The following messages from Bill and Marsha Burns and Lorraine Ezell sure are timely in light of recent conversations and posts on the private FAM site, so I want to share them here as well, and hope and pray that they will bless and encourage everyone this morning as they have me! GOD IS MOVING…SO GET READY!!!

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THE TRUMPET by Bill Burns — Sept. 28, 2009:
You will no longer have to wait for the manifestation of My presence, says the Lord. For these are the days in which I shall come and touch. These are the days in which I shall come and breathe upon you. These are the days that I shall come and release My people from the bondages of the enemy. For there is a cry going forth across the land; the cry of My Spirit; the cry of My voice. Listen and you shall hear. Watch and see and you shall know for I am about to perform in this land and among My people the greatest manifestation of My glory that ever has been seen on this earth. In the days of old they watched for the fire upon the tent; in those days they watched for the cloud. In these days you will watch for the manifest presence of the Holy One and the breath of the Spirit shall come upon you and move you as the wind of His glory; into the fullness of His purposes. For I the Lord God have not forgotten My people.
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SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — Sept. 28, 2009:
Refuse to allow fear or worry to keep you from My blessings, says the Lord. Quiet your soul and be resolute in belief that I am bringing complete restoration to every area of your life. Do not doubt or be double-minded. Stand strong and unwavering in your faith, for I will do all that I have promised.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

You can read or sign up to receive messages from the Burns and others by email, on the Spirit of Prophecy website.

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Coffee Break – “Leeks And Garlic” by Lorraine Ezell

“We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick.” Numbers 11:5

The Lord miraculously delivered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and was going to take them into the land of Canaan- a land that He had promised to give them. During their journey they began to murmur and complain. They wanted to go back to Egypt with its leeks and garlic. Can you imagine, God wanted to give them milk and honey and they wanted onions and garlic!

Aren’t we often the same way? God is trying to give us something so much better than we have and we keep wanting to hold on to the lesser instead. Why is that? Look back at Israel. In order to get to the milk and honey, they had to move, they had to get away from their familiar surroundings, they had to cross the desert, they had to go through a wilderness, they had to face some heat. When the Lord is trying to get something to us, He doesn’t always just “drop it in our laps”. Sometimes we have to make a move. Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zones. Sometimes it means going through a desert, through a wilderness or even through a dry place. And because getting the good thing (the milk and honey) that the Lord wants us to have comes at a price, we would rather settle for what we have (leeks and garlic) than pay it.

Whatever you have to go through in order to receive God’s will for you will be well worth it in the end like we talked about last week. The problem is not on God’s end. He wants to bless you. He wants you in His will. He wants to give you good and perfect gifts. He wants to take you from glory to glory. The problem is with us when receiving involves some sort of sacrifice, self denial or commitment on our part. That being the case we have to ask ourselves, “Do I really want to settle for the “leeks and garlic”? Or do I want to receive all that God desires to give me, even if it cost something on my part?”

Have a great day. Is God trying to give you milk and honey but you are still wanting onions and garlic because you don’t want to go through what it takes to get the milk and honey?

For further reading: 2 Corinthians 3:18, Acts 14:22, Isaiah 1:19, and Luke 4:1-14

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell, and available online and sent by email free of charge for the asking from About the Master’s Business Ministry, Inc.
So please feel free to call Lorraine at (601) 833-5278 or E-mail her at mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
And you can visit her on the web at MastersBusiness.org.

(Note from Linda: I just LOVE this message from Glenn Jackson, and know you all will as well! So be blessed and encouraged…AND GET READY…GOD IS MOVING!!!)

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THE LIFE OF FAITH AND THE GLORIOUS CHURCH – 2009
SEPTEMBER 27TH
“CONSEQUENCES”
….”whatever is not from faith is sin”…. Romans 14:23b NASB
….”If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]”…. 1 John 1:9 The Amplified Translation
….”And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love [who continually obey] God, to those who are called according to His purpose”…. Romans 8:28 NASB
….”If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”…. John 14:15 NASB

