The following praise report and word of encouragement was posted last night by one of our FAM members in the private section of our website. Since I knew it would be a word of encouragement to so many others, I requested Mindy’s permission to reprint it here for all of the visitors to the site, which I thank her for allowing me to do. So please be blessed and encouraged!

“Ladies, my hubby came over on Fathers Day and the kids gave him his gift, which was a Bible, and he was not upset that they bought him a bible; that is the best gift of all. He has been coming to the house a lot, almost every day, and spent the night again Friday night. So I took one of his shirts that needed washing, and hid it under my other dirty clothes, because I wanted to wash it and hang it up in our closet. I was thinking it would be a symbol that he’s coming home. I have to admit to hiding it because I was afraid he’d take it back to his apartment if he saw it. Well he certainly surprised me! On Saturday and
Sunday he did all of the family’s laundry, including the shirt I tried to bury down deep in the hamper. And after he washed the shirt, HE hung it up in our closet! And he even made a comment about the closet being full after he hung up his shirt! So, with more than just a little coaxing from Linda, I took my clothes out of his side and now it is ready for him to come home! I’m still working on his dresser as I like using his space, but will move my stuff out so he has his dresser back too!

Another praise report is that he watched the kids Saturday so I could attend a breakfast and study with Marilyn Hickey. How cool is that! Praise the Lord! He is still in the restoration business, and moves if we just get out of the way and focus on Him and trust Him. Remember ladies, IT IS A FIXED FIGHT AND GOD ALWAYS WINS!!! One other thing, do not look at your situation/circumstance; that is A LYE. You must start thinking like Jesus and see things as he does. As a man thinks in his heart, so he is. For real! See it done and expect it. Give thanks. Stay in prayer and always expect and watch. Ladies, watch! The father saw his son coming down the road from a far way off, because he was looking for his prodigal son to come home. And Elijah prayed 7 days for rain; always watching, expecting and believing. We must have a vision, and in that vision see it done and hold on! God is not a man to lie. Who’s report will you believe? Ladies, in the name of Jesus, WAKE UP; Jesus died for us to have life more abundantly. Get up; speak it into being; CLAIM IT DONE! STOMP AROUND; SHOUT OUT: SMILE! LAUGH; IT IS DONE! All we have to do is wait and pray and be obedient. STOP FALLING INTO THE ENEMIES HANDS OF TEMPTATION. He will send you A DECOY. A FAKE; A CUBIC ZIRCONIA. Sorry, I’m not a good speller, but you get my point. I can speak about that, because that’s what the devil sent to me; a good looking guy who sent me roses. And one of the dozen was a fake, with a note that said “Your beauty will never fade.” WOW, HOW ROMANTIC; I always prayed for flowers and to be treated romantically. Do you think the devil did not know that? Well, the guy was a FAKE too. He said he’d lost EVERYTHING, including his family, but he ended up being a stalker and MOVED 6 BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE FROM OUT OF STATE. That definitely got my attention, and God scared me straight real quick! Praise the Lord I passed that test and dropped him, and begged God to forgive me and protect me. As Linda says, I ate Humble pie and asked my husband for forgiveness. If anyone hears me, WAKE UP; stop saying bad and condemning words. Stop looking for bad. ALL OF YOU ARE TO STAND. You know well what the Lord called you too do. So it’s probably not a bad sign if you’re a little confused, because we know who sends confusion, which means he must be running scared. I know some of you have been standing a good while, BUT DO NOT LOOK AT THE TIME. God will bring you so much more. I really believe the ones with longer waits get a special reward. Who is God; a little man who has no power? Heck no; he created you and me and the earth. HE BRINGS YOU FLOWERS EVERY MORNING, AND SUNSHINE AND FEEDS AND CLOTHES YOU. The best is that he gave His FIRST BORN to save you, and bring you back to him, away from that slithering beast. He restored your health, AND YOUR MARRIAGE. He is sitting up there saying “What is wrong with them? It is done.” SO HE GAVE ME THIS WORD, “TELL THEM IT IS DONE AND TO PRAISE ME.” GET READY; THINK AND BELIEVE; GET UP. WAKE UP. IT IS DONE. SHAKE THE EARTH. DANCE LIKE THEY DID AROUND JERICHO. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS POWER AND WILL BLOW YOUR MIND; BEAUTY FOR ASHES. NOTHING IS HARD FOR ME. NOTHING. NOTHING.” That was from Him and I know it. Love to all of you, in Jesus’ name. Standing on GOD’S promises, and spreading His word all over the nations! Watch out devil! God is bringing up a new people!
Love in Christ, Mindy
May this encourage all standers!”

GOD IS ALWAYS SO FAITHFUL TO CONFIRM HIS WORD! So, why would I be at all surprised to find the following prophecy from Marsha Burns today AFTER posting Mindy’s praise report! You can read Small Straws In A Soft Wind at this link, or you can sign up to receive it by email. PLEASE BE ENCOURAGED AND BELIEVE, EXPECT AND WATCH! GOD IS WORKING!

June 20, 2006: Don’t, for one minute, think that your faithfulness goes unnoticed
or unrewarded. For, certainly, I value your faith and faithfulness above all things.
When you truly believe Me and trust in Me, I answer speedily. Purify your heart,
beloved, and make a clean sweep to destroy and wipe out all fear, doubt and unbelief.
Be decisive and deliberate in pinning your faith and hopes on Me, says the Lord,
for I am trustworthy.
Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should
repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it
good?”

One of the most important principles of marriage restoration is also one of the most difficult to practice, because it’s covering up our husbands’ nakedness. Since this is a concept not often explained or emphasized enough when we stand for marriage restoration, we need a better understanding of exactly what it is and how to do it. And the bible gives us an excellent illustration of this important and powerful principle in Genesis 9:21-27, which says:
1 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,
25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”
26 He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
27 May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.”
Wow! This is a very powerful passage of scripture, because it reveals a lot to us about ourselves…if we’re really honest about it. First, almost without exception, most of us would have done exactly what Ham did when he found Noah drunk and naked in his tent. That’s just human nature, which seems harmless enough since we’re not telling a lie or trying to spread gossip. In fact, we often feel so concerned about things that we NEED to tell others so they can agree with us in prayer about it. Okay, now I’m being just a little sarcastic, but you KNOW that’s what we think and say so many times when we “share” what’s going on in our husbands’ lives with others. And when we do that, we’re uncovering his nakedness and doing harm to him by damaging his reputation and stature in the eyes of the very people we will one day expect to receive him in their midst when the Lord works to restore our marriages. And they’ll NEVER be able to forget every wicked and evil word we’ve ever spoken against them, so we need to remember that the next time we’re so tempted to “share” or uncover and expose our husbands’ sin and nakedness! And remember what Psalm 32:1 tells us, which is Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. and, in addition to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 telling us that love keeps NO record of wrong and ALWAYS protects (ouch!), 1 Peter 4:8 tells us Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

