"Family" - Steve Martin, Love For His People

 

Family

 

“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before You." Psalm 22:27, NAS

Sitting on the back porch of my brother Tom Martin’s house in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as the sun rises in the east, brings back memories of our days growing up in Cedar Falls, Iowa, just north up the road on Hwy. 218 an hour or so. 

Tom and I, along with our little brother Rob, had five sisters between us. Sue, Mary, Colleen, Janet, and Lynn completed the sibling count of eight. Dad and Mom raised a good Catholic family during the 1950s and 1960s.

Family and the memories they bring can be a solid foundation for each of us. Though some are happy to get on with life, leaving their childhood years behind with all the trauma and conflict that went with it, the Lord desires His children to be raised in a good family, with a loving Dad and Mom in the home, and children that honor, respect, and cherish their parents, brothers and sisters.

"Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, “so you will live well and have a long life.” Ephesians 6:2-3, The Message

I could speak on the problems destroying family life today, as there are many, but I choose to consider the blessings that do come when men and women have families, seeking to follow the Lord and His ways.

There are good families in our society these days. There are those who have committed themselves to know the Lord Jesus (Yeshua) and walk in His ways, as He intended.

The man and woman who come together, in godly marriage as set by the Creator, will in turn give themselves, in sacrifice, to have children, with the full intent of raising them to know and fear the Lord.

They will seek to forgo worldly pleasures, to lay down their needs and wants for the sake of the ones the Lord has given into their care.

These men and women believe that children are a blessing from God. They “go without”, as my parents did, to give more to the boys and girls they have in their care, so they too learn the purpose of family and the love it expresses from the Father’s heart.

A society with strong families has the strength to resist ungodly principles, withstand attacks from unruly individuals, and the fortitude to stand firm when forces rise against them from all sides.

I am always encouraged when I see young Israeli families walking the streets of Jerusalem, carriages being pushed by fathers, mothers walking alongside in their place of dignity, honor, and love for all.

This is the intent of our heavenly Father, who looks down with pleasure and enjoyment Himself on those who choose to walk in His plans and purposes.

For those of us in our later years, we can encourage the younger generations to give themselves to having families, as the Lord purposed. To live for others whom He would place in their care. To reveal His heart to the nations, through the prime example of godly families.

I also want to thank you, who are now grandparents, for the tremendous sacrifices you made years ago, giving of yourselves for your children, and who now enjoy the fruit of your labor as your grandchildren rise up among you.

“Well done, good and faithful servants!”

Ahava and Shalom,

Steve Martin

P.S. Laurie and I are volunteering in Jerusalem, Israel, with Christian Friends of Israel for three months, Oct. 15, 2025 – Jan. 12, 2026. Read all about it! Steve & Laurie - Time Coming for Jerusalem Volunteers.

We welcome your prayers and support as we together bless Israel and His people in their Land.

In addition, we are indeed grateful for your support, as it costs this ministry to send these messages each week. For example, Love For His People’s Constant Contact subscription is $45/month alone. We also have no paid staff to prepare them, but it does cost. To continue sending these weekly messages, I need your help. Thank you.

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Love For His People Ministry 12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, North Carolina, USA

Message #9 in my new series (2025): "Family" July 27, 2025

#Family #SteveMartin #LoveForHisPeople #Jesus #God #love #parents #grandparents #father #mother #servants

Darren Canning: "The 123 Season - The Promise Has to Come to Pass!" - THE ELIJAH LIST

Darren Canning: "The 123 Season - The Promise Has to Come to Pass!"

Oct 24, 2017  THE ELIJAH LIST

     From the desk of Steve Shultz:

If you have been in times of waiting, either for a season or for years...you really need to grasp this fresh word by Darren Canning of Canada.

In this, he share about the waiting time, and how God's promises DO come to pass while we faithfully serve and grow in the process.

Darren shares this edifying word:

When God speaks, what He says is done in His mind. God has all of time in His hands. There is no wrestling within the mind of God with what is in the beginning and what is in the end. When He says that it will come to pass, it is like He is saying, "IT HAS COME TO PASS." His gaze just stretches a little further along than our own.

