Everyone standing for marriage restoration can recall all to well that devastating moment when we had to face the fact that our marriages were in serious trouble, or over according to our Spouses. In those initial moments, and for a time to follow, we experienced feelings of shock, rejection, betrayal, unbearable pain, anger, bitterness, resentment, and no doubt a sense of total helplessness, and probably even hopelessness. Obviously, since you’re reading this, you’ve finally decided not to give up on your marriage, and to fight for it, so now it’s important to find out what it takes to win the war!

Fortunately, you’ve already taken the most difficult step, which IS recognizing and coming to terms with your own inability to do anything to bring about the restoration of your marriage, and that without the Lord’s help, it is impossible. So the next step is BELIEVING what Jesus told us in Matthew 19:26, which says Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” When we finally understand that, we experience the first glimmer of hope, and then we have to “seek” the Lord as we’re told in Psalm 105:2-4, which says 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. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. And it’s critically important that we NEVER forget the “ALWAYS” part, and the Lord’s promise in Deuteronomy 4:29, But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. And Jeremiah 29:13 promises, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Then In Luke 11:9, Jesus promised “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. The following verses are just a few that demonstrate why we have to seek the Lord:

Proverbs 29:26
Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the LORD that man gets justice.

Psalm 34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Psalm 22:26
The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who
seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!

Proverbs 8:17
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

1 Chronicles 28:9
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

2 Chronicles 15:2
He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

Lamentations 3:25-26
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.

Psalm 40:16
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!”

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

And Finally, one of my favorite verses, which is SO important for us to grab hold of and hang onto as we stand for the restoration of our marriages is Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP), which says Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).

Seeking the Lord and understanding our biblical roles as husbands and wives through His Word is the first and most important step when we find ourselves in a spiritual battle to save or restore our marriages. So it’s up to us to seek the wisdom and guidance we need when standing for the restoration of our marriages by reading and studying our Bibles and through the counsel of those God has anointed to provide biblical encouragement and instruction. And if we’re not willing to take the time to do our part, we have NO reason to expect the Lord to do His part because forsaking His Word and ways is no different than forsaking Him.

According to the Bible, believing REALLY IS receiving, so that should make anyone standing for marriage restoration extremely interested in finding out exactly what it takes to insure that we believe what we want to receive. Of course, we know the Bible provides the answer in Romans 10:17, which says Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. so it’s very important to know what the word of Christ tells us about believing and receiving what we’re standing and praying for, which is the salvation and restoration of our husbands and marriages.

First, even though there are a lot of other verses that confirm it, the above verse clearly says that faith is based on what we hear in the word of God, which means we have no reason to expect God to answer prayers that are not in accordance with the principles found in His word. While that’s not the focus of this particular article, it’s something we MUST always keep in mind so we aren’t misguided into believing things that are contrary to the word and promises of God.

One of my favorite “faith” verses is one not thought of a lot in terms of faith, which is Colossians 4:2, because it says Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Not only does the Lord expect us to believe we will receive what we’re praying for, but He expects us to be watching for it’s manifestation and to give thanks for it even before we see it. And that’s verified in the most quoted faith verse of all, Hebrews 11:1, which says Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. And it’s definitely confirmed in Mark 11:24, which says Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Believe that you HAVE received it and it WILL be yours. This takes faith to a whole new dimension when we realize that the Lord wants us to believe that we have ALREADY received it, even (and most especially) when everything our lying eyes and ears tells us is the EXACT opposite! We see how answers to our prayers can be delayed in the spiritual realm in the following verses from Daniel 10:
12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.
14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
So, even when we can’t see the evidence that God is answering our prayers, we have to believe that He is, and be on the watch for it, and give thanks BEFORE there’s any earthly reason to believe it.. And finally, Matthew 21:22 leaves no doubt about God’s promise concerning believing and receiving, because it says If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

