Monday, October 3, 2022

Get Us Out of Here? The Rapture? Says Who? – Steve Martin, Love For His People Ministry

 

Get Us Out of Here? The Rapture? Says Who? – Steve Martin, Love For His People Ministry


Oct. 1, 2022 Charlotte, North Carolina USA

Greetings to my family and friends of Love For His People Ministry.

When I posted a Scripture on Facebook this week and made a comment that made people question something that they had believed, or not, I was surprised at the reaction. Far more than normal.

A friend of mine in California, Rob Overall, had also sent me some interesting, related words on the subject previously, to which I basically replied saying, “I have other things to consider now. Primarily Israel.”

But yet I kept thinking and started looking further into it, so I would have a good basis to write from.

And thus I wrote, Get Us Out of Here? The Rapture? Says Who?

Curious? Then you are welcome to read it. Below.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Founder, Love For His People Ministry



P.S. Please pray for our good friends for over 35 years, Edgar and Indira Persad, of Charlotte, North Carolina, along with their family (Nadira & Alan, Shamila and Joel, Robbie and his). Edgar has been in the hospital for 10 days now with a tumor in his brain. He is scheduled for surgery again Monday, Oct. 3.

P.S. S. Laurie and I celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary on October 8, 2022. Yeah, Lord!


Get Us Out of Here? The Rapture? Says Who?

“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”Psalm 31:24, NKJV  

Most likely every time there is a flare-up in nation against nation, hurricanes destroying everything in their paths, and evil arising without much opposition in government seats, many Christians are responding with the words, “The rapture is near. We are getting out of here.” They are looking for the escape route upward, and saying inwardly and outwardly, that we won’t be around for it all. 

Is that you? Where did this concept originate? Is it true? Please read on, if you have a few minutes. 

We all know the Scripture quoted far too often telling us of when “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound…” 1 Corinthians 15:22, NASU And the other most quoted as much is Matthew 24:29-31: “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

If anyone considers themselves a student of the Bible, then they know that just one or two Scriptures cannot be used to build a solid biblical foundation. Theology uses the whole Bible on which to establish the truth. Not just one or two verses. 

And yet…the “rapture” theology is just that. Built and proclaimed as the grand escape of believers from the earth before the God of heaven destroys most of it, along with much of mankind. It has been a much debated and actually troubling concept for many people, for years.

And so, I began a study of the origins. If you have any desire to know the truth, then keep reading. 

Knowing already the very few verses, and even portions of verses so much put forth as the Gospel truth, I decided to check out what other sources said, which historically can give us a further framework from which to establish how it really came into Christian thinking. I was very much surprised.

It was not taught by the early church, nor the church of the first century. Neither did the Reformers teach it. Not until a few Roman Catholic theologians around 1830 do we find the beginning origins. The pre-tribulation idea wasn’t even subject matter until it come forth in the early or mid-1800s. 

One such video, after having used the new FreeSpoke search engine (highly recommended by me!), forgoing the absolute restrictive Google, is “Origins of the Pretribulation Rapture”. There are many more that I could recommend for you, but do some research further on your own, should you be wise as the early believers did. 

One scheme of prophetic interpretation came from a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest in 1830, to counter prophecy against Rome. Futurism took root. Using the pen name “Rabbi Ben Ezra” (a supposedly learned Jew who had accepted Christ), was born Emanual Lacunza in Chile and who later lived in Italy as a Catholic Jesuit, wrote in Italian a book in 1791 entitled “The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty”, later published in 1812. He used the “Jewish” name to have his book accepted among the unsuspecting Protestants, who would not accept anything from a Catholic Jesuit. 

Edward Irving, born in Scotland in 1792, discovered Lacunza’s book, translated it into English, and published it in London in 1827. He then held Bible conferences throughout the churches in Scotland, emphasizing “the coming of Jesus to rapture His Church.” 

