I just posted a link to the following testimony on the private website a little earlier to help encourage one of our members who is running into nothing but closed doors as she tries to find Section 8 housing (she now has the vouchers, but the guidelines make it very difficult to find places that meet them or where landlords will take the vouchers). And after reading it again, I thought it might encourage others going through difficult times today as well. So read Trusting &Relying On God…No Matter What, and be blessed and encouraged!

One of the surest ways to end up divorced when standing for marriage restoration and trying to overcome marital problems is to seek marriage counseling from the wrong people, which unfortunately all too often includes pastors and so called “Christian” counselors. I can’t even count the times I’ve been totally horrified to hear the ungodly advice given to men and women seeking help from their pastors or Christian counselors when their marriages were in trouble. It just breaks my heart to hear men and women say that their insistence on marriage counseling in an effort to save their marriages actually led to their demise instead. Unfortunately, few pastors and even Christian marriage counselors truly believe the Word of God; much less that it’s possible to rely on the work of the Holy Spirit and the power and promise of God’s Word to change hearts and bring about marriage restoration. And by the time those seeking what they reasonably expected to be godly counsel realize their mistake, the damage is done and their spouses have more than likely already moved out of the home or filed for divorce. So they’re much worse off than before because the counsel they received just served to magnify and validate the problems and belief that restoration was impossible.

Yet, this comes as no surprise when we understand and appreciate the wisdom found in Psalm 1:1-3 (AMP), which says BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. But it’s ONLY when our delight and desire is in the Word of God and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) we habitually meditate (ponder and study) by day and by night, that we can recognize and avoid the destructive danger of ungodly counsel and be blessed when our stand for marriage restoration prospers and comes to maturity. In other words, we can’t possibly recognize ungodly counsel if we don’t know the Word of God since anything contrary or in opposition to the written Word of God is ungodly.

Even though there are many examples of the counsel provided by most pastors and Christian counselors that are totally contrary to the Word of God and lead to the demise of so many marriages, the following are just a few of the most common.

The first thing most pastors and counselors ask couples to do is to discuss their grievances with each other in great detail; requiring them to dig into the past and relive all of the painful and hurtful things that caused their problems in the first place, which naturally brings up all of those emotions along with the anger, resentment and bitterness that usually accompany them.. So right off the bat, that’s contrary to what Paul taught in Philippians 3:12-14, where he said Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Unfortunately, reliving and examining past failures, wrongs and offenses does not and can not promote or nurture love based on the following verses of scripture:
1 Peter 4:8 – Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Proverbs 10:12 – em>Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.
Proverbs 17:9 – He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
So based on God’s Word, we shouldn’t be at all surprised that repeating past offenses leads to separation instead of restoration. And asking men and women to dig up the past clearly flies in the face of God’s instructions to forgive each other as He forgives us (Colossians 3:13). And that means forgiving whatever has been done against us for our own sake and remembering it no more; just as God does according to Isaiah 43:25; “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. And that’s confirmed again in Hebrews 8:12, which says For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” So digging up and reliving past offenses is obviously not in keeping with the counsel of God’s Word; thus exactly what the Bible considers counsel of the ungodly and warns us to avoid if we want to be BLESSED!

Almost without exception, pastors and Christian counselors advise men and women standing for marriage restoration that their spouses have “free will” and that God won’t make them do anything they don’t want to do. But that’s just not true based on the Word of God. In fact, it’s so contrary to the Word that it’s been the topic for numerous Seeds Of Faith posts, such as Revisiting the Doctrine of Free Will. The false doctrine of “free will” might well do more damage to marriage restoration than any other ungodly counsel, because it’s not possible to effectively stand for marriage restoration without recognizing that man’s will NEVER succeeds against the will, plan and purpose of God Almighty!

One of the most unfortunate things pastors and counselors tend to do is pit one spouse against the other, and they almost always take sides instead of helping them better understand their respective roles based on God’s Word. Even as pastors and Christian counselors, they rarely refer to God’s Word concerning marriage; such as God hates divorce and that HE said marriage is a one flesh covenant that NO MAN should put asunder. They don’t remind couples that NOTHING is impossible with God or that His grace is sufficient and that we can do ALL things through Christ Jesus Who strengthens us; because they just don’t believe it. So either the husband or wife or both end up feeling like total failures, worthless, inadequate and that their marriage is hopeless and damaged beyond repair, and they give up and often give in to ungodly behavior they might well have been willing to resist if given even a little bit of hope for restoration and the marriage they always wanted but weren’t able to attain. And the ONLY way to help men and women attain the marriages God always intended is to teach them how to live according to God’s Word. Yet that is not the counsel given by most pastors or Christian counselors today, which is why it’s often so destructive and actually a hindrance to marriage restoration. The only marriage counseling any of us should ever consider is that found in the Word of God, meaning that those we rely on for help when we need support and encouragement to stand on the power and promise of God’s Word for the restoration of our marriages should simply be facillitators to help us better understand HIS counsel.

As Jesus made undeniably clear in Luke 6:46-49, when we hear His words and PRACTICE them, our homes can’t be shaken and they will withstand the storms of life. But when we hear His words and DON’T PRACTICE them, our homes can’t withstand the storms of life and they will come down with a great crash and their destruction will be complete. So ANY counsel contrary to the Word is indeed ungodly counsel and instead of being blessed with marriage restoration when we listen to it, believing and acting on such counsel will likely lead to our marriages being utterly put asunder and destroyed. But when we walk and live in the wise and good counsel of God’s Word, we will indeed be blessed and encouraged and our marriages will be restored; all for the glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Since Jesus very clearly taught that the most important thing to do in obedience to God is to keep HIM first above ALL other THINGS; to love Him with ALL of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love others as we love ourselves; Jesus is supposed to be the main thing in our lives. But is He? Sadly, in light of our most persistent thoughts and the words of our mouths, the honest answer to that question is probably not. So as we consider the following verses of scripture, it’s also important to consider what we need to do to make sure that we are in fact putting the Lord first and making Him the most important and main thing in our lives, because failure to do so is sin and can therefore hinder our prayers and how God works in our lives and the restoration of our marriages and families.

Mark 12:29-31 says “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” This is not a new passage of scripture to most of us, but do we ever consider it in light of some of the other passages we so love?

For instance, do we think of this instruction from Jesus when we quote Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 37:4-6? How can we commit to His ways or acknowledge God in all of our ways if we don’t observe and obey His most important commandment and love Him above ALL else, as well as love others according to His Word? Do we even realize that our failure to obey the Lord reveals that we don’t truly love Him according to John 14:24, where Jesus said He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. Yet, 1 John 2:5-6 says But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. And we know how Jesus walked based on John 15:10, which says If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

For instance, do we recognize the importance of Jesus’ instructions when we read Matthew 6:21, which says For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.? And do we realize that we literally reveal to everyone listening just where our treasure is by the words we speak? Well, we do according to Luke 6:45, because it says The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. With this in mind, there’s a lot to learn from today’s Coffee Break devotional from Lorraine Ezell, and we all need to consider what our words reveal to others about where our treasure is.

*****
Change The Subject by Lorraine Ezell
“Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” Job 7:11

As you watch the news you realize that if something wasn’t happening- a storm, an election, a murder trial, a custody battle, a war, etc- they wouldn’t have anything to talk about. When something does make “news”, the reporters “run it in the ground”, that is ALL they talk about. It seems as if the world stopped and nothing else is taking place. I noticed this as I watched the weather channel today. Every moment was consumed with Gustav (don’t misunderstand, I am thankful for the updates and information they provide, but I am trying to make a point.) I wondered what they would have to talk about if there was no storm?

Sadly, there are a lot of people- even in the church- who are like this. If there isn’t something “bad” happening, they don’t have anything to talk about. They spend all their time talking about the trouble they are going through, or have been through. It’s the only subject that comes out of their mouth. Each time you see them, they repeat it to you.. over and over again. You ask them how they are and they go right back to this same subject. You always know what they are going to say before they say it.