Amen to that... Enjoy this word by Darren! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

And thanks for forwarding this to your friends! They can subscribe here.

Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News 
http://www.elijahlist.com

P.S. – Oh, and a Quick Note to our readers: To EXPLORE our more than 2,500 Christian Prophetic books, CDs, and gifts go to: elijahshopper.com.

"The 123 Season - The Promise Has to Come to Pass!"

Darren Canning, Ontario, Canada

Psalm 123

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.

It's a 123 season. Many times, I have seen this number combination on a clock, billboard or license plate. Every time I see it, there is an excitement as if something fresh was about to begin. For me, 123 is the essence of Get Ready, Get Set and Go. This word from the Lord to me comes with an expectation that something new is about to begin – like a new door is going to open or a new feeling in my life is about to emerge. It is a springtime number or a new beginnings number.

"And so, even while we wait for the consummation of the promise, we do so because He convinces us that what He said WOULD happen."

Many of us have been prophesying for a long time that there is a revival coming to the nations that will be unprecedented. The prophet Bob Jones died in the 1970s and had an encounter with Heaven before the Lord sent him back to his body. While in Heaven, the Lord told him that He was sending Bob back to the earth to prepare the generation God was going to use to bring in the one billion soul harvest.

Prophesying Hope in the Midst of Adversity

It seems that the Christian voice is the minority voice in North America, so to prophesy reformation and revival in the face of the Antichrist spirit of our time can be draining, especially since many of us have been doing so for more than 20 years. There are times when I stand and a spirit of prophecy comes upon me and I begin to declare, "Reformation is coming."

If I'm to be honest with you, sometimes I feel conflicted doing this. This prophecy (which I declare and form by faith over the dry bones of modern man), doesn't seem to be coming to pass. I feel like a motorcyclist who is using the kick-start but it doesn't seem to be working...yet.

But God has convinced me that He is real. He has convinced me that He can do anything He says that He is going to do. When God speaks, what He says WILL come to pass. Even though we may grow frustrated, we just have to continue to wait upon the Master's hand.

Psalm 123 (written above) is very interesting to me. It seems to be about the merging of anticipation and waiting. The servant may have to wait a long time, but the Master is the Master. The servant's function is to serve. He/she has no choice but to wait. That is their job and just because the servant is waiting doesn't mean the Master will move any more quickly. 

The Master moves when He wishes. We must be there when He wishes us to serve.

(Photo via Unsplash)

It is in the waiting that we truly become servants. The servant must serve when the Master is present and when He isn't present. The promise is that because we are servants we will always have something precious to do for the King. However, the servant that grows weary and leaves his/her post, isn't a good servant because sometimes service is more about waiting than anything else.

We are not the masters of our own fate or the captain of our own destinies. This function in our lives belongs to the King. 

He is gracious and loving and brings us into fullness, but we must wait for our times and seasons.

The generation that we live in will not be passed by, but we who are born to intercede and declare must continue to do so until we see the harvest.

I want to be found faithful like Anna, the prophetess: "Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem." (Luke 2:36-38)

"When God speaks, what He says WILL come to pass."

Virgins were often married at about 15 or 16 years of age in ancient Israel. Some say that they were betrothed (or promised in marriage) as early as 12 years of age although they would wait longer to consummate the marriage. If Anna was married at 16 she would have been a widow by 23. For over 60 years she potentially fasted and prayed for the coming of the Messiah. The Lord impressed upon her that she would actually see His coming. She did not give up, although one wonders if she ever wavered in her longing.

The consummation of that longing was the infant child in her arms. She held Him in her oldest years. She held the promise in her arms! She most likely did not see Him become a man. She did not likely see Him on the Cross or His resurrection. However, she beheld the promise and believed in her heart.

There is something about the Word of the Lord in our heart that keeps us from wavering in the waiting. When we have heard His voice, it convinces us of the truth of that which is spoken. And so, even while we wait for the consummation of the promise, we do so because He convinces us that what He said WOULD happen. (Photo via Unsplash)

When God speaks, what He says is done in His mind. God has all of time in His hands. There is no wrestling within the mind of God with what is in the beginning and what is in the end. When He says that it will come to pass, it is like He is saying, "IT HAS COME TO PASS." His gaze just stretches a little further along than our own.

