Monday, February 17, 2014

Chinese Bamboo Tree - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Chinese Bamboo Tree

Steve Martin

“However, we want each one of you to keep showing the same diligence right up to the end, when your hope will be realized; so that you will not become sluggish, but will be imitators of those who by their trust and patience are receiving what has been promised.”

Hebrews 6:11-12 CJB

I first heard the story of the Chinese bamboo tree in the late 1990’s. As the administrator of All Nations Church in Charlotte, NC, pastored by Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda, others and myself were anticipating the growth in the church membership. All involved with the new church plant in this Carolina region, begun in 1994, were working hard, giving what each had been gifted to do, in leadership, service, and care for the people.

Mahesh spoke one Sunday morning, and again at the all-night prayer time that Friday night following, called the Watch of the Lord, about the Chinese bamboo tree. It was an encouraging word, both to the church as a group, and to individuals specifically. Myself included.

In helping us visualize what can happen in the spiritual, by looking at natural examples the Lord gives us, Mahesh explained the amazing characteristics of this particular plant species. He spoke of how it is most often the way the Lord starts and grows a work that He has initiated. If He birthed it, He will see that it thrives, as we hear and obey along the way. But the way isn’t what we always think it will be. Or at least hope it will be.

Briefly, this particular bamboo, after being planted as a sprout, is watered, fertilized, watered, fertilized, watered, fertilized, again and again and again. Year after year. But there is no visible evidence that anything is happening. During that time, it certainly can be very challenging to one’s faith, especially if you are the one hauling the water and the fertilizer!

Year one passes. Nothing seen. Year two comes and goes. Nothing. But yet you remain faithful, believing the unseen will become the seen.

Year three. “Nada” (as is “nothing” in Spanish.) Year four - “Niet” (“no” in Russian.) Year five – “klum” (nothing) in Hebrew. But year five!

In a 23 day period, the Chinese bamboo explodes upward 22 feet into the sky. And in the short period of six weeks total, it can reach 80 feet! Remarkable! World Book Encyclopedia records that one bamboo plant can grow three feet in a simple twenty-four-hour period.

The question is then asked – did it grow 80 feet in six weeks or 80 feet in five years? I’m saying the later.

During that five year period, the root system, unseen, was being developed. Once the time had come to shoot upwards, the foundation had already been laid. This would then sustain the height and weight of the full grown tree. In addition to the upward growth, shoots had been sent out, also below ground level. This multiplication can come up through the soil up to ten feet away.

What a natural visual for us in the spiritual. Builds your faith, right? You who have been laboring, faithfully, in the natural, all the time hoping, believing to see the increase come in the spiritual. Prayer, reading the Lo

You have been waiting. You have been doing. You have been crying out to the Lord for more results.

The time is coming. For you, it may be the 5^th year now.

God the Father has given us examples of those who have gone before us – Joseph, David, even Yeshua (Jesus) Himself. Each had to spend the time needed to first develop the character, before the time of the release. They then had the capacity for strength, wisdom and love to hold the weight of the assignment He had for them. As for them, so for you - that eternal purpose He has for you.

My prayer is that you will not quit in the third year. That you will keep believing through the fourth year. And that you will get the reward in that fifth year.

Our God is a faithful God. His promises are true to you.

Ahava,

Steve Martin

Love For His People

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THE REVIVAL CODE (c) Morris E. Ruddick

THE REVIVAL CODE

(c) Morris E. Ruddick

"Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:2

I have heard many, who experienced the days of the Charismatic Revival,
to describe it with the words: "It was like there was something in the air."
Indeed there was. God was moving. There prevailed an awareness and
expectation with God that simply incited a priority to being a part of it.

I heard an author named Doug Wead ("Tonight They'll Kill a Catholic,"
Creation House, 1974) share about the research he did in war-torn
Northern Ireland, during a time in which Protestants and Catholics
were meeting together for prayer. His research was to verify the
incredible stories of miracles that were coming from these gatherings.
His observation was that in seven out of ten of the stories, there
indeed had been amazing things that had happened, but the stories
had been exaggerated. However, he noted that in three out of ten of
the cases, that they could only be described with the word: "WOW!!"

That was a generation ago. Since that time, the Body of Christ
has experienced much growth, both in numbers and maturity. Yet
when the word revival is raised, those we are close to, to a person,
can be quoted as expressing a longing for more, much more of
this dimension of God being at the forefront of everyday life.

