What an AWESOME God we serve! I’m almost overwhelmed with awe of my Lord and Savior this morning! I know the things I’ve been seeing Him do in the lives of some of the FAM members are real and true, but it’s all SO incredible that it’s almost unbelievable! Also, I am so humbled and so much in awe of how the Lord is using this ministry, and as so many things are when the Lord is in control, it has far exceeded anything I ever could have imagined. These numbers might not mean much to anyone not familiar with websites and all things related, but to anyone who knows, they are astounding! I first published the site around the middle of February and so far this month alone, with NO advertising, we have had over 500 unique visitors to the site, including 335 visitors who accessed the site through the search engines by using 204 different search phrases! We’re ranking very high in the search engines in a very competitive category on the major search engines, and almost all of our traffic comes from Google and MSN. We have visitors from EVERY part of the earth (a total of 31 different countries), even regions I had never heard of before! And there are now nine members of the FAM fellowship and we already have three local FAM Home Groups! And God’s only just begun!

The most rewarding part of it all is seeing how the Lord is working in the lives of our members and knowing how the praise testimonies are glorifying the Lord and how they will be used to defeat Satan and every wicked weapon he intends to destroy our marriages. I am ttruly blessed to actually see and be part of the awesome things the Holy Spirit has been doing in the supernatural realm, and we know it’s Him, because there is NO possible natural explanation! It’s also awe inspiring how many new and exciting ideas the Holy Spirit keeps giving me for the ministry. Trust me, being creative and inventive is FAR from being one of my strong suits, so I know that is the Lord at work in me!

The passage of scripture I want to share this morning is what the Lord placed on my heart as I read an awesome testimony about God’s amazing grace and love from one of the FAM members yesterday. May it encourage you as much as it does me.

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?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 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.

As I often write, determining God’s will is the first step for anyone deciding to stand for the restoration of their marriage, but sometimes that seems to be the most difficult step of all, which I have a hard time understanding. Perhaps it’s not really a matter of understanding on my part, but more a matter of not having patience when it comes to that because I have learned the hard way that we can all know and determine the will of God. God is not the author of confusion, so that means confusion comes from Satan, and that REALLY frustrates me. Sometimes the truth hurts, and the truth is that in most cases, the reason we question God’s will is because it is not the same as ours, and we’re not willing or ready to submit to HIS will, which God calls rebellion. And rebellion is VERY dangerous in the life of a Christian, but I’ll leave that topic for a future post.

The following verses from Psalm 32 speak volumes about knowing God’s will:
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.
Obviously, God’s will is NEVER intended to be a mystery, and when we read and study His word, the Bible, He instructs and teaches us His will for EVERY situation in our lives. Not only does He reveal His will, but He counsels, guides and leads us, and watches over and protects us as we do what He instructs and teaches us through His word. When we fail to understand and do what He wants us to, He WILL do WHATEVER it takes to bring us back into his plan and purpose for our lives, so we could save ourselves and others a lot of pain and misery if we’d realize that in the first place and joyfully submit to what His word teaches us. No matter how difficult it may seem or how little sense it makes from our own perspective, we are ALWAYS better off to be obedient and submissive to God’s leadership in our lives, because NOTHING could ever be better than being surrounded by God’s UNFAILING love!

Charles Stanley started a four part series on the will of God last Sunday and I strongly encourage anyone serious about standing for marriage restoration to watch the entire series, because he provides excellent guidelines and instructions for determining and walking in God’s will. The first two messages in the series are available now at this link Charles Stanley – The Will Of God, and the other two will be available the next two weeks, so do yourself a HUGE favor and take the time to watch them. I like his messages so much that I often watch them several times, because he packs SO much into such a short time, so here’s a link to Charles Stanley’s Archives.

Based on conversations with FAM Fellowship members, the email I receive and the search phrases used to bring people to this ministry, I know one of the most challenging issues for many standing for the restoration of their marriage is standing itself. Sadly, one of the search phrases used this week probably expresses how a lot of people feel, but don’t verbalize, at least not to me, because they know what my answer would be. The search phrase was “how long should you stand for restoration of your marriage”, which I’ll attempt to address today by sharing just a few Bible verses about standing..

