Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Back from vacation yet? Or are you yet to go??? Hope you do get some time-off, whether it is just a few extra days or more. We all need a break once in a while, yes? I have two family reunions in Minnesota coming up at the end of this month. Many of my cousins I haven't seen in over 18 years.
In your reading time, I hope you will take a few minutes and read my latest Now Think On This messages below.
Change the Tires, Trade the Car speaks of a dream received, giving encouragement along the way. I trust you may relate to it also.
My latest book (#18) Hope - Founded in the Solid Rock came out in June. We all need hope continually in our life. I trust this will be an encouragement for you and yours.
Be blessed with ahava (love) and shalom (peace),
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Now Think On This
President Trump - Is It Any Wonder?
Steve Martin
“I am not afraid of the tens of thousands set against me on every side.” (Psalm 3:7, Complete Jewish Bible)
One would think the United States of America is falling apart, if you lived on a secluded island and only saw the cable newscasts that hourly proclaim their misguided, opinionated, rather untruthful messages. Certainly you would though learn what Beelzebub means. Lord of the Flies. As in a lot of swarming buzz surrounding a garbage load of waste.
Is it any wonder then that the Creator, Lord of All, commands us to keep our eyes fixed on Him, Jesus, and our ears tuned to what He is declaring and doing? We don’t live on an island lost afar off in the ocean, but rather do live in this nation founded providentially by the Lord. A correct presentation of written historical facts would show that, given the Founding Fathers often proclaimed their reliance on Almighty God, and fought to put this truth into action. Knowing the biblical and sustaining word that was given to them then, which still holds true, will keep us steady as shaking occurs. A shaking, by the way, which He has orchestrated.
We can count on Him to sustain us in these troubled times, and at the same time see His hand guiding us. One way He has done this was through the divine placement of one into national leadership, again. Needed as much now as when the foundations of this country were laid.
I am confident that what happened on the night of the national elections in November 2016 was the hand of God granting us mercy, knowing that we as a people have yet to complete a very important work. He wasn’t going to let the gates of hell take us further down the road of perdition. Instead He shook things up, keeping His agenda and times on track.
Look what has been done since the new president has taken office, against all odds, or so it has seemed. President Donald J. Trump has done a tremendous job!
“You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.” (Job 22:28, New Living Translation)
Dreams are another supernatural way the good Lord speaks to us. He gives us warnings, direction, hope, inspiration, or some other bit of knowledge for ourselves, a family member, or a group of people. When He gave me the following dream last night, following some prayer afterward as to its meaning, I knew it was for me.
But then now I think it may also be for a few of you. Read it, and if you sense an affirmation in your spirit, then too consider the possibility that the Lord may want to speak a confirmation in your heart as well.
Here goes.
The small car I was driving on the roadway seemed to be losing air in the front right-hand tire, and I thought it had picked up a nail. There was enough air left in the tire to get to my intended destination, but when I got out and looked at the tire, it wasn’t a nail or another object after all. In fact, after arriving, the rubber was totally coming off the rim! It reminded me of those tires that are re-treads, and after some good mileage had been traveled, they just fall off the main tread. You see remains of them often along highways where semi-trucks had lost the re-tread.
I then checked the left front tire, and the rubber was also starting to fall off. These had lasted just long and far enough to get me to my intended destination.
Further into the dream, I realized that it just so happened that I had stopped the car near a tire store, and the attendant said he had some tires to replace these two with. I responded with an OK, but then thought, “I am going to be trading this car in for a bigger one. I don’t need the higher priced tires. I’ll get some others instead.” And so I did.
I did not know at this time what the next car was going to be, but I believed it was to be a larger vehicle which I was going to need for the upcoming days.
It would be nice if you could run down to the local grocery store and buy a package of hope. After all, don’t we find we need it every day? A few good helpings daily sure would be nice.
It is not quite that simple to get, but hope is certainly possible to obtain, and keep. The way I have found hope is by believing the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, as put forth truthfully in the Bible. Through the centuries, the words written in the Word have proven accurate and life-changing in the very ones who have chosen to believe. I include myself among them.
The daily news will get you discouraged. The bank statement and monthly bills which come by mail or smart phone will drain you of your pursuit of happiness. One minute you are “up”. The next minute you hit a wall. What is it that keeps us pressing on to accomplish the good in life? Family and friends can be a good source to rely on, but even then those relationships can falter. We need more.
We need hope in our lives.
