Ahava Love Letter - “What Do You Want” (Steve Martin)

“What Do You Want” 

“Your word is a lamp for my foot and light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105 Complete Jewish Bible) 

“By Your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.” (Psalm 119:105 THE MESSAGE)

Dear family of friends,

Our dog Zoe, a miniature Dachshund, will sometimes give me that look she does at times, which is a puzzling stare at me. My response often is, “What do you want?” as I smile at her. She will then tilt her head the other way as if to say, “You don’t know? Why not?”

I can only imagine what our Lord does when we ask Him the same question, “What do you want?” as we come to a place along the journey when we are uncertain as to the next step. Maybe He will respond back the same way, “You don’t know? Why not?” After walking with Him for many years, I guess we should know more than we let on. Or maybe we really do need further direction and don’t have that solid foundation in our spiritual building yet.

As the Scripture is written, His Word is a light to my feet. Whether King David or another wrote that centuries ago, it still holds true for us today. Guidance is given when we ask, and seek Him in His Word, which has been so carefully and diligently preserved for us since compiled through the hands of the Jews.

A daily reading of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) words will build up a reservoir in our hearts and our minds, so that when we do come to a crossroads on the path, or a possible turn that will be needed up ahead, we will have that internal map, along with the current inspiration of Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) guiding us along the way.

A major house purchase, a career changing decision, a relationship adjustment, or something as small as the need to know  what to make for dinner that night (don’t laugh, many of us ask that question every day!)…the Lord wants to be involved in our decision making. He is ready to guide us in the next step, if we but seek Him and ask.

A good Bible teacher, Bob Mumford, in 1973 wrote a now classic book on my book shelf called Take Another Look At Guidance (recommended reading). I agree with the description written about it, “What a blessing the wisdom he shared in it has been to me through the years of my walk with the Lord! It provides biblically based counsel about how to find and follow God's guiding path through life.” Bob basically says the written Word, the rhema (Greek for “now” ) word and surrounding circumstances are three guide posts needing to line up to receive that directive confirmation we so often need.

Daily choices we make today will later become pivotal points in where we end up next week, next month, or ten years down the road. Erik Krueger, founder of Shiloh Fellowship in East Lansing, Michigan (later becoming New Covenant Christian Church) once said in a meeting in the early 1980’s that a decision we make today could take us down the road 20 years from now where we may or may not want to be. I will always remember that word, as I took it to heart. It is that important to make the right decision.

We had better make our choices and decisions based on solid ground, as given in His Word, and not make them based on our own understanding. Again, He has given us a road map, along with the Holy Spirit, to guide us.

“What do you want?” is more easily answered if our walk with the Lord is based on daily communication with Him. Grow in that communication today. He has, and He IS, the answer to every question and need. Call on Him today, and He will answer you.

Ahava (love in Hebrew) to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

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Ahava Love Letter #75   “What Do You Want”  ©2013 Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2013 (09/013/13 Friday at 5:35 am in Charlotte, NC)

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog:

 http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com   

Here are the last few:

The Hiding Place (#74)

Why Is A Gentile Like You Celebrating the Feasts of the Jews? (#73)

They Are Loved Too (#72)

Oskars Needed Again? (#71)

Little Orphan Chuckie (#70)

Demons & Fire Trucks (#69)

I Like Mike (#68)

Disappointed with Small Beginnings? (#67)

Rise Again (#66)

The Cities (#65)

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (#64)

Anxious (#63)

Hidden (#62)

Get Back in the Boat (#61)

Sukkot - Feast of Tabernacles - Feast of Booths - Succot - Feast of the Lord

Jewish Holidays:
Sukkot

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Jewish Holidays: Table of Contents | Upcoming Dates | Festivals in Israel

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The Festival of Sukkot begins on the 15th day of Tishri and is the fifth day after Yom Kippur. It is a drastic transition from one of the most solemn holidays in the Jewish calendar to one of the most joyous.