First and foremost though, the answer to that question is that if you have to ask it, you probably need to seriously examine your reasons and motives for standing for marriage restoration in the first place, and more than likely they’re not what they should be. So please take a minute to HONESTLY answer this question. Why are you standing for the restoration of your marriage? Since that’s something I often ask the women I talk to, I know what the usual answers are. And based on what James 4:3 tells us about why our prayers are not answered, they’re cause for concern, because it says When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

The ONLY answer to the “why” question that keeps us from asking the “how long” question is “in obedience and submission to the will and word of God.” And that’s why I tell every woman I speak to about marriage restoration that she MUST first determine the will of God for her situation through studying the Bible and prayer and fasting. That’s the ONLY way we can ever stand firm for the restoration of our marriages…NO MATTER WHAT. And as Isaiah 7:9 tells us …>If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.'” When we stand for the restoration of our marriages in obedience and submission to Christ, that makes Him the priority of our lives, and NOT our husbands and not our marriages. In fact, I firmly believe that many of us made the mistake of putting our husbands and marriages above our walk and relationship with the Lord, and the Bible is full of scripture verses clearly warning us that He will take anything we place above Him away from us. The very first commandment was that we should have no other gods before Him, and many of us are guilty of doing exactly that in terms of our husbands and marriages. Don’t expect the Lord to restore a relationship that you want or think you need more than Him, because it won’t happen! However, you CAN rely on the promise found in Matthew 6:33, which says But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So our PRIMARY focus should be seeking the Lord and His righteousness, and then HE will give us the restoration of our marriages.

Our obedience and submission to the will and word of Christ is the ONLY foundation strong enough to withstand the storms and trials of marriage restoration, and the ONLY one that will be strong enough to hold our marriages together once the Lord restores them. Jesus gives us a very powerful illustration of that in these verses from Matthew 7:
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

I hope the following verses will encourage you and remind you to stand firm in your faith and confidence in the will and word of God, and in the knowledge that HE is the one who WILL restore your marriage.

Proverbs 10:25
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

Exodus 14:13
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.

1 Samuel 12:16
“Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!

James 5:8
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

2 Corinthians 1:
20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,
22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Psalm 33:11
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

While it’s not easy to attain, walking in TRUE humility is one of the most powerful and effective tools we have for marriage restoration, especially when our spouse is involved with someone else and we’re the only one standing for the restoration of our marriage. God demonstrated that in a most spectacular and awesome way in the life of one of the FAM Fellowship members last night, as she’ll be sharing in a Praise Testimony on the members’ section of the site later today, which prompted me to make humility the topic of my post this morning and next week’s Restoration Principles.

This is another topic I’m sure I could write an entire book on, because it IS SO important, and yet SO challenging to achieve. I honestly believe that getting to a point of REAL and GENUINE humility is the beginning of the “breakthrough” we seek in the restoration of our marriages. What finally helped me get to that point was reading a book that put all of the Bible verses about pride and humility together in one chapter. There probably weren’t any verses I hadn’t heard before, but somehow the impact was much more effective when I saw them all together and realized how many there are. So, the following are some of the verses in the Bible that teach us how deadly and destructive pride is and how powerful humility is.

Job 40:12
look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand.

Isaiah 2:
17 The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,
18 and the idols will totally disappear.

Proverbs 3:34
He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.

Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 15:33
The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 18:12
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 22:4
Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.

James 4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 3:
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Philippians 2
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Psalm 45:
3 Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.

What an AWESOME and GLORIOUS promise the Lord gives us in these last verses!. When we live and walk in the truth, humility and righteousness of Jesus Christ He WILL ride forth in HIS majesty to victoriously accomplish His will and purpose for our lives, and with the power and might of His righteous right hand, display AWESOME deeds on our behalf! The power of His word will be released to bring EVERYTHING Satan intended for the destruction of our husbands and marriages under the authority and submission of Jesus Christ, and our marriages will be restored for the praise, glory and honor of our Lord and Savior!

