Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Healing. I Still Have Questions Too. - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Healing. I Still Have Questions Too.
Now Think On This
Steve Martin


Healing, as in miracles and instantaneous recovery, has always been a challenge to me. It may be true for you also. There have been many times I've asked our Lord Jesus, "Why not?" when healing doesn't come as soon as we'd desire, either for our self or others. It has been an ongoing question millions have asked God over the centuries.

Having read many books on the subject myself, with so many of them out there, I know it is one concern shared universally. Even in this modern era, with top-notch medical staff and medication sales in the annual multi-billions, many suffer with ongoing, unhealed conditions. And so the usual question keeps coming up. Why?

To share with you a brief personal history, I had the privilege of teaming with a world-wide known healing evangelist for over a decade, myself witnessing true miracles. Even after seeing with my own eyes the Lord Yeshua giving supernatural, instantaneous healings, I today still struggle with praying in faith for myself and others for healing, and seeing a miracle happen.

With a recent kidney stone deciding to be an unwanted part of my interior being, the question of healing again arose in a very genuine way. You can bet (I certainly don't recommended that betting ever is done though - just an expression) that I sought the Lord for immediate healing. Being this was my 4th kidney stone in the past 30 years, I thought my deliveries in birth were over. That pain is not something you'd want even an unfavorable one to experience.

And then there is another issue to share, which may help someone else who can relate, having a similar personal situation.

I have had a consistent, annoying cough for over 28 years. Back in 1987 one prominent minister said it was a "familiar spirit." As much as I believe in demonic forces and deliverance, if this was so in this case, it still never wants to obey my repeated commands to go. In addition, doctors have told me over the years that this physical ailment is due to nasal drip or allergies. I even assured the doctors that I have never smoked. (My uncle's cigar puff took care of that when I was 5.) Medications have not helped. Nothing has freed me from it as yet.

And so I continue to cough, no matter what the season. Another one of those things that I have no understanding on or relief from still.

Family members have had chronic inflections. Though we have prayed many times, believing with as much faith as we have, nothing changes in some instances.

So I think, maybe the Emergency Room kidney stone visit was to give me an opportunity to speak to a staff member there? Maybe it was to stretch something in me that only this event would, or could? He works out His purposes in that way too.

The apostle Paul had an ongoing affliction, though not specified in Scripture. Some say it was an eye problem. He wrote that he entreated the Lord three times for healing and release from it. The Lord answered him - His grace was sufficient. He had a purpose in it beyond healing.

Paul’s exact words as found in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 reads, “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me — to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (NASU)

Here is some further encouragement from the Word. ‘Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NASU)

So what am I saying? For my peace of mind, I will continue to seek the Lord's healing hand for His touch, while at the same time knowing that He is God, and His plans and knowledge are much higher than mine. Father knows best.

We give thanks for all that we experience in healing from the Lord. Whether it comes in a instantaneous miracle or over a period of time, with whatever method the Lord chooses, we praise Him.

As we walk forward in faith, continue to pray for healing. Still believe He gives gifts as healing from His immense heart of love for us. And above all, trust in our Lord for healing in your life and others.

Finally, leave the results in His hands, and know that all in all He is the One we can always lean on, and trust in. His Word is eternal truth.

I hope you are free in your faith to believe Him for all things and in all things.

This is something to think about.

Love you,

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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In May, 2016, my wife Laurie and I will be traveling to Israel to spend time with our friends. We support them in word and deed. We have our plane tickets in hand. We love Israel.

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Now Think On This #208 “Healing. I Still Have Questions Too.” by Steve Martin 
Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (11.18.15) Wednesday at 8:00 pm in Charlotte, NC
All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This


Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

The Micaiah Problem: Who Speaks the Truth? - R. LOREN SANDFORD CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Shouldn't we be listening to those who speak truth, which is not winning them a platform of widespread popularity?

Shouldn't we be listening to those who speak truth, which is not winning them a platform of widespread popularity? (Lightstock )

The Micaiah Problem: Who Speaks the Truth?




