Saturday, December 1, 2018

Strength For Israel monthly mtg. with David Peterman - Christians For Messiah Ministries and Antioch International Church - Fort Mill, SC

                               
Strength For Israel with David Peterman
- Christians For Messiah Ministries and Antioch International Church, Fort Mill, SC 


Dec. 1, 2018

Strength For Israel, under the leadership of David Peterman, celebrated the completion of its first full year today, in the Fireside Room at Antioch International Church in Fort Mill, SC.

Normally meeting on the first Friday night of every month, due to another event held in the room the night before, this gathering was moved to Saturday afternoon from 1:30 - 3:30 pm.

Sharing in Messianic songs of worship, Shabbat candles, challah bread, and grape juice, those in attendance blessed the Living God of Israel, Yeshua, and were taught a good word on mikvah (baptism) by David. There were some very interesting facts on Jewish culture, our Jewish roots as Christians, and how the Lord Jesus is moving among His people today.

It was a real joy leading the worship time with my new Taylor guitar. After almost seven years of not playing guitar nor leading worship over the past five, the Lord's resurrection in that desire of my heart was a real encouragement to me. I am grateful also for those who added to the Holy Spirit joy with tambourine, banana and orange shakers! We had fun!

If you are in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, come join us every 1st Friday of the month - 7 pm at Antioch Intl. Church, 8400 Regent Parkway, Fort Mill, SC.

We love blessing the Lord and receiving His blessing in return.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love for His People ministry
Charlotte, NC USA


David Peterman, Leader






 Luana Peterman


 


"It's a Time of 'Extreme Acceleration!' Launch Out into the Deep!" Cindy Jacobs - The Elijah List

"It's a Time of 'Extreme Acceleration!' Launch Out into the Deep!"
Cindy Jacobs, Red Oak, TX

Dec. 1, 2018  The Elijah List

From the Desk of Steve Shultz:

Steve ShultzCindy Jacobs is a well-respected prophetic voice in the Body of Christ...I always look forward to what she receives prophetically from the Lord for the seasons we are in.

I recently joined Cindy and Mike Jacobs, along with many prophetic voices in Texas, for their Global Prophetic Summit. So much was released and I know you'll be excited to hear what God has in store for 2019 and beyond.

As we've just entered the very last month of this year, let this word of the Lord through Cindy Jacobs encourage you in all God has for you...as you launch out into the new year! 

(To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

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Enjoy!

Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News
http://www.elijahlist.com
*************************************

"It's a Time of 'Extreme Acceleration!' Launch Out into the Deep!"
Cindy Jacobs, Red Oak, TX


The Lord has been talking to us for a while about this concept of extreme acceleration and "suddenlies." I hear Him saying again, "Prepare for the time of acceleration."

The Lord says, "For many people, I bring a visitation of acceleration, but they are not ready to do what I have called them to do. Their mindset is to resist change. Their mindset is full of fear, and they're afraid when the season comes and begins to move fast. They want to put the brakes on, and they want to say, 'No, I want to think about this.'"

Time to Get Off the Mark

The Lord says, "There's a time to think and to pray, and there's a time to do and to take actions. I am anointing My people to be risk takers; I'm anointing My people to get off the mark."

Don't let fear paralyze you. Don't let depression paralyze you. Don't let the past depress you. Don't let the past keep you back. When the time comes, I see this picture I've seen in movies of the hero or the heroine when they have to jump on to a fast-moving train, or they have to jump on to a car from another car that's careening down a road. Well, the Lord says, "Jump!"

But What If You Win?

A lot of people say, "Well, what if I miss?" Well, what if you win? I believe that the Lord is saying this especially to a lot of entrepreneurs right now. Some of you, in fact, have been praying earnestly for a confirmation that you are supposed to make a move, and as long as you have peace in your heart about that, just go ahead and jump.

"Launching out into the deep" would be a Biblical reference we could use for this. The Lord says, "If you snooze, you lose!" Get ready for acceleration and be ready to move when the extreme comes.

(To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Cindy Jacobs
Generals International

Email: generals@generals.org
Website: www.generals.org

Mike and Cindy Jacobs co-founded Generals International in 1985. Mike and Cindy co-host a weekly television program called God Knows that airs in more than 200 nations. Mike and Cindy also provide leadership for the Reformation Prayer Network (RPN), an organization with representatives in each of the fifty United States, working to support and uphold Biblical values through prayer and local action. 