I would be graceful if you would support Love For His People by buying a copy for yourself, and one for a friend as a gift. (Birthdays and such!)
Be blessed, with the shalom (peace) and ahava (love) of the Lord.
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People, Inc.
Published June 2018. You can get it in paperback or Kindle.
One of the greatest debates in this decade—or longer—will undoubtedly go down as immigration.
But what does it really cost? New York Times best-selling author Brigitte Gabriel, who emigrated to the United States legally, says there is a much bigger issue regarding the criminals who have broken the law to stay in the U.S.
Gabriel, a leading expert on global Islamic terrorism, is the author of the new book, Rise: In Defense of Judeo-Christian Values and Freedom, which will arm readers with real data and compelling facts that will equip them to fight the efforts of America's enemies to undermine our nation at every level of society.
In a video she recorded for social media, Gabriel lays out the true cost of illegal immigration and how it is affecting every American who is in the country legally.
"When I came to America, I paid for my own ticket, I paid for my doctor's visits and all the blood tests that I had to take to become an American, I paid for my lawyers to do my papers, I had to study a two-inch-thick book written by the Daughters of the American Revolution about America's history and heritage. And I had to take a written exam as well as a verbal exam—in English—and pass them before I became an American. I am an immigrant. I am a legal immigrant. I am the type of immigrant America needs, not criminal aliens who break the law to get here."
Gabriel also details verified facts and figures on the cost of illegal immigration:
$11 to $22 billion is spent on welfare for illegal immigrants each year by state governments;
$22 billion each year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC and free school lunches forillegal immigrants;
$2.5 billion a year is spent on medical care for illegal immigrants;
$12 billon a year is spent on primary and secondary education for children in the country illegally, many of whom do not speak English;
$17 billion is spent on education for the American-born children of illegal immigrants, known as "anchor babies;"
$3 million a day is spent on incarcerating illegal immigrants; 30 percent of all federal prison inmates areillegal immigrants;
$90 billion a year is spent on welfare and social services for illegal immigrants by the American taxpayers; and
$200 billion in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal immigrants.
Rise, out on September 11, contains Gabriel's most hard-hitting, explosive message yet. It's not only a warning but also a rallying cry to unite Americans of all backgrounds in a fight for the survival of the nation, the protection of the Judeo-Christian values upon which it was built, and the preservation of the freedoms on which future generations depend.
Last Tuesday, we had a joyful day celebrating with our graduating students at our Bible college, Israel College of the Bible.
We are always so pleased to see Jewish and Arab Israeli believers rewarded for their hard work, equipped and ready to serve in God's kingdom.
Pastor Shmuel Aweida, who earned his MA degree with us a few years ago, came to address the students on Psalm 131 and what it means to serve from a place of humility. He also spoke of Yeshua's example in washing the disciples' feet - serving from a place as low as he could go.
Dr. Erez Soref, President
of ONE FOR ISRAEL
SERVING FROM A LOWLY PLACE
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet." (John 13:3-5)
Here are some of our Jewish and Arab students who have completed the "Bikurim" (Firstfruits) course, a basis from which they may continue to a full bachelor's degree.
The beautiful blonde in the front row is my wife, Sisi, having completed her MA in Biblical Studies with an emphasis on Leadership and Counseling for Women. To her left are Sammer and Gal who each gained their MA in Biblical Studies, ready and equipped to serve in God's kingdom.
How would you like to explore the land of the Bible, not only in a classroom with maps, but also on field trips with a pair of hiking shoes?
How would you like to learn about Yeshua in the Passover, not just in theory, but by celebrating the feast with Jewish people who love Him?
How would you like to get your head around Hebrew not just from recordings, but with native Hebrew-speakers?
We invite you to invest a year of your life to dive into the living world of the Bible with us, as we seek to go deeper in our love of God and His Word.
In a letter dated July 2, 1756, Benjamin Franklin presented a proposal to George Whitefield, the most famous preacher of the Great Awakening, that they partner together to establish a Christian colony "in the Ohio," which was frontier country at the time.
In the letter, Franklin expressed confidence that God would give them success in such a project, "If we undertook it with a sincere regard to his honor." He wrote,
"I imagine we could do it effectually and without putting the nation at too much expense. What a glorious thing it would be, to settle in that fine country a large strong body of religious [Christian] and industrious people! What a security to the other colonies; and advantage to Britain, by increasing her people, territory, strength and commerce. Might it not greatly facilitate the introduction of pure religion among the heathen, if we could, by such a colony, show them a better sample of Christians. ..." (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 40)?