Under the pressures of the Cultural Revolution, the church in China
equally had amazing growth and stories of miracles. Church growth
in places like Indonesia and Korea can be explained by nothing
short of revival fires being released. Similarly, the church in Vietnam
has emerged as a vibrant, praying church that has truly touched the
hem of His garment.

The Issues

Yet, in defining sovereign moves of the Spirit, the question must be
asked: What is it that distinguishes true revival from the contagion
of a well-orchestrated program. From models of revival, what are
the codes and strategies that ignite and sustain it? Likewise, is
revival something that has manifested just since the Acts 2
outpouring of the Holy Spirit or is there precedent historically within
the Jewish roots to the faith?

One of my favorite remembrances from the early 1970s, days of
vibrant revival fires, was what we referred to as body ministry. It was
one of the distinguishing characteristics of those days. Praying for
one another was more spontaneous. We took time to gather; to
bear one another's burdens.

I recall vividly small group gatherings that nurtured short words of
wisdom, exhortations, testimonies of answered prayer, simple
scriptures participants may have had on their hearts; all of which
came together prophetically under the Spirit's guidance to form
a theme that highlighted and encouraged those people gathering.

These interactive dynamics would be followed by spontaneous
prayer as members of the group revealed needs tied to the words
given. Spontaneity, Word-based, Spirit led were the key factors
that marked these gatherings. It was the gatherings like this that
became the spark that ignited revival in a broad, cross-section
of the church.

Similarly, Acts 2 notes that the believers in the early church met
daily and broke bread together in their homes; in addition to
meeting in the temple. The Amplified version notes those
gatherings included the Lord's supper and prayers (v. 42). Paul
gave instruction for such gatherings (1 Cor 14:26) with the
admonition that when they came together that opportunity should
be given for ministering to one another; building one another up.
He made it clear that this vital function should be done under
the guidance of leadership, decently and in order.

The Old Covenant is rich with historical references to what
happened when God's people came together, as one. This
was the purpose of the feast days which served purposes such
as community-wide repentance (Yom Kippur), to celebrating
God's deliverance of His people (Passover; the exact time
paralleling Jesus' resurrection), to giving honor to Pentecost
(the giving of God's Torah/Truth; which also was when the
Acts 2 outpouring of the Spirit happened).

"Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down
from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the
sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
The priests could not enter into the house of the LORD
because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD'S house."
2 Chron 7:1-3

Some of these community-wide gatherings involve fasting,
but each result in rejoicing, prayer and celebrating the Lord,
which includes spiritually festive times of eating together.

"So you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival;
your hearts will rejoice as when people go to the mountain
of the Lord. The Lord will cause men to hear his majestic
voice and will make them see his anger and consuming fire,
with cloudburst, thunderstorm and hail. The voice of the Lord
will shatter His enemies; with his scepter he will strike
them down." Isa 30:29-31

The Dynamics

When revival is in evidence its prime dynamics will include
the broad community-response of believers; the priority
given to God and His presence; and of hearing from Him;
all of which engenders radical obedience to God's
standard and heart.

Community-Response

Revival fires that are unleashed at the community-level,
will have an impact that affects the broader community:
a broad cross-section of churched and unchurched alike. It
brings an insatiable hunger for God as people reach out for the
reality of God operating in their midst.

It operates beyond denominational and doctrinal boundaries,
while adhering to central biblical common ground shared
by all. As our pastor from the early 70s told us: "In our faith
are some things, for which, we should be willing to die.
Those are the areas the Body needs to agree on."
Revival flows in those areas.

God's Presence and Priority
Times of revival are marked by the consciousness of
God's presence and powerful answers to prayer. With
a keen focus on prayer, worship and seeking God, there
is a reverence and centrality to giving the priority necessary
to take that "next step" with God.

It provokes a trust and spontaneity of gathering with those
of a kindred spirit to seek Him, in waiting on Him with
prayer gatherings that tap and unveil the specifics of
His priorities and will.

Hearing God

Revival pivots on the consciousness of
His presence which results in hearing from God. It
involves a humility and trust that is willing to be personally
vulnerable in order stay in the prophetic flow of the Spirit.
Operating in the flow of His Spirit and His will, results
in the tendency toward remarkable answers to prayer.

Hearing God is always in conformance with the standard
of His Truth. Those truly tapping God's guidance are like the
Bereans in Acts 17, daily searching the Scripture to verify
and grasp all that the Spirit is imparting.

Radical Obedience

Hearing God and obeying is not in any
way passive. It realigns and it changes things. It changes
things on both an individual and a community-level. It becomes
the basis of what is referred to as societal transformation.

