“It Will Come – The Lord’s Provision for Ministry” – Now Think On This by Steve Martin

    

March 18, 2020

“After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking.” Acts 18:1-3, THE MESSAGE

Paul made tents. Or as most understood in the Jewish craftsmen trade, tallits. Non-Jews, Gentiles, would know these as prayer shawls. These are the large head coverings used in prayer and sometimes, when needed, as protective clothing against the wind and rain. For those who have had the joy and honor of going to the Western Wall (the Kotel) in the Old City of Jerusalem, it is good seeing the men (and some women) praying in earnest with their tallits covering their heads.

Men wearing tallits at the Western Wall (Kotel) – Photo by Steve Martin, 2019

Here in the USA, most synagogues have them available before entrance into the main auditorium for gatherings, should you not have your own with you. As a Gentile, I never do, though I have one at home.

How do I know that the English word used here in Acts 18, “tentmaking” in Hebrew would be “tallit”? Because a Jewish man explained this verse in Acts to me. This good friend, a Messianic Jew who Love For His People ministry assists with monthly provision, also labors in a trade in Israel. Being indebted to the Jews for what they have given Christians also (Bible, Messiah, Prophets), we consider it our privilege and duty to bless his work in the Land of Israel.

As several of you may know, who have read my books or have known of my history, I served with three ministries in the USA for 24 years, as Director, Administrator, and/or Accountant. Usually, it was both the administration and the accounting positions at the same time. Each of these three organizations had a primary interest in Israel and the Jews. One organization’s founders resided five miles west of Jerusalem, with an American office that I ran for 5 years, prior to beginning Love For His People in 2010.

As one very attuned to the vast financial and operational cost of these ministries, I made a commitment that when I started a ministry, our income would come from resources other than the monthly mass appeal letter choice, which is very common with large (and small) ministries. And yet I had a difficult time justifying all the time and expense, needing paid staff and constant volunteers, outside contractors for specific portions of the job, and just the overall expense of scheduled monthly appeals (“opportunity letters” as one called them).

I personally committed to not do that and would trust the Lord with other means of provision.

Being I had left the $70,000 job in 2010, with full benefits, medical, vacation and more, one simply does not cover that income loss by trusting in family and friends to “come forth”, even though a good handful did. I had to get part-time work to pay our personal house mortgage, car payment, and everything in between. With my good wife’s income from her daycare job. The Lord did provide and give some great ways to cut expenses at the same time. It is amazing what you think you need but don’t when you really don’t have that extra to shell out.

But in all of this, and even if it took a while, the Lord has shown me that I too can be as Paul, and be a “tentmaker”, which in turn would bring in provision for the ministry work He has called us to do.

Yeshua HaMashiach

And thus, through my accounting contract jobs, the funds came, and continue to do so. Right into the ministry’s bank account, too. No personal taxes deducted. Nothing.

We are grateful for the ones who have joined alongside us in sharing their financial gifts, seeing the need, knowing the work that is done – provision for those we do support with extra gifts, along with with the outreach through social media, book publication, and teaching opportunities given to advance the Kingdom of God.

I wanted to write this testimony to let you know that there are more than the “usual” ways most ministries operate in having income to fund the mission.

As the Lord has given me the skill in accounting to do it, you too may be wanting to have a ministry outreach, and He will have you use your years of experience, training and skills developed, to also have a service or trade in order to provide for your ministry work.

And yes, Love For His People ministries does accept and receive all gifts, small or large, with thankful hearts! https://loveforhispeople.com/donate/

As one closing thought, here is a word from the Word, that I practice very often, because I believe it, and found He is true to His Word.

“But the generous person devises generous things, and his generosity will keep him standing.” Isaiah 32:8, Complete Jewish Bible

Now think on this.

Ahava and shalom,

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

See the Love For His People app?

SPECIAL NOTE: Our ministry’s new mobile app is available for iPhones and Androids is available. These are free app downloads! Look here: Love For His People free phone app

Please sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter: Now Think On This. The sign-up form is on our new ministry website: https://loveforhispeople.com

COMING July 10-11, 2020

LOOK HERE: Aliyah event in Charlotte, North Carolina region

You are welcome to help support the work of this ministry, including the assistance we give to families in Israel: DONATE online now. You can also send checks to: Love For His People P.O. Box 414 Pineville, NC 28134

E-mail: loveforhispeople@gmail.com

Please share Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.  Others will be thankful you did. And I thank you too.

Now Think On This #491 – in the year of our Lord 03.18.2020 – “How It Will Come – The Lord’s Provision for Ministry” Wednesday, 6:30 am in Charlotte, NC USA

Israel's History - a Picture a Day - Yom Kippur at the Western Wall 00 Years Ago

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

---

Yom Kippur at the Western Wall 00 Years Ago

Posted: 20 Sep 2015

Reposting a feature from last year


Jews at the Kotel on Yom Kippur (circa 1904) See analysis of the graffiti
on the wall for dating this picture. The graffiti on the Wall are memorial notices. (Library of Congress)

On Tuesday night, September 22, Jews around the world will commemorate Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. For many centuries, Jews in the Land of Israel prayed at the Western Wall, the remnant of King Herod's retaining wall of the Temple complex destroyed in 70 AD.


Several readers noticed and commented on the intermingling of men and women in these historic pictures. It was not by choice.

The Turkish and British rulers of Jerusalem imposed severe restrictions on the Jewish worshipers, prohibiting chairs, forbidding screens to divide the men and women, and even banning the blowing of the shofar at the end of the Yom Kippur service. Note that the talit prayer shawls, normally worn by men throughout Yom Kippur, are not visible in the pictures.

Jews at the Western Wall (Ottoman Empire Archives)

Editor' note: In September 2015, the Ottoman Empire Archives tweeted this picture of Jews at the Western Wall, circa 1900 when the Turks ruled Palestine. Note the small tables permitted at the time, a very unusual concession.



The men are wearing their festival/Sabbath finery, including their fur shtreimel hats. Note the prayer shawls. (Credit: RCB Library, 1897)

We found one rare picture in an Irish church's archives, dated 1897, showing men wearing prayer shawls at the Kotel.

View this video, Echoes of a Shofar, to see the story of young men who defied British authorities between 1930 and 1947 and blew the shofar at the Kotel.


Another view of the Western Wall on Yom Kippur. Note the various groups of worshipers: The Ashkenazic Hassidim wearing the fur shtreimel hats in the foreground, the Sephardic Jews wearing the fezzes in the center, and the women in the back wearing white shawls. (Circa 1904, Library of Congress)

For the 19 years that Jordan administered the Old City, 1948-1967, no Jews were permitted to pray at the Kotel.


Many of the photo collections we have surveyed contain pictures of Jewish worshipers at the Western Wall over the last 150 years.

After the 1967 war, the Western Wall plaza was enlarged and large areas of King Herod's wall were exposed. Archaeologists have also uncovered major subterranean tunnels -- hundreds of meters long -- that are now open to visitors to Jerusalem.

Click on the photos to enlarge. Click on the captions to see the originals.