The Luggage Tag of Derek Prince, Jerusalem. Message by Steve Martin

The Luggage Tag of Derek Prince, Jerusalem

“He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:22, NKJV

 

On Sept. 30, 2025, as I was looking in my bedroom closet to see what else I had in our travel storage bins, for anything I could yet use on my 30^th trip to Jerusalem, Israel, I was “shocked” when I found an extra luggage strap among several in the third bin from the stacked top. When I looked at the tag under the plastic area to make sure it had my current information (our address had not changed in 30 years) Derek Prince’s name and address were on it! Wow! This luggage tag is over 22 years old. I must have forgotten that this strap had been his and I now have it. 

To have served on Derek Prince’s international home base office with Derek Prince Ministries, as Director of Operations and Finance, for a total of eight years, first in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for three years (1987-1990) and then again in Charlotte, North Carolina (2000-2005), this has special meaning for me.

The luggage tag has his Jerusalem address written on a yellow piece of paper, enclosed under the plastic cover. It appears to be his handwriting. (See comparative photos below.)

When we are in Jerusalem for three months, Oct. 16-Jan. 12, 2026, we will be living in an apartment just a mile from his final home of 15 years in Jerusalem. He passed on to glory in 2003.

When I then turned the name tag over, just to see what was on the other side, if anything, it had a USA home address in the Fort Lauderdale area (Plantation, FL), where he also resided during the 1980s. The address written was 201 SW 38^th Ave. in Plantation, Florida, a suburb. (This may have been David and Anna Selby’s home address, for security reasons.) It also appears to be printed in Derek’s handwriting.

When we moved from Michigan to Florida in August of 1987, we lived in a rental home in Plantation on 17^th Ave, not too far from this address printed on the back.

David, the International Director of Derek Prince Ministries, son-in-law of Derek, and my boss for a total of eight years, must have given me Derek’s luggage strap after his passing. I will save this strap!

           

 

           

(The printed name on the luggage tag appears to be in Derek’s handwriting, when I compare it to the other autographs I have of him. His greeting and signature to me in his Foundation Series book in 1988 also matches, as does the office memo to David Selby, the International Director, regarding an edit.)

Derek also had a condominium in Hawaii that he and his wife Ruth used when he taught annually in January at YWAM (YOUTH WITH A MISSION) for a month. He must have bought this strap there, for it has “Hawaii” on the end.

 

The state of Hawaii embossed at the end of the luggage strap.

So, what is the big deal?

First, to have in my possession a piece of history, a luggage strap used by my favorite Bible teacher, Derek Prince, whom I served on his staff, is priceless to me. To know that this strap went with him all over the world, and especially to Jerusalem, Israel, is a “sign” to me of the Lord’s hand on my life too, as I also travel to Jerusalem often. A part of his legacy I am living.

Second, to know that the Lord directs our steps, each of us, is heartfelt. The One who is so gracious to show us “small signs” of His blessings through directive actions, as ordained and conducted by the Holy Spirit, means a lot to me.

I bless and honor the legacy of Derek Prince, especially his love for the Land and people of Israel. He blazed the trail for many of us in the 1970s-2000s, in biblical understanding and especially the truth about God’s chosen people, as he lived what he believed as Bible truth.

I bless the Lord Jesus (Yeshua) for allowing my good wife Laurie and I to serve in Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel in Hebrew) as we have and will continue to do, even as the Lord leads.

Ahava (love) and Shalom (peace),

Steve Martin

P.S. In less than 10 days Laurie and I head to Jerusalem, Israel for three months. You can read further here: The Martins in Jerusalem

We welcome your prayers and support as we together bless Israel and His people in their Land.

Contributions are welcome online on our webpage. Look for the little DONATE button on the right-side column. DONATE HERE.

Love For His People Ministry     P.O. Box 1113     Pineville, North Carolina 28134 USA

Message #19 in my series (2025): “Derek Prince luggage tag" – Oct. 3, 2025

              

I received 2 plagues for service at Derek Prince Ministries. After 7 years, in 2004, the first one was given. Then after staying on an extra year, I received the 2^nd one in 20-5, for “8 years”.