So when we’re standing for the restoration of our marriages against what everyone else considers impossible odds, we need to make sure the devil can’t steal or destroy the seeds of faith the Lord planted in our spirits, as we are taught in the following verses from Luke 8:
12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
So don’t let Satan steal or destroy your seeds of faith, and prevent your life and testimony from producing a crop for the praise and glory of our Lord and Savior! Never let the Lord say of us what He said in Hosea 4:6, which is my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. None of us can afford to do that, so let’s do whatever it takes to increase our understanding of God’s word, so we can claim and confess the promise of 1 Thessalonians 2:13, which says And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

Since more and more of the FAM Fellowship members are fasting, I thought this would be a good time to read Isaiah 58, because it teaches us some very important principles of biblical fasting, so here it is:
1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD ?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
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.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

What awesome promises these are! Who doesn’t want to know 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. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “ No wonder fasting is such an important weapon as we stand for marriage restoration and need to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke! But that’s why it is also very important for us to really understand the principles of biblical fasting, and what it is and what it is not, and why we need to pay a LOT of attention to all of the “IFS” in this awesome passage of scripture. Additional information about biblical fasting is available in this article by Dennis Rupert.

While talking to a new FAM Fellowship member over the weekend, she shared one of her prayers for her husband, which I really loved and which really connected to my spirit. She said she just asks the Lord to bind her husband to the Holy Spirit. What more could we possibly want than that! It immediately brought the following passage from Matthew 16 to my mind:
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
So now my favorite prayer for my husband is “Thank You, Jesus, precious Son of the living God, that _____ and I are your church and the gates of hell will not overcome us, and for giving me the keys of the kingdom of heaven, with the authority to bind my husband to the Holy Spirit and to loose the Holy Spirit’s supernatural power to work in his life, which I do by the power of Your word and in the authority of Your name! Amen.” I have a feeling if we’d all start using that simple prayer, we’d start seeing those mountains move! Thanks, Jennifer, for such an awesome inspiration!

God continually reveals and confirms how important it is for us to experience and rest in His love and peace when standing for marriage restoration, so it’s very important for us to find and maintain a level of faith that leads to peace and confidence in God’s word. And two of the verses I always rely on are Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP), which says 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. and Proverbs 21:30, which says There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. These verses confirm and demonstrate how the Lord loves us and has nothing but good plans for us, and that He has the power to bring His plans for us into being, and that NOTHING can stop Him from doing that. Then the verse I ALWAYS rely on for reassurance and encouragement is 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. However, there are times when these verses don’t seem to reassure someone with deeply rooted issues of abandonment and rejection, because that makes it more difficult to feel and experience the love of Christ, so I appreciate the verse Charles Stanly reminded me of this morning in his TV message, Romans 8:38-39, which says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Since we know NOTHING can separate us from God’s love, I lift up this beautiful prayer from Ephesians 3:16-21 for anyone unable to experience and rest in the love and peace of our Lord and Savior, which is I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Note: Charles Stanley’s awesome TV message today, Facing The Unknown With Confidence, May 7, 2006 is available here and I strongly urge anyone struggling with a lack of faith and confidence in God’s love and power to watch it.

As we stand for marriage restoration in a society that no longer recognizes and respects the sanctity of marriage or the Ten Commandments, we have great reason to celebrate and support today as the first Ten Commandments Day! We of all people, have personally witnessed and experienced the heartbreaking decay of our society as it retreats from adhering to the moral code established by God in His word and the Ten Commandments. Not only do we see the decay of our culture in terms of corruption, lawlessness and the total lack of moral standards, where evil is called good and good is called evil, but we experience it in our homes, our churches and in the counsel of our family and friends. We know all about it when we helplessly try to comfort our children as they cry night after night for their father to come home. We know all about it when they cry out for attention by getting into trouble, and we have to meet with school officials or visit them in rehab or detention centers. We know all about it when our pastors encourage us not to stand for our marriages and tell us that God is a God of second chances and that He can’t change our husbands. We certainly know ALL about it when our husbands live openly in adulterous relationships and hold leadership roles in their churches, even as pastors or the children of pastors! We know all about it when our mother-in-laws support their son’s adulterous relationships instead of taking a stand in the best interest of their own grandchildren. And we know all about it when we feel terribly isolated because our family and friends have grown impatient or angry with us for standing for our marriages.