So, when we state that we love our husbands, and fail to “cover” their sin by exposing every gory detail to anyone who will listen, we’re UNCOVERING their nakedness when we should be covering it, and we’re NOT demonstrating love in accordance with what the Bible teaches. Not only does covering their nakedness mean we don’t share the details of what our husbands are doing with others (this may exclude ONE or possibly two confidants we rely on for spiritual guidance and counsel, preferably someone who does not know them)), but it also means not pointing out and reminding our husbands of their sin either. And that might be the greater challenge, because we can’t help wanting to point out their sin; telling them how much they’re hurting themselves and us, and the one thing most of the women I talk to absolutely can NOT resist is pointing out how they’re hurting their children. And they don’t see anything wrong with that! Yet, instead of doing that, we all need to be covering our husbands’ sin and nakedness with prayer and the blood of Christ, with absolute faith and confidence that the Lord will deal with it in accordance with the awesome promises we have in His word, which He promises will not return void and which WILL accomplish that for which it was sent!

Sadly, the MOST grievous failure to cover our husbands’ nakedness occurs when we allow our children to hear about everything going on in our husbands’ lives (usually by overhearing phone conversations), and not doing everything we can to protect and shield them from the adult issues they can’t possibly understand. Some women actually seem to express a sense of vindication and justification when they tell me how angry and upset their children are with their father, and all I want to do is scream! Seeds sown in children’s hearts against their dads at this time will be something they reap for the rest of their lives and it breaks my heart that hurt, bitter and angry women can’t see that, or how destructive it is. So to whatever extent humanly possible, we MUST cover our husbands’ nakedness before their children, because if we don’t, they will be the ones bearing the brunt of our failures, just as it was Ham’s son who bore his. And when we cover our husbands’ sin and nakedness and do our best to guard and protect the precious relationship our children have with their fathers, the Lord will bless us just as Noah did his other sons, Shem and Japheth, who refused to look upon his nakedness and covered it up so no one else could see it either.

The following verses demonstrate how important covering up our sin and nakedness is in the eyes of God:

Psalm 85:2
You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. Selah

Hosea 2:9
“Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens, and my new wine when it is ready. I will take back my wool and my linen, intended to cover her nakedness.

Revelation 3:18
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

I know this is an area of marriage restoration where every one of us can stand improvement, so let’s pray for the Lord to reveal to us where we’re failing and to show us ways to cover up our husbands’ nakedness in the future. And just think of the powerful blessing of grace and redemption our husbands will experience when they do return and find out that no one knows the true nature and extent of their sinful behavior, especially their children! And another VERY important principle at work when we’re more careful about the words we speak concerning our husbands is found in Proverbs 18:21 (AMP), which says Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. So let’s start practicing the very important marriage restoration principle of covering up our husbands’ nakedness and speaking goodness, righteousness, healing and life into their lives and ours!

Father, on this very special day when we celebrate and give thanks for earthly fathers, we come before You and ask for a mighty move of your Holy Spirit in their hearts, minds and spirits. Lord, may they understand, realize and respond appropriately in accordance to the very significant role they play in the lives of their children. Father, may they know and understand that what they do and don’t do today has consequences in the lives of their children not only today, but for the days and years to come, even unto the third and fourth generation. Show them how to speak and manifest blessings, and not curses, into the hearts, minds and lives of their children, Lord. Give them strength, courage and wisdom. Draw them into a closer relationship with You, Father. Help them learn to be the kind of men and fathers you created them to be. Teach them to love their wives in a way that brings glory and honor to your holy name, Lord, and peace and security to the hearts and minds of their children. Continually renew their minds and give them an unquenchable thirst and hunger for You and the meat of your word. And lead them to walk in the light of YOUR ways, and may their hearts and minds ALWAYS seek after you.

Father, for our husbands who have been led astray by the wicked traps and snares of the devil, we beseech You to remove the blinders from their eyes TODAY! Lord, we KNOW You came to set the captives free, so we ask you to set our captive husbands free TODAY! And deliver them from the evil that has taken hold of them TODAY! May the supernatural, awesome power of your Holy Spirit move and be manifested in their hearts, minds and lives TODAY! Please send forth your Holy Spirit to bring conviction concerning the sin in their lives TODAY! And may the cleansing and renewing power of your righteous and unconditional love wash over them TODAY! May the wonder of your mercy and grace fill their hearts TODAY! Put in them clean hearts, replacing stony hearts with hearts of flesh, TODAY! And through the power of the Holy Spirit, direct their paths, and turn their hearts, back to their wives and children TODAY!

To that end, by the power of your Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus, and in the authority of your glorious name, we loose every husband from the yokes and bondage of the sin and strongholds that have kept them captive to the will and purpose of Satan, which we know is to kill, steal and destroy them.. In your Holy name, Jesus, we declare that OUR HUSBANDS WILL NOT DIE, BUT THEY WILL LIVE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD! We bind them to the power and love of your Holy Spirit. We bind wisdom, understanding and truth to their hearts and minds. We bind them to the glory of your name and we cover them in the power of your cleansing, life-giving blood! We speak righteousness, purity, holiness and the power and perfection of YOUR purpose into their lives! And we thank You now, Lord Jesus, that they ARE the men of God You created them to be. We thank You that the word of their testimony will be used to overcome and defeat every wicked plan and work of the devil! We thank You that the word of their testimony is that of men who love and honor their wives! We thank You that the word of their testimony is that of fathers who love, nurture, protect, provide for, and lead their children into spiritual understanding and the saving knowledge of You! We thank You now that they are the spiritual heads of their households, as you always intended! We thank You for your word that promised us the keys of the kingdom of heaven and that you give us authority so that whatever we bind here on earth IS bound in heaven, and whatever we loose here on earth IS loosed in heaven. And, oh precious Lord and Savior, we thank You for your absolute promise that the gates of hell will Not prevail against us, our husbands or our marriages! And we thank You for your promise that NO wisdom, NO insight, and NO plan will succeed against You!