For more on this topic, you can read an earlier post, Deadly Dangers Of Pride And Anger.

There is a very direct connection for those who experience marriage restoration and the amount of time spent reading the Bible, because it’s not possible to have the faith and steadfastness needed for the restoration of our marriages without getting very serious about reading and understanding the word of God. Unfortunately, all I can do is make the recommendation, because it’s up to each of us as individuals to determine how committed we are to the restoration of our marriages and whether or not we’re willing to do something so simple, and yet so life transforming!

Since reading the Bible is so important for all Christians; especially those in need of a supernatural move of God’s hand in our lives, such as marriage restoration, a planned schedule for reading the Bible is strongly recommended. Since God gives us so much to encourage and guide us in the Proverbs and Psalms, reading them monthly is a huge blessing, which we can do by reading one chapter of Proverbs and five chapters of the Psalms a day. And an easy way to do that is to read the Proverb that coincides with the day of the month; like Proverbs 23 for today. Then read the Psalm that coincides with the date; Psalm 23 today, and then read four more chapters from the Psalms in increments of 30; like Psalm 53, 83, 113 and 143 today. Since Psalm 119 is so long, it can be skipped and read along with Proverbs 31 in the months with 31 days. And using online Bibles, like BibleGateway.com, makes it easier to read a different version each month for even more insight and interest. In addition to that, it’s important to have a planned reading schedule of a set number of chapters each day to eventually get through the ENTIRE Bible.

Many Christians think reading the Old Testament is boring or difficult, but the modern versions make it a lot easier to read and understand, and it really helps build up our faith and trust in the Lord. It also teaches us so much about the character and nature of God, so it’s VERY important to set aside time to seriously read and STUDY the Bible.

If we read what David wrote in Psalm 143, we can probably all relate to the despair he experienced. But don’t rush through this chapter; take the time to read it line by line and consider what each verse means, especially the wisdom of David’s instruction for all of us in times of despair as found in the following verses:
5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.
When we reflect on the glory of God, all of the awesome stories of deliverance and blessings found in the Old Testament (even our own testimonies or those of others) and the absolute wonder of all of God’s creation, it is totally awe inspiring and uplifting! That’s why it is critically important to keep our focus on God’s omnipotence and NOT our problems.
6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
God wants us to acknowledge our absolute helplessness and to surrender our lives to Him, desperately longing for what ONLY He can give.
7 Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
There are many Bible verses confirming that God creates and uses disasters in our lives to make us totally dependent on Him or to bring us back into His will for our lives, so He is moved when we so desperately acknowledge our need of Him.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
We can always count on God to respond and acknowledge it when we are in despair, and we put our trust in His UNFAILING love And give our deepest concerns to Him, and rely totally on His leadership.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you.
When we trust God and do things HIS way, He will ALWAYS rescue us!
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.
When we ask and surrender to Him, the Lord is faithful to teach us to do His will, for which He gives us the Holy Spirit to help make us more consistent in our walk and faith. As we saw in yesterday’s post, we have to ask Him to give us a more steadfast heart when we despair and falter.
11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
We are always saved and delivered for the praise and glory of God, as we’ve seen in previous posts, and it is when we live in His righteousness, according to what His word teaches, that God hears and answers our prayers. That’s why we MUST know what His word, the Bible, tells us. We have to know what His righteousness means and we have to know what brings praise and glory to His name, as well as what does not. God is never going to answer a prayer that does not bring praise, glory and honor to Jesus Christ and when we’re living in accordance with His will and word, and love Him above everything else, He absolutely WILL fulfill EVERY promise found in His word!
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
When we give our lives to the Lord by truly making Him the Lord of our lives, and live in accordance with His will and word, the gates of Hell can NOT prevail against us, because we are His church; we are His bride and He died for us! He died to give us victory over Satan and every weapon fashioned against us, and to give us hope and confidence in every word and promise we find in His love letter to us; the Bible! Is it even remotely possible that our spouses could send us a love letter that we wouldn’t read every word of, NO matter how long it was? Of course not! And it’s totally ridiculous to even suggest that! So I hope and pray you will remember that the next time you say you love the Lord and the next time you open your Bible.