Following this came John Nelson Darby, the proponent of futurism and prophetic teaching called dispensationalism. 

The secret rapture teaching was then introduced between the years of 1840-1870 in the USA and Canada.

Then C.I. Scofield further expanded the promotion of Darby’s writings. Thus, the Scofield Bible’s inclusion of this “doctrine” into extensive evangelism. Through this Bible study version, many famous Baptist teachers and pastors carried on the teachings. Men such as D.L. Moody, Dr. Charles Stanley, Dr. Adrian Rogers, and others, along with Assembly of God preachers (AOG) in the Pentecostal movement, one of the largest denominations in the world, taught the concept as biblical truth. The AOG, in 1914, got their Sunday School and study materials from Moody Press. So, the belief was widely spread further. 

Deception? 

I am not one to try to persuade anyone to believe something they feel is biblical. There is enough of that, and it is not my desire to further drive wedges between believers. But I do encourage you to consider that what you have been taught, what you know as “truth”, may not be all that you hope for and rely on in your Christian walk of faith. 

Consider what Yeshua (Jesus) said Himself when He spoke these words. “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 ” But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14, NASU 

He makes no mention of believers being snatched out beforehand, as in a pre-tribulation or mid-trib moment, as if He came back halfway to get us, and then returns a 3rd time when in Revelation it is written for all times, as follows. 

Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV): “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” 

My main hope and prayer, should you have read this message thus far, is to make you think that possibly what has been so widely and strongly taught, including in the most popular novels of the Left Behind series, written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, beginning in 1995, may not be biblical. And I would want you to be best prepared as possible for going through the tribulation, in His grace and power, ready to proclaim and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, Who saves, delivers, and transforms any and all who will believe, even in the midst of death, disasters, and so many evil forces, both human and spiritual, that are destroying His planet and peoples, even now in an ever-increasing darkness.

These activities we know have come and are intensifying in these end times. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus! Bo Yeshua! 

Ahava and shalom, Steve Martin
Love For His People, Founder 

P.S. I like this video shared this past week posted on YouTube and sent to me by a good Jewish friend in Israel. Check it out. It will inspire you as to what our Lord is doing, and will do, in the midst of “tribulation”. Recorded by a Florida resident after being hit by Hurricane Ian: You Have Authority Over Creation 

Message #114 in this series – in the year of our Lord 10.01.2022 – “Get Us Out of Here? The Rapture? Says Who?”, Saturday, 9:23 am in Charlotte, North Carolina

Steve Martin

STEVE & LAURIE MARTIN - LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE FOUNDERS My good wife Laurie and I (45 years in October 2022!), through the ministry of Love For His People we founded in 2010, give love and support for our friends in Israel and in other nations with friendship, humanitarian aid, and social media support, along with Steve's messages, and our Ahava Adventures trips to Israel. Steve has also authored and published 34 books. We live in the Charlotte, NC area. We have four adult children, spouses, and eight grandkids.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

“Us Four and No More” – Steve Martin, Love For His People Ministry

 

“Us Four and No More” – Steve Martin, Love For His People Ministry

Our home group, led by David Peterman and Steve Martin
Worship during our home group.
Sept. 28, 2022 Charlotte, North Carolina USA

Greetings to my family and friends of Love For His People Ministry.

We all need friends, community life, and those with whom we can live His life together. Our Lord Jesus (Yeshua) His Father, and the Holy Spirit all love family, and They want us to experience it here before we do for all eternity. And so I wrote, “Us Four, No More”. See below.

David Peterman and I have also recorded several new videos (6 in fact) of our series, “Ahava Moments With You“. We now have recorded 62! Check them out, and be sure to “Like” and “Subscribe” so you know when new ones are released. (Everybody says that, so I best do so too!) I have a favorite one that I also included below, entitled The Falls Feasts of the Lord.

Be involved in celebrating the Feasts of the Lord these coming days. Along with our Jewish friends, who have been the lights as the Lord directed them to be, these feasts have continued on for centuries. All believers can take part in them. They are the Lord’s feasts.

