Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Knots on the Rope - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Knots on the Rope

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Far more blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” (Luke 11:28, Complete Jewish Bible)

A special “Now Think On This edition.

Nov. 20, 2018

Greetings friends of Love For His People ministry.

In my Bible today, I found prophetic Words From 2004. It was for someone back then, but maybe it is for you today?

As many of you may know, Laurie and I came back home to Antioch International Church, here in Fort Mill, South Carolina, after a four year "wandering in the desert as Jews", so to speak. (I still think there is a Jewish connection someone. When my DNA comes back in two weeks...)

Our home is also four miles away, as the crow flies. Something about "fours" this spiritual season. I am sure there is more to come on that.

And as you may have seen, I was brought on staff on Oct. 1, 2018, to assist the pastors and leadership with accounting and more. Check out my new office, but only after you finish reading this. Steve's Antioch office

This morning I brought in a few more items to add to the collection, including a small Bible I had in a black case. When I opened it (NKJV in case you ask) I found a few inscriptions, and several 3" x 5" note cards. The Bible I had received as a gift from Mahesh Chavda Ministries in 1994, two months before we relocated to the Charlotte, NC area from Fort Lauderdale, FL with that ministry and two other families. (See photo here, which includes the note I wrote on the inside page when Laurie and I were in China, back on Aug. 16, 2002. Interesting to me. And fulfilled many times since then. The 40th year noted was since birth in 1954.)

I also found another note card, written by me on Jan. 18, 2004, of a prophetic word I received to share with another. As you read it, maybe it is for you too, even these 14 years later. (There's a "4" in there again...)

The word as written follows. You can also see the actual card photos below.

"The Lord gave me a word for a lady in Charleston, which may encourage others. I saw a rope, hanging vertically, with knots evenly spaced. At first, I had no understanding, but the Lord spoke to me the next morning in prayer, as to its meaning.

The knots were actually "nots". The lady would respond to the Lord, as He requested things of her, with "nots" - she 'couldn't do it', 'it can't be done", or another excuse.

But the Lord was saying to her, that as she grabbed hold of each "not", trusting Him to do it, she would climb upward, one "not" at a time.

As she climbed, she was to "keep her eyes fixed on Him" as she pulled herself upward. This too would enable her to overcome the "nots." Steve Martin

I hope you are encouraged today. Say “YES LORD!” when He speaks to you. And then He will keep speaking, as you hear and obey. His grace is plentiful and ready to act. You will be amazed at what He has called you to do, and will bring fulfillment in your lfe as you do so.

Ahava and shalom. And Happy Thanksgiving too!

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. Want an adventure walking the streets of Jerusalem? Come with me sometime! And in the meantime, watch my short videos that I recorded in October 2018 as I did that just that. Jerusalem October 2018 playlist

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$50 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

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

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Now Think On This #370 - in the year of our Lord 11.20.18 – “Knots on the Rope” Tuesday, 8:15 am

When All Else Failed, Netanyahu Turned to Spiritual Guidance - Ryan Jones ISRAEL TODAY

When All Else Failed, Netanyahu Turned to Spiritual Guidance

Tuesday, November 20, 2018 | Ryan Jones ISRAEL TODAY

Topics:

Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government almost fell this week. According to new reports, it was saved thanks to a bit of spiritual intervention.

Last week, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman resigned and pulled his Yisrael Beiteinu party out of the coalition in protest over what many felt was a premature ceasefire in the latest round of Gaza fighting. Immediately after, Education Minister Naftali Bennett threatened to likewise quit the government along with his Jewish Home party if he wasn't appointed as the new minister of defense. That would have left Netanyahu with a minority coalition, and made early elections impossible to avoid.

Netanyahu fought back by insisting that there was a looming security crisis to which the public was not privy, but that necessitated keeping his government in power for as long as possible.

Many weren't convinced. Among them was the spiritual leader of Bennett's Jewish Home faction, Rabbi Haim Druckman.

According to Hadashot TV news, Netanyahu's people, including National Security Council head Meir Ben Shabbat, sought the rabbi's help in saving the ruling coalition from collapse. Druckman responded that he needed proof that what Netanyahu said about a looming crisis was true, and so he was purportedly shown classified security information.

The very next day, Bennett called a press conference and announced that he had dropped his ultimatum and would remain in Netanyahu's government under Netanyahu's terms.

PHOTO: Bennett and Rabbi Druckman at a 2013 event confirming that the Jewish Home party would join the Netanyahu government. (Yossi Zeliger/FLASH90)

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Intimate - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Intimate

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8, NASU)

Most people fear to be intimate. Decades of rejection, initially in our lives due to the separation we had with our God until new life, rebirth took place, kept us from having honest, soul to soul communication with Him and with each other. I know I do, struggling at times to express what I really want to. It’s that sense of uncertainty of what the other may think, feel, or want to share with us in return.

It is quite common I believe among us. We want to. We need to. But we somehow can’t. (Especially for us macho men!) So we have the small talk, the short quips, the “meet and greet” five minutes during the church service.

We are missing out on being intimate, especially with our Lord Jesus. And that is the One we really need to start with. If we can’t be intimate with our Creator, our Father, the One who gave Himself totally for us, how can we be intimate with one another? I am still seeking to find out what all is missing. The lack, I need. The love and intimate cup need to be filled more often than it has been.