Perhaps you have heard Him speak a promise. Maybe you have even heard that revival is coming to the nations. I declare that in the waiting, you shall be refreshed. He will speak again. You will be found faithful in the temple when He appears. You are stronger than you think. Keep going, keep pursuing, keep the faith. 

(To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Darren Canning
Ministry of Darren Canning
Email: darrencanning78@gmail.com
Website: www.darrencanning.com

Darren Canning is a revivalist preacher who travels throughout Canada, the United States, and the world. His heart is for revival and believes that God will touch lives deeply wherever he travels. He teaches on hearing the voice of God and experiencing the supernatural. 

Darren's life was touched powerfully through an encounter with God and he was transformed from an atheistic lifestyle to a Believer in a moment. He has spent 14 years working for the government of Canada as an analyst specializing in transportation issues related to Aircraft Safety and Security. He is married to Lydia and is the father of seven children. He believes that if others experience the God of the supernatural then they too will be changed forever.

To receive more words like this in YOUR inbox, subscribe FREE to the Elijah List at this link http://elijahlist.com/subscribe.

God's Unusual Method of Promoting You to the Next Spiritual Level - FIA CURLEY CHARISMA NEWS

(Photo by Quintin Keller Published on Unsplash)

God's Unusual Method of Promoting You to the Next Spiritual Level

8/6/2017 FIA CURLEY  CHARISMA NEWS

Our resumes, our online profiles—they all boast our achievements.

And it makes sense. That's what they were designed to do.

Our lives are whittled down to bullet points supported by photos, tweets and descriptive hashtags. So it's not surprising that strangers read a couple of sentences next to our names and feel they know us.

They watch as our lives progress.

The completion of the recent degree?
The birth of the newest child?
The new house or bargain find?

It's all on display so others can see that #lifeisgood and we are #blessed.

Even if we missed out on the promotion, momentarily lost track of our kid at the store, are still living at home with our parents, but managed to save money on our car insurance policy, we want others to know we're #successfullyadulting.

Our social media outlets are designed to convey the same primary message: We are great and greatly to be praised.

Drink the Cup

But in the countercultural kingdom of God, greatness is defined differently.

In Mark 10, Jesus gives an earth-shattering lesson to His disciples who desired positions of prominence in His kingdom. The heir of all things teaches that despite the example of the culture, greatness is found in serving.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want that whatever we may ask, You would do for us."

He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

They said to Him, "Grant us to sit, one at Your right hand and the other at Your left hand, in Your glory."

But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"

They said to Him, "We can."

Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit at My right hand or at My left hand is not Mine to grant. It is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard it, they began to be very displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them together, and said, "You know that those who are appointed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever among you would be greatest must be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:35-45).

In this exchange with His disciples, Jesus fields the request for a promise for promotion with gentleness and patience, diffusing any potential arguments among the twelve. Instead of scolding James and John for wanting to be great, He teaches them what greatness actually means and how to achieve it.

Beyond wealth, education, possessions or accolades, God sees our greatness in service.

But Jesus called them together, and said, "You know that those who are appointed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. Whoever would be great among you must be your servant" (Mark 10:42-43).

In verses 42 and 43, not only does Jesus point out what is required to be great, but He instructs them as to how to properly go about qualifying for that greatness.

Instead of following the pattern of the leaders and officials that surrounded them, who were willing to push others down as they enjoyed their positions of power, honor and rule, Jesus points them in a different direction. In the kingdom of God, positions are awarded, but the pathways to the positions requested by James and John came through their acceptance of the cup Jesus would fully consume.

Serve With Humility

Jesus also teaches that in serving others, there is a correct way to serve.

We don't become great because we do the right actions. Rather the One who looks beyond the outward appearance and into the heart of every person calls us to a place of humility, worked out and honed through our times of serving.

A desire for greatness is innate. God has made us with a draw to be great and do great things. This is one of the ramifications of being made in the image of God, the only One who is great and greatly to be praised. Like children who observe their Father and want to be like Him, we too have that yearning built within us.