Steve & LaurieMartin, Derek Prince

December, 1987 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

#LuggageTag #DerekPrince #Jerusalem #Israel #DerekPrinceMinistries #travel #serviceplagues

INSIDE Restricted Biblical Caves, What We Found There Is AMAZING! Yishai Fleisher

 

Yishai Fleisher

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713,118 views Aug 2, 2025 Yishai Interviews

City of David Tour - King David and His Dynasty - Jerusalem's Mount of Olives with special guest Doron Speilman (City of David, former VP and now Major in the IDF Spokesman's Office) Videography and Editing: Josh Fleisher and Shlomo Weprin City of David https://cityofdavid.org.il/en/ "When the Stones Speak" by Doron Spielman https://www.amazon.com/When-Stones-Sp... Help Fight the Israel Narrative War Support: http://buymeacoffee.com/yishai Join the Beautifight (Renovation and Beautification of Holy Sites in Israel): http://Fight4Israel.org Website: https://yishaifleisher.com Podcast: https://israelpodcast.buzzsprout.com Facebook:   / yishaifleisher   Twitter:   / yishaifleisher   Instagram:   / yishaifleisher   Youtube:    / yishaifleishertv   Rabbi Yishai Fleisher is the International Spokesperson for the Jewish Community of Hebron - a Middle East hotspot, King David's first capital, and home of the Mearat Hamachpela - the Tomb of the Biblical Patriarchs and Matriarchs. He is also an elected Councilman in one of the largest Jewish community in Judea and an advisor for international affairs to Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir. Rabbi Yishai is a popular English-language podcaster and YouTuber on the topics of Israel, Judaism, and the Middle East and has appeared in major media outlets including CNN, Piers Morgan, and more. Yishai is a rabbi, a graduate of Cardozo Law School in NYC, a former paratrooper, and continues to serve in the IDF reserves.

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The nations continue to watch Israel.

The nations continue to watch Israel, as the Living God shows His plans and purposes being fulfilled right before our eyes.

#nations #Israel #Yeshua #Jehovah #Jerusalem #JehovahJireh #JehovahNissi #Psalm122 #AmYisraelChai

Don’t be caught looking too Jewish or Christian. Cookie Schwaeber-Issan, All Israel News

 Don’t be caught looking too Jewish or Christian

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(Photo: Shutterstock)

Would you be shocked to discover that in the year 2025, looking too Jewish or sounding too Christian could immediately relegate you to a disenfranchised status?

Well, you shouldn’t. This is the new iteration of progress in a world which seems to be going backward rather than forward. Instead of learning from the mistakes of history, so as not to repeat their tragedies, we seemed to be unable to overcome our worst tendencies.  

Sadly, we are witnessing the return of intolerance against Judeo-Christian beliefs playing out right before our eyes.

Only a few days ago, a local Christian minister was told by the Muslim mayor of Dearborn, MI that he wasn’t welcome in his own community.  

Pastor Edward “Ted” Barham probably never imagined that publicly registering his complaint, at a city council meeting where a discussion took place concerning the naming of street, in honor of a controversial Arab American publisher by the name of Osama Siblani, would result in his vilification.

The pastor quoted a Siblani speech stating, “We are the Arabs who are going to lift Palestinians all the way to victory whether we are in Michigan and whether we are in Jenin. Believe me, everyone should fight within his means. They will fight with stones, others will fight with guns, others fight with planes, drones and rockets.”

Protesting what sounded as a call to violence, Barham felt a moral obligation to acknowledge the publisher’s long record of whitewashing terror.  

One example was a 2003 Washington Post comment stating, “Mr. Bush believes Hezbollah, Hamas and other Palestinian factions are terrorists, but we believe they are freedom fighters.”

It’s not surprising that Abdullah Hussein Hammoud, Dearborn’s first Shia Muslim mayor would show hostility toward the pastor, because that Islamic sect does not legitimize Christianity.  On the contrary, their position is that the salvation of one’s soul is only attainable through submission to Islam. 