It can be said that spiritual maturity kicks in when the prime
focus shifts from issues of self to engaging one's calling in
serving community and Kingdom issues. Radical obedience
accelerates this process. It generates a more global,
proactive perspective that is interactive among those
sharing in this flow of the Spirit.

Most Distinguishing Characteristic

True revival is marked by the atmosphere of God's presence.
It is an atmosphere of His presence that doesn't fade when
the gathering is over. It abides. It represents a spark, an
igniter of the Spirit which those embracing it carry with them.

What we perceive when "God is moving" is first our
heightened God-consciousness, together with a God-response
to our spiritual hunger and purity of our reach for Him.

When the atmosphere of God's presence prevails, the
dynamic fuels an explosive multiplication. This is the
increase that results as the combination of the anointings
and the diversity of the gifts of those in community,
responding to revival begin operating together in unity.

Those who have experienced revival, the atmosphere of
His presence, yearn for the unfathomable consciousness
of His presence. It is insatiable. It has a depth that knows
no bounds. It sparks at the dividing asunder between soul
and spirit. It is contagious for those who truly seek Truth.
His presence indeed changes everything.

Revival's Catalysts

There are subtle, but distinct differences between the
catalysts that ignite revival; and the nurturing or maintaining
of revival; and of spiritual maturing.

Sound doctrine helps us mature spiritually as we
progressively grasp the glimmers of His Truth. Yet Jesus
referred to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth, Who
leads us into all Truth. Holy Spirit revival fires guide us
into Truth. Revival is that process of release that provokes
the manifestation of the reality of God.

There are some who are carriers of revival. This is a key
function of how the anointing operates

Carriers of revival are catalysts, igniters of God's presence.
When one spends time in God's presence, they begin to
operate as a carrier of His presence. We make reference
to "flowing" in His Spirit. The anointing is given release,
from the priority given to time spent with God.

When it matures with a pure heart, the overflow of the
anointing operates in concert with the leadership anointing,
each within their own sphere (2 Cor 10:13). It is the
foundation for influence. It has become the basis of many
successful ministries. It similarly represents the authority
of the intercessor to be a shield for those for whom they
stand in the gap.

Moses was a carrier for God's presence. He was a
gatekeeper for God's glory among the people. It was a
dynamic that began with the time Moses spent in God's
presence together with the fervency he had in reaching
for the conscious abiding of God's presence.

"'I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me
know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find
favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your
people.' The Lord said, 'My presence shall go with you,
and I will give you rest.' Moses then said to Him, 'If
Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us
up from here. For how can it be known that I have
found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not
by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people,
may be distinguished from all the other people of the
earth?' Then Moses said, 'I pray You show me your glory.'"
Ex 33:13-19

Many years ago, during a time of ministry, a man of
God prefaced his ministry to us with these words:
"I sit in the presence of the Lord. There are many things
I could say to you; but what I bring you, I bring from the
presence of the Lord." That orientation is one of my
chief prayers for what I scribe with my writings and
what I impart with my God's economy program.

I have no desire to operate outside that context. I
yearn for and seek the anointing that breaks the
yoke. In this quest, for over two decades, I have
embraced a lifestyle of arising in the middle of the
night to pray and seek God. It is a part of the cost.

The Kingdom of God is the culture through which
God's people operate. Revival and the restoration
of God's order are at the heart of the Kingdom. God
is a consuming fire. His presence is a catalyst, a fire
that ignites change in its wake. When manifesting,
this conscious, flowing presence of the Lord, through
His people, yields the authority to reset governments
and economies and the cultures of the peoples
of the world.

At the core of this abiding presence operating through
His people, is what Paul referred to as the law of Christ:
bearing one another's burdens. Scripture tells us that
Jesus took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.
He was bruised for our iniquities and by His stripes we
were healed. It is the standard for those willing to endure
the cost. It is the banner for those who have been
prepared for this season.

It is a mantle of fire traversing a pathway of fire, with a
responsibility and authority that wields God's glory to
restore His order. It is a mantle that carries a cost for
those paying the cost in paving its pathway.

"The wilderness and wasteland shall be glad. The desert
shall rejoice and bloom. You shall see the glory of the
Lord, the excellency of our God. So strengthen the weak
hands, make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who
are feeble-hearted: 'Be strong, do not fear.' Then the
eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the
death unstopped.

