Friday, May 16, 2014

Colorado Mountains - photos by Steve Martin (except when in photo!)



I love sharing the glorious creation of the Almighty God of Israel. Beautiful Lord!

These photos, from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado near Georgetown and Breckenridge, were taken on May 16, 2014. Laurie and I were with our good friends Morris and Carol Ruddick of Denver, CO.

Be blessed as you view some of His glorious work on this planet. 

You are an Awesome God Lord Yeshua (Jesus), Creator of All!

Steve Martin
Lover For His People

P.S. The ones with myself in the photo were taken by Morris Ruddick. We both love our Canon cameras!

Steve with Laurie and Carol Ruddick
















Steve & Laurie Martin


















































































































































Jewish Immigrant Demands Loan to Build Third Temple

Jewish Immigrant Demands Loan to Build Third Temple

Friday, May 16, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff  
A Jewish immigrant from Ethiopia is looking to sue Israel’s major banks for refusing to facilitate his efforts to raise money for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The man complains that Israel’s four largest banks have not allowed him to open accounts for taking in donations toward this goal, nor have they approved any of his loan requests.
He is seeking $35 million in damages, though the lawsuit is unlikely to get off the ground, as Israel’s legal system mandates a court fee equalling 2.5 percent of any large claims in order to deter frivolous lawsuits.
In his appeal to the court, the man recalled his arrival in the Land in 1991:
“We had tears in our eyes and we kissed the land when we arrived. But we later learned that the Temple was not yet built. Now God has revealed Himself to me and placed upon me the responsibility to rebuild the Temple. I have been collecting donations for this purpose, but I have been facing opposition to this plan from authorities.”
While the court rejected the appeal to waive the 2.5 percent court fee, the judge was surprisingly sympathetic toward the end goal, writing, “At this point, we will have to be satisfied with the rebuilding of the Land of Israel, if not the Temple.”
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Mountain Top View - Onward & Upward - new book by Steve Martin


Published May 20, 2014
Available in 
Paperback $5.65 
Kindle $1.99


Our lives can be challenging as we face mountains ahead, but we can be overcomers as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, and make the climb with Him as our side, and His Holy Spirit as our Guide.

As you read these inspired and encouraging chapters, I trust they will bring more hope, faith and love into your spirit and soul. Experiences shared by those who have walked ahead enable others to choose more wisely and confidently in their walk. I hope these words do so for you.

These messages that I share with you in this book were originally written for my blog as NOW THINK ON THIS. You can read those on a weekly basis. Please see the info and contact pages at the back of the book. I like mountains. I like these awesome creations of the Lord around the world. Standing in front of them can overwhelm your heart with gratitude and goodness, dwelling on His majestic power and sheer love that He daily has for us.
  
Shalom and ahava,            

Steve Martin
Charlotte, NC

Muslim Goes to Mecca – and Finds Jesus!

Muslim Goes to Mecca 

– and Finds Jesus!