There have though been real moments in being with the Lord, those times when touching His heart has just been a real, reachable joy. Those “almost raptured” times during God-filled worship in a large gathering of His people, when the anointing of the Holy Spirit just comes over us. It seems as close to being with Him that we may know, this side of eternity. It’s as if we just can’t hug Him enough; speak words of built-up heart thanks to Him; crawl up in His lap and sit, staying in His presence, not wanting to leave that place for a long, long time.

Sounds too heavenly, right? Not attainable you say? But it is.

Because of His tortuous pain on the brutal cross, we can now receive healing.

Because of His tearing down the huge curtain of separation, we can now touch Him.

Because of Who He is and what He has done, we can be as close as we want to be with Him.

“But I'm in the very presence of God — oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home.

God, I'm telling the world what you do!” (Psalm 73:28, THE MESSAGE)

David need not be one of the few who knew what it was to be close, to draw near, to really get close to God. It is not a scary thing. It is an awesome thing. We CAN know, deep in our soul, deep in our spirit, close to our heart, His presence.

Let me share something personal as if I usually don’t most often.

Zoe Girl Martin - pure love

I can finally declare that I am thankful for my dog, especially with this particular action on her part. It has taken me a few months to come to this point where I can say, “Thank you Lord for Zoe, this 12-year old Dachshund you created, who has to get up now once or twice in the middle of the night, drink a big bowl of water, and then let it all out. Yes, I can finally say, “Thank you, Lord.”” (She has Cushing’s. You’ll have to look that up if you are curious enough.)

Because…along with the re-energization that I get each time I return from being in the land of Israel (the promised land for both Jews and those who the Lord has joined together along with them), with the Lord’s Spirit waking me up in the middle of the dark night since then, my little 14 pound Zoe also gets me up in the middle of the silence and almost deep sleep. Because of Him using her, I have had more moments of experiencing intimate times with Him these past days and months.

When all is quiet, undisturbed, and time is given for taking time to be with Him alone…putting on the earphones, tapping the praise and worship music app on the smartphone playlist, and just giving Him seconds, minutes, maybe even an hour to be with me, in intimacy, has refreshed my soul, lifted my spirit, and renewed the initial vision, purpose and plans He has to reveal even further. He has given me times of being intimate with Him.

And yes, it is possible to be intimate with each other I am certain. It starts with being intimate with our Lord, where His heart first becomes yours, and His life then dwells in ours.

I like to sleep. Most of us do. Sometimes I believe it is overrated when we could be doing so much more. But I no longer mind it when the Holy Spirit awakens me in the middle of the night, using Zoe or any other means He chooses. Being with Him is worth the time.

My prayer, both for you and I, is very simple. “Lord, we want You. We need You. Come and fill my heart with Who You are so we can love those who yet don’t know, or want to know You more.”

May He answer this prayer for you and me today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now. Click here: DONATE

(or use the DONATE buttons on the blog.)

Contribution checks can be sent to:

Love For His People, Inc.

P.O. Box 414

Pineville, NC 28134

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

Please share Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn. We appreciate your help.

Now Think On This #369 - in the year of our Lord 11.20.18 – “Intimate” Tuesday, 5:00 am

The Dawn of Redemption ✡ "Hashem Removed Yisrael From His Presence" - Israel365

In the end, Hashem removed Yisrael from His presence, as He had warned them through all His servants the Neviim. So the Israelites were deported from their land to Assyria, as is still the case.
II Kings 17:23 (The Israel Bible™)

עַד אֲשֶׁר־הֵסִיר יְהֹוָה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַל פָּנָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּיַד כָּל־עֲבָדָיו הַנְּבִיאִים וַיִּגֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַל אַדְמָתוֹ אַשּׁוּרָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה
Hear the verse in Hebrew

AD a-sher hay-SEER a-do-NAI et yis-ra-AYL may-AL pa-NAV ka-a-SHER di-BER b’-YAD kol a-va-DAV ha-n’-vee-EEM va-YI-gel yis-ra-AYL may-AL ad-ma-TO a-SHU-rah AD ha-YOM ha-ZEH

The Dawn of Redemption

The northern kingdom of Israel is destroyed, and its ten tribes are exiled to Assyria. Unlike the exiles of Yehuda (Judea), who return from Babylonia after seventy years, the ten tribes remain in exile. These tribes are known as “the lost tribes of Israel,” as they disappeared due to persecution and assimilation. However, according to Jewish tradition, these tribes will return to Israel in the era of the Mashiach (Messiah). The Bnei Menashe, ‘children of Menashe,’ are members of a tribe from northeast India who claim descent from the lost tribe of Menashe. For thousands of years they have continued the Jewish practices of their ancestors, including observing the Shabbat and Jewish dietary laws, celebrating the festivals and following the laws of family purity. And, throughout that time they dreamed of returning to the Land of Israel. In recent years, thousands of Bnei Menashe have been brought back home to the loving embrace of their brothers and sisters in Israel. The return of the lost tribes to the Land of Israel is additional proof that we are living through the dawn of the era of redemption. For more inspiration, check out The Israel Bible's Daily Inspirations devotional.