Ahava and shalom,



Steve Martin, Founder, Love For His People Ministry



P.S. Please pray for our good friends for over 35 years, Edgar and Indira Persad, of Charlotte, North Carolina, along with their family (Nadira & Alan, Shamila and Joel, Robbie and his). Edgar has been in the hospital for 7 days now with a tumor in his brain. He is supposed to go on his first trip to Israel with me in late October. Our Lord creates miracles!



P.S. S. Laurie and I celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary on October 8, 2022. You can blow the shofar for that event too!


Us Four, No More  

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…” 1 Peter 1:22-23, NKJV   

Growing up it was our family practice, as often as we could, to gather together for supper around 5 pm, when my Dad was home in between his Viking Pump maintenance job and his evening entrepreneur electrical work, Martin Electrical Services. With a tribe of eight kids, the extra money was most needed. My two brothers and I think maybe some of my five sisters, helped him pull electrical wires, and such as he re-wired homes and churches and installed lawn light poles in the Cedar Falls, Iowa, community, and surrounding towns. 

When all 10 of us were seated at the dinner table, we prayed together the common Roman Catholic prayer, “Bless us O Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive, from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.” A good, short prayer of thanks. Families were very important then. And we each had our place at the table. 

Jokingly, or so I thought, I would sometimes hear how others prayed. “Bless us four and no more.” (That worked with those who had two kids.) When I heard it, I remember thinking to myself, “That’s not really a good prayer.” 

As Laurie and I had our own four kids, we were committed to raising them to know the Lord Jesus and His ways, along with those others in our “extended family” – ones in the church community who believed likewise. And so, we would have gatherings in our homes, as members of the “home group”, with me as the “shepherd”, teaching and leading, both in LaSalle/Peru, Illinois in the late 1970s and then again in East Lansing, Michigan in the 1980s.

We wanted to be as “Acts 2” taught us. 

Acts 2:40-47, “And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” NKJV

I recently heard a message from a local church pulpit that you can’t have the last part of that historical fact, “the Lord added to the church daily” until after you have done the first part, “continuing daily…broke bread together…praising God.” 

As part of the Victory Church Community (we actually did the “common purse” stuff in name as well as in deed with about 40 others) in LaSalle/Peru, and later moving to be a part of life at Shiloh Fellowship/New Covenant Christian Church in East Lansing, it was our common practice that we truly expressed love in action, and not just in lip service only. 

When a woman in the home group had a newborn baby, all would take turns bringing supper to their home to help the family. It was also our common practice to visit each other at home or in the hospital when sick, to bring encouragement, joy, the healing of the Lord, and maybe even flowers and a card (or even a stuffed “Lion of Judah” animal…) 

Being in a committed community was important back then. We knew each other. We cared for one another. We actually loved, and liked, one another. 

We practiced what our good Lord had taught His people. Yeshua did teach us to love. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35, NASU 

A prophet named Bob Jones, a good friend of many in these parts of the South and beyond, once asked us what the Lord had asked him, “Did you learn to love?” (He is now rejoicing in heaven.) 

For love to be seen it must be shown. Makes sense to me. If we say we love, then we must “do love” by actually displaying it to one another. And then the world will know, “all men will know” as Jesus promised, that we were His disciples. 

Do some love today. Call that one whom you know needs to hear a voice of love, or even a short, meaningful text, or through another messaging media. (But I sincerely hope it is more than that. In-person is really what matters.)

Go out of your way and visit that other, who really wants to have a friend, just like you do. Be the one the Lord has called you to be. Today. 

And…don’t ever pray that prayer, “Us four and no more.” We are much more than that as a community reflecting the Father’s love! 

Ahava and shalom, Steve Martin

Love For His PeopleFounder 

P.S. I really encourage each of you to get in a home group. If your church, congregation, or community doesn’t have one, go to one that does. You are always welcome to come to ours! 