As Christ’s representatives and ambassadors, we need to take another stand for restoration, and that’s standing to restore His righteousness and authority in our lives and the society and culture we live in, so I encourage everyone to learn more about this movement by visiting www.TenCommandmentsDay.com.

According to Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, an advocacy organization fighting to protect and promote our rights as Christians, we have reason to be encouraged by the recent rulings of federal appeals courts upholding the constitutionality of public displays with the Ten Commandments. This is especially important in light of conflicting rulings by the Supreme Court last year, which you can read about at the above link. So this is a critical time in our country for Christians to unite behind efforts to restore Christian values in our society and in our courts. As Christians, we sat idly by and allowed prayer to be taken out of our schools in 1963 for which our country has paid a dear price, so it’s way beyond time for us to start fighting back by taking a stand against the civil libertarian forces at work to remove any reference to God and the Ten Commandments from our society. We have a long way to go to take back the ground we gave up in this country over the past few decades, but we HAVE to start somewhere and this is a very good place to begin.

Today’s post is a little different and rather long, but it’s something I feel the Lord put on my heart to share, because it’s important for us to remember that there are so many things about God, and the way He does things that we can’t fully understand or explain, as these following verses from Isaiah 55 indicate:
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
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.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”

Understanding and realizing that God disciplines and corrects us for sin and disobedience in our lives as Christians, is a FAR cry from believing Satan’s lie that God CONTINUES to punish us for the sins we committed BEFORE we were saved, and that’s very important to understand when standing for the restoration of our marriages. It’s clear from the verses above that when we forsake our sin and turn to God, He has mercy on us and “pardons” us and leads us into a life of joy and peace. He even says that instead of thornbushes, pine trees will grow, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. And He does that for the LORD’S renown, or for HIS praise and glory, and it will NEVER be destroyed! That’s definitely NOT a picture of God punishing us for the sins He forgave us for when we were saved, which is confirmed by the following verses:

Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Hebrews 10:17
Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

Isaiah 43:25
“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

1 Kings 8:34
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers.

Numbers 14:19
In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

1 Kings 8:36
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

Jeremiah 33
8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
9 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.’

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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Matthew 9:6
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”

Psalm 79:9
Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 8:12
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Hebrews 10:18
And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.

Leviticus 5:10
The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way and make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Micah 7:18
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

Psalm 32:1
] Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 1:4
And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 1
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

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.

Acts 10:43
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Acts 13
37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
38 “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

Romans 4
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

Ephesians 1
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Colossians 1
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

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

Since Jesus died to free us from condemnation for sins we committed before being saved, and God remembers them NO MORE, it breaks my heart when people have a hard time understanding and accepting that. The Lord’s protection and blessings ARE conditioned on obedience to His word, because He loves us and wants the best for us, which only comes through obeying His word. So, when we are disobedient, He will discipline and correct us, just as any good parent corrects and disciplines a child they love, as Proverbs 3:12 says because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Disobedience and sin in our lives as Christians also keeps us from attaining the plans and purpose God has for our lives, which is for the ultimate praise and glory of Jesus, so He disciplines us to get us back on the right track. So when Satan attacks us and attempts to deceive us with thoughts that we’re being punished for the sins we committed before we were saved, it’s very important to take those thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ by remembering the following verses:

Genesis 3
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

John 10:10 (AMP)
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).

Then in John 10:28 Jesus said I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. And in John 10:29, He said My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. That means Satan can’t kill, Steal, or destroy us, but he certainly can kill, steal and destroy our testimony, which he does if we let him convince us to believe lies about the promises and word of God. And Revelation 12:10-11 makes it clear why he tries to do that, because it 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.

This week Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast is featuring messages from her 2005 Women’s Conference, and it has been AWESOME! Her basic focus has been freedom, but what she’s talking about goes a LOT deeper than that. And as happens SO often, she discusses issues many of the FAM members can relate to. So I wholeheartedly URGE EVERYONE to MAKE the time to listen to all of her messages this week, especially The Secret to Freedom – Part I, May 3rd and today’s message, The Secret to Freedom – Part II, May 4th.

