Sunday, January 26, 2014

Scarlett Johansson is Israel's Unexpected Heroine

Sunday, January 26, 2014 | Ryan Jones, ISRAEL TODAY

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Scarlett Johansson has played a fictional heroine in a number of Hollywood blockbusters. But Scarlett became much more than that to Israelis in recent days when she stood up to pressure from the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Johansson has been contracted to feature in a multi-million dollar commercial for popular Israeli brand SodaStream during the upcoming Super Bowl.

She never imagined that taking the gig would cause such a media storm. But, as many could have predicted, Johansson soon found herself the target of ceaseless criticism from those who believe that companies like SodaStream are a symbol of the evil "Israeli occupation."

Fortunately for Israel, Johansson is too well versed in humanitarian welfare to be taken in by the propaganda, and sees SodaStream for what it is - an Israeli company doing its best to create an atmosphere of coexistence by hiring as many Palestinian Arabs as possible to work alongside its Jewish employees.

Johansson was very clear and direct regarding the matter in a statement made to the Huffington Post:

"While I never intended on being the face of any social or political movement, distinction, separation or stance as part of my affiliation with SodaStream, given the amount of noise surrounding that decision, I’d like to clear the air. I remain a supporter of economic cooperation and social interaction between a democratic Israel and Palestine. SodaStream is a company that is not only committed to the environment but to building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbors working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights. That is what is happening in their Ma’ale Adumim factory every working day."

Critics have tried to portray the SodaStream factory in Ma'ale Adumim as a "slave labor" environment for the Palestinians. ButIsrael Today visited the facility back in November of last year, and found very much the opposite to be true.

Arab employees noted that they are able to make far more money working for the Israeli company than they could elsewhere.

"The salary I earn here enabled me to complete my studies. Not many would do this for the Arab people," explained a fresh-faced Yousef Basharat. "It is only a problem for other people [who call this place a settlement]. I need this work, and I am very happy here."

The Palestinians working at SodaStream also insisted that they are treated with the same respect as their Jewish colleagues.

"Everyone is treated the same here. The privilege that the Israeli worker gets, the Palestinian also gets," said Rani Abed Rabbo, who was offered a management position by SodaStream after losing his job in the hi-tech sector. "There is no discrimination here. We eat together, we laugh together. We feel welcome here."

In fact, contrary to the picture painted by anti-Israel propagandists, the working environment at SodaStream is so desirable that "many other Palestinians are also seeking jobs here," according to Abed Rabbo.

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Saturday, January 25, 2014

“Five Fingers and a Paw” - Ahava Love Letter (Steve Martin)

“Five Fingers and a Paw”

“Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Prov. 7:3 NKJV)

Dear family of friends,

Sleeping next to me in my favorite rocker, I again am amazed at her paws. Each has a full pad, to protect her from the heat, the cold, and even sharp fallen tree objects as she walks the paths we take her on. Created in an extraordinary way, our Dachshund Zoe fascinates me. She is among all the creatures the Lord God of all has made. Awesome. Glorious.

There are so many breeds of animals. Each with specific features unique to the purpose He designed them to have in this world. What a mind He has, to have thought of so many different ones, and to place them in our lives. So much pleasure these creatures have brought us, both great and small, given to mankind since the beginning of time.

And then I look at my own fingers, five on each hand. That too is something that causes me to think of His glory. So different from the other mammals. Superior in many ways, given to us to work, to play music, to hold another’s hand.

When I take time to just stop and consider Him, how can I not call Him God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe? We have our super heroes, our exciting sports champions, our strong leaders who have guided us on to many good results. But when I think of our Father’s heart and His purposes for each of us, nothing and no one can compare to Him.

Five fingers and a paw – just two simple pictures of His love expressed for us. Thank you Lord Jesus for creating these, and for all Your creation that we often take for granted.

We appreciate You and Your mighty works done on our behalf.

Ahava to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People. Inc.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

Please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless known families in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry.

Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available).

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Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

Please share this Ahava Love Letter with your friends.