I am not trying to be critical. I know that very real things happen to us. I know that there are times we need to relate what we are going through. I know that sometimes we need a compassionate hear to listen. This is not what I am talking about. What I am talking about is deeper than that. It has become a “security blanket” to them. And even deeper– it’s become a bondage. They reach a point where they can’t talk about anything else. If that is you— it’s time to break free. It’s time to leave it in the past. It’s time to develop a new habit of talking. It’s time to change your speaking. It’s time to get a new subject. There is so much more to talk about.

God desires that our mouths be full of words that edify, minister, comfort and exhort others. It’s time to put the law of kindness in your mouth. It’s time to fill it
with good things. It’s time to fill it with words of faith that tend to life. It’s time to fill it with words of peace, wisdom and joy. It’s time to fill it with praise, adoration and thanksgiving to the Lord. It’s time to talk more about the grace, forgiveness, mercy, goodness and faithfulness of God. There are a thousand other things you can fill your mouth with, and it’s time to do it.

Have a great day. Is it time to change the subject?

Coffee Break is a morning devotional
written by Lorraine Ezell, and available online and sent by email free of charge
for the asking from About the Master’s Business Ministry, Inc.
So please feel free to call Lorraine at (601) 833-5278 or E-mail her at mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
And you can visit her on the web at MastersBusiness.org.

*****
And it’s probably not at all y coincidence that today’s Small Straws In A Soft Wind message from Marsha Burns fits perfectly with this message as follows:
“Psalm 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Rise above the problems of life and seek My face to re- establish eternal and spiritual perspective. As long as you keep your difficult circumstances constantly before your face, My face will be obscured. Choose to trust Me and to know that My grace is sufficient for every situation. I will bring you through every trial in victory, and I tell you absolutely that this too shall pass, says the Lord.”

You can read Bill and Marsha Burns’ messages online and sign up to receive them by email on the Spirit of Prophecy website, where you will also find archived messages.

Finally, a good way to make sure that we keep the main thing the main thing is to follow the very good and wise counsel found in Joshua 22:5, which says But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” And when we do all of that, we will indeed be blessed and encouraged beyond belief, because that will keep Jesus the main thing!

The past week has truly been one of the most exciting and amazing since FAMM was first established, and we can see that even more is coming in the very near future! So it is my deepest heart’s desire that the powerful testimonies we’ve been blessed to witness will affirm and indelibly imprint the absolute truth of Ephesians 1:4-12 in the heart of every man and woman standing for marriage restoration, because it says:
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

So when God promises that He will cause ALL THINGS to work together for GOOD when we love Him and are called according to HIS purpose, as He does in Romans 8:28, He obviously means according to HIS GOOD plan and purpose (as confirmed in Jeremiah 29:11), which He PREDESTINED to happen when the times will have reached their fulfillment and EXACTLY as necessary to perfect and accomplish God’s predetermined plan and that NOTHING can thwart God’s plan or succeed against Him (Job42:2 and Proverbs 21:30). When we truly get that, we will no longer suffer the stress and anxiety many men and women standing for marriage restoration often struggle with on a daily basis, because John 8:31-32 assures us that To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” And in Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus promises “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” So by sharing the following testimony, I hope and pray that everyone standing for marriage restoration will realize that instead of the passage of time being our enemy, it is actually required to perfect God’s promise and plan in our lives for the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families!

In early April of 2006, a young lady became one of the first FAM Fellowship members. Her husband of two and a half years had left her three weeks earlier and she had since been saved. She would be the first to tell you that she in no way conducted herself as a wife should according to what the Bible teaches. Everything was pretty much her way or no way and her husband’s wishes or needs weren’t even a small part of the equation for her, and she knew nothing about respect and honor, much less submission when it came to her role as a wife. But God really did a great work in her heart and life. However, she fell back into some of her former habits and patterns from time to time; particularly when she became too focused on time and when God would restore her marriage, which almost always resulted in a huge fight with her husband. Unfortunately, during one such time, she let her pride get the best of her and decided to make her husband jealous, with disastrous results. She shared her testimony from that time with the hope that others could learn from her mistakes. Her husband ultimately turned to a lifestyle of drinking, partying and numerous adulterous relationships, and they ended up divorcing on amicable terms a year ago.

L decided to “move on” with her life and put her husband and her marriage behind her; going through one very short term relationship after another. But no matter who she dated, nothing ever “clicked.” And meanwhile, her husband was going through several relationships as well, but they kept their communications with each other civil. L was determined to put everything behind her and decided to sell her wedding rings on eBay, which she had someone help her do. But she never had an acceptable offer and finally decided to sell the rings to someone she knew. But it took more than a month to get the rings back in her possession and then when she did and the perspective buyer came to buy the rings, they couldn’t agree on payment terms. That was two weeks ago, and as stated in the email message below, which I received from L a few days ago, her husband called the next day…after not hearing from him for months!

“Hi Linda,

First and foremost I pray that you are doing well and that your life is full of God’s love and blessings.

Secondly, I wanted to write and give you some news. Last Sunday, after months of not hearing from (name omitted), he called me out of the blue and said that he was wondering what I was up too. He asked me if we could go out and have some coffee and we ended up having dinner last Wednesday. He apologized, but I did not let him finish what he wanted to say. He has been text messaging me like crazy, and at first, I did not reply. But I eventually gave in and started replying to his texts.

We met up for dinner last night, at his request, and he basically told me that he missed me and regrets not giving us a second chance. He said he wants to see me on a regular basis and try to work things out. I told him that I had to think about it. But between you and me, I will be seeing him more often.

Linda, it’s weird; I had been praying for this for so long, and it has been a year since I totally just put him and our marriage behind me. But now I don’t know what I’m feeling. I thought when this happened, people felt butterflies and jumped up and down with joy, but I don’t feel that. I will let God lead us in the right direction. All I can say is that I don’t hold anything against him and I finally get to see the man that I had fallen in love with; but a lot more mature.

I wanted to share this with you, and I ask that you keep us in your prayers, so that God’s will, will be done.

Love,
L”

Since L had told me that she was no longer standing for her marriage, I didn’t bother sending her a membership renewal notice this year and even though I thought of her often, I hadn’t heard from her since the beginning of the year. So I was overjoyed when I received her news and couldn’t wait to talk to her. As we talked, we both were just totally amazed to see all that God had done in her life and in her husband’s life over the past year, and even more so in the past month, to bring them both to where they are today. And NOW it’s easy to see that they weren’t really ready for restoration and WHY God delayed in answering her prayers. The Lord used that time to resolve outstanding issues in both of their lives and now they can have the marriage and future He always had planned for them, and it really will be much more than they ever could have asked or imagined. They have a wedding anniversary coming up next month, and I really hope they will choose that day to renew their wedding vows! So please keep them in your prayers and know that GOD ALWAYS HAS GOOD REASONS FOR DELAY, AND OUR PRAYERS NEVER GO UNANSWERED! And be blessed and encouraged to know that restoration will come at just the right moment…when God’s time reaches fulfillment!!!

*****
Dear Lord, thank You so much for Your unfailing faithfulness to defend and uphold Your Holy covenant of marriage and Your Word! Thank You for the awesome work of restoration You are doing in this couple’s lives and marriage! Lord, it was always L’s greatest desire to begin her family with her beloved husband, and I thank You now for granting that desire of her heart! Thank You for blessing them with the wonder, joy and fulfillment You always intended their marriage to be. Teach them to love, admire, honor and respect each other as Your Word instructs, and may they always keep You at the center of their lives and marriage. We thank You for tearing down any and all obstacles to the full and complete restoration of this marriage, which we know You will continue to do. And we thank You that everything the devil meant for evil, You ALWAYS meant for good! So guide and direct them now, Lord, as they make their way back to each other and to the walk and relationship You want each of them to have with You. Bless them with the glorious riches of heaven, Lord, and be Thou glorified in their lives and marriage from this day forward! We ask all of this in the most wonderful and awesome name and authority of Jesus Christ! Amen!