Introduction

Sukkot is a seven day holiday and the two days following the festival - Shemini Atzeret and Simkhat Torah - are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot but are actually separate holidays. Sukkot is sometimes referred to as Zeman Simkhateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing.

The word "Sukkot" means "booths," and refers to the temporary dwellings that we are commanded to live in during this holiday. The name of the holiday is frequently translated "The Feast of Tabernacles," which, like many translations of technical Jewish terms, isn't terribly useful unless you already know what the term is referring to. The Hebrew pronunciation of Sukkot is "Sue COAT," but is often pronounced as in Yiddish, to rhyme with "BOOK us."

Like Passover and Shavu'ot, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. The holiday commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Sukkot is also a harvest festival, and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif, the Festival of Ingathering.

The festival of Sukkot is instituted in Leviticus 23:33 et seq. No work is permitted on the first and second days of the holiday. Work is permitted on the remaining days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Passover.

The Sukkah

In honor of the holiday's historical significance, we are commanded to dwell in temporary shelters, as our ancestors did in the wilderness. The commandment to "dwell" in a sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one's meals there; however, if the weather, climate, and one's health permit, one should live in the sukkah as much as possible, including sleeping in it.

A sukkah must have at least three walls covered with a material that will not blow away in the wind. Canvas covering tied or nailed down is acceptable and quite common in the United States. A sukkah may be any size, so long as it is large enough for you to fulfill the commandment of dwelling in it. The roof of the sukkah must be made of material referred to as sekhakh (literally, covering). To fulfill the commandment, sekhakh must be something that grew from the ground and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, sticks, or two-by-fours. Sekhakh must be left loose, not tied together or tied down. Sekhakh must be placed sparsely enough that rain can get in, and preferably sparsely enough that the stars can be seen, but not so sparsely that more than ten inches is open at any point or that there is more light than shade. The sekhakh must be put on last.

It is common practice, and highly commendable, to decorate the sukkah. In the northeastern United States, Jews commonly hang dried squash and corn in the sukkah to decorate it, because these vegetables are readily available at that time for the American holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Building and decorating a sukkah is a fun, family project, much like decorating the Christmas tree is for Christians. It is a sad commentary on modern American Judaismthat most of the highly assimilated Jews who complain about being deprived of the fun of having and decorating a Christmas tree have never even heard of Sukkot.

The following blessing is recited when eating a meal in the sukkah:

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam asher
kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu leisheiv basukkah.

Many Americans, upon seeing a decorated sukkah for the first time, remark on how much the sukkah (and the holiday generally) reminds them of Thanksgiving. This is not entirely coincidental. Our American pilgrims, who originated the Thanksgiving holiday, were deeply religious people. When they were trying to find a way to express their thanks for their survival and for the harvest, they looked to the Bible for an appropriate way of celebrating and based their holiday in part on Sukkot.

The Four Species

Another observance related to Sukkot involves what are known as The Four Species (arba minim in Hebrew) or the lulav and etrog. We are commanded to take these four plants and use them to "rejoice before the L-rd." The four species in question are an etrog (a citrus fruit native to Israel), a palm branch (in Hebrew, lulav), a myrtle branch (hadas) and a willow branch (arava).

Every morning of Sukkot, except on Shabbat, it is the custom to hold the lulav in the right hand and the etrog in the left. Bringing them together (with the pitam, the stem of the etrog pointing downward), the following blessing is recited:

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam asher
kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al n'tilat lulav.

The four species are also held during the Hallel prayer in religious services, and are held during processions around thebimah (the pedestal where the Torah is read) each day during the holiday. These processions commemorate similar processions around the alter of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The processions are known as Hoshanahs, because while the procession is made, we recite a prayer with the refrain, "Hosha na!" (please save us!). On the seventh day of Sukkot, seven circuits are made. For this reason, the seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshanah Rabbah (the great Hoshanah).

 Source: Jewish Virtual Library  http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holiday5.html

Feast of Tabernacles - Barry Segal's Roots & Reflections TV program

Barry Segal - host of Roots & Reflections

Celebrate Succot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, 

as Barry Segal worships in the Holy Land.