Cindy is a respected prophet who travels the world, ministering not only to crowds of people but to heads of nations. Mike and Cindy love to travel and speak, but perhaps their favorite past time is spending time with their children, along with their six adorable grandchildren. The Jacobs make their home just outside of Dallas.

Hanukkah - V’ahavta וְאָהַבְתָּ ‘And you shall love’ - Cleansing the Temple. Hadassah from Jerusalem


V’ahavta  
וְאָהַבְתָּ    ‘And you shall love’ 

Cleansing the Temple
 - Hanukkah
Hadassah from Jerusalem


Hanukkah is coming- A festival of lights and rejoicing and, as always, special foods to celebrate. Lasting for 8 nights with candle lighting, there are often gifts, especially for the children. Such a lovely holiday of joy.

Hanukkah is a time we remember when the Greeks had taken over our Temple in Jerusalem and had defiled it with pagan sacrifices and practices. A righteous family (Maccabee) arose and, after great battles, removed the enemy and cleansed the Temple. In the rededication, tradition has it, that there was only enough oil to burn for one day of the dedication BUT it burned for eight days- thus showing God’s favor. I won’t go into this part of the story here as it is well known. There is another part of the saga I’d like to focus on.

According to the Book of Maccabees, there was a large group of Jews who had aligned themselves with the pagan Greeks, even before the defiling of the Temple:
1 Maccabees 1:11 "It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. 'Come,' they said, 'let us ally ourselves with the gentiles surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from them many misfortunes have overtaken us.' 12 This proposal proved acceptable,13 and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorized them to practice the gentiles' observances.14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the gentiles have,15 disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to gentile rule as willing slaves of impiety.
It is hard to imagine Jewish people willingly seeking the king’s favor to practice the pagan customs, but this group ‘eagerly’ sought after this permission. In their hearts they were already convinced that it was good for them to ‘ally themselves with the Gentiles’ using the excuse that their lives had many misfortunes because they were different. Such deception!
Imagine if you will the lengths they went to be like their neighbors. They wanted to practice the gentile observances- thus throwing off Torah boundaries. They built a gymnasium in Jerusalem! This is not a ‘Gold’s Gym’ where one exercises and does Pilates-but a place of debauchery and blatant sexual sin and idolatry- explaining the ‘disguise’ (removal)  of their circumcision- because all practice there was done naked.
“They submitted willingly”. This paragraph always makes me want to cry. Our people willingly, eagerly sought to through off the Torah and the relationship with God thru its covenant and eagerly sought to sin- to go in the opposite direction from Him.
From this point, the spiral down for Israel was horrific.
1.     In the year 143, Antiochus advanced on Israel and Jerusalem in massive strength and pillaged the Temple- carrying away all the Holy vessels.
2.     There was deep mourning for Israel throughout the country:
3.     Rulers and elders groaned; girls and young men wasted away; the women's beauty suffered a change; every bridegroom took up a dirge, the bride sat grief-stricken on her marriage-bed.
4.     The earth quaked because of its inhabitants and the whole House of Jacob was clothed with shame.
5.     Later the king sent an emissary who gained the confidence with false words of peace. He pillaged the city and set it on fire, tore down its houses and encircling wall, took the women and children captive and commandeered the cattle.
6.     They then rebuilt the City of David where they installed a brood of sinners, of renegades, who fortified themselves inside it. It became an ambush for the sanctuary, an evil adversary for Israel at all times.
7.      They shed innocent blood all-round the sanctuary and defiled the sanctuary itself.
8.      The citizens of Jerusalem fled because of them, she became a dwelling-place of strangers; Her sanctuary became as forsaken as a desert, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into a mockery, her honor into reproach.
9.      Her dishonor now fully matched her former glory, her greatness was turned into grief. 
10.    The king then issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that all were to become a single people, each nation renouncing its particular customs.All the Gentiles conformed to the king's decree, and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath.
1 Maccabees 1:44 The king also …,45 banning burnt offerings, sacrifices and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and feasts,46 defiling the sanctuary and everything holy,47 building altars, shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,48 leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to all kinds of impurity and abomination,49 so thatthey should forget the Law and revoke all observance of it.50 Anyone not obeying the king's command was to be put to death." 
On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145 the king built the appalling abomination on top of the altar of burnt offering; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah55 and incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets.56 Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned.57 Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practicing the Law, the king's decree sentenced him to death. 58 Month after month they took harsh action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of Israel.59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month, sacrifice was offered on the altar erected on top of the altar of burnt offering.60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death according to the edict61 with their babies hung round their necks, and the members of their household and those who had performed the circumcision were executed with them.62 Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food.63 They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, and they were executed.
64 It was a truly dreadful retribution that visited Israel.
Please forgive so much quoting of the Book of Maccabees, but I want to share the depth of darkness that covered the Land and the people. Some of it brought on by the evil King Antiochus but much brought on by the desire of God’s people wanting to be like the Greeks. They had forsaken their God and His Torah, stepping out of His protection.
And this brings me to my observations of Hanukkah. Not so much focus on the traditional miracle of the oil but on the absorption or resistance to the culture around us. . Maybe in some measure they had already abandoned Biblical obedience.  But then the people willingly sought to be like the ‘world’- to engage in the worship of idols and all that entailed. What started off as possibly ‘innocuous’ ended up as blatant. In light of what we see in this historical account, I must examine my life.
Have I, without realizing it, absorbed practices into my life that are more cultural and less Biblical? Without giving it much thought, do I just ‘go with the flow’ in my daily life. Have I assigned to certain scriptures the label of ‘irrelevant’ or ‘legalistic’? Do I practice selective obedience? How do I separate myself enough to examine my priorities and practices and be fearless in my conclusions? And on the scale of weighing everything out, what is the counter-balance?
James 1:22 tells us that if we do not DO what the Word says we will be deceived. During this season leading up to Hanukkah is a good time for me to weigh my life using the Word as my counter-balance. To not ‘presume’ anything, but allow the Lord to show me where I may have fooled myself, made excuses, and am becoming a ‘cultural-infected’ Believer.
December 3rd this year is the 15th of Chislev- the date that the abomination (idolatry) was set up in the Temple. I will be taking the next ten days leading up to Hanukkah to examine my ‘temple’- asking the Lord to shine His Light and show me where I have allowed the world to influence me. Seeking His Word to wash and cleanse, and then on the 25th of Chislev - to enter into a true time of dedication and celebration for the 8 nights of Hanukkah. Won’t you join me? May it be said of us that we ‘stood firm’ in the days ahead.
Suggested verses for meditation: Day 1:James1:22, Day 2: Psalm 139; Day 3: Matt 7:13; Day 4: Psalm 19:12; Day 5: Matt 7:24; Day 6: Jer 10:1; Day 7: Lk 6:45;Day 8: Jer 15:19;  Day 9: Psalm 51:10; Day 10: Psalm 85:10,11