We love You, Lord Jesus, and we ask You to make us the wives and mothers you created us to be. Let our lives so shine before others, especially our husbands and children, that they might see You in us and be drawn into your saving knowledge. Let everything we do be for your purpose and for your glory. Keep us grounded in your love and true to your word. Let us always be worthy and yielded vessels for the furtherance of your kingdom, and always an instrument for your praise, honor and glory!

All these things we ask and give thanks in advance for, in the omnipotent, righteous and holy name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! AMEN!

Pride was not the topic I had on my mind today, but I’m posting this because I feel there must be something very serious going on in the spiritual realm concerning pride, because I don’t believe in coincidences in our lives as Christians. So I encourage everyone standing for marriage restoration to be VERY careful to avoid allowing your pride to steal ALL that the Lord wants to give you. And be not deceived, EVERYTHING can be snatched away in just one moment of pride, which I can testify to personally, as I’m sure most of us could. Please keep Proverbs 16:18 in mind, which warns Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. And remember and be encouraged by Proverbs 29:23, which says A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

I received the following from one of the FAM members last night, even though she’s been trying to get it to me for several days and had several strange occurrences prevent it, but the author is unfortunately unknown.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny….because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment….because you ” deserve better than this”.
I cheat you of knowledge….because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing….because you’re too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness….because you refuse to admit when you’re wrong.
I cheat you of vision….because you’d rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship….because nobody’s going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love….because real romance demands a sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven….because you refuse to wash another’s feet on
earth.
I cheat you of God’s glory….because I convince you to seek your own.
My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
You like me because you think I’m always looking out for you.
Untrue….I’m looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don’t worry. . .
If you stick with me….You’ll never know.

Ladies, these words are powerful, but even more importantly, they are powerful because they are the truth, so PLEASE take heed! And don’t forget, many times our pride manifests itself in the form of defense mechanisms, such as the “walls” we put up to protect our feelings, so make a conscious effort not to fall prey to them.

Confirmation that there are battles in the spiritual realm today came in the form of Marsha Burn’s prophecy today in Small Straws In A Soft Wind,, which says:
June 16, 2006: Watch for opportunities to make adjustments that will change your
perspective and strengthen you spiritually. These adjustments will take in a wide
range of thought patterns and emotional reactions. I am dealing with pride on every
level of life and am revealing places that require humility, says the Lord. Yield
quickly to the pressure to make these changes, for certainly stubbornness will only
postpone the inevitable.
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves,
and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

You can subscribe to receive Small Straws by email at the above link to the Faith Tabernacle website.

Father, please keep our hearts, minds and spirits stayed on You today so we will not fall prey to that wicked tool Satan uses to kill, steal and destroy us and our marriages, called pride. Let us be reminded of the love, humility and meekness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that we might imitate and follow His example. Give us a humble spirit today that we might exalt You and be lifted up in Your name, power and grace. And by Your grace, Lord, keep us from falling into any trap the devil might set before us in his efforts to lead us into temptation and destruction. Thank You, Lord, for Your promise that no weapon fashioned against us and our husbands will prosper and that the gates of hell WILL NOT prevail against us. Thank You, Lord, for Your AWESOME promise that no wisdom, no insight and no plan can succeed against You! And thank You, Lord, that we WILL take EVERY thought captive, making them all obedient to Christ, defeating and demolishing every wicked thing, every argument and every pretension that would set itself above the knowledge of You, our awesome God! We love You and we give You ALL praise, honor and glory! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

As women standing for marriage restoration, it is So important for us to understand that our attitudes will either make our situations better or worse, and that we’re NEVER going to have more than we’re willing to settle for. That’s something I learned very early in my life as someone growing up with a visual disability, which I’m sure has helped me in many ways as I’ve stood for my marriage in obedience to the Lord. Sadly, I’ve observed something in women standing for marriage restoration that I also noticed in many people with a disability, and that’s how they allow their marital problems or their disability to become their identity. As Proverbs 23:7 says, as we think in our hearts, so are we. What a waste of precious life and time! And what a waste of human potential and God’s glory! Allowing our lives to be defined, controlled and limited by our disabilities or the fact that our spouses have left us gives ABSOLUTELY NO GLORY to God, and I honestly believe those who don’t overcome the natural tendency to do that will Never experience marriage restoration.

Most people who know me tend to be impressed with all I manage to do, even though I don’t really do anything more than anyone else. The only reason they’re impressed is because they can’t imagine being able to do it if THEY couldn’t see. Yet, in Mark 9:23, Jesus said ” ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” In fact, I have no doubt that’s what drew my husband to me when I went to work for him. So I quite often remind people that everything works very well, except my eyes, and as women standing for marriage restoration, we need to adopt that same attitude. Just because our marriages are dysfunctional at the moment, we don’t have to allow the other areas of our lives to be dysfunctional as well. This is especially important when children are still in the home. It breaks my heart to see how much the children suffer as the result of their parents’ inability to deal with their problems in a way that protects them. Not only do they lose their father in many cases, but their mothers become so dysfunctional that they lose them too, because they’re not there for them emotionally. They’re so often too wrapped up in their own pain and disappointment, anger and bitterness, and feelings of hopelessness and despair to even recognize, much less meet, their children’s needs. So the kids become emotional orphans at a time when they actually need more from their moms than ever before. Instead of taking advantage of the extra time available while their husbands are out of the home to pay more attention to their children, to focus more on the nurturing they need at this stressful time in THEIR young and very impressionable lives, too many women are spending most of their time on the telephone talking about their marital woes. And even worse, in the presence of their children! I know these are harsh, and may even seem to be unkind words, but if we’re honest, we have to admit they’re true. And if we want to see what the awful consequences are in the lives of our children, we just have to look at these statistics.

Just as I had a choice to make about how I was going to allow my disability to limit, restrict or impair my life, I had the same choice to make again when my husband filed for divorce. I’m not going to lie and say I was not totally devastated, because I was. But there does come a time when we all have to decide if we’re going to allow those emotions to overcome us or if we’re going to overcome them. And I decided that I was a survivor, and that through the grace and strength of my Lord and Savior, I could and WOULD overcome this too. For all of us, this is a defining moment in our lives, especially in our lives as Christians. This is when, and where, the rubber meets the road. It’s time to decide whether or not we REALLY believe EVERYTHING we read in the Bible, or if we just give those powerful, life giving words meaningless lip service. We’ve all heard that we’re not supposed to be hearers of the word only, but we’re to be DOERS of the word as well, and I really like the straight forward way that’s put in James 1:22 (NIV), which says Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. It doesn’t get much simpler than that, and that’s the key to deciding and determining what we’re willing to settle for as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. The following verses are just a few that we need to study backwards and forwards. We need to read them over and over again until we KNOW them, until they are so ingrained into our hearts, minds and spirits, that NOTHING can take them away from us, as well as the peace and confidence they provide when we REALLY believe them.