If you listen to all of the messages this week, you will hear Joyce make a reference to “free will”, which surprised me, but in the context she used it, it isn’t something I disagree with, so I’ll post something about that at a later time. Even though we don’t have free will, as the doctrine of free will teaches it, we do have a LOT of choices to make, especially when it comes to our choice to be obedient or not, and the choice we make whether or not to live the victorious life, filled with peace that passes ALL understanding, that Jesus died to give us. And that is NOT possible without unshakeable, childlike trust in our AWESOME Lord and Savior!

The following is a response to the post yesterday about the false doctrine of free will, which I want to share so everyone can pray for Fran’s husband’s salvation and for the Lord to give her the faith, grace and strength she needs as she stands for his salvation and waits for the Lord to answer her prayers:

“I have been married for almost 26 years to an man who is an atheist. My son and I and many of our Christian friends pray regularly for his Salvation. The concept and verses on “free will” were eye opening to me as I have been raised to believe in free will and as a discipleship leader to women have described this concept many times. Having said that I have, just this day, been engaged in conversation and had made a commitment to myself to investigate free will. The verses listed will help me to begin this scriptural quest. Please pray for me. And thank you.”

There are members of the FAM Fellowship who have stood for the salvation of their husbands for years (including one who later admitted that he considered himself an atheist), who have witnessed the salvation of their husbands, so we want to support and encourage Fran with our prayers. WE all know from our own experience that our Lord and Savior is in the business of turning stony hearts to hearts of flesh! And what an awesome testimony of how faithful the Lord is to answer us when we seek Him! The following is my response to Fran’s post, which includes a prayer I hope will encourage and help others too:

Fran, thank you SO much for sharing your experience. It’s so exciting when the Lord leads us to a new revelation and understanding of His word, because of the awesome promise we have in John 8:31-32, which says To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Your story provides an awesome example of exactly how that works too, because there’s no way we can reconcile the false doctrine of free will with “ALL things are possible with god”, which would obviously keep us from walking in the faith God REQUIRES to have our prayers answered, especially when our prayers concern someone else, such as prayers for marriage restoration and the salvation of our husbands. I know that having that stronghold of deception lifted will release supernatural power into your situation, and I sincerely believe you WILL see the salvation of your husband! And PLEASE let Romans 4:17 encourage you to expect and confess his salvation, which says As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the awesome power of Your word! We thank You for the supernatural power it releases and for Your promise in Isaiah 55:10-11, when You said 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. We thank You Lord, that when we read Your word, You speak to us and give us the grace, wisdom and faith needed for ALL situations. We thank You that You will NEVER leave us or forsake us! We thank You that we can bring our petitions before You with boldness and confidence and that You will hear us and answer our prayers. We thank You that when two or more of us are in agreement, whatever we ask for will be done. We thank You for literally giving us the keys to the kingdom of heaven and promising us that the gates of hell can not prevail against us or our husbands, with whom we are one, that whatever we bind on earth will be found in heaven and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Therefore, we thank You that Fran’s husband is released from any and all forms of bondage and strongholds, all manner of deception and demonic activity that would keep him from coming to the saving knowledge of You as his Lord and Savior, because we bind them and cast them off of him in the most powerful name of Jesus Christ! We loose Your spirit of truth, grace and love to fill him and set him free, to release him from captivity, because we know that’s why You came Lord Jesus. You came to give us victory over every weapon Satan fashions against us, so that it will not prosper. You came that none would perish, but that ALL would have everlasting life. We know that Satan came to kill, steal and destroy, but that you came to give us abundant life. Your word promises us that Your power is greater than Satan’s power and that NO wisdom, insight or plan can succeed against You. And Your word promises us that your thoughts and plans for us are for good and not for evil, to give us hope in our future. And You promised us that if we delight in You, You will give us the desires of our hearts. And that if we commit ourselves to Your ways and if we trust in You, You will make our righteousness shine like the dawn, and the justice of our cause like the noonday sun! So we thank You for the encouragement, wisdom and instruction provided for us in 1 Peter 3:1-6, in which You said Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. Lord, we know that apart from You, it’s not possible to be such a wife, so we thank You that it is You who will give us the grace and strength to commit ourselves to this teaching and experience the promise it holds for the salvation of our husbands. We thank You that when we seek to understand Your word, especially when it is so contrary to our flesh, You will lead us through the power of Your Holy Spirit. We thank You that when we are weak, You are strong, and that we CAN do ALL things through You, because You will strengthen us! We thank you for the awesome promise You give us in Revelations 12:11, which says 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 thank You for peace that passes all understanding. I pray Lord Jesus, that Fran will be filled to overflowing with that kind of peace, which comes only when we REALLY trust and believe in You and Your promises, and that nothing she hears or sees can shake her from the bold and faithful stand she’s taken for her husband’s salvation. I pray that You will lead her into the truth, knowledge and wisdom of Your word concerning the faith and confidence she needs to believe that her husband IS saved and that You have answered her prayers and that she and her son will be blessed with the husband and father they desire. Fill her with the joy of salvation, Lord, and the absolute knowledge that the same power that worked in her heart and spirit to save her is now at work in her husband. I thank You that her husband will begin to see a peace in her that draws him, that he will see the light of Your love in her and that she will see him through Your eyes Lord, and NOT through the eyes of her experience. And, Lord, please give her the encouragement she needs at this time, and bless her with a most awesome testimony to use for your glory. AMEN.