Roots and Reflections TV

To view more of the 

Roots & Reflections TV series:

JNN - Jerusalem News Network

To get Barry & Batya's new CD "Day 7"

Greetings From Jerusalem

The 1973 Yom Kippur War

Remembering the Yom Kippur War, Supporting the IDF Today

Thursday, September 12, 2013 |  Israel Today Staff  

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With the instability in and new threats emanating from both Egypt and Syria today, this year's remembrance of the 1973 Yom Kippur War is more poignant than ever.

Israelis were shocked and saddened on Thursday when long-classified documents of former Prime Minister Golda Meir's testimony before the commission that investigated the mistakes leading up to the Yom Kippur War were declassified.

Meir had told the commission that her cabinet was in fact not taken by surprise by the armies of Egypt and Syria, and was certain war was going to break out at least 24 hours before it did.

"My heart was drawn to a preemptive strike, but I was scared," Meir told the commission.

A preemptive strike six years earlier in the Six Day War had saved many Israeli lives and given the Jewish state a much tidier victory. The failure to act in time in 1973 resulted in over 2,500 Israelis losing their lives in the Yom Kippur War.

Could such an assault on Israel ever happen again? That remains to be seen, but with the tumultuous situation in both Egypt and Syria, and the possibility that radical forces could still win control of both countries, many fear another "Yom Kippur War" is inevitable.

Standing guard and waiting for such an eventuality are the young, brave soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, Israel's literal "watchmen on the walls."

As we remember Israel's past military conflicts, let's show those who are protecting our borders and lives today that we care and appreciate their sacrifice, as well.

CLICK HERE to support an Israeli soldier today.

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The Don Potter Story Part 2 - Rick Joyner Video | Prophetic Perspective on Current Events

Don Potter & Rick Joyner

Video on MorningStarTV.com:

The Don Potter Story Part 2 - Rick Joyner Video | Prophetic Perspective on Current Events

Don Potter leading worship 

- MorningStar Conference

-in the former Heritage USA "Barn" 

(early 1990's in Fort Mill, SC)

Worshiping the Lord

(Bill Doak in white polo shirt!)

MorningStar conference 

at the former Heritage USA Barn

- Fort Mill, SC in early 1990's

The Promise: One Man's Journey to See God's Word Revealed (My first book now available)

Promise: One Man's Journey to See God's Word Revealed

Book Description

Publication Date:
September 6, 2013

Throughout our lives, God keeps His hand on our shoulders and nudges us on to more than what we could ever realize. I am excited to share how He did this with me, and am confident it will be a story you’ll be able to relate to. 

As I unveil my story, think back to those times when you knew there was some thing more but you just couldn’t put your finger on it. You knew deep down that life wasn’t what the TV sitcoms portrayed it to be. In our souls there is the hope, the cry for more, that someday questions will be answered and promises fulfilled if we just kept plugging away at what we know to do.

In The Promise I share my 40 year journey with you, and show you that dreams do come true. Though Peter Pan isn’t real, the Lord, the One Who created us, certainly is, and He has a plan in place for each one of us. When you are done reading this story, my prayer is that you too will know more of that good plan and His purpose for you.

Click here to buy now:

The Promise on Amazon.com

(Both paperback & Kindle versions)

Product Details File Size: 381 KB Print Length: 203 pages Publisher: Martin Lighthouse Publishing  (September 6, 2013) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. Language: English ASIN: B00F1JL4XW Text-to-Speech: Enabled  X-Ray: Not Enabled  Lending: Not Enabled

To Purchase Kindle Edition 
Now for $0.99 - Click Here:

The Promise - 
Kindle Edition on Amazon

Note: You don't have to have a Kindle, smartphone or tablet to download the e-book edition. I downloaded the free app below onto both my PC laptop and desktop computers. 

(Steve Martin)

  

Anybody can read Kindle books—even without a Kindle device—with the FREE Kindle app for smartphones and tablets.