Deuteronomy 32:9-11
For the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.

Isaiah 54:17
“See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.

Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Psalm 37:5-9
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Proverbs 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Isaiah 58:8
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

There are SO many encouraging and awesome promises and assurances in the Bible, which is why it is SO important for us to continually read and study God’s word, especially since Romans 10:17 tells us Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. And studying and knowing what the Bible says is the only way we’ll be able to do as instructed in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, which says The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

So let’s not give Satan another day of glory by allowing the sin he has used to trap our husbands define who we are. Let’s do whatever it takes to understand and realize our identity in Christ, and learn to look at this time of trial in our lives as the verification of the awesome promise in Romans 8:17, which says Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Now that’s an identity worth settling for!

I wish and pray with all of my heart the Lord would show me how to help everyone standing for marriage restoration understand how VITALLY important it is to TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE AND MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST! With more time and experience in marriage restoration ministry, I understand that even more myself, and that’s why I know how important it is to help others understand it as well. Anyone who has visited the site much at all knows how greatly my life was impacted one day when I read the following verses from Revelation 12, even though I had read them at least several times before; because they say:
9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 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.
11 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.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

It was totally mind boggling to me that the Lord would equate the word of our testimony with the blood of Christ, especially in terms of its ability to defeat and overcome the works of the devil! I feel like I could write a book about this topic, and maybe some day I will, because there is SO much contained in these verses! Obviously, our testimony is VERY important, and since it has the power and authority of Christ to overcome Satan, don’t you know he’s going to do his wicked best to destroy our testimony? Don’t you know he’s going to use his evil power to stop us from speaking words (the WORD of our testimony) that give glory to our Lord and Savior? So when WE ALLOW HIM to convince us to TALK about, focus on, or react to our situations and disappointments instead of relying on the AWESOME, omnipotent power of God, our Father who loves us so much that He sent His beloved Son, Jesus, to die a horrible death on the cross for us so we’d have access to the SAME power that raised Him from the dead,, WE accomplish his purpose. And when we’re standing for the miracle of marriage restoration, WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO DO THE DEVIL’S WORK INSTEAD OF BEING A VVESSEL FOR THE LORD’S WORK AND GLORY!

The following passages of scripture show us VERY clearly that we are fighting a spiritual battle AND how to claim the victory Jesus died to give us, so I urge everyone to read them and meditate on them. Ask the Lord to help you understand them and to show you how to apply them in your lives and situations:

Ephesians 69
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

2 Corinthians 10
2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
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.

Yes, our situations are facts that can’t be denied in the earthly realm, but they are also arguments and pretensions setting themselves up against the knowledge of God, and we MUST DEMOLISH them, which we do ONLY by taking EVERY thought captive and MAKING them OBEDIENT to Christ, who is the WORD of God, and in whom ALL things are made and exist, as the following verses from John 1 reveal:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

I was SO impressed with something one of the FAM members posted on the private section of our site in the wee hours of this morning that I’ve asked her permission to share it with everyone, because I know this is a VERY important and timely message for everyone standing for marriage restoration! Thank you so much, Jennifer, for your inspiration, encouragement and obedience to the Lord! Here’s Jennifer’s post:

Hey ladies, it is kinda late here but as I was studying my bible tonight the Holy Spirit quickened me to write what the Lord showed me about the seasons of life, and that he works in seasons. I actually began studying in the book of Proverbs, but then I had looked up a reference scripture and I began to read in the book of Ecclesiastes and I came upon chapter 3 and couldn’t stop reading, and the Lord just began to speak to me as I was reading about the seasons and how there is a season for everything. I then heard him tell me to post this on the site and so here I am. I know it gets very tiring in the stand as time gets to be very long, but I want to encourage you that there is a different season coming your way and that this too shall pass. I will share with you what the Lord was speaking to me as I read this chapter of Ecclesiastes as I share the verses with you.

1.) To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2.) A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3.) A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4.) A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;
5.) A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6.) A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7.) A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8.) A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

I’ll stop here for a minute and share something that came to me; first of all this is a season in your life it will not last forever, though it may seem that way. As I was thinking today how great it looks for some of the restorations and couldn’t understand why my marriage has not come as far as some of the other standers have, one thing that actually just came to me was, all of us are definitely in a season, but we are not all in the same season. Where it may be winter for one it may be summer for the other, when it is daylight time here, it is dark somewhere else in the world, so one thing I have learned tonight is we can’t compare our restoration times with others.

9.) What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
10.) I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11.) He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Let’s stop right there for a minute. He hath made everything beautiful in HIS TIME. Right there is where we all fall short in our wait sometimes, I am guilty as well, we want everything to happen in our time, but it will not be in our time only in God’s time, but I want you to see something here. It says, HE hath made EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL. That must mean that no matter what the Lord does in your life, if you are his child it will be BEAUTIFUL. Then it says that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. So I guess this means that God is working and we know we are somewhere between the beginning and the end. And we know God is working because all things must come to an end; there is a beginning of all things and an end to all things. We must not try and figure out everything that God is doing in our spouse and our restoration, because according to his word here we won’t succeed in figuring everything out. Ladies this word tonight is not only for some of you, but for me as well, because I have been bad about these things, but the lord told me to share these things with you all too, and I am just being obedient to him. But it does feel good to know that we have an Awesome God who took the keys of death, hell, and the grave from Satan, and he is in charge of our lives and our spouse’s lives as well.

12.) I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13.) And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
14.) I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it that men should fear before him.
15.) That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

We are going to enjoy the good of our labor, if we persevere, because it says to enjoy it. It is the gift of God; he wants us to enjoy our lives. in verse 14, whatever God doeth it shall be forever. Therefore if God restores our marriage it shall be forever, nothing can be added to it nor taken from it, so just trust the ‘lord and he will do it and it will be a forever thing, not just temporary. Where if we manipulated our husbands back it would more than likely be a temporary thing, but if we totally give God the control over our spouse and our restoration we will never have to worry about being in these circumstances again, because what he does, it is forever. Verse 15, that which has been is now; don’t look back, because that which is to be has already been and you can’t change that, so forgive yourself and everyone involved and look forward. And God requireth that which is past, this is what we need to seek God for if he required it, then it had to happen and I believe that everything happens for a reason. We need to seek his face and find out what the reason is on our part; there is something in it for us as well as our prodigal spouses.