But true greatness and exaltation come with a price and that price is encountered as we travel along the pathway of humble servanthood. Instead of wanting to be great in this age in order to have others marvel at what we've achieved, we can use our greatness to make others great. We can find comfort in our hope of greatness in the age to come and humble ourselves, preferring others before ourselves. He will exalt us in due time (see James 4:10).

Like our Savior, who withheld nothing, pouring Himself out to teach, train, lead and restore those around Him, even when it led to a shameful death on a cross, we too can give of ourselves and invest our lives so that others would also be able to grow and thrive in God's presence, knowing their Maker.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in their midst, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:1-4).

Yes, be great. Be like Jesus in a broken and hurting world.

Humbly serve others the Lord has placed around you in your sphere of influence.

In your workplace, at your church, during your Bible study, at the grocery store, in your marriage, among your teammates, in your neighborhood—the Lord has a pathway toward greatness for you. But many times, those opportunities for greatness come in small runny-nosed packages, hard work, ill-timed interruptions and the simple, repetitive actions of household chores.

Let this mind be in you all, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. But He emptied Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in the form of a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:5-11).

Long to Be Great—God's Way

As we accept God's invitation for greatness, we enter the reality of what He's doing and what He's offering us.

Far beyond the life boasting the six-figure salary or a minimum wage, the Ph.D. or a GED, the latest Tesla or a monthly bus pass, Grammys, Pulitzers or even Teacher of the Year, God uses His distinct measuring stick for determining greatness.

In this life, there are opportunities to be and achieve great things, but His opportunities to serve are designed to launch us past our day-to-day and into the fullness of the ultimate reality of greatness in the kingdom. God is a rewarder and His nature is to reward—not flippantly, but lavishly, based on how we love Him in this age. He will review our lives and, in His grace, He will judiciously reward positions to us based on our response to His kingly leadership over our lives.

Let us answer that internal drive for greatness by pursuing God's design and will for our life. Through our specific skill sets and talents, the Lord will lead us to love and serve others for His glory, both for our benefit and for the benefit of the body, knowing that what Jesus said to the crowd is what will be true for us:

"Truly I say to you, among those who are born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matt. 11:11).

For more reading on this topic, see The Seven Longings of the Human Heart, by Mike Bickle with Deborah Hiebert.

Fia Curley serves on the NightWatch at the International House of Prayer Kansas City,participating in prayer, worship, and intercession from midnight to 6am. She enjoys blending her passion for prayer, worship, and journalism as she labors with the Lord to see His goodness revealed to families, government leaders, and immigrants from non-Christian nations.

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Prophecy: Know You Not That You Have Served My Angels? - JENNIFER LECLAIRE CHARISMA NEWS

Angels can assist in business dealings. (Alberto Romero/Flickr/CC)

Prophecy: Know You Not That You Have Served My Angels?

1/19/2017 JENNIFER LECLAIRE  CHARISMA NEWS

Jennifer LeClaire is now sharing her reflections and revelations through Walking in the Spirit. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

---

Marketplace ministers, listen up. Charisma Media Publisher and Executive Vice President-Media Group Dr. Steve Greene is getting strategic prophetic words from the Lord these days about Kingdom builders in the business world.

As he was preparing a business training program this morning, the Lord told him to begin to write as he was led by the Holy Spirit. Consider these powerful prophetic words:

The Lord says to those who serve customers today to serve others as you would serve Me. Serve with humility and not only out of duty. You seem to be going through motions that repeat with a daily boredom.

Know you not that you have served My angels? Unaware of My presence?

Give love unto the people I send you this day as you would give to Me if I asked for your help.

You have been gifted with a ministry of helps. You are called to serve the one who stands near you seeking help.

You are called to change the outcome of someone's day today. Serve the unlovely with your full capacity and with your full heart.

This is the day I have made for you to serve My people and My angels I will send your way.

This is in line with my 2017 prophecy about the angels of abundant harvest being released. You can read that at angelsprophecy.com. 

Be sure to sign up here for Dr. Greene's leadership e-newsletter. 

Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of awakeningtv.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer's Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.