Any “consequences” of our previous sin[s] that still remain are now but “tools” in the Father’s hand to not only rectify that situation [or situations] in the best way possible, but also to bring forth “fruit” from our diligent efforts in love and faith that will bring forth God’s greatest eternal benefit – both in our lives and in the lives of all those with whom we have [or have had] to do with. Any “consequences” that one is still dealing with MUST be brought to the foot of the Cross KNOWING that in EVERY way the precious Blood of Jesus and the grace of God are more than sufficient to overcome – even the most seemingly impossible circumstances and situations. As one seeks [and gains] a revelation from the Throne Room concerning whatever “consequence” they are still faced with from their previous activities [which were carried out apart from the Holy Spirit] and, then, they begin to set their heart in love on the Father’s highest will and most holy purpose for all involved THEN, as the days and weeks go by, they will be entirely delivered from any “bad feelings”, memories, scars or effects of their words or actions.
THE “PLACE OF HEALING AND DIVINE RESTORATION”
From this place of healing in their own lives they shall then become a vessel of healing and light [revelation] to the greatest “possible” degree to all those in their “past” – regardless of how tragic or horrible the situations they were facing had been. When one factors in that we are about to experience the greatest outpouring of God’s presence in the earth [and that all things are truly possible to the one that will only believe] THEN one can “begin” to understand the potentially staggering possibilities for the “restoration” of the lives that have been hurt – or, at the very least been affected in adverse ways. This is the time of perfect restoration – particularly in “relationships” and, as the love of the Father is poured forth in “torrents” through His holy vessels, we shall most certainly begin to see amazing miracles in this area. So to all those whose deepest desire is the forsaking of all unforgiveness in their own lives and the “restoration” of all those with whom they have to do – seek the Father on any consequences [circumstances that may still be attempting to cling to you and hinder you from coming into the fullness of His plan.
In both gaining the necessary revelation, and setting yourself in that holy place of abiding in love, you shall soon see great and mighty events in your life and circumstances – events that shall be a great sign and wonder to all those who have crossed – and who will cross – your path. The Father will surely turn all that the Devil meant for your greatest harm into His greatest good and purpose for you as you continue on in obedience. This is indeed the hour wherein the seemingly impossible will become possible. Let faith and patience rule your life and you will surely inherit the fullness of the Father’s promise in all things.
Related Scriptures: Hebrews 6:11-12

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You can read all of Glenn’s messages online or sign up to receive them daily by email.

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked might well be how to pray, and there just isn’t any better answer to that question than the one Dr. Charles Stanley provided in his sermon this past weekend, A Life-Changing Prayer. So I strongly encourage everyone to read his Sermon Outline, which is based on Colossians 1:9-14. And it would be a very good idea to print that out and keep it for future reference and you can watch the message or listen to it at the appropriate link provided above.

As Dr. Stanley said, this prayer really does cover everyone in every situation and there’s nothing more powerful than praying the manifestation of God’s Word into someone’s life and circumstances, especially when we fully understand and recognize the amazing, yet simple declaration found in Psalm 103:20! So I for one fully intend to take this message to heart and to put it into practice in my prayers for myself and those I love, and then I fully expect to be amazed by the great and mighty things I know God will do! And there’s NO DOUBT that when we pray this way, we will be blessed and encouraged as we see the hand of God moving mightily in our circumstances and in the restoration of our marriages and families…SO GET READY!!!

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Colossians 1:9-14 – For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

One of the most personally rewarding experiences of marriage restoration ministry is witnessing how an individual’s attitude and life are totally transformed when they truly learn to surrender everything to the Lord and become the men and women God always intended them to be as they learn to TRUST AND OBEY. And FAM members have truly been blessed to witness such a transformation over the past year and a half in the life of a young lady (who I will just call “A”) since she became a FAM Fellowship member at the young age of twenty-three.

When A came to the ministry, she was so full of self pity and so caught up in her identity as a victim that some of her posts couldn’t even be posted because her life was such a mess and, according to her, it was always someone’s fault other than her own. She wasn’t willing to do anything to help herself; much less acknowledge that it wasn’t everyone else’s responsibility to do so. She was living with her parents, but seemed to have no appreciation at all for how their lives had been totally turned upside-down just to take her and her young daughter into their home. She ended up dropping out of school, lost her driver’s license and car due to unpaid tickets and repairs she thought someone else should take care of (and resented that they didn’t), and the list could go on and on. Unfortunately, she wasn’t doing ANYTHING to improve her situation and no matter how much I tried, she just couldn’t be motivated to make the changes necessary before the Lord would work in her circumstances and to restore her marriage and family; which is ALWAYS quite frustrating.. But last December, the Lord intervened and provided the perfect opportunity to get through to A, and as we have all been blessed to witness, it sure has paid off because that was just what it took to sart her on the journey from victim to victor in Christ; something every man and woman standing for marriage restoration must do at some point in time.