I just encourage all you ladies to just trust that your season will change soon, but in God’s timing and that’s what we want because he is perfect and don’t get to discouraged or impatient, because just remember, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. I think it’s worth it, how about you? Jennifer in KY

Standing for marriage restoration, NO MATTER WHAT WE HEAR AND NO MATTER WHAT WE SEE, is NOT possible without KNOWING that Satan is a liar and the word of God is truth! If we stand on ANY other foundation than that, we are just like the foolish man who built his house on sand, and in Matthew 7:26-27, Jesus warned 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.” If we know what God’s word says and don’t walk (and talk) in accordance with it, or if we won’t put ALL of our hope and confidence in it, we too will see our dreams for marriage restoration come down with a mighty crash. But if we refuse to believe the lies of the devil, who ALWAYS does his UTMOST to convince us that God is the liar and that the restoration of our marriage is not going to happen; if we rely on GOD to do the seemingly impossible, we will be like the wise man who built his house on the solid rock, and in Matthew 7:24-25, Jesus promised “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. Jesus is THE ROCK, so when we believe His word and put our trust in it, walking and TALKING in accordance with it, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US, INCLUDING THE RESTORATION OF THE MOST HOPELESS MARRIAGES!

And when we’re discouraged and feel like the trials are too great to endure, we can read Hebrews 12, because it’s so applicable when we’re standing for marriage restoration. God’s word CANNOT BE SHAKEN! We MUST remember that, and when we take a stand for the restoration of our marriages, we do it in OBEDIENCE to God, whose will does not change with time or circumstances, so neither should ours. Many times God creates or allows trials and circumstances to test our commitment, faith and obedience. So when our circumstances tell us ANYTHING contrary to the word of God, we MUST say out loud “Satan, you are a liar and the word of God is truth!” JUST DON’T GIVE UP!

Just about the only thing we have control of in our current circumstances is our minds, so let’s make up our minds to stand on the word of God, NO MATTER WHAT!

I hope you will be as encouraged as I was by yesterday’s phrophecies from Bill and Marsha Burns, which you can subscribe to here, and which so amazingly seem to coincide with the events in my own life, as they all have for the last week or so. What a blessing they are, so let’s take heed to the anointed words they speak as we stand in obedience to the call God has placed in our hearts and on our lives.

Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin
The Trumpet by Bill Burns
June 12, 2006: The revival of this day has begun. I have looked down from glory and do speak forth in purity, and My love does saturate My people. I have watched over you these years. I have seen the trouble and the attacks against you. I have seen all that Satan has tried to bring to you that would promote destruction in your life. Yet, you have stood against him, and you are standing against him with a willing heart and a refusal to move away from what I have called you to. You have found favor in My heart, says the Lord, and I will pour out of My Spirit. The prayer that you have prayed, let it be done on earth as it is in heaven, shall indeed take place. You will witness this with your own eyes, for the greatest of all revivals in the history of mankind is beginning. Step out. Believe with all of your heart, and allow this word to cause your heart to tremble as you say, “Lord God, let it be unto me according to Your word.” Set yourself to be found within the constraint of this revival, and let your mind so think upon Me, and let your spirit so run after Me that I am caught by you. Let My glory be revealed among you, My people. It is written that My Word never returns unto Me void, says the Lord. Let the revival begin in the hearts of My people!
Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
June 12, 2006: I am releasing you! You are being released from every bondage and everything that has held you in the past. That release is coming to you now. I am breaking soul ties and everything that has kept you from moving forward right now … right now … right now, says the Lord. I am releasing you NOW, 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.

Dr. Charles Stanley’s TV broadcast yesterday morning provided an excellent explanation of the difference between conviction and condemnation, which is something I’ve been meaning to write about, because a VERY important step in our stand for marriage restoration is examining our own faults instead of spending so much time focusing on everything our husbands have done (or do) wrong. This can be a major hurdle for women whose husbands have left them, especially when adultery is involved, and many times when we are finally able to do it, the challenge then becomes to understand the difference between conviction and condemnation. I usually explain it this way. Conviction is something the Lord brings to lead us to repentance and change, and condemnation is something Satan uses to deceive, discourage and destroy us. So I often remind women that we examine our behavior to learn a better way to do it the next time; that our goal is conviction that leads to repentance and change, and not condemnation for Satan to use against us.

For many of us, there’s a great deal of pain, and even grief, associated with finally understanding and acknowledging the harm we did to our husbands and our marriages, but we must not allow that to become strongholds of guilt, shame or condemnation. It also often answers the questions a lot of women have, which is “Why?…What happened?” So we can use conviction concerning our mistakes, and the resulting repentance and changes, as well as a better understanding of what went wrong, to help us learn from our mistakes, which we can then use to help other women avoid making the same mistakes.

John 10:10 really spells out the difference between condemnation and conviction, because it says The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. The life that Jesus came to give us comes through the conviction of our sins and repentance, which leads to changes in us that bring forth fruit for the Lord’s glory. It’s very often the changes made as the result of conviction that tend to draw husbands back to their wives, resulting in marriage restoration, and that certainly glorifies the Lord! The following verses further illustrate the difference between condemnation and conviction:

Romans 5:16
Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

Romans 5:18
Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

Romans 8:1-2
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8 gives us a better understanding of how we can live without condemnation through the spirit, which enables us to overcome our sin nature. And the following verses teach us more about the purpose, necessity and results of conviction leading to repentance:

Acts 5:31
God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

Romans 2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

Matthew 3:8
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Timothy 2:24-26
And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10
yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

Acts 26:20
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

The condemnation of mankind began with Satan’s deception in the garden, which doomed us to spiritual death and eternity in hell, but by the grace and love of our Lord and Savior, we can respond to the conviction of our sins by repenting and be saved from spiritual death. However, once we’re born again Christians, failure to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, by refusing to repent and change, keeps the Lord from blessing and protecting us, and could even put us in danger of physical death. God is VERY patient with us, but He will NOT allow us to bring shame or disgrace to the name of Jesus, as we see in the following verses, which were addressed to born again believers and followers of Jesus:

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Hebrews 6:4-8
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

So when the Lord brings conviction through the power of the Holy spirit, it is very important for us to respond to that conviction by repenting and changing our ways, or as Jesus told the woman caught in adultery in John 8:11, …go and sin no more. Of course, it’s not always that easy to change, but Romans 8 assures us that we CAN, because as Philippians 4:13 tells us, we can do ALL things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us! And when Satan tries to destroy us through a sense of guilt, shame or condemnation, designed to keep us from repentance and the changes needed in us for the glory of the Lord, We need to reject it and tell him out loud that we have NO CONDEMNATION BECAUSE WE’RE IN CHRIST JESUS! And we see in John 15:5 why that’s so important, because it says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. So, instead of allowing our mistakes to bury us in guilt, shame or condemnation, we need to praise and glorify the Lord for the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and the fruit and blessings it will produce in our lives.