The lame shall leap like a dear and
the tongue of the dumb sing. Waters shall burst forth
in the wilderness and springs in the desert. The parched
ground shall become a pool and a highway shall be
there and a road. It shall be called the highway of
holiness. The unclean will not pass over it, for it shall
be for the redeemed; and whoever walks this road
will not go astray." Isaiah 35:1-8

___________________________________________________

Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman
for the call of God in the marketplace since the mid-90s.
As founder of Global Initiatives Foundation and designer
of the God's Economy Entrepreneurial Equippers Program,
Mr. Ruddick imparts hope and equips economic
community builders where God's light is dim in both
the Western and non-Western world.

He is author of "The Joseph-Daniel Calling;"
"Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations;"
"The Heart of a King;" "Something More;" and
"Righteous Power in a Corrupt World," which
address the mobilization of business and
governmental leaders called to impact their
communities with God's blessings. They are
available in print and e-versions from
www.Amazon.com, www.BarnesandNoble.com
and other popular outlets.

Global Initiatives Foundation (www.strategic-initiatives.org)
is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 non-profit whose efforts are
enabled by the generosity of a remnant of faithful friends
and contributors whose vision aligns with God's heart
to mobilize the persecuted church to be the head and
not the tail. Checks on US banks should be made out to
Global Initiatives and mailed to

PO Box 370291,
Denver CO 80237

or email us atsign@strategicintercession.org
for access information on our secure web-site.

Likewise, email us to schedule a briefing for your
congregation on the state of the persecuted church
and how you can more effectively pray for them.

2014 Copyright Morris Ruddick

sign@strategicintercession.org

Reproduction is prohibited unless permission is given
by a SIGN advisor. Since 1996, the Strategic Intercession
Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized prophetic
intercessors and leaders committed to targeting
strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a
global basis. For previous posts or more information on
SIGN, check: http://www.strategicintercession.org

Morris Ruddick
Global Initiatives Foundation
www.strategic-initiatives.org
www.strategicintercession.org

When We Fall Short, His Work at the Cross Is More Than Enough by MICHAEL BROWN

Michael Brown

When We Fall Short, His Work at the Cross Is More Than Enough

Yes, it is finished! The divine mission has been accomplished! Jesus has done it! Every sin has been paid for, every evil deed judged, and the full and total price of our redemption purchased at the cross. That is the power of the blood of Jesus. That is the glory of the Son of God. That is the depth of the Father’s love—and it was all for you and for me so that forever we could be with Him and even share in His nature. Who could imagine such a story of love?

Jesus perfectly lived the life He had to live and perfectly died the death He had to die. It is finished! It is with good reason that John G. Lake (1870-1935) said, “In all of your preaching and teaching you must always leave people with the consciousness of the triumph of Christ.” Yes! Amen!

It’s time we put our focus on the cross, where Jesus the Messiah “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” where God “made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,” where the Father canceled “the record of debt that stood against us with legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (1 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Col 2:14).

It was at the cross that the Lord “disarmed the [demonic] rulers and authorities and put them to open shame,” triumphing over them through Yeshua’s death and resurrection (Col. 2:15, ESV). And it was there at the cross that Jesus “himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds [we] have been healed. For [we] were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of [our] souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25).

The story really is too good to be true, and to exaggerate it is to cheapen it. See what Paul wrote 2,000 years ago in Romans 5:6-10, 15, 17, and note those words, “much more”! Everything about the cross shouts, “Much more!” Surely that “much more” is more than enough for us!

We sinned. He died.

We were guilty He was punished.

We deserved death. He gave his life.

We rejected Him. He accepted us.

We drove the nails in His hands. Those nails saved our souls!

And now, in Him, we have everything we need. And now, through Him, we can do the Father’s bidding. And now, with Him, we can go and change the world. Isn’t this more than enough?

Our sins have been dealt with once and for all at the cross, and we need never look for another sacrifice or offering for our guilt. When we fall short, we look back to the cross, and the same blood that saved us cleanses us afresh, and we go forward, free from condemnation and guilt, living lives that please the Lord.

And there’s something else that we now understand. When He died, we died with Him, and we too have been raised in newness of life, considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. 6:6-12). That is the power of the gospel!

And when Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He sent the Spirit down to us, now to dwell within us, to guide us and instruct us, turning us from error and leading us into truth, communing with us in holy fellowship and empowering us for holy service. This is the all complete, all comprehensive grace of God, and all of it was purchased at the cross, where the Savior of the world perfectly accomplished the Father’s mission, declaring, “It is finished!”