Nissim & Hadassah
Jerusalem, Israel

Hadassah and Nissim, her accountant husband, live in a settlement just outside Jerusalem with their dog Molly. After making Aliyah (immigrating) from the U.S. with their five children in 1989, they are now semi-retired and open their home to guests and those wishing to make Aliyah. When not busy with their 16 'GrandWonders', they enjoy a quiet life of study, prayer and learning to serve the LORD. 


Originally published from Hadassah on 11.25.17 (#14)


From the Editor (Steve Martin, Love For His People Founder):

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families as Hadassah's in Israel, whom we consistently help monthly through our 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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Kill It So It Can Live. Again. (Part 2 of 2) - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Kill It So It Can Live. Again. (Part 2 of 2)
Now Think On This
Steve Martin


“Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the Lord God: "I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel." But say to them, "The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.” (Ezekiel 12:23-24, NKJV)


We all need vision. Without vision, hope for the future, the Bible says people perish (Proverbs 29:18). Or as it reads in The Message version of the Word, “If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.”

In Part 1 of “Kill It So It Can Live. Again.” (if you missed that one, click on the title), I ended with this paragraph, “And so for the next five years, neither Laurie or I sang again. My Takamine guitar had long before been laid down, but now even my tambourine, orange shaker, and “lead vocal” instrument was laid to rest. Laurie’s beautiful alto voice no longer sang publicly, except as part of the full church congregation worship during Sunday morning services. We had no plans to ever sing again – as a duet, band vocals, or as a worship team backup or lead singers. But…never say never if you walk with the Lord Jesus!!!

The resurrection story in this life continues…

If ever I had been given one deep desire by the Lord - well actually there have been two, missions and music – the music passion in my soul had come and gone. As it happened with Joseph, the reality of sharing this gift and talent came, and then it went, and then hope sprung anew, and then it left again. It seemed like a roller coaster. Pick it up. Lay it down. Open door. Then closed shut.

Ahava Love Band - last time together. August 2013. (L-R) Wane Daroux - bass, Laurie, Steve, Ron Bowen - drums
One New Man gathering led by Warren Marcus in Charlotte, NC.