What an awesome transformation it was when A developed a genuine and sincere attitude of praise and thanksgiving and took responsibility for her life an the lives of her children (she and her estranged hubby managed to get together long enough for her to get pregnant again during their separation). She truly let her husband go, submitted to and respected his wishes to divorce her and focused on her walk and relationship with the Lord and doing something to improve her circumstances. And it’s nothing short of miraculous to see how quickly everything in her life turned around once she changed her attitude and started to do something for herself instead of painting every aspect of her life with the self destructive brush of victim mentality! However, God has definitely blessed and rewarded A’s faithfulness and obedience because she will be moving from her parents’ home into a three bedroom and two bath home of her own later this month with terms that seem TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE and which “just happens” (no way!) to be right on the bus route and within walking distance to where her llittle girl will go to school. Of course, there’s no doubt that in time, God will provide a car too. And all of this just came about in the past couple of weeks…BUT, as there ALWAYS is with God, there’s more! While her life was really going great for the first time since her separation, her husband’s life was falling apart, which is exactly what God’s Word says will happen to those caught in the devil’s trap of adultery according to Proverbs 5 and Proverbs 7. So read A’s awesome Restored Marriage Testimony below and be blessed and encouraged because what God does for one, He will do for all and He is no respecter of persons! We just need to learn to truly TRUST AND OBEY, because as that old song says, there is NO OTHER WAY TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS!

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A Man Can Plan his Course, But God Determines his Steps by A

Hello FAM Family,

I must say that blessings have been raining down on me at such a rapid pace, that I am in total awe and adoration of the God we serve. And I apologize for not getting this post up sooner, but I wanted to make sure it was good. And with my move quickly approaching on October 1st, I have been a very busy girl trying to get things done and in order.

When I came to Faith And Marriage Ministries, I was so broken; just as were many of us. Not only that; I came here with a lot of anger, frustration and guilt for things that had taken place in my marriage. But I particularly came here with a huge VICTIM mentality, which took me quite sometime to shake.

SNO (spouse name omitted) and I had been having trouble for a while in our marriage; always arguing over totally unnecessary things and nit picking at one another. So in August of 2007, after taking some awful advice and listening to friends (who were not married by the way), I moved out of our apartment. I mistakenly thought, “If SNO loves me he will change and then I’ll go back home.” Was I ever wrong, because he didn’t come around that much, and when he did, all he did was beg me to take him back. But with my self righteous attitude and my VICTIM mentality, all I ever said was “You have to show me that you have changed.” And he always responded with “How can I show you if I’m not with you?” So, due to my own selfishness, I did not “see” that he was changing and in November of 2007, I filed for a divorce. Unfortunately, when I received SNO’s response and saw that he had gotten a lawyer, and wanted joint custody (5050) of our daughter, things got very nasty between us. And it was not until Christmas that I realized, “This is not the life I want; I want to be with my husband.”

So in January of 2008, I called SNO and asked him to meet me, and we talked and decided to work things out. And he told me then that the NCP was just a friend helping him through a hard time. But about a week later, he suddenly changed his mind and said that he was going to be with the NCP. After that, I became sick and after a five day stay in the hospital, decided that I could not do this anymore and gave my life back to the Lord.

Then in February of 2008, with desperate attempts through Google searches to find out how to save my marriage, I found Faith And Marriage Ministries and completed a Member Profile. That’s when Linda called me and without an ounce of sympathy, began to tell me about myself. So it was here that I began to find a release and really learn the biblical principals of standing for marriage restoration. It took me a while, a few mishaps and failed attempts, but after some time, I began to get the hang of it. And reading the testimonies of other members really gave me so much insight into my own circumstances, and I could finally see that there were other people in the world going through the same thing I was going through. And I had the pleasure of witnessing many, many marriages get restored, and with each one, hope would fill my heart. Yet I must confess that I questioned God a few times about when it would be my turn.

However, it wasn’t until the VICTIM SMACK DOWN (Note from Linda: read that in responses below) Linda had to give me in December of 2008 that I really saw the “yuk” in me. But after that, I REALLY let go of SNO, and began to move forward with my life. I think we all have fear inside of us about letting go, and I would often tell Melissa, “It feels weird because it’s almost like I don’t care.” But she would quickly remind me that it’s not that I didn’t care because that’s what it means to truly let go; to go on with my life, trusting that GOD will do whatever it takes to restore my marriage. And that was a huge burden lifted off of me, because I no longer had to wonder, worry and think about what he was doing or what was going to happen.

My husband has repeatedly told me “It is over”…”We will never be together again”…”I’m with someone else”…”Please hurry up and sign the papers so we can be divorced”…. I have heard it all, and people thought I was crazy to believe that SNO would ever change his mind; but I didn’t believe in SNO, I believed in Someone much bigger!