Here’s a link to Charles Stanley’s message, Conviction vs Condemnation, from Sunday, June 11, 2006.

While standing for marriage restoration, there are times when we really don’t know what to do or which way to go. And there might even be times when we wonder where the Lord is and if He IS working on our behalf; especially when everything around us tells us nothing is happening or even worse, that our worst fears are coming to pass. In such times, we absolutely MUST remember what Psalm 46:10 tells us, which is “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” So no matter what Satan tries to tell us, God is still very high in His heavens, and as Nehemiah 9:6 declares You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. And it’s vitally important that we keep our focus on that and remember the awesome promise in Psalm 108:4, which says For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. God will NEVER let us down! Deuteronomy 31:8 assures us of that, because it says The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

From the very beginning of time, Satan’s ploy has been to convince us that we can’t trust god; that we can’t take Him at His word, but if we fall for that lie straight from the pit of Hell, we will fall just like Adam and Eve did. We have to believe the Lord NO MATTER WHAT. We have to trust Him, NO MATTER WHAT. And we have to remember Hebrews 11:6, which says And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. And according to Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV), Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So if we can see it and have reason to believe it, then it’s not by faith, and when we read Hebrews 11, we see that many of the most amazing miracles in the Bible were accomplished BY FAITH!

So even when everything around us tells us otherwise, we have to remember and rely on Numbers 23:19, which says God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? So the bottom line is that we have to make a decision whether or not we really believe God. And even when it looks like He is NOT answering our prayers, we have to trust and believe Him anyway; we have to be TOTALLY grounded in the awesome promise in Romans 8:28 (NKJV), which says And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. And even when we can’t see evidence or the manifestation of our prayers, we have to remember that God has a perfect time for everything and that it won’t happen until the time HE predestined, as we see in Ephesians 1:9-12, which says And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Even though we might not like it, there are times when God will do things very differently than we hope or expect, but it’s so that He will get greater praise and glory in the end. That’s why we can’t give up when things look the darkest, because there’s NO glory in that for the Lord! And we have to remember the promise in Proverbs 4:18, which is The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
So, whatever we do, we can’t ever let Satan deceive us into doubting God’s love and faithfulness, because they are everlasting and we CAN rely on them, as so well expressed in Psalm 89:1-37. And as Jesus declared in John 10:10; Satan ONLY comes to kill, steal and destroy, and Jesus came to give us abundant life.

So when you think you can’t take any more, just remember the Lord’s promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says 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. And we can’t forget the promise in Philippians 4:13, which says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

And if Satan ever tempts us to doubt God’s awesome power, we just need to read Job 38-39.

And perfectly timed again, is the following prophecy from Small Straws In A Soft Wind, by Marsha Burns, reminding us who our enemy is and how he works:
“June 8, 2006: You, My people, are being bombarded and overwhelmed with a barrage of thoughts designed to bring disorder and confusion. This is an attack of the enemy that will cause you to be scattered and ineffective. It is aimed at your mind and emotions to draw you off course. Be still. Quiet your soul and get focused again. Refuse to yield to these diversions. Be strong and stay steady, says the Lord.
Psalm 131:2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” So just be still and KNOW that He IS God!

Deciding whether or not to share my personal trial while standing for marriage restoration on the public section of the site was very difficult, but our God is an AWESOME GOD, and SO FAITHFUL to answer us when we call out to Him, as He promised in Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV) which says ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ I thought of MANY reasons why this might not be a very good idea, but in the end, I feel the Lord wants me to share my experience, and hopefully provide comfort and encouragement for others who might find themselves in a similar situation. Since the Lord’s ways and thoughts are so different than ours and so much higher than ours, as Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, we can never fully know what the Lord is doing, but when we surrender our lives to Him, He will work in us in ways we could never imagine, and probably ways we would never dream possible.

I received an email message from my husband on Monday, June 5th, in which he told me that he and his girlfriend were getting married on Saturday. That came as quite a surprise since the last court order in our divorce case ordered that our settlement and separation agreement was in full force and effect, without changing anything in it and without stating that the dissolution of marriage remained in tact. My husband and I had discussed that several times over the past year, and he occasionally mentioned that he needed to see an attorney about it, but he did not reply when I asked him Monday night if he had ever done that. I believe we are legally separated, and that the last order reversed the dissolution of our marriage, because it says he did not comply with the terms of the final judgment, which specifically stated that our mediated agreement (which called for us to proceed to a final hearing) would be in effect as long as he complied with it’s terms and that our original settlement and separation agreement would be reinstated and in “full force and effect” if he defaulted. And our original agreement specifically stated that there would not be a final hearing or divorce until he had paid a certain amount of money, which he had not paid when the court reinstated it without any modification. I have no doubt that a good legal case could be made for that opinion, but that’s irrelevant since I have God Almighty on my side, and we can’t do better than that, as Romans 8:31 tells us, What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Even though that was an interesting issue to consider, I was really more concerned about the impact it would have on the ministry. I hadn’t ever allowed myself to consider his remarriage, because I was so confident that the Lord wouldn’t let it happen…and, of course, it still hasn’t happened yet! Anyway, I had a LOT of questions. Like how strange it would feel to love a “married” man, how would this effect how I feel about the things I teach other women and on and on. Well, one thing the Lord is pretty good at is reminding me of the things I say to other women. One of His favorite things to say to me is “How can you tell other women to do that if you’re not going to do it yourself?” Nailed again! I just had a lot to work out in my mind and needed a little time. I kept telling the Lord that I know He is NOT the author of confusion, so I asked Him to help me understand and to give me some kind of clear direction. By Tuesday night I had worked my way through all of the emotions and confusion to realize that I just have to keep standing on the word and promises of God…NO MATTER WHAT I SEE AND HEAR. I started fasting Monday night and will go at least through Saturday, and until the Lord tells me to stop. And a lot of the FAM Fellowship members are praying and fasting with me. I praise the Lord for all of our members and for the blessing they all are to me, and especially for their support at this time.