Message #113 in this series – in the year of our Lord 09.28.2022 – “Us Four, No More”, Wednesday, 6:22 am in Charlotte, North Carolina
Our combined “Ahava Moments With You” and “Walk With Me”

Watch here: Walking in the Spirit (2) – Walk With Me, Ahava Moments With You, Steve Martin, David Peterman

Steve Martin

STEVE & LAURIE MARTIN - LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE FOUNDERS My good wife Laurie and I (45 years in October 2022!), through the ministry of Love For His People we founded in 2010, give love and support for our friends in Israel and in other nations with friendship, humanitarian aid, and social media support, along with Steve's messages, and our Ahava Adventures trips to Israel. Steve has also authored and published 34 books. We live in the Charlotte, NC area. We have four adult children, spouses, and eight grandkids.

“A large house and young people in their 30s attending a Bible study” – A dream was given to Ben Martin

 

“A large house and young people in their 30s attending a Bible study” – A dream was given to Ben Martin

Ben Martin

Sept. 23, 2022 Love For His People Ministry in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

“A large house and young people in their 30s attending a Bible study” – A dream was given to Ben Martin

As I (Steve Martin) sat in the “Martin Museum” (garage) around 6:00 am on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, I heard Ben in the kitchen. I said, “Good morning, Ben” so he could hear me.

He stuck his head in the door and said, “I didn’t know if you were praying or sleeping and didn’t want to disturb you.” (I was reading the Bible where Yeshua (Jesus) in Matthew 18 was speaking to the disciples about the Sadducees and the Pharisees, and to be aware of their leaven. He was also telling them how He was preparing to go to Jerusalem, knowing He was going to be crucified.)

He said he had a dream, which he also said he had not had a good dream in a long time.

He saw us in a big house, two stories tall, and many young people in their 30’s were in it, listening to me teach from the Bible. One said to the effect, “It is good to hear your Dad teach. We like it.”

There were about 30 people and they slept on the floor and all about.

The large house was also connected to a tree house, where they could go back and forth.

End of dream.

I asked him later to write it down so he would remember what the Lord was telling him.

Special Note: May this indeed happen as the Lord Jesus (Yeshua) moves on the hearts of the next generation to hear the Lord and give their hearts to Him!

Steve Martin

STEVE & LAURIE MARTIN - LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE FOUNDERS My good wife Laurie and I (45 years in October 2022!), through the ministry of Love For His People we founded in 2010, give love and support for our friends in Israel and in other nations with friendship, humanitarian aid, and social media support, along with Steve's messages, and our Ahava Adventures trips to Israel. Steve has also authored and published 34 books. We live in the Charlotte, NC area. We have four adult children, spouses, and eight grandkids.

Saturday, September 24, 2022

MorningStar Harvest Fest 2022 Worship – Kelani Webb, Suzy Yaraei, Molly Williams (4 videos)

 

MorningStar Harvest Fest 2022 Worship – Kelani Webb, Suzy Yaraei, Molly Williams (4 videos)

Sept. 24, 2022 Love For His People Ministry in Charlotte, North Carolina

“Your Love is Better, “Behold the King”, “We Make Space, We Make Room”, “More of You”- HarvestFest MorningStar worship, Suzy Yaraei, Kelani Webb, Molly Williams

Recorded Friday night session, Sept. 23, 2022 Videos filmed and shared by Steve Martin, Founder, Love For His People Ministry in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

Steve Martin

STEVE & LAURIE MARTIN - LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE FOUNDERS My good wife Laurie and I (45 years in October 2022!), through the ministry of Love For His People we founded in 2010, give love and support for our friends in Israel and in other nations with friendship, humanitarian aid, and social media support, along with Steve's messages, and our Ahava Adventures trips to Israel. Steve has also authored and published 34 books. We live in the Charlotte, NC area. We have four adult children, spouses, and eight grandkids.