Over the past week, FAM Fellowship members have truly been blessed by one amazing testimony of God’s awesome power and faithfulness to restore after another; but one of the most remarkable we’ve ever witnessed comes from one of our newest members.

MNO (member name omitted) was married for fourteen years to a wonderful man that she loved very much and who she knew loved her very much as well. But she began a friendship with a married man at work, which soon became much more than friendship and eventually led them into adultery. And even though his children were very young, they divorced their respective spouses and were married about ten months ago. Both of their covenant spouses are Christians, and MNO has no doubt that the NCP’s (non covenant person) wife was standing for the restoration of their marriage. And as He ALWAYS will, God was faithful to uphold His Holy covenant of marriage! So I thank MNO for permission to share the following excerpt from her introduction on the private website, which she posted a week ago:
“Three weeks ago, my current husband told me that he could not stand the guilt and shame he felt for how we came to be any longer and told me God was calling him back to his family (he has three very young children). I was, of course, devastated, but began my research immediately. Could this truly be God’s will, to break another covenant? We took vows, I couldn’t believe he thought God would be fine with allowing us to break them again. But in my search I found that I too was wondering if I should go back and give my first marriage a chance. I had talked to my pastor, who told me I should stay true to my new vows, that the past is the past and that I need to let go. But something kept telling me not to leave it at that.

I found this website and joined immediately. That was last night, and I received an email from Linda asking me to call her. I wrote in my profile that I was not sure which marriage I should stand for; that I was lost and confused. I just spent an hour on the phone with her and I know now the path that I need to take; not because Linda told me which one, but because God revealed through her, which path was the right one for everyone involved. And it’s the one I knew to take all along but was too scared to pursue.
I still love my first husband; that never stopped. And I know he still loves me, but I hurt him deeply. I still feel shame and guilt for that, and I am having a hard time believing that he could ever take me back. I know I have to give him time. Unfortunately, I am not a patient person, so I know I need a lot of prayers for patience. I also ask for your prayers for my current husband, and that his first wife will forgive him and take him back and that they can be a family again; the way God intended. I pray for each and every one of us. I know God has great plans for us, and I know they will be made known in His time.

My hope, of course, is that my first husband can find it in his heart to forgive me, but I also hope that my story can be an inspiration to those who have lost their spouses to someone else. God does make it known to us when we need to go home.”

Needless to say, MNO’s amazing testimony has been extremely encouraging for all of the FAM members standing for marriage restoration, especially when it looks impossible because there’s another person involved and even more so after remarriage. But if we ever needed proof of why God tells us that if we don’t lean to our own understanding and trust Him with ALL of our hearts and commit to doing things HIS way and acknowledge Him in ALL of our ways, in everything we say and do, He will make our paths straight, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS shine like the dawn and the JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE like the noon day sun (Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 37:5-6), the following excerpt from MNO’s post on the private site earlier tonight really proves why we can’t do that! Things are almost NEVER the way we THINK they are!

“Good Thursday evening everyone. I want to share something I ran across today. I have been cleaning out all the old emails SNO (spouse name omitted) sent me while I was still married to my first husband. I felt like I needed to get rid of them; clean out my closet so to speak. I also pulled up my journal, which I keep online and went back to last year. In the sixteen months SNO and I were together, I counted eighteen times where I believe God was trying to speak to us. So much happened during that short amount of time, including SNO being forced to resign from a well paying job the same day I closed on my house. But what really stood out were the entries where I wrote about the guilt and shame. I wrote how I hurt for my first husband. I wrote how on my cruise with SNO, I was overwhelmed with guilt and couldn’t stop thinking about my first husband because we had cruised together so many times and everything reminded me of him. And then I found an entry written only six months ago…”I need to stop feeling like if I went back to (name omitted) things would be so much better for me.” I was shocked as I continued reading entry after entry about my guilt; entries about how I felt God was punishing us. But instead of being upset with myself, I could only be thankful that my eyes were finally opened.

I woke up this morning with Psalm 23 running through my head. Once again, God is telling me that I am on the right path and he will deliver. Today was my best day so far since this started almost four weeks ago. I am starting to learn to give it all to Him.”

It’s through powerful testimonies like this that we truly learn why God tells us that we MUST live by faith and NOT by site (2 Corinthians 5:7)! And we’d find that a whole lot easier to do if we’d truly get it into the depths of our hearts, minds and spirits that NO WISDOM, NO INSIGHT AND NO PLAN WILL EVER SUCCEED AGAINST GOD Proverbs 21:30 and that God’s Word NEVER returns without accomplishing what He desires and what He sent it to do (Isaiah 55:10-11)! And when we realize that God REALLY meant business when He said that HE HATES DIVORCE (Malachi 2:13-17 and 1 Peter 3:7), we’ll realize that we don’t need to know anything more as we stand on the power and promise of His Word for the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families and we’ll truly be blessed and encouraged!

Dear Lord, we thank You for Your awesome faithfulness to uphold and defend the covenant of our marriages and that we can indeed put all of our hope and confidence in the power and promise of Your Word as we stand in faith and obedience for the restoration of our marriages and families. And we thank You for blessing us with powerful testimonies like this and that it will completely destroy and overcome the wicked works of the devil just as Your Word promises in Revelation 12:10-11. And we thank You now as we claim the full and complete restoration of these marriages and families in the most powerful name and authority of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and all for His glory! Amen!

As men and women standing for marriage restoration, it’s SO important to understand and KNOW that God is going to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to bring His Word, will, plan and purpose to pass! We have GOD’S WORD on that in Isaiah 46:10-11, where He declared I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. And then in Isaiah 55:8-11, He declared “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. … As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Yet, as humans, even those who truly love and trust God, we tend to put God in a box and expect Him to operate within the confines of limitations WE or others have mistakenly and erroneously placed on Him. But as the above verses from Isaiah make undeniably clear, God is only bound by HIS Word, will, plan and purpose and NOT by our flawed and limited understanding of His thoughts and ways! Therefore, we’re just not able to fully comprehend and accept the ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY of God Almighty, and we often have a difficult time really understanding that there is NOTHING that God won’t use or do to perform and perfect His Word, will, plan and purpose; NOTHING!

I’ve repeatedly heard many well known and respected preachers say that God CAN’T have ANYTHING to do with Sin or wickedness, and that all bad things come from the devil; even things like Hurricane Katrina. But according to passages of scripture such as Job 37:10-13, such statements just aren’t true and are in fact contrary to what the Bible very specifically teaches, and there are many other Bible verses that prove that. One of the most obvious is Genesis 50:20 (NKJV), which says But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. And Genesis 45:5 (NKJV) says But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

When we study the life of Joseph, there’s no doubt that God orchestrated and used the wicked and evil acts done against Joseph by others, particularly those of his brothers and Pottifer’s wife, to bring about and prepare Joseph for what He had purposed and planned all along; as revealed by Joseph’s dream that he would one day rule over his older brothers (Genesis 37:4-11). And it’s important to note that none of that would have been possible if Joseph had remained at home, especially as the youngest son. So God used the jealousy and lies of others to cause Joseph to be in the right place at the right time and equipped and blessed him with the skills and favor needed for just such a time.

And when we read and study the story of Job and how God actually suggested that Satan “consider” Job and then GAVE HIM PERMISSION to destroy everything but his physical health (Job 1:7-22), it seems hard to reasonably conclude that NOTHING bad or destructive ever comes from God. Satan was obviously unable to steal, kill or destroy anything in Job’s life without God’s very explicit permission or approval, which is further confirmed and made abundantly clear in Job 2:2-10, where it’s obvious that Satan had to have God’s approval and permission before physically harming Job. So there’s little doubt that even Satan operates ONLY within the confines of God’s Word, will, plan and purpose.

And while 2 Chronicles 18 might be a pretty confounding passage of scripture, it really leaves absolutely NO DOUBT that God Almighty will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to bring about His Word, will, plan and purpose.