As with the Raiders band and the Ahava Love Band, there were a few versions of each, as gifted people would come and go. We had at times several different keyboard players, lead guitarists, and an occasional backup vocal. I know that can be common with most bands, with the coming and leaving of members, but after a while, it gets old with the changes.

“Lord, is there no consistency and commitment anymore?” was a heart cry of mine.

When the last keyboardist/backup vocal told me five years ago, that hot August night, that she was leaving the group, just after the Lord had already told me beforehand that this was it for the group, it still didn’t make it any easier hearing her words. Worshipping the Lord through music was a passion, and the passionate vision was being killed. On the outside I took it “as a man should”, but on the inside, my spirit was really grieving. Almost to the point later that I would never, ever, try again to play or sing publicly. The up and down, yeah and nay became too much. Hope again followed by big disappointment killed a big portion of my spirit.

During the next five years that followed, I knew I had lost something. It truly seemed that a big part of my spiritual life had been cut away, and I also knew it very much so affected my outward look, my hope for the vision, the way I carried myself at home and outside.

You too have experienced that. Life. Death. Burial.

And then…Resurrection!

After Laurie and I returned to Antioch International Church in May of 2018, revival started occurring in my heart. The vision was returning over the next few months. Hope for “life after death” became bright again. And the passion for worshipping the Lord through music started rising up from under the deep soil again, where it had been buried for so long.

With each passing Sunday worship service, I could sense His desires for me sharing the gift again coming back. It was a slow, week after week process, but it was returning. I could sense it. I could certainly feel it. I even began singing the worship songs aloud with those around me. The spiritual heart, with the blood flowing through my veins, was starting to beat faster.

I realized that, even at 64, I could still sing. After all, look at all the others who still sang after “their time” seemed to have finished. Hope was returning. If Moses, Joshua, and Caleb could still accomplish and fulfill their calling at 80, why not give it another shot! The years are yet plentiful!

At first, I didn’t tell anyone of this renewed vision and passion, but slowly I began to give hints to my good wife Laurie. “Let’s get back into worship leading.” “Let’s get the band back.” “I am going to get a guitar again.” (I had given away my last one to my 16-year-old grandson two years earlier, believing that was it.)

“LET’S SING AGAIN!”

I put a word out on Facebook, asking if anyone had a used guitar they didn’t want or used anymore, and would sell it cheap or just give to me. I also checked for used guitar listings on various websites and local guitar store ads.

In the meantime, I asked the Strength For Israel ministry leader David Peterman (one of Antioch’s church gatherings and outreach efforts) if he needed a worship leader for their monthly meetings, which I had never gone to. He said, “Sure. Currently, we have just been using CDs for music, as no worship leader has been available.”

1962 Gibson guitar
Within two days I got a message through social media that a lady who lived about two hours away from our home in Pineville had a guitar whose uncle had left her over 10 years ago upon his death. It had been sitting in her closet “collecting dust” she wrote and asked if I was interested in using it. 

Five days later Rebecca and husband Earl drove to my Antioch church office in Fort Mill, South Carolina, bringing not only the vintage guitar (1962 Gibson model, which sells for $5,000 new (after getting a quick appraisal on this one, the value was at least $1,700), but also brought along a mandolin with her. She later gave them as gifts to our ministry Love For His People, to be used in worship times.

Taylor guitar I purchased
While this was going on, the Lord also led me to purchase a Taylor guitar, a good topline model these days, from an older gentleman (older than me!) for half the cost he had paid for it in the last year. It had been originally for his granddaughter, who gave playing it a try, but later decided to switch to the violin.

When I got it home and started playing the Taylor (just like riding a bike!) I could feel the tears of resurrection coming up inside me. As my Mom said later, “You cried, right? It is the Lord. He was doing it.”

Many more words could be written on this resurrection story, but time is moving too quickly forward. There are many of you reading this who have experienced this story similarly. With this season of death, burial and resurrection, I know our Lord Jesus is in the “resurrection business”, and is restoring lost vision, hope that was deferred, and giving new breath, life and joy back, in full empowerment and thrust forward, for you too.

So along with me, say “Bring it on, Lord!”

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

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

P.S.S. I hope you get my latest book, Adventures in Courage, out this November. Paperback or Kindle versions. My 19th authored publication. (Yes, this is an advertisement!)


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.
  
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 #372 - in the year of our Lord 12.01.18 – “Kill It So It Can Live Again – Part 2 of 2)”  Saturday, 6:50 am