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Did you like this article? You'll enjoy Jennifer LeClaire's book, Mornings With the Holy Spirit: Listening Daily to the Still Small Voice of God

"Celebrating Our Savior! The Worship of Our Lord by Martha, Lazarus and Mary" Catherine Brown, Glasgow, Scotland

"Celebrating Our Savior! The Worship of Our Lord by Martha, Lazarus and Mary"

Catherine Brown, Glasgow, Scotland

The Elijah List

...but only one thing is needed... Luke 10:42b

As we celebrate Resurrection Day, my heart is drawn once more into gazing into the face of Christ through Scripture. I'm certain that you, like me, long for a deeper place of holy intimacy with our Saviour. May we each experience this spiritual reality as we journey together this week in a fresh outpouring of grace and glory from Heaven. Yet, even as we long for new God-encounters, we come to pour out all that we are to the Lord. Let this Passover week be a time when we seek to give and not take, to serve and not seek to be served.

As I was meditating on John 12 I was blessed afresh by the profound picture of worship it paints through the lives of three extremely different siblings – Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John 12:1-3

It's so tempting to rush through a familiar portion of Scripture without waiting on the Holy Spirit to bring a fresh illumination. As I re-read this beautiful text, the Holy Spirit impressed this known truth upon me, and in the quiet place of humble waiting I grasped afresh how deep the worship of these three precious individuals was.

It was near Passover, and an occasion had been set apart to focus only on Jesus; a moment in time had been divinely mandated for pure and unadulterated worship of the Lord. A time had been consecrated to wait with Christ and soak up each second of His grace-filled presence. This wondrous encounter would precede the eternal mystery of God outworked on the earth through the beauty and brutality of Calvary. Here, in a little home in Bethany, Heaven came down to earth and the atmosphere inside the house was charged with glory.

A Time to Serve: Martha's Worship

Martha had once been rebuked by the Lord for placing service above worship (see Luke 10:41-42), but now there was not a single word of correction about Martha's service, and the reason was that she now flowed out of love for Christ as labor to Him rather than from a weary place of labor for Him. She was not functioning out of any misplaced sense of duty but rather used her anointed gift of hospitality in worship to her Savior. Long gone was the sense of "having to," now replaced with the reality of "wanting to" use her God-given talents in worship of her Savior. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

God has entrusted gifts, calling, anointing, and commission to every born-again Believer. May we endeavour to live in a place of focus and flow that allows the Spirit of God to permeate Christ's love through us to all those we are privileged to serve.

Perhaps, as she moved around the table catering to the Lord and the dear friends who had gathered at their home, Martha reflected on the words that had marked her as a woman of faith when they rose from within her as she spoke to Jesus at the death of her brother Lazarus: "But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask" (John 11:22).

She came to Jesus believing that after four days the Lord would raise her dead brother. She had spoken out of the depths of desperation of a broken heart, but nonetheless she had spoken triumphantly above her circumstances, and her hope was not lost in Christ. Now here she stood to love and serve the One whose resurrection power had raised her brother from the grave. How her faith must have soared to inexplicable heights in those few brief days, and how her heart was surely moved in supreme tenderness to worship Christ with all that she was.

Precious saints, bow your heart with me now and surrender afresh to worshipping God with everything you are.

A Time to Rest: Lazarus' Worship

I want you to use your imagination for just a few moments to picture Lazarus reclining at the table with Jesus. Don't think about the food or the wine; don't deliberate about the table or the benches or even who the other guests might have been. For just one second reflect on the look of adoration that must have been on Lazarus' face as he gazed into the eyes of Christ.

Ponder the reality that here was the living, breathing body of a man once dead who was now alive and well by the side of the King of Glory. Don't you feel he might have nestled as close to Jesus as he possibly could, perhaps even laying his head on the Lord's chest to listen to His heartbeat? Don't you suppose the atmosphere of faith in that room would have been gloriously tangible?

When Christ draws near the things of this world fade away. (Photo by Kevin Moffatt "Come Out!" viaelijahshopper.com)

We can only contemplate what Lazarus experienced during those four days when his body lay dead. What visions had he seen of Heaven and angels and glory? What had he experienced of Hell? These are questions we can never answer this side of eternity, however, it is interesting to ponder. 