Then early last Tuesday morning, at about 2:30.a.m, SNO called and asked what I was doing! I told him I was sleeping, and he said “Well, what if I needed to come and talk to you?” I told him that was okay; that I would just have to get up. And he said that he was on his way and for me to be awake because he didn’t have a cell phone to call me when he got here.

When he arrived, he was quiet and didn’t really jump right into what he had to say. But he played with our youngest daughter, which was a great sight to see, since he has not been involved in her life since she was born. And she was very receptive to him too, even when he held her. Then he lay beside me on the bed and started off by saying that he does not hate me, but he hates what I did to him. He said that he is only twenty-four and is already having stress ulcers and strokes and that he wishes that we would have just stuck it out. He asked why I gave up on him and I just told him that it was because I was selfish and mean. He said that I was his everything and that he still needed me to be that, and that he thought about me every single day even when he tried his hardest not too. He told me that he was sorry because he has messed everything up now, because the NCP and their daughter together would be a burden on me. I assured him that was not true and that I loved her because she was his daughter. But he responded that he knows me and he knows that it would hurt me because he would have to bring her around. I just told him that everything would be okay. He also said that he tried really hard to get the divorce finalized, but it just would not go through. And I told him that was God and he said “I know.” He also told me that he loved me and that he had missed me so much. I have not heard him say he loved me since January of 2008, so that brought tears to my eyes. He told me that he did not know what to do about the NCP and their daughter, and I just said that he will figure it out and I know that when he does it will be the right thing. He just kept telling me how beautiful I was and he even rubbed my feet! He stayed the night and it was just so amazing to have my family together under one roof again.

FAMM has made what seemed like such a long journey fly by, and now after all of those times I wondered when it would be my turn; Linda, I would love it if you would please move me and my husband, SNO, over to the RESTORED MARRIAGE list! I know that his physical body is not in our home yet, but his heart is and I am confident that God
will complete the good work he has obviously begun! SNO had it all planned out in his heart, but God has surely been and will continue directing his steps (Proverbs 16:9)!

Since I know the true challenge of marriage restoration takes place once our spouses come home, I am asking my FAMM family to pray in agreement with me for SNO’s physical return; and that I will lean not to my own understanding in anything, and in all things trust God. I can’t wait to experience the new marriage God has just for me; but don’t worry, I already know about that trap of “unmet expectations.” Since my meeting with my husband on Tuesday, I have not heard anything from him. But I’ve talked with Melissa and had a conversation with Linda, and they both told me to beware of that trap and that SNO has a lot on his plate right now. Even though I was a bit disappointed that he could come over and say such wonderful things to me and then just “disappear,” I was quickly reminded to take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. SNO really does have a lot on his plate to deal with right now; a lot more so than I do. And I can’t afford to fall back into my pattern of being a VICTIM and selfish.

I have to say that I am in complete awe of the things that the Lord is doing in my life, and how quickly everything has begun to happen. And I want to say to everyone here who is still waiting for that day to just keep trusting God no matter what because He is faithful to complete the work He starts. Do everything His way and you will indeed get His results and lastly, just LET GO! You will find that life without the presence of your spouse can actually be much more peaceful if you just let go completely and let God do the work that needs to be done.

Thank you so much, everyone, for all of your love and support, and I will keep you updated. Also, my gas and electric are scheduled to be turned on in my new house on September 29th and the new carpet is being put in on September 25th. And I’m just so excited!!!

God just keeps blessing us with words of encouragement and wisdom from those we have come to trust for just that, and today’s messages from Bill and Marsha Burns were no exception, as well as Lorraine Ezell’s Coffee Break devotional this morning, so I want to share them all with everyone below. Be blessed and encouraged…GOD IS MOVING MIGHTILY IN OUR MIDST!!!

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THE TRUMPET by Bill Burns — September 21, 2009:
Songs of deliverance are coming to you, for I, the Lord your God, will pour out of My Spirit that you may be relieved of the burdens that you have carried — those things that have weighed you down; those things that have been troubling to you; those things that you have struggled with. So I say, come to Me you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. For it must be that in this season that you take rest in the presence of your Maker. You have the ability to come to Me and receive restoration that will come in a position of your alertness, preparedness, and your ability to be fresh and ready to receive, says the Almighty. You are like the eagle who flies in the skies, turn your eyes upward and you will see that you have the ability to be as He is — the ability to see and perceive My purposes, says the Lord. I have called My people to come aside for a moment of rest, a moment of restoration where you can be unburdened now in this season. Come and rest. Allow Me to heal you. Allow Me to invigorate your spirit. Lift up your voice and call to Me and I shall come. For these are indeed the days of My glory and you, My children, are the sons and daughters of glory. So come now and rest, says the Lord.