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Ahava Love Letter #102 “Five Fingers and a Paw” Steve Martin

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (01.25.14) Saturday at 4:00 pm in Charlotte, NC).

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog, and our newest website: Ahava Love Letters

ISRAEL TODAY - Putting Jesus Back in the Synagogue

Putting Jesus Back in the Synagogue

Friday, January 24, 2014 | David Lazarus ISRAEL TODAY

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Israeli academics and scholars are now willing to admit that certain passages were intentionally omitted from standard weekly synagogue readings because of their “Messianic” connotations. Were the passages so clearly pointing to Yeshua (Jesus) that the rabbis were afraid to read them in public?

The full article appears in the current Israel Today Magazine.
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"Aaronic Benediction" - Misha Goetz (featuring Marty Goetz on piano and vocal)

Published on Sep 10, 2013

"Aaronic Benediction"

Written by Misha Goetz
Performed Live by Misha and Marty Goetz

From "Weight of Glory"- Available at http://mishagoetz.com andhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wei...

Filmed, Directed, and Edited by John Moessner
http://vimeo.com/johnmoessner

Category

Music
License

Standard YouTube License

Appreciating Worship Leaders - Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, David Crowder, Don Moen, Jesus Culture...

"Just a few of my favorite ones..." Steve Martin

Chris Tomlin - Passion 2014 Atlanta

David Crowder

Matt Redman - UK

Jesus Culture - USA

Don Moen

Darlene Zschech - Australia

Jesus Culture

John G. Elliott

John G. Elliott - Nashville

John G. Elliott

Back in the day...1970's and '80's

Joshua Aaron - Israel

Keith Green - heaven in now his home

The early Jesus Music - some of the best

Love Song - '70's California

Marty Goetz - USA

Paul Baloche - Texas

Paul Wilbur - Messianic music

Jacksonville, FL

Rueben Morgan - Australia

Robert Critchley - Canada

Robin Mark - Ireland

Ted Pearce - Messianic worship

Joel Chernoff of LAMB

Messianic Jew

...and then the best quartet ever! 4HIM!!!

Biography

In the business of music, 15 years might as well be a lifetime; however, for four ordinary guys who couldn’t imagine anything better than singing about Jesus, the past 15 years have been more like a dream come to life. 4HIM has been about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through the powerful, incomparable medium of music since their beginnings singing with the well-known ensemble group, Truth.

From the four ordinary guys who formed while sitting down at McDonald’s to explore the idea of forming a four-man pop-gospel group, 4HIM presents ENCORE…FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, their final project as 4HIM, a collection of career favorites, as well as a solo song from each member.

“We couldn’t think of a better way to write the closing chapter to our story than to sing our way out,” 4HIM states, “We hope you hear our hearts in ENCORE and know how blessed we’ve been to be a part of your lives.”

Since their formation in 1989, their harmonic convergence—the likes of which hadn’t been heard in Christian music since the Imperials took audiences by storm in the late 1970s—blended the best of tradition from past decades in Christian music with modern pop sensibilities and no-holds-barred, real life lyrics. Christian radio ‘got it’ right of the box with the group’s first No. 1 single, “Where There Is Faith,” and audiences began to sit up and take notice of the fresh-faced foursome from down south.

4HIM managed to transcend any of those potential pratfalls, continuing to make music that not only met the needs of listeners but pushed the creative envelope as the mainstream pop music scene evolved into something a little less slick, less produced.

By the time 4HIM’s ‘best of’ album released in 2004, all four men were contemplating ‘where do we go from here?’ Not because they were drifting apart or because the opportunities were few and far between. No, call it sixth sense, the sense of discovery, of beginning to understand that there could be life beyond the ministry they’d devoted the biggest part of their adult lives to.

After much prayer, Andy Chrisman decided to pursue a lifelong passion as worship leader at a local church in Celebration, Florida. Mark Harris had begun writing new songs for a solo project. Marty and Kirk were also busy writing and doing production work on their own.