By his highly offensive and intolerant response, the mayor apparently believes that deference should already be afforded to the large Muslim population who voted him into office, relegating the sensitivities of others to a place of no importance or consideration.

The mayor went on to suggest that the pastor leave his city, so that he could celebrate his departure. That statement reflects a deliberate and blatant disenfranchisement of an American Christian from his own hometown.  

In essence, unless he accepts the decision to honor a violent Muslim, he is being told that he has no place in the community where he has always lived. To question or show any measure of disapproval is met by an invitation to exit the city.  In short, it comes down to approve or move!

This is what’s happening in the heartland of America, but, perhaps, it’s indicative of things are changing faster than we know.

Just a year ago, a similar incident occurred when a Jewish man, wearing a kippa (traditional skullcap) tried to cross the street, in the City of London. Told to leave the area where a pro-Palestinian march was underway, he was told that he would be arrested if he didn’t comply.  The reason given by the police was that he looked too Jewish.

While some might commend the police officer for his concern over the man’s safety, the bottom line is that anyone whose appearance identifies them as a Jew, may no longer have the freedom of movement in certain areas.

Another 2024 incident involved a Jewish man who was told to “get out of a comedy gig in London which took place at the Soho Theatre, featuring comedian Paul Currie.”

In last week’s Jerusalem Post newspaper, there was yet another shocking report a Gothic shop in Flensburg, Germany whose owner hung a sign on the door which read, “Jews are banned from entering here.”

A few hours later, a pizza shop in Furth, Germany similarly posted a sign warning that Israeli customers were banned in that establishment.

All of these occurrences are deeply disturbing, because each one highlights a growing apprehension towards Jews, shared by Americans, Brits and Europeans, all of whose countries have sizeable Muslim communities which have elected municipal leaders who happen to adhere to Islam. 

In the case of Germany, these prohibitions appear to have been made by local citizens who have decided that Jews and Israelis are not worthy customers to patronize their shops.

These examples point to the liability of either speaking out as a Christian, who is against honoring violence, or being told that looking too Jewish will result in the loss of your freedoms. The thought of Jews being banned from businesses is all-too reminiscent of the dark days of Germany when it bitterly turned against its Jewish community without fighting against injustice and intolerance.

What we are witnessing, this time, is the commonality of persecution, amongst Jews and Christians, both hated by radical Muslims as well as Woke Progressives. The aligned bigotry of these two groups coincidentally serves their particular ideologies.

Possibly the worst statement was one just made by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who just a week ago “warned that white Christian are responsible for so much damage.”  How will such a comment be met by anyone who already hates Christians? 

If the goal is to marginalize Jews and Christians, it’s likely that these incidents will only multiply, testing the limits of how far religiously observant people can be disqualified from full participation in society.

Will governmental leaders take up this fight against the religious persecution of Jews and Christians? If not, it will simply embolden others to further oppress and deprive them from the same rights and privileges enjoyed by others.

Of course, the alternative is to keep silent or surrender to abandoning one’s lifestyle in favor of their safety. Many of us have heard stories of friends and family members who are wearing baseball caps in public places rather than a kippa. 

Reminded, yet again, that these despicable attacks occur at our holiest places and on Yom Kippur, two Jews were murdered just outside of a Manchester UK synagogue.

Will Christians begin to experience similar incidents?Jews and Christians share the misfortune of being targets of ethnic and religious persecution. If this is not met with resistance by political leaders and ordinary people, the ugliness of history will, indeed, repeat itself again. 

Cookie Schwaeber-Issan

A former Jerusalem elementary and middle-school principal who made Aliyah in 1993 and became a member of Kibbutz Reim but now lives in the center of the country with her husband. She is the author of Mistake-Proof Parenting, based on the principles from the book of Proverbs - available on Amazon.

#Don’tbecaught #Jewish #Christian #CookieSchwaeber-Issan #AllIsraelNews #Islam #Muslims #JerusalemPost #Germany #whiteChristians #religiouslyobservantpeople #Persecution