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As Christian’s standing for the restoration of our marriages, we all want God’s results, because His Word tells us that He hates divorce and that HE will uphold and defend the covenant of our marriages (Malachi 2 and 1 peter 3:7). And Isaiah 46:11 makes it very clear that God will do whatever it takes to make HIS plan come to pass in our lives, because it says From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. But we have to BELIEVE that to receive it and be able to walk in the victory it GUARANTEES us as we stand WITH God for the restoration of our marriages. And we also have God’s assurance that He will bring those words to pass in Isaiah 55:10-11, which says As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. So that means that we can count on God to honor and back up His Word just as surely as we can rely on the laws of nature! Now with that in mind, we need to go back and very carefully read Malachi 2 again, because that IS what God is going to do and NOTHING will keep Him from doing it; nothing that is, other than our lack of faith and obedience. But the good news is that God even has a way of bringing us around to that too!

And we know we have to DO what God’s Word says based on many passages of scripture. But one of the most misunderstood and significant passages of scripture that best illustrates the difference between Christians doing things God’s way or the way of the world is Luke 6:46-49, which is about The Wise and Foolish Builders as follows:
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

If that doesn’t describe standing for marriage restoration, I don’t know what else does; because when we DO things God’s way, we GET His results. But when we do things the world’s way, we get the world’s results, which is nothing but divorce and heartache for our families and children. So HEARING God’s Word WITHOUT putting it into practice is totally useless, and that’s what determines whether our marriages will be built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ or end in divorce and complete destruction!

So we all have to decide if we want God’s results or the World’s results, and then WE determine the outcome by being obedient and PUTTING INTO PRACTICE what His Word teaches us about marriage and restoration. And if we decide to follow the world’s wisdom and do things the world’s way, we should not be at all surprised when we get the world’s results. Just as we see testimonies of day after day, every day in the FAM Fellowship, relationships and marriages ARE being miraculously restored by simply walking out God’s plan for restoration, and the credit and glory is God’s and His alone! It’s not easy, but it is well worth the desired result, which is the complete and total healing and restoration of our marriages and families! God’s Word shows us the way we’re to go, but each one of us has to decide whether or not we’re willing to trust Him as He leads us through to victory! Like Joyce said in one of her messages recently, we can’t use a pattern for a coat and expect to make a dress! In the same way, we can’t do things the way of the world and expect to get God’s results. And we can’t do a little of God’s way and little of the world’s way and expect God to honor that either. The following Heart To Heart message was posted by Dan on the men’s private website yesterday, and even though it’s pretty short and simple; it makes a very significant point to everyone standing for marriage restoration. So thanks, Dan, for letting me share it here, because everyone who reads and understands it is bound to be blessed and encouraged!

We Have To Trust God to Lead Us – by Dan Spitz

One of my daily devotions today used Psalm 9:10 as the scripture for the lesson, which says Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. And I would like to share the message written by Camilla Madding from South Carolina.

She told the story of how her friend Debbie, blind from birth, depended on her guide dog, Leader, to take her where she needed to go. Holding his harness, she would give the command “Forward.” and he would guide her to her destination.

One afternoon, Leader and Debbie set out for a walk. After a bit, the dog deviated from their usual course, slowed down, turned the “wrong” way, and even led her through a thick hedge! Frustrated, when she stopped, Debbie asked someone, “Can you please tell me what happened/”

The woman answered, “Your dog is amazing! That parking lot he safely led you around is covered with broken glass.”

How confused and stressed Debbie must have been as she was being led somewhere other than where she was familiar with and wanted to go, especially being unable to see or understand why. And I’ve heard other stories of how guide dogs have protected their owners by guiding them out of harms way.

Even though we are not without sight, with the exception of a couple of you, who I’m sure may better understand having to trust others to lead you, we don’t have the same vision that God has for us (Isaiah 42:16). Some times we are blinded by our emotions, situations or the enemy. And there are times when we don’t understand why things are not happening quickly or the way we want them to, especially when we see what appears to be a direct path to the desired change in our circumstances. But we can be thankful that God is our loving guide who leads us through every obstacle encountered in our lives. He knows all the situations that surround us, and He knows all the escape routes, because He created them (1 Corinthians 10:13). So we must put our trust in Him to be our guide and lead us to the restoration of our marriages, because He knows the plan and the only course that will get us there, and we don’t (Proverbs 16:9)! Amen!