Few things really make me angry, but hearing people promote the false doctrine of “free will” happens to be one of them. I challenge ANYONE to find that doctrine in the Bible, because it’s not there. In fact, it is TOTALLY contrary to just about everything the Bible teaches, and it frustrates me to no end when I hear women standing for marriage restoration say “…but what about his free will?” or “God can’t/won’t MAKE him do anything he doesn’t want to do.” THAT IS A LIE STRAIGHT FROM THE PIT OF HELL! Ask Paul if the Lord MADE him do something he didn’t WANT to do when he was blinded on the road to Damascus while on his way to imprison or murder more Christians, and the Lord called him to be one of His most influential disciples. Ask Mary how much choice she had about being Jesus’ mother when the Holy Spirit impregnated her exactly as the prophets had foretold many generations before her birth. Ask Pharoah how much choice he had when the LORD hardened his heart so He would be glorified for generations to come by the stories of how He delivered the Jews from bondage. Ask Jonah why he changed his mind about not going to Nineveh after being thrown overboard to die and then spending three days in the belly of a whale, only to be vomited out AFTER he agreed to do what the Lord wanted him to do. Ask Ahab what he thinks about free will, when he was killed at Ramoth Gilead after God gave permission for lying spirits to be put in the mouths of his prophets so he would be killed there. And ask Balaam why he didn’t keep going after his donkey lay down on the ground under him and started talking to him.

Since we know God never changes, the above examples should be more than sufficient to poke huge holes in the erroneous doctrine of free will, which also totally contradicts the following Bible verses. They clearly tell us that it doesn’t matter what we plan or intend to do, because in the end the Lord’s will WILL be done:

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

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

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

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

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

The doctrine that man has “free will” tends to elevate us in terms of our relationship to the Lord and minimize His OMNIPOTENT power and control, and it definitely contradicts the doctrine of election SO CLEARLY indicated in the following Bible verses:

Acts 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Ephesians 1:3-6
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Acts 9:15
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.

Romans 9:10-12
Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

Romans 11:7-8
What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.”

Romans 11:27-29
And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

2 Timothy 2:10
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Mark 13:22
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible.

Matthew 24:22
If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Here are some more verses specifically illustrating how and why we KNOW the Lord does NOT give us free will:

Exodus 4:21
The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

Exodus 9:12
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses.

Exodus 10:1-2
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.”

Isaiah 63:17
Why, O LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance.

