Being a rather analytical and inquisitive person by nature, I can’t help trying to better understand why some standing for marriage restoration have such a difficult time finding the peace, joy and confidence we all should have in Jesus Christ and the knowledge that HE IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING, and that NOTHING will EVER succeed against Him and His will. And even though we know that based on the entire context of the Bible, the following verses of scripture are just a few that make it abundantly clear:

Job 41:10-11
No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me? Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.

Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

Isaiah 14:27
For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

Job 42:1-2
Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.

Isaiah 8:10
Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Romans 8:31
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

John 1:2-3
He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Revelation 4:11
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

John 13:3
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Jeremiah 32:17
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

John 15:5 (AMP)
I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Romans 8:26-30 (NASB)
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

If we REALLY take the time to study and meditate on the above passages of scripture, we should truly begin to grasp the infinite and omnipotent power of our Lord and Savior, and understand that NOTHING can and NEVER WILL stand or succeed against Him and that He has EVERY aspect of our lives under control, and that ALL of it is intended to serve HIS purpose. God always wants to bless and prosper us, but since He can never do anything contrary to His written Word, when we are living contrary to His will and purpose for our lives as taught in His Word, He has to create circumstances to bring us back into right relationship with Him. And if we’re totally honest, we have to admit that before our marital crisis arose, we were NOT living as we should in terms of our walk and relationship with the Lord, and that’s just unacceptable to God. So He WILL allow or create calamity in our lives just to bring us back into obedience and conformity to His will and Word so that He can bless AND glorify us! And the following passage of scripture is just one biblical indication of how and why He does that:

Jeremiah 32:37-42
I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. “This is what the LORD says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them.

And there’s surely no greater or more familiar example of how God does that than the story of Job, so we need to intently study the entire book of Job to learn the lessons God wants us to from his experience; paying particular attention to Job’s realization and acknowledgement in Job 3:25, where he said What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. And to fully understand the power and faithfulness of God to restore everything we’ve lost, we need to carefully and thoughtfully read Job 38-42 And just as with Job, what God restores back to us will be even better than all we’ve lost! But we need to study Job’s interaction with God and those around him very carefully to learn and understand WHY God restored what he had given Satan permission to steal, kill and destroy!

As I further considered some of the other reasons it might be difficult for some to stand with faith and confidence on the power and promise of God’s Word for the restoration of our marriages, besides truly understanding and accepting God’s awesome power and control of EVERYTHING; it’s possible that some still doubt that God’s Word says He will restore our marriages. But if God HATES something; then He’s opposed to it and He is obviously on the side of anyone who stands against what HE hates and for the life long, one flesh covenant of marriage, which HE intended from the beginning, just as Jesus stated in Matthew 19:1-9! Besides the many passages of scripture that make it clear that God will stand with us for the full and complete restoration of our marriages when we ourselves are faithful to honor our marriage vows; one of the most significant is Malachi 2 (NLT). When God says He won’t receive a man’s offering or worship, as He does in this passage; that’s serious. And when He says that the prayers of a man who is not living In right relationship with his wife (which is obviously NOT the case if he is separated from her or divorces her without biblical cause) will be hindered, as He does in 1 Peter 3:7; He means business!

Another reason some might struggle with putting their trust and confidence in the Word of God and relying on its power and promise, is that they are not yet fully persuaded and convinced of its authenticity. So reading the following detailed historical information and explanation of why we can believe and rely on the Bible, from
EveryStudent.com, should help resolve any outstanding questions about why we can put our faith and confidence in the written Word of God.

So it is my sincere hope and prayer that all who are standing for marriage restoration will finally come to the realization and understanding that NOTHING can or will stand against us, as we respond to the call God has placed on our lives to take a stand for the power and promise of His Word as we await the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families for HIS glory! IF we honor Him and His Word by trusting and obeying Him as we stand in faith and confidence for the restoration of our marriages; HE WILL NOT ALLOW US TO BE DISAPPOINTED OR PUT TO SHAME AND NO WEAPON FASHIONED AGAINST US AND OUR MARRIAGES WILL PREVAIL!

So as we all stand together in faith and confidence on the power and promise of God’s Word to fully restore our marriages and families, I stand in full agreement with Paul’s awesome message in Ephesians 1:15-23 as follows:
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

AMEN!!! So be blessed and encouraged!

In my studies about a week ago, I came across Job 22:28 (NASB), which says You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways. WOW what an awesome principle for us. I’ve probably read this text before, but this time it was quickened in my spirit and it came with revelation. The Word of God is replete with scriptures teaching us that our words have power, and here are two well known such verses of scripture:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 (NASB)

A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. Proverbs 18:7 (NASB)

Yes, my dear family, we have the POWER to speak the desired change in our circumstances!

Let me give you an example of how this works. I remember going to the nurse’s office in elementary school; telling them I was sick, because I wanted to go home early. I really wasn’t sick; but I SAID I was and by the time I got home I was sure enough SICK. Why? I spoke it into existence. I’m sure we can all recall negative situations that we spoke into existence. But the same works in the positive. So it is time to quit asking our heavenly Father to do something He has already done in Christ. It is time to decree, proclaim and declare the divine will of God that was already completed at the Cross, which is spoken in His Word.

Remember, God’s Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11) and He watches over His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). In other words, it is God’s job to bring the restoration of our marriages to pass, and our job to release the Word into our lives by declaring, decreeing and proclaiming it.

But what does “decree” mean? Decree in Job 22:28 in the Hebrew language, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, means to “decide” or to “constitute”. Decree means to give an official order with the power of legislation issued by a rule or person with authority. When a king of a nation makes a decree he does so based on the inherent authority he has as king to rule and reign. But once he makes a decree, it has to be announced or PROCLAIMED! Amen. It does him no good to make a rule without anyone knowing it. So, in olden times, town criers paraded through the land Proclaiming the Decree that the King had made. Hopefully, we can all see the significance of this example.

If it is our desire (and I know it is) for our spouses to come into right relationship with the Lord and to have our covenant marriages restored, then we must “say it.” Decree it and watch God establish it for us. And then we must proclaim it! Proclaim is to announce something publicly or formally. We have to speak to announce. And to what public do we announce? Not to the naysayers. That’s throwing pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). In the case of spiritual decrees, based on the Word, we are announcing to evil forces in high places, saying that God’s word has preeminence over what we see in the natural and demanding it to conform to the spoken, living Word.” We have the authority to use our words, God’s word, to loose and bind here in the earth. How? Based on the authority our Lord God has given us according to Matthew 18:18, which says “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven..

God’s Word is established and settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). It will never pass away. When we speak, what we say must line up with His WORD so HE can establish it for US! It is then that He can call it into being; bring it into existence. Psalm 103:20 (NASB) says Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform HIS word, obeying the voice of His word! When we decree and proclaim God’s Word over our situation, He dispatches his angels to carry it out!! Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus! But, when we fail to speak the WORD or positive things about our spouses and our situations, we tie God’s hand; He can’t move or dispatch His angels in response to our words, because they only respond to GOD’S WORDS! We can bring life and restoration to our marriages by what we say, or we can help Satan kill and destroy them by what we say. So whose team are WE on? May we pray for wisdom and discipline to choose our words carefully.

Lastly, we must speak in faith. In Romans 10:8, Paul refers to speaking the “word of faith.” And Jesus said according to our faith it shall be done unto us (Matthew 9:29). And we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). So it doesn’t matter what we see or hear. Ephesians 2:6 says and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus. We are a part of our Father’s Kingdom. We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, and we must take authority over the enemy, against rulers, against powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places! We have our Father’s authority and instruction to “call those things that are not as though they were” (Romans 4:16-19), and then we WILL see our God bring it to pass. Our spouses’ repentance or our restorations may not be physically manifested yet, but we are now certain that they will appear. We therefore confidently think, act and speak as if God had granted them already – even though we cannot see it yet with our natural eye.

Based on FAM Chat Friday night, Friday’s SOF post, Behold, I WILL DO a NEW Thing!, ended up being a little more challenging to accept or understand than usual. Apparently some of the FAM Fellowship members are struggling with the concept of FORGETTING and making a deliberate choice and decision to put aside all of the negative emotions associated with past hurts and disappointments. In fact, I was finally led to respond by reminding some of our members that it was not just MY idea or opinion that forgiveness requires forgetting; that it is what God’s Word says. But some seemed to struggle with believing that it is even possible to “forget” and wanted to “prove” their point. But as I also felt it necessary to point out, if God tells us to do it, it is not wise to question whether or not it is doable! And upon further reflection after chat Friday night, I realized that those having a difficult time believing that God actually expects us to forget what we have forgiven are really just struggling with forgiveness, which is why they can’t understand the concept. They can’t ever imagine not feeling their pain, so that makes it hard to believe that it’s ever possible NOT to feel or remember it.

Regular visitors to the website know that one of the things about God that always just blows my mind is His faithfulness to confirm things the way He does, and Friday’s FAM Chat was no exception! One of the FAM Fellowship members called me last night, quite excited, because she wanted to let me know that Charles Stanley was preachin a message about forgiveness! I had already missed it on my local channel, so couldn’t wait to see it this morning! And the text Dr. Stanley used for his message was one I had forgotten and didn’t include in my original post Friday, but which I have since added! He used Ephesians 4:30-32, which says And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. He didn’t focus as much as I did on making the point that we have to forget, but he did say that we may not literally forget, but that the negative emotions and reactions associated with unforgiveness are put aside and that if we continue to have a negative emotionall reaction to a situation, then we haven’t forgiven it. Then, in addition to getting the link to Dr. Stanley’s wonderful message this morning, when I went to his website, I found this awesome article from In Touch Magazine, titled Myths about Forgiving! It’s a GREAT article and I ESPECIALLY appreciate the point he made about NOT confessing forgivenesss to someone who has NOT asked for it; or believing that they must repent and ask for our forgiveness BEFORE we give it! And you can read Dr. Stanley’s Sermon Outline for today’s message, The Landmine of Unforgiveness, which also includes links to watch or listen to today’s message. And everyone in FAM Chat Friday night probably won’t believe how much of our discussion is confirmed in Dr. Stanley’s message! It’s awesome!

Thank you, Lord, for your amazing faithfulness to confirm and uphold the truth of your Word! Amen!

One of the FAM Fellowship members recently sent me a link to the following story posted on CNN.com about Denise Jackson’s stand for her marriage after her husband, country music star, Alan Jackson, left her. And it’s so refreshing to finally see the Lord get the glory for marriage restoration he so richly deserves by the news media for a change! So read Country star’s wife on marriage’s crash — and rebirth, and be blessed and encouraged!

Anyone standing for marriage restoration knows that forgiveness is a very important part of the restoration process. But perhaps we don’t put that in proper perspective often enough to fully understand how it can be such a hindrance to the restoration of our marriages and families. First, based on Mark 11:25 and other verses, we know that unforgiveness can hinder our prayers, because it says And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” So, just the fact that we have little hope of prayers for the restoration of our marriages being heard or answered when we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts should be enough to make us realize how important it is. But the Lord has been showing me over the past few months another important way unforgiveness interferes with the restoration of our marriages.

Colossians 3:13, along with many other verses, makes it clear that we are to forgive as the Lord has forgiven us, because it says Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. So that means we have to know something about the nature of God’s forgiveness if we’re to forgive as He does. And contrary to popular opinion, according to Hebrews 8:12, forgiving DOES mean FORGETTING, because it says For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” And Psalm 103:12 even tells us as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. And Mica 7:19 says You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. And while most of us are probably familiar with Hebrews 8:12 above, and other verses making it clear that God’s forgiveness means that He never looks at or remembers our sins again, I wonder how many realize that the very next verse, Hebrews 8:13, says By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. And it’s very interesting to consider Hebrews 8:6-9 in the context of standing for the renewal of our marriage covenants, because that says But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Now, the point of all of this is that we have to let the past go, because we can’t take our failed marriages with us into the restored marriages God wants to give us! The following passages of scripture make it VERY clear that we have to let go of past hurts and disappointments and forget the “former things” in order to get the “NEW THING” God wants to do in our marriages and lives:

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV)
“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 65:16-18 (NKJV)
So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.

So as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, we HAVE to erase those old tapes, because if we don’t, they will keep us from receiving all of the blessings the Lord wants to bestow upon us as He does a NEW thing in our marriages! We ALL have to let go of the past and anything our spouses did or didn’t do and even why we think they did or didn’t do it. We can’t take the past into the future God has planned for us, so we have to let it go! And IF we have truly forgiven our spouses for the past, it shouldn’t come to our minds so readily. Instead we should be praising God for what He’s doing NOW and in the future! We have to get rid of thinking negatively and focus more on thinking and speaking positively, because we do literally SPEAK things into being! And every time we let the old tapes of the past run through our minds, we’re just letting the devil steal, kill and destroy; giving the devil place and power in our lives by creating fear and doubt, which none of us can afford. And IF we persist in recalling the past, it will lead to negative emotions and then tempt us or actually cause us to act in a manner contrary to the stand we’re taking for our marriages; not to mention contrary to our faith and confidence in the power and promise of God’s Word. According to Ephesians 4:30-32, unforgiveness and its resulting emotions and actions are a very serious sin in the eyes of God, because it says And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

And just for the record, this is an area I really struggled with personally, which is why I know the blessing that comes with putting an end to that kind of thinking and the resulting emotions and actions. When we give our spouses a “clean slate”, we’re the ones who actually benefit, because it really makes us much happier. But that should come as no surprise when we read Isaiah 43:25, because it says “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. So if forgiveness is good for God; it’s surely good for us! And that’s why we ALL have to let go of the past and stop filtering the present and even our futures through the past hurtful words and deeds of our spouses, because doing that is so contrary to the faith and confidence we proclaim to have in the Lord. We need to learn to filter EVERYTHING through the power and promise of His Word and NOTHING else! So forgive and Forget…and be blessed and encouraged! GOD’S DOING A NEW THING! PRAISE THE LORD!

The FAM Fellowship is truly blessed to have the continued involvement and participation of several members who have already been blessed with the restoration of their marriages. And since I was really touched by the following Heart To Heart and Praise Testimony posted this morning by Diane, whose marriage was restored as they were working out the final details of their divorce settlement last May, I want to share it here as well.

Diane was saved soon after her husband left and she has always been and continues to be one of the most positive and encouraging members of the FAM Fellowship, and we all love and appreciate her dearly. The reason I want to share what she posted this morning is because it SO wonderfully illustrates the attitudes we all should have as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. If we learn to put these words of wisdom (much of it right from scripture) into practice, our lives and marriages would be totally transformed! A passage of scripture that reminds me so much of Diane is Matthew 9:28-30, because it says:
When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.” …

Just as with Diane’s wonderfully encouraging and inspiring testimony, with every passing day in marriage restoration ministry, I can personally attest to the absolute and powerful truth of Jesus’ words when He said “According to your faith will it be done to you.”; because I see that walked out in the lives of men and women every day! Unfortunately for a few, that means that instead of the awesome praise reports that fill the pages of the private websites each day, they just slide from one frustrating experience and disappointment to another. And the sad truth is that if they don’t have a change of heart and LEARN to see life through the power and promise of God’s Word as Diane encourages below, the day will most likely come when all they have to say is what Job said in Job 3:25, which is What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. So it is my deepest heart’s desire that everyone standing for the restoration of their marriage would learn to follow Diane’s awesome example and put the following words of encouragement from her into practice! So be blessed and encouraged!

“I just wanted to add my praises for all that God is doing in the lives of FAMM members. It is just mind boggling all that HE keeps doing and how things just keep fitting together. I just keep walking around saying “Wow!” and thanking HIM. When you look back over the past few months, it is amazing how far we have all come. We know that we still have along way to go, but with HIM beside us we can do all that He calls us to. I just feel burdened to say look for God in all things; nothing just happens. So many in the world look to luck in circumstances, but we are so blessed when we look to Jesus. Over the past few months, Romans 8:28 just seems to come naturally to me; God will make ALL things work for good. Even with something that looks bad, there is good when you look for God in it. Keep looking up and stand firm on Gods word and He will never leave you or disappoint you. God wants to bless us and through those blessings He receives glory. So be steadfast; believe and do not grow weary; cast your cares on God. He already knows what you want and how you feel, so give it to HIM and He will make your burdens light. Fear not, for He is God and He has NOT changed His mind. Just stay in the race and you cannot lose!

I just felt that I needed to say God will not let us be put to shame or be disappointed, so keep BELIEVING, EXPECTING and RELYING on God for all things. HE is the way, the truth and the life. Remove any negatives; speak things into being and let God do the rest. Stay encouraged. Diane”

While there is quite a bit to learn as we embark on our journey with the Lord for the restoration of our marriages, besides understanding and believing God’s promises to personally defend and uphold the covenant of our marriages; one of the most important things to know is that it doesn’t matter what our spouses propose, because in the end, ONLY GOD WILL DISPOSE! And if we take God at His Word, reading the following verses of scripture leave NO DOUBT about that:

To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. Proverbs 16:1

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way? Proverbs 20:24

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. Proverbs 21:1

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13

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. Ephesians 1:11-12

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. Proverbs 21:30

I often refer to the verses in Proverbs as the “man Proposes – God Disposes” verses, because that’s EXACTLY what they say, and there just isn’t any other REASONABLE interpretation! So anyone who still believes in the doctrine of “free will” has some explaining to do, unless they feel justified to just totally ignore those verses and MANY others that proclaim the exact same truth! IF man can ultimately choose the course of his life and exactly what he will and will not do; then how could God be sovereign or omnipotent? That would mean that God could do what He wants to just as long as we agree with Him, and I don’t think anyone is so deceived as to believe that…or at least I sure hope not!

And since there’s no better way to illustrate the truth and reliability of the Bible than real life testimonies, the following are examples of just some of the most amazing things we’ve witnessed in the lives of a few FAM Fellowship members in just the past few weeks!

First, one of our ladies didn’t fight her husband in any way when he presented her with Final Settlement and divorce papers, even though they came as a total shock to her! She even declined his offer to increase what he had been paying her monthly for Child support. And she demonstrated the most amazing peace and confidence in the Lord; being FULLY persuaded that she COULD put all of her faith and confidence in His Word and promise to uphold the covenant of her marriage; which she very non threateningly, but confidently shared with her husband! Well, they had their final divorce hearing three weeks ago, and her husband moved out of the country five days later. Needless to say upon learning of those plans, his wife was a little distressed; but she knew she had to give that to the Lord too and rest assured that in some way beyond her ability to understand, God would work even that for her good! And from the moment her husband arrived at his destination, trouble started rolling in, and has not let up since! The person who was supposed to meet him at the airport, with whom he was planning to live, didn’t show up and he was stranded at the airport for a day until he could locate some fraternity brothers he didn’t even know, who let him stay with them for three days. And it was immediately apparent that his planned housing accommodations were not going to work out as he had expected. Then he discovered that a certificate required for his employment there would NOT be recognized as he had been led to believe! And within days of his arrival, the third most intense hurricane to ever make landfall in the Atlantic basin, Hurricane Dean, paid a visit! And our beloved prodigal was quite nervous as the storm approached, because he had never been in a hurricane before. Then he even started complaining about the cultural differences, which really came as a surprise since he is accustomed to traveling outside of the United States for business! And one of the most unexpected and interesting occurrences is that he started calling his wife up to five times a day! They talk for at least an hour or an hour and a half every morning and at night before bed and several times in between! And even that could end up being quite a chock, because he’s using his cell phone to call his wife, assuming that the rates are the same as when calling from the states, and I have a feeling that is not very likely…so I just hope and pray he doesn’t have heart failure when he gets his first bill! And a whole eight days after arriving in the land of his dream life, our beloved prodigal called his wife and asked her to send him a ticket so he could come home the next day! But she didn’t have the money and he will have to wait until the end of this week for her to send the ticket. And the final and most interesting unexpected turn of events is that he subletted his apartment before leaving the country, so he will have to live with is wife and kids when returning to the states! Now how about that…after three years of separation! And when our lady asked her dear husband the other day if he had received the final divorce papers yet…well I can’t print the words that came out of his mouth here, because his wife wouldn’t even repeat them! Hmmm…I’m wondering if he just might regret that decision as much as the one to pack up and leave his family behind! Obviously…man proposes, BUT God disposes!

Then another one of our members responded in a very similar fashion when her husband presented her with the same kind of papers; she even waived her rights to his business assets and income. And WITHIN DAYS of signing those papers, it seems that EVERYTHING started falling apart in his business! And he didn’t understand, and certainly didn’t count on his daughters’ reaction when he excitedly told them that he was divorcing their mother and that the “new” woman in his life really wanted to meet them! They were very upset and refused to have any part of that and even stopped going to visit him, because they thought they’d have to meet the NCP. Well, he was pretty upset about that and tried to get his wife to tell them that this was what they both wanted and that it was the best thing for all of them. She respectfully told him she couldn’t do that, but that she would try to talk to them, but they wouldn’t budge. Their final hearing took place two weeks ago and he didn’t even tell his wife about it until it was over, because she had also waived her rights to notification. Things with his business continued to get worse and his wife pulled back from communicating with him as much as she had before, because she found that was easier for her emotionally. And he started calling her and asking why she hadn’t told him this or that, and then this past weekend he called to bring some school supplies to his daughter Saturday, but they all had other plans, and after talking to his wife for about ten minutes, he said he’d come by the next day. And then on Sunday his daughter answered the phone when he called, but he wanted to know if her mother was there too. Then when he came, he ended up staying for three and a half hours, during which time he and his wife just sat and talked (their daughter pulled a very convenient disappearing act – we know how kids are when their parents are divorcing; they just want them to get back together again). That was the first time they spent that much time talking to each other in so many years, she couldn’t even remember when it was! And she was so much at peace that she was able to joke and tease with him and even be a little flirtatious! WOW, what grace! He told her that he had gone to church that morning for the first time in ages, and he asked if she knew where the Bible she had bought for him fifteen years ago was! She just casually mentioned that she had always hoped that he would go to church with her and the girls; just to see if he liked it. And she couldn’t believe it when he said he would! Then when it came time to go, it was clear that he didn’t want to leave, and she didn’t offer her usual hug and kiss when he left, even though she could tell he wanted her too! But that’s okay; because he showed up again unannounced last night and stayed for another hour just talking; including telling her that he thinks about her all day and all night! And when he left, he wasn’t going to miss that hug and kiss again, so he TOOK that…and more! Obviously…man proposes, BUT God Disposes!

Then another one of our ladies, whose divorce was final last month, just spent the long holiday weekend with her husband, who took her out of town for the weekend to celebrate her birthday! And this is the same man who was insisting that she vacate their home by the end of last May, but due to ALL sorts of totally unexpected and unavoidable delays and problems with the purchase of her new house and needed repairs, she only just moved out this past week! And NOW her husband wants to date to see if they should “get back together!” And he’s not going to tell anyone that they’re divorced and he doesn’t want her to either! Talk about a change of heart! Obviously…man proposes, BUT God disposes!

Another one of our ladies is pregnant with two small children, but her husband doesn’t support them financially and she has no other source of income. But soon after her husband left to live with another woman, who is also pregnant, when our member was still in the “reacting” stage (before she came to FAM), she went to court and got a voluntary order for child support, which was supposed to come out of his check each week. But it took weeks for that to take effect and just as soon as it did, he quit his job. Meanwhile, life for him has not gone well at all. They’ve gone through at least four vehicles, with various breakdowns and even totaled a brand new car. And they were just evicted from their apartment last month. The NCP has also admitted that she still has feelings for the father of her other children, who wants her back, which she’s considering! She told our beloved prodigal that all they had to do was look at all the signs that they didn’t belong together! What great wisdom for one so young! And the heat is about to be turned up, because even though his wife refused to do anything to put him in legal jeopardy, apparently the agency that monitors child support payments there noticed that he’s not paying, and they’ve set a Contempt of Court hearing for later this month! And the options are either fines or jail, or a combination of both. So it’s entirely possible that the money they are now anticipating using to move into a new apartment will have to be used to keep him out of jail! And in the meanwhile, he has started calling his wife an awful lot lately and making a lot of flimsy excuses to come by to visit and sending lots of text messages. And he’s admitted that he and the NCP fight a lot and that she even gets physical! And, when our lady came into the room where her husband and oldest son were visiting the other day, her husband was holding his son, with tears running down his face, because he had asked him to come home! Obviously…man proposes, BUT God disposes!

And another one of our members who has been divorced for several years and whose husband remarried last year, has been totally shocked by the sudden and unexpected changes in their relationship. He has started calling all times of the day and night, and doesn’t even make the pretense of calling about their little one anymore! The calls are getting more and more frequent, much longer and a lot more personal. And in the past few days, he’s even started asking her to call him! She has no idea what is going on with him and the NCP, but there’s absolutely NO doubt that he too is thinking of her all day and all night! Obviously…man proposes, But God disposes!

And another FAM Fellowship member who has been divorced for many years and whose husband also recently remarried, has been totally amazed to see what has happened in her husband’s life just since his remarriage. In a matter of months, they lost their business without ANY notice and even had to sell their home. And then another business they put a lot of time and money into was a total flop; then in just the past few days, he stated that his new line of business was going under too! And the NCP just found out this week that the place she works will be closing in two weeks! Obviously…man proposes, BUT God disposes!

And today, our newest FAM Fellowship member went on a business trip a short distance out of town, and was quite surprised to get a call from his wife saying that she was upset with him because he knew she loved to go where he was going and he didn’t aske her to go with him! Well, that would be surprising to anyone considering that in the past two weeks she has said they are “separated”…and has actually asked him to stop wearing his wedding ring, stop saying he loves her and stop calling her by any terms of endearment! And she even told him she didn’t know if being married to him was what she wants anymore. But that’s okay, because he’s got to go back again in two weeks, so now they have a date for lunch and an afternoon of just walking around and checking out the shops! Obviously…woman proposes, BUT God disposes!

And I could go on and on with more testimonies just like these, but they should be MORE than enough to make the point that there’s no need for any of us to be concerned or distressed by the plans of our spouses when they are contrary to God’s written Word, because He WILL back His Word and that means He will restore our marriages when we live and act in accordance with HIS Word. And NO separation, NO divorce and NO remarriage will ever succeed against the will of the Lord, so be blessed and encouraged!

When we see the Lord’s hand at work in the lives of FAM Fellowship members as we have in the past week or so, it’s impossible not to be in total awe of God’s power and faithfulness! But there is no denying one very obvious fact; those who BELIEVE AND EXPECT the Lord to work on their behalf are in fact the same ones who see Him working in their lives. The ones who continually encourage and minister to others are the ones who have already had their marriages restored and are continuing to see the Lord’s miraculous, healing power at work in their marriages and families; or they are the ones now seeing Him move in totally remarkable ways toward the restoration of their marriages. And those who struggle with CONSISTENTLY trusting God or with trusting Him much at all tend to be the same ones who see little move or change in their circumstances, which then causes them to become even more discouraged and depressed. And while we often talk about faith and even that the Holy Spirit has to be at work in us to give us the faith needed to stand for the restoration of our marriages, my naturally inquisitive and analytical mind wants to boil it down to something more tangible. But in the end, there’s only one real observable difference between those who consistently have faith in God’s power and faithfulness to fulfill His Word and those who struggle to believe at all, much less consistently, and that’s the degree of confidence they have in God’s faithfulness to deliver on His promises or to believe that His Word will NEVER return empty as Isaiah 55:10-11 assures us. It says 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. If we don’t honestly and truly believe that, what do we have to stand on? That’s the ONLY true foundation for our stand for the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families, and anything else or anything less just leads us from one disappointment and frustration to the next.

In 2 Corinthians 1:17-22, Paul says When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. It’s SO important for us to understand the significance of what verse 20 says. It says “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” So let’s break that down a bit. We have God’s promise (of marriage restoration), and the answer (or fulfillment) of that promise is yes in Christ, so through Christ (the authority and strength we have in Him), WE SAY AMEN (SO BE IT) to the glory of God! But the only way we can truthfully and meaningfully say amen or so be it is IF we believe the promise in the first place. And since “so be it” refers to something that does not yet exist, it again comes back to BELIEVING AND EXPECTING God’s Word to come to pass in our circumstances. WE have to be able to take God at His Word, or there’s just nothing to stand on or with.

Based on the praise reports and testimonies posted on the private sites in the past week or so, along with those filling the pages of the archives, we can surely testify to the truth and power of Hebrews 11:6, which 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 says But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” So in addition to making it very clear that God is not pleased with us when we shrink back from living by faith, this verse is also very significant in light of James 5:16, which says Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous
man is powerful and effective. And we certainly need the power of effective prayers working for us as we stand for our marriages! Even though we know and understand that we can’t be made righteous without faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, perhaps we fail to realize that once being saved, we also have to LIVE by faith! And it certainly is only by faith that we can live by the wise counsel the Lord gives us in 1 Samuel 12:14-16, which says If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God-good! But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers. “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!

So we have to put our trust in the power and promise of God’s Word as we stand for the restoration of our marriages and count on Him to honor His awesome promise in Jeremiah 33:2-3, which says “This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you
do not know.’ And when we CAN
NOT see what God is doing in our lives, that’s when we have to trust Him most especially, and rely on the promise in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, which says For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. So, when there appears to be absolutely NOTHING going on in the restoration of our marriages, that’s when we have to remember that the answer to ALL of God’s promises are ALWAYS YES in Christ, and be blessed and encouraged!

One of Satan’s most effective and destructive weapons against men and women standing for marriage restoration is doubt, so it’s very important for all of us to know HOW to deal with and overcome doubt. An article Dan shared on the private FAM Fellowship website yesterday addressed the fact that many Christians erroneously have the idea that as Christians we’re not supposed to doubt in the first place, which is a very important point to make, but I was really even more impressed and struck by something Dan said, which was “We are not going to be without any doubt, so it is how we handle the doubt that matters.” And it’s SO IMPORTANT for us to understand how true that is as we stand for the restoration of our marriages!

First, we know we are going to experience doubt, because that’s one of Satan’s most effective and destructive weapons; one of the weapons of HIS warfare. And 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 verifies that, because it tells us 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 EVERY “argument and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God” IS doubt. And, just as Dan said, experiencing moments of doubt is NOT the problem; which Ephesians 4:26-27 illustrates as well, because it says “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. So in the same way what we do when we get angry determines whether or not we sin; what we do or DON’T do when we struggle with thoughts filled with doubt is the issue we have to deal with as we stand for our marriages. And based on the above instructions, the way to deal with doubt, anything contrary to accepting and believing the power and promise of God’s Word, is to TAKE those thoughts captive and MAKE them obedient to Christ and the power and promise of His Word. And since there are so many archived SOF posts on that topic, I’m not going to address that again here, other than the reminder we have in Philippians 4:8-9, which says Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Another important point to make about doubt is that it is ALWAYS the result of being deceived, which we also know because to believe ANYTHING that sets itself against the knowledge of God is deception. And Satan’s attacks ALWAYS begin with deception, because he’s “the father of lies” as John 8:44 makes very clear:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

And the reason it’s important to be aware of that is because John 14:6 says Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. So believing the lies of the devil and doubting the power and promise of God’s Word is not Jesus’ way, which means it can (and probably will) keep us from experiencing the victory over the devil and the abundant life Jesus came to give us; as He promised in John 10:10 (AMP), which says The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

And we find some of the most important instructions for all of us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, especially about how to guard our minds against doubt and discouragement, in Philippians 4:4-7, which says Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. IF we would make PRACTICING the instructions in these four verses a HABIT, we would not continue to struggle with doubt, because there just isn’t any room for it in our lives when we are REJOICING, GENTLE, NOT ANXIOUS, and present our requests to God in PRAYER with THANKSGIVING concerning EVERYTHING! And for those who say they can’t do that; you’re already in trouble, because Philippians 4:13 (NJKV) also says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

So let’s rely on the power and promise of the two following passages of scripture as we stand for the full and complete restoration of our marriages, just as we see taking place in the lives of other FAM Fellowship members, because doing so requires us to overcome doubt when Satan sends it to assail us:

Proverbs 3:5-6
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.

Psalm 37:4-6
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

The next time doubt threatens to steal our peace and joy, and the faith and confidence we so rightly placed in our Lord and Savior, we just need to remember the above passages of scripture and that as Dan said “We are not going to be without any doubt, so it is how we handle the doubt that matters.”

In closing, I want to share something posted on the private website by one of the FAM Fellowship members this morning, along with some of the responses, with the hope that everyone will be as blessed and encouraged as I was!

“I want to praise God this morning for all the things He is doing in our lives and marriages! I am truly amazed at His ways. And I always try to think about how God uses different things in each of our marriages. I even try to “play” God, by thinking this could lead to that, and so on. As I sit here this morning, and think about it, He is so much better than I can even imagine! It is funny; as much as I dislike being away from my wife, I don’t know that I would trade this for anything. God has opened my eyes to Him, and His miraculous way of doing things. Would I have ever seen the true beauty of God if all this hadn’t happened? Maybe, but I know that I see it now, and for Him to choose me to experience His love is amazing. Sure, every day is sometimes a challenge, because of what I don’t have. What I do have, though, is so much better! I’m not sure even why I am writing this post. It just felt like something I was suppose to do! That is what is so great about God! We don’t have to understand! We just have to love, trust, obey and praise Him! How simple is that, and He’ll love us no matter what. TODAY IS THE DAY, AND HE IS THE WAY!”

Response by Dan on August 31st, 2007 at 7:58 am
“Amen Joe. I bet everyone in this group can claim the same spiritual growth, because we have turned to God for strength and understanding. We know He is the only way we can have victory over our struggles. He gave us the Word for a reason and like you said, trusting and obeying brings victory in our lives, now and forever.

Lord, I pray that You would allow everyone who is struggling with this “restoration” stuff to have peace and joy as they try so hard to wait, believe and trust in You to heal their marriage. You know it is tough and sometimes the emotions and feelings prevent us from giving You everything we need to. We seek that peace and joy that You promise, so I pray with all my heart in the name of Jesus, that You would cleanse us and let that peace flow through every inch of our minds, hearts and souls as we attempt to trust and obey the Word You have sent to us. Father, I thank You for listening and praise You for all the things that You are doing in our lives, marriages, and families. I ask that You would work in a most powerful and supernatural way this weekend to bring prodigals home and to renew faith and belief in those standers who are having a difficult time understanding why their marriage has not been restored or even looks hopeless. I pray for encouragement for them; make it very clear, Lord, what You want them to do. Make their hearts full of Jesus so that they can go on. Like a water fall, Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit would wash over them and take away all doubt and fear. I pray for their breakthrough, Lord. I lift up my fellow standers, who I love so much, and ask for Your grace and mercy to be poured over them. In Your Precious Son’s Name, Amen.”

Response by Joe on August 31st, 2007 at 8:13 am
“Amen, Dan! May God’s Love shine in and through us, today and in the days to come. May His peace and joy surround us, and attract others to us. May His will be done in our lives and the lives of other people struggling in their marriages. May there be an overwhelming conviction on the hearts of prodigals, and may they come “home” to Jesus and their waiting spouses! We praise you for your unconditional love, Lord; may everyone experience it today!”

Response by Linda Wattu on August 31st, 2007 at 11:52 am
“AWESOME prayers, guys! I could literally feel their anointed power too! I bet Diane’s legs will tingle when she reads them, and I bet we see some manifestation this weekend too!

And right on, Joe! AMEN AND AMEN! I love what you said about trying to figure out how God is working in every situation and even trying to “play God”! I know you didn’t mean that disrespectfully, because that’s exactly what I do all the time! That’s what I mean when I say we are to LOOK for God in everything. We should look at everything from His perspective to see HOW He is working or the evidence that He is, because He’s ALWAYS WORKING! And based on His promise in Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28, we know that’s ALWAYS good news for us! So thanks so much for sharing what the Lord had put on your heart — it is at the heart of our stand for the restoration of our marriages and one of the most important messages for all of us to get deep into the marrow of our beings. And this and the prayers posted since you posted it, will go along perfectly with my SOF post and FAM Chat today, which is “Dealing with Doubt!” TODAY IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE, SO LET’S BE GLAD AND REJOICE IN IT! And when we devote ourselves to prayer, as Colossians 4:2 says, and as this demonstrates, let’s be watchful and give thanks…for all we know TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

Dear Lord, let us see your love and power manifested in our midst this weekend as countless marriages and families are restored for the glory of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray! Amen!”

As I was thinking about someone very dear to me this morning, who is going through a very difficult time, the Lord brought the following poem to my mind, so I want to share it here as well. Be blessed and encouraged!

When we’re lost and don’t know which way to go,
That’s when we have to seek our God who loves us so.
When we’re confused and don’t know what to do,
That’s when we have to be still and wait on Him too.
When we’ve been disappointed and don’t want to try again,
That’s when we have to remember that with Him we win.
When we’re frustrated and tired,
That’s when reliance on God’s strength is most required.
When the answers we seek are so hard to find,
That’s when we need to let His Word transform us by renewing our mind.
When our trials and tribulations just seem too great,
That’s when we have to trust God’s promise that a way of escape He will create.
When Satan’s weapons threaten to assail,
That’s when we claim God’s promise and know we will prevail.
When we don’t know what else to do but trust and obey,
That’s when we have to put our faith in God to answer when we pray.

As we consider the story of Jonah and examine his activities, we can discover some important messages for both prodigals and standers. Obviously, our prodigal spouses are fleeing from the Lord. They may be doing so in ignorance of His Word or in defiant disobedience, but they are still running from God’s Word, and there’s NO place to hide from God. As standers, we learn that obeying God and honoring the covenant of our marriage demonstrates obedient faith in Him, and that it’s important for our families and everyone else who might be profoundly influenced by witnessing our faith in God as we stand against the odds for the restoration of our marriages and families.

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. Jonah 1:1-3 (NLT)

God gives us all opportunities to choose obedience or to run, and Jonah’s freedom to choose led him to run. He knew God would have mercy on the people of Nineveh for their sin and wrong doing if they repented, but he was so fed up and appalled by their actions that he wanted to see them destroyed. So, not unlike many standers, he was stingy with his grace but generous with his judgment.

Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.” Jonah 1:5-6 (NLT)

As the ship hit stormy seas, Jonah’s shipmates woke him from his sleep, because they were aware of his relationship with God, and they wanted him to call on God to deliver them. Many of our spouses have a relationship with Christ, even if it seems that they have wandered from Him or chosen to run from Him. And some even admit to knowing that what they’re doing is not what God wants and expects of them, but they are determined to do what they want anyway. Yet, they often turn to us for help when they’re in trouble, because they’re drawn to our peace and the faith we have in God.

Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. Jonah 1:14-16 (NLT)

The crew pleaded to God not to be held accountable for throwing Jonah over into the sea, because they greatly feared the Lord, even as unbelievers. Likewise, we should fear the Lord and pray for forgiveness for the mistakes we made in our marriages and make a commitment to obedience. And we have to give our spouses over to God; the only one who has the power to reveal Himself to them and change their hearts and bring them home. And when we make ourselves accountable to God, we can trust Him to pour out His power in our spouses’ lives and hearts.

Jonah’s Prayer
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’ “I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.” Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. Jonah 2 (NLT)

Just as Jonah did when he was inside the belly of the fish, many of our spouses have experienced turbulence in their lives; job problems, illness, lack of prosperity, joylessness, lack of peace; which they will continue to do. But eventually, also like Jonah, they will have to stop running and turn to the Lord in their distress and surrender every area of their lives to Him, when He will be faithfully waiting to receive them. And as with Jonah, when they surrender, God will bring their lives out of the pit when they’re ready to come home to Him. Anyone who clings to idols, such as careers, selfishness, and sinful lifestyles, forfeit the grace that could be theirs, but we can be assured that just as He did with Jonah, God will bring them out of the darkness. Jonah finally declared that what he had vowed, he would make good. So let’s always remember and honor the vow and covenant we made with our spouse before God, because we know He will not break His promises or dishonor His Holy covenant.

Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. Jonah 3:1-3(NLT)

As with Jonah, God will not let our spouses go. He will soften their hearts, give them knowledge and understanding of His Word and ultimately convict them concerning the vow and covenant they made with us and Him. Jonah eventually obeyed the Lord and our spouses will as well.

When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: “No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.” When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened Jonah 3:6-10(NLT)

We can be like Jonah in another very important way too. By obeying God, Jonah brought a desire for deliverance to the Ninevites. They grew to believe God and fasted, and turned from disobedience. And when they turned to God, He had compassion and did not bring the destruction on them He had planned. Instead God poured out the same grace and mercy on the Ninevites He had poured out on Jonah and delivered them.

But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” Jonah 4:10 (NLT)

So let’s enjoy and nurture the vine God has given to shade us in our time of discomfort. And let’s avoid the scorching winds and blazing sun, by not refusing to give God control in our lives and the restoration of our marriages. And let’s be ready and waiting with God when He brings the ones we love running to Him!

What perfect timing for a great message from one of the FAM Fellowship member’s pastor, Dave Stone, at the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky this past weekend! This message, My Home, is especially well timed in light of the casual attitudes now prevalent in the body of Christ regarding marriage and divorce, rejecting marriage as a covenant of life long commitment, and even more so with the high profile news about so many Christian leaders now divorcing! How refreshing it is to hear a man stand up in the pulpit and teach about the power of God to RESTORE marriages no matter how bad things are, instead of condoning and supporting divorce as most pastors and preachers do today!

So we want to stand up and applaud Pastor Dave Stone for preaching from the Word of God without flinching or trying to water down God’s truth to make it more palatable for many itching ears! And the timing of this particular message is not at all a coincidence! It’s the fourth in a series of related messages, and since the current events in the news and the timing of this message were ALL known and orchestrated by God, it’s like He just wanted to confirm His Word in Psalm 37:12-19, which says:
12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.
And if the timing of this message, along with the news coverage of so many divorces among Christian leaders, doesn’t serve to uphold the righteousness of someone with the courage and conviction to stand up and proclaim the truth of God’s Word as this message does, I don’t know what else does!

Something Pastor Dave Stone shared in this message that really made an impact on our member, and the rest of us when she shared it with us, is the story he told about Charlton Heston as he was preparing for his role in Ben-Hur. Apparently he had a difficult time learning to drive a chariot and spent a lot of time trying to learn how to do so. He finally came to William Wilder, the director of the film and told him that he thought he could drive the chariot and stay in the race, but he didn’t think he could win the race. And Mr. Wilder told him to just stay in the race and HE would make sure he won! And that’s what God says to all of us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages and families, and the only way we will fail to win is if we don’t stay in the race. So instead of focusing on winning the race, we just need to focus on running the course set before us and staying in the race…God will make sure we win!

Yet, we do need to beware of false teachers and anyone else with negative and discouraging words, because Galatians 5:7-9 warns You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” That last line is SO important as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, because the Jews ate unleavened bread, which meant that yeast in the dough was a bad thing; just as are ANY negative words and attitudes, which is why the posting guidelines of the FAM Fellowship private sites are so strongly adhered to. All it takes is one person spewing negative, self-pitying and self-centered attitudes to discourage others and cause them to give up on running the race set before them! And the ONLY one who wins in that case is the devil himself, which NONE of us want or can afford! So we need to adopt Paul’s attitude as expressed in Philippians 3:12-15, where he wrote:
12 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.
13 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,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
And when our marriages and families are restored, we will all be able to say just what Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, where he wrote I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

As I finish this, I can’t help thinking of something one of our members shared as a Praise Testimony on the private sites last night as follows:

“I had no intention of writing a post tonight, but one of my brothers turns fifty next month and I was asked by one of his coworkers to bring in some old pictures. So I just sat down and sorted through old pictures for about two hours. Of course, that brought on a lot of tears as I reminisced about the past twenty-five plus years of marriage and raising our family. One might think that it was a stupid thing to do, and I even considered that when I started. But, I knew I could handle it! And I knew what “handling” it meant. I knew there were tons of tears coming and I actually did quite well for much of that time.

But then it just hit me, and I cried like a baby and was more convinced than ever that I can NOT give up on this family! That was brought home to me in a totally new way as I went through picture after picture of grandparents holding my kids, and family get togethers, where both my parents and my wife’s parents were in the pictures. Her parents were married for over fifty years and my parents will celebrate sixty years of marriage in December, so I cannot let Satan
destroy our lives — for our kids, our grandkids, and us. My kids deserve more from
me and I will not let them see me give up on God.

So what Satan thought was going to be a sad and depressing event for me, God turned around completely and used it to increase my faith and determination to follow His Word and be obedient in my stand for my wife and me to be restored. What an enormous praise to God that He is my strength and He is ALWAYS there!”

What a touching testimony! Most of our members (close to all, in fact) are standing in faith and obedience for the restoration of their marriages, with the goal of breaking generational curses of adultery and divorce, which is certainly a worthy calling. But to think of this family’s wonderful legacy being thrown over by the works of the devil as he tramples on the covenant of this marriage just makes me mad, as it should all of us. So whether we’re standing as this member is to prevent Satan from stealing, killing and destroying such a beautiful family legacy or if we’re standing to break the generational curses of adultery, divorce and remarriage, we just have to stay in the race and trust God to faithfully uphold the power and promise of His Word as HE makes sure we win the race and that all of our marriages and families are restored for HIS glory! And the timing of this message with current events just confirms God’s awesome promises in Isaiah 46:11 and in Isaiah 55:10-11! So be blessed and encouraged and JUST STAY IN THE RACE!

This is written with a very heavy heart, because there’s no denying that the devil is very much alive and well in our churches today, which is the result of our failure to heed the stern warning found in Hosea 4:6, which says my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. Just by reading that in the context of Hosea 4:1-2, it’s easy to see how relevant and applicable it is to exactly what’s going on in the lives and ministries of many high profile Christian leaders’ today and how it’s contributing to the total destruction of the very fabric of society, which is the family and the institution of marriage.

This morning, as I checked out some of the blog sites to see how other Christians were reacting to the news of Paula and Randy Whites pending divorce; I discovered even more disturbing news, which truly grieves my heart and spirit. As detailed here, Paula White apparently began a very close association with Rick and Dustin Hawkins of the Family Praise Center in San Antonio, Texas in November 2005, and then on February 17, 2007 (the same month he and his son were divorced from their wives), Rick Hawkins (using the same Florida address) was included as one of the Directors for a non-profit entity registered by Paula White in the state of Florida, PWM Life Center, Inc.. But even more disturbing is the frequent response to the situation with the Whites and other high profile church leaders; such as Thomas Weeks III, who returned to the pulpit just days after being arrested for assaulting his wife, Juanita Bynum, where he was greeted with a roar of applause and approval. And it’s totally astounding to see how many well meaning, yet totally ignorant Christians, keep repeating the falsehood that the Bible says we’re not supposed to judge others when anyone tries to point out some of the issues that should concern ALL of us as Christians! It’s statements and attitudes like that which prove and bear witness to the fact that God’s people are being destroyed from lack of knowledge, because 1 Corinthians 5 makes it ABUNDANTLY CLEAR that we ARE NOT supposed to turn a blind eye to immoral or inappropriate behavior within the church and that we are to deal with it as follows:
Expel the Immoral Brother!
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?
3 Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?
7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—
10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Obviously that’s the exact opposite of saying that we’re not to judge and hold accountable Christian leaders who have fallen far from the mark of their high calling as pastors and preachers, as set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, which says:
1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.
2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.
5 (if anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

With few exceptions, the Bible cautions us when it comes to judging others; warning that we will be judged by the same measure we use to judge others; but that’s not at all the same thing as saying we’re not to judge the deeds and actions of others according to the Word of God. We see that in Matthew 7:1-6, which says:
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
So instead of telling us NOT to ever judge others, this passage actually tells us to FIRST take care of our own sin issues so we CAN help our Christian brothers and sisters deal with the sin in their lives.

And in Matthew 7:15-23, we are VERY SPECIFICALLY warned to beware of FALSE PROPHETS who will appear like lambs, but who are in fact wolves, and again VERY SPECIFICALLY told TO JUDGE THEM as follows:
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

And it is not at all insignificant that the following verses in Matthew 7:24-27 come right after the above warning about false prophets, and make it clear that the ONLY way to build a solid foundation that will withstand the storms is to put into PRACTICE what our Bibles teach us:
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Sadly, our churches, society and families are all falling with a great crash, because Christians no longer feel bound to put the Word of God into practice, and we are indeed being destroyed by a lack of knowledge. However, if more Christians read and studied their Bibles, without relying on the false teachings and doctrines now coming from the pulpits all across the land, we would surely see great revival and change among God’s people. Because anyone diligently reading and studying the Bible knows that the grace and mercy now presumed to justify and excuse the rampant sin in our churches and church leaders today is not biblically sound. The same author who taught most of what we know about God’s grace and mercy is the very same author that gave us the above instructions in 1 Corinthians 5, and NOTHING has happened since Paul penned those instructions to change them in any way. Jesus had already shed His blood for the remission of our sin and everything we needed to know about the grace and mercy afforded to REPENTENT sinners by His shed blood was already known. Yet, being very well versed and very personally familiar with the amazing grace of God, Paul still instructed us to deal with and not ignore or gloss over sin in our churches. And Jesus gave us a very graphic picture of the destruction that occurs when we hear His Words and DON’T put them into practice…we’re going to come down with a GREAT CRASH and BE DESTROYED!

So I can’t help wondering when God’s people are going to take a stand for righteousness by putting God’s Word into practice instead of totally ignoring it! When will the people who are now so grieved by the news of Paula and Randy White’s divorce be equally grieved by the two divorces that took place to make their marriage possible; if not even more so since they left four children to grow up without their father and mother in the home? When are the people who are so concerned about the message this divorce sends about marriage and divorce going to really take a stand for the sanctity of marriage and start putting God’s Word into practice by refusing to accept in their pulpits men who support and promote divorce and remarriage; especially those who have actually committed adultery, divorced their wives, abandoned their children, and married their adulterous partners? When are those who believe that God’s grace enables such men (or women) to be effective church leaders going to start believing the Word of God and that He WILL NOT receive or bless their offerings or worship (Malachi 2) and He will not hear or answer their prayers (1 Peter 3:7); thus making them rather ineffective leaders? When are those who are so deceived by having their itching ears tickled by hearing what they want to hear going to realize that they are building their foundation on sinking sand? Perhaps that time is very near at hand as God starts bringing those things done in darkness to light and causing churches and ministries built on sinking sand to come down with a great crash. Yet, those of us who don’t reject knowledge and ignore God’s Word need not be afraid; for we are, and will remain blessed and encouraged, because no matter what comes against us, our marriages and our families, our foundation is built upon the solid Rock of Jesus Christ and His Word, and He will never leave us or forsake us!

As of yesterday afternoon, I knew what the topic of FAM Chat would be tonight, because I planned to tie it into yesterday’s SOF post and discuss in depth that Apart from Christ, we can do NOTHING! But by late afternoon, I felt the Lord telling me that would not be the topic, even though He didn’t tell me what it would be. So by the end of the day, I deleted the reference I had already included about tonight’s FAM Chat, which I had already shared with some of the FAM Fellowship members as well! And then this morning, I still didn’t know what chat would be about tonight, or what my post today would be about, so I kept waiting for the Lord to speak to me. It was getting pretty late and I still didn’t have any idea, so I asked the Lord “When are you going to tell me what I’m supposed to write about today and what chat’s going to be about…if not what I had planned?” And right after that simple prayer, I checked my email, and there was the answer! Unfortunately, it’s not at all a pleasant topic in many ways, but on the other hand it’s pretty amazing, because it is absolute proof and evidence that God’s Word will NEVER be mocked or return void!

But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:16)

Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame.

The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have? (Jeremiah 8:9)

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. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

I had received a message from one of the FAM Fellowship members who attached a request for prayer, because of the number of divorces taking place among high profile Christian pastors, evangelists and performers. The message included a link to the following article, Megachurch founding pastors to seek divorce, detailing the announcement that Pastors Randy and Paula White just made to their congregation concerning their pending divorce. This particular member was concerned about that and distressed about the message it might send to her husband (a fallen pastor) and others, and I think she was probably surprised by my reaction and response. But with the announcement of the White’s divorce, it’s important to evaluate their situation from the perspective of God’s Word, because that’s the cornerstone of the stand we take for the restoration of our own marriages. Since we rely on the power and promise of God’s Word, we have to understand that God will ALWAYS honor and uphold His Word, despite what our spouses, today’s secular church, and the rest of the world may believe! And if we look closely enough at our own circumstances through the perspective of God’s Word, we will be able to see that at work in our own situations as well!

Many of the positions taken by this ministry are controversial to say the least, and very unpopular in many circles; even in Christian circles. And I have often had Paula White’s apparent success as a pastor and church leader brought to my attention as proof that what I believe and promote as biblical teachings concerning marriage, divorce and remarriage is not necessarily true; primarily that God does not always recognize and bless second marriages.

For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mark 6:17-18)

“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ (Matthew 5:31-33)

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” (Matthew 19:8-10)

It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Luke 16:17-18)

Yet, in keeping with God’s warning to all of us NOT to lean to or rely on our own understanding, we should not be so distressed about the news of the White’s pending divorce. Now I know that’s a VERY controversial statement, but being true to the Word of God often requires us to take a stand quite contrary to what the world believes, an even what is taught and acceptable and common practice in secular Christian churches today..

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2)

We don’t know the circumstances leading to Randy or Paula White’s divorces from their first spouses, so it’s possible that their marriage could be an adulterous relationship and therefore, not recognized and blessed by the Lord, despite all previous appearances to the contrary! And IF that’s the case, this announcement is nothing but God doing exactly what His Word says He will do, so instead of being an occasion for distress or alarm, that would instead be an occasion to recognize and be in awe of God’s never ending faithfulness to uphold His Word, just as He will do for us as we stand against the way of the world and the gates of Hell for the restoration of our own marriages! What if one of their former spouses has been standing for their marriage all this time, being faithful to the covenant made of their marriage vows? What if they stood all this time, even in the face of a very high profile remarriage and apparently successful ministry? What if they stood on the power and promise of God’s Word for the restoration of their marriage and family despite all the odds? What if they relied on God’s promise that He would not receive anything from their spouse’s hand, offering or worship, or listen to or answer their prayers, because they had been unfaithful to the spouse of their youth, though he or she had been faithful (Malachi 2), and because they had failed to live in right relationship with that spouse (1 Peter 3:7)? Those are all things that we don’t know. But we do know that God’s Word will NOT be mocked or return void, and that anyone who stands on it and puts their hope in it will NOT be ashamed or disappointed!

Unfortunately, as I searched the internet for information about their first marriages and divorces, much to my dismay, I did however discover considerable cause for great disappointment and concern for all of us as Christians; which could just as easily explain the circumstances Randy and Paula find themselves in at this time and why it is likely to only get worse from here. We can’t live contrary to the Word of God without it catching up with us eventually, just as God’s Word promises and warns, and this article, Paula and Randy White: Of Faith, Fame & Fortune, from the Tampa Tribune/May 20, 2007, reveals a lifestyle so contrary to the way we’re called to live as Christians, that God has no choice but to deal with it. Otherwise He would make a total mockery of His Word.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7)

But it’s heartbreaking to se yet another high profile ministry and another man and woman of God fall in such a dreadful way, because that only brings great disrepute to the name of Christ in the eyes of an already skeptical and unsaved world. So even though there is reason for those of us standing for the restoration of our marriages to be encouraged as we witness God’s Word coming to pass just as He promises it ALWAYS will; it is a very sad day to see how the devil has been glorified as his wicked works are magnified in this very high profile situation. So we need to keep Randy and Paula White and their families and church members in our prayers, because the cost of their mistakes will be experienced and paid for by so many innocent people besides themselves, and that really breaks my heart. Yet, we can also rely on God’s promise in Romans 8:28 that He can and will turn even this to the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. So once again, what the devil meant for evil, God intends for good. And if there isn’t any more good to come from this other than the fact that it proves God’s power and faithfulness to honor and uphold His Word and will, that’s more than good enough! And witnessing something like this is a very strong reminder of the lesson we all have to take from the parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders, which is a clear warning that hearing and knowing God’s Word is of no value if we don’t put it into practice.

So no matter how things “appear” in the natural, we have to keep our focus squarely on the promise of God’s Word and His omnipotent power and never ending faithfulness to bring every word to pass…no matter WHAT we might hear or see to the contrary! Just remember…GOD’S WORD WILL NEVER BE MOCKED OR RETURN VOID! And be blessed and encouraged!

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 46:11)

One of the most important things for anyone standing for marriage restoration to understand and ALWAYS keep in mind, is that WITHOUT Jesus Christ, we CAN’T do it! But Mark 10:27 says Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” So the ONLY way to ever have what it takes to stand for marriage restoration is revealed in John 15:5-11, which says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 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. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. In fact, on those inevitable days when we struggle with the call on our lives to stand for the restoration of our marriages, we should read all of Jon 15.

So it is very disheartening to hear standers say “I just can’t do this anymore!” Sadly, statements like that reveal exactly WHY they struggle so much and why they want to give up; they are trying to stand in and of their own strength, and as Jesus told us in the above passage of scripture, apart from Him, we can do absolutely NOTHING! Even though one of the FAM members didn’t know this was the topic for today’s SOF post, he shared something with me this morning that really illustrates the point of this passage and explains why so many people standing for marriage restoration find it such a constant battle to continue. He said that instead of giving him strength, God needs to BE his strength. Wow! What a totally different and powerful perspective! Of course, we know that God gives us strength, but we have to remember that it is HIS strength and not ours! And that’s confirmed in 1 Chronicles 29:12, which says Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. And then Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

However, God WILL allow us to struggle along UNTIL we totally surrender to Him and LET Him have the control He requires, but we can all make the process so much easier if we’d just give EVERYTHING to Him and trust Him. We need to live and breathe Proverbs 3:5-6, which says 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. AND we have to ALWAYS remember the very wise counsel found in 1 Peter 4:11, which says If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. When we DO that, we just can’t lose!

So I hope and pray that we ALL get the significance of this message and understand that standing for the restoration of our marriages is NOT about US, and apart from Jesus Christ, we can not and will not do it! But with Him ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, so let’s REMAIN IN HIM and be blessed and encouraged!