Prophetic Insight, from Charisma Media
In my travels and online, I am encountering increasing numbers of people disillusioned with the prophetic movement. There have been too many prophecies unfulfilled, dates set and missed, catastrophic events that never happened, promises that didn't unfold, moral failings on the part of some prophetic leaders and a growing number biblical imbalances.
All of this is taking an increasing toll on confidence in the prophetic gift and it has led some to begin to think that the prophetic gift is not for today. Too much of the prophetic movement has gotten it wrong or wandered off base. Credibility has been eroded.
Consider, however, 1 Kings 22 when kings Jehoshaphat and Ahab convened 400 prophets to seek the will of the Lord concerning engaging in battle to retake Ramoth-Gilead from Aram. Four hundred prophets read the desire in the hearts of the kings, listened to a deceiving spirit (22:22-23) and told them what they wanted to hear, "Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king."
In his spirit, Micaiah alone knew the truth, but initially spoke in unison with the 400. Only when Jehoshaphat commanded him to do so did he relent and speak what he really knew. "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace'" (22:17). He continued, "Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. The Lord said, 'Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?' And one said this while another said that'" (22:19-20).
Apparently, a prophetic movement was underway in Israel such that 400 so-called prophets could hold a convention. Who in that day who truly heard God's voice would have had the courage or the confidence to disagree with the dominant stream, especially with a word that didn't sound particularly encouraging? Micaiah stood alone against two kings and 400 acclaimed prophetic voices only to suffer humiliation when Zedekiah slapped his face for not joining with the majority (22:24). He then found himself imprisoned and fed sparingly on bread and water (22:27).
Ultimately, 400 "prophets" had it wrong, Israel suffered defeat and Ahab was killed, but regardless of consequences to Ahab and the army because of their inaccurate words, Israel didn't scuttle prophecy as a ministry because 400 blew it. Because one prophet had it right, prophecy remained a valid ministry in Israel and, later, in the church. It would seem that the key lies not in how many are speaking a particular word, but in discernment to know who is actually speaking from God's heart. Do we have a dearth of real discernment in the church today? Are we too ready to hear only what excites us and what we want to hear? Have we relegated true prophetic voices, ever the minority, to the sidelines and locked them up because they don't speak with the voice of the majority?
Repeatedly throughout history, there have been occasions and seasons when the truth has rested not with the dominant word being spoken by the majority, but with the less popular minority. These are seldom respected or well known, sometimes until after their deaths. They threw Jeremiah down a well and disregarded his words. Elijah was called the troubler of Israel. And so it went!
Maybe we need to stop listening so intently to the popular voices who speak with the mainstream and whose words we love to hear. Could it be that a purified remnant speaks a plumb line word that doesn't win them the platform of widespread popularity? Can we discern the word of God in a hidden but emerging generation of prophetic voices who might not speak what we want to hear, but who certainly speak what we need to hear? In doing so, might we be more edified and more prepared for the glory to come in the midst of a gathering darkness? 
R. Loren Sandford is the senior pastor of New Song Church and Ministries in Denver, Colorado. He has a bachelor's degree in music and a master of divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has authored a number of books, includingUnderstanding Prophetic People: Blessings and Problems with the Prophetic Gift,Visions of the Coming Days: What to Look for and How to Prepare and his most recent, Yes There's More: A Return to Childlike Faith and a Deeper Experience of God.
Visit Loren Sandford online at newsongchurchandministries.org.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!
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Happy Birthday to our son Ben!


We celebrate our son Ben's birthday today! 
(Nov. 18, 2015)

We are thankful for his life, 
his giftings, his heart for kids, 
and his desire to 
know the Lord 
in a real, personal way.

We love you Ben!

Dad & Mom

 Israel - Negev Desert  Nov. 2013
An Ahava Adventure!

Ben and brother Josh - 2014
Father/Sons/Grandsons campout

Before baptism in the Jordan River, Israel
Nov. 2013

Uncle Ben with nephew Daniel
Greek Festival, Charlotte

Uncle Ben, Laurie and newborn nephew Jack Blade


As a young one in Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
(Probably around 1992?? Dad is guessing.)


May the good Lord 
give you the desires of your heart, Ben,
as you seek Him in all your ways.

Love,
Dad & Mom


From Sacrifice to Anointing: 5 Steps to Bonding With God - AL HOLLINGSWORTH - CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Bonding with God takes sacrifice and commitment.