Joshua 11:20
For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Finally, I encourage anyone who still believes in the doctrine of free will to read Romans 9 in its entirety. There are so many things about how the Lord does things that we do not and can not understand, and I think this doctrine attempts to explain one of the things we can’t explain or understand, which is why some are saved and some aren’t. It’s certainly not my intention to create more confusion by sharing these passages of scripture and challenging the doctrine of free will, but in Isaiah 55:8-9, God did tell us that we can’t understand everything about Him, which says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. However, that does not give us license to come up with doctrines that are not based on what we find in the Bible, especially one like the doctrine of free will which definitely contradicts so much of what the Bible teaches. Anyone still inclined to believe that we have “free will” should pay close attention to Paul’s warning in 2 Timothy 4:3, which says For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

One of the reasons I get so angry when I hear someone teaching or preaching about free will is that I grew up believing it myself, because it is taught by so many leading preachers and teachers. It was only after I started studying and preparing more seriously for this ministry that I began questioning it. I kept finding verses and passages like the ones I’ve included here, and realized that they were in total contrast to the concept of man’s free will and that God never forces His will on us, which is something I myself was guilty of believing and teaching! So I kept looking for it when I read the Bible, and so far I haven’t found it. One of these days I’ll take the time to research where the doctrine originated in the first place, but for now, I just hope and pray that I’ve helped others see how erroneous it is based on what the Bible says, which is the ONLY word we should ever rely on for the things we believe. That’s why it is SO important to spend time reading and studying the Bible for ourselves. And it is especially important for anyone standing for the restoration of their marriage to understand the danger of believing this false doctrine, and that our marriages CAN be restored, even when it is not what our spouses want, because in the end, it IS GOD’S will that WILL prevail, which is exactly what Proverbs 16:1 tells us, because it says To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. So we need to claim the promise of God’s word when He says He HATES divorce and trust and rely on HIS ability to keep that from happening or to restore our marriages even after it has!

Update May 05, 2006:

I found this verse while I was searching for something else this morning, so I’m adding it for anyone who still has doubts about the doctrine of free will.

2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Even though I’ve heard it many times before, the phrase “sacrifice of praise” never made as much sense to me as when I heard a great message this morning using Hebrews 13:15, which says Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

How awesome it is when we FINALLY get the revelation of understanding! I always understood how important our praise is to the Lord, even though I didn’t really understand why it was called a sacrifice, but considering it in the context of this single verse makes it impossible to miss! How many of us CONTINUALLY offer our praise to the Lord? Do we consider praising him when our whole world seems to be turned upside-down and when all hope seems lost? Do we remember to praise Him when nothing is working out the way we hoped and prayed it would work out? Do we remember to praise Him when our back is up against the wall and we feel like He’s let us down? Do we remember to praise Him when our husbands’ or wives say vile and hateful things to us, when they disappoint us and break our children’s hearts? Do we think of praising Him when NOTHING seems to be going right or our way? Ouch! We all know the answer to that, and it’s not good, based on the rest of the verse, which says that the sacrifice of praise is “the fruit of lips that confess his name.” Now we know why it’s called a sacrifice! And since it is the fruit of our lips, we also know it’s referring to our SPOKEN words of praise, not just our thoughts, and that it’s what we’re expected to do as Christians.

In Psalm 100:4 we see Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that when everything seems to be going wrong, that’s the time we need to enter his gates and courts the most, so it stands to reason that we need to make the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving then more than ever! That makes understanding and practicing the sacrifice of praise a very important principle of faith and marriage restoration.

Then in 1 Chronicles 29:12-13, we see Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. Who doesn’t want wealth and honor, or strength and power, and to be exalted and strengthened by the Lord’s hand! That’s another good reason to give thanks and praise His GLORIOUS name when we’re feeling weak and hopeless, dishonored, or facing financial disaster! So when we’re in pain and distress and when we really need the Lord’s salvation and protection, we need to remember what David said in Psalm 69:29-31, which says I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs. Once again we see how praise and thanksgiving at the lowest times in our lives is a precious and valuable sacrifice to the Lord, and what a sacrifice it is to SING praises and thanksgiving when singing is the LAST thing we feel like doing!

