Monday, November 2, 2015

COMMENTARY: Did the New Covenant Nullify the Sabbath? - ISRAEL TODAY

COMMENTARY: Did the New Covenant Nullify the Sabbath?

Monday, November 02, 2015 |  Brian Hennessy  ISRAEL TODAY
As more and more Christians recover their stolen Hebraic heritage and begin to draw near to their Jewish brethren again, the question arises - “how do we keep holy the Sabbath day?” Surely this commandment is central to being part of God’s Israel – “for it shall be a sign between Me and you throughout your generations” (Ex. 31:12).
For centuries we thought as Christians we were keeping the Sabbath by going to church on Sunday. Then we discovered the Sunday Sabbath was an unauthorized change to God’s Law instituted by the Emperor Constantine in the fourth century. But does that mean God’s official day of rest is still Saturday? Or is there some other way to understand the fourth commandment in light of God’s New Covenant (NC) with Israel? I believe there is.
To begin, Jesus was quite clear about the purpose of his coming regarding the Mosaic Law: “I did not come to abolish [it] but to fulfill [it]” (Matt. 5:17). So none of the commandments and ordinances given on Mount Sinai were ever abolished by Yeshua. The key is understanding what Yeshua meant by “fulfilled.” For surely things were not the same in Israel after he left. 
As the inspired New Testament writers revealed, the original Mosaic commands were only “a shadow of the good things to come” (Heb. 10:1). They all pointed to a future spiritual fulfillment in Yeshua. So once the New Covenant (NC) fulfilled the first covenant, Israel’s understanding of how God wanted His people to serve Him also had to change. 
The command for physical circumcision became the required circumcised heart. The Levitical priesthood was replaced by the priesthood of believers. The temple building by the body of Messiah. Passover was now the remembrance of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God in the bread and wine. And the Sabbath became a command to rest, not just one day a week, but 24-7 in the finished work of Yeshua.
  • No one explains this NC truth concerning the Sabbath better than Watchman Nee. In his little book, Sit, Walk, Stand, a study of the Book of Ephesians, he reminds us the Sabbath law was based on God resting on the seventh day of creation.  We were to see that while God worked six days and rested on the seventh, man, who was created on the sixth day, began his work on God’s day of rest. This showed us man must first enter God’s rest in Yeshua before he could work. “For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own works, just as God did from his” (Heb. 4:10).
To keep the Sabbath now we must sit down with Yeshua in heavenly places each day and cease from all our striving and unrest. We can rest from trying to stay saved, from trying to provide for ourselves and family, from trying to serve God – and just receive it all by faith, knowing God has already met all our needs and accomplished all our work for us in him. All we do now will be done in the Spirit. 
Ironically, that means the Sabbath is the only time we should work! All other times of labor for God, even if deemed a “good work,” will have no lasting value in God’s Kingdom. Do you realize how much religious busy-work would end if we were all truly keeping His Sabbath?
That doesn’t mean someone can’t designate one day to be a personal sabbath rest to honor God if he so chooses. It just means he won’t be stoned if he fails to keep it. 
The bottom line: “Let no one  act as your judge with regard to food or drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day, things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Messiah” (Col. 2:16,17).

Brian Hennessy is the author of Valley of the Steeples, available at:ketchpublishing/BrianHennessyBooks.htm
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Digital


4Him -25th Anniversary Tour "Real Thing" - music video LIVE


4Him - 25th Anniversary Tour 
"Real Thing" 
Columbia, SC 11.01.15









Photos by Steve Martin 11.01.15

Published on Nov 2, 2015

4Him -25th Anniversary Tour "Real Thing" - Columbia, SC 11.01.15
Irmo, SC - Riverlands Baptist Church

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

4Him - 25th Year Anniversary Tour - Columbia (Irmo), SC - Nov. 1, 2015










 


 

Photos by Steve Martin, Love For His People

Special Note: 17 videos will be on our YouTube Channel loveforhispeopleinc


Sunday, November 1, 2015

Be ready. END OF DAYS - The Awakened Church Empowered by Holy Spirit Fire - latest book by Steve Martin - Only $5.99 Paperback & $2.99 Kindle



END OF DAYS 

- The Awakened Church 
Empowered by 
Holy Spirit Fire

by Steve Martin


1. Buy paperback: 

Or: Mail check for $9.50 (includes S/H) to:
Love For His People, Inc.
P.O. Box 414
Pineville, NC 28134


2. Also on Kindle
Download here: End of Days - $2.99


Here is a taste of what is in it...