Friends to the Very End
Franklin had become friends with Whitefield 18 years prior to this when Whitefield visited Philadelphia and preached to massive outdoor crowds. Franklin attended the meetings and was attracted to this young, fiery revivalist who was nine years his junior. It proved to be the beginning of a close, life-long friendship.
Franklin and Whitefield became business partners with Franklin printing and distributing Whitefield's journals and sermons and advising him in business matters. Whitefield stayed in Franklin's home on at least one of his visits to Philadelphia and Franklin wrote to his brother in Boston, "Whitefield is a good man and I love him."
For the next 30 years, they carried on a lively and open correspondence. Whitefield often spoke about faith in Christ and admonished Franklin to make sure he was prepared for the next world. When Whitefield passed away in Newburyport, Connecticut, on Sept. 30, 1770, Franklin was in London. Obviously feeling a deep sense of loss, he wrote,
"I knew him intimately upwards of thirty years; his integrity, disinterestedness, and indefatigable zeal in prosecuting every good work, I have never seen equaled, I shall never see exceeded" (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 44).
Franklin's Missionary Vision
As a result of this friendship, Franklin moved away from his Deistic leanings and back toward his Puritan roots. The depth of Franklin's love and respect for Whitefield is demonstrated by the fact that he wanted Whitefield to be his partner in establishing a new colony on the Ohio frontier. Notice that Franklin wanted to populate it with a "religious" and industrious people. When Franklin, or any of the Founders, speak of a "religious" people they are referring to Christians.
Note also the missionary motive Franklin presented to Whitefield. He not only wanted to populate the colony with Christian people, he wanted the colony to be a base for introducing the Native Americans of that region to what he called "pure religion."
Since he is writing to Whitefield, there can be no doubt that "pure religion" in Franklin's mind was the evangelical revivalism that Whitefield preached in Philadelphia and throughout the Colonies.
Although time and circumstances did not allow them the opportunity to launch this project, I suggest that Franklin's vision for a Christian society never died but was fulfilled in the founding of the United States of America, of which he was one of the most important Founding Fathers.
Franklin's Commitment to Christian Values
Franklin was no fiery evangelist like Whitefield, but he became convinced that only Christianity provided the moral system for a stable and prosperous society. He knew that Christians were far from perfect, but at least they acknowledged a virtuous, moral standard toward which to strive and to which they could be called to adhere.
Franklin's belief in Christianity as a necessary moral force in society is why he rejected a manuscript from the well-known Deist, Thomas Paine, in which Paine attacked orthodox Christianity. Franklin, in very strong language, urged Paine not to print the book or even allow anyone else to see it. He wrote,
"I would advise you, therefore ... to burn this piece before it is seen by any other person; whereby you will save yourself a great deal of mortification by the enemies it may raise against you, and perhaps a good deal of regret and repentance. If men are so wicked with religion [Christianity], what would they be if without it" (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 49).
Franklin Calls the Constitutional Convention to Prayer
Whitfield's influence on Franklin can be seen at the Constitutional Convention 17 years after Whitefield's death. When the Convention reached an impasse and was in danger of disbanding without completing its work, it was Franklin, now 81 years of age, who arose and called the convention to prayer.
In his appeal, Franklin quoted from both the Psalms and the Gospels and reminded the attendees how God had answered their prayers during the war. Addressing the convention president, George Washington, Franklin said,
"How has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly appealing to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible to danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. I have lived, sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business" (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 62-63).
Although his proposal was not "formally" adopted, there was much response on a personal level because of the respect with which he was held. According to those present, "an atmosphere of reconciliation seemed to settle over the convention hall." Petty grievances and local interests were laid aside, and the delegates went on to complete their task of formulating the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. I think Whitefield must have smiled down from heaven on his old friend!
Yes, Franklin Wanted a Christian America
Modern secularists love to present Franklin as a nonreligious Deist who wanted to keep Christianity out of the public domain. Such a view of Franklin, however, is based on selected quotations taken out of context and without regard for his changing views on God and Christianity as he matured. Such a view also ignores his Puritan heritage and his close friendship with Whitefield.
Franklin, like all the Founders, did not want an official, state church like the nations of Europe. He did however, want a society whose populace would be governed by Christian principles of virtue and morality. This was made clear in his letter to Whitefield, and in this sense, it is clear that Benjamin Franklin had a vision for a Christian America.