And one of the greatest challenges for all of us concerning praise and thanksgiving is found in Philippians 4:6, which says Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. We’ll certainly know we have arrived when we reach the point of not being anxious about ANYTHING! But we know that is what the Lord wants from us, because that’s the only way to demonstrate genuine faith in Him and the promises in His word.

Fortunately, God always patiently waits for us to remember to praise Him, and He’s faithful to deliver and rescue us when we do, as we see in these verses from Jonah 2:
7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.”
10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Perhaps we all should consider what “worthless idols” we’re clinging to that might cause us to “forfeit the grace” that could be ours. One of those idols could very easily be marriage restoration itself, because if we put that and our spouses before the Lord, we know He
is Jealous and He considers that putting another god before Him. So we need to seek marriage restoration in obedience to the Lord and His commands, and not just for our own pleasure and gain. Otherwise, the Lord may not answer our prayers according to James 4:3, which says When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

I love Jeremiah 30:19, which says From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained. What an awesome promise! And it shows us why songs of thanksgiving and praising the Lord with sounds of rejoicing is SO important as we stand for our marriages, especially when we’re standing for the salvation of our husbands and wives, or anyone else watching us as we walk through this trial. We see how important thanksgiving is in the following verses from 1 Timothy 2, where it’s mentioned along with the use of prayer and intercession for living peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness, as well as being good, and pleasing God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth! 1 Timothy 2:1-4 says I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Now that we see how important our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving are to the Lord, we all need to focus more on it as we stand for the restoration of our marriages or the salvation of our husbands and wives, so I’m praying for the Lord to give all of us a sincere attitude of gratitude and the spirit of praise and thanksgiving!

The more time I spend in this ministry, the more frustrated I become by the difficulty of helping those standing for marriage restoration to understand how vitally important it is to walk out the faith we talk. The definition of faith found in Hebrews 11:1 is Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Yet, we tend to confess faith UNTIL something happens that indicates there is no reason to believe what we’re standing for! Obviously, that’s not faith, especially when we look at the same verse in the Amplified Bible, which says NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. Somewhere along the way, we seem to have a problem REALLY accepting and believing the promises the Lord gives us in His word, and the only way we’ll have the faith needed to see us through to marriage restoration is found in Romans 10:16-17, which says But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

That’s why it is SO important to read the Bible for ourselves and search for the verses the Lord reveals to us that speak to our hearts. Then, when we need them, we can rely on the faith we have in God’s promises as we speak and confess them to defeat the weapons Satan hurls at us, as we see in Ephesians 6:16, which says In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And, of course, another encouraging verse is Isaiah 54:17, which says 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.

Getting to the point where we stand in total confidence on God’s promises NO MATTER what we hear or see, or no matter how distant or unpleasant our husband acts, is a very important step in the restoration process, and I’m convinced it’s a test the Lord will keep giving us over and over again until we pass it. So it’s very important not to let a cross word or disappointment cause us to move from the commitment we’ve made to stand in obedience to the Lord for the restoration of our marriages. We can’t afford to be double minded in any way, because of what these verses in James 1 tell us:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 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.
6 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.
7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Anyone standing for marriage restoration, or any kind of miracle, should be VERY familiar with the book of Hebrews, because of how it encourages us in our faith. When we stand for the restoration of our marriages, it’s SO important to get what I call the “know that you know” feeling from the Lord, because otherwise, I don’t believe it’s possible to withstand all that will come against us as we stand for our marriages. Yesterday I heard a message from the following passage from Hebrews 6, which I think really expresses what I mean, because it says:
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”
15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

We need to read these verses over and over again until they sink into our very souls! God Himself, the Creator of heaven and earth, and the ONLY one that holds it ALL together, backs up His promises to us by an oath sworn by Himself! It is IMPOSSIBLE for God to lie! The nature of His purpose NEVER changes! God’s word puts an end to ALL arguments! Once we take hold of the hope God offers, we have REASON to be GREATLY encouraged! He gives us hope as an anchor for our souls!!! And when we RECEIVE that hope, when we let it be the anchor of our souls, we will have an unshakeable peace and strength, and be firm and secure, because we KNOW our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, goes before us and intercedes on our behalf! So we will be steadfast! I love the following verses about being steadfast which should greatly encourage all of us to do whatever it takes to REALLY let Jesus be our anchor and make us steadfast!