One of the greatest obstacles to marriage restoration is our own doubt and unbelief, so we must focus on strengthening our faith, because as Hebrews 11:6 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. In fact, when we don’t live by faith, God is not pleased with us, as we see in 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 these verses in James 1 take that even further, because they very clearly state that a lack of faith can keep the Lord from answering our prayers:
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.

Many years ago I heard a phrase I use when I need to make sure my thoughts line up with the promises and confidence I have in the word of God, which is “Who’s report are you going to believe?” So NO MATTER WHAT WE HEAR OR WHAT WE SEE that tends to make us doubtful, we have to remember God’s promise in Proverbs 21:30, which says There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

In the end, it comes down to whether or not we believe in the absolutely omnipotent might and power of our Lord and Savior, and the promises we have in His word, the Bible. We demonstrate that when we live by the words of faith we speak. Unless we believe God is a liar, we shouldn’t be swayed by every little (or big) thing that comes along in the natural realm trying to convince us that the restoration of our marriage is hopeless or impossible. That’s why it’s SO important to follow these instructions found in 2 Corinthians 10:5, which says 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 “persevere” (hang in there!) in the grace and strength of the Lord, and when you do falter, which you probably will, just make that an opportunity to demonstrate your faith in the Lord by asking Him to create in you a steadfast heart so you can realize the awesome promises we have in these verses in Psalm 112:
6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.
7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

I woke up this morning filled with inexplicable joy and full of praise for the Lord’s glory! What an awesome way to start the day! It reminded me of our need to spend more time praising and reflecting on the power and glory of Jesus, so I did a search for praise and glory in the Bible, and here’s what the Lord showed me.

We can All probably remember making promises and vows to the Lord when we needed His help and provision in a desperate situation, but did we remember those promises and vows once the Lord delivered us? Or did we forget, and fail to share it with others and give Him appropriate praise and honor? He deserves and EXPECTS nothing less than our total adoration and praise for his power and glory, so don’t forget to praise Him as we see in Psalm 66 and Psalm 72.

Our failure to give the Lord appropriate praise and honor could actually prevent or delay the restoration of our marriages, as seen in these verses from 1 Peter 1:
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
As with so many other Bible verses we’ve often referred to, these verses demonstrate how important genuine faith is to the Lord and how necessary it is for the realization of everything we’re standing for. When the Lord brings us through the trials we deal with as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, He doesn’t want us to forget and He expects us to share it with others, which is the reason for using a website like this in our ministry. Remembering and sharing all that the Lord does for us helps strengthen our faith, and encourages others, and accesses the authority of Christ and overcomes the power of Satan as we see in these verses from Revelation 12:
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.”.

From the very beginning, God planned EVERYTHING for the ultimate praise and glory of Jesus Christ, as we see again in these verses from Ephesians 1:
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 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.
11 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,
12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
That is the purpose for our existence and the purpose for everything we go through, so it’s VERY important for us to understand that and release the supernatural power found only in praising and giving glory to Jesus, our Lord and Savior!

As we can expect with every promise from God, these verses from Revelation 5 show us how His awesome plan to reveal the glory of Jesus Christ will be fulfilled:
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
12 In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

It is not uncommon for a husband who has left his marriage to be referred to as “The Prodigal” by those standing for the restoration of their marriages. And even though I personally don’t feel comfortable with such labels, it’s true that we can learn a lot about standing for marriage restoration by taking a much closer look at the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15.