“Have your delight in the Lord,

and He will give you

the desires of your heart. 

Trust also in Him,

and He will do it.” 

Psalm 37:3,4

Dedication

To all those who have a desire and a dream that is yet to be fulfilled, but continue to hang onto the promise the Lord has given you – I dedicate this book.

In agreement with the Bible verse that I have printed on a note card standing upright on my home computer desk, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:0, NIV), I declare that He will do it.

As surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, He will bring it to pass.

We’ve Only Just Begun…

                                              

Back in the ‘70’s, when music was still decent, and you could really understand the words, a brother and a sister, the Carpenters, came out with a popular song,  We’ve Only Just Begun.  For those of us around at that time, songs like this gave us some hope, as we made our way through grade school or high school.  Deep in our souls, whether we realized it back then or not, something, or Someone, was calling after us, and songs on the radio helped draw us on.

Not sure which way to go at times, we knew something was still possible, even as our parents sought after the “Almighty Dollar”, and the Sunday service was at least a place the family, which still looked like one, went to on Sundays.  Friday night football games, followed by the sock-hop (finally realized that we had to wear socks, not our shoes, because of the gym wooden floor), gave us potential stability, after coming out of the ‘60’s and before the ‘80’s hit.

Through it all, Someone kept His hand on our shoulders, and nudged us on to more than what we would ever realize, before now.  And then…boom! The answer comes in an unexpected way.

As I unveil this story, think back to those times that you knew there was something more, but you just couldn’t put your hand on it.  You knew, deep down, that life wasn’t just what Walter Cronkite said it was every night on the CBS news, or that the faith and love shown by John Boy to Grandpa, Jim Bob, and the other twenty Waltons wasn’t just for their family.  Deep down in our souls, the hope, the cry for more, would someday be answered and fulfilled, if we just kept plugging away at what we did know.

I want you to share my journey with me, as I look back over the last forty years, and you see that dreams do come true, and that though Peter Pan isn’t real, the Lord, the One Who created us, is, and He has a plan in place for each one of us.  And when you are done reading this story, you too will know that…we’ve only just begun.

  

Book Chapters

Going To Africa

Father Thomas Purtell

Columbus High School

“I am a Christian”

Laura Jean

The Dream

Hasselbring-Clark

Bonnie, Derek & Mahesh

Heritage USA

The Barn

Worship The Lord God of Israel

The Beginning of the End

Jerusalem & The Western Wall

This Season Completed

The Incredible Journey

New Beginnings

Steve Martin & The Raiders

“Carry My Bags” – The Great Wall

A Season of the Soul

I Thought It Was Over

Roll Call of Honor

Editor's Note:
It was very exciting to know that my book came out during Rosh Hashanah, the new year of 5774, on Sept.4-6. This is a new beginning in the Lord's purposes and fulfillment of promises given to Laurie and I. I hope you read my book! Steve Martin

Steve & Laurie 2013

You can purchase The Promise now:Amazon.com

If you do not want to order online, we will have copies to mail out from our office. Please mail a check, made out to Love For His People, Inc. for $14 (includes the $4.00 postage and $2.00 package cost) to:

Love For His People

P.O. Box 414

Pineville, NC 28134

As an added bonus, all mailed copies from our office will be signed. (Wow, by Steve Martin himself. Isn't that nice??!!)  :)

OR...

Order both of Steve's books 

(AHAVA LOVE LETTERS and The PROMISE) 

direct from Love For His People, Inc.

Both for ONLY $29

(WHICH INCLUDES S/H - USA orders only)

...and they will be autographed!

Sent a good check to:

Love For His People, Inc.

P.O. Box 414

Pineville, NC 28134

The Promise - Steve's first book 

Mighty and Glorious video - Paul Wilbur - from his latest project "Your Great Name" (2013)

Paul Wilbur

Listen to his song "Mighty and Glorious" on YouTube

Paul at CBN in September, 2013 for Rosh Hashana

Click here for:

Paul Wilbur Ministries website