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 112:7
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

Psalm 57:7
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.

Psalm 108:1
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

1 Peter 5:10
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.

Note: Reading Hebrews 7 explains the reference to Jesus as “a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” And the importance of entering “the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.” And reading Hebrews 8-10 explains why and how Jesus became “the guarantee of a better” covenant”, which abolished the requirement for daily sacrifices (because they weren’t sufficient), by Himself being made a “once for all” sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sin.

It’s very important for us to remember as we stand for marriage restoration that people are watching us, especially our children, and what we do will either cause them to be drawn to the Lord or make them decide they want nothing to do with Christianity. I’m especially concerned about the messages we send and demonstrate to our children about being Christians when we’re so wrapped up in our pain and identity as victims that we fail to remember and walk in the strength and victory Jesus died to give us. When we preach all of the “don’ts” to our kids, and totally fail to practice many of the “dos”, which is what happens so often, what possible reasons do we give them to be Christians? Growing up in an environment of hypocrisy does tremendous damage, and it’s VERY difficult to overcome. And that’s something parents WILL stand before the Lord and answer for some day. Over and over again in the past few weeks, I’ve heard one report after another of the teenage children of separated or divorced parents saying that being a Christian is so boring and that they don’t want anything to do with it, or they wish their parent was not a Christian! This is terrible and it is something we all had better sit up and pay attention to! I hope the following verses will help us realize how important our testimony for Jesus is in the lives of those who are watching us, especially our children:

1 John 5
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.
3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
7 For there are three that testify:
8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
9 We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 Corinthians 1
5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge—
6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

Revelation 12:11
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.

2 Thessalonians 1:10
on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

Acts 14:17
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

If there’s ANYTHING in our lives that causes us to hide the light of Jesus within us, we need to get on our faces before the Lord and get things right with Him, because we will be called to account for it some day, and I know we’d all much rather find people in heaven who are there because they witnessed our walk with the Lord than find out about the ones who are missing because of it…especially our children.

This must be an important message for someone today, because I had something totally different in mind, but kept getting phone calls every time I tried to write it, and then the power even went off for no apparent reason. As it kept getting later and later, I even considered not answering the phone, but it was the last phone call that finally revealed what the LORD wanted me to write about today.

We often talk about how important faith is in our lives as Christians and we know it is impossible to please the Lord without it, and that it requires us to believe what we have no earthly reason to believe, but I think we forget that without tests, trials and reason to doubt, there is NO faith. Just like there’s no virtue if there’s no temptation, if we don’t have to face and deal with situations and circumstances that test our faith or require us to exercise it, faith is not required or demonstrated. And one thing we must be prepared for as Christians and women standing for the restoration of our marriages, is that the Lord WILL test our faith, and I don’t believe He’ll restore our marriages unless we demonstrate the faith required to stand for them NO MATTER WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR.

The following passages of scripture demonstrate how important faith is to us as Christians, and how miraculously the Lord will work on behalf of those who stand strong and live with unshakeable faith in His word:

2 Corinthians 13
4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.
7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.
8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

Titus 1
13 This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith
14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.
15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Hebrews 3 (An excellent chapter about faith)
4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future.
6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

Hebrews 11 (Another excellent chapter about faith)
17 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,
18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
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.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

Romans 4
3 What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

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.
9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

As we read the above passages, we need to ask the Lord to help us to fully understand them and ask Him to increase our faith so that we can walk and live in the awesome power of faith they demonstrate. When the trials and tests come our way, when the enemy brings everything he can against us to cause us to doubt the power and promises of our Lord and Savior, we need to remember the following verses in James 1
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 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.
6 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.
7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
And NEVER forget what Hebrews 10:38 tells us, which is But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”