Bonding with God takes sacrifice and commitment. (Lightstock )

From Sacrifice to Anointing: 5 Steps to Bonding With God




Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Have you ever known someone who seems to have a special connection with God—someone God uses to accomplish amazing things?
The truth is those people are not more special than you—but their bond with God is likely much stronger than yours. Why is that?
Bonding with God requires that we move through five progressive steps.
1.Sacrifice. Nothing in this life is free. Someone or something must pay the price for another to gain. There can be no bond between people without a sacrifice—the new parent pacing the floor to comfort a crying baby in the middle of the night, the adult child committing to care for an aging parent, the person putting his or her own needs on the back burner to care for a hurting friend.
In the same way, our bond with God was forged through sacrifice. Jesus paid the price for our salvation so that we could be children of God. Salvation is free to you and me, but it cost Jesus His life. That bond is strengthened when we make sacrifices in return. The Bible is filled with examples of believers who sacrificed greatly to bond with God. Think of Abraham, Hosea, Jeremiah and a host of others. Can you identify the last sacrifice you made to honor your bond with God?
2. Relational bonding. At this stage, sacrificial giving has produced a bond of trust between two people. The child feels secure in his parents' love. The aging parent can rest in the knowledge that she won't be abandoned. The hurting person is assured that he has a genuine friend. Those bonds then become deeper. Relational bonding comes as we gain knowledge through shared personal experience.
Think of soldiers on the front lines. Not only do they sacrificially lay their lives down for one another, they understand each other in ways others cannot because of their unique shared experiences. This dynamic exists among families, co-workers, athletic teams, musical ensembles, ministries—you name it. The relational bond is strengthened in direct proportion to the amount of time and attention invested in relationships. When we neglect a relationship, the bond will begin to atrophy.
Jesus desired to bond with mankind, and He paid the highest price so that we may be relationally bonded with Him. I challenge you to look through the Bible and see saint after saint who sacrificed in order to be relationally bond with God. There is no shortcut to this kind of intimacy in any relationship. Two words: time and attention.
To get a good view of the relational bonds in your life, try this simple exercise: Write out your weekly schedule in as much detail as possible. Who or what is receiving your time and attention? Where does God fit in the mix? Without that shared experience, His voice will not be familiar to you. Which leads us to the next step.
3. Perceptible bonding.  After living and struggling with someone for a long time, you start to think and see life the way they do. My wife and I have many decades of marriage under our belts. I know her patterns, her likes and dislikes, and I can usually predict how she will feel or respond in a given situation. I would know her voice anywhere.
This is the step in our relationship with God when dreams and visions become possible. Does God have a dream for you, some special work that He ordained just for you? As we devote our time and attention to God, developing a bonding relationship, we learn to recognize His voice as He speaks to us through dreams, visions and ideas.
Think of it this way: When you habitually give your time and attention to something, the spirit of that thing will live in you. If you give time and attention to pornography, the spirit of pornography will hold sway over you. It will fill your thoughts and ideas. Are your thoughts and ideas driven by social media? Sports fandom? An obsession with wealth?
When we consistently pursue our bond with God, we have His mind in us. We can perceive what He is saying. We see things as God sees them. And He can entrust us with His vision, His dream, His big idea for seeing His kingdom come here on earth. He can also trust us with His limitless resources to make those dreams reality. Which brings us to the next step.
4. Material bonding. If we truly bond with God, we gain everything He has. When my wife, Hattie, and I were just dating, we each had our own belongings; however, when we became bonded as husband and wife, everything I had belonged to her.
When you are so closely bonded with God that you can recognize His voice, He will draw unto you the things that you need. I call this the corridor principle: As a man acts according to God's plan and in obedience to His specific instructions, He draws to Himself the desires of His heart—because they are God's desires! The scriptural foundation for the corridor principle is Matthew 6:33: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you."
Perhaps you have perceived God's specific vision for you. Does God want you to start a new business? To offer a ministry to your community? To write a book? To foster or adopt a child? What is stopping you from pursuing that vision with abandon? God's inexhaustible financial, emotional and spiritual resources are yours.
5. Power and anointing. The most important things God provides are not things at all. When we step out in obedience to God's directions, we do so under the power and anointing of His Holy Spirit. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power. So set your heart on His desires, take a tangible step of obedience, and marvel as He provides.
Christian businessman and ministry leader Al Hollingsworth is the founder of Aldelano Corporation, Vertical Leap and the B.O.S.S. Program. Aldelano's latest ventures include the Solar Coldbox, a solar-powered refrigerated mini-warehouse with the potential to improve the lives of countless people in the developing world. His testimony has been shared on CBN, TBN, Daystar and PTL.

