Disappointments

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We all have disappointments. Schedules get changed. Trips having spent months working on get cancelled. People leave as friends and we are left with a big hole in our life.

It’s not easy to just put on a “happy face”. So what do we do?

There are times when we will grieve, knowing that whatever caused the disappointment may come again or it may take awhile to recover from it. I believe that is a normal process, to draw us closer, not away from, the Lord Jesus.

When I was seriously praying about leaving a ministry that I had labored with for 14 years, the Lord instructed me to take a trip to Jerusalem. In fact, to the holy place of the Western Wall in the Old City where the Jews pray. 

After all the details had been worked out, I made it there. As I stood waiting at the Wall (Kotel in Hebrew), I placed my hands and forehead against it, grateful that I had heard and obeyed.

And the “flood waters” of emotion poured over me, as the Lord spoke softly, “Your years of service have not been in vain.” His heart of love was what I needed to heal the pain and make the decision I needed in this situation.

Draw near to the Lord with your disappointments. He will bring healing and renewed hope.

The Lord promises in James 4:9, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (NKJV).

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin

#disappointments #healing #hope #waiting #GodtheFather #Jesus

Keep On Keeping On

KEEP ON KEEPING ON

In days gone by, when the computer monitor was the big one with the large tube, barely fitting on your home desktop, I had taped on the side, printed on a 81/2” x 11” paper, this verse, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.“ Galatians 6:9, NKJV

It was a daily reminder to keep on keeping on.

The same old same old, the daily grind, can wear us out. We need encouragement. We need renewed strength. We need grace to start each day and see through to the end.

Whatever makes you wonder, “When will a break come?” remember that our Lord is the One able to cheer us, giving us the ability to complete the race set before us to the finish line.

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.“ Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB

Lord, bring us each renewed strength so we can keep on keeping on.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin

#Keepon #keepingon #SteveMartin#loseheart#encouragement #Jesus 

The Good Lord’s Blessings on this St. Patrick’s Day!

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Anticipation

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Psalm 37:4states: "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (NKJV)

This was the first Scripture verse I ever memorized, going back a few decades (ok, it has been 5 decades now.) When I read the Bible, after giving myself to believing in Jesus as my Lord and Savior, the Word of God meant more than just being the big white book on our family TV room endtable. (The one we bought from the door-to-door salesman back in the 1960s.)

Being raised a Roman Catholic, and going to Catholic schools from 1962-1973, walking with the Lord was not personal. Just something we did as part of growing up - hearing the Sunday sermonette of 15 minutes weekly, and going on with being a kid and then a teenager in those years.

But new life really meant new life. Having a true relationship with Jesus (Yeshua) changed the meaning of life, the purpose, and ongoing times of discovering His plans for the world, the country, and yes, me.

Anticipation was now becoming a way of life, knowing that as I gave myself to “delighting in Him”, wanting to please Him, He would give me the desires of my heart. After all, He is the One Who gives us those good desires.

That is the promise for you, too, every day. Anticipate the promises and watch them be fulfilled.

Ahava and Shalom,

Steve Martin

P.S. The restaurant was out of blueberry bagels yesterday. I had to settle for raisins and cinnamon. My next “go to.”

#Psalm374 #Scripture #anticipation #Catholicschool #Bible #relationships #Jesus #bagel #coffee

Availability

Availibility

There are two things that I have learned about our Father. (Well, maybe more but to keep to the subject..)

Being available. Being faithful. Those who adhere to these two character traits go far in their walk with the Lord.

But for this time we will focus on being ones who are available, who put the Lord’s request first and foremost.

You all remember the Gospel story Yeshua (Jesus) told of the wedding feast and how all the initially invited guests had an excuse whereby they would not/could not come. So the father of the bride (I liked that Steve Martin movie) sent out his servants to the “highways and the byways” to ask whomever, and then bring anyone who would come to the celebration.

I don’t want to miss out on any invitation the Lord offers me. If He wants a driver, I will drive. Lead worship? Count me in. Speak to that one next to me at the office? They need encouragement too.

And pray when the Holy Spirit says, “Pray” I will pray. Sometimes that is 3 am when He awakens you.

Be available. Say to the Lord, “Here I am. Send me.”

And He will. And the adventures will continue.

Time for a mug of hot Colombian dark roast, and don’t forget the blueberry bagel.

Available for Him and His plans and purposes,

Steve Martin

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch out your tabernacle curtains. Do not hold back—
    lengthen your cords,   strengthen your stakes.

3 For you will spread out to the right hand and to the left. Your offspring will possess the nations
and will resettle the desolate cities.

4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed. Nor cringe, for you will not be disgraced. For you will forget the shame of your youth, and you will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.“ Isaiah 54:2-4, Tree of Life

#availability #gospel #Yeshua #HolySpirit #Lord

Count your days

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As I sit in my Pineville, North Carolina home (located where I call the “Bethlehem of Charlotte” if you are aware of the Israel map) in the front room, in the black “fake leather” rocking chair (because it is too cool outside temp wise at 6:20 am in March), I begin praying. In tongues as normal. It helps get my spirit focused and my mind not wondering.

These are critical times we live in. Not to be wasted on frivolous days and weeks of self-pleasure and “happy” seeking, but to keep our eyes on Jesus and what He is doing. We all will give an account of how we spend our time here on this planet.

I know. I wrote earlier that this “Morning Place To Be” with me is supposed to be on the lighter side, but I just sense that maybe each of us needs to more consider our ways, to ask Him if they line up with His.

Can I get an amen?

Be blessed as you drink your coffee. After prayer I am headed out for the additional blueberry bagel that the staff knows awaits for me.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin

Open Doors

       A friendly cat in Jerusalem. Nice kitty.

                              OPEN DOORS

I have a good friend whom I call the “Open Door Prophet”. From time to time Mordecai will give me a word, and it usually goes something like this, “I see two doors. The Lord is closing two doors but He is opening other doors.”

So I graciously say thank you and ask the Lord to show me more clearly. What doors? People? Places? Opportunities?

“Do not despise small things” is a Bible verse which too often we don’t know, hear, or believe. We want the biggest and the best right away, and may miss an “open door” when it is open with a small crack and we aren’t aware of it.

Our Lord will give us glimpses of things to come, and if our heart is not open to receiving it, we will miss it.

Normally a freight train will not go by with a big sign saying, “Go this way.” Usually the Holy Spirt will whisper, “Go this way” and we need to know it is Him.

Open doors are given for us to walk through. When the next one comes your way, go through it. It is the next step to the bigger adventure awaiting you.

Ahava and Shalom,

Steve Martin, waiting for my Colombian dark roast coffee and blueberry bagel to come this morning.

Be sure to “Walk With Me.” Almost 400 videos of the places and people seen when the Lord gave me another open door.

Two of my latest “Walk With Me” playlists on YouTube.