Based on my conversations with some of the FAM Fellowship members last week, I had already decided to use this parable as the basis for this week’s Restoration Principles, and I have been contemplating it and what it teaches us about standing for marriage restoration when our husbands leave us. As God always does, He was faithful to confirm this topic and to give me some additional insight through the messages from some of the preachers I listen to the most. David Jeremiah’s TV message yesterday was about the prodigal son as it relates to grace, and he pointed out that the parable tells us a lot more about the father than it does about the prodigal son, which is exactly what I’ve been more focused on! Then Joyce Meyer mentioned the parable of the prodigal son in her message this morning from another perspective, so I’m really looking forward to writing this week’s Restoration Principles. It will be from the perspective of how we should react and respond when our husbands do the same thing to us that the prodigal son did to his father, and how that relates to these verses in 1 Corinthians 7:
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.
16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?.
Unlike many Christians, and even Christian leaders today, I don’t believe these verses mean we are free to remarry when an unsaved spouse leaves us, because that totally contradicts so many other verses of scripture. But, we’ll get into all of that in a lot more detail in this week’s Restoration Principles.

Since peace seems so elusive for many women standing for marriage restoration and it’s an area of significant challenge for so many of the women coming to our ministry, I’m providing a link to purchase this book by Joyce Meyer. Don’t let Satan steal your peace and joy, because he can’t have it unless you give it to him! I believe this inexpensive book will help you understand and overcome that.

Peace
By Joyce Meyer

Are you trying to do the impossible? Are you working too hard to change the people around you? Are you unhappy because you’re not where you want to be spiritually? Are you losing your peace? If you don’t have peace, you can’t enjoy life. Now Joyce Meyer shows you how to gain mastery over your day-to-day existence…while you find peace in the midst of the storm. She’ll teach you how to: wait on God and His perfect timing; outsmart the “peace stealers” who set you up to get you upset; find power in a calm and trusting attitude; focus on the grace of today and not the worries of tomorrow. The peace of God passes all understanding. It’s His free gift to you. Are you ready to receive it?

It’s very exciting to observe how many people are coming to our ministry by searching for marriage related prayers, because there’s no way to adequately express the importance of prayer in marriage restoration. In response, we will focus more on meeting that need in the future by adding more prayers on the site in the days and weeks to come. In the meanwhile, I’d like to recommend this classic book of prayers for every married woman, whether dealing with issues of separation and divorce or not, because every wife should be praying for her husband, and you get $2.00 off the retail price by ordering from ChristianBook.com.

The
Power of a Praying Wife
By Stormie Omartian

What is strong enough to transform a troubled marriage into a loving relationship? The prayers of a godly wife! Sharing examples from her marriage, Omartian encourages every wife to pray for all areas of her husband’s life. Her poignant insights, along with empowering Scripture verses and prayers, will assure you of God’s promises of restoration and renewal. 203 pages, softcover from Harvest.

No matter how strong we are, we all have moments of weakness and need to be reminded once in awhile how much the Lord cares about EVERYTHING concerning our lives. It is possible to intellectually know that He controls everything, and still lose sight of how much He loves us and how intimately involved He is in EVERY detail of our lives. And perhaps someone needs to be reminded of that today.

These verses from Matthew 10 leave little doubt of how concerned and involved God is in our lives:
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

When you need to be reminded of God’s love, provision and protection, you can find reassurance by reading Psalm 121 and Psalm 23.

And if your husband or wife is not in your home or life today, that’s just not God’s plan for you right now, so figure out what He wants you to do TODAY, and DO it. Yesterday is gone, and mourning over what we had yesterday, does not glorify the Lord, and it certainly does not demonstrate faith that He is going to bring us a better tomorrow! So don’t let what happened yesterday ruin your today. Focus on what the Lord calls you to do today and leave the details of your tomorrow in God’s care.

During the night last night, the Lord woke me up and told me to write about peace that passes understanding and the renewal of our minds today, so I couldn’t wait to check the verses out this morning to see what He wanted me to write in today’s post. As I’ve often said before, it never ceases to amaze me how I can look at Bible verses I’m so familiar with, and then find something in them that I just never saw before! Of course, that’s exactly why the Bible is “The Living Word”!

Sometimes it’s not so much about being familiar with the verses, as it is making the connection between related verses, and perhaps that is more what today’s message is about. Romans 12:2 tells us:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Most people would say that is accomplished through reading and studying the Bible so we know and understand God’s plan and will for our lives. And while that’s definitely true, I think there’s a lot more to it, especially since I know so many people who read the Bible, and still don’t seem to have their minds renewed or experience the peace of God that passes all understanding.