I sincerely believe we are living in the end of days, as prophetic words have been rapidly fulfilled since the re-birth of Israel in 1948. Jesus Himself had said that when we see the fig tree budding, we would know that the time is near.

This book, my 10th published in the last three years (all between 2013-2015) and before my 61st birthday, is very special to me. I sense it is something the Lord put on my heart to do several months ago, giving it that “urgency of getting it done and out there” feel as I wrote. Originally these chapters were Now Think On This messages. It was amazing to me how many were done in September and October of 2015 alone, as the Holy Spirit would speak a word or sentence to me, and I would write on soon after. I am truly grateful for His impartation, and acknowledge Jesus (Yeshua), my Lord and Savior, above all.

The photos I have included in the book are primarily ones I took (exceptions noted), both to document history and to share another way the Lord also speaks to His Body. Capturing moments of the Holy Spirit action, especially in the two “fire” photos, were exciting. In both cases I wasn’t even aware of it until they were “developed”.

My heart yearns for the glory of the Lord Jesus to be revealed in the earth, touching the hearts and souls of men, women and children in each and every nation.

As we see the days become darker, we believe that the Lord God of Israel will show Himself strong, and prove that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, as He says He is.

I dedicate this book to you who also long to walk in strong faith, courage and commitment to the end, for whatever the Lord has planned and purposed for you and I.

Together, as the Body of Christ, and the glorious Bride that we will become, we will one day see His Kingdom arrive, His will be done, even on earth as it is in heaven.

The Gospel, the Good News of salvation, will be declared, and that which is just and good will for all eternity overcome the evil one and his cohorts

I trust this book will both encourage you and cause you to re-commit yourself  - to know the Lord’s will for your life, do all you can to allow Him to direct your steps, and be the light in these dark days we desperately need and have been called upon by the Lord to be. I am with you, arm in arm.

May His grace and empowerment, through His Holy Spirit, be yours!

Ahava (love in Hebrew) and shalom (peace),

Steve Martin



CHAPTERS

1. Israel – The One To Watch

2. The Great Falling Away

3. Believing Is Hard

4. A Head Start In Heaven

5. Sometimes I Feel Like Jonah

6. Searching For God

7. You May Get What You Ask For

8. Protection for Purpose in the Last Times

9. So That Is Why

10. NOW Is The Time

11. We Need To Hear God

12.You Are The One

13.Truth

14.Fear

15. Time Is Speeding Up

16. What Love Are You Talking About?

17. His Word. For All Eternity.


18. Make It Count

19. Bold & Beautiful

20. We Need His Gifts

21. Keep Walking

22. I Wish We’d All Been Ready

23. The Rapture

24. The Awakened Church Will Rise Again

25. When It’s All Been Said and Done

Published by Martin Lighthouse Publishing - Nov. 2015


1. Buy paperback: 
Click here: Amazon for only $5.95 - Available now (plus postage)

Or: Mail check for $9.50 (includes S/H) to:
Love For His People, Inc.
P.O. Box 414
Pineville, NC 28134

2. Kindle version
Download here: End of Days - $2.99


About the Author

Steve Martin served with three Christian ministries from 1987-2010, all having a
national and international outreach focus. During that time he made 14 ministry trips 
to Israel, China, India, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom. 

On his overseas journeys Steve enjoyed sharing written journal entries with family and 
friends back home, through Internet media. His light-hearted stories gave an up 
close and personal touch for those reading along. Many could imagine being there 
themselves. 

His extensive collection of photos taken during these trips, of both 
local scenery and common people on the streets, has touched thousands through 
their varied images. In 2010, Steve and Laurie began Love For His People, Inc, 
a 501©3 non-profit humanitarian aid ministry. This work touches the natural 
and spiritual lives of those around them with needed encouragement and strength. 

His regular messages Now Think On This, posted on the Love For Now Think of This 
blog and Facebook, feature words of spiritual enrichment, plus selected photos. 
Since 1994, Steve and his good wife Laurie have lived in the Charlotte, NC area, 
after having homes in Illinois, Michigan and Florida. 

Now married for more than 38 years, they enjoy their four adult children and spouses (Josh and Chelsie, Ben, Hannah and Jonathan, Christen and Andrew), along with our seven additional 
grandchildren – Daniel, Logan, Dylan, Jensen, Payton, Jack and Levi. 

While continuing to serve organizations with his accounting skills, he enjoys writing, 
photography and growing the ministry of Love For His People, Inc.