Because of that we have a glorious calling! (See 2 Peter 1:3-4). He has now promised that nothing in the universe can separate us from His love and that He Himself will keep us strong to the end, as we “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that [we] heard” (Col. 1:23), confident that the God “who began a good work in [us] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:6), and putting our trust in the one “who is able to keep [us] from stumbling and to present [us] blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).

Is this not enough? Is this not much more than enough?

That’s why for the next trillion years, just as eternity is getting started, we will glory more and more in the finished work of the cross, finally understanding just what Paul meant when he said, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). May this be our boast as well.

Adapted from Hyper-Grace by Michael Brown, PhD, copyright 2014, published by Charisma House. This book gives you a true understanding of the grace of God as not only His unmerited favor, but also His ongoing empowerment and continued working on our behalf. It will help you discern between a true and false message of grace and keep you scripturally grounded and on the right track in your spiritual journey. To order your copy click here.

PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 2/17/2014

This week meditate on what Christ did for you on the cross, and spend time thanking God for this ultimate sacrifice of immeasurable love. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Pray that God will direct each day and give you opportunities to share His love and gospel with those who desperately need Him. Lift up those suffering from the effects of recent winter storms and look to connect with those offering help, ministry and provision. Continue to pray that our nation’s leaders will recognize their need for God’s wisdom, guidance and counsel. Pray for more laborers for the harvest, for Israel to fulfill God’s purpose and for worldwide revival to spread. Ps. 100; Col. 1:23; Phil. 1:6.

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Sunday, February 16, 2014

A Great Tour with Christian Friends of Israel - 2005

Ben Gurion Airport - Tel Aviv

Barry & Batya Segal - Vision For Israel

Avraham & Dahlia Saiden, Steve Martin - Shabbat meal

CFI-USA Director - Hannele Pardain & Jeanette Alongi

Bill Koening - "Eye To Eye" author

Jack Alongi - An American tourist in Israel

David's Citadel - Old City Jerusalem

Gravesite of Derek Prince in the German Colony, Jerusalem

Getting there and back from JFK in NYC.

Elvis Pressley - a king in Israel

Mount of Beatitudes

YMCA in Jerusalem

Nazareth Village

Capernaum synagogue remains from 1st Century

Yeshua (Jesus) is the Light of the World

All but one of these photos were taken by Steve Martin.

(Can you guess which one wasn't?)

Israel, Germany Team Up to Help Africa - ISRAEL TODAY

Israel, Germany Team Up to Help Africa

Sunday, February 16, 2014 | Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY

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Israeli Goodwill

Israel's government has approved the Africa Initiative, which will see Israel invest 24 million shekels ($7 million) and Germany put up another 240 million shekels ($70 million) for a joint mission to aid developing nations in Africa in a variety of areas, including agriculture, water management, food security and health.

Against the backdrop of the increasingly important strategic relationship between Israel and Germany, and the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Israeli government unanimously agreed to dub 2015 a "Year of Jubilee," seeing as it is the 50th anniversary of official relations between the two nations.

This special Year of Jubilee will be marked by a number of events and joint initiatives.

The Africa Initiative is actually an expansion of Israeli-German cooperation in two projects that have been taking place in Africa for the past three years: one to restore Lake Victoria in Kenya, and the other to implement better irrigation and water management in Ethiopia.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he hoped the initiative would help more Germans and Europeans to realize that Israel is about much more than just conflict.

Israel and Germany officially established diplomat relations in 1965. Since then, Israel's relations with Germany have been central to its foreign policy in general, and in Europe in particular. Germany also supplies the Israeli military with important weapons, primarily submarines, and is the Jewish state's fifth largest export destination.

However, with mounting criticism of Israel in Germany, there is growing concern that the next generation of Germans will no longer find interest in the reasons for the special relationship that exists between the two nations today. The German government is involved in various projects to make sure that doesn't happen, including a youth exchange that sends 5,000 young Germans to Israel every year in order to get to know the Jewish state.

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“Coffee In. Coffee Out.” - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Yehuda Hochman with Hannele Pardain

(CFI-USA 2008 - photo by Steve Martin)

“Coffee In. Coffee Out.”

Yehuda was such an enjoyable Israeli tour guide. When he wasn't speaking Hebrew, Russian, or any of the other four languages he knows, in addition our American English, he would say some quite catchy phrases as he escorted our tour group across the Promised Land.

Having had the privilege and honor of being on three Christian Friends of Israel tours, I truly enjoyed Yehuda Hochman on my last one with CFI. He was the one guiding our "air-conditioned last days camel bus" back in 2008. That camel bus carried 40 men and women on the wonderful excursion.