One of the most important things I’ve learned since working in marriage restoration ministry is the absolute, undeniable power of our words; either for good or bad, as confirmed in Proverbs 18:21 (AMP), which says Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

While I’m so thankful that the Lord finally brought this vitally important understanding to my heart and mind, it’s not always that easy to practice and be at peace with. First, even though I know it, I still find myself speaking things that I shouldn’t; not nearly so much as I used to, but certainly way more than I want to. But the most frustrating thing about understanding the power of our spoken words is hearing the negative, complaining, critical, hopeless and unpraiseworthy words that so often come out of the mouths of others, because they do not glorify the Lord in any way, shape or form. And that’s difficult, because I know without a doubt that when and if we could just fully grasp this message, our lives would change in ways so far beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine. So I urge everyone to listen very carefully to Your Words And Your Future - Part I and Your Words And Your Future - Part II, which are two AWESOME messages from Joyce Meyer from yesterday and today. They truly are life transforming messages, so listen to them several times if necessary, and definitely be prepared to take notes, because we WILL and DO eat the fruit of our words, especially as we stand for the restoration of our marriages!

And I thank Diane for her permission to share the following Heart To Heart message she posted on the ladies’ private website yesterday as a result of listening to the first message, as well as those who posted responses. It’s just not possible to get the point of Joyce’s message, as Diane obviously did, without being greatly blessed and encouraged!

POSITIVE POWER – by Diane

s I keep hearing messages about the words we speak and how powerful they are. So I know that God is speaking to me and saying “Keep it positive.” In Joyce Meyer’s TV broadcast message today, she was again saying…Believe it in your heart, confess it with your mouth and let God’s Angels work. I have heard this message before, but feel that God was reminding me that we need to speak Gods word and give our angels something to work with. We need to call those things that aren’t as though they are, and speak life into our futures; confessing good things over our futures, our marriages, and our families. With our words we can reach in to the spiritual realm and grab hold of all that God has stored up for us. Even though I know we have heard it before, I keep being reminded, so I know God really wants us to get it. We need to keep speaking positively about the future and keep the negatives out. We need to look deeper into things to find the positive, if all we see is negative. If we look at it differently, we will find the positive. We can even ask someone else if we can’t find something positive. We just have to keep looking, because it is there. We need to stop saying we “can’t” and just believe that with Christ we can do ALL things. We must be positive people and as we keep being reminded, God will work all things for good for those who love Him and have been called for His purpose. That is ALL THINGS, and that is US. He will turn our tears into joy and every hurt is for a purpose. So let’s keep praying and praising, believing and confessing it, and let God send His angels in to work in our marriages. Let’s stay positive and love unconditionally like Jesus loves us and we will all see Gods glory. Diane

Response by Maria on June 27th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Diane, I watched Joyce Meyer’s today too, and liked the idea that we have to speak positively and give God and the angels something to do. She said we are responsible for our own misery, because that’s what we are speaking and people don’t like to be around us. So we have to be joyous and happy and we will infect others as with the plague with our joy and happiness. God spoke the word and the universe was created so if we really believe that, than why doubt and not do it.

Response by Thursa on June 27th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
I’ve been told many times that my positive attitude is contagious. I am so blessed that God has given me so much to be positive about! He is in all of it and in everything when I look for Him! God fills me with joy when I ask and the positive attitude just flows out and really does attract others to “what I got”, and that includes our spouses!!! Remembering that Paul said ALL things and not just some or a few and also that he said WORKS not worked or will work, I believe is key! It says it right there that its here, now, and always for ALL things…what more do we need to get that positive booster shot?

Response by Paula on June 27th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Diane, WOW! I’m learning to put this into practice, but I pray that I become more consistent in doing so. I am very grateful and thankful for so many things, -even in the midst of what I’m going through with my husband. God has been so faithful and good to me and the kids in his “temporary” absence. Thanks for reminding us of the importance of being and speaking positively about our situations.

Response by Kathy in Oregon on June 27th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Diane, this just so ministered to me today — thank you so much for sharing your post and Joyce’s link! God was surely speaking and showing us how to speak His Truth into being! Wow! The awesome power of His Word we simply cannot fathom, but it DOES move mountains and causes all of our paths to be level!

Response by Robin on June 28th, 2007 at 12:43 am
Thank you, Diane for being obediant to the Holy Spirit and posting these words of encouragement. It is sooooo easy to focus on the negativity in our lives, but if we keep our eyes on Christ, and say, do, and believe what His word says, He will keep us in perfect peace. It is important for to remain positive daily.

In his sermon this week, Dave Stone, of South East Christian Church, uses Romans 8:18-30 to minister on suffering. And I strongly recommend listening to this awesome message, which you can do at this link.