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Paperback Product Details

  • Paperback: 138 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 2, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1518866115
  • ISBN-13: 978-1518866111
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: Be the first to review this item


Published by Martin Lighthouse Publishing 2015




Amazon Kindle Listing

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End of Days: The Church Empowered by Holy Spirit Fire Kindle Edition
by Steve Martin (Author)


Kindle
$0.00  Subscribers read for free$2.99 to buy Borrow for free


Length: 150 pages Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled Matchbook Price: $0.99


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Product Details

File Size: 4074 KB
Print Length: 150 pages
Publisher: Martin Lighthouse Publishing (November 1, 2015)
Publication Date: November 1, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B017HUFUTQ
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray:
Not Enabled
Word Wise: Not Enabled
Lending: Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled


1. Buy paperback: 

Or: Mail check for $8.50 (includes S/H) to:
Love For His People, Inc.
P.O. Box 414
Pineville, NC 28134


2. Also on Kindle
Download here: End of Days - $2.99

We Need His Gifts - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

We Need His Gifts
Now Think On This
Steve Martin


“God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” (Hebrews 2:4 NASU)


When it comes down to the end, power verses power will be the action of the day. Living in the end of days, through the end time events coming upon the earth, will require us as believers to be equipped with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We will have to be empowered with His holy fire, that working within us to give the courage, boldness and overcoming power to defeat the enemy and his attacks.

You know Satan is going to use all the power he has been allowed to have, for a given time. We better be ready to fight back – not in our own power, but in the power of the Almighty God of Israel, who has given us the supernatural weapons for warfare.

The world is seeking the unseen and the supernatural. We see it in the movies being produced in Hollywood, the TV shows that more and more depict hidden witchcraft, portrayed as “good and wholesome”, and through the increasingly dark and evil manifestations that draw the young and old after them.

We can’t win the battles we face through our own abilities. No smooth talking words will achieve the necessary force that will stop Satan and his demon henchmen in their tracks.

We need the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts the Lord has made available to us.

In 1973, when I was a senior at the Catholic Columbus High School in Waterloo, Iowa, I was seeking the Lord for more. I wanted a supernatural experience that my previous Catholic upbringing didn’t provide. Even after 12 years of religious upbringing, it wasn’t enough. I wanted more.

And as He always does, the good Lord responded to my seeking heart.

At a prayer meeting with others from my class, when hands were laid upon me to receive His Holy Spirit, I was baptized with the holy fire and supernatural love of the Lord. As both a sign and a wonder, I began to speak in tongues, even as they did in Acts 2. My life was changed forever from that day forward. I experienced what the early Church had been given the first time.

The Lord has made this available to us today, because He knows we need this empowerment.

“When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force — no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.

There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?

Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!

"They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"

Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on here?"

Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine." (Acts 2:1-13 THE MESSAGE)

In these 42 years since that May day, I have used this gift from the Lord of speaking in tongues as my prayer language, allowing the Spirit of the Lord to intercede through me, on behalf of my family, my co-workers, my country, and the nations of the world. He has also built me up in my inner spirit, even as His word says it would.

Again, the gifts of the Holy Spirt are going to be most needed in the end of days. Those who will be standing will have been trained and daily walking in faith by using them.

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts.” (1 Corinthians 12:1-31 NASU)

With the gifts of the Holy Spirit in use, we will be able to fight the onslaught of the enemy, encourage our brothers and sisters in the faith, and demonstrate to the world Who is the most powerful One on the throne. Working with all in the Body of Christ, together as each uses that which they have been given, we will demonstrate the miracles, signs and wonders that it will take to show the world His greatness.

Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit? You can be. You will need to be. The Lord will freely give to you as you ask Him.

The coming days will require you to be equipped with all that the Lord has to give. Be ready.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People. Inc.

P.S. We sure could use your help to bless the families we do in Israel, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the hurting ones here in the USA. Please give out of the abundance you have been given.

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.

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.


If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Click 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). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 
Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)
Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  
martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin and  Love For His People  
Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople 

Full website: Love For His People

Now Think On This #201 “We Need His Gits” by Steve Martin 
Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (11.01.15) Sunday at 6:15 am 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

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

Sending Shalom Today Ministries in Pakistan blessings on your 3rd Anniversary - from Love For Your People!

 Moses Julius - Founder, Shalom Today Ministries in Pakistan

Shalom Today Ministries 3rd Anniversary blessings!
From Charlotte, NC to our friends in Pakistan!


We love you 
and truly support you.

Thank you for being a light
in your nation
by sharing the 
love of Yeshua (Jesus).

Thank you for also having 
strong support
for our mutual friends
in Israel!

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People, Inc.