Morning Place To Be

Friday, July 10, 2026

#1 Zac Brown tribute band - “20 Ride” in Pineville, North Carolina

20 RIDE, America's #1 Zac Brown tribute band 20 RIDE - America's #1 Zac Brown Tribute | Charlotte NC - Facebook. Based out of Charlotte, NC, they play authentic renditions of Zac Brown hits like "Chicken Fried," "Toes," and "Highway 20 Ride" 20 RIDE - America's #1 Zac Brown Tribute | Charlotte NC - Facebook. [1, 2, 3]

Shabbat Shalom to our Jewish friends!

Shabbat Shalom to all our Jewish friends worldwide! We love you!

Steve & Laurie Martin

Charlotte, North Carolina

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

“You Would Think” by Steve Martin

You Would Think

Now that the USA is out of the FIFA World Cup 2026, one wonders why, with such a large population of 349 million people, we don’t dominant every single athletic event there is worldwide.

Getting beat by a country with 11.9 million (i.e. Belgium) is a bit embarrassing. But not being a futbol fan to begin with (American college football is my game), there is a spiritual lesson in this. You may know where I am going already.

“But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many parts, but one body.

21 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.”

22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable…” 1 Corinthians 12:18-23 NASB

We are all not the same when it comes to certain features. How boring would that be? Neither do we have the same skills, abilities, or personalities.

The Lord created each of us for His purpose, and as we acknowledge that and appreciate what “each brings to the table” we will see the hand of the Creator even more so with open eyes.

Personally, I don’t mind seeing the USA getting beat in some things.

Except when it comes to supporting Israel. And then I get real upset at those trying to destroy the Land that He has given to my friends the Jews.

Now they are ones who bring a big portion to the table, way beyond their size, having incredible creativity that is truly a “light to the nations” as they have been called to be.

“I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations…” Isaiah 42:6 NASB

Appreciate those the Lord gives you. The ones next door and those across the borders.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin

(A Gentile by the way…)

#FIFA #Israel #church #Jesus #creation

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Abundant What? Message by Steve Martin

Abundant What?

It amazes me of the many types of people there are in the world, and just alone in our nation of the USA. As I traveled to Texas in June 2026; went to several America 250 July 4 events later; and hear how my Taiwanese neighbor Jeffrey (age 33) across the street relates to his Vietnamese ER nurse girlfriend Knu, I’ve noticed especially that because we are of His creation, we are different. And yet the same.

You can color your hair with many dyes; choose the clothes (or not) to wear; listen to so many genre of music that the airplane doesn’t even have “Christian”… and yet we are all the same.

We want to be loved. We want to be noticed (recognized) and not just another number in someone’s Contact List.

We simply want to live and let live. (A music title sometime back? Or a movie? James Bond maybe?)

But that really isn’t so.

We weren’t created to “just live.” We were each created to live the life our good Lord, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, gave us to live.

There was a time I really didn’t believe the verse written in John 10:10, The Message version:

“Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again.

“I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep rustlers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate.

Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy.

I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

I believed the first part. But not the second. As the NASB had it, which I had memorized, “abundant life” wasn’t so abundant. Just too many frustrations and difficulties it seemed. Daily.

But now?

With the path to walk on, shown in His Word, I have found that abundant life. Joy, peace, confidence, assurance, hope, faith, love.

Seek the Lord in everything you do. Know of His love and stick close to Him. He awaits us with open arms, to know of His abundant life He has for each of us.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin