There was an interesting theme or thread running through many of the posts shared on the private FAM Fellowship websites today( yesterday now), which reminded me of a verse of scripture that never really seems to get the attention it should. And that’s Colossians 4:2, which in the New King James Version says, Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; More than likely, we all know what it means to pray earnestly, but seriously, continuously, purposefully and sincerely are probably good definitions.

But what does “being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” mean? First, according to what many other verses tell us, and what Jesus Himself told us SO many times; we are to believe and EXPECT to receive what we pray for! And that’s exactly what we see in Matthew 21:22, where Jesus said If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” But then Mark 11:24 takes it even a step further, because it says Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. So Jesus tells us that we have to believe we HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED IT, which pretty much explains why we should be praying “with thanksgiving!” That’s also why it is SO IMPORTANT to share the word of our testimony in accordance with Revelation 12:10-11; because we NEVER know how God intends to use the word of our testimony, including what we believe He is going to do for us, to impact the lives of others and defeat the devil! And some of the things shared today (yesterday and now again today) REALLY make that point as nothing else could. Many of the situations shared, also make the point that when we pray earnestly, and BELIEVE that God will answer our prayers; that He has IN FACT ALREADY ANSWERED THEM, we will be vigilantly looking for the evidence and manifestation of what we’re praying for and expecting it to come to pass, just as Jesus promised! So in the same way we thank the Lord for the things we see manifested in our lives each day; we are to thank Him for the things we haven’t seen YET, JUST BECAUSE we’ve prayed for it and we KNOW God is going to answer our prayers in full accordance with His Word.

By sharing our praise testimonies as we do, we affirm the truth and power of God’s Word and encourage others that what He is doing in our lives and circumstances, He will do for them as well. When we see how the Lord has orchestrated events in our lives and in the lives of those we know, just to accomplish His plan and purpose, we are reassured and encouraged to believe that He’s working in the exact same way in our own lives and situations, which gives us the confidence to KNOW that He has ALREADY heard and answered our prayers! So now it is just a matter of being vigilant as we wait and watch to see it manifested in the natural realm. Therefore, when we pray, we must believe that God has already answered our prayers, be on the look out for the evidence proving that, and faithfully give praise and thanks to the Lord even before we see it, which ultimately brings Him glory! For instance. If we pray for something and don’t say a word to anyone about what we prayed for until After God answers the prayer, it MIGHT have some kind of positive impact. But think of the impact the same answered prayer would have if we told someone what we prayed for BEFORE seeing the answer, and expressed our faith and confidence that God was going to answer according to His Word!

As noted above, I started writing this yesterday and had every intention of finishing it, but with increased membership in the fellowship and with increased responsibilities, it is more difficult to get a post completed each day. And yesterday was no exception, because there were so many awesome praise reports and responses that needed editing! But before I continue sharing what the Lord put on my heart yesterday, I want to share a Heart To Heart post one of the FAM Fellowship members (who did not know I was working on this!) posted earlier this morning!

Praying as though it’s ALREADY answered! – By Thursa

“I know I refer to my Streams in the Desert devotionals a lot, but it’s great stuff and God has taught and led me to many different studies through these devotionals. And many times as I read them at night, one speaks to me, and I can’t wait to share it the next morning. On the 17th, I read one that I just absolutely loved. And again, I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you. But the funny thing is, that I had an overwhelming feeling I should wait. So I did and now I feel led to share this particular devotion today. Perhaps God wanted me to wait so that someone specific would hear this today rather than last week. So here it is. And I hope it speaks to you as it spoke to me; to pray as if He already has answered!

“I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. (Acts 27:25)

A number of years ago I went to America with a steamship captain who was a very devoted Christian. When we were off the coast of Newfoundland, he said to me, “The last time I sailed here, which was five weeks ago, something happened that revolutionized my entire Christian life. I had been on the bridge for twenty-four straight hours when George Mueller of Bristol, England, who was a passenger on board, came to me and said, ‘Captain, I need to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.’ ‘That is impossible,’ I replied. ‘Very well,’ Mueller responded, ‘if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way, for I have never missed an engagement in fifty-seven years. Let’s go down to the chartroom to pray.’

“I looked at this man of God and thought to myself, ‘What lunatic asylum did he escape from?’ I had never encountered someone like this. ‘Mr. Mueller,’ I said, ‘do you realize how dense the fog is?’ ‘No,’ he replied. ‘My eye is not on the dense fog but on the living God, who controls every circumstance of my life.’

“He then knelt down and prayed one of the most simple prayers I’ve ever heard. When he had finished, I started to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. He said, ‘First, you do not believe God will answer, and second, I BELIEVE HE HAS. Consequently, there is no need whatsoever for you to pray about it.’

“As I looked at him, he said, ‘Captain, I have known my Lord for fifty-seven years, and there has never been even a single day that I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, Captain, and open the door, and you will see that the fog is gone’ I got up, and indeed the fog was gone. And on Saturday afternoon George Mueller was in Quebec for his meeting.”

If our love were just more simple,
We would take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine,
In the sweetness of our Lord.“”

Well, that’s a pretty powerful message, and most certainly perfectly timed to illustrate the point I had hoped to make with this SOF post! But the rest of the point I wanted to make, and what the posts on the private sites have illustrated so perfectly as well, is that God is ALWAYS working out even the most minute details, and that when we are still and listen to Him and are obedient when it comes to praising Him and giving Him the thanks and glory He deserves, we never know how God can and will use us to accomplish His plan and purpose in our own lives and the lives of others, including our spouses!

So to further illustrate the point that God WILL answer our prayers and that He IS working in our lives and situations in ways we don’t even know, I want to share just a few of the testimonies shared on the private sites yesterday and today.

One of our men, who has only talked to his wife once in the past three months, felt led to call her, because he found out about some news he knew would be devastating to her and he wanted to express his concern, and to notify her that he had been temporarily laid off, which will adversely impact his ability to pay the child support he normally pays. They had a very pleasant conversation, and there’s little doubt that conversation opened the door to much better communication in the future. And just who arranged for him to be laid off at the exact time his wife received such devastating news, thereby giving him the opportunity to let her know that he still cares?! No one but God! And this man’s favorite saying is “Today is the day!”…which he always reminds us it could be!

And then one of our ladies shared how God turned around what at first seemed to be a bad experience by using it to open her husband’s eyes to the fact that his children are paying a very high price because of his decision to leave his family. He had visited them and they really didn’t pay him much attention, because they’re so used to him not being around now. But when he left, the youngest ones got very upset, and the oldest just acted like it was no big deal. He called his wife in the wee hours of the morning to say that he couldn’t sleep, because he was thinking of all of that and he said how much he just wants his life back; that he misses his family, kids and wife! But he feels “trapped” and doesn’t know how to get out of the situation he’s in. He acknowledged that his priorities have been totally mixed up, and that his kids were paying for that, and he even told his wife that he loves her! He also acknowledged that he knows the Lord has been speaking to him and even said that it would probably surprise her to know that he was praying the same things she was! And he has often told her that he knows she is praying for the restoration of their marriage, so that has to be what he meant. And all of this comes at the same time an opportunity for his wife and children to move into a place of their own approaches; and they will need his financial support to do that, which he hasn’t been giving! So God is DEFINITELY at work in that situation too! And this is one woman who most certainly believes and expects that God is and has already answered her prayers!

Then one of our other ladies shared a very powerful testimony of how God orchestrates the events in our lives…even those that “appear” to be very negative! She just got laid off last week, but she was supposed to be going out of town with one of her friends this past weekend. Sparing a lot of the details, she and her husband had a very unpleasant conversation about that, which led to a lot of unwise and regrettable words from both of them, and in the end, she didn’t go out of town as planned. Since things were so tense around the house on Saturday, she went to visit an aunt and happened to share something about Friday’s SOF post about praise, and her aunt just happened to be reading a book she really liked about praise, so she lent it to her. And it really confirmed a lot of things for her and gave her insight into some of the issues she was battling. Then as she prepared for church Sunday morning, her husband said they needed to talk when she got home, so she stayed and talked to him and went to a later service. Even though a lot of what he said could be construed as negative, she was able to pick out quite a bit of positive too. And then at church, she was very personally ministered to by the words of the music, and then a skit about a married couple and how their attitudes of selfishness led to conflict in their marriage, and then how things improved when they changed their attitudes. And then the guest speaker was a woman who had gone blind at age 54 and she shared her testimony about the challenges and doubt that caused in her faith in God, which really spoke very directly to this member’s issues too. She was still troubled by the conversation with her husband, so she went to the alter for prayer and said that she felt peace come over her immediately and was able to let all of the negatives go, and that God revealed to her that He was trying to work through her to minister to her husband! Now that’s a very important message for all of us to get, because it’s so true! There were so many things that could have happened differently, which would have kept her from getting the message and confirmation God wanted her to get, but GOD had it ALL under control and He used what seemed terrible in the natural to accomplish His good and perfect plan, which will ultimately be for His glory and the full and complete restoration of this marriage and family!

Then one of our “restored” ladies shared how she and two of her neighbors had gotten together the night before to just hang out and chit chat. One of the ladies was a new neighbor, and at one point, she said she needed to go home to get a coat, and would be just a minute. But she ended up being gone longer than expected, and when she returned, much to our member’s surprise, she blurted out her testimony about standing for her marriage and what God had been doing in the restoration of her marriage! That surprised her, because she doesn’t usually share that with people who know both her and her husband, especially someone new, because they are still working on many things. But then the new neighbor shared that the reason it had taken her so long to get her coat was because she and her husband had continued an ongoing argument and she had told him to just leave and never come back! She had been too embarrassed to tell them that until she heard our member’s marriage restoration testimony, after which she was very interested in learning more, which led to sharing a lot more about standing for marriage restoration and the Lord with her! Obviously, God was working in that too and what a perfect illustration of how He uses the word of our testimony! And now she will probably be used as an instrument for the restoration of another marriage; all for our Lord’s glory!

Then one of our members shared the numerous details about how the Lord has created circumstances delaying a move she was supposed to have made from her home by the end of May, and now it appears that her husband is not quite so eager for her to leave! We’ve all watched with total amazement as the Lord seems to create one reason for delay after another, and now it’s her husband who seems to be putting off the time of her departure…and he’s the one who insisted that she be out by the end of May! It’s been quite amazing to see all of the creative things the Lord has orchestrated, including serious health concerns requiring biopsies, which were all for naught, but to accomplish the Lord’s will and purpose…delay, delay, delay! And that’s just how the Lord works to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time!

And then the member whose husband just told her that he wanted his life (including wife) back, posted another praise report today concerning the apartment she has a chance to get, and the opportunity the Lord provided to share her testimony with the woman at the apartments! They ended up talking for an hour, which they couldn’t have done if she had been home to receive the call yesterday, because there would have been too many people around. And the woman at the apartments ended up saying that she wants to attend our member’s Home Group meetings, which she’ll be hosting when she gets moved! And in addition to that, she had also shared how a friend of hers went to the doctor, and while she was there, the nurse just started telling her all about going through a divorce. She said all she could think of as she was listening to the woman’s story was about our member and her stand and how much that woman reminded her of her! She goes back next week and she said she is going to tell the nurse about FAM!

And then we’ve had a couple of our new members share how they had felt so alone in their stand for their marriages, which they had actually been praying about when the Lord brought them to this site. One of the ladies literally went online immediately after praying and FAM was at the top of the list of results for her Google search! So we all know that God hears and answers our prayers. They are answered immediately, but it often takes time to see the physical manifestation we so desire, but we have to believe it is indeed on its way! Just as one of the new members also shared, God answers quickly many times too! She shared how she had been praying for the Lord to send Christians into her husband’s life to speak the truth of God’s Word to him to counter all of the worldly stuff he was hearing from all of their friends. And without knowing it, he hired a man to work for him who actually attends the same church she does…right after she started praying for that! And that’s the first church going man he’s ever hired! And do any of us believe for one minute that it’s just a coincidence that he was recently separated from his wife and that they are now restored and he says that he is a much better man and husband than ever before?!

So when we pray for anything we know is in keeping with the Word of God, we can rest assured that God has ALREADY given us the answer we want, even though it may take some time to see it manifested in the physical realm we live in! All of the above testimonies just prove God’s ability and faithfulness to do exactly what His Word says in Isaiah 46:11, which says 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. We never know when, where or how God is working, but we do have to believe that He is and that He WILL answer our prayers! So I hope and pray that the word of these testimonies will bless and encourage all of us to never lose sight of the fact that God is in control of EVERYTHING and that He orchestrates our lives and situations down to the minutest detail! His will and purpose WILL BE accomplished in our lives and NOTHING can keep that from happening! As Proverbs 21:30 promises, There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. But it is up to us to believe that and to believe it so certainly that we can pray earnestly and then keep a faithful and confident vigil as we await the answer God promises to give us, and give thanks to Him just because we do believe Him and put our faith and trust in the power and promise of His Word! So be blessed and encouraged as you watch for the hand of God to bring about the full and complete restoration of your marriage, because that’s what His Word says He WILL do and because you asked for it and BELIEVE it has already been done!

As Thursa pointed out when I responded to her post (above) on the private site, the following Small Straws message from Marsha Burns for today is certainly not just a coincidence:

“August 22, 2007: You’ve heard the old adage, looking for love in all the wrong places. I say that many of you, My people, are not only looking for love in the wrong places, but you are looking for answers in the wrong places. Try receiving love from Me, for it is an eternal love that will never disappoint. Try asking Me for wisdom, for I will answer every time. Try reading My Word to establish a foundation of truth in your heart, says the Lord. These are the right places that will produce everlasting life, love, joy and peace.
James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double–minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 3:15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self–seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

You can access and sign up to receive the Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin at this link.

My pastor’s message yesterday was titled “When the Lions Are After You.” And the Bible text he used was the familiar story of Daniel in the lions’ din. (And he even made a reference to me during the sermon! )

Daniel was extremely well respected by King Darius; he was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. So jealousy took root in the other high officials and administrators, and they searched for some fault in Daniel to cause him to lose favor with the king, and they concluded that the only way to do that was to attack his religious habits.

Yet, Daniel refused to give up praying to His God for the 30 days, despite the king’s order. How much easier it would have been for him to just put his prayer life on hold to avoid any condemnation, and go on about his life with the king’s favor. However, not only did he continue his routine of praying three times a day; he did not hide the fact that he was doing so. He could have waited until after dark or hidden in his room and prayed silently, but he refused to change his habitual worship of God, because he was very committed to the consistent and vital spiritual habits he relied on to keep him in touch with God. So when Daniel was thrown into the pit with the lions, the others obviously expected his life to be over and that one of them would be chosen to take the high position he held.

Even though I have previously read and heard this story many times, I never noticed the response of the king. But since we’ve discussed free will and God’s ability and desire to change our spouses’ hearts so many times; this time I was a lot more aware of King Darius’ feelings and actions and what God did in his heart and life. Although the king was not a believer, this story details the king’s faith in God; but even more significant to all of us than that as we stand for our marriages; it shows how his faith and life was impacted as the result of the way Daniel lived and not because of something he read or knew.

In Daniel 6:16, we are told that the king said to Daniel, ”May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” Not only did the king want Daniel to be saved; he acknowledged that it would take God to rescue him. Then we see in verses 18 and 19 that King Darius spent the night fasting and refused his usual entertainment, and that he could not sleep. Then the next morning, he hurried to the lions’ den and yelled out to ask Daniel if the God he served so faithfully had saved him from the lions…and we all know the answer! And then the king praised and glorified God as he declared and proclaimed His never ending reign, His everlasting faithfulness, and His miraculous power throughout the world!

I never noticed before that King Darius actually expected Daniel to be alive and well! Daniel’s great faith is usually the lesson of this story, and that’s certainly very important. But what I would like to remind all of us of as we stand for our marriages, is that God WILL work in our spouses’ hearts and lives the same way He did in King Darius’.

So it is my prayer that like Daniel, we will develop and maintain consistent and vital spiritual habits to keep us in touch with God and His Word, and that our knowledge and understanding of His Word will give us great faith like Daniel’s, which does not waver, and that through our obedience and discipline God will release His supernatural power to change our spouses’ hearts and lives as they recognize our complete trust and dependence on God. He did it for King Darius and He will do it for our spouses and us!

Daniel 6:1-27
1 [a] Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. 2 The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. 3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. And because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.
4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. 5 So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”
6 So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! 7 We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. 8 And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” 9 So King Darius signed the law.
10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. 11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. 12 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?”
“Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”
14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”
16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.
19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.
24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.
25 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:
“Peace and prosperity to you!
26 “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.
For he is the living God,
and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and his rule will never end.
27 He rescues and saves his people;
he performs miraculous signs and wonders
in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”

The Lord has really been speaking to me about the importance of understanding the significance and power of praise recently, so I’ve spent the past few days studying every reference in the Bible to praise (351 in the New International Version), which is something I’d strongly encourage everyone to do! It’s been such an extensive and eye opening study that it’s difficult to know where to begin, and certainly a challenge to cover adequately in this forum, but I’ll do my best as I strive to greatly reduce sixteen pages of notes!

The only way to gain a full and complete understanding of what the Bible teaches on any particular topic is to do a topical Bible study, as I did by searching BibleGateway.com for the word “praise”. I already understood that we were created for the praise and glory of the Lord, but I didn’t realize the extent to which we are COMMANDED to do so or just how serious God is about praise! Hopefully, studying what the Bible teaches about praise will help us realize that God is VERY SERIOUS when He commands us to praise Him. And when we don’t, we WILL miss out on God’s awesome power and blessings, and we are likely to suffer very unpleasant and unwanted consequences, such as the problems we’re now experiencing in our marriages.

Isaiah 43:18-21 is probably a familiar passage of scripture to most everyone standing for marriage restoration. Yet, we may tend to overlook the significance of the last twelve words in that passage, which says “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.

So, if we ever had any doubt about why God created us, and why He CHOSE us, it couldn’t be any clearer than that! We were created and chosen simply to PROCLAIM the praise of our Almighty God! And that’s confirmed in 1 Peter 2:9, which says But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. And that’s stated again in even more detail in Ephesians 1:11-14, which says:
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. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
So that means that God predestined and planned EVERYTHING in our lives to cause us to put our hope in Jesus, because when we do and are victorious, others are made to recognize and acknowledge His praise and glory! So when we face a difficult or challenging situation, we should keep our focus on how it WILL BE resolved for the praise and glory of Jesus Christ, because that’s the ONLY reason God included it in the PREDETERMINED plan for our lives, EVERY detail of which HE worked out LONG before we were even born. That’s further confirmed in Isaiah 61:11, which says For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Then Acts 12:22-24 leaves NO doubt how serious God is about giving Him the praise He deserves and demands, because it says They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to increase and spread. And there’s no doubt that the Lord EXPECTS our praise, because in Luke 17:18, Jesus said Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Undoubtedly, many of us know the truth of the warning provided in Romans 1:24-25 all to well, because it says Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. The reason that’s so significant is because we’re not usually taught that praise literally defends and protects us and that when we fail to give praise and honor to God, we leave ourselves and our families open to all sorts of attacks from the devil. The Bible even equates praise to being our gates, as seen in Isaiah 60:17-18, which says Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. Then in Psalm 100:4 we’re told Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. So having “a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair means that continually praising the Lord keeps us from being overwhelmed by a spirit of despair. And that’s another way praise defends and protects us, which we know is especially important as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. Obviously, “a garment of praise” means that our praise should “cover” us and be something others can see, which is why and how living our lives for the praise and glory of God makes us “oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” And that’s no surprise, because we know that it’s our peace and ability to praise the Lord in the midst of so much turmoil that often first attracts the attention of our prodigal spouses and begins to draw them back home AND to the Lord!

Isaiah 42:5-16 is another favorite passage of scripture when standing for the restoration of our marriages, but it contains a very significant verse often overlooked as well. Isaiah 42:8 says “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. Ouch! That’s another warning we had better take VERY seriously, because if we’re honest, most of us have to admit that we’ve made idols of our spouses and marriages, and even marriage restoration itself, and God is simply NOT going to tolerate or allow that! So it’s important for us to understand that God intends and uses the trials in our lives for His praise and glory. He causes or allows circumstances in our lives, such as the devastation we’re now experiencing in our marriages and families, to MAKE us recognize how much we need Him, so He can restore us when we turn to Him and call on Him. And then when HE restores us, we will proclaim His praises and others will have to acknowledge His glory when they witness His power and His love and goodness in our lives; not to mention the blessings He bestows on us! The following passages of scripture are just a few illustrations of how God does that:

Joel 2:24-27
The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

Jeremiah 33:6-9
“‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

1 Peter 1:3-7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Luke 18:43
Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Psalm 40:3
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

If we could ever truly grasp the power of praise and how the Lord uses it to accomplish His plan and purpose in our lives, we would NEVER stop proclaiming and declaring the Lord’s praise and glory! The following passages of scripture are just a few that reveal the awesome power of praise and how it is used for the Lord’s glory and our benefit, deliverance and protection:

Deuteronomy 26:18-19
And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.

2 Chronicles 20:20-22
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”
After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

Psalm 18:3
I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 34:1-5
I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Psalm 63:11
but the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God’s name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Psalm 142:7
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

Psalm 149>:6-9
May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.

In addition to the many references to praise being continually on our lips as we “proclaim” and “declare” God’s praise and glory, the Bible also tells us other ways we can bring praise and glory to the Lord, as indicated in the following verses:

Romans 15:6-7
so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

2 Corinthians 9:13
Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

Philippians 1:9-11
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Hebrews 13:15-16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Job 1:20-22
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

James 3:9-10
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

1 Peter 4:16
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

Somewhere along the way to modern Christianity, we lost sight of the vital necessity and importance of praise in our lives as Christians, which is very evident when we examine the following verses to see how significant praise was in the past and will be again when we get to heaven:

1 Chronicles 16:8-10
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

1 Chronicles 16:34-36 (NKJV)
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation; Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles, To give thanks to Your holy name, To triumph in Your praise.” Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD.

1 Chronicles 23:5
Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”

1 Chronicles 23:30-31
They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at appointed feasts. They were to serve before the LORD regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

2 Chronicles 5:12-14
All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.

2 Chronicles 8:14
In keeping with the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their duties, and the Levites to lead the praise and to assist the priests according to each day’s requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers by divisions for the various gates, because this was what David the man of God had ordered.

Revelation 5:11-13
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

Revelation 19:4-6
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!” Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Perhaps one of the most important things to recognize through this study is our failure to receive and realize the power and promise of God’s Word in our lives — just because we don’t praise Him as we were created and chosen to do. Many like to debate whether or not miracles still happen today as they did in Bible times, and many people believe they don’t; that God put an end to them. But I don’t believe that and I haven’t found anything in the Bible to convince me that God said they would ever cease. However, I now understand why we don’t see them anywhere near biblical proportions today — because we have lost sight of the importance and vital necessity of praising God in our lives as Christians. We take the love, grace, mercy, blessings, and protection of God in our lives for granted, instead of continually proclaiming and declaring His praise and glory. By reading and studying Psalm 148-150, we should see how significant giving praise, honor and glory to the Lord really is in our lives, and I hope this study of God’s Word concerning praise will help make all of us reconsider the place and priority we give the reason and purpose of our very existence.

The Lord recently taught me that I take my good health for granted and that I should awake singing His praises every morning just because I feel good, and there are many other things we ALL take for granted as well. So instead of focusing on what we may be lacking in our lives right now, let’s learn to truly be the chosen of God by proclaiming and declaring His praise and glory all day long! And oh how we WILL BE blessed and encouraged!

Psalm 34:1-3
I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 51:15
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

Psalm 52:9
I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

Psalm 57:9
I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.

Psalm 63:4-5
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Psalm 69:30
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 71:8
My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.

Psalm 71:14-15
But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.

Psalm 71:22-24
I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I, whom you have redeemed. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.

Psalm 92:1-2
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,

Psalm 96:1-3
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Psalm 113:2-4
Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.

Psalm 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

One of the FAM Fellowship members shared the following message from Kenneth Copeland on the private website today, which very simply, yet powerfully reminds us of the fact that faith REQUIRES us to believe and have confidence in the things we can NOT see AND the danger of relying on the things we CAN see. So I want to share it here as well, because it is such an important thing for everyone standing for marriage restoration to understand and keep in mind! Thanks for sharing this with all of us Fran! I’m sure it will bless an encourage everyone else as well! So here’s Fran’s Heart To Heart post from this morning:

The following message from Kenneth Copeland really spoke to me this morning, and I hope it will to others as well…

Evidence of a Miracle

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
(Hebrews 11:1)
________________________________________
“Don’t ever short-circuit a miracle by trying to see it in progress! So many believers do that. They’ll lay hands on someone and pray for healing or deliverance and then, when they don’t see any immediate, outward change take place, they’ll withdraw their faith and assume nothing happened.

The Lord taught me an unforgettable lesson about that once when I was in Jamaica. I was preaching to a group of about 150 people in a church that was lighted only by a single kerosene lantern. It was so dark I couldn’t see anyone’s face. All I could see was my Bible and the feet of the man right in front of me.

Suddenly I realized that I’d always depended on the facial expressions of the people to whom I was preaching to determine how my sermon was being received. Knowing what I did about faith, I knew that was dangerous. So I made a quality decision at that moment never to preach another sermon except by faith. I would not be swayed by the expressions of people.

Before that series of meetings was over, I saw just how important that decision could be. The Jamaicans, who tend to show very little expression anyway, sat through every sermon without any outward reaction at all.

One lady was completely healed of blindness during one of those meetings. She never let on that anything had taken place. She was almost rigid when she found me outside and said simply, “Brother Copeland, I was blind, but now I can see. Thank you.” That was all! A miracle had taken place, and by watching, you wouldn’t have been able to tell anything had happened at all.

Next time you’re tempted to evaluate what God is doing by the looks of things, don’t do it. Remember instead that it is faith, not appearances, that make miracles happen. It’s the only real evidence that you need!

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:1-13”

And here’s what Hebrews 11:1-3 says:
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

And you can read this devotional online at this link, where you can also sign up to rceive devotional messages from Kenneth Copeland Ministries by email each day.

Most likely, we’re all familiar with the story of David slaying Goliath. Goliath was a giant and seemed unbeatable by most standards, and David certainly was not a very likely choice to slay the giant! He was the youngest of his brothers and was not even a fulltime soldier, because he spent most of his time tending the sheep and helping his father as his other brothers fought the battles.

But King Saul listened to David as he stated his case for going up against Goliath, and as my minister pointed out, King Saul was probably a lot more impressed with David’s faith and confidence in the “living God” than his confessions of killing lions and other beasts. The king might not have even believed those stories, but regardless of that, he was aware of David’s trust in the Lord and he trusted David.

And since David was too small or skinny to wear the armor commonly worn for battle, he shed the protection and went to face Goliath with just his sling and five stones. Not only did he meet the challenge; we are actually told that he “quickly ran out to meet Goliath.” So there was no hesitation on his part, because he had no fear or doubt that he would do exactly what he said he could do; because David knew the battle was the Lord’s and that God would receive all the glory and honor because of his obedience, so he declared victory in the name of the Lord. David never once claimed victory in his own strength, because he knew and understood that it was about what God was doing through him and enabled him to do with his every day strength.

As we relate this to our stand for marriage restoration, remember that God has granted us the strength to endure, persevere, and to slay and conquer our giants. And He gives us the grace to trust and believe in Him with all of our hearts, and that the battle is His and that HE WILL BE VICTORIOUS in the spiritual war Satan has waged to steal, kill, and destroy our marriages and families.

So it is my most sincere hope and prayer that we all continue to grow in our faith, having the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word so that our faith and confidence in Him is so steadfast and unyielding that we will run out to meet our giants, because we know they WILL BE slain and defeated!! And what a glorious and wonderful tribute to our Lord and Savior it WILL BE when our marriages are healed and restored!

Father, we praise You and thank You for Your promise that our giants will be slain in Your mighty name. Lord, help us to continue in faith, with steadfast trust and belief and unyielding confidence that nothing can defeat Your purposes for our lives and the restoration of our marriages. We ask You to be with our beloved spouses and soften their hearts, giving them that same confidence in You; trusting You to re-establish love and respect in our relationships, and making us the husbands and wives that You intended for us to be in the beginning. In Your Son’s Holy Name, Amen

1 Samuel 17:4-10 (NLT)
Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.
Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!”

1 Samuel 17:41-49 (NLT)
Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.
David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”
As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.

While “waiting” is nothing new to anyone standing for marriage restoration, we probably need a better understanding of what God EXPECTS us to DO while we wait, because the following verses make it very clear that God strongly disapproves when we are idle:

2 Thessalonians 3:5-7
May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

Proverbs 31:27
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

2 Thessalonians 3:11
We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

While it may be difficult for us to understand, even the current state of our marriages was predestined to serve God’s good purpose that we might be for the praise of Christ’s glory, as we’re assured in Ephesians 1:11-12, which says In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. so, not only does the Lord not want us to be idle; He has a predestined and planned purpose and work for all of us to do, and He has created or allowed the circumstances we find ourselves in right now to prepare us and accomplish that purpose in our lives and the lives of those around us. And the following verses of scripture help us better understand that:

Numbers 16:9
Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the LORD’s
tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 4:12:11-13
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 3:6-9
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

2 Corinthians 6:1
As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

2 Chronicles 31:21
In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Despite sounding like a broken record, when something is REALLY important, it needs to be repeated over and over again, or to be expressed in different terms from time to time to make sure it is not overlooked or forgotten. And one thing the archives of the private FAM websites PROVE is that those who dedicate themselves to DOING the Lord’s work ARE without a doubt the same ones who see the Lord’s hand moving supernaturally in the restoration of their marriages and families. But that should NOT come as a surprise, because for it to be otherwise, would make a mockery of God’s Word.

And FAM is blessed to experience another very exciting and undeniable example of that, and I thank this FAM Fellowship member for permission to share a bit of her testimony here, without using her name for obvious reasons. MNO (member’s name omitted) came to FAM less than one month ago and her situation immediately touched the hearts of our entire family. She is VERY young and has two little ones and a third one on the way. Her husband left her five months ago with no support at all and is involved with another woman who is also expecting. She did not finish high school and never learned to drive; because her husband was her high school sweetheart, that didn’t seem necessary at the time. Unfortunately, she falls through the cracks of many of the public assistance programs available for housing and having exhausted other resources for assistance, she was already two months behind in her rent by the time we became fully aware of her circumstances. But NO ministry anywhere could be blessed with more wonderful men and women than the FAM Fellowship, and within hours of MNO posting her introduction, I started receiving calls from other members asking if we were going to help MNO. To make a long and complicated story short, FAM has been able to help meet her financial needs and her landlords are working with us concerning the payment of her rent; at least until after her baby is born in November. Now most of us thought we had it bad, but seeing MNO’s situation made all of us realize that we indeed have a LOT to be thankful for. And most of us would be in the depths of despair and depression if facing similar circumstances…but not our little MNO!!! No Sir, she kept proclaiming victory and faith in God and offered to do what she could to help me in the ministry, and that was BEFORE we started assisting her financially! But our meeting MNO was in no way a chance encounter, because within a week of teaching her how to do some of my work managing the sites and giving her Editor status, I had a health crisis of my own and was put out of commission for awhile, and MNO stepped right up to the plate and did a marvelous job in my absence, which she has continued to do ever since! And that’s taken an awful lot of work off my plate, which is a good thing since I had to make some lifestyle changes; such as working fewer hours, sleeping more and a few dietary restrictions no more of the good stuff!). While this is a wonderful praise report, the best part came last night! MNO’s husband had not really shown any signs of ever considering leaving the NCP, but he witnessed the death of a little boy yesterday, and it had a very profound impact on him, especially since the little boy who died was about the same age as his own son, and he was at the hospital praying for the boy’s father. Sparing the details, his very lengthy communication with MNO last night indicated that he truly sees the error of his way and he wants things the way they were before he left, but he doesn’t feel worthy to come home! Needless to say, we know the Lord will work through all of that as only He can, but as I told MNO when she shared her praise report on the private site this morning, I have no doubt this is the Lord’s way of blessing and rewarding her service to Him through this ministry, and the faith and confidence she’s had in Him despite everything she’s seen and heard!

And MNO’s testimony is just awesome confirmation of something the Lord has been impressing upon me lately, and that’s the need to reach out to even more people who are hurting as the result of a marital crisis in their lives; and how important it is for us to be BUSY about doing the Lord’s work. And the passage of scripture the Lord keeps bringing to my mind is 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, which says Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. Obviously, God doesn’t expect us to just sit back and lick our wounds; He wants us to grow in our walk and relationship with Him and then take what we have learned to help others do the same thing. In fact, I have just recently shared with the FAM Fellowship members that the Lord has put it on my heart for us to focus more seriously on establishing our FAM Home Groups now, and I’m very excited to see that get under way. When God started calling me to this ministry two years ago this month; he didn’t say I would be just standing for my marriage, but He said He wanted me to take a stand for all marriages, and that’s what He calls all of us to do when He puts it in our hearts to stand for the restoration of our marriages. And just as with The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), when we prove faithful to glorify the Lord with little, He WILL give us more! So I hope this encourages all of us to get more serious about doing the Father’s work and reaching out to minister to others. FAM is not just a place to be ministered to; it’s a place to minister to others as well, and that will be the direction of much greater focus in the future, because it’s what we’re called to do and we’ve certainly seen that it undeniably moves the hand of God to supernaturally work on our behalf to restore our marriages and families. Paraphrasing Rick Warren’s famous saying…It’s NOT all about us! And the sooner we understand that and make it our practice to act accordingly, the sooner we will se the Lord’s hand at work in our lives and in the restoration of our marriages and families! So be blessed and encouraged!

Speaking of one of my favorite topics, CONFIRMATION, here’s today’s AWESOME word of encouragement from Marsha Burns (which you can sign up to receive by email or read at this link):

“August 10, 2007: I will confirm all that you have heard Me speak directly to your heart. I will confirm these words with visions, dreams, and signs, which will bring great hope and comfort to your heart and strengthen your resolve to stand still and see My great work in your life and circumstances. Be alert and watch, for certainly you will find the assurance that what I have spoken I will bring to pass, says the Lord.
Isaiah 46:11b Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.”

1 John 3:8 (NASB) says “…The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” Amen and Amen! What a PROMISE! I remember that not long after reading this verse, it quickly became my primary warfare scripture. Those of us standing for our marriages must remember that God is in partnership with us to UNDO the work of Satan in our homes, marriages, and the lives of our spouses, who have been taken captive by Satan to do his will (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

The following two passages of scripture really give us a better understanding of the extent to which the devil holds our spouses captive to do his will and why they are unable to hear from God. Psalm 36:1-4(NLT) says “Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are. Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good. They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots. Their actions are never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil.” And Matthew 13:14-15 really helps us understand what is going on with our spouses, because it says “In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” But verse 16 says “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” So we should pray that they will see, hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts so they can turn to God and be healed. We must pray for God to remove their hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). And then they will be able to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 – NKJV), all to the GLORY OF GOD!

So can we now begin to look at our spouses with love, mercy, compassion, and even pity; without hatred, bitterness, and condemnation? Yes, I’m talking to myself first! As Psalm 36:1-4 above says; they cannot see how wicked they are; not that they don’t want to se; they CAN NOT see! They are void of their spiritual senses.

BUT PRAISE GOD, HERE IS OUR PROMISE! According to Isaiah 35:4-6 and Isaiah 42:6-8, Jesus came to:
(1) Set the captives free
(2) Bring those in darkness to the light
(3) Open blinded eyes
(4) Unstop deaf ears

That is what God will do for us and our spouses. It is HIS will, not just mine or ours, that all men will be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4) and that NONE will perish, but that all will come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). And 1 John 5:15 teaches us that when we pray according to HIS will we know (not guess or think) that HE hears us and WHATEVER (not some things) we ask, we know that we HAVE what we asked of HIM! It doesn’t get much more clear and definitive than that, does it?! Praise God! That’s a guaranteed promise! Thank you, JESUS!

John 10:10 says that the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, and we know that Satan ALWAYS represents and offers the exact OPPOSITE of God. So, if Satan’s goal is to steal, kill and destroy our spouses, marriages and homes; then that can’t be what God wants too! Because if He did, that would mean God is in alignment and agreement with Satan. And we know that’s not true and it’s IMPOSSIBLE. So, I took the time to look at antonyms for the words steal, kill and destroy; to help us get a clear understanding that God is on our side! He wants to bring and breathe LIFE into our marriages; not death!

Satan steals and Jesus gives back, RESTORES, and RETURNS!
Satan kills and Jesus – gives birth, gives life, creates, promotes, upholds, and supports!
Satan destroys and Jesus builds up, develops, repairs, fortifies, and RESTORES!

So who’s report will we believe? WHOO-HOO!! FAM family, do we see what God is saying to US?? Can we receive it by FAITH? If not, let’s ask God to help our unbelief (Mark 9:24). God is a LIFE-GIVING GOD! He’s a repairer of the breach! He’s a restorer; a reconciler! I pray that this message the Holy Spirit gave me tonight will comfort and encourage all of us to put our complete trust in God and HIS promises; and to not fall for Satan’s lies.

Grace and Peace to all of us who have been called to this journey of restoration. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it!

Reflecting on last Friday night’s chat and some additional studies by Bayless Conley, I want to stress the importance of relying on the promises God gives us.

How important is it to have a promise? Bayless Conley states that it is everything, because without a promise, there is no faith. God’s promises both create faith and sustain the human heart. Romans 4:18 says that Abraham believed, according to what was spoken. He didn’t believe according to the circumstances surrounding him, how he felt, popular opinion or past failures. His faith was founded on and fueled by God’s promise.

Therefore, we must discover God’s promises concerning the restoration of our marriages and believe them. There are many and I’ve included some of them below. So we must keep looking to them and God as they will both create and sustain our faith as we wait for God to carry them out.

So we have to spend time in God’s Word, the Bible, to know His promises, because that’s how we develop and maintains strong and vibrant faith. Reading the scriptures will put the promises in our heads, and meditating on them will put them in our hearts. Here’s a true story that Bayless tells that really makes that point:

“I have a friend who at one point in his life was a thief and a heroin addict. He had pretty much destroyed his own life, as well as his marriage. He eventually ended up in a Teen Challenge program where he gave his heart to Christ and was set free from his drug addictions.

He hadn’t seen his wife in some time, knowing only that she was in trouble with the law. He began to earnestly pray for her salvation while diligently reading his Bible. One night he came upon a promise Jesus made that literally seemed to jump off the page of his Bible. God was speaking deeply to him and it became a very present-tense word to his heart. The promise was found in Mark 11:24 – “therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

He immediately got down on his knees and prayed that his wife would be saved and that their marriage would be restored. About the time he finished his prayer it was time for the guys in his group to get together for devotions.

When the leader asked if anyone had a testimony, my friend raised his hand and began to share, “My wife is saved and we are getting back together.” Everyone began clapping. One asked, “When did you get the good news?” “I got it tonight,” my friend responded. The others went on to ask if it was a phone call or perhaps a letter. “No, I got it right here,” my friend said and held up the Bible and read Mark 11:24 to them!

Everyone’s enthusiasm immediately died. But he persisted, “It says that whatever I ask for when I pray, to believe that I receive it and I will get it, and I did that!” Every night during devotions he would testify the same thing. They all thought he was crazy until a few weeks later when a judge released his wife into his custody (which was miraculous considering the fact that she was facing felony charges for forgery and his arrest record was a mile long). Standing before the judge with his tattoos and his cap on backwards, he shared the testimony of his salvation and God touched the judge’s heart. It wasn’t long before his wife was free and, as of today, they have served the Lord for many years in full-time ministry.”

God’s written Word definitely contains PROMISES for us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. So read them. Meditate on them. Believe them. He will do what He says He will do!

There is nothing more important to our faith than knowing that God has made certain promises to us and that He WILL BE faithful to keep them. Like many who followed Jesus and persistently chased after Him for healing, believing that He would; we must seek after Jesus. We must fall at His feet and cry out for help, and our faith in Him will release His supernatural power into our lives; just as it did for those the Bible tells us about. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So in the Name of Jesus, we must claim His promises for us and our marriages and families.

Promises to Answer our Prayers:

Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NLT)
Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

1 John 5:14-15 (NLT)
And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Mark 11:24 (NLT)
I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

Matthew 21:22 (NLT)
You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Matthew 18:19 (NLT)
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

Psalm 37:3-4 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Numbers 23:19 (NLT)
God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

Promises of Upholding the Covenant of Marriage:

Hebrews 13:4 (NIV)
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Romans 7:1-3 (NIV)
Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to men who know the law—that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.

Malachi 2:13-15 (NIV)
Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. [a] So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

Malachi 2:15-17 (NIV)
Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. [a] So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself [b] with violence as well as with his garment,” says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. You have wearied the LORD with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

Matthew 5:31-33 (NIV)
Divorce
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'[a] 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.
Oaths
“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 19:2-6 (NIV)

Matthew 19:7-10 (NIV)
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
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.”Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.
Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
“What did Moses command you?” he replied.
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.'[a] ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] and the two will become one flesh.'[c] So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Luke 16:17-19 (NIV)
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.

1 Corinthians 7:10-16 (NIV)
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

1 Corinthians 13 (NLT)
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

“Why would God have me stand for my marriage when I was responsible for many of the problems in the first place?” “I love my wife (husband) with all my heart, but maybe I deserve to be where I am.” “I didn’t even know many of the scriptures; let alone the ones about marriage and divorce.” “I am too weak; there is no way I can possibly save my marriage.” “Who am I to even think God would help me?” “I am so inadequate for God to ask me or use me to do anything for Him.” Sound familiar? Probably. But they are all questions and statements that we SHOULD NO LONGER be entertaining! Not only do we have the right to want our marriages healed, but God’s Word tells us we must stand for the restoration of our marriages.)

Having made it to the FAM site, we have probably already come to the realization that God has indeed chosen us to stand for our marriages and to carry out a very important task for His glory. And most of us have many other signs from God confirming that He wants us to stand for our marriages as well. Maybe we have met couples who have had their marriages restored; maybe our ministers support and encourage our stand; or it might simply be that God has spoken to us through His Word, the Bible.

So as we move forward in our journey of marriage restoration, I would like to remind us of the story of Gideon. Although his situation did not involve a hurting marriage, he was specifically asked to do something by God, and he too questioned why God would choose him with his unlikely ability to do what was asked. So, if we know God has called us to stand for our marriages and we still question if we have what it takes to do it, we can certainly learn from Gideon.

Well, first of all, Gideon was not the wisest, strongest, smartest or most spiritual person on earth. But he was resourceful, and dedicated to his family and provided for them well. Like us, he was in most aspects, just another “normal” person.

And Gideon, like many of us, questioned God about being asked to do something so important and so challenging. Why him? He questioned why God would come to him with such a request, and he didn’t try to hide his feelings of inadequacy for the assignment. I don’t know about you, but I have entertained the same thoughts; what do I have that makes God think I can do this? I failed in my marriage already; why does He think it can be “fixed” now? Fortunately, FAM provides plenty of information and encouragement as to why God wants our marriages restored and the importance of our obedience to God’s Word. So what are we to do? What did Gideon do? Once Gideon was convinced that God had called him, he obeyed with zest, resourcefulness and speed. He dedicated himself to being obedient to God and by faith, he trusted God’s plan.

Since we can probably relate to Gideon’s weakness, and possibly still even question God’s call to us, we can learn from him and strengthen our willingness and commitment to serve God as we stand for the full and complete restoration of our marriages. Gideon was a man who obeyed God by giving his attention to the task at hand. So like him, we must give our full attention to believing God will prepare us for tomorrow when tomorrow comes, in restoring our marriages and in every other aspect of our lives. God will release His supernatural power, as we, in faith, trust Him and His promises. And when we are at our weakest, God WILL BE shown to be His strongest!

Did Gideon win the victory against the Midianites with a huge, powerful army? Did Gideon win the victory because of his intelligence and superior strategic war knowledge? Did Gideon have the background to lead an army? No, God was in charge and He had a plan and He PROMISED Gideon victory. Gideon had no idea how they would defeat the Midianites; because it looked impossible in human terms and based on human effort to defeat an army of 130,000 with only a few thousand men. And then, as if the odds were not already overwhelming as they were, God told Gideon to let some soldiers go; not once, but even cutting the number of soldiers a second time until only 300 were left. An army of three hundred soldiers was going up against an army of one hundred, thirty thousand! Don’t those odds look just about as impossible as the odds of marriage restoration looks to us?

But God explains His reasons for making the odds seem so impossible in Judges 7:2 (NLT), which says The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. So God wants the glory and honor. God wants people to know that through Him all things are possible.

Gideon’s army went on to defeat the Midianites – through the power and plan of God; and ALL Gideon was required to do was to obey his Heavenly Father. That is ALL we are called to do; obey and trust in the Lord.

We will not and CAN NOT restore our marriages through anything we do. And most of us have already exhausted all of our own efforts anyway; but we will not and CAN NOT restore our marriages without the power of God. God wants us to come to Him, to read and believe His Word, and to trust Him as we obey His Word. He is waiting for us to lay it all down at His feet; giving it all to Him, and letting Him heal and restore our marriages so we can glorify and honor Him with our testimonies; not by what we did but because of what our mighty, powerful, loving God has done.

Judges 7 (NLT)
Gideon Defeats the Midianites
1 So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.
3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain[a] and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
4 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.”
5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.”
6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7 The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.”
8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon.
9 That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!
10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah.
11 Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.” So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp.
12 The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count!
13 Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”
14 His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”
15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord.[b] Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!”
16 He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.
17 Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do.
18 As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”
19 It was just after midnight,[c] after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars.
20 Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
21 Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape.
22 When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.
23 Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian.
24 Gideon also sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down to attack the Midianites. Cut them off at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River at Beth-barah.” So all the men of Ephraim did as they were told.
25 They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders, killing Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. And they continued to chase the Midianites. Afterward the Israelites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan River.

In the past couple of weeks, several FAM Fellowship members have had to sign legal documents agreeing to the dissolution of their marriages or had a divorce finalized. And while it’s been a very trying time, as He always does, the Lord has brought new insight and understanding. First, we all have a difficult time acknowledging that our marriages are dead; but when a spouse is so unhappy that they want a divorce or look elsewhere for happiness; the marriage IS dead. And the longer we take to acknowledge that, the longer we will wait to see the restoration we want. 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 says To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.
But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. But then 1 Corinthians 7:15 says But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.

So there’s NO doubt God doesn’t want separation or divorce, but in His infinite wisdom, God tells us exactly what to do when our spouses DO leave, and that is to LET THEM GO! Yet, that is probably the most difficult part of standing for marriage restoration, because in human terms, we just can’t begin to make sense of that. How can God ask us to stand for our marriages and then tell us to let our spouses walk right out of our lives and into God alone knows what? Well, the answer is pretty simple really. God wants us to let them go, so HE can begin to work in their hearts and in their circumstances, because He knows that as long as we hang onto them, it will hinder that process and could keep it from ever happening. God knows that without a burial, there can’t be a resurrection, so He’s just telling us to bury our dead marriages so HE can resurrect them and then all of the glory will be His!

In our own family in just the past two weeks, we have seen totally bazaar things happen around signing divorce papers and having a divorce go through, and none of it sounds like couples that are indeed getting divorced or who will remain divorced very long! One of our ladies even put it this way; she said that when she signed the papers she had dreaded signing for so log, because she felt it would be like signing a death certificate; she finally realized that instead it was a lot more like signing a birth certificate! Immediately after signing the divorce papers, her husband asked her out for a date and ended up staying at her house for the next four days; and they have been separated for three years! And another one of our ladies received a dozen roses from her husband and he kissed her for the first time in ages…just a matter of days AFTER their divorce was final!!! And yet another of our ladies’ husband felt free to introduce his children to the NCP after the final papers were signed; only to discover how strongly they objected to what he was doing, which came as quite a surprise to him and caused him great concern, and he seems to be reconsidering for the first time, or at least giving more realistic thought to what he’s doing. And the following was posted on the men’s site by one of our men who is in the final stages of his wife’s divorce process. When we truly put all of our hope and expectation in the Lord, we have no reason to fear divorce papers or even a divorce, because when something is dead and buried, the only thing left that glorifies Jesus Christ is resurrection! So be blessed and encouraged and trust God no matter what you face. And here’s an awesome message of hope and encouragement from one of our FAM Fellowship member who finally gets it, and whom I thank for allowing me to share his testimony here:

“This morning, I found out that my wife has submitted the “final” papers for the divorce she seeks. The praise is that “it doesn’t matter” and I really do believe that!! This past weekend, God really brought me to a new spiritual level, so I knew He was preparing me for something. He revealed hindrances to my spiritual growth and I was able to repent and turn even more over to Him.

First of all, I was still being consumed with selfishness. (That hurts! But the freedom it brought is wonderful!) I have dreaded hearing “We can be “friends” now.” I didn’t want to be friends; I wanted to be spouses. (Like a divorce is going to end that covenant!) I wanted love; not friendship. I wanted her to be in love with me. Then of course, God pointed out to me that we became friends in the first place and then grew to love each other. He asked me why I thought He was not going to have that happen again. Well, I had no answer as usual.

The next message God had for me was that my marriage is dead! Boy, did I shed some tears over that one. Fortunately, He did not just reveal that and leave me. I realized that I was hanging on to a marriage that not even I wanted. Why would I want a marriage that had such severe strife that my wife would ask for a divorce? It had become unhealthy for both of us. What kept me clinging to it was the devil telling me that a horrible marriage was better than NO marriage. And I thought that was a valid reason. Again, I was not trusting God for His promise to restore our covenant relationship. To us humans, when something is dead, it is gone, discarded and never to be again. What God had been telling me all along was that He was planning a new, incredible marriage way beyond what either of us could imagine; a marriage with Him at the center is what He will resurrect.

What a lack of faith and trust in God! I was not being the obedient person I sure thought I was. Thank God He knows I am trying as hard as I can, and He poured out His grace and mercy on me.

How awesome God is in getting us ready for what is coming our way. Nothing goes without His knowing and His timing. I would have never imagined a few short months ago that I would be praising and glorifying God when I got the dreaded news! I do trust and believe God is working in my wife’s heart and He will bring about complete restoration of our covenant marriage! He keeps His promises and always completes what He starts.

The Burns’ messages this past week also led me to pray in accordance with what God was preparing me for. I told Linda I was oozing with the fruits of the spirit; God had my emotions covered, and I knew His will and purpose for me. He allowed me discernment, insight and vision, and had brought me to a higher level of spiritual maturity. No more of Satan bouncing me around like a ping pong ball. He has been whacked!

Just wanted to share the Burns’ messages that helped me again:

I will make you aware of hindering forces that have been sent against you to keep you from moving in a divine flow. Set yourselves to see spiritually that which has held you back and remember that I have given you authority to overcome everything that would impede or block you from achieving My will and purposes for you. Be strong and move through these obstructions by the power of My Spirit, says the Lord.

Watch for signs of an attack from the enemy that will cause you to experience frustration and irritation. Refuse to allow these emotions to rule. Make the decision and carry out the choice to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (Galations 5:22-23) in making every moment holy and pristine. Recognize that this intrusion from the devil is for the purpose of separating you from Me, says the Lord, for you cannot maintain fellowship with Me when you take a position that is against My word and My nature

Now is a time when you can yield to My Spirit and develop greater discernment, insight and vision. Make the most of the opportunities that present themselves to gain understanding and revelation of My work in your life to bring you to a higher level of spiritual maturity. These opportunities will reveal places where fear and insecurity have kept you from the liberty of knowing who you are in Me, says the Lord. Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

(Editor’s Note: The Small Straws messages can be accessed at this link, where you can also sign up to receive them by email.)

I just finished reading a book by Joyce Meyer, The Power of Simple Prayer, and it’s another excellent book. So I want to share the section about praying expectantly, because I found it Particularly powerful, especially since God has really been stressing the importance of prayer to me in the past few days.

Most of us are demonstrating faith by praying consistently, but are we REALLY expecting God to answer our prayers? Well, my answer is yes; most of the time…until I begin doubting! And that is NOT what God calls us to do!! God intends for us to be extravagant in our expectations and to express them in our prayers; fully expecting Him to do great things in the earth and in our lives. And that is what WILL happen when our prayers are filled with God-given expectations, God-given desires, and God-given visions; prayers that are prayed in faith from a pure heart.

Joyce states that if we want to see the power of God released in our lives, we need to have attitudes that are pleasing to Him. We need to have positive expectations instead of negative ones. Our basic approach to life needs to align with faith and hope and good expectations, because the Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and that hope will never disappoint us (Romans5:5).

She continues by saying there is nothing negative about God; there is nothing in Him or in His actions that will ever disappoint us; everything He does is for our good, so that’s what we need to expect as we pray. WE should not pray and then wonder if God will do anything at all; instead we should pray expecting God to do even more than we have asked or dreamed. And she says we should confidently expect big things from God. Ephesians 3:20 (AMP) says Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]–

Now that is pretty amazing and should give us the confidence we need to pray expectantly. The passage also states that it comes from the power within us, which is the power of God – and it comes from simple, believing prayers.

When we have power, we are able to pray expectantly, but at the same time, expectancy carries its own power; the power of hope, and the power of faith. God’s power is released when we pray in faith, trusting and believing Him, because faith pleases God. So expectancy is an important attribute of faith. Faith reaches out into the spirit realm and expects God’s supernatural power to show up and do what no person on earth can do. Doubt, on the other hand, is afraid nothing good will happen; it does not please God and is not something He tends to bless. We are powerless when we live with doubt, disappointment, and lack of confidence in God.

Father God, help us to come to You with confidence and expectancy. Let us bring our faith and hope to You and release Your power in our lives. Lord, our trust and belief in You are tremendous. We know You are working in our marriages and that healing has already taken place in the spiritual realm and will soon manifest here in Your Kingdom on earth. Help us to be patient, yet, persistent in our prayers. God, we know that You love to answer our prayers and bless us and You are anxiously waiting for us to bring them to You. Help us to be obedient in our daily living and in our stand for the restoration and healing of our marriages. You are gracious and awesome, Lord, and we glorify and honor You with praise from our hearts. In Your Precious Son’s Name, Amen

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Romans 5:5 (NLT)
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

With every new day in marriage restoration ministry comes greater insight and understanding of God’s Word, His character and nature, and how He works. And something God’s really impressed upon me lately is just how much effectively standing for the restoration of our marriages and families is a matter of choice. That’s right; it’s a choice, and the choice is ours to make. We choose either to focus on the problem or the promise, and we’re probably called on to make that choice at least a thousand times a day! And the more consistently we focus on the promise, the closer we get to the full and complete restoration of our marriages and families. But the more we focus on the problem, the less likely we are to experience what is in fact already ours!

That’s right. If I give you a million dollars, it isn’t really yours until you TAKE it. And even if you take it, it won’t do you a bit of good and can’t make a bit of difference in your life unless you USE it by spending it. Well, we all know what the problems are, and we certainly SHOULD know what the promises are, because the Word of God holds all of the power and promise we need to realize our hearts’ desires and the miracle of marriage restoration. But just like that million dollars, even though God has already given it to us, it won’t do us one bit of good or change anything in our lives unless we take it and use it by putting it into practice as we stand in faith and obedience for our marriages, the salvation of our spouses and the full and complete restoration of our families.

Make no mistake about it; it IS a choice, because we can NOT do both! James 1:5-8 tells us If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. So every moment we spend focusing on our problems and the negatives related to our circumstances means we are in fact doubting the power and promises of God, making us double-minded and unstable in all our ways! And repeatedly going from the heights of joy and excitement, singing God’s praises, to the depths of doubt and despair, feeling desperately in need of prayer, because something unexpected or unpleasant happened (or because something we wanted or expected DIDN’T happen) is EXACTLY what the above passage means when it says he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. But what we tend to forget is that God’s plan for us and the restoration of our marriages and families are exactly the SAME on the days Satan is able to distract us and get us to focus on HIS power and plan instead of God’s, as on the days we praise and glorify His Holy name!. So, in reality, NOTHING has changed but our attitude and the level of our gratitude and appreciation for the power of God’s Word and plan! So we have to choose whether we want to live our lives according to the level of confidence we have in either the power and plan of the devil, which is always to kill, steal and destroy; or God’s, which is for life, and life overflowing with abundance! We know that, because in John 10:10 (AMP), Jesus tells us 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 in Jeremiah 29:11-13, God assures us For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

When we see something happen over and over again, we can learn from it, and one thing we see so clearly and consistently on the private pages of the FAM Fellowship is that focusing on the promise cancels out the problem and focusing on the problem cancels out the promise! Understanding that should make the choice pretty easy to make, so the question is HOW to focus on the promise instead of the problem, which the following verses of scripture teach us to do:

Psalm 55:22 – Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Philippians 4:4-9 – 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. 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.

2 Corinthians 10:5 – 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.

Colossians 4:2 – Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful

So the choice is ours to make. We can focus on and magnify the pain and disappointment associated with our problems and be miserable and we’ll probably stay that way. Or we can focus on the power and promise of God’s Word and actually enjoy and make the most of our daily lives as we await and prepare for the restoration of our marriages! So let’s take EVERY thought captive and make them obedient to Christ and the Word! Be blessed and encouraged, which you will indeed be if you keep your focus on the promise instead of the problem!

One of the FAM Fellowship members posted the following Heart To Heart message on the ladies’ private site yesterday, which I want to share here; because though very simple; it’s a very powerful message about how to RECEIVE the blessings of God in our lives. And it reminded me of what Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, which says Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”;. And then it’s confirmed again in 1 John 2:5, which says But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:. So, as 2 Thessalonians 3:5 says May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. Be blessed and encouraged!

Blessings – by Tammy

I received the following from In Touch Ministries about blessings and wanted to pass it along; I hope we’re all encouraged to let our light shine and be a blessing, because we can either stand in the light of Jesus or stand in the shadow of our mountains.

From In Touch Ministries – Dr. Charles Stanley:

“What determines the measure of God’s blessing in your life? Does He bless you a little or a lot? In Genesis 12:2, God says to Abraham, “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you.” When God speaks of blessing someone, He says “I’m going to intervene, and act in such a way that My goodness is displayed in your life.” God intends to bless all His children. How much of that blessing you receive is up to you. You will receive the full measure of God’s blessing in your life only if you are prepared, and you can prepare by doing five things:

1. Recognize that God is the source of everything. Some of God’s blessings come through pain and disappointment. Focus on what God is up to in your life in all circumstances.

2. Listen to God. When you wake up in the morning, tune your heart to listen, and listen carefully. God is the source of direction and guidance. If you don’t listen, how will you know the will of God for your life?

3. Not only must you listen, but you must obey. You will not experience the full measure of His blessing if you act in disobedience. Once you truly believe that God’s choices are best, you will walk in obedience.

4. Start every day expecting God’s blessing in your life. Anticipate Him intervening in your life is some way that will help you succeed in whatever you’re doing. Trust and believe God for His best for you. Except it.

5. The measure of blessing you receive will be determined by the measure you give toward others. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together.” Each day look for opportunities to be a blessing in the lives of others.

When your focus is right, when you’re listening, when you’re being obedient, when you’re expecting God’s blessing, and when you’re blessing others, then you are prepared for blessings beyond measure.”

Monday was quite a day in the FAM Fellowship as one testimony after another was posted revealing how God had worked in our midst over the weekend. And as I watched the day unfold and heard from one member after another, I knew I wanted to share that experience and all it teaches us about the character and nature of God here on the public site because there’s nothing more important to us as Christians than REALLY comprehending the power and promise of God’s Word in our lives, as well as God’s UNFAILING Faithfulness to carry it out right down to the smallest detail. That’s why the strongest desire of my heart when ministering to men and women standing for the restoration of their marriages is to have them truly understand that because nothing else even comes close to the incomprehensible power released into our lives and ability to walk in the victory Jesus came to give us when we do. FAM members would all readily acknowledge that I sometimes get frustrated with what seems like an inability to get that point across, but that’s just because I know how vitally important it is and the mind blowing power it releases into our lives when we do get it. Just as Isaiah 64:4 says Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. And again, 1 Corinthians 2:9 says However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” — So when we put that together with Proverbs 21:30, we should start to get it, because it says There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. And then John 14:15 simply says “If you love me, you will obey what I command.

We try to make the ways of God SO complicated and there’s nothing complicated about it. He simply wants us to love Him and unreservedly trust and obey Him. Psalm 37:5-6 (AMP) really leaves NO doubt about that, especially as we stand WITH GOD for the restoration of our marriages and families, because it says Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday. And then Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP) says Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. But just in case that’s not clear enough, in Matthew 7:24-28, Jesus leaves absolutely NO doubt about the difference between those of us who hear His Word and put it into practice and those who hear His Word and DON’T put it into practice, in the following parable about The Wise and Foolish Builders, which says:
“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. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. And then Isaiah 55:10-11 again leaves NO DOUBT of the power and promise of God’s Word, assuming we believe God, because 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. And once again, Jesus summed it all up in Matthew 4:4, which says Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ “ God is going to do exactly what God says He will do, and when we really understand that about His nature and character and truly understand that He has the power to do it and WILL be faithful to do it, there’s absolutely nothing we can’t achieve in our lives in the name and authority of Jesus Christ!

I was actually feeling quite disappointed that I didn’t have time to share Monday’s amazing testimonies and praises from the private site here yesterday, but when I heard Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast message this morning, I just had to laugh, because God was so clearly up to one of the things about Him that ALWAYS TOTALLY blows my mind, which is His amazing faithfulness to confirm important messages He’s trying to get across to us. And that’s exactly what He did once again today through Joyce’s message, Going Deeper In God – Part 1! So I’d strongly recommend listening to this very important message from Joyce, and then reading the following posts and responses that were posted on the ladies private website Monday because there’s no way to see God in action as He has been in our midst without recognizing the incomprehensible power gained by comprehending Gods UNFAILING faithfulness to bring His Word to pass! So I greatly appreciate permission from the FAM Fellowship members to share their testimonies and responses here because I know they will bless and encourage you!
Note: For the sake of privacy names of members are sometimes omitted (MNO) and spouse names are always omitted (SNO). Also, the posts appear in the order in which they were posted, so it’s interesting to see how Fran’s spirits were lifted throughout the day.

Rough Days – by FranRough Days

This past weekend was a pretty rough time for me. My husband filed for divorce three months ago, and in my state, it can take as little as 60 days for the whole case to be settled. Well, before he left to go on a trip this weekend, he brought me some papers to look over. And these papers are to be our final divorce decree, if God allows it, and he wants us to go some time this week to have them notarized. After that, I believe they would still have to go to a judge before being finalized.

I do not want to sign these papers. I do not want a divorce. I do know that God is still in control and if I have to go through this, I need His grace to get me through it.

Please pray for me as I am having a hard time praying for myself. I feel so emotionally drained and empty right now. I guess if there is any praise left in me, I’m thankful and I praise God that I am still standing. I am still believing in Him and His Word. And my desire is still to please Him.

Response by Christy on July 23rd, 2007 at 10:22 am
I can understand how you are feeling, Fran, although not exactly. I had to have this, that and the other signed and notarized about a month and a half ago. And it was very hard. But to this day, SNO still has not filed the papers, although they are ready. I know you don’t want to sign the papers, but it is God’s will for you to be submissive to your husband, though not His will for you to divorce. I know you know this, but remember that God hates divorce, and if He allows it, it is part of the plan. I know that sounds contradictory, but sometimes He allows these things, even if we have no idea why. But we will soon know. I don’t want to think that moving out and/or divorce is part of His plan for me, but it may be. It’s hard to get our heads around it sometimes, but God has it covered. He really, and truly does! This trial is only temporary! If you and hubby are separated for a time, then think of the greater plan and how much better your marriage will be when you two are restored.

We all have to remember our stands are callings from God. He chose us to stand for our marriages, because He knows we can do it. He’s entrusted us with this task. He has a unique and different plan for you, Fran, than for me or Linda or Diane or anyone else here. We all have certain people we need to touch with our stands. Most importantly our spouses. Some of us have unsaved spouses while others have spouses that have “wandered away” from God. Think of who we can reach as a result of our victories over the devil’s plans to destroy the family.

One of the things that got me through all the stuff I had to sign was that I was doing it out of obedience to my spouse. I spent so many years not doing as SNO pleased… boy! I felt I owed it to him. But I’ve noticed that as I’ve done what SNO wanted me to do; such as buy a house, sign over this and that to him and now hiring a huge, very noticeable U-Haul truck to move, his heart has softened. The more I do as I should, even though it hurts, SNO turns a bit back toward me. We will be rewarded for obedience to our spouses and to God, even if we don’t see it now.

I didn’t mean to make this post about me. I am using my examples to show you that even though it goes against the voice inside us that says divorce is wrong, it can still work out. We have to keep in mind that no matter what we do or no matter what our spouses do, God can fix any situation or use the situation or completely do the opposite! It’s a great feeling to know we have a God and Savior who can do anything we ask, and that He loves us that much.

1 Peter 4:12-13 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

1 Peter 5:8-10 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Keep praising the Lord even if you don’t feel like it! You’re right to do so. Praise God that you and SNO are still in contact and he can see you and spend time with you! The more you praise, the more you will feel like it and the more power and faith you will receive from your praises. You’re right, – He will get you through it; whatever “it” may be!

Response by Maria on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Fran, I’ve been through a lot of pain lately myself, and I know exactly how you feel. Glad that you are praising God for upholding your stand. That’s a big one. If you go back and look at Diane’s praise testimonies, you’ll see why you remind me of her and where she stood back in January. We don’t know God’s plans; we are apparently just assisting Him while He is busy at work. He chose us to go alongside Him while He is working and we can rest assured He knows what He is doing. Just praise Him for choosing you to go alongside Him and watch, because He is a great God and we trust Him completely. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is like the dad who flings his child in the air and then catches him just in time. The child is laughing all the while, because he knows that his dad will catch him and is not worried however frightening it may look from high above. I praise the Lord that He gave you this chance and that He is so good that He will see you through this and restore your marriage, because He hates divorce. Glory to His name.

Response by Linda Wattu on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:20 pm
WOW, Christy! What an awesome response and I hope it provides great encouragement and a reminder for you, Fran! Every word she wrote is SO true! And if anyone can attest to that, it is Diane! In fact, ladies, I think this is such an important message, I’d greatly appreciate your permission to share it on the public website in Seeds Of Faith, spouse names omitted, of course. It is such an important message and reminder for anyone facing divorce to understand that God is STILL in control, and that if He allows a divorce to be finalized, that too IS part of His perfect plan for restoration. Sometimes it takes a divorce and the consequences, for our spouses to realize that it was not what they wanted or expected after all. So the longer we hold on to preventing it, the longer God’s plan will take to be manifested. God could stop a divorce in a heart beat if He wanted to, and we have to believe that. So anytime one takes place when we’re standing on the power and promises of His Word, it is ONLY to accomplish HIS plan and the restoration of our marriages. And since God doesn’t do anything half way, it may well take what appears to be the total death and burial of our marriages to be fully able to see God’s glory when they are resurrected!

And Christy, sharing your experience as you have here, is not making it about you; it’s using the word of your testimony to defeat the devil, which is exactly what we know we’re supposed to do according to Revelation 12:10-11, which says Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

And we do have to rely on God’s instructions to us as wives, even in this process, because when we lean not to our own understanding and trust and obey Him, we know we can count on His promises to make our path straight (Proverbs 3:5-6)and to make our righteousness shine like the dawn and the justice of our cause like the noon day sun (Psalm 37:5-6)! And He does tell us to submit to our husbands in EVERYTHING, as unto the Lord, as
we see in Ephesians 5:22-24, which says Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. And Colossians 3:18 says Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. And 1 Corinthians 7:15, instructs us to let an unbelieving spouse leave if they want to, and if they don’t believe in God’s instructions against adultery and divorce, they ARE unbelieving. It says But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. And the word there for “bound” is not the word used elsewhere for the bond of marriage, but it’s a word used elsewhere in the Bible to denote slavery.

Fran, we will most certainly keep you in our prayers, Honey, and we are confident that the Lord is with you and that His love and grace will sustain you.

Dear Lord, we thank you for your love and grace and the power and promise of your Word. We thank you that we have your assurance that when we trust and obey you, and stand in faith and obedience for the full and complete restoration of our marriages, you will uphold them and do whatever it takes to restore them. We thank you for peace that passes all human understanding, which we have only because we put our faith and confidence in your Word and your faithfulness and ability to carry it out. Please give Fran and everyone else the peace and comfort needed as we face challenges during times of testing and trial. We know you give us all we need to accomplish the things you have called us to do, and that we CAN do ALL things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us! We will be victors and not defeated! We will see our marriages restored in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, and He WILL be glorified! We love you and give you All praise, honor and glory for the great and mighty things you have done and will continue to do as we simply trust and obey you! And we ask all this in the most powerful name in all of heaven and earth, which is Jesus Christ! Amen.

Response by Thursa on July 23rd, 2007 at 1:18 pm
This is a wonderful all around post!!! Fran, I know God is using your entire testimony for His glory! This is proof in that as you were obedient and shared your burden with us here at FAMM. God is so wonderful He used that to provide encouragement for you and for all of the others through what you have shared! As Linda mentions, it is our testimonies that kick Satan right on out of here!!! God NEVER gives us more than we can handle, just as He says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” He also tells us that in Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” And notice it doesn’t say IF you pass through, it says WHEN!!! God’s Word is His promise to US so you can know you WILL pass through this and His glory is going to shine so very brightly in your complete marriage restoration!!! So STAND strong and have confidence in the mighty promises God has given you and all of us Fran! This is just a bump on your mighty God glorifying journey to complete marriage restoration!!!

Response by Fran on July 23rd, 2007 at 2:57 pm
I just wanted to update you guys some. The power of prayer has worked. The feeling of heaviness that I had this morning and all yesterday is gone. I have my joy back. You guys are so uplifting and encouraging. How could I possibly stay in a rut? Yes I know that God is here and I know that He has gotten me here. He will not leave me nor will He forsake me. I just sometimes need to hear it from someone who really understands. Thanks to all of you for your prayers.

Response by Janet in Maryland on July 23rd, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Fran, please always keep in mind Proverbs 16:9. “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Your husband may file for divorce. The divorce may even be granted but we know one thing, God’s purpose is what will prevail. We know as a fact that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). God loves restoration, so put your trust in Him and His word. He will see you through and will restore to you all the locusts have eaten. I am happy to see you have your joy back. That is God’s will for you. His plan and purpose will always prevail. What He does for one, He will do for all. Be blessed, my dear, God is still in control.

Response by Paula on July 23rd, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Fran, sweetie. I certainly understand, but be still and know God is GOD! I think something great must be on the horizon, because I too like many others, have been under attack emotionally. But, I’m convinced that given the fact God hates divorce, we should ask him daily to defend and protect our marriage and trust him for the outcome! God is in CONTROL! thank you for sharing your testimony with us. As usual, it has blessed and encouraged me!

A Very Timely Message from Bill and Marsha Burns! – by Linda Wattu
Since so many of us seem to be struggling with different issues these days, we all need to realize just who our enemy is and that WE ARE VICTORIOUS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! BUT we can’t and won’t walk in that victory as long as we remain focused on the work of the devil instead of magnifying and glorifying the power and promise of God’s Word! We are who we SAY we are and we will have what we SAY we will have, but we have to rely on the JOY of our salvation for the strength we need in ALL circumstances!

So the following message from Bill and Marsha Burns today is indeed timely for all of us! If you don’t receive their daily email messages yet, I strongly suggest that you sign up for them, which you can do at this link. And here’s their awesome message for today:

“Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin

The Trumpet by Bill Burns
— July 23, 2007: Take up the sword of the Spirit and cut off the head of the serpent. Cut off his head before he strikes. But, if he has already struck, be like My servant Paul who unfastened the serpent and dropped it in the fire. Come forth in this season of victory. It has been spoken that you are in a season of warfare, but warfare always lead to victory in My people. If you are in My camp, you win. I am the Lord of Hosts, and as you go forth to fight the good fight of faith I will send My warring angels to fight on your behalf and even beside you, says the Lord. These are the days of the overcomer when you can overcome things that you have been unable to conquer even until now. These are also the days of the restoration of all things — restoration of the power of the kingdom and the blessings of the kingdom. I am the King of the kingdom, and I will establish that which is rightfully Mine among My people. Rejoice for surely you shall have the victory.

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
— July 23, 2007: Beloved, you cannot fight the good fight of faith and maintain the mentality of the victim. You cannot be victorious and be the victim at the same time, for this puts you in the position of being double- minded. And, the double-minded man gets nothing. Make up your mind, for you must establish yourself in faith so that you absolutely know that you have the victory before you ever engage in battle, says the Lord.
James 1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Response by Fran on July 23rd, 2007 at 11:08 am
Thanks Linda. I really needed that. I need to get on their list. Fran

Response by Christy on July 23rd, 2007 at 11:28 am
I am on their list, but have not had time to read it this morning, so thanks for posting it. I can’t wait for it all to come to pass.

Response by Maria on July 23rd, 2007 at 11:57 am
Linda, I received the same this morning and was stunned. I couldn’t quite understand “Take up the sword of the Spirit and cut off the head of the serpent. Cut off his head before he strikes. But, if he has already struck, be like My servant Paul who unfastened the serpent and dropped it in the fire.” How do we do it in practical terms in our circumstances? Some examples, please. Thanks, Maria

Response by Christy on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:28 pm
If I’m wrong, Linda, correct me, but I took that passage to mean this: the serpent is the attack on my marriage. The head should be cut off before it strikes (by being a godly wife). But it has already struck because I didn’t “cut off the head” and become a godly wife long ago, so since it has struck, I am to fight it and beat the serpent back “into the fire” until I have won my battle. But I could be wrong. Bill Burns could mean something entirely different. Or he could mean for it to speak to each of us differently. I guess the serpent would be any spiritual battle. Am I way off or on the mark? Thanks

Response by Linda Wattu on July 23rd, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Not much time to respond right now, but the Word is the sword of the Spirit – speak the Word to your circumstances! The serpent is the devil!

Response by Thursa on July 23rd, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I like your response Christy! I think it can apply to each of us differently, but the underlying message of speaking the Word in defense and claiming the promises of the Word is the sword we have to send Satan (the serpent) packing and throw him right into the fire!!! Most recently I can see Linda’s testimony of her illness and how it had already struck, but she used God’s Word (her sword) to cut off the head of the ugly serpent while she was in the ER and was quoting “I can do all things through Christ Jesus….”!!!

Response by Christy on July 23rd, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Works for me! I wasn’t sure I was right – just guessing. That’s just how I took it as I read it. The word seems very logical.

Response by Maria on July 23rd, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Christy, sounds good to me. Thanks for your explanation.

Response by Linda Wattu on July 23rd, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Just a couple of scripture references to the Word as the Sword of the Spirit–because the only opinion that matters is God’s Word, and this is what it says and what I’m sure Bill Burns meant. But it can be applied to practical situations as you suggested, Christy. And Thursa’s example of how I used it in the ER is a very good example.

Ephesians 6:17
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(Read in full context of Ephesians 6:12-18 – about putting on the whole armor of God)

And this one gives more insight to how the Word is used like a sword::
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

But the point is that even after the serpent does strike, we don’t have to suffer any ill effects, which we see by reading about the incident Bill was referring to in Acts 28:1-7 I don’t know just where it is, but there is somewhere in Acts (I think) where it says that we won’t be harmed by serpents and a host of other stuff. Maybe someone else knows where that is.

Response by Sharon on July 23rd, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Linda, this post speaks directly to some issues that I have to face today. Thank you for posting this to remind me that I am in the midst of a spiritual warfare and MUST use the sword of the spirit to be victorious!

Waiting Patiently – by Christy

Well, per SNO’s plan, I should have moved this weekend. But as Saturday approached, he never brought it up until Wednesday and said that since we had some neighbors on vacation, we would wait until this coming weekend (the 27th and 28th) to move my things, but said that I would stay behind with a few of my clothes and personal things for another week until we had a chance to talk to our neighbors about this. So SNO has delayed things once again. Also there was a delay on my bathroom flooring by 5 days and it won’t be in before then. I am thankful for the delays. I have no idea what they mean, but it’s just that much longer to be with my husband; and maybe more time for God to change SNO’s mind. And maybe it’s more time for him to realize that he misses me more when I’m gone. I don’t know. I’m trying not to lean on my own understanding, because it doesn’t matter what I’m thinking anyway. I wonder if SNO is having a harder time with my move than he lets on, and maybe he isn’t ready to let go. Maybe he is just being nice, since he knows I don’t want to move without saying goodbye to everyone. There I go again trying to figure it out. But it doesn’t matter what I imagine; it’s all God’s plan. He knows what’s going on with SNO, why the flooring is late, and everything and anything else. I’m not praying for delays; I’m praying for a “suddenly” just before I am to move. I am trying to have a good attitude about either: staying or moving. It’s hard to be positive about the move though, because I don’t want to, but I try to tell myself that it would be time alone to grow, actually date my husband, and I’d be moving to a house with a huge tree and plenty of birds and squirrels to feed, which I love. That’s what I try to think about when SNO mentions my move.

Even though it’s hard not to think about the what, how, why, when, etc.; that’s just leaning on our own understanding when we do that. But it’s hard not to think about it when you’re praying about it all day! I’m sure all of you have been there – playing that ping-pong game in your head! But I praise God for his plan, because I trust it’s a good one!

Thanks to all of you for your support.
Christy

Response by Maria on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Christy, you were so patient lately and you came such a long way with your praises in spite of what is going on in your life. You are so faithful and trusting, obeying and waiting. And God will reward all this in due time. May He continue to strengthen you and uphold you in His arms. As you say, you don’t know about all the delays at hand, but you are praising Him and He will show the reasons why in the end. Glad SNO is considering waiting for your neighbors to come back from their vacation, whatever that would mean in the language that we don’t understand. I am sure God knows exactly and we have to trust Him for that. Your new house seems like a paradise with all the nature surrounding it. You deserve your rest and perhaps God wants you there while He is working on SNO. Perhaps you do have to go so that SNO is going to miss you more than he can imagine now. I bet he will be around your place more than his. Just imagine the most fantastic things that will happen as a result of this. Just continue to do what you are doing, because you are covered by His blood and your are safe and sound in His loving arms.

Response by Thursa on July 23rd, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Christy, I am sure each and every one of us has dealt with the ping-pongs in our head! And the way we overcome them is to do just as you said and give all our “what ifs” to God! There’s a line in a country song that says “if you want to make God laugh, tell Him YOUR plans.” He has you so covered in so many ways, it is impossible to even think of understanding what His God glorifying plan is! You can just be assured it WILL bring Him glory and He will fulfill the promises He has given you, one of which is a completely restored marriage!!!

One of my devotions from Streams in the Desert this weekend dealt with waiting. And as I read your post, it was recalled to me. The gist of it was God being the Great Gardener! He has planted all of these seeds and is properly watering and growing them! His plan is to pick them at the precise moment that will bring Him the most glory! He has to let them mature where they will fully bloom; not just barely shine and then wither away! His careful tending is the best!!! We are simply to wait and know that He does know far more about it all than we could even imagine! As our purpose is to bring Him glory, it should be a joyous thought to know that He is taking the careful loving attention to use US to bring about an even brighter glory story for Him! Keep praising Him and have the strength and confidence in what you mentioned earlier, that He has chosen US to do such a wonderful thing!!! He’s not going to let you down, Christy, wherever you may be living, God will completely restore your and SNO’s marriage!!! Cast all your cares and anxieties on Him and ask that He give you the rest and confidence that He continues to grow and mature in you already!!!

Response by Fran on July 23rd, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Christy, none of us know what He has in store for us or what plans He has for bringing His plans about. I see a change in you from just a week ago. You seem to have such peace about things and that is a good place to be. I was there and I am getting back to it. Your post is very encouraging to me as well.

That old devil is running and hiding for cover. He didn’t know who he was messing with. We are children of the Most High. We are covered. Be blessed and continue to rest in Him. Fran

Response by Linda Wattu on July 23rd, 2007 at 4:08 pm
AMEN, Fran!!! The devil can look out, he’s about to lose his head! whack! Whack! I’ve certainly had enough of him in my life and I think it’s high time we all do EXACTLY what the Burns’ told us to do this morning and take back everything the devil has tried to steal, kill and destroy, and we do that by SPEAKING out loud the Word of God! And the devil will do the exact same thing He did when Jesus did that to him – he tucked his tail between his legs and high tailed it out of there!!! It’s difficult to have a more powerful illustration of God’s faithfulness to do the totally unexpected when we are faith filled and obedient than Robin’s testimony of what happened when she submitted and signed the divorce papers SNO wanted her to sign! And that’s just the beginning and not the end! Like she said, we need to understand that instead of signing a death certificate, we’re actually signing a birth certificate! I loved that, by the way, Robin! And just go back and look at Robin’s post from the prior week and look what God has done since then! And Robin didn’t even tell you all how long it’s been since her husband did anything like that! I bet he’s even trying to figure out what’s going on himself! He’s probably just as surprised as Robin! Now we know why God tells us that a man can’t even understand his own way! (Proverbs 20:24 A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?)

Response by Sasha on July 23rd, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Christy, I have definitely been there with the (ping pong mind) and I praise God for his patience with us. We ask him to teach us to be patient and he does. Look at you, you are doing great. And I think God is giving you an opportunity to show SNO your godliness, and through that, restore your marriage. There are no coincidences and we are in God’s hand. I praise God for what he is doing. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes it may be one hour at a time. Just praise God and enjoy the ride. God definitely has a plan and it is always for our good. I am just amazed of what God is doing in our lives. I see him moving in a great way and your testimony is just more evidence that he is at work. I praise him for what he is doing in you and your marriage. God bless, Sasha.

Response by Janet in Maryland on July 23rd, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Christy, I know exactly what you are feeling with the ping pong mind. Before my husband moved out, he spoke about leaving and needing his space and all the other “I am leaving” stuff. I waited and waited and there was one reason after another for a delay. Then he surprised me and said I am leaving tomorrow and he left. I felt very sad, almost to the point where I thought I just couldn’t do without him. I did not even want to have to get out of bed. It has now been a year and four months since he has left and even though I have had my moments, I am now at peace. I look at this time apart as a time that God is using to help me get my relationship with Him in order. I am sure my Lord first wants me to have a right relationship with Him and He is certainly working that out with me. I have grown so much spiritually since my husband left, and I’m sure that God is working things out in such a way that when my marriage is restored, my husband who is not saved, will be won over to the Lord, just by observing my behavior.

I do not know why God is orchestrating your delays, but we as Christians know that He will use whatever is happening for something good. If indeed you do move, use the time to get closer to God. Feeding your birds and squirrels is an opportunity for you to tell God how great are the works of His hands. The admiration of nature is saying, God you are indeed awesome. He will be pleased with that. God bless you.

Obedience!!!! – by Robin

Whew!!! I signed all the papers. It was a little trying at first because my husband seemed a bit anxious to get me to sign them, and the devil tried to lift his ugly head. But I began saying out loud, “no, I am going to be obedient to God and act in peace, I am not going to let the enemy get any victory here.” I signed all the papers with a smile on my face and I had an unusual peace within my spirit. When I completed signing the papers, I asked my husband to explain to the children what we were discussing. As he was telling them, I interjected, and explained that I didn’t agree with this, because I am standing on the word of God for the restoration of my family. I also stated that I didn’t want to send a legacy of divorce down the generations, and that I was going to continue to pray and believe God for His promise of restoration. My husband quickly replied that if they get into a marriage and their no longer interested, it’s okay to divorce. I waited until he was done and explained that according to the word of God, God hates divorce and He is for marriage. I explained to my husband that I am raising godly children, who will live according to the word of God. After we completed our discussion, he took the papers and placed them in his bag. He then, without any forethought, said, “Let’s go to the movies.” I was folding clothes and looked at him in awe. I took the t-shirt that I was folding and threw it over my face. He then said to me, “are you laughing or crying?” I replied, “I believe that I’m doing a little bit of both.” He simply could not understand; well I don’t understand either! I then asked him if he wanted the kids to come along, and he said, “No, just us.” Well, long story short, we not only went to the movies, but we had dinner, and he’s been at my house all weekend; sleeping on the couch, for now. LOL. I just cannot understand this, but I know who does!!!! It was as if, initially, a big wave had come and knocked me off my feet, but as I began to have my “Peter” experience and trust in the master, I began to walk on water. I don’t know what God is doing, but I trust Him. I thought going through this process was like signing a death certificate, but my trust in God is letting me see that through my trust in Him, I am signing a birth certificate. Saints of the Most High, hold fast to your faith, because eyes have not seen, nor ears have heard, nor has entered into the hearts of men, the things that God has in stored for us. If divorce is a part of the restoration process, although He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Our God is an Awesome God!!!! Love ya all, Robin

Response by Thursa on July 23rd, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Wow Robin!! I can definitely see how you would just about fall over from wondering what was going on! The cool thing is that you can stand on the confidence that God IS in complete control and the whole situation is just as you said, “part of the restoration process!” How wonderful it is that you were able to have such peace in such time of trial AND THEN receive such a blessing to have movie, a dinner and a weekend with your husband! To me it strongly shows how God is the one directing the heart, despite what our spouses may plan!

Response by Christy on July 23rd, 2007 at 2:41 pm
This is great. I know you didn’t want to sign the papers, but when you submitted to your husband, he softened a bit and asked you to the movies, which turned into some sort of weekend retreat on your sofa for him! I guess he didn’t want to leave you – probably because he was attracted to the godly woman standing for her family!!! Keep standing. Even if SNO turns the papers in and the divorce goes through, he won’t be able to keep from hanging out on your sofa. God will cover all your spouse does. Keep your chin up!

Response by Maria on July 23rd, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Robin, that’s a fantastic praise testimony. Thanks for sharing. It reminds me of Diane’s testimony minus the needle. Yours looks more like a movie with the movie, dinner and all weekend together with your husband and the children. It’s such a great gift from God for your obedience to respect your husband and to praise God and give Him all the glory. I thank God for giving you such a peace to handle the trying situation and such a great reward at the end.

Response by Fran on July 23rd, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Robin, this is awesome. Your husband’s heart is softening and I am just in awe of the Lord. You were bold in your speaking and that is a testimony in and of itself. I’ve learned some things from you today. Praise God that you were able to spend the entire weekend with your husband at home. I will continue to pray for you. Remember, we are all blessed and highly favored. We have been chosen by the Most High. Thank you for sharing your praise at a time when I really needed to hear it. Fran

Response by Linda Wattu on July 23rd, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Robin, what an AWESOME praise report! Now who but God could have managed that!!! And this is a perfect example of why we can’t EVER listen to ANYTHING our husbands (or wives) say and why we can’t ever elevate what they do above what our ever faithful God can and will do! You took those thoughts captive, Girl, and you MADE them OBEDIENT to His Word, and God rushed in to do EXACTLY what His Word promises He WILL do! And He will do the exact same thing for all of us if we’ll just trust and obey Him. We need to read Psalm 37:5-6 and Proverbs 3:5-6 over and over a million times a day to make sure we get it! God is NOT a liar and that is EXACTLY what He is going to do, and we know that will NEVER include divorce and the destruction of our families! Talk about His ways being so different and so far above ours – this one would be hard to beat! I just love it and I love the timing of how He is bringing all of these situations together at just the right time! Now, Amy, it’s time for yours!!! And then I’ll have one of the most powerful SOF posts ever! And Suzanne, you had better get yours on record too! I wouldn’t want any of us to miss the power of the Holy Spirit that is flowing through our midst right now, and the surest way to make sure not to do that is to praise His Holy name and give Him all the glory He so richly deserves!

God, you are so awesome and so amazing! How we worship and adore you! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and faithfulness Lord! And I know we are about to see you moving in our midst as NEVER before! I know we’ve been under demonic attack for a reason, but we have prevailed and will continue to prevail and I know we are going to see your power and glory displayed in our midst way beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine! I just can’t wait to see what miraculous things you’re going to do next! We praise your Holy name as we pray for your grace and anointing to always just simply trust and obey you, Lord. And we ask all this in the most precious name in all of heaven and earth, the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen.
Response by Linda Wattu on July 23rd, 2007 at 4:32 pm
By the way, Maria, you have your own praise testimony to share, and yours is starting to look a lot more like Diane’s too! All that “all over the place” and crying! That sounds even more like SNO. And your husband’s attitude toward you is definitely softening! So keep an eye out for the unexpected in your situation too! And don’t forget to post those praises!

Response by Sasha on July 23rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
God is great and praise God he does not lie and his word is true. Robin, I’m thinking of Jesus’ death; just when the devil thought he had won, our Lord was beginning his journey to resurrection. Supposedly all was ending with your signature, but God had other plans. God is perfect. God allows things to die so he can resurrect them and receive even more glory. I praise God for your testimony. Thank you, God continues to minister to me greatly through you ladies. It’s about faith and obedience. God bless. Sasha

Response by Melissa in Pennsylvania on July 23rd, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Robin, I have to tell you I started to cry; tears literally ran down my face as I read this awesome testimony! That’s a powerful one. As I was reading the beginning, I was thinking your going in the direction of saying that you had peace when you signed the papers. And that alone, would be a great testimony. I mean who really has peace when they sign papers of that nature? But to see where it ended up going was incredible! God is soo good. Robin, I remember reading just a few days ago when you found out about him filing for the “D” word. God granted you such true peace, and rewarded you for trusting in His ways. Praise God!! I am truly blessed just by reading this, because it touched something in my heart. God just showed me how good He is. Only He could have done something like that in a time that was so painful! Thank you for sharing!

Response by Amy on July 23rd, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Robin!!!! I can only imagine how hard it was to be obedient in this situation, but with His help you pulled it off and look at the blessings that our wonderful Lord is raining down on you! It is all God! Stay strong, because He is bringing your hubby home for good!

Response by Paula on July 23rd, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Robin!! This is one of the most awesome praise reports I’ve ever heard! God is so awesome and faithful! This has certainly encouraged me to hang on and believe God despite what happens.

Response by Sharon on July 23rd, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Robin, God will definitely bless you for being obedient. He has this situation in control, and he will definitely strengthen you and continue to give you peace as he takes control of this situation! Be Blessed!

Center>Praises and Prayer Request – Name Omitted

God showed me yet again last night that He IS working in my husband. As I have said before, the past couple of weeks have been pretty dim looking. But I have continued to keep my faith in God and refused to look at things as they appeared to be, and instead kept my focus on God.

Last night I had to talk to SNO before the kids spoke to him at prayer time, because I have been having a rough time with them since we moved here. Their behavior has not been so great, and they’ve gotten a lot worse recently. So I asked him if he would speak to the kids about it, which he did. My son completely ignored him as he was speaking to him, so he got to see first hand what I was talking about. I think he did make some sort of impact on our daughter though, because she was definitely a bit different today. After he said their prayers with them, we talked some more and he said that he was offered a job that pays great and he seemed to really like the man. He was supposed to start today, but I have not heard from him yet today, which is actually a great sign that he is working! He also mentioned more than once last night and in the past few days, that he is under a lot of stress. He kept blaming it on money, but I knew it was more.

Then SNO called around 1:30am this morning. The conversation started out a bit funky, since his excuse for calling wasn’t too good. But it didn’t take long to understand why he truly called. He had been out all night searching for his mother, who had called him to come pick her up. Long story short, his mother has made decisions in her life that have made her life very difficult. He never did find her, and as he was telling me what happened, he finally broke down. And I praise God for what I ended up hearing from him. He realized last night, that he had in fact become just like his parents. And he said that’s exactly what he didn’t want. He also admitted that his life was spinning out of control and he didn’t know how to stop it. He even said that he was unhappy with every part of his life at this point. He also said that he knew that one of the reasons the children were behaving the way they are is because he is not here to enforce the rules. And he said That popping in and out the way he does was something his parents did and it was wrong. Two things he continued to repeat throughout our conversation was that he was so tired and it was just so hard. And he was crying the entire conversation. He was acknowledging quite a bit, but I could tell that he had no clue what to do about any of it. I have known that he was lost this entire time, and I praise God that SNO saw it last night too. But after awhile, he wanted off the phone. He was becoming extremely upset and it seemed he did not want me to hear any more of it. As we were getting off the phone, I felt like God was telling me that he needed to hear that he was loved. So I told him. As soon as I said the words “I love you, SNO.” he broke down to the point that he had to rush off the phone.

As I said, I haven’t heard from him yet today, and I am excited to hear about his new job. I know he might not say a word about our talk last night, and that is fine, because God has already shown me that He is indeed working in my husband, and that is all I need to know.

So I ask for your prayers that SNO would continue to see these things and that he would start to take action and not just talk, because we have all talked the talk before walking the walk! Please send your prayers his way, because he is definitely fighting a battle that can only be won through the power of God.

Response by Linda Wattu on July 23rd, 2007 at 6:36 pm
MNO, this is a very significant praise report. When our spouses are saying that they are tired and it’s too hard, they really are close to coming home. and it’s very significant that he’s seeing and even acknowledging that his kids are suffering the consequences of his choices. Yes, Honey, he is just looking for a way out of the trap Satan has used to ensnare him, so focus your prayers on God showing him the way of escape we know He has already provided. I can truly see the hand of God in all of this, especially the timing for everything. SNO has so little contact with his mom, and then all of a sudden, just when he is finally getting a job, he hears from her and she asks for his help in a situation that revealed himself to himself as NOTHING anyone else could ever say or do would have ever done.. Trust me, that is God in action! And without knowing any of that was going on (the job offer or the thing that happened later with his mom), you just happened to pick that particular night to ask him to speak to the children because of the discipline problems you’re having? No, Honey, that is without a doubt, God at work. And SNO is without a doubt finally coming to the end of himself and starting to face the reality of the mess he has made of his life, and that he has dragged you and the kids right into the mess with him. And God will use the income he will have now to make the way of escape and to make it possible for him to get ahome for ALL of you. He just wasn’t ready to make that choice before, MNO, and now he is. God knew it wouldn’t have worked before, and that’s why he closed all of the doors up to this point. So just keep doing what you’ve been doing, Honey, because it doesn’t look like it will be much longer before your marriage and family are restored for the glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, which we claim in His name and authority!

Response by Sasha on July 23rd, 2007 at 7:24 pm
MNO, this is awesome; God’s promises and blessings are manifesting. I am so excited for you. that SNO is recognizing his present state and telling you about it, is a major breakthrough. I will definitely keep SNO in my prayers. Sasha

Response by Melissa in Pennsylvania on July 23rd, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Oh, MNO, how wonderful! Not that SNO is suffering, as I am sure it’s difficult to hear, but that he is no longer blind to the situation he is in. God has given him eyes to see, and ears to hear! He IS working on restoring each one of our families everyday. Keep praying, praising, and claiming your promises. Restoration is near for you, sweetie. God is the only one who truly knows when, but when He makes His move, nothing stands in His way. We all have to stay in the word as much as we can, because scriptures tell us that the enemy works hard on us when we are close to our miracles. Be blessed, MNO, your family is on its way to restoration.

Response by Lisa on July 23rd, 2007 at 10:34 pm
MNO, this is indeed truly a great step toward restoration! I will continue to pray for you and your family and that the Lord will continue to manifest a miracle and bring SNO to repentance and bring him home in His perfect timing. Be encouraged! He is truly working it all out right before your eyes! Lisa

Lots of Praises – Name Omitted

I am so pleased that Linda is back on her feet and coming around fast. May God continue to heal her and disperse the very last trace of the dye from her system. I also pray that the “false” cyst behind the pancreas is not only false, but nonexistent as well! All this was for a reason, because so many breakthroughs happened this weekend. Praise the Lord.

I have been looking a lot at Diane’s praises from way back in January lately, and have spotted so many similar happenings in my life. For example, my husband visited my daughter last week, who is recovering from infection after surgery. Apparently, he stayed for several hours, and was all over the place emotionally, which sure sounds familiar. He was basically upset, because none of our children want to embrace the NCP, so much unlike his family. Then he said that they no longer attend church since their involvement in the church was rejected by the pastor. But apart from that, they are very happy.

At the moment we are checking into me getting a mortgage to buy this place, but I have already been rejected by one broker already. Praise the Lord. One more shot to go. And since my son would prefer that my husband not visit our grandchildren at their house, I offered to let him visit them here instead, now that I am babysitting them all day every Saturday. He thanked me and said that he is going to consider the offer. So I pray that he will accept the offer.

I am so grateful for the things that are coming along and praise God for whatever is happening. Your encouragement and kind words and cheering are very soothing. I still need a lot of coaching about reading between the lines and thank God that Linda is better at it. We just have to continue to praise the Lord and give Him all the honor and glory.

I also observed a yellow zebra finch on her favourite fragile twig. She was eating something and coming towards the top and I was expecting her to lose her balance and fall. But at just the right time, she noticed my dog and flew off. She was flying joyfully all around, with not a care in the world; just rejoicing and flapping her beautiful wings in the air. If she was so happy and carefree in spite of the danger; why are we so fearful and troubled, I wonder.

Response by Christy on July 24th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Well, about a billion thoughts come to mind on this. The biggest is the fact that your husband being “all over the place emotionally” tells me he isn’t that happy with his life. Oh, I’m sure the fact that his own children won’t accept the NCP is why he was so upset, but if he were soooo super happy, he would accept the fact that his grown children felt that way and not worry about it. Let me explain a bit more; if he were so happy and sure it was “meant to be” with the NCP, he would know in his heart, that his children would eventually come around – if this new relationship was ordained by God. But he is so upset by the reactions of his children that it’s caused him to stop and think about the situation and wonder if she is really right for him. I have no idea if she has “turned bitter as wormwood” yet, but I would guess not, since he says he’s happy. I would imagine the fact that the children are unaccepting of the NCP will cause her to turn bitter quickly. Often the other woman is very emphatic that she be accepted by all and “replace” the covenant wife. I almost don’t like declaring that, because I have not gone through that first hand, but I have actually witnessed this with four friends of mine who all had the same issues with the NCP. They all saw the NCP grow jealous and hateful, because the man had to make choices. Basically, what I am trying to say is that she will eventually get tired of SNO having to choose between her or his children. In one of my friend’s situation, the NCP ended up really resenting the fact he even had kids at all and left. And it may come down to this for SNO with : you being so gracious as to let him see his grandchildren when you watch them. When the NCP starts giving him grief about standing up to his children for her (which I believe she will do), and then you’re there letting him see his grandchildren; being understanding, supportive and a friend to him when he will need one, there won’t be any doubt as to who he will want to be with. Of course, this is just what I see based on what you’ve said and what I’ve seen friends go through. Even if I’m wrong about the specifics, God is working in your husband or he wouldn’t have been so emotional. He is only trying to convince himself right now that his relationship is good. But down deep, he knows the truth.

Keep hanging in there. Keep being kind and helpful to your husband. He will see this and it will draw him to you. And I hope he accepts the offer to come and visit on Saturdays!

Response by Thursa on July 24th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Yes MNO! Praise God He is bringing about full health restoration in Linda!!! Thanks for starting your praise that way!

I also love the way you use the things in nature that God reveals to you! I pray that you would be able to fly as that zebra finch does! Fly with the confidence and grace of our Dear Lord as the wind under your wings!!! She is so happy and carefree because she looks not to her circumstances but only on confidence in her Maker!!!

And one comment stood out to me, “apart from that, they are happy”. Yah right!!! That is what SNO wants everyone to think. But as you have been seeing and sharing, he is softening and he will soon be returning to you!!! I Praise God with you in all the work He is doing in your marriage and I thank and Praise Him for your complete restoration as we watch it completely manifest!!!!

Coming Undone – Name Omitted

Over this past weekend, SNO and I had a few moments to speak again. He doesn’t let the NCP know we talk at all, and when we do talk and she is around, the conversation is 30 seconds or less. But SNO called me on Saturday night around midnight to let me know that he and the NCP were in yet another fight. He explained that they are always arguing and she even “threatened” him a few days before and said that she was going to bring all of his stuff here to my house! He also revealed that in one argument, he walked to a nearby park and she questioned him and implied that he was going to meet me there, which was not the case. And she also got physical with him in another argument. These are not true praises, but the confessions and consequences of an unblessed union. I wanted so bad to blurt out on the phone, “Baby, come home!” But God hasn’t given me the okay to say that. I remember that it wasn’t until Gomer realized she was better off with her husband than where she was; before God could speak tenderly to her, and transform her valley of trouble into a gateway of hope.

SNO also revealed that on the 24th, which is our son’s birthday, they will be in court concerning eviction from the apartment they live in, and I had no idea that court date would come up so fast; the landlord asked him to leave by June 30th. So I see his troubles are deep.

Sin promises so much freedom, but what does it deliver? Captivity, slavery, bondage, distress, and a whirlwind of troubles. But it hurts me to see my husband in such pain. That’s not to say that I would be happy if I knew they were; because that’s not the case either. I guess I just wish he knew how good it would feel to come home. So I am praying deeply for God to speak to him through signs, dreams, and memories to bring his mind, heart and footsteps home.

I do see Gods hand at work. He is undoing all that has been done to create this adulterous relationship. And I see God separating and breaking all soul ties between the two of them. I just have to be careful not to interpret God’s plan, as that would be relying on my own understanding as Christy pointed out earlier today. I know the end result is a restored marriage; that’s God’s promise, but the exact how, and when are not up to me to piece together.

In prayer today, I told the Lord I felt like I was in a fog, but in a good way. I could see some of what he was doing, but even at a short distance away, I couldn’t see it all. And in the same way a fog seems so thick one minute, and disappears another, so God will allow me to see clearly and experience all he has for our family.

Response by Linda Wattu on July 24th, 2007 at 1:34 am
Yes, MNO , it is never pleasant or easy to see the consequences of sin come to fruition in the lives of our spouses, but that is exactly what God’s Word tells us WILL happen, so when we do see it, we can rest assured that the end is coming! And if ever there was a situation in our midst that requires a quick resolution, Honey, it is yours! So let’s praise the Lord for His faithfulness and claim the full and complete restoration of your marriage and that SNO will in fact come to the end of himself and return to you and the kids SOON. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with tomorrow (today now!), especially since that has been your heart’s desire!

I think SNO is soon coming to that point of realizing that he was so much better off before than where he is now and he is certainly realizing that sin’s pleasure lasts for only a season, and that season is fast coming to an end! I didn’t share this with you at the time, or at least I don’t think I did, but when you said SNO had quit his job, I felt in my spirit that he did that as a way of escape from the NCP! Of course, that didn’t make much sense to me at the time, but now it does!

I don’t know if you’re familiar with Paul and Judy Rousseau’s testimony, but if I remember correctly, the NCP he was involved with got physical too, and there just aren’t too many men who are going to stay with a woman who gets physically violent. How true God’s Word is! She has become bitter as gall and as sharp as a double-edged sword, just as Proverbs 5:3-5warns: For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.

Dear Lord, we ask for your intervention and that you will bring conviction to SNO that the life he has chosen is wrong and sinful in your eyes, and that you will give him the courage to walk away from it and to go back to his wife and family. Lord, MNO needs help now and every door we’ve tried to open seems to be closed, so we know that means you have another plan. So I ask for quick intervention, Lord, and that you will act speedily to bring about the full and complete restoration of this marriage and family. And, Lord, we know there is another child involved now, and we don’t know how all of that will be resolved, but we also know that SNO’s obligation and responsibility there does not supersede or invalidate his responsibility and obligation to his wife and legitimate children. So we pray for your protection for the NCP and her unborn child, Lord, and we pray for their provision and thank you that you and you alone can and will make a way where there seems to be no way. And in this case, that’s the only thing we can rely on. We know this woman and SNO need a relationship with you, Lord, so we ask you to draw them by the power of the Holy Spirit to salvation and deliverance from the lifestyle they have chosen for themselves and their child. And we ask for your mercy on them, Lord, and that you will bring the husband you have planned for this woman into her life and that he will be a godly man and a good step father for her baby. And I pray for you to give NO the grace and strength she needs, Lord, and the wisdom to know how to follow your lead. The complexities of man’s sin is certainly not new to you, Lord, and the ability to make something good and glorious of the messes we create is not new to you either. And we know that in accordance with your promise in Isaiah 55, you will turn this situation into something for the everlasting renown of Jesus Christ, and that MNO and her family will go forth in peace and joy! We love you and look forward to seeing your will manifested in this marriage and family for your glory. And I ask all this in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! Amen.

Response by Sasha on July 24th, 2007 at 7:20 am
MNO, I praise God for his faithfulness. I see again and again what trusting God can do. God is orchestrating everything. Thank you for being an example and allowing God to be glorified in your life. I agree with you in prayer for SNO and declare victory over the situation. If God is for you who can be against you. Sasha

Response by Lisa on July 24th, 2007 at 9:49 am
God is so faithful and I just praise him for moving in a most high way in your situation and circumstance. You are truly blessed to have such strength and peace in the Lord! I am praying for you and your wayward spouse and I pray that He brings His will about speedily and works everything for the good as He states He will in the word! God bless you, Lisa

Response by Thursa on July 24th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Thank you for sharing, MNO! It is hard to see the roads our spouses choose to travel! But the wonderful thing is to know that God has given you a promise of complete marriage restoration and He will go after the one lost sheep and bring him home! So keep your eyes steadfast on our wonderful God and keep praising Him as you have! He will continue to bless you. Your son and your entire family our in my thoughts and prayers today!

Response by Christy on July 24th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
MNO, I am sure it is very hard to see the man you love hurting that way. But, like Linda said, the Bible said this would happen. God’s word would ring true eventually. It’s bittersweet, isn’t it? In one way, you are glad God’s promises are kept and I’m sure you are glad to have proof once again that His word is true. But you also don’t want SNO hurting – or anyone for that matter. Don’t worry though. God will take care of SNO. He will return safely to you soon. I agree with Linda that it sure looks as though a swift resolution is required. Just a little while longer… hang in there. I will be praying for SNO and for the Lord to be speaking to him about going home!

The sermon at church yesterday morning was “When Obeying God Seems Dumb.” My minister’s main point was that doing what God wants is not always easy, but it is certainly best, and his sermon was based on two stories; that of Abraham willing to sacrifice Isaac and the story of Eric Liddell’s historical Olympic experience.

If you’ve seen the movie Chariots of Fire, you may have been thrilled by Eric Liddell’s stand for principle, which clearly jeopardized his chance to win an Olympic Gold Medal, because the 100 meters was his best race. But he dropped out of that event, rather than run on Sunday. He had a strong spiritual conviction that he shouldn’t run on Sundays, so instead of doing that, he spoke in a Paris church on the day he would have run, using Isaiah 40:31 as the basis for his message, which says But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint

So the starting guns popped in the stadium without him on that particular Sunday. Nevertheless, Eric captured an unexpected bronze in the 200-meter and worked his way through the qualifying heats for the 400-meter. But his trial times were not spectacular, and it did not seem he could beat the other fine contenders. Defeat or victory, however, he would accept it. He had told the crowds who came to hear him speak that he did not ever question what God chose to do. “I don’t need explanations from God. I simply believe him and accept whatever comes my way.” The gun cracked. Eric was out of his crouch and running, head tilted back, arms flailing. And if that had been a sprint, he could not have flown faster, and when the finish tape drew taut across his chest, he was five meters ahead of his nearest rival. Eric had won the gold in a record 47.6 seconds!

Then in Genesis 22, we are told that Abraham was asked to give his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Obviously that’s a considerably tougher decision to make than the decision Eric Liddell made not to run on Sunday. However, I think when we get down to the basics, honoring and obeying God is what it’s all about. And Abraham certainly obeyed God with a seemingly infinite amount of faith and trust. The scripture says that he told his servants to stay with the donkeys; that he and his boy would go a little farther. He said WE will worship there, and then WE will come right back. He didn’t say I, but we. This shows us that Abraham had a history with God, and he was expecting the same faithfulness from God that he had always received. And when Isaac asked where the sheep was, Abraham responded by telling him that God would provide. Again, Abraham showed his faith in God by knowing that God would work it out. Of course, we know that God intervened at just the right time, and when He called Abraham’s name as he was about to sacrifice his son, he once again simply said ”Here I am.” And the rest of the verses tell us that Abraham was rewarded “because he obeyed.”

I can not imagine having to endure a test of faith like Abraham endured. I can’t even imagine having to injure my child, let alone having to kill him. And I wonder if my conviction about the Sabbath would be as strong as Eric Liddell’s. As we ponder these two situations, lets go to the Lord, because we have scripture after scripture proving that God supports our stand for marriage restoration. And we have just as much scripture, if not more, promising that God will answer our prayers. As we have discussed before, most of us have no reservations that God will indeed restore our marriages. So the question is whether or not we will obey Him as we wait for Him to change us and the hearts of our spouses. Will we resist the temptations the enemy uses to get us to give up? Do we have the faith and trust that Eric Liddell had when he said “I don’t need explanations from God. I simply believe him and accept whatever comes my way.”? Can we approach the task God lays before us with the assurance that Abraham had when he told his servants that he and Isaac would both come back? Will God someday be able to say to us:
“This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants[a] beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”? (Genesis 22:16-18 – NLT)

May we be obedient to our Father as we wait upon Him and may we know that He provides everything we need as we wait. Blessings!

Genesis 22 (NLT)
1 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.
“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about.
4 On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”
6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together,
7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.
10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.
11 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”
12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.
14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
15 Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven.
16 “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that
17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants[a] beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies.
18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”