So as we stand for marriage restoration and face so many things that aren’t right or fair, and even things that are definitely wicked and evil and totally contrary to God’s Word, it’s very important for us to recognize that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING exists or happens in our lives beyond the complete and ABSOLUTE CONTROL of God Almighty! As John 1:3 declares; Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. And Hebrews 2:10 declares; In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Then Proverbs 21:30 declares; There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. And a word search for “thwart” in the Bible reveals that God can and does have the power and ability to thwart the plans of the wicked, so when it appears that their plans are succeeding, God must have a good purpose for it, or He would stop it. Therefore, God is allowing it and that’s something about God that we just can’t understand or comprehend; we don’t like to think of God allowing, much less causing anything evil or destructive. Fortunately, Romans 8:28 assures us that God has the power and authority to MAKE even evil and wicked things work together for good when we love Him and are called according to His purpose! And when we believe that and can NOT be shaken from that truth and all that it promises, we will be able to stand strong against everything that comes against us and the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families. That’s why 2 Corinthians 5:7 says We live by faith, not by sight. And Hebrews 10:38 warns But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” So no matter how bad, wrong, wicked, evil, hopeless or impossible things look, we have to put our hope and confidence in the knowledge we have that God will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to uphold, defend and perfect His Word, will, plan and purpose and that NOTHING will ever stop Him or stand against Him. So, as we’re reminded in Romans 8:31, … If God is for us, who can be against us?

Once we accept that God has absolute and sovereign control over EVERYTHING and that He will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to bring about His Word, will, plan and purpose, it’s important to understand what His ultimate will, plan and purpose is, as revealed in Ephesians 1:4-4:14; God’s sole motivation, pleasure and good purpose is to bring praise, honor and glory to His Son, Jesus Christ! So when we learn to look at every situation and circumstance we face with that in mind, and consider HOW Jesus can and will be magnified and glorified in and through anything and everything, we will finally be able to stand for our marriages and families with the peace, joy, strength and confidence, not to mention the victory Jesus died to make possible! And we have no greater example of God using evil to accomplish His Word, will, plan and purpose than the totally unjustified and unmerited death of our dear Savior on a cross. Likewise, we have no greater example of how God uses the wickedness and evil of this world to bring about His good and glorious plan and purpose than the salvation that terrible act made possible for all of us! YES, GOD USES AND DOES WHATEVER IT TAKES!!! So remember that and be blessed and encouraged, because no matter what “it” is, it’s all part of God’s perfect plan to perfect His Word, will, plan and purpose, and HE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES!

I just love today’s message from Glenn Jackson and want to share it with everyone because it is SO powerful and SO true! You can usually read Glenn’s messages online (but this one is not posted yet) and sign up to receive them by email each day at this link. To the extent we get this powerful message and DO it, we will indeed be blessed and encouraged!

*****
EXHORTATIONS FROM THE FATHER [Reflections Of The Father’s Heart] – August 23rd 2008
There is nothing so devastating to Satan and his forces as the praises rising up out of a heart that is “wholly given” to Me [Luke 10:27]!

Once we understand the importance of Avoiding the Danger of Underestimating God and taking our thoughts captive by making them obedient to God’s Word, we have to go one step further and recognize the connection between our thoughts, emotions, attitudes and the words we speak and then how they LITERALLY effect and determine the circumstances and direction of our lives…either for life or death.

Proverbs 23:7 reveals that as we think, so are we, and then Luke 6:45 tells us that The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. So there’s an obvious connection between our thoughts, what is in our hearts and the words we speak, which the following verses indicate as well:

Psalm 13:2 – How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Jeremiah 4:14 – O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?

And Hebrews 3:1 confirms that as Christian men and women answering the call on our lives to stand for the restoration of our marriages and families, we have to keep our thoughts FIXED ON JESUS and the power and promise of His Word; it says Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. And since the only way to “confess is with our mouths, our SPOKEN (and written) words must glorify and magnify Jesus Christ and the faith and confidence we have in Him, and NOT validate and give voice to doubt and despair, which only magnifies and glorifies the work of the devil.

It’s not possible to read James 3:3-5 and honestly question whether or not our tongues have the power to effect and direct our circumstances and the course of our lives, because it says When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. So we have to take James’ warning very seriously, as well as Proverbs 18:21 (AMP), which declares that Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. It just doesn’t get much clearer than that; yet this seems to be difficult for most of us to fully comprehend and even more importantly, to put into practice.

As I was working on this earlier today, one of the FAM members posted the following excerpt on the private website, which really seems to illustrate the point I want to make:
“I would also like to thank and Praise God for a change He brought about in me. Throughout the day yesterday, I was a bit anxious about the upcoming evening and questioned if I would be able to do it. I was trying to take my thoughts captive and claiming the word, but I was still struggling. And I wasn’t sure why. My heart was anxious and it was weighing me down! Then I got an encouraging call from someone reminding me of something I use to say when I faced similar circumstances earlier. It was a very encouraging word and just what I needed to cheer me up (Proverbs 12:25). And as I cheered up, I reread one of the verses I was claiming, Philippians 4:6, which says Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

However, I wasn’t doing the “thanksgiving” part! I was casting all my anxieties to God in prayer and petition, but I was not giving Him thanks and praising His name. So I took those thoughts captive and shifted to speaking out more praises. I immediately began giving God NOTHING but thanksgiving and praises for the work He has done in me and the wonderful evening He was bringing for our family in just a few hours. I began to claim verses that speak of the power and joy I have in God. And then, the very next verse, Philippians 4:7, was exactly what I had; And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And that peace DID guard my heart and mind the entire night!”

What a perfect and timely illustration of how changing our thoughts and the words we speak by making them line up with the written Word of God can and will turn our situations around instantly! This is someone who has been going through a very challenging situation for the past few weeks, and since I’ve been in daily contact with her, I can certainly testify that making that single change in her own mindset and attitude TOTALLY transformed her persona and attitude from that of a victim to a victor; and just guess which is more appealing and attractive to her husband! But even more importantly, it already has and will continue to release the supernatural power of God Almighty to work on her behalf! Praise the Lord!!!

Since I’ve always questioned the validity of the idea that the devil doesn’t hear our thoughts, after reading Ecclesiastes 10:20 while doing a topical Bible study for this post this morning, I really question that, because it says Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. So it appears that we can’t use the excuse that what we think isn’t as important as what we say because Satan doesn’t hear or know our thoughts. But more importantly, there’s no doubt that our thoughts are the substance of our emotions, attitudes and mindsets, and when we redirect our thoughts, our emotions, attitudes and mindsets change as well. So the ONLY way to experience victory in Christ and the righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit Jesus makes possible in this present life (Romans 14:17-18), is to make sure that our thoughts and the words we speak (and write) line up with the written Word of God. We can always rely on God’s Word to show us the way and direct our paths, because as Psalm 119:105 declares, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. And there’s no doubt that speaking the Word of God releases supernatural power to effect and manifest GOD’S WILL in our lives, because Psalm 103:20 says Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

So I hope and pray that we will all avoid speaking death into our lives, circumstances and marriages by learning to speak and write words that bring life, restoration and blessings; which we do when we wisely choose to speak only words that affirm and line up with the power and promise of God’s Word. And then we will truly be blessed and encouraged beyond belief!

It should come as no surprise, even though it always does, that God orchestrated the rebroadcast of the following messages from Joyce Meyer to perfectly coincide with what He has put on my heart to share for the past few days (most of yesterday’s SOF post was written the day before). So this is obviously a very important message for all of us to get and put into practice as we learn that every word we speak is for life or death. So let’s get the message and learn to speak only life, especially since we will eat and live what we speak!