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SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — September 21, 2009:
Mount up! Renew your strength as the eagles. What has come to a close or is finishing is not the end but another beginning. Don’t think that life or ministry is over. This is only the end of a phase. You will arise with renewed strength and in greater maturity in the Spirit and accomplish what I have set you to do. I am not finished with you. You have come through a season of change with perseverance and endurance. This has been a time of preparation and a necessary precursor for what is ahead. You have had to make a clean break with the past in order to be available to do what I have set before you now. Come forth in the power of My grace, knowing that you are indeed in the flow of My Spirit and that I am carrying you, says the Lord.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

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You can sign up to receive the Spirit of Prophecy messages from Bill and Marsha Burns by email or read them online (as well as those of others), where they are archived on the Spirit of Prophecy website

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Coffee Break – “At All Times” by Lorraine Ezell:
“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” Psalm 62:8

“Trust in the Lord at all times”. What does “at all times” mean? Does it mean our trust is to be restricted to the good times only? Does it mean that we should trust the Lord when things are well and the sun is shining? Does “at all times” mean only when we have enough money coming in to pay the bills, when our children are living for the Lord, when there is food on our table, when all our relationships are fine? Does it mean we should trust Him when the economy is in stable condition, when there are no wars, when righteousness is being established within our borders, when the unemployment rate is zero?

Or could it mean that we should trust Him when our lives are falling apart, when the rain is coming, when the darkness of night has settled around us? Could it mean that we should trust the Lord when we see no hope for a brighter tomorrow, when we get one bad report after another like Job, when the earth is shaking beneath our feet and the storm is beating upon our house? Does it mean that we should put our trust in the Lord when sickness strikes our body, when the bank forecloses on our home, when the pink slip comes today and tomorrow we have no job?

Does “at all times” include the times when we see no evidence that the Lord is working on our behalf, when the heavens seem to be shut up, when our prayers feel like they are returning unanswered, when it feels like God has abandoned us? Just what does He mean when He says, “Trust in the Lord at all times”? He means just that- at all times. Good times, bad times, night time, day time, plenty times, lack times, calm times, storm times– if there is a “time” for it, then we are to trust God in it.

Life consists of different “times”. It isn’t made up of all good times or all bad times. But regardless of the times we find ourselves in, we can trust God in them. He is with us, providing for us, meeting our need, protecting us, empowering us, at all times. He was with the disciples in the time of storm. He was with David when his time came to face the giant. He was with the three Hebrews during the time they were in the furnace. He was with Esther when it was time to go before the king. He was with Moses when it was time to lead the people out of Egypt. He was with Joshua when it was time to go into the promised land. And He will be with you in all your times too.

Have a great day. Trust in the Lord at all times- regardless of what time it is.
For further reading:
Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 56:3, Isaiah 12:2, Psalm 73:28, Psalm 118:8-9, Psalm 20:7

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell, and available online and sent by email free of charge for the asking from About the Master’s Business Ministry, Inc.
So please feel free to call Lorraine at (601) 833-5278 or E-mail her at mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
And you can visit her on the web at MastersBusiness.org.

(Note from Linda: Karen beat me to getting these posted on the private site, and there’s no doubt that everyone standing for marriage restoration who reads, BELIEVES and PRACTICES them will be very blessed and encouraged, so I just had to share them here too!)

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Glenn Jackson’s devotionals for today, September 20th, and tomorrow, September 21st, were absolutely written for all of us, and his words and the scripture references will just leap off of the page when you read them. They speak of God’s power to restore all things the devil has stolen, of taking thoughts captive and speaking pertinent scripture out loud because God is more than able to bring into being THE WORDS WE SPEAK. Glenn reminds us that the ability to restore is done in the supernatural and not in the natural realm, and not to fear our circumstances, and to have faith in God’s absolute power to restore to us what the devil has taken!

(Note from Linda: The following Small Straws message from Marsha Burns is so true and something everyone standing for the miracle of marriage restoration and/or the salvation of a spouse always needs to be reminded of, so be blessed and encouraged! God is moving and we need to GET READY!)

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Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — Sept. 18, 2009:

I hear your heart and know your desires. Your prayers are not in vain; they have been heard, and I tell you that I am not a God without power to perform My word. Nothing is impossible for Me, says the Lord. My will is being perfectly executed in your life and in your circumstances as you exercise faith and trust Me. You are My greatly loved and chosen vessels. Rest in the assurance that I am with you always.
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

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You can read and sign up to receive messages from Bill and Marsha Burns and others on the Spirit of Prophecy website.

