Friday, October 11, 2013

Artwork to share on Friday, and Shabbat, and through the week...

Lorraine Unzicker's 92nd birthday...with her great grandson Jack Blade

Great Grandma Lorraine Unzicker on her 92nd birthday

with great grandson Jack Blade

Mazel Tov!

On Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, we celebrated Lorraine Unzicker's 92nd birthday. My good wife Laurie, her daughter, hosted the kids, grandkids, great grandkids and her sister Linda Baker-Skaggs (Champaign-Urbana, Illinois) for the celebration at our house.

Lorraine lives in Peru, Illinois, in the same house for the last 54+ years. (Same house Laurie grew up in.) Her husband, Otto Unzicker, our father/father-in-law, is rejoicing in heaven, as she gets closer to that time when she will be there herself.

Lorraine enjoyed the evening very much! Blessings on ye head Lorraine!

With our ahava love,

Steve Martin

Lorraine and Jack Blade
(son of Christen Lorraine Martin Blade and Andrew Blade)

92 and counting...

Laurie cutting the cake.

Our grandson Logan Martin looking on.

Lorraine with great-grandson Jack,

with great-granddaughter Dylan Joy Martin

watching in amazement.

Lorraine's oldest daughter Linda Baker-Skaggs

Lorraine's granddaughter (our daughter) Hannah Martin (on the right) is getting married Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013. Her longtime good friend Tabitha Lafferty, from Minneapolis (by way of Florida) flew down to be in the wedding party.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Morris Ruddick - Report from Vietnam

Morris Ruddick

Global Initiatives Foundation

So, here we are back in Vietnam. What we've been doing

to this point reflects major ripples of change. However,

the Lord always has something more. This mission is

proving to be no exception.

This mission has been marked by unusual spiritual turbulence;

much more than in any previous treks we've made to

this nation. This spiritual static has paralleled things

taken place among those we've been working with.

In it all, there has been a mix of subtleties and complexities

that play into the challenges comprising the groundwork

that has been laid to this point.

So let me begin with a snapshot of our first few days.

Background

Vietnam has a history of conflict, long before it became a

part of news reports of the sixties. Centuries ago,

forces of darkness infiltrated this land. Those hidden

forces of darkness have been at the core of its conflicts

ever since.

So it has been that upon arriving, we realized that

something different has been operating. These ancient

spiritual dynamics have been manifesting.

The pastor hosting our first workshop has a scar across

his face from being beaten for his faith. His home has

been stoned. Not long before our arrival, he again was

subjected to being knocked down and kicked. His home

had been watched and his wife knocked off her motorbike

by a kick from a plain clothes official.

Yet boldly and undercover, this couple arranged a

meeting of regional church leaders, pastors and business

people, some of whom traveled 2.5 hours to attend.

The miracle was more than the fact that our activities

were unseen. The real miracle was the unity that came

from the diversity of both registered churches and

unregistered, underground churches coming together

to reach for something more in God, from our God's

economy program, that would release them from the

bondage that has held this culture in its grip

for centuries.

Under the Radar

Despite still being jet-lagged, we arose in the middle

of the night to arrive under the cover of darkness.

Our departure also was surreptitious and after dark.

But what took place during our time together reflected

a turning in the bondage that has gripped these dear

brethren, as our time together was in the very heart

of where this stronghold has first came to this land.

Light displaces darkness. Light doesn't just push

against the darkness, when it truly shines, it

displaces it. This event, with the representation it

had, was prophetically a stake in the ground.

Something more, a great deal more than just our
economic community development effort took place
among these leaders. Spiritually, these leaders stood
up in the inside and took authority and responsibility
for their nation and their people. Spiritually, there
was a turning that took place. God even gave us
a bonus that as we concluded our time, one who
Carol and I prayed for was healed of a deaf ear.

Adding to the meaningful nature of what had
taken place, as we arrived at the domestic
airport to leave, the hosting pastor showed up
unexpected to again say thank you and to repeat
his request for our prayers and yours; and to again
ask us to come back with "more."