Your Words and Your Future – Pt 1 – VIEWERS’ CHOICE #1

Your Words and Your Future – Pt 2 – VIEWERS’ CHOICE #1

Unfortunately, as human beings, we’re terribly limited by our finite ability to understand and appreciate the power and ways of God, which makes it way too easy to underestimate Him! Isaiah 55:8-9 warns “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. That’s exactly why we’re instructed in Proverbs 3:5-6 to Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. As Job 37:5 reminds us, God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. So there’s no way we can truly appreciate or understand the power and ways of God, which is why it’s so vitally important that we heed the counsel Paul gives in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, where he states For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

So one of the single most important things for men and women standing for marriage restoration to do is to take EVERY thought, mindset and attitude CONTRARY to the written Word of God (thereby setting itself up as an argument and pretension against the knowledge of God, and becoming a stronghold when not confronted with the Word) captive by making them obedient to Christ, which is the Word; yet that is probably our greatest failure. We naturally try to apply human understanding and limitations to our situations, so even though we might believe Luke 1:37 intellectually, we don’t truly believe it experientially since it says For nothing is impossible with God.” Yet, if we’re honest, most of us would have to admit that we spend a lot more time considering the apparent impossibilities of our circumstances and situations instead of the INFINITELY UNLIMITED POWER AND POSSIBILITIES OF GOD! But as 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 reminds us, However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” — but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. And Romans 1:17 confirms that in that it says For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” And as 2 Corinthians 5:7 states, as Christians standing on the power and promise of God’s Word for the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families, We live by faith, not by sight. And Jeremiah 33:3 promises us that if we call on God, He will show us great and mighty things we do NOT know. So when we rely on what WE know and what WE understand, WE are very dangerously underestimating the power and ways of God and literally HINDERING the work of His mighty hand on our behalf.

Since God tells us that faith is being sure of what we HOPE for and certain of what we do NOT see (Hebrews 11:1), we can’t afford to underestimate God, and the ONLY way to avoid doing that is to spend quality time seriously studying His Word. IF we don’t’ KNOW God’s Word, how can we even recognize thoughts, mindsets and attitudes that are contrary to it; much less take them captive by making them obedient to Christ and the Word? And as Romans 10:17 points out, …faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So if we don’t know the Word of God, we can’t ever expect or hope to defeat and overcome the devil as Jesus indicated in Matthew 4:4, when He said …”It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ “ And if we don’t know the Word of God and the words that Jesus spoke (as written in the Gospels), how can we PRACTICE them and be assured that our marriages and homes are built on a solid foundation that can and will withstand the storms of life as Jesus instructed in Matthew 7:24-29?

While we all love and appreciate the comfort, encouragement and wisdom found in much of the Old Testament, particularly in the Psalms and Proverbs, we can’t overlook the powerful instruction Jesus came to personally convey. So it’s very important that we spend quality time seriously and thoughtfully reading and studying the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), as well as the rest of the New Testament. Since a structured method of reading through the entire Bible is so important and effective, I am surprised to discover that very few people seem to do that. Yet, we can’t afford NOT to do so when we consider phrases like: every pretension, every thought, every word, every act of disobedience, in all your ways acknowledge him, and so many more. And even if we’ve read the same passages and verses over and over again, that doesn’t mean that God can’t and won’t show us something new EVERY time we read them, which He usually does! And as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

So as we honor and glorify God by standing in faith and obedience on the power and promise of His Word for the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families, it’s very important to make a deliberate and intentional decision to know and understand the Word of God so we can take our thoughts captive and MAKE them obedient to Jesus Christ; His Word. And the ONLY way to EFFECTIVELY do that is to SPEAK very specific verses of scripture right back to those contrary thoughts mindsets and attitudes; just like Jesus did when the devil came calling on him as it is written in Matthew 4:1-11. And just as Jesus demonstrated, we DON’T have a conversation with the devil, and we DON’T waste ANY time entertaining and validating HIS plan and efforts to steal, kill and destroy the Word of our testimony or our marriages and families! WE JUST SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD AS IT IS WRITTEN RIGHT BACK TO OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND ANY THOUGHTS SETTING THEMSELVES UP AS ARGUMENTS AND PRETENSIONS AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD!!! When we DO that, we will avoid the danger of underestimating God and LIVE BY FAITH! And God leaves no doubt of how important that is as we stand for marriage restoration, confidently relying on the power and promise of His Word; because Hebrews 11:6 says And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. And Hebrews 10:38 even warns But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” Since taking our thoughts captive by making them obedient to the Word of God and living by faith are such important weapons in the spiritual battle now being waged for our marriages and families, it should be pretty obvious that knowing and meditating on God’s Word is the only way to DO that and avoid the danger of underestimating God! And how blessed and encouraged we all are when we don’t underestimate the love, goodness, mercy, grace, faithfulness and power of God Almighty!

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (Psalm 1:2-3)

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. (Isaiah 46:10-11)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 320-21)

We had a very unexpected occurrence on the private website yesterday, when a FAM member’s husband, Chris, posted a very powerful testimony. But since I had no way to contact him and was unable to reach his wife, I didn’t have a clue what was going on. I have since talked to Chris and communicated with Kelly, and have their permission to share Chris’ testimony here. It’s a powerful testimony of how one stander gave up on God, became a prodigal, and is now standing for his wife and marriage again. Meanwhile, Kelly was the prodigal, who became a stander and learned how to walk out the principles of restoration. But then she gave up on God when her husband walked out again; though I seriously doubt for long!

Not too long after Kelly posted her Restored Marriage Testimony on the site, Chris seemed to have a change of heart and mind, and since the last time Kelly posted on the site, Chris resumed his relationship with the NCP and Kelly decided to move on with her life as he shares. BUT GOD had and still has other plans and we all know that NO wisdom, No insight and NO plan will EVER succeed against God! And while Kelly and Chris still have so much to work through, I am confident that we will see this marriage fully and completely restored! And since I have not been asked by Kelly to do otherwise; they are still listed on our Restored Marriage List, so we at least are speaking their restored marriage into being! Pleas keep this family in your prayers and be blessed and encouraged by this powerful testimony as Chris shares how the Lord worked to remove his stoney heart and gave him a heart of flesh and taught him to see his wife through the new eyes that only God makes possible! AND NEVER GIVE UP ON GOD!

My Foolishness
I am sure that some of you may know my wife, Kelly (last name omitted). Just even writing the words my wife, and Kelly (last name omitted) in the same sentence has started the crying again.

I had turned my back on her and my children, and I had turned away from the Lord. I had taken my will back, time and time again over the past sixteen months. Oh, don’t get me wrong; God has definitely spoken to me…many, many times. I heard, but did not listen. I heard, but did not obey. I just did what made ME and only ME the main focus. It didn’t matter how my behavior affected others. It only mattered what I thought, because after all it was ALL about me and my feelings. I was in charge of my destiny. What a disaster.

My wife broke our marriage vows, and while that was happening I prayed daily. I never prayed and cried out to the Lord like that at any other time in my life. I prayed that the truth would be revealed. I prayed that my marriage would be restored; that He would return my wife to me, and to our family. I prayed that the woman I married, the woman I have known for over twenty-three years would be brought back home. And you know what? He did it. She confessed her sin to me and went before the Lord and repented.

So, what did I do? I stopped praying. I stopped praying for restoration. I didn’t pray for my marriage to be restored. I started to put my “trust” or really “lack of trust” in Kelly.
I put MY expectations on her. I was hurt, angry, insecure, frustrated, sad, and depressed. I stopped standing on scripture. I totally abandoned the God who had just brought me through the most horrific episode in my life; He returned my wife to me and our children.

I, on the other hand was just hurt, and showed that through my anger. I refused to forgive her. I didn’t know it then, or really didn’t want to admit it. I said “I couldn’t forgive her.”
But I just flat out refused to do it. So for the next six months, I stayed stuck in that anger. Unwilling, stubborn and refusing to “back off my stance.” She did try to make some things right, and she tried to “work on our marriage” after she got past the residual parts of her behavior. I just refused to give her any credit; NOTHING AT ALL. I continued to be insecure, even though I had no real reason to be. I never for a minute thought to consider how her behavior had impacted her and her relationship with the Lord, with me, with our kids, and with both of our families. I wanted her to love me, only me, and to show me that she wanted to be my wife. I really had some nerve. It was all about me and my feelings. Maybe a time or two, I said to her “This behavior does not define you.” But obviously I didn’t mean it because I continued to put her down. I continued to judge her for what had happened. And I continued to make sure that she knew how “bad” she was for what had happened.

