. Unlike Adam, Eve and Esau, He did not spoil Himself with what the devil offered. He prioritised the spiritual food above the physical food, and He warned along that line .

Though food is very essential to life, yet that would never make Jesus to misbehave or lose concentration on His life's mission. Today, people are so anxious about what to eat, drink and wear that they lose focus of the real things - souls -winning and GOD'S kingdom.

"And He will give all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the kingdom of GOD your primary concern." (Matthew 6:33)

How many, Christians inclusive, are not being controlled by their bellies, today? Jesus never allowed anything to dominate or control His life. What controls your life? (Romans 6:16)

B. HIS SACRIFICIAL LIFE

"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep." (John 10:11)

The life of sacrifice is not feasible without self-discipline. Sacrifice is about giving up one's life and rights, and other benefits for others. Jesus followed this path for GOD'S glory and the benefits of mankind. We must resemble Jesus in this regard also.

Jesus talked extensively on shepherding, and declared Himself as the Good Shepherd. What qualified Him as such was His sacrificial life and living. He gave up His life for the sheep. What have you sacrificed for Christ's sake?

No one in heaven or on earth could do what Jesus did for us. Hireling describes the fake shepherds, who prefer to flee to safety, rather than dare to die to safeguard the sheep. Jesus was never like any of these. He laid down His life for the sheep. He came to unify them and present them to Himself and Father. This life of sacrifice is a must for every believer.

God recognised the sacrifice of Jesus. He loved Him, and as a result, exalted Him above all else. God always recognises our sacrifices; our labours of love would not go unrewarded.

Jesus lived a life of self-discipline; He was not under the control of anything that could truncate His destiny. The sacrifices of Jesus were recognised and appreciated by both Heaven and earth.

May our good God of Israel bless you as you are reading this message.

Shalom,

Pastor Abel Oyewale
Abba Father's International Fellowship - Nigeria

For your prayer request: souls4christ2005@yahoo.com
+2348115306866

Pastor Abel and his church members try to help orphans as best they can. Please use the DONATE button on the side columns to help or the tab on our Love For His People website above.

Some of the contents sent to Nigeria in October 2017

Pastor Abel wearing the t-shirt and hat from Israel below.

Bibles provided with funds sent from Love For His People

Below: Ahava Love Letter books sent 

from Love For His People

T-shirt from Israel included in the Pastor's Package from Love For His People

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Israel's History - a Picture a Day - The "Other" Passover Commemoration - The Samaritans Still Sacrifice the Pascal Lamb

Israel's History - a Picture a Day (Beta)

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The "Other" Passover Commemoration -- The Samaritans Still Sacrifice the Pascal Lamb Posted: 06 Apr 2016  Samarian high priest Yitzhak ben Amram ben Shalma ben Tabia (circa 1900). View other pictures of priests here and here Updated from a 2012 Passover feature The Samaritan population in the Land of Israel numbered more than a million people 1,500 years ago, according to some estimates.  This ancient people lived in northern Israel and claimed to have been descendants of those tribes of Israel which were not sent out into the Babylonian exile.  One line of Samaritans traces their lineage back to Aaron the priest, and they consider their "holy mountain" to be Mt. Gerizim outside of Nablus (Shechem) -- not Jerusalem.    Samaritan family (1899) The Samaritans worship the God of Abraham, revere a scroll comparable to the five books of Moses, and maintain Passover customs, including the sacrifice  of the Pascal Lamb.  The photographers  of the American Colonyphotographed dozens of pictures of the Samaritans' sacrificial service.     Samaritan synagogue in Shechem (1899). Also view here Jews ceased the Passover sacrifice with the destruction of the second Temple. Already in Talmudic days, Jewish authorities rejected the Samaritans' claims to be part of the Jewish people. The Cutim, according to rabbinic authorities, arrived in the Land of Israel around 720 BCE with the Assyrians from Cuth, believed to be located in today's Iraq. Over the millennia, the Samaritans almost disappeared.  Persecuted, massacred and forcibly converted by Byzantine Christians and by Islamic authorities, the Samaritans' community today numbers fewer than 1,000 who are located on Mount Gerizim near Nablus (Shechem) and in Holon, Israel.  Baking matza on Mt. Gerizim (circa 1900) This year, the Samaritans will celebrate their Passover on April 20, 2016.  Preparing a lamb (1900) "The prepared carcasses ready for the oven" (1900)      According to Samaritan officials, on January 1, 2015, the Samaritans number 777 souls.   Praying on Mt. Gerizim (1900)

How to Get Yourself in a Place to Receive God's Instruction - KATHY DEGRAW CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Receiving God's instruction requires the discipline and obedience of the cross. (Lightstock)

How to Get Yourself in a Place to Receive God's Instruction

11/20/2015 KATHY DEGRAW  charisma magazine

Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

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Do you walk in obedience at your convenience or do you walk in strict obedience to our Father?