When we’re troubled, we have to turn to the word for our comfort, strength and help. And one of the things I kept reminding myself was that Romans 8:28 promises that God will work this together for my good somehow and that it HAS to be for the Lord’s praise and glory in ways beyond my understanding. We know that based on 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 I started trying to understand how this could be used for the Lord’s praise, glory and purpose. Well, the answer to that is pretty obvious if He keeps the wedding from taking place. But EVEN if He doesn’t for some reason known only to Him, there HAS to be something in that for His praise and glory, even if I have a difficult time understanding what it is. And the more I thought about that, I remembered 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.

So what’s happening in my situation might be a lot more about something the Lord is trying to teach me in order to prepare me for areas of ministry I’d personally rather not have to deal with, because I’ve always felt a certain level of discomfort about standing for marriage restoration once a mate has remarried. The Lord has already started bringing conviction and new revelations to me about that too, especially through a word He gave one of the FAM members. In addition, I realize that I was elevating man’s laws above God’s law, and as long as I’m standing in faith and obedience to the Lord, and since I have not been unfaithful to my marriage, God will honor and defend the covenant we made before Him, and my husband is not released from it. God will NOT honor or recognize that marriage, which He considers adultery, as His word tells us in Matthew 19:9, which says I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” We know God takes that VERY seriously, as He told us in Malachi 2:13-16 (AMP), which says:
13 And this you do with double guilt; you cover the altar of the Lord with tears [shed by your unoffending wives, divorced by you that you might take heathen wives], and with [your own] weeping and crying out because the Lord does not regard your offering any more or accept it with favor at your hand.
14 Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows].
15 And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth.
16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covers his garment [his wife] with violence. Therefore keep a watch upon your spirit [that it may be controlled by My Spirit], that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly [with your marriage mate].

So I know that no matter what happens, it IS for HIS praise and glory, and all the Lord wants me to do is learn from the experiences He brings and allows in my life so they can be used to help others and for HIS praise and glory. When we truly yield ourselves completely for His service and purpose, there’s no telling where He will take us, but He never said it would be easy! Not by a long shot! And that’s confirmed in Luke 9:23, where Jesus said Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. In the end, God’s will is what will prevail and whatever happens in my life, if I remain submitted and grounded in my relationship with the Lord, will be for His praise and glory and for my good!

I also realized that I HAD to recognize this as an attack of the devil, meant to destroy me and the ministry the Lord has called me to, and it helped a great deal to be reminded of that. He is the father of all lies and he was trying to convince me that there was no way I could continue in this ministry, because I would no longer have the confidence I needed in God’s word. What a lie! The truth is that we can’t pick an choose which words will apply to our situations to the exclusion of others. For instance, even if the Lord doesn’t answer my prayers and stop this wedding, that doesn’t discount what Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 1:11-14 say. So, in ways we CAN’T understand, ALL of God’s word works together in our lives. And even if the wedding does take place, that doesn’t mean God won’t answer my prayers for my husband. It will just be in HIS time, and not in mine.

By the time I got up Wednesday morning, I had already made my way to many of these conclusions, so imagine how thrilled and amazed I was to read the following email sent by one of the FAM members!

“Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin
Small Straws In A Soft Wind
by Marsha Burns
June 6, 2006: Do not despair; the enemy has done his utmost to bring discouragement.
But, I tell you the truth that this is momentary. This storm will pass, and victory
shall come. Only believe. Trust that I am bringing you by a way that you have never
been before. Stay true to your covenant with Me. Refuse to compromise. Go forth in
the assurance of victory over everything that opposes you in your kingdom purpose.
Be strong. Stand!
Isaiah 42:16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them
in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked
places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.”
The “Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin, with Small Straws in a Soft Wind by Marsha Burns is available here online, where you can subscribe to receive it by email.

For those who don’t realize it, I am blind, so this REALLY had my name and number written ALL over it! What a testimony of how the Lord uses the gifts of one Christian to meet the needs of others. And what confirmation of the power of the Holy Spirit. I have NO doubt that message was very specifically meant for me! And I praise the Lord for it and for Marsha Burns’ faithfulness and obedience to deliver it! I’m sure I will revisit it often, because it is VERY important when the devil tries to convince us that the Lord has forsaken us. The devil is nothing but a liar, because Deuteronomy 31:8 promises The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

As many of the FAM Fellowship members say, standing for marriage restoration is one of the most difficult things we’ll ever do. And since we often have difficult days, or some that are more challenging than others, I thought it would be a good idea to list a few of our favorite and most powerful passages of scripture. It’s easy to forget them if we don’t remind ourselves of them often enough, so here are some of my favorites:

Malachi 2 (AMP)
13 And this you do with double guilt; you cover the altar of the Lord with tears [shed by your unoffending wives, divorced by you that you might take heathen wives], and with [your own] weeping and crying out because the Lord does not regard your offering any more or accept it with favor at your hand.
14 Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows].
15 And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth.
16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covers his garment [his wife] with violence. Therefore keep a watch upon your spirit [that it may be controlled by My Spirit], that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly [with your marriage mate].

Isaiah 55
10 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,
11 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.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

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

Romans 8
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

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

Isaiah 41 (NKJV)
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “ Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them—Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.
13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Jeremiah 29 (AMP)
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

Jeremiah 33:3
‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Psalm 3:3
But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.

Psalm 18:35
You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.

Psalm 144:2
He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Mark 10:27
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Hopefully, when we’re down we can look at these verses and be reminded who God is and that He has EVERYTHING under control. We just have to trust and obey, and He’ll do the rest!

Since learning to love unconditionally is so important when seeking marriage restoration, one of the first things I do when I start talking to a woman standing for the restoration of her marriage, is ask her if she really loves her husband. Of course, the answer is always “yes”, and most of the time “very much” is thrown in somewhere. And then I ask her to read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 out loud, which says Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. If she starts reading through it fast, as most do, I ask her to slow down, considering each point as she reads it. Then after she’s read it, I ask if she still thinks she loves her husband, and how well she’s demonstrated it. With only one exception, the impact has been VERY dramatic, because when we’re honest, we have to admit that we haven’t loved our husbands like that. If we had, they wouldn’t be somewhere else right now. So one of the first things we have to do when we’re standing for marriage restoration is acknowledge that we have NOT loved our husbands as they need to be loved and as the Lord commands us to love them. And marriage restoration is NOT possible without admitting that and learning how to love UNCONDITIONALLY.