That unforgiveness kept me in my own prison cell. My unwillingness to forgive, and it was my unwillingness, led me to walk away from my family in November 2007. I remember saying that I was unhappy, and that this marriage was unhealthy for me. I remember Kelly and others saying that Jesus has forgiven ALL of our sins, and I would say “I am not Jesus. I guess I just don’t have that ’spiritual’ growth in me.” Of course, I am not Jesus. And Of course, I did not have that spiritual growth in me, but I turned away from the only one who could help me. I walked away from it all; like it was nothing.

I was justified. Believe me; I was definitely in the right here. Nobody could tell me any different. But of course, once again I was being foolish; kidding myself and trying to do the same to everyone around me. So I started to have an affair; with someone who I professed was the exact opposite of my wife. But she wasn’t. That lasted for ten months. I put my wife down, and I wasn’t there for my kids. I was only interested in what would make ME happy. Well, I am here to tell you something that you all already know; this did NOT MAKE ME HAPPY. I did a pretty good job trying to convince everyone else around me, but I am sure that they all knew that deep down inside I was and will always be miserable without Jesus as the center of my world.

In my moments of clarity, when I prayed and talked to the Lord, he answered me. He told me what I was to do, and I listened, but only for a short period of time. And then I took my will back. All the while, my wife, the woman who I felt betrayed by, was standing on scripture for our marriage. She stood on John 11, most specifically verse 40: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God.” This woman waited for me; she knew I was having an affair. Yet she stood and stood for much longer than I know I could have stood. The Lord has done an amazing work in my wife. Again, I refused to see it.

The simple fact that she would even want to have anything at all to do with me is a miracle in itself. She told me the other day that she said to herself “Look at him, he is so broken, and I have caused this brokenness in him, how could I not take him back?” And what did I do? I walked out again. I said that I cannot do it. I took my will back and returned immediately to my old behavior. I said “I don’t want to be married anymore.” But she said “Okay.” And that she would not stand in the way of me moving on. I had pushed her way past her breaking point, and she filed for divorce; she moved on with her life.

I was still stuck though; still stuck in my prison cell of unforgiveness. The Lord started to work on me; I think because he knows that if he doesn’t intervene now, then all will be lost within my family. This marriage will cease to exist. He put things in my path that may have been presented to me for other reasons, but He put them there for me to turn back to him. He put things in front of me for me to see where I had gone wrong, and how I had wrongly judged this woman who truly is “the love of my life.”

All of a sudden things became much clearer to me. The Lord showed me what a fool I have been. He showed me the things that my wife has done to show her love for me. He had an apology letter she wrote put into my hands. In all my hurt and anger, I refused to see her sincerity; it was blocked from my vision. All these months, she had stopped talking and started DOING. The transformation has been amazing, and I have been able to see some of these things now. She was accommodating in my visits with the kids. She cooked for me when I came to visit. And she even allowed me back into our marital bed.

She told me that she had been praying this past Monday for the first time in a while; she too had lost all hope for us when I made my grand “announcement.” I had really reached out to God over the past week, and told him that he would have to make a way for me to make this right. The Lord had told me that now is the time for me to apologize to her for my actions, but she had told me to never contact her again, and that if I did she would have a restraining order placed on me. I called anyway, and when she answered, I said “Please do not hang up on me.” She said, “You have five minutes.” And I told her that I wanted to apologize to her for the way I have treated her over all these months. She was crying. She told me later on that she had started praying and then took my picture out of her bible and kissed it and started to pray that the Lord would show me mercy. And within ten minutes after she did that, I called. I have finally forgiven her, and that has set me free.

What an absolute idiot I have been. Only now it may be too little too late for us. She says “there’s too much water under the bridge” and that she is “out of try’s.” And I am devastated by that. I am sure we will be going to court in the next month or two, because she told me that her plan has not changed; that she has certain goals that she wants to achieve for her and our children, and that she cannot believe anything that I say. I am so sad to say that I am not included in those plans. I am absolutely ashamed at my behavior. I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to return to my Father. And I am embarrassed by what has become of my life. I am so broken by all of this.

I do have some friends who will help me get through this next part of my life though. So I am going to use that to the best of my ability. I live two hundred and fifty miles from my wife and kids, so I will now focus on getting employment and being closer to my kids so that I can at least begin to repair all the damage I have caused to them. I will not give up hope. Well, at least I will try not to give up hope. I will once again stand on John 11:40, and I will continue to pray. I will show humility. I will now seek forgiveness from my wife, and from my children. I will do all that I can to show that the Lord has started this healing process in me, and that I am on the road to no longer being broken. Let me tell you; that is a terrible place to be. So I would really appreciate your support, and I really NEED your prayers.

Chris (last name omitted)

Note from Linda: Soon after this message was posted on the site, Kelly and Chris chose restoration for their marriage and family, and I’m pleased to announce that they are now expecting another baby and will be renewing their marriage vows in late November and that the FAM Fellowship members will be able to celebrate the occasion with them via teleconference! Praise the Lord for His unfailing faithfulness!!!

I spoke to a young man for the first time yesterday, and since I don’t know how to communicate with him, I really hope he reads this! At some point in our conversation, I reminded him of what the Bible teaches about taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ/the Word. Since someone else had just told him the same thing, he was really excited about that. And I assured him that he would see it again, because God ALWAYS confirms EVERYTHING He wants to tell us! So imagine my delight when I read the following Coffee Break devotional from Lorraine Ezell! GOD IS AMAZING!!! So, Hawk, be blessed and encouraged to know that God loves you so much that He does exactly what we discussed yesterday and will ALWAYS find ways to speak to you very personally and confirm EVERYTHING He wants you to get!

“Those Thoughts by Lorraine Ezell
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5

This morning I woke up with a song playing over and over in my head. It’s not a song that I would like to be there. I was in a store the other day and you know how they play music while you are shopping- well that’s where the song got in my mind. This song is playing so “loudly” and “repeatedly” (it’s almost like having a radio on) in my mind that it is trying to distract me from writing.

We have a very real enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy. One way he does that is by coming against us in our thoughts. He will plant thoughts to try to distract us, confuse us, sadden us, deter us, hinder us or even stop us. If you allow those thoughts to continue they will rob you- rob you of joy, peace, abundant life. If you allow them to continue they will kill- kill the dream God has given you, kill your faith, kill the plan of God in your own eyes. If you allow them to continue they will destroy- they will destroy relationships, your ability to hear God, your confidence.

Did you hear what I said? “If you allow them to continue”. I have the power to combat the thoughts he tries to plant in my mind. I can’t stop him from trying to plant those thoughts, but I don’t have to let them stay there. I do not have to entertain them. I have the ability and authority to cast them down. In order to hear the Lord’s voice and write this word this morning I have had to do just that. I have to make the choice not to let the thoughts of the enemy distract, hinder or stop me.

You have been given power and authority over the enemy. He can make an attempt to destroy you through your thoughts, but he can’t succeed unless you allow him to succeed. If he is coming against you in your thought life you have to do something about it. Get violent with him, get determined, pray against the thoughts, read the Word of God out loud, renew your mind with God’s promises, replace those thoughts with praise, pray in the Spirit- do something to take authority over them– you can’t think on two things at once, and the “things” of God (these weapons) will always defeat the “things” (the weapons) of the enemy.

Have a great day. Don’t let the enemy keep harassing you in your thought life- it’s your mind, you control what you allow to be in it. And you do not have to let anything that comes from the enemy stay there!!

*****
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell, and available online and sent by email free of charge for the asking from About the Master’s Business Ministry, Inc.
So please feel free to call Lorraine at (601) 833-5278 or E-mail her at mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
And you can visit her on the web at MastersBusiness.org.

I started this post last week, and ended up losing it, but after reading another post about faith, I felt that I should try it again. I have been re-reading a book by Mark Hankins called The Spirit of Faith, Turning Defeat into Victory and Dreams into Reality. I had read it a while ago and God kept showing me messages about faith in Him and how we can do everything He calls us to do. After reading a response wondering if all of this was real…I can say that if we have faith in God, He gives us a life that seems like a dream, because He turns our dreams into reality and gives us victory.