Upon arriving at our second stop, another unexpected
happened. Our host, who is the leader of a network of
believers across this nation, only two days prior, had
been confronted and disciplined by officials for his
activities. For the first time, since we have been
putting on our program, it was prudent to cancel the
plans for a workshop, but we didn't do so without
making alternative plans next year. Likewise, the bond
and trust established with this key leader is one that
portends opportunity far beyond the plans for the
cancelled meeting.

So, despite the challenges, we've been looking beyond
our current activities and have already had very fruitful
meetings involving our plans for a business school with
values. Roots have already begun sinking in turning
these plans into reality.

With that, we have had discussions on strategically
and prudently bringing media strategies into the
equation. Relationships have supernaturally come
to the forefront with players who hold keys in making
both of these initiatives into reality.

Our time here on this trip, although less than a week,
seems like it has been several weeks because of the
magnitude of what has been unfolding. We still have
more than two weeks before us; with many more
important meetings before us; including more of
our workshops.

So, thank you again for your prayers.

Global Initiatives Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt ministry

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

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Global Initiatives Foundation | PO Box 370291 | Denver | CO | 80237

Together for Israel - Scott Volk

Scott Volk was born on January 4, 1965 in Brooklyn, New York.
His father, Shelly, along with his mother, June, were successful

American Jews enjoying an upper-middle-class lifestyle when

Jesus radically transformed their lives in the early 1970′s you can

read their riveting testimony in June Volk’s book

The God Who Answers By Fire: A Jewish Saga).

It was in the summer of 1975, while the Volk family was visiting

Art Katz’s community in Northern Minnesota, that Scott

gave his life to the God of Israel, recognizing Jesus as the

Messiah of Israel and the savior of the world. One year later, the

Volks moved to Northern Minnesota and served with Art in

what was to be a life-long relationship until Art went home to
be with the Lord in 2007.

After graduating high school in 1982, Scott completed two years of

study at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas, and then transferred

to North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he

received his bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Studies. Upon graduating in

1988, he married Beth and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he

served on the pastoral staff of a church until 1996. It was late in that

year when Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) invited Scott

to join him in Pensacola, Florida, to serve as personal assistant to him

and help with the administrative details of his growing ministry.

From 1997-2005, Scott had the privilege of serving in ministry with

Dr. Brown as they traveled together around the world in all sorts of

ministry settings. When the ministry that Dr. Brown birthed moved to

Charlotte, North Carolina, a church was planted and Scott was

asked to serve as the lead pastor of FIRE Church. He remained in

that position until September of 2012, when he stepped down to

dedicate himself to seeing Hineni expand into all that the Lord

has destined it to be.

A DEFINING MOMENT

Although a Jewish believer in Jesus since age 10, Scott rarely

identified with his Jewish roots or the Messianic culture; he actually

felt more comfortable and at home in ‘church’ settings. After completing

a tour which he leads annually to Israel, Scott was returning home on

his trans-Atlantic flight when the unexpected happened:

“It was in June of 2010 while on a flight home from Israel that the

Lord did a remarkable and most-unexpected work in my life. It was

as if everything that I’ve heard from my childhood about Israel and

God’s burden for that land and its people, went from my head to

my heart. I felt at that moment as if God, Himself, gave me

revelation as to the calling that He had on my life with regard to the

lost sheep of the house of Israel. Before this time, I’m ashamed to

say that Israel was barely on my grid. In a nondescript and totally

unexpected moment, I feel as if my life was radically changed. I now

feel as if I’ve been born again again.”

As a result of that momentous flight, doors are miraculously opening

for Scott to express this message to churches, bible studies, and

conferences around the globe.

ARAB AND JEW – ULTIMATE RECONCILIATION

Another amazing aspect of Scott’s story is that his family is a living

demonstration of the one new man message. Scott, a full-blooded

Jew, and Beth, a full-blooded Arab (grandparents from both sides

from Lebanon), have been happily married for over 23 years and

have five beautiful children.