Lazarus was raised to testify to Christ as the Resurrection and the Life and to God's miracle-working power. Every second of Lazarus' existence would be devoted to being a witness for Jesus. May we, too, emulate his holy, fiery passion to make Christ known throughout the nations!

A Time for Extravagant Adoration: Mary's Worship

We often think of Mary as the one who sat in attentive wonder at the feet of Christ, and rightly so, for Scripture affirms this (see Luke 10:39). Mary was a woman given to extravagant God-ward action. Yet, interestingly, Mary was not the first to go to the Master when her brother Lazarus died, rather it was her sister Martha who went out to meet Him whilst Mary stayed at home.

Did she wait to pray for Martha's encounter with the Lord? Was it within Mary's heart that her only sister Martha would know the blessed place of adoration she had attained in her relationship with Christ? Or was it a very different Mary who sat at home: Was her faith failing? Did she feel disappointed that the Master had been so near to Bethany and yet had delayed His coming, and in the interim period her beloved brother had died?

We will never truly know why Mary delayed in going to Christ, but we are told that when Martha returned "she went back and called her sister Mary aside. 'The Teacher is here,' she said, 'and is asking for you.' When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him" (John 11:28-29).

The Jews at the sisters' home had been comforting Mary. I sense Mary might have been having a faith-crisis, but when she learned that the Master was asking for her personally, something broke in Mary, allowing her to move from grief to the glory realm of one-on-one encounter with God.

The speed of her going to Jesus was so rapid that the Jews who had been with her followed her, expecting her to run in her grief to the tomb (see John 11:32). 

But Mary didn't run to the tomb, she ran to the One who is Resurrection and Life and she fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (verse 32). (Photo by Jennifer Page "Forgiven" viaelijahshopper.com)

What did Mary mean? She was acknowledging Christ as Healer, but it would seem she failed to fully comprehend that He could raise Lazarus back to life. Jesus was deeply moved by Mary's grief and those of the other mourners, too. There was no reproof or rejection, only the all-encompassing love of God expressed in Christ. Jesus wept with the brokenhearted and then proceeded to call Lazarus back to life. 

Envision the moment and rejoice, for we too will know this reality at the end of the Age when we are raised to eternal life in Christ.

In the meantime, let us also celebrate that God has personally called each one of us and meets us in every detail of our lives. He has an eternal plan and purpose for each of us, and Christ alone commands our destinies. Hallelujah!

Now consider the expensive perfume that was to be saved for the day of the Lord's burial: "Then Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume" (John 12:3).

Perhaps Mary had looked at her sister Martha enthralled in humble service and worship, then turned her attention to her once-dead brother now vibrant with life whose eyes were riveted with love on the Master, and she too remembered her season of agonizing pain, loss, and doubt now replaced with the wonder of resurrection glory. How could she withhold anything from the Lord?

She looked at that expensive perfume, and there was nothing that could hold her back. I envisage the multitude of angels that must have attended that occasion when all Heaven watched with bated breath as Mary picked up the nard. This was an unforgettable moment of holy awe, and out of the flow of Mary's heart came an action of dynamic worship and wonder and she offered Him her everything. All of it, every single drop of the expensive nard, was poured out on the Master as the alabaster jar was broken open. 

She loved Him so and nothing could be withheld; her beloved Savior was irreplaceable. 

She poured it out and the whole house was flooded with fragrance. (Photo by Lillis Boyer "Holy Incense" via elijahshopper.com)

I imagine the silence and then the outpouring of grace and the crescendo of angelic worship that trumpeted earthwards as holy beings celebrated and joined the adoring hearts of Mary, Lazarus, and Martha. Heaven and earth were joined in this moment of marvel as Christ was worshipped and adored.

May we live in the overflow of such expression of love to and for our Savior. I pray that our lives would be a fragrance to Jesus and that we would each breakthrough in victorious faith to live lifestyles worthy of His lovely name. We were made to worship and adore Him. He is worthy of all our praise. Today and always may God bless you and keep you in His tender love.