Faith declares the outcome before the battle even gets started. So we need to keep speaking those victories into reality. The more we speak positively, the more our faith in God grows and we see amazing things happen. And faith declares the outcome in the middle of the battle. It isn’t only when things are going good that we need to have faith. We need to keep building our faith so that when things come up, as they always do, we already know the outcome; VICTORY Through HIM

Winning the war of words is necessary to win the war of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12) Don’t wait any longer before you use your faith to lay hold of what God intends for you. Refuse to give the devil one inch to defeat you or discourage you. Fight the good fight of faith; stay in total faith that nothing is too hard for God. Do not get into how you feel, what you see or your circumstances. Stay in faith because that is where we receive our victories. God causes us to be victorious because through Christ we are victorious.

We are free of all of our fears, by the BLOOD. When faith comes, fear goes. Faith in God is faith in His word. Believe everything He says, and speak with the voice of faith, because faith is voice-activated. Speak to the spirit of fear; say that you believe God, you have no doubt and that you are victorious.

Get a grip on the spirit of faith; catch it and keep it! Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans10:17) When faith comes, so do the blessings, healing, and joy; and fear goes. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

When we don’t know what is happening or what is going to happen next, we are told to fear not and believe only. We can’t control what is happening or what our spouse is doing, but we can control how we act. We can stand in faith that God is working it out for good; that He is in control and that He loves us. When the devil tries to tell you that it is over, tell him that Jesus says it is not over; it has just been delayed for a bit. “Fear not…believe only” has been so powerful in my life. You cannot have faith and fear at the same time. And I pray that you choose faith over fear every time.

The lady with the issue of blood believed that if she touched Jesus, she would have healing; Jesus healed her because she had faith. Her faith made her whole and it still has the same power today. “According to your faith…” has definitely been shown huge to us here at FAMM. The more we believe, the stronger our faith is and we see amazing things come our way. We continue to witness God’s hand moving in the ministry, in jobs, homes being saved at the last minute, money issues being solved, families being restored, and even belly aches disappearing. I have faith that God is not done and that He will complete every good work He has started.

When people wonder if we are real, we are creating a testimony for the glory of God for them to see. So I pray that we stand in faith that God will do exactly what He has said and that nothing is too hard for HIM. In the natural, there may be no way, but with God, He makes a way where there seems to be no way. So I pray that you get mountain moving faith, because Jesus said that whosoever believes can say to those mountains move and they will be removed, and cast into the sea if we do not doubt in our heart, but believe what God has said will come to pass. Something I read today that spoke to me is that faith will not necessarily prevent all mountains in our lives, but it will move them! God is looking for people to believe, and I know that HE has found that here at FAMM. So be encouraged, have faith that God is working no matter what you see, feel or hear and be blessed. We don’t have to make things happen; we just have to rest in Him and LET it happen. So enter into the rest of God and watch His hand work miracles in every part of your lives. HE has good things planned for each and every one of us, so I wait with anticipation for many more praises to be shared. Have “joy unspeakable!” Your situation has an end and God will be right there with you through it ALL. Keep saying that you are who God says you are, that You have what God says you have, and that you can do all He says to do. Keep walking in faith and enjoy this journey with HIM. The victory is OURS!

We recently added a new category to the private FAM Fellowship website because we were getting so many encouraging and inspiring praise testimonies from FAM members after their marriages were restored, and the following praise was posted in the “After Restoration” category today. So I hope that all who read it will be blessed and encouraged to know that God does indeed complete the great work He begins!

We Just Celebrated our 14th Anniversary!!!
Hello FAM Family,

SNO (spouse name omitted) and I and the kids just returned from our family vacation, and I must say that this year was very different from last year! We just celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary too!!!

It was during this time last year that I first reached out and contacted FAM and met the FAM family. A year ago, I had filed for divorce, SNO and I couldn’t speak to each other and I didn’t think we would celebrate another anniversary. But through God’s almighty love, grace, and forgiveness, he had other plans for us. SNO and I are a totally different couple. Our family has noticed a tremendous change in both of us, and we can’t stop talking their ears off about our miracle marriage restoration and what God has done for our family.

It is funny, but we have recently been meeting couples that are in the same situation we were, and are constantly witnessing to them about God and the “Weekend to Remember” Retreat through Family Life. I also mention FAM and how it has helped me/us through our restoration. Maybe it isn’t actually funny, because I believe God has plans for us, and I keep praying to God to show us his calling, to give us the wisdom and confidence to witness to other couples and family members about his amazing grace in our lives. So I encourage every restored couple to witness to others in any place you might have a chance and for those that don’t want to listen to God’s word; just continue to pray for them.

I am so glad to have this new category and that we can continue to share with others all the miracles God continues to do in our lives. I know that many of us have gone through so much, but only God has restored our marriages and our husbands and wives! God Bless!

What a wonderful and special day this was for the FAM Fellowship members! One of our members who hasn’t had internet access since she moved into her own apartment a year ago, and whose husband came home five weeks ago, was finally able to post her Restored Marriage Testimony on the private site today. This is an awesome and glorious testimony of what God WILL DO WHEN WE JUST TRUST AND OBEY HIM!!! And what He does for one; He will do for all! So read the following testimony and be blessed and encouraged!

Finally! Nothing is Better than God!
Hello everyone! I know that I don’t know most of you since I have been without a computer for about a year now, but I thank you all so much for all of your prayers and support; especially Linda, who has kept all of you updated on everything.

So who’s ready to hear how God has restored my marriage? I hope that this will be an encouragement to all of you because if anyone knows how hard it is to walk this walk, I do! I also knew that I had to find time to get over here to my mom’s and share how God has and is continuing to work in my marriage; because it is because of Him and Him only that I am where I am today.

My husband, SNO (spouse name omitted), has been gone for two years. He left suddenly and moved in with another woman. The past two years have been filled with hurt, hardship, substance abuse, and a VERY difficult NCP. But most of all, the past two years have been filled with prayer. God has brought me and my husband so much further than I could have ever imagined, and without Him I don’t even want to imagine where I would be today.

Five weeks ago, my husband called me and asked if I would come to his house. I reluctantly did so, knowing that he also shared that house with the NCP. When I got there, he immediately began packing his things into my car. There wasn’t a lot, since over the past two years, he has lost almost everything. He was hurt, angry, confused, and scared. But one thing he was sure of was that his relationship with the NCP was over. That relationship had been abusive in too many ways to count and most of the abuse was from the NCP. It had happened! Finally it was over!

And over the last five weeks, A LOT has come out into the open. But the first few weeks were hard. SNO couldn’t understand why he still had feelings for a woman who was so terrible to him and his family. And he was scared to open up to me about his feelings for me.

There were a lot of very long nights that consisted of crying, praying, and going back and forth between moments of clarity AND confusion! As time went on, SNO began to see more clearly. Although even now, he is ashamed, embarrassed, and confused as to how all of this happened; HE IS HOME!

SNO has opened up now and let me know that he always loved me. But even better, he has admitted that he knows that God has called him, and although he doesn’t know how it is going to happen; he knows that we are getting ready for a huge ministry. For those of you who don’t know; SNO was a preacher a few years ago before everything went crazy. And although he turned his back and walked away, God did not.

There is still so much work to be done between God and SNO, and still so much work to be done between SNO and me as well. But every day gets easier. The more time that passes, the more SNO sees that there is no where he can hide. God is hot on his trail and no matter how far or fast he tried or tries to run, He will and always does find him. So for now, SNO has come to the conclusion that although this is super scary and maybe something he isn’t ready for, there is no way he is going to fight God on this any longer. He realizes that home is where he is supposed to be; that he has been called to be a preacher, a husband, and a father. God even moved the NCP back to her hometown out of state!