Thursday, May 15, 2014 |  Charles Gardner ISRAEL TODAY 
A Turkish Muslim who made a pilgrimage to Mecca in a desperate attempt to get his life back on track returned as a Christian to the great astonishment of his family.
Now a pastor, Ali Pektash (pictured) has been addressing a conference in Jerusalem called At the Crossroads, and sees it as part of his mission to help re-unite the sons of Abraham.
Ali, a Kurd, suffered from alcohol addiction when friends persuaded him to make Hajj (pilgrimage) to Islam's holy city. It was in Saudi Arabia, where liquor is banned, and the religious ritual might cure him, they suggested.
When he got there, he cried out to God for help (if indeed He was there) and fell asleep.
Jesus then appeared to him in a dream and touched him, saying: "You believe in me now; leave this place."
After taking a shower next morning, he discovered what he thought was dust on the part of his chest Jesus had touched, but in fact the hair on his chest had turned white in the shape of a hand! At the traditional celebration marking his return from Hajj, he announced to his incredulous family that he had seen Jesus in Mecca and had come back a Christian.
He burst out crying in front of his wife and asked forgiveness for the way he had treated her, clearly demonstrating a dramatic change in his life.
But for three years he had no access to a Bible and it was seven years before he met another Turkish Christian.
He eventually started a church in Ankara, the capital, which he has recently handed over to trusted elders in order to begin a new work in Eastern Turkey, where he was raised.
At the Crossroads, hosted at Christ Church in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, is aimed at deepening the bonds of reconciliation between Arab Christians and Jewish followers of Jesus and is being attended by delegates from a number of Middle East countries including Iran, Egypt, Cyprus and Jordan.
Speaking in Turkish (translated through headsets for those who needed it), Ali spoke of how Abraham was also his ancestor, and how he saw it as part of his mission to help re-unite the children of Isaac and Ishmael (Abraham's children by different wives).
Illustrating how family division can cause lasting conflict among the children affected, he said it was no different for the descendants of Abraham who continue to be embroiled in much strife and contention with each other.
But now it was time for reconciliation. "We have a very important ministry - to reconcile the world," he said.
But it could only be done through Jesus. "Everybody in Turkey says they believe in God," he said. "But people are persecuting me!"
In a further example of reconciliation, a Palestinian delegate from Hebron (where Abraham is buried) said: "I was one of those who hated the Jews, but Jesus changed my life."
A number of Israeli pastors responded by laying hands on him in prayer and offering words of encouragement.
Speaking for myself, I was profoundly moved when during a communion service the previous night I was surrounded by a Turk, Egyptian, Iranian, Armenian and an Israeli originally from South Africa.
Although there was a language barrier in some cases, we embraced each other without words during the traditional 'peace' greeting that immediately precedes the sharing of bread and wine.
The conference - including worship sessions - is also being held in English, Hebrew and Arabic.


Charles Gardner, a gifted and passionate correspondent, has been been reporting live from At the Crossroads in Jerusalem. His previous reports can be found here:
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Thursday, May 15, 2014

Kent Simpson: Jesus Our Mentor - And How His Angels Minister For Us

Kent Simpson:
Kent Simpson
Jesus, Our Mentor And Teacher

Jesus is not only our Savior and Lord but also our Mentor and Teacher through His Holy Spirit. He is our King and our example. Even so, when Jesus came to earth, it took Him three and a half years to show His disciples how to walk in the supernatural with evidence through signs and wonders. While here, He was able to receive the encounter of miraculous interventions. Jesus did many healings and many miracles, in many different ways.

Sometimes Jesus would spit in the dirt, make mud, and place it on a blind man's eyes. Other times He would put His tongue upon them. It is written that He would even spit directly on the blind eyes. You do not see these same types of ministries today because it is not socially acceptable.

How did He know what to do in order for miracles to manifest? Jesus has shown us how. First, He prayed to the Father and whatever the Father told Him to do, Jesus did it. And it always worked, 100% of the time.

You Are Gifted, Whether You Are Aware Of It Or Not

Today we want to see 100% accuracy in the gifts of the Holy Spirit moving in the Body of Christ. The world needs to see the evidence that Jesus is alive and working through His Body, the Church. We are each members of the Body of Christ, and each of us has a function and purpose.

We all have a gifting whether we are aware of it or not. The gift is there, even though it may lay dormant for a long time.

We may even perform greater works than HeWe need to be aware of how Jesus moved and walked: The things Jesus did were done according to the will of the Father. He said, "I do nothing of My own authority. I speak what I hear the Father say" (John 8:28). This is the true Christian way. His works while on earth were demonstrations of what we are to do. We may even perform greater works than He, according to John 14:12.

(Photo via artbible.net)

Many times Jesus would pray to find out what the Father had to say, and when Jesus prayed there were angels ascending and descending upon Him, giving Him instructions from Heaven above. Jesus prayed, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:10).

That means we need to find out first from Heaven what needs to be done. When we find out what it is that we are to do, nothing can stop us because the authority of His Word is working through us.

How The Authority Of God's Word Works Through Us: Angels Of Our Lord

When Jesus was born in a manger, there was an army raised up to find him. Every child two years old or under was to be slaughtered, because King Herod heard that a king was born, and Herod feared losing his position.

An angel appeared unto Joseph and Mary and warned them to leave the city, for King Herod sought the life of their newborn Son. They left the city and stayed away for a number of years. Then an angel appeared to them again and let them know that it was safe to return, for King Herod was dead.