But I want to share with you one of the stories that really spoke to me. It’s a true story from the sermon. A man, W.T. had recently had a heart attack. His friend, Bob, asked him, “How did you like having your heart attack/”

“Well,” the man responded, “How did I like having a heart attack? It scared me to death.”

Bob then asked, “Would you like to have another one?”

“No!” said WT.

The friend went on to ask, “Would you recommend others have a heart attack?”

“Definitely not” answered the man, a little perplexed and puzzled.

His friend then changed his line of questioning. “Does life mean more to you now than before your attack?”

“Yes”, replied the man.

“I know you and Fran have always been close but are you closer to your wife now that you have suffered your heart attack?” he asked.

“No question about it,” said the man.

“Do you hold your granddaughter tighter now than before?” the questioning went on.

“Better believe it,” the man replied.

“Do you have more compassion, deeper understanding and sympathy towards others who are or have suffered?” the man asked.

“Absolutely!” the man answered.

“I will ask you again, how did you like having your heart attack?” the final question being asked.

This last question was met with silence - the point had been made.

Of course I cried, like I often do when God finally gets me to understand - especially something that hits so close to home and I realize how often I have felt sorry for myself instead of praising God for what He is doing for me.

Certainly not that we enjoy suffering but the point that I would like to stress to go along with Pastor Stone is that God promises suffering, but He also promises that it all works for our good and the glory of the Lord. He also shares in the message, that we can go through the exact same situation as someone else, and that one person can grow from it and the other can be destroyed. One can be knowing; one can be simply wishing; one can be hoping; one can be moping!

We all know the pain and suffering of a troubled marriage. The question is, do we embrace what God is doing in our lives, and Lord knows that isn’t easy, or do we let it destroy us? Do we grow in our relationship with God? Do we know what His promise is for restoration? Do we wait expectantly with hope, or do we let evil destroy us?

The following verses tell us what God wants us to do and what He has and will do for us. He provides the Holy Spirit in us to do the things that we can’t and to bring to Him the thoughts and concerns that we may not even know are there or for some reason cannot get them lifted at particular times. God has us covered, no matter what the circumstances are in our lives. We just need to know, believe, trust and obey!

Romans8:18-30 (NLT)
The Future Glory
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[a] including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[b] for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[c] in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together[d] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

With yet another restored marriage praise report posted on the private website this morning, the day began with quite a bit of interest and excitement in the FAM Fellowship, especially coming on top of so many other awesome praise reports of breakthroughs from the weekend! Yet, even though the spouse had returned home, there was an uneasy air of caution, because the move back home was only a partial move at the time the post was written. And after talking to the fellowship member, it was clear to both of us that it was probably necessary to give the returning spouse an option to change course. The decision to come home has to be made with a bit more certainty than existed in this situation, even though the decision made over the past week or so was a good and sincere one, and all seemed to be going according to plan. Unfortunately, the NCP had a change of mind and heart at the very last minute and threw an unexpected monkey wrench into the planned homecoming, which created a great deal of stress, pressure and confusion for the returning spouse. So it was not too surprising that when offered the opportunity to retract the decision to come home, that’s what happened. Obviously, due to the sensitive nature of this situation, an effort to protect the identity of the parties involved is necessary, but this is an important experience to share, because of what God had already set in motion!

It took a lot of very unselfish and unconditional love to let go of a long awaited and cherished dream when it seemed so close. Yet, it was the only course of action in keeping with God’s Word; not to mention just plain old good common sense and an act of sacrificial love, which God WILL bless and reward. Lasting restoration could not have been built on the circumstances as they existed today, and no matter how disappointing the immediate outcome is now, there’s no doubt who WILL win in the end, and that God’s will for restoration WILL prevail!

Then within minutes of posting an urgent prayer request for the fellowship member who was about to release a beloved mate from the promise to forsake the NCP and return home, the phone started ringing and I started getting email messages bringing tomorrow’s Charlyne Cares message from Bob Steinkamp to my attention! So NEVER let it be said or believed that God Almighty does not have EVERY step of our lives orchestrated and covered!

Thank you, Lord, for the awesome confirmation at a time when it was so greatly needed. And thank you for giving this dear fellowship member so much peace after a decision was made to abort the homecoming plans that were so longed for! But we know that just means you have something so much greater in store, because that’s what your Word promises in Ephesians3:20, where it is written Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. We thank you for your Word and that we can stand in total assurance and confidence on its power and promises! Be Thou glorified in this marriage and in the complete and total restoration of it and this family. And we thank you that NO wisdom, NO plan, and NO insight can succeed against you or the full restoration of this marriage, which is your holy covenant, and which YOU will uphold and defend in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior…and all for His glory! And it is in His name that we pray and give thanks. Amen.