As long as I live, I’ll never cease to be in total awe of the wondrous and miraculous ways I’ve been blessed to witness the hand of God moving in the lives and marriages of FAM members and their families. Even with that being said, everything we’ve witnessed over the past six weeks or so just defies comprehension and description! In the past five weeks alone, FAM members have been blessed to read the Restored Marriage Testimonies of six of our family members, and they were all what we call “SUDDENLIES!” And in addition to the restoration testimonies posted on the private website, I received email messages and/or phone calls from at least four more members with news of their restored marriages, which were also all SUDDENLIES! And I have no doubt that based on the awesome praises of several other members, we will see even more Restored Marriages by the end of the month! Since it’s always especially exciting when we see the hand of God moving in the lives and restoration of marriages of FAM members who have been standing for many years and who previously had little or no contact with their spouses, we’ve been particularly blessed to witness that in the past six weeks as well! So it’s just amazing to see how quickly God works when we learn to DO things HIS way and to truly TRUST AND OBEY what His Word teaches; because there’s only one outcome when we do and that’s the full manifestation of His Word in our lives and marriages for the glory of Jesus Christ!

In addition to being blessed by the awesome work of restoration we’ve recently witnessed, FAM members were also blessed to participate in our first real “FAMM get together” earlier this month when I went to Ohio for a week long stay as a guest in the home of a FAM member (Karla) with a restored marriage. But the “open house” we had originally planned for the Saturday afternoon before Labor Day, ended up being a “sleep over” with nine FAM members actually staying under the same roof that night! In addition to that, Karla and I were blessed to meet and have lunch with another member with a restored marriage earlier in the week who couldn’t attend over the weekend, along with her twin daughters. And then two of our members who attended, visited another member with a restored marriage on their way home Sunday because she had emailed that morning that she was having a difficult time in her marriage again.

Needless to say, we were all blessed beyond measure to share such wonderful fellowship, and FAMM Board members got to meet each other for the first time because five of our six Directors and Officers were in attendance. And with the exception of meeting Dan earlier in the year (when he and two of the other guys came to visit and we went out for lunch together), our Board members had previously “met” only via conference calls! And we were all particularly blessed that our very gracious and generous host was so willing to share his experience and the “Prodigal Perspective” with all of us as we gathered around his kitchen table both Saturday and Sunday. However, one thing I was not prepared for was the overwhelming emotion that often came over me throughout the weekend. I have stated before that I don’t allow myself to dwell too much on what I see the Lord doing through FAMM because it can be so emotionally overwhelming at times. But that’s just not possible to avoid when it’s so evident, which it definitely was while actually staying in the home of a restored family with three young children and hearing the praises and testimonies of men and women whose lives have been so radically changed by the power and grace of our Lord during one of the most difficult times in their lives. And there’s no doubt that our “family reunion” (as it’s now being called) has created a totally new dimension in the ministry; because there’s just a difference somehow. Perhaps it’s seeing the pictures of our family reunion posted on the private site and finally being able to put faces with the names of people we’ve all come to love; or maybe it’s just the difference caused by the bond made when sharing such sweet fellowship with each other as we were blessed to do. In any case, it’s very exciting to see how the Lord is working in our midst in such great and mighty ways and I just can’t wait to see what He will do next, because I know it will be far beyond our wildest expectations and understanding and that we will all continue to be blessed and encouraged beyond belief just as we have been over the past weeks! So we give ALL praise, honor and glory to Jesus Christ for all He has already done in our midst and for all of the great and mighty things we know He will do in the days, weeks, months and even years to come as we stand in faith and obedience on the power and promise of His Word for the restoration of our marriages and families! GOD IS MOVING, SO BE BLESSED AND ENCOURAGED…AND GET READY!!!

One of the most important challenges when standing for marriage restoration is recognizing and overcoming unforgiveness because it’s like a poison pill to our stand for marriage restoration. In fact, I’d venture to say that most men and women standing for marriage restoration feel pretty sure that we have forgiven our spouses, and often have a very difficult time admitting that it’s still an issue, even after saying or doing something proving otherwise. Yet if we’re still offended, hurt, or experience an emotional reaction to something, we have not forgiven it, according to God’s standards for forgiveness; which we know based on the following verses:

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

Psalm 103:12 – For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

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

How amazing and incredible it is to know that the Lord forgives us and remembers our sins no more FOR HIS OWN SAKE! And surely if it is something the Lord does for His own sake, we should understand that it’s for our own sake that we need to forgive others; especially our one flesh covenant mates. And there are many verses making it very clear that God forgives us ONLY AS we forgive others, such as the following passages of scripture:

Luke 11:4 – Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.”

Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Luke 6:37 – “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

And The parable of The Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18:21-35 leaves absolutely no doubt about the correlation between how we forgive and how we are forgiven!

Then, in addition to restating that the Lord forgives us only as we forgive others, Mark 11:24-25 gives us another very important reason to guard our hearts against unforgiveness, because it says Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” So there’s a direct connection between how the Lord responds to our prayers and a lack of forgiveness in our hearts. And the Lord expects us to SEEK forgiveness as well as give it, which we know based on Matthew 5:23-24, because it says “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

And what a powerful verse Luke 7:47 is for everyone standing for marriage restoration, because it says Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” And this is not the only place we see love and forgiveness hand in hand, because in describing love, 1 Corinthians 13:5 says It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Ouch…that “keeps no record of wrongs” part is a really tough one; yet that’s exactly what true forgiveness and unconditional love requires!

FAM members are often surprised and even upset when I suggest that they sill harbor unforgiveness toward their spouses because they honestly believe they don’t. Yet that’s hard to deny when considering some of the things they have said, because when we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts, even on a subconscious level, it WILL come out of our mouths sooner or later, and more than likely at the worst possible moment! From our hearts our mouths speak, so when we have unforgiveness in our hearts, it WILL eventually come out, no matter how hard we try to hide it because as Luke 6:45 declares, The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Fortunately, as Psalm 139 reveals, God knows all there is to know about us an He will be ever so faithful to hear and answer when we pray psalm 139:23-24, which says Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. And as I’ve personally experienced and witnessed in the lives of so many others, God seems to be particularly faithful to answer this prayer, and He seems to do so very quickly and thoroughly, which tends to be a very painful process. But it’s often a very necessary process for the healing that needs to take place in US so we can truly forgive our spouses and thus create the atmosphere of grace that’s required for redemption, which is important because without redemption, restoration is not possible. So I hope and pray that everyone standing for marriage restoration will be able to recognize and overcome unforgiveness because when we do, we are the ones who are truly blessed and encouraged!

(Note from Linda: Virginia shared the following post on the private site and since it goes along with so many of the recent conversations I’ve have with other FAM members over the past week and something the Lord has been showing me in my own love walk, I appreciate her permission to share it here as well. The Lord has been showing me that HIS kind of love (UNCONDITIONAL AND UNFAILING) is not about getting our own needs met, and that the most fulfilling and rewarding love GIVES to meet the needs of those we love. And since God had also used the way parents love their children to help me better understand that, I was really amazed when I first read how He had also been speaking to Virginia about the same thing. But God first put that on my heart just before Christmas last year and I actually wrote about it on Christmas Day in a Seeds Of Faith post, Love Gives! And since giving love definitely requires forgiveness and that’s also been the topic of many conversations in the past few days, I’ll be reposting some of the archived Seeds Of Faith posts about forgiveness the rest of this week. So let’s all focus on improving our love walk because our spouses will not “feel” loved until we learn to love according to THEIR needs instead of our own. And when our love is rooted in getting our self centered needs and desires met, it isn’t UNCONDITIONAL, and it can’t be unfailing. Yet the Bible teaches us that UNFAILING love is what every man/woman desires (Proverbs 19:22! And when we learn to demonstrate unconditional love and give to meet the needs of our mates, WE are the ones who will be blessed and encouraged when that love is returned!)

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Hello My FAMM Family!

I want to share something that has been on my heart and mind, which I pray will bless someone because you need to hear it; whether for the first time or for the hundredth time.

What is forgiveness? Webster’s dictionary defines forgiveness as “an act of excusing a mistake or offense.” Even though most of us will say that we forgive someone when they tell us they are sorry, do we truly understand what that means? Unfortunately, we are rarely actually capable of really grasping the unrestricted measure of what is being asked for and granted. We might mean it at the moment, but more times than not, we keep a small part of our pain, disappointment, anger and unforgiveness hidden. And the next time that offense occurs again, or something similar, we remember it because we have kept a record of the wrong. We even keep a tally and hold onto a grudge and use it as a weapon in the next argument. But that is not what FORGIVENESS is. And that is not what LOVE does.