I am so thankful that God continued to give me the strength and faith to make it through these past two years. I had no support here, and my only support came from God and my friends in this ministry. When you are raising 3 kids on your own and standing for a marriage that seems to be over to everyone else; it is a hard road. But God is good and He knew what the end result would be! I thank Him that He continued to show me that as well.

So I hope this will help anyone who might need this today. And I want you all to know that there were definitely days when I doubted or got angry and was ready to give up. But every time, God got in my face and told me to get it together! You may not be strong every day, and there may be times when you think God has forgotten. But I can promise you that He has not and that He will not stop until your wives and husbands are home! He is faithful all of the time and even when you may not think He is working, He is. I truly wish I had enough room to share my entire story because as Linda can tell you; if He can bring SNO back, He can bring anyone back!

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. And I thank you all so much for your support!

My husband is home!!! Praise God!!!

Regular visitors to the site and the FAM Fellowship members know that God’s UNFAILING FAITHFULNESS to ALWAYS CONFIRM EVERYTHING HE WANTS US TO GET never ceases to amaze me! Yet, I just can’t even believe it myself sometimes! So I want to share how God has worked to do that once again in our midst this past week.

As everyone can see from the Seeds Of Faith post, God is SO High in His Heavens and Moving Mightily!, which I posted last Saturday; the Lord has truly been doing amazing things in the lives of FAM Fellowship members over the past few weeks. But the devil can’t stand that and as Jesus warned; he ALWAYS comes to steal, kill and destroy. And the one thing he wants most to steal, kill and destroy is anything and everything that gives God the praise, honor and glory He so richly deserves. Therefore, he ALWAYS comes against us as Christians (the body of Christ) to steal, kill and destroy our testimonies; quite understandably since Revelation 12:10-11 declares that he is defeated and overcome by the blood of the Lamb AND BY THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY. So when we see the hand of God moving so mightily in our lives and the “word of our testimony” is bringing the Lord so much glory, we can be sure that the devil will come calling…AND HE DID!!!

Early last Monday morning, even though I had reservations about it because I know how the devil works, I published a praise testimony from one of the FAM members about how she had “struggled with the enemy” the day before and how the Lord had worked through several sources to bring and confirm the same message to her, which was that she had authority over the devil; using the same verse each time, which was Luke 10:19. Even though it actually occurred to me that JUST mentioning the devil and that she had struggled with him (also stating “You know he always TRIES to deceive us.”) could be a problem, I was (as always) amazed by God’s faithfulness to IMMEDIATELY answer her prayer and then to give her further confirmation the next morning. And it really was a great praise report; because we’ll ALWAYS have to deal with the devil, but God ends up getting the glory when we DO as His Word instructs when Satan comes calling. I fully intended to respond to her post to point that out, BUT due to something else which required my immediate attention pretty much all day and much of this week, I didn’t get back to the site until late Monday night. And by then, I couldn’t believe how many responses referred to how the “enemy” was “attacking” and how members were “struggling!” AND they were coming from some of the same people whose praises I had JUST shared here! And since some of the editors who would normally call to alert me to something like that were also unavailable that day, it seems that just as the Bible tells us, God must have had a good purpose for even that! Even though many members were posting positive responses, obviously trying to keep things on the positive side; it just takes a few negative words and thoughts to bring everything down and then the praises come to a halt. It’s like someone stuck a pin in a balloon and popped it. And quite honestly, if I said I was “hot”…that would be an understatement! Since one of the editors had published the positive responses and left the “negative” ones to be moderated (edited and approved), that’s all I kept reading and by the time I got through them, I was on the warpath and posted a much stronger version of Thursday’s SOF post! In fact, one of the FAM members told me that when she read it, she was reminded of when Jesus went into the temple with a whip and drove out the money changers! Yes, I was angry; though not with the FAM members. I was upset with myself for publishing the post in the first place or for not editing it more than I had; but my anger was with the devil! And I was determined to set the record straight and remind everyone that he does NOT have power and authority in our lives unless we give it to him. I was also disappointed that that post got a lot more attention than the first praise report ever posted on the private site by a child, which was also posted by her mother that morning! It was a heart warming message from Jeni’s daughter (who posted a praise testimony of her own in response to the above referenced and linked SOF post), who wanted to praise the Lord and give thanks for the changes in her home and family since her mother made the decision to drop the divorce. And she declared that she knew her family would be back together again soon. Normally something like that would have brought a huge response, but that day it was virtually ignored; which particularly upset me.

Well, after posting something so strong on the site, which I’ve never done before, I was second guessing the wisdom of doing that by the next morning, but I claimed Romans 8:28 and gave it to the Lord. As I mentioned earlier, I had something else that really demanded my immediate attention. FAMM is in the process of changing to a new program for our websites, as well as moving to a new server to handle the increased traffic to the sites not to mention making some of the changes we’ve wanted to make for some time now. So I’ve been working on that for a few weeks as well. But we weren’t anywhere near ready for the site to be picked up by the search engines and had it set up so it wouldn’t be. However, because I had posted a link several months ago to our first attempt to upgrade the sites using the same program we’re using now, in a forum asking for assistance because the newest version is no longer accessible to the visually impaired (meaning that I could no longer fully administer the sites), our new site was indexed by at least Google, and I was beginning to get email concerning information on the “new” site! When I called our programmer, he told me there wasn’t anything we could do about that now; that we just had to do our best to make the site as presentable and functional as we could, while continuing to work on it! Needless to say, that’s been a huge project and it’s taken the majority of my time and attention this past week. You can actually find the new site by doing just about any of the searches that brought most of you to FAMM in the first place, so besides lighting a fire under our need to get the new site up and running, it is exciting to see how much favor the Lord is showing the ministry! New websites normally struggle to get picked up by the search engines, so it’s really funny now to think that I ever wasted my time even thinking about that, because God had already made provision for that as well! But we sure would appreciate your prayers to help speed that process up, because there’s some of it that we can’t do on our own, which means that our programmer will have to find the time to do what only he can do to finish the sites for us. And I appreciate your patience with me as well, because doing what I need to on the new site makes it very difficult to do some of the other things that need my attention as well; such as writing Seeds Of Faith posts, as you can obviously see. But we’re very excited about our new websites and the improvements we’re making, as well as many other things that are under way in the ministry; such as a new section on the sites featuring Keepsakes, Treasures & Gifts (where we’ll be selling items created by FAM members among other things), FAMM’s affiliation with the movie Fireproof, the anticipated completion of my long awaited book and so much more! God is definitely moving to bring the world’s attention to His Holy covenant of marriage and we’re just so honored, thrilled and excited to be a part of it all!

Getting back to how God was working this past week and the AMAZING CONFIRMATION that even getting upset and writing the posts I did about the devil fit right into God’s perfect plan; just check out the last three messages from Joyce Meyer, which I didn’t know anything about until one of the FAM members sent me a link to her broadcast this past Thursday! The following messages are very powerful and confirm so much of what I hoped to get across about our authority over the devil; which ALL started in FAM as the result of the original post last Monday morning!!! What proof that what the devil indeed intends for harm; God ALWAYS intends for good (Genesis 50:20)! There’s no doubt that many people have learned a very valuable lesson this past week, and one they won’t soon forget; THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY AND POWER IN OUR LIVES OTHER THAN WHAT WE GIVE HIM! And despite his best efforts, the devil is just a loser and everything he means for his own glory and purpose will just end up glorifying the Lord and working to our good; the promise we have in Romans 8:28! So watch the following messages from Joyce Meyer for the last three days and take notes!
Dealing with the Devil – VIEWERS’ CHOICE #3

12 Ways to Defeat the Devil – Pt 1 – VIEWERS’ CHOICE #3

12 Ways to Defeat the Devil – Pt 2 – VIEWERS’ CHOICE #3

And just to make REALLY sure we get the point, the Lord put it on Lorraine Ezell’s heart to make yesterday’s Coffee Break devotional about Satan being a Defeated Devil too! Just be blessed and encouraged to know that God loves us so much that He goes to such lengths to confirm these things to us the way He does; and no one BUT GOD could do that the way He does!