So ALWAYS be blessed and encouraged to know that God has it covered…covered in the power and promise of His love and sacrifice! And here’s Bob’s message as it was posted on the private website today by yet another fellowship member to comfort and encourage this member at a time of need:

ALMOST HOME
by Bob Steinkamp of Rejoice Ministries

From my personal experience, and from ministry experience, I suspect
that most prodigals who have returned home, and have stayed home to
see their marriage restored, have done so after a few false starts.
The pull toward home by the Holy Spirit is so strong, but then the
Enemy tugs us back in the opposite direction.

For the sake of illustration, at times, it is much like two boys
playing tug of war on the playground. Just when one appears to be
winning, the second gives a tremendous tug on the rope that once
again brings things back like they were, but please do not think
that your God is in a battle of power with Satan. It is your spouse
on one end of the rope, and the Enemy on the other. Your marriage is
in the center for the winner to claim.

We were divorced. I had been offered a job out of town. I had quit
my job locally, and given notice that I was breaking the lease on my
efficiency apartment. Suddenly the out of town offer was in
question. I was to be told in a few days if the offer was still
open. I faced being unemployed, with no place to live. My first
thought when I hung up that doubtful phone call was, “If this all
falls through, I will move home.”

Why did I consider going home? Because my wife had told me that the
door at home was always open for me, regardless of the
circumstances, and at any time. I called her and explained my
dilemma, but even before calling, I was confident of what her reply
would be, because she had told me, not only in words, but in her
actions. Does your prodigal know they are welcomed back at home? If
so, does your walk match your talk?

One of the most discouraging areas of day-to-day ministry work is
dealing with people who are dabbling with standing. It is extremely
frustrating to have a stander report:

***
“Yes, I am standing for my marriage, but I also go to divorce
recovery because it helps my self-esteem. The reason I am so active
in the Singles Ministry at church is to be around other people. I do
go out, but it is really not dating. He/she is also standing and
understands. I have failed morally, but only a couple of times, and
besides, God understands my needs. He doesn’t want me to be
miserable. I am so busy that I had to unsubscribe from ‘Charlyne
Cares’ messages. They were filling my mailbox. I try to remember to
pray on the way to work, unless there is something good on the
radio. I stopped praying for my prodigal, though, and am just
letting God work.

“My wedding bands? I don’t wear them because God might send someone
into my life and they would think I am married and not approach me.
I think I know where my rings are, though, for when my spouse comes
home. There will be time to find them, because I have made a list,
based on what everyone has told me my spouse must do before I can
allow them in the house again.

“You asked about the last scripture verse that God gave me. He
doesn’t talk to me. I am standing, but, if my ‘ex’ has a baby or
marries that other person I am released, because of some scripture
that I can’t remember. Besides everyone in the Internet chat room
told me to find someone else, but God is going to restore my
marriage soon, because I gave Him a deadline.”
***

Thankfully, this did not all come from the same individual, or I
might have had stroke number seven, and Charlyne could have had
something. This is a composite of what we are hearing every day,
from men and women claiming to be “standers.”

If I have offended you, as a stander, by one of those comments, I
make no apology. Our prodigal men and women are going to Hell,
living in sin and running from Christ, while some make a game of
standing with God and praying for their mate’s salvation.

The Lord sends prodigals home to standing spouses who are sold out
to Him, and who are ready to welcome a hurting wounded prodigal
home, in any condition, and under any circumstances.

The false start toward home will come for your spouse. When it does,
you must always be prepared to intensify your praying, your
spiritual warfare, your time with the Lord, and your stand with Him.

In my false start, the Enemy pulled his end of the rope, and the job
came through. The other person was off to help me move. Did Charlyne
give up over all this? You know the rest of the story.

I can assure you that after that incident, when I knew I was
welcomed at home, I began to have false starts in rapid-fire
succession, until the day I obeyed what the Holy Spirit had been
telling me to do for two years.

Your spouse can be manipulated back home, but that is not God’s
plan. If you do, this is not a false start; it is a stall, and you
know what happens to airplanes that stall–they crash. The Lord
wants to change you first, and then your mate, rebuilding your
marriage on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

If your prodigal is making false starts toward home, and then
backing out or disappearing, stand strong and rejoice because God is
at work in the life of your resistant mate.