Your sister and friend,

Catherine Brown

Founder/International Director, Gatekeepers Global Ministries

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 32 nations/regions to achieve the vision objectives. As of January 2015, there are almost 150,000 new converts and 117 new church plants. 

Catherine operates in an impacting apostolic/teaching 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 grown up children and live in the West Coast of Scotland.

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We Need a Revival of New Testament Love - J. LEE GRADY

We Need a Revival of New Testament Love

2/4/2015 J. LEE GRADY  CHARISMA MAGAZINE 

What we need these days is a dose of good ol' fashioned New Testament love.

We who call ourselves Spirit-filled Christians are notorious for overusing the term "revival." If we get a standing-room-only crowd in a church for more than three nights in a row, and those people end up swooning on the floor after the altar call, we start hyping things up and comparing the meetings to the First Great Awakening.

But what exactly are the signs of a genuine move of God? Lately I've been buried in Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians to find the answer to that question. After all, one of the most explosive spiritual awakenings in history took place in the Greek city of Thessalonica. It was a headquarters of ancient paganism (and just three hours from Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods), yet when the gospel was preached there it triggered a chain reaction of miracles and mass conversions.

Paul said of the spiritual explosion in Thessalonica: "Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (1 Thess. 1:5a). A riot erupted, Paul was run out of town, and the new Christians were persecuted. Yet the attacks couldn't stop them: The impact of this move of God was so forceful that within a short time the newly converted Thessalonians spread their faith throughout most of Greece (see v. 8).

So we could say that biblical revivals always include: (1) powerful preaching that brings heavy conviction of sin; (2) supernatural miracles that display God's power and confirm the message; (3) notable numbers of true converts who share their faith aggressively; and (4) persecution from those who resist the gospel. But after reading 1 Thessalonians a few more times I noticed one additional hallmark of genuine revival that we often ignore: (5) remarkable, sincere love that nurtures the growing Christian church.

We all want the miracles. We long to see mass conversions. But we forget that New Testament revival doesn't happen without New Testament love. I see this love manifested in some specific ways:

1. Servant-hearted leadership. The apostle Paul and the leaders on his team did not think of themselves as "all that." They weren't pulpit stars. They didn't ride in limousines or demand five-star hotel rooms. Paul was even willing to work a job so he wouldn't be a burden to the Thessalonians. He told them: "Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our very own lives, because you had become very dear to us" (1 Thess. 2:8).

In today's "Spirit-filled" churches, some pastors have morphed into hipster CEOs who appear only in the pulpit and on the video screen. They may bring a powerful message, but the idea of personal impartation has become a relic of a bygone era. In the era of the iChurch, we really can't get on the people's level. That's too bad, because sermons alone don't make disciples. People need a personal touch from leaders who feel deep affection for those they are discipling.

2. Selfless investment. When Paul was in prison, he didn't throw a pity party or feel bad for himself. He was thinking 24/7 about the people he had led to Christ in Thessalonica. He desperately wanted to see them again. They were in his heart. He prayed for them constantly "that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith" (3:10). That kind of selfless love, modeled by humble leaders, sets the bar high for the entire church.

3. Slobbering affection. The word "brethren" appears in 1 Thessalonians 17 times. Paul understood that when we join the community of the redeemed, we are bonded together by the Holy Spirit who lives in all of us. That precious spiritual bond should be treasured. That's why Paul wrote: "May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another" (1 Thess. 3:12). He knew the true measure of Christian maturity is fervent love.

Paul also told the Thessalonians: "Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss" (5:26). Today we explain this verse away by suggesting that kissing was a cultural tradition that doesn't apply to us. Really? I've been in churches where people keep their polite distance, and their lack of affection is an indicator of their icy spiritual condition. Some people criticize what they call "sloppy agapé," but I've learned that when Christians hug and kiss each other, they are also more prone to be passionate followers of Jesus.

Paul cared deeply about his followers and he told them: "We proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children" (2:7). There is a direct connection between extravagant love for each other and the spirit of New Testament revival. Let's rediscover it.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter @leegrady. He is the author of The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale and other books. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, at themordecaiproject.org.

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