This was just the beginning of many encounters with angelic hosts in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

ElijahList Prophetic Resources

When Jesus stood before those who were to judge him, Pontius Pilate said to him, "Do You not know that I hold Your life in my hands? I can give You life or I can take it" (see John 19). Jesus replied that Pilate did not know what he was talking about. He knew He had thousands of angels at His disposal. Upon His word, the angels could have destroyed everything.

When Jesus walked into a city, people came from everywhere to seek Him. Jesus did not have to advertise His presence. People just showed up in the middle of nowhere because the angels of the Lord gathered them. Many times Jesus could not find a place to be alone so that He could seek the will of the Father.

These encounters are important to us because they are examples of how our lives should be. We are not to worship or pray to angels, but they are there as ministering spirits for us.

Angels, His Ministering Spirits

Fear Not by Marybeth StaffordMinistering spirits are angels sent to minister, not to us but for us. When you came into the Kingdom of God, an angel was appointed unto you. When you gave your life to Jesus Christ, it is recorded in the Gospels that an angel went before the face of God and reported your name to Him so that it could be written into the Lamb's Book of Life. These ministering spirits are waiting for you to yield unto the will of Jesus Christ, that He may dispatch them on your behalf to minister for you.

To each and every one of us there is at least one angel appointed as a guardian to watch over us. But there are more angels that are to be dispatched by the word of God. Jesus had thousands of angels at His disposal, and they ministered for Him. And He says, "Greater works you will do," in John 14:12.

If you have more than one angel, you may find something is working in your life that you truly could not have done on your own. You do not have the intellect to comprehend what God will do through you as He appoints an angel to minister for you. There are testimonials of people who knew they were supposed to die years ago. Their lives were spared for a purpose, by angels who were watching over them until their appointed time to be with the Lord.

How do we obtain these angels? How do we receive the appointment of these angels? If we do not pray to them or worship them, how do we get their assistance as promised to us in Hebrews 1:14 NKJV: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?"

Baptized by the Holy SpiritIt all begins with the impartation of a spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit.

When you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, there was a gift appointed unto you. That gift is still there with you. If you look back and recall when you received the baptism of Jesus, not only of the water but the Spirit, according to Acts 1, then you will see that there was a spiritual gift given unto you.

Maybe shortly after you received the Holy Spirit you prayed for somebody and they were healed. Maybe you had a dream and it came to pass. Maybe you had a vision or a word burning in you for somebody and you could find no relief until you were able to deliver that word.

(Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

Take a moment and think back. What area of spiritual encounter did your ministering spirit perform through you?

Angels are appointed by the Holy Spirit to minister in accordance with the spiritual gifts that have been imparted into you. For, you see, the angels are the ones who are doing the ministering for you. It is not your own willfulness or power that overcomes the natural so that you can walk in the supernatural. No! It is the angel of the Lord who was sent to do the work for you.

Your Appointed Angel Seeks To Do His Word

When Peter was in prison, the congregation was praying for his safe return. An angel went to the prison and kicked Peter to wake him up. The angel told him to get his things and then led him out of prison. Peter came to the house where they were praying for him and knocked on the door. A girl peeped out and saw Peter but did not let him in; instead she went to tell the others. But they replied that it could not be Peter at the door but it must be his angel. Why would they say such a thing?

It should be an effortless deed to walk in the supernatural. An angel is going about seeing to it that the word of God is fulfilled in your life. There are so many references in the Bible about angels. If you were to look up all of the encounters, you would surely be blessed to know that angels are still here ministering for us. An encounter with an angel will set you free.

When will your next encounter be?

Kent Simpson, Prophetic Pastor
Prophetic Ministries Today


Kent Simpson is a prophetic pastor and is the founder and senior pastor of Prophetic Ministries Tabernacle – a gathering place for the prophetic people of God to unite for the sole purpose of being used as vessels for the Holy Spirit to speak through. Prophetic Ministries Today is devoted to the truth that Jesus is not dead but alive and He speaks if you have an ear to hear the Spirit. His website is filled with prophetic teachings which will help you understand the process of "hearing" God for yourself as well as others. The Lord wants you to pray, hear, and obey Him because the Holy Spirit is the only One who can truthfully lead you into the abundant life Jesus promised us.

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