If you recall that famous picture of the four soldiers standing at the Western Wall in 1967, after recapturing it in the Old City of Jerusalem, from neighboring Jordan, he is the one standing behind the other three more popularly known ones. You rarely hear of him though. At least I hadn’t before that trip.

It wasn't until the last night of that May 2008 travel, when we had our "last supper" (I love the Israeli dinner buffets in the hotels!) that the majority of us only then discovered who he was. When I saw a book with that historic photo on it, and he being asked to autograph it, my curiosity arose even more.

"Why is he signing that book?" I asked Hannele Pardain, USA Director of CFI-USA (or was it Mark DeVito, Chairman of the Board, my roommate?)

When the response was "That is him on the cover", I was disheartened that I didn't buy that poster on that trip, which I could have had him sign.

The title of this Now Think About This edition, "Coffee in coffee out" is one of his most famous sayings I am sure. When the bus made several needed scheduled stops, his words held true. What goes in must come out! Yehuda to this day is a great tour guide. I hope to meet up with him again on one of our trips, and introduce you to him.

The Aroma brand Israeli coffee, with cafes in and around Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheva, had outsold Starbuck's drink offerings. Our bus load was one of the reasons.

In November of 2010, after my then 24 year old daughter Christen walked down the aisle, and joined in holy matrimony to Andrew Blade (I got the honor of being both father and minister!), Love For His People started doing our annual Ahava Adventures trip to Yeretz Israel (Land of Israel.)

Primarily meant to connect our travelers with believers in Israel, we limit the numbers who go with us to just a few at a time. Because going in some sections where "no tour bus has gone before", on foot, bus or train, enables us to touch the land and people in a more impacting way for each life. We do a lot of walking in the capital city of Jerusalem, where we spend most of our time. It is also a joy to have special meals with friends, building on those relationships established over the decade.

Whether you go on any number of wonderful annual Israel tours, with Hannele Pardain of CFI-USA, Cathy Hargett with Highway To Zion, Jonathan Bernis of Jewish Voice, Barry Segal’s Roots & Reflections travel delight with Vision for Israel, Myles and Katherine Weiss with Zola Levitt Ministries, Peter Wyns and Christians For Messiah Ministries, or on our special Ahava Adventures with Love For His People – plan on going to Israel soon, for a life changing experience! Walk where Yeshua (Jesus) walked, and on those places that you know from the Bible.

For your own spiritual and uplifting good, and to especially show your support for our only true friends in the Middle East – the good people of Israel – make it one of your life priority goals to go. As it is said, “You will never be the same again.”

Blessings will be on ye heads,

Steve Martin

Love For His People, Ahava Adventures

P.S. My 5^th book in progress, Now Think On This – The Inspiration Continues, will feature many photos of that Israel tour. I am planning on an early 2014 summer release date.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

Contribution checks can be sent to:

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

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

Please share this Now Think On This with your friends.

Tomato Salvation - When God Calls (Bill Yount0

Bill Yount

Tomato Salvation

15 Feb 2014

When God Calls

When God calls He rarely considers our plans. Where He leads often makes no sense. When I want to stay, He says, "Go!" When I want to go, He says,"Stay!"

The worst place on earth turns out to be perfect to advance His kingdom. And He never asks me what time it is when He says, "Go!"

Tomato Salvation

A husband and wife shared how they wanted to leave their small town in Texas. Darkness oppressed them. God said, "Stay and plant a church!" A woman, the town drunk, kept interrupting the services. She stomped her feet and gave mean looks. The pastor while preaching happened to mention how he loved tomatoes. The intoxicated woman with a loud voice spoke up. "Tomatoes? I grow tomatoes in my back yard. I will bring you some!"

The next service she brought the tomatoes. During the sermon she came under conviction and gave her life to the Lord. Instant deliverance! The whole town shook from the power of her testimony. Her drinking friends still ask her. "How long is this going to last?" She tells them. "Til Jesus comes and for all eternity. I am done with alcohol. I have no taste for it!" When God calls us to a certain place, it usually isn't for our sake but for someone else's.

God's Most Wanted List

When God calls it's time to tear up our list of people who we think are too far gone in sin and evil. Surprisingly, we find them on "God's Most Wanted List," where we used to be. If God saved you and me, He can save anybody. I believe when we see God face to face, we will realize we could have loved more and judged less.

Blessings,

Bill Yount

www.billyount.com