Each one, in his own time, began to feel the excitement of seeing new roads winding out before them. They began, one by one, to sense God saying “I am doing a new thing in you.” And so, with gratitude for all God has done over the past 15 years, they began to write the closing chapter in the story of 4HIM.

Taking a walk down memory lane, 4HIM recorded new versions of their biggest hits on the farewell project. Once again their longtime producer Michael Omartian produced the project, which features nine favorite 4HIM songs, in addition to a medley and one new track, “Unity (We Stand),” featuring guest vocalists Point of Grace and Jeromy Deibler of FFH. Four bonus solo songs from each band member will also be included.

“This project will hopefully capture the spirit of the songs and where we are now in 2005 musically, spiritually and thematically it will be a trip down memory lane with a new twist,” Mark Harris explains. “We wanted to do this last project as a gift to our loyal fans—to commemorate all the years of faithful support we have received from them.”

Throughout their time together, 4HIM has received much acclaim for their 11 hit albums including an RIAA Gold certified album (The Basics of Life), 24 No. 1 radio singles, eight Dove Awards including three “Group of the Year,” and a Grammy Award nomination as well as Alabama’s Music Hall of Fame for The Governor’s Achievement Award. In addition to their numerous tours across the nation, the group has also been featured performers with the Billy Graham and Louis Palau crusades.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
2003 Dove Award nomination – Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
1998 Dove Award - Group of the Year
Dove Award - Inspirational Song of the Year for “Center of the Mark”
1998 WOW! Inspirational Award nomination - Performing artist of the Year
1997 Grammy Award nomination - Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for The Message
1996 RIAA certified gold album for The Basics of Life
1996 CCM Magazine’s readers’ poll - Favorite Long Form Video for The Ride Comes Alive
1995 American Songwriter - Christian Artist of the Year
1995 Dove Award - Group of the Year
1994 CCM Magazine - Song of the Year for “For Future Generations”
1994 Dove Award - Group of the Year
Dove Award - Inspirational Album of the Year for The Season of Love
1993 Christian Booksellers Association Impact Award - Cassette Jacket Design for The Basics of Life
Christian Booksellers Association Impact Award - Total Promotional Campaign, Music for The Basics of Life
1993 Dove Award - Group of the Year
Dove Award - Inspirational Album of the Year for Generation to Generation
1992 Christian Research Report Reporter Poll - Best Group
1991 Christian Research Report Reporter Poll - Best Group
1991 Dove Award - Best New Artist
1990 Christian Research Report Reporter Poll - Best New Artist
VIDEOGRAPHY
1996 The Message in the Making
1995 The Ride Comes Alive
1993 The Basics of Life
1991 Face the Nation
DEVOTIONAL BOOK
1998 The Basics of Life
ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• A career total so far of 22 number one singles
• Partners in hunger relief with World Vision—featured performer on World Vision 2003 Spring Tour
• Nominated by Alabama’s Music’s Hall of Fame for The Governor’s Achievement Award
• 2002 “4Guys And A Fruitcake” Christmas tour with Chonda Pierce
• Featured performers with the Louis Palau crusade and the Billy Graham crusade
• Co-headlined a national tour with Point of Grace
• Co-headlined 1998 fall national tour with Jaci Velasquez and special guest Michelle Tumes
• Headlined 1998 Spring tour with special guest Big Tent Revival featuring Jeni Varnadeau
• Performed at “Sold Out 1998” Promise Keepers conference the day before the Super Bowl
• Co-host of the 1998 NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Bobby Clampett/4HIM Pro-Am Classic Golf Tournament—

Joshua Aaron sings "The Lord is my Light" - in Jerusalem - Succat Hallel dedication

Joshua Aaron

Joshua Aaron leading worship in Jerusalem

Published on Nov 14, 2013

Joshua Aaron leads worship in Jerusalem - Succat Hallel's dedication of prayer room on Nov. 4, 2013.

"The Lord Is My Light" is one song.

Thanks Curtis Loftin of Lincolnton, NC for first sharing his CD with me last year!!!

Video filmed and shared by Steve Martin - to give appreciation to and love for those we support, through Love For His People, Inc.