Learning to love the way God calls us to love begins by understanding that love can not be separated from God and it’s not possible to love that way without the Love of God in us, as we see in the following verses:

1 John 4:19
We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:7
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:16
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 15:12
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

So the ONLY way it’s possible to love our husbands as the Lord commands, is to be more like Jesus, as we see in Ephesians 5:1-2, which tells us Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Perhaps that’s why we hear unconditional love often referred to as “sacrificial love”, which is confirmed again in John 15:13, which says Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. We usually think of this verse as meaning that we’re willing to die for our loved ones, but I think it really means that we “lay down” our own will, our own needs and desires, and our flesh to better serve the one we love. In the same way, Jesus didn’t literally mean we have to “take up” a cross daily to follow Him as He stated in Luke 9:23, which says Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Actually Jesus said “his cross”, which could be ANYTHING our flesh uses to make us less like Christ, and that’s why He said we had to take it up daily. To love our husbands as the Lord expects definitely requires us to “deny” ourselves and CONSTANTLY crucify our flesh!

The following verses offer additional insight into the nature and character of love, from God’s perspective, along with some excellent advice about how to love unconditionally:

Hosea 3:1
The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”

Song of Solomon 8:6-7
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

Proverbs 17:9
He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Luke 6:32
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Corinthians 16:14
Do everything in love.

Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Proverbs 27:5
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

Proverbs 21:21
He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.

1 Timothy 6:11
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

There’s a LOT of wisdom and sound advice in all of the above scriptures, so we’d be wise to revisit them often and check to see how well we’re putting them into practice. And remember what James 1:22-25 tells us, which is Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

A major road block on the path to marriage restoration for many women is letting go of the past and realizing that The Lord is doing a NEW thing, and that once the good work He has begun in us and our marriages is complete, we will have SO MUCH more than ever before. When we let go of the past and leave it behind us by putting our faith and trust in the Lord, who IS our fortress, we can believe the promise in Zechariah 9:12, which says Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. And then we’ll receive the most awesome promises in Isaiah 61:7, which says Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. And who doesn’t want a double portion and EVERLASTING JOY! As the following verses confirm, God IS doing a “new thing” and making a way where there seems to be no way, and He wants us to forget the past and proclaim the “new” things He’s promised to do:

Isaiah 43:18-19
“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.

Isaiah 42:9-12
See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the desert and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. Let them give glory to the LORD and proclaim his praise in the islands.

Obviously the Lord wants us to believe what He has promised to do for us BEFORE we see it and to give Him the praise and glory for it NOW, as confirmed in Isaiah 48:6, which says You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? “From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. And that confirms His promise in Jeremiah 33:3, which says ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Fortunately we know these are GOOD things, because of the Lord’s awesome promise in Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT), which is For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. And we have the assurance that everything the Lord promises will come to pass, that HIS will WILL be done, based on Proverbs 21:30, which promises There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

So when we choose to hang onto the past, we’re cheating ourselves and our families out of the glorious future the Lord wants to give us, because He does not work in an environment of doubt and disbelief, which we know does not please Him based on Hebrews 11:6, which tells us And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. So let the past go, and eagerly and earnestly seek the new thing the Lord wants to do for you and your family, confidently believing the Lord’s promise in Matthew 6:33 (NKJV), which says But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Last week one of the FAM members brought an awesome verse about faith to my attention that I hadn’t heard before, or at least didn’t remember, so I made up my mind to seriously “study” what the Bible teaches about faith, because it’s such an important principle when standing for marriage restoration. Since the word faith (in quotes) comes up 256 times in the NIV, it was a very extensive study and I learned quite a bit. Obviously, that’s a lot of material to cover, so instead of trying to cover it all at once, I’ll break it up and sprinkle it into my posts over the coming days and weeks.

One of the things that really struck me is how strongly the Bible tells us that if our actions and deeds don’t back up our faith, it’s dead or useless, which point is very strongly made in James 2:14-26, as the following verses reveal:

James 2:14
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

James 2:17
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:18
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

James 2:22
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

James 2:24
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

James 2:26
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Even though we know there is a definite connection between the words of faith we speak and the way we live our lives, it has a much stronger impact to see how many verses actually indicate how important it is for us to live and act in accordance with the faith we confess. And it obviously displeases the Lord when we fail to do that, as we see in the following verses where Jesus questioned the faith of His disciples because of their fear in the midst of a storm:

Mark 4:40
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Luke 8:25
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Not only is living in fear an indication of little faith, but it is an act of disobedience based on Isaiah 41:10, which says So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. And as we see in 1 Corinthians 16:13, our faith in the Lord should make us strong and courageous, because it says Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. So when we are fearful and weak, we aren’t demonstrating much faith in the Lord, and our failure to live by faith actually keeps others from seeing God in us, as Romans 1:17 says, For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” So when we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, He lives in us and we are called to live our lives by faith in Him, as we see in Galatians 2:20, which says I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. In fact, the Lord is NOT pleased with us when we resist living by faith, according to Hebrews 10:38, which says But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” And Jesus actually rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith in Mark 16:14, which says Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

The verse I liked so much is 2 Thessalonians 1:11, which says With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. That means we can rely on God’s power to fulfill the acts prompted by our faith, which makes it pretty important for us to make sure the acts we’re prompting are the ones we want and not those we don’t want. And the following verses give us some guidelines and examples of how to live by faith and prompt the acts we want:

1 Timothy 5:8
If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

Titus 2:2
Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

Hebrews 11:17-18
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”

Hebrews 11:29
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

The true test of faith is whether or not we believe and act on what Hebrews 11:1 tells us, which is Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. That’s the kind of faith all of the great men and women in the Bible demonstrated time after time, for which they ALWAYS received awesome blessings! So we have to persevere in standing firm in our faith for the restoration of our marriages, and when the tests, trials and temptations come, as they inevitably will, we have to remember James 1:2-8, which says Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 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. When our actions don’t line up with the faith we speak, we ARE double-minded, our faith is dead and useless, and we shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord, and there’s NO doubt that marriage restoration is not possible without walking out the faith we talk!