Obedience requires sacrifice. It requires us sacrificing what we think is important and what our flesh wants. It sometimes requires us sacrificing the easy way out. It requires us to get rid of our fleshly tendencies. Obedience requires discipline. Discipline to be adamant about following His orders, obeying our prophecies and directions that He has given directly to us.

Some of us would say we are obedient to God. We go to church, pray and worship, but this is not the obedience I am talking about. The obedience I am talking about is following His instruction.

How closely and attentively do you follow His instruction? Do you write down His instructions? Do you remember His instructions? Do you ignore His instructions or do you listen to His instructions? We don't all like to be told what to do, even by our Heavenly Father. I assure you, we do need His instruction.   

How do we get ourselves in a place to receive that instruction and act on those instructions? It is by allowing God to instruct us in all areas of our life, big and small. We look for God's direction in big things, but when we hear His direction in the small things, often we don't think it is God and that we don't need to obey in the "little things." It is obedience in these little things that the Father uses to instruct us how to have obedience in the greater things. When we hear these instructions and obey, we will learn to hear more clearly as a result of our obedience.

As you look at your life, do you consider yourself an obedient person? Would you be obedient if God told you to give away a piece of your jewelry? What if He told you to buy a person's meal? Now let's go a little further, what if there was something you really wanted to do badly and He told you not to do it? Could you be obedient? What if there was a situation that you really had to walk by faith and not by sight? Could you be obedient? What if you thought, oh it's no big deal I will do it anyways?  That is not obedience! Doing something contrary to what He has instructed you to do is nothing but disobedience.

Obedience comes in all forms, shapes and sizes. Our Heavenly Father is requiring us to be obedient in all things—all things, not just some things, but all things. This requires us crucifying our flesh, our wants and our desires for His. Our life is not our own; it belongs to the One who sits on the throne! We must get to the point where every thought, every action is in obedience to Him, is in relationship to Him. 

We must examine our past instructions from the Father and ask ourselves, are we completing them, are we living them out? We need to go back into the past and say what has the Father told me to do, what have I written down, what did He tell me to start or complete that I am not doing. We need to make sure the things of the past, present and future are under the guidance and leading of the Father and that we are heeding His instruction willfully, obediently and quickly.

There is much more we can be doing for the kingdom if we will take the time to repent, confess, submit and take a huge step forward in complete obedience. No matter what it feels like or looks like, will you take that step forward with me in complete obedience? Remember our life is not our own; it belongs to the One who sits on the throne.

Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries a ministry releasing the love and power of God.  She travels hosting conferences, teaching schools and evangelistic love tours.  Kathy enjoys writing several books that educate, empower and equip people, including A Worship Woven Life and Flesh, Satan or God. Connect with Kathy at www.degrawministries.org.

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Who Can Hear and Not Listen?

Friday, September 11, 2015 |  David Lazarus   ISRAEL TODAY

For those who have not heard, the sound of the Shofar is not easy to describe. Primal, raw, unsettling can only begin to describe the stirrings in a Jewish soul contemplating its blast.

This year as we listen, the Shofar will not comfort. Its shout from realms beyond will demand our attention, for as in days of old, it is a call to arms, an alarm alerting to imminent danger. In synagogues around the world the Shofar will solemnly declare, “Arise, for there are shakings in the earth. Shall the Shofar be blown in a city and the people not tremble?" (Amos 3:6)

Reserved for sacred assemblies, listening to the Shofar this year will once again stir memories of Sinai where the people trembled and the mountains shook. It will recall the mighty walls of Jericho crumbling into dust at its blast.

“The great Day of the Lord is a day of the Shofar and alarm," warns the prophet (Zephaniah 1:14,16). With its cry the Shofar will stir us to consider the judgments of God now coming on the earth. The prophet Isaiah warns of a great Shofar heralding the Day of the Lord (Isa. 27:13). Listening we are shaken as we lift up our voices and plead, “O Lord, let Grace and Truth be known once again in our land.”

The Shofar is fashioned of the horns of animals fit for sacrifice. For it will call forth the sprinkled Mercy Seat at the conclusion of the Day of Atonement, its animal sound awakening repentance, drawing us back to God.

And when we have passed from this small earth, we shall once more hear the sound of the Shofar at our resurrection (1 Thess. 4:16, 1 Cor. 15:52). This is to say, "Awake from your slumber, you who have fallen asleep in life, and reflect on your deeds. Remember your creator. Be not of those who miss reality in the pursuit of shadows, and waste their lives in seeking after vain things which neither profit nor save. Look well to your souls and improve your character. Forsake each of you his evil ways and return unto the Lord." (Maimonides)

This year the Shofar will be heard at sundown Sunday, September 13, the beginning of the Hebrew New Year 5776. May its cry call forth the beginning of a season of renewal and even rebirth from above for the people of Israel, and may it be a time of reflection and re-commitment to God for all those who love the God of Israel.

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