God showed me this morning that the answer to renewing our minds and experiencing His peace that passes all understanding is found inn these verses from Philippians 4:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. How much simpler or clearer could it be? If we follow the instructions in these verses, our minds WILL be TOTALLY renewed and there’s no way we could have anything but peace! The challenge is retraining our minds to think that way, because anyone standing for marriage restoration knows how much time we spend doing the exact opposite of what these verses tell us, especially when it comes to the things we spend most of our time thinking and talking about! Many years ago I heard an expression that says the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, which makes a lot of sense; but that’s something most of us have to admit doing. So if we want different results, we need to start doing something different, and putting the advice and instructions found in these verses into practice is an excellent place to start!

When the Bible was originally written, it did not include the chapter and verse distinctions our modern versions do, so I like to look at what the previous chapter has to say, and sometimes I find something of particular interest by doing that, as I did this morning. So, here’s Romans 11:36 and Romans 12:1-2 (AMP) together, without the chapter and verse distinction:
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it). I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

Since peace seems so elusive for many men and women standing for marriage restoration and is an area of significant challenge for many people when they first come to the ministry, it’s important to know that we don’t have to let Satan steal our peace and joy; because he can’t have it unless we give it to him! But when we put the instruction of the above verses into practice, our minds will be renewed and we will have peace that Satan can’t steal!

How rich I’d be if I had just a little something for every time I’ve heard “I’m just tired…I can’t do this anymore!” Well, that’s just another lie straight from the pit of Hell, because the Bible promises us in 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. So our ability to do what the Lord calls us to do in standing for the restoration of our marriages depends on whether or not we are trying to do it in and of ourselves, or if we’re relying on the Lord, putting our hope in Him and Him alone. He’s the ONLY one with the power to restore our marriages and if we look to any other source, we WILL grow tired and weary and be discouraged by our circumstances and situations. It always comes down to whether or not we believe and act on the instructions and promises the Lord gives to us in the Bible, our owner’s manual as His creation, and His love letter to us as His Beloved.

Joyce Meyer reminded me of this particular verse in her message this morning so I very STRONGLY encourage you to listen to Developing Godly Character – Part IV, March 16th as well as the other messages in her series this week. It never ceases to amaze me how often her messages confirm conversations I’ve just had with women standing for marriage restoration or articles I’ve just posted on the website, as you’ll see this one does with the Restoration Principles article I posted last night! But I know that’s just the Holy Spirit in action, which is SO exciting and encouraging! She covers an awful lot that applies to us as women standing for the restoration of our marriages in this series, so don’t miss it!

And here’s a link to purchase an inexpensive book By Joyce Meyer to help you understand and appreciate why it’s so important to wait for God’s perfect timing.

When, God, When? Learning to Trust in God’s Timing
By Joyce Meyer

God has perfect timing for everything in your life. He answers prayers quickly. Other times He waits until He knows you are ready to use His gifts wisely. The wait is not always easy. Impatience, frustration, and disappointment can build because you’re waiting for things to happen now. It is only when you learn to respect, appreciate and, most of all, trust the times of waiting that God really goes to work behind the scenes in earnest. In this uplifting guide, Joyce Meyers shows you that in God’s time you will see the dreams and the visions He has given you fulfilled. God hears you and is working to answer your prayers. If you are willing to wait on His perfect timing, your dreams will be fulfilled with all the blessings of his love.

One of the most challenging areas of this ministry for me personally, involves ministering to women who were saved after they got married and have had their lives and marriages turned upside-down as a result of that. There just aren’t any easy answers and not much I can say is going to make that situation much easier to bear, especially when the husband is hostile and wants nothing to do with God, and now his wife.