LOVE is giving with out the expectation of receiving; which is such a simple concept and something parents do very willingly with their children. And more times than not, it’s done without a word of complaint. Parents of a newborn know that their child depends completely on them; because they depend on them for food, shelter and their daily care in general. And what do parents get in return? Absolutely nothing, because the baby is unable to express Love in return for the love demonstrated to them. All the baby is able to do is cry, go potty, and sleep, and there is no real interaction from the baby that expresses love for their parent. The newborn has no concept of what communication to the parent is; much less the capacity to express it, other than to cry, or whimper, which are just natural inborn behaviors. But as parents, we give unconditional LOVE. We give and give…and give and give again; never expecting or demanding anything in return. We repeatedly forgive our babies for messy diapers and when they toss up on our new shirt. Why?…because that’s UNCONDITIONAL love and UNCONDITIONAL forgiveness. So we ARE capable of giving unconditional love and unconditional forgiveness. As parents, we don’t demand that the baby repents for the mistake, or makes an apology, or even acknowledges that an offense took place. We don’t ask for that or even expect it. Instead, we give the baby what is commanded of us by God; unconditional love and unconditional forgiveness.

WOW! What a concept. Every one of us is capable of that, and every one of us is given the desire and ability to achieve it. Yet, we just refuse to do it when it comes to our spouses. But as Christians, NO limits should be placed on our love and forgiveness; ABSOLUTELY NONE. Do we have a limit of how many times we will forgive a baby for spitting up on our clean shirt? How about crying in the middle of the night due to hunger?)

Luke 17:4 – If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

But what about when someone does something to us and isn’t aware or doesn’t seem to care that it hurt us? And what if they don’t ask or say they are sorry or even acknowledge the wrong? In fact, they might even blame us instead of acknowledging their own responsibility for it. Yes, forgiveness is often very hard to do. But it is still in our POWER to forgive, and it is something we’re capable of doing and God even commands us to do it.

Matthew 5:44-45 (NKJV) – But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

I sat and thought about this a long time, along with all of the things we hear the world (our family and friends) say about getting on with our lives and how we shouldn’t put up with this or that because we “deserve” better and we can find someone “new.” Unfortunately, I began to believe the things I was hearing, and I started to doubt my stand. I questioned every detail, but there was this small quiet voice that kept saying “WAIT!! Listen!! That is not TRUE!!” So I waited and waited; and I waited some more. I also got very still and I listened. And I heard “How many times am I allowed to sin? How many times am I allowed to offend? How many times am I allowed to hurt the LORD? How many times am I allowed to make the same mistake? How many times am I allowed to fall before the LORD throws up his hands and says forget it?! I give up on you. How many times…five times…nine times…twenty times…one hundred times?” How many times!! My goodness! When I heard that, I cried. I cried to the Lord, and asked for forgiveness for doubting that HE would not give me the ability and strength to do what HE ask me to do.
Again, I sat there… and really began to look at things in my life. I kept saying to myself, “I want to show love, and I want to show forgiveness. I want to have a soft heart. I want to be the good wife, mother, friend and person GOD has created me to be.” And I kept asking God why I had to forgive when I felt so wronged and so hurt, and then I remembered something. I remembered Matthew 6:14-16, which says For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

So I began thinking that I want to get rid of this grudge that has been following me around. I want to be able to look at someone and say “I love you…I forgive you” and mean it like the LORD ask and commands me to. I knew all of the details, and I knew I had all of the tools. But I still felt that I did not have enough in me to accomplish that because it seemed so enormous, so overwhelming and TOO difficult! I had too much pain, too much anger and too many everythings to accomplish such a mountainous feat. So I felt defeated before even beginning. And then I remembered Philippians 4:13 (NKJV), which declares that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

WOW! Everything I do is not done alone. Every time I get hurt, or feel crushed or that things are unbearable, I can rely on strength from Christ to get through it. And I know He will never leave me comfortless. He is always with me, so how could I question His presence or power in my life and my ability to give forgiveness, or that He would not enable me to give complete and UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. But I can’t say that I have not stumbled or fallen, or that I will never make a mistake. But the difference for me and hopefully for others, is the knowledge that we will be lifted up. We can reach out and grasp the hand of the Lord, dust ourselves off and start all over again because there is NO LIMIT TO GOD’S FORGIVENESS and there is NO LIMIT TO HIS LOVE. PRAISE GOD!!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT) – Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

That last verse is a great source of encouragement, and a reminder of what is expected of me, and also what I can expect from My Lord in my life. So I pray that I will continue to show Love and Forgiveness as it is always given to me. This was a very difficult concept for me to apply to my spouse, but once I did, the amount of peace I experienced was great. So I pray that everyone standing for marriage restoration will remember that our Heavenly Father will always give us strength when we need it and ask Him into all areas of our lives.

Love in Christ,
Virginia