“I think it’s amazing that my kids have a little bit of Ishmael and a

little bit of Isaac inside of them all. I’m foolish enough to believe

that somehow, through the simple message of our family being truly

united, that we can bring an empowering message of hope and

reconciliation to the seemingly hopeless situation that faces many of

our Arab and Jewish brothers in the world today. The Messiah’s

prayer in John 17 indicates that the world would know that He was

sent from the Father when those that believe in Him are one. The

greatest evangelistic tool that we have today is the unity of the Spirit

and it’s my prayer and desire to contend for that unity wherever I

am privileged to go.”

The Volks reside in Charlotte, North Carolina along with their 5

children Alysa, Jonathan, Joseph, Emily, and Olivia.

Left to Right: Olivia (2), Joseph (18), Alysa (22), Jonathan (20), Emily (16)

Ben Kinchlow and Israel

Ben Kinchlow Exposes Truth About Israel

Thursday, October 10, 2013 | Jonathan David, Israel Today

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BibleBen Kinchlow is a former co-host of the 700 Club and a regular contributor to major conservative American news website WorldNetDaily. Israel Today's Jonathan David spoke with Mr. Kinchlow and presented him with several important questions regarding Israel. Here are his answers:

Israel Today: How should Christians relate to Israel?

Kinchlow: Some years ago, the Queen of England asked then-Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli for proof of the existence of God: “What is there to prove the existence of God, Benjamin?” His response was simply, “The Jew, Your Majesty.” A simple answer on the surface, but profound in its implications. The Jew points at the heart of every human being hostile to the concept of God. Man has tried “scientifically” to explain away creation and has altered history to explain away the Exodus. We can dispute almost every human evidence of God’s existence, except one…the Jew.

Israel Today: How do you see modern Israel in light of biblical prophecy?

Kinchlow: Israel is mentioned by name in 1207 BC on an Egyptian monument and 2,300 times in the Bible by name. Then there is Jeremiah 30:1-4 (KJV):

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.”

May 13, 1948: A dream...a hope...people without a country

May 14, 1948: Independence: "A nation is born in a day"

Israel, a country about the size of Rhode Island, with a population about equal to New Jersey, sits in the heart of more than 100 million Muslims, many who have expressed their dedication to the annihilation of this tiny nation.

Today, substitute almost any radical Islamic leader for Haman in the Old Testament book of Esther and discover that the goal is identical…the total destruction of the Jewish people.

Israel Today: Is America really Israel's best friend?

Kinchlow: Comparatively speaking, America is still Israel’s best friend. When you objectively view how most of the rest of the world views and responds to the Arab-Israeli conflict, America, thus far, has to rank at the top. However, viewed against the backdrop of past presidential and congressional responses to Israel, the reality is we have fallen far below our past commitment to the State of Israel. The present administration, in particular, has indicated by its actions, despite protestations to the contrary, that it expects Israel to accede to the demands from the Palestinians and other Islamic regimes… that Israel surrender much of its land to sworn enemies.

Israel Today: How do you view President Obama's policies regarding Israel?

Kinchlow: It appears President Obama has made a conscious effort to reassure the Muslim world that Israel is just “another” ally and no special bond exists between us. For example, in his visit to Egypt during his first term, in an apparent attempt to reach out to and/or reassure the Muslim world, he gave a speech entitled “A New Beginning.” Many in the Israeli leadership objected to his apparent linking of the Holocaust to the creation of Israel. It seemed he was attempting to imply that Israel was new and has not always been a part of the Middle East.

Obama has also given the impression that he was distancing himself from the leadership of Israel, in part to exert pressure on them to reach a peace deal with Palestinians.

Israel Today: Surrounded by enemies, what do you think Israel's future looks like?

Kinchlow: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” (Amos 9:13-15)

BIO:

Minister, broadcaster, author, and decorated US Air Force veteran – Ben Kinchlow is known throughout the world as the long time Co-Host of The 700 Club, and Host of the International Edition of The 700 Club, as seen in more than 80 countries. Recently, Kinchlow founded the independent ministry Americans for Israel.

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