God’s ways are different than our ways and we just have to accept that there are times when He does things that we can not understand, but we STILL have to put our faith in Him and in His ability to change our situations and to save our unsaved husbands. We have to focus on what God calls us to do, and there’s a lot more direction in the Bible about that than we might expect, reminding us that God has made provisions for any woman in that situation. I’m working on an article for the FAM Fellowship site about that now, and we’ll start focusing on this area of marriage restoration a lot more since it is one of the issues bringing so many women to the ministry.

Meanwhile, you can read the following passages of scripture from BibleGateway.com, as they should give you some encouragement and remind you that God IS in control and that HIS will is going to be done no matter how impossible it might look to you right now. Just remember that everything the Lord does is for the praise and glory of Jesus Christ, and it doesn’t glorify Him when a saved wife stands for the salvation of her husband and He doesn’t answer that prayer. That is why we have to make sure our prayers are effective as mentioned in the previous post, which we do by praying in accordance with the word of God. That’s why we actually quote Bible verses in the prayers used in our ministry.

When Satan and your husband try to convince you that he can’t be saved:
1 Peter 3:1-2
Mark 10:27
Acts 9:1-31

When you can’t see anything good in your situation and it looks hopeless:
Romans 8:28-33

When you’re tired of waiting and want to know when:
Ephesians 1:7-10

When you just need some encouragement:
Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
Isaiah 41:10-13 (NKJV)
Psalm 37:3-6
Isaiah 55:8-13

Knowing how to pray in accordance with the word of God is SO important for everyone, but especially when standing for marriage restoration, healing, deliverance or the salvation of our loved ones. When we’re dealing with serious issues of spiritual warfare like these, we have to use the most effective weapons possible, and praying according to the word of God is the most powerful weapon we have.

In FAM Prayers, we focus on the necessity of praying in faith, because if we don’t believe what we’re praying for, there is plenty of evidence in the Bible that the Lord is not going to act on our behalf. But believing, I mean REALLY BELIEVING, is a whole lot easier said than done, so it’s important to understand how to get that kind of faith. Of course, the first response to that question is found in Romans 10:17, which says:
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. So when we lack the faith we need to believe the things we’re praying for, we HAVE to read and study the Bible to find out what God has to say about what we want or need. Then when we know what the word of God tells us, when we believe in the power of His promises and we truly understand His love and character, and when we know and understand His law, we will have the confidence and faith we need to pray and move the Holy Spirit to act on our behalf, as we’re promised in John 15:7-8 (AMP):
7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. How awesome and amazing it is to think that one of the reason God answers our prayers is so that He will be glorified, but then that shouldn’t surprise us when we consider what Ephesians 1:6-14 says, which most regular visitors know is one of my favorite passages of scripture! So when we study God’s word, we will come to understand that when we’re saved and living our lives in accordance with what the Bible teaches us is pleasing to the Lord, and when we know the word of God well enough to have it stored up in our hearts, and when we ask for things that we know line up with what His word teaches, we’ll have the confidence and faith needed to believe that He will answer our prayers, and He will answer them, and then when others see our lives bearing the fruit of our prayers, it brings glory to God and shows the world that we are His! That creates the word of our testimony, which the Bible tells us is used to defeat the works of the devil, as found in another one of my favorite passages of scripture, Revelation 12:9-12!

Next to “marriage”, “prayer” is the word most often used to bring visitors to the site, so I know you will appreciate and benefit from listening to Dr. Creflo Dollar’s message this morning on prayer. I hope everyone will take the time to listen to it, because he explains why it is so important to know God’s will by studying His word and why it is so important to pray according to the scriptures. That is why the prayers used on this site have Bible references or use a lot of scripture. When we pray that way, we KNOW God hears and answers our prayers, and that helps to increase our faith and confidence, which is an essential ingredient for answered prayers. Based on what the Bible tells us, we KNOW it IS god’s will for our husbands to be saved and for our marriages to remain in tact, which is why we have the faith and confidence we need to stand for the restoration of our marriages.

The main reference Dr. Dollar used this morning is found in these verses in 1 John 5:
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. It doesn’t get much simpler or clearer than that!

The message from this morning isn’t available online yet, but you will be able to get it by tomorrow at this link from www.CrefloDollarMinistries.org.