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

How Christians Should Respond to Terrorism - J.D. KING CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Throughout the Bible, we see that the people of God lived under terrorism. Here's a reminder of how we should respond.

Throughout the Bible, we see that the people of God lived under terrorism. Here's a reminder of how we should respond. (Charisma archives)

How Christians Should Respond to Terrorism





In this modern age of anxiety and unsettling images, fear seems to arrest the minds of many.
Based on what's being broadcast on television and social media, people are unsettled. Many envision atrocities that could afflict our families and unravel our quiet neighborhoods. Increasing unrest and suspicion grips the lives of multitudes.
I understand why. We live in an ever-plugged-in world of instant information and engagement. Every unfolding tragedy and crisis is presented to us in visceral video and sound bites. What once seemed far away, appears closer than ever.
I understand that being mindful of the world around us is essential. More importantly, as believers, we are called to carry the burdens of others and intercede for peace on the earth. No one who loves Jesus is given the freedom to disengage and ignore evil.
Yet, with all of that said, there's a line that cannot be crossed. Believers don't have the privilege of embracing fear. Whenever we're anxious, our incredible identity and calling is undermined. Christians simply cannot be world-changers if we're paralyzed by the fear of violence.
It may seem unnatural, but there should be an overwhelming freedom and joy - not trepidation. We shouldn't be anxious about anything. The trajectory of our lives should be shaped by the presence of God, not geo-politics. Those who love Jesus shouldn't fear man or be hesitant about where they stand - even as they take their final breath.
Even if a horrific event were to transpire, solace should be found in walking in the perfect love of Jesus.
The apostle John had the following to say about all this, "Perfect love casts out all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love" (1 John 4:18b).
Genuine citizens of the kingdom shouldn't be anxious about heaven or earth. Whether we live or whether we die, we're at peace. It's impossible to stop those who know the perfect love of God. Not even death can keep them from their destiny.
J.D. King, author and speaker, is the director of the World Revival Network.

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

Strive for Perfection and Peace... Israel Today Staff

Strive for Perfection and Peace...

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 |  Israel Today Staff
The Hebrew language is more than a means of communication. It leads us into a deeper understanding of our faith. We need to both understand the ancient idiom of the language and the structure of words formed from their roots.
Let's take the two words "Jerusalem" & "Solomon" - Yerushalayim (ירושלים) & Shlomo (שלמה) respectively in Hebrew. Both names are constructed from the root שלמ. This the same root that is contained in "shalom" (peace), "shlemut" (perfection), "shalem" (wholeness), "shilem" (paid for), etc. The idea that is collectively conveyed by these words is "wholeness" or "perfection"!
The city of Jerusalem is also called "perfect" or the "perfect city", and during the reign of King Solomon, she came closest to being such. Shlomo built the First Temple in Jerusalem - the place that God chose for His glory or presence (Shekinah) to dwell on earth. This glory and incomparable peace will be experienced again felt in the coming of the Messiah once again to Jerusalem the eternal city chosen by God.
We are offering new anointing oils, "Light of Jerusalem" and "King Solomon" which, when used, will remind each of us to strive for God's perfection and peace...


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Do you know the difference between the Temple's Menorah and a Hannukiah? - ISRAEL365

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Joel Rosenberg - Apocalyptic Islam to the Jerusalem Leaders Summit (full video)


Here’s the full video of my address on Apocalyptic Islam to the Jerusalem Leaders Summit.

by joelcrosenberg
Joel-LeadersSummit2
 If you're interested in watching the 39-minute address I delivered at the Jerusalem Leaders Summit on the differences between Radical Islam and Apocalyptic Islam, please click here.
I'm deeply grateful to Joel Anand Samy and his team from The Heritage Foundation, National Religious Broadcasters, the Family Research Council, and other organizations who organized the Summit and invited me to participate.
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joelcrosenberg | November 17, 2015 at 4:36 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/piWZ7-3op