“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right
there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I
see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war
against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of
sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will
rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus
Christ our Lord!…” Romans 7:21-25

Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
Post Office Box 10548
Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA
Rejoice Ministries Website

The following was shared on the ladies private website by Janet in Virginia, which I’m sure will be a blessing to others as well. Thanks for sharing this, Janet! And let’s all be blessed and encouraged as we consider the grandest wedding of all!

“As standers, I know we may tend to focus more on our spouses and circumstances than our Lord, because it is so easy to fall into the trap of making marriage restoration our idol. I’m sure all of us, as I have, have thought about our wedding day and remembered the excitement of preparing for that special day. And I have no doubt that those standers who are divorced are looking forward to renewing their vows. However, we all have another wedding coming soon, that is so much more important than any wedding we can ever have here on earth. It is our wedding with the Lord. We are His Bride. Our Lord is our groom. If we want to be our Lords’ Bride, we must prepare ourselves and turn our hearts and life completely over to Him. I have joy in my Lord, knowing that He is coming soon for us, His Bride. We will have a beautiful wedding with our Lord!

A friend asked me if I knew of any songs about the Bride of Christ. So, I did some research and stumbled upon this website from Bride of Christ Ministries. This song, The Wedding of the Lamb, brought me to tears. It is absolutely beautiful and I encourage everyone to listen to it. This song helps me to keep my focus on the Lord, rather than on my marriage restoration. The song is on the Bride of Christ Ministries website, and all you have to do is click on “Launch Audio” at this link, and here are the words:

The Wedding of The Lamb

In fine white linen, and the robe of righteousness,
We walk in unity, we walk in holiness;
No spot or wrinkle, there’s nothing we can hide,
Jesus Christ is coming, He’s coming for His bride;
The fires of life are rising, the last days have begun,
Through trials and tribulation, the testing time has come;
The Spirit of the harvest, is working out His plan,
The bride is getting ready, for the wedding of the Lamb.

CHORUS:

We shall rise, to the sky, for the wedding of the Lamb;
Lift your hands, holy hands, in worship of the Lamb;
Dance for joy, sing for joy, to the Father of the Lamb;
Lift your eyes, to the sky, for the wedding of the Lamb.

Signs and wonders follow, those who do believe,
The world shall see You, in all Your majesty;
We’re looking for Your coming, we’re watching at the door,
Jesus Lord and Master, our King forever more;
Entering the kingdom, and walking in the light,
Preparing for the wedding, we are the Bride of Christ;
The Spirit of the harvest, is working out His plan,
The Master waits in glory, for the wedding of the Lamb.

Tell this generation, tell everyone you see,
The Lord is coming, He’s coming for you and me;
Be filled with the Spirit, be in the secret place,
Standing on His promises, there is no other way;
The angels are awaiting, the Father’s great command,
To gather up the righteous, from all across the land;
The Spirit of the harvest, is working out His plan,
The Master waits in glory, for the wedding of the Lamb.

CHORUS

We shall rise, to the sky, for the wedding of the Lamb;
Lift your hands, holy hands, in worship of the Lamb;
Dance for joy, sing for joy, to the Father of the Lamb;
Lift your eyes, to the sky, for the wedding of the Lamb.

The angels of the harvest, are getting very near,
For those with eyes to see, the signs are very clear;
They’ll separate the righteous, from all ungodliness,
Those in worthless garments, from those in wedding dress;
The time has come for everyone, choose what you shall wear,
Garments made of righteousness, or garments of despair;
The Spirit of the harvest, is working out His plan,
The Master waits in glory, for the wedding of the Lamb.

The latter rain is falling, our rescue is at hand,
Pouring out His Spirit, all across the land;
Preparing for the harvest, the angels sing on high,
Glory to the Father, all glory Lord Most High;
The wedding invitation, it comes to one and all,
By faith you must receive it, until the trumpet call;
The Father of Creation, His Word our Guiding Light,
The Rock of our salvation, He shall wed the Bride of Christ.

CHORUS FINALE
We shall rise, to the sky, for the wedding of the Lamb;
Lift your hands, holy hands, in worship of the Lamb;
Dance for joy, sing for joy, to the Father of the Lamb;
Lift your eyes, to the sky, for the wedding of the Lamb”

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God has such an awesome sense of humor, and there’s really no telling what He will use to help teach us! I know that, because I was just making Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, when He revealed to me how our spouses’ hearts can be turned soft, but that just like the macaroni, it will take some change and time; once again reminding me of the reasons for the unwanted challenge to wait! Our spouses’ hearts may be hard right now, even changing from soft, caring hearts over a period of time to hearts that have become harden by painful or disappointing experiences. Perhaps they were once Christ’s followers, but have now gone by the wayside into the far country. As spouses who love them unconditionally and want nothing less than to have our marriages fully restored, we would love to see our mates’ hearts turned toward God and softened to accept His plan for the restoration of our marriages and to us.
Well, back to the macaroni! The box contains hard, crunchy, elbow pieces of pasta. At one time they were pliable and soft but then dried to become the now rigid form contained in the box. To me, these pieces are useless and not at all appetizing — I would not at all be tempted to eat them. However, I remember when I was young; we made beautiful pictures at Bible School by gluing macaroni to paper and creating a design or object. So I guess even hard, uncooked macaroni can be used for something, even though that is not its intended purpose.
The point God made to me is that a process is necessary to change macaroni from its hard, crunchy state, with little use, to the soft, edible, delicious food that is probably my very favorite! How does something change from one thing to something very different? Even though the process is very simple, the directions must be followed in order to have the desired results. That involves a step by step process, which I know will bring about the results I want if followed. So anticipating the end result is what keeps me focused on following the directions.
The directions are clearly printed on the box. First, I have to prepare water and wait for it to boil; that takes time and if I jump ahead, the results will not come out the way I want them to. Then there are ingredients to add at the precise times and if I don’t follow those directions, the entire process can take a totally different turn, and again, the results will be altered. I have to know when to do what, when to add what, when to wait and at what point the process is completed. If I do as directed, the result is that those hard, crunchy little pieces of pasta are transformed into delicious bits of soft, tasty pasta covered with cheese that I dearly love to eat!! I know that, because I have completed this process over and over again, so I know it works! It is truly amazing if you think about how something can change so much with such little effort.
Part of our wait for marriage restoration is like the macaroni changing from something so hard to something so soft and so much more desirable and useful. In the same way, our spouses’ hearts need to be changed from the hardened hearts they have become to the softened, pliable and yielded hearts and vessels God desires. And we must follow the plan God gives us in His Word; doing what He tells us to do, when He tells us to do it, which means waiting for one process to be completed, before proceeding with the next one. His promise is that the end result will be what He and we desire; changing a hard, callused heart into (or perhaps back to), the soft, fleshy heart that can once again receive the love of God and freely give that love to us again. If we interrupt the process, by adding our own steps or ingredients, the results are altered. But if we let God guide and direct us, He will change our spouses’ hearts just like changing those hard, crunchy pieces of pasta into the desirable soft, cheesy, delicious morsels that so many of us love to eat.
God is working in our situations, and calling us to believe, trust and have faith in Him. He requires us to seek His Word for knowledge and understanding so that He can grant us the wisdom to live our lives in obedience to Him. So we must pray, worship, and minister to others as we wait for Him to make the necessary changes in us and in our spouses. And as soon as God has completed the process, the restoration of our marriages will manifest right before our very eyes, in God’s perfect timing, just as they already have in the spiritual realm!
Be blessed and KNOW God IS working in the restoration of your marriage.

Romans 11:7 (NLT)
So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.

Ephesians 4:18 (NLT)
Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

Acts 28:27 (NLT)
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’[a]

Malachi 2 (NLT)
13 Here is another thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure.
14 You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.
15 Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his.[b] And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.
16 “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,[c]” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.”

Matthew 19:8 (NLT)
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.

While obedience is very important to us as Christians, especially as we stand for the restoration of our marriages and families, it can sometimes be confusing to understand, because it’s such a paradox. One of the FAM Fellowship members recently shared what the Lord put on his heart about how obedience can be misconstrued and become a burden, which led to a great discussion about obedience. But obedience is not a burden to bear, even though it is something we have to do! And it is NOT something we can use to manipulate the hand of God to act on our behalf, even though it causes Him to act on our behalf! So it’s no wonder understanding obedience can be so confusing, which is why we have to be well grounded in the Word, and why it’s a good thing the Lord warns us that His ways and thoughts are so different and higher than ours. So here’s what the Bible tells us about WY we obey:

John 14:15
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.

John 14:21
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

John 14:23
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

John 14:24
He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

So even though our obedience is motivated by love, we are blessed and rewarded as a result. In fact, Deuteronomy 30 says obedience is a matter of choosing life or death, blessings or curses. Then in Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus tells us that all the law is wrapped up in loving the Lord above everything else, and loving others as we love ourselves. It says “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Obedience is often a prerequisite for certain blessings in the Bible. For instance, when the Bible tells us to commit our way to the Lord, that’s obedience, and Psalm 37:5-6 promises Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. And when it tells us to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways, that’s obedience too, and Proverbs 3:5-6 assures us Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Psalm 119 is a wonderful book to study for a much better understanding of obedience and the importance it has in our lives as Christians, especially how it brings about a lot of awesome benefits and blessings! So study it, and you’ll certainly be blessed and encouraged! And here’s Dan’s post and some of the responses about obedience and how it blesses us.

God Will Make It Happen – by Dan

I just want to share a couple of thoughts. As we stand for the restoration of our marriages and our families, remember that no person, no obstacle, no dream, no problem, no fear and no issue in our lives are bigger than our God. If God wants something to happen, nothing can stop it from happening. His faithfulness and purpose will always prevail. So we must always guard our minds against any thoughts that would lessen the reality of His greatness and power; the realization that God is God. Jesus has asked us to do something; to be obedient, believe, trust and have faith in Him. And that’s not meant to make obedience a burden to us, but so we can reap the joy and peace He has given us - by His grace. I pray that as we stand, we will continue to take our thoughts captive and align our thoughts and our actions with those of Christ. We need to live our lives as though Christ is walking with us, because He is. Be blessed as we wait upon the Lord to manifest our healed marriages in our sight.

11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:11-12 (NLT)

“Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.
Luke 6:46-47 (MSG)

Response by Joe on June 19th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Well Dan, we’re on the same page tonight! I’ve been reminded all day today that God chose us to stand for our marriages; not for our marriages, or our wives, but so that when others see our dedication to the Lord, the nonbelievers around us will be amazed by His mercy, grace, understanding and love. When we can walk with a smile and a hop in our step, and tell people that Jesus is our savior during these hard times, most people are shocked or in awe. This in turn has struck up many conversations that lead to people wanting to know Jesus, and I praise the Lord that my situation enables me to share the Lord with them. It is through us that His will is being done! I’m unsure where I read it, and I’m sure someone knows, but it has danced in my mind and on paper everywhere today; It is the common man that God chooses to do the greatest work, not a king, someone famous, or a special ruler. If you look at the apostles, they were all just average everyday people like us. We are meant to be here, and we are meant to share our trials, tribulations, and praises all day long. This is to be done to save someone we know from the darkness of this world, and bring them into the light. God Bless all of you. I will learn my verses better sooner or later, I promise; it is with His Word we can fight the lies of Satan.

Response by Thursa on June 20th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Making “obedience a burden” is exactly what I think I was trying to do in a way, Dan! Making my list and checking it twice, I was making a gift from God, a burden to bear. I still don’t understand why for sure! HA…yes I do, I just figured it out, duh!!!

Satan really has tried to tell me I was unworthy and wasn’t good enough to receive all the blessings God has waiting for me. Not that I didn’t think God could do it at all, I knew He could! But I listened to Satan in the fact that He wouldn’t do it for me?! That I would do something to make Him want to turn and run from me! HA…just as you said, God’s purpose and will will prevail no matter what! His grace IS sufficient and it is meant for me and everyone else here!!! Our obedience isn’t a burden at all. It’s a gift we are able to give to God, who has and will continue to give us so very much! And when we stumble, He doesn’t walk away; He just brings us closer! Wow…He is awesome!!!

I really would not change this time of trial for anything! It has become a wonderful opportunity, as I have gained and learned more than I ever thought. And now I have learned even more! Thanks again for sharing, Dan!

Response by Kathy in Oregon on June 20th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Dan, this is such an excellent post, and reminds me of a sermon that my pastor gave a few weeks ago on the law and gospel. Using his one-year old daughter as an example, the pastor said that, by law, he had a legal obligation to care for his daughter. However, he asked the congregation this wonderful question: Do I take care of my daughter because I have to or because I love her? After all these years of being a Christian, that one question gave me such clarity about how to view the law and the gospel together. That was God speaking! Yes, we have laws that the Lord has given us and expects us to keep. But do we keep those laws because we have to or because we love our Lord so much that we want to? It is love that motivates us to do what the Lord wants us to do. That’s why love is such a powerful weapon and so effectively defeats the enemy. And it’s not “our” love that does it, but rather His love — the love that He gave us freely, undeserved and unearned by us. God’s love does conquer all, and when we live in God’s love, His light shines through us like the noonday sun and is a beacon of hope for others, including our spouses. Let us all let God’s love shine through, for His love never fails and His perfect love casts out all fear! Thanks so much for sharing your post!

Even though we all know we’re not supposed to worry, it seems understandable and inevitable as we stand for the restoration of our marriages and face so many unknowns. Yet, as one of the FAM Fellowship members recently pointed out in a post on the private site, the Bible repeatedly tells us not to worry. So as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, there’s a lot to learn from what David expresses in Psalm 55.

And God’s promise in Psalm 55:22 is especially encouraging as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, because it says Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. So, if we believe God, if we take Him at His Word and believe that HE will sustain us and meet every need as Jesus promised in Matthew 6:30-34, we have NOTHING to worry about, because Jesus said If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Even though David’s thoughts troubled him and he was distraught; even though he was suffering at the hand of wicked enemies and being reviled by them; even though his heart was in anguish and he was assailed by the terrors of death; even though he was beset by fear and trembling and overwhelmed by horror; and even though he wished for the wings of a dove to fly away and find a place of rest and shelter far from the tempest and storm, his final words were “But as for me, I trust in you.” So, not worrying obviously doesn’t mean that we can’t acknowledge that we have problems or that we wish we didn’t have them; but as Christians, it does mean that we take all of our cares and concerns to the Lord in prayer, WITH THANKSGIVING, just as we’re told in Philippians 4:6, which says Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And then we have to TRUST Him to deliver and protect us, because we take Him at His Word and KNOW that He WILL NOT LET US FALL! In fact, Isaiah 40:30-31 tells us that Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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.

Also, it’s very significant that immediately after 1 Peter 5:6-7, which says Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.; verse 8 says Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Being alert obviously REQUIIRES us to be aware of the problems we face as we stand for the restoration of our marriages and families; so acknowledging our distress, fear, pain and concern is not the problem. The problem is failing to take those concerns to the Lord in prayer with faith and thanksgiving, because we know He WILL protect and deliver us and not let us fall; and failing to take those thoughts captive by going on down the road with them and Satan; allowing them to create emotions that in NO way glorify God and certainly don’t magnify His Holy name and omnipotent power; which in turn lead to acts of disobedience that can very easily kill, steal and destroy our hope for marriage restoration. So WORRY IS THE DEVIL’S PITFALL intended TO KILL, STEAL AND DESTROY THE RESTORATION OF OUR MARRIAGES AND FAMILIES! And we know that, because 2 Corinthians 10:2-6 says For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. And when we worry, we are NOT taking every thought captive, so it’s not possible to make them obedient to Christ as we stand and rely on the power and promise of His Word. And if we’re not standing on the power and promise of God’s Word, we might as well not stand, because then we will surely fall! And the ONLY way to STAND on God’s Word is to DO God’s Word, just as Jesus told us in the parable about The Wise and Foolish Builders in Matthew 7:24-29. And since we all want to build the restoration of our marriages and homes on THE Rock; the only foundation that withstands the storms of life, we need to avoid the pitfall of worry and practice taking every thought captive and make them obedient to Jesus Christ, as we rely and stand on His Word!

The following is Diane’s Heart To Heart post about worry and some of the responses from other fellowship members. As always, I thank Diane and everyone else for allowing me to share their thoughts here, because they do bless and encourage others. And we can’t help being blessed and encouraged when we learn to avoid the pitfall of worry!

Reading about Worry – by Diane

I was reading today and felt that I was supposed to share what I learned about worry. Jesus says many times in the Bible not to worry…cast your cares…be anxious for nothing. He says His yoke is easy and His burden light. Anxiety is not pleasing to God; surely the Lord had a better plan for His children. Anxiety is foolish because it concerns that which isn’t. It lives in a future that can’t be foreseen. It deals with what ifs, and could bes, speculation and possibilities. As long as we dwell on the worst case scenario, we guarantee our own misery. Calamity is always within reach of our imagination.
The worrier has a mind torn between the real and the possible, the immediate and the potential. He is trying to fight the battle of life and he is bound to lose. The worrier attempts to live in the future but the future isn’t here and the future isn’t his. Nothing can be done and no amount of worry can change the outcome. Jesus says over and over “don’t worry’, so why do we continue to worry? Concern and planning focuses on the present; worry is attached to the future. The future is in God’s hands. If we believe God is our creator, we must believe He is also our Sustainer, or we are inconsistent. His loving and timely care is all around us; look and you will find comfort. We have seen it over and over again.
God is concerned about the smallest things; birds, each petal on a flower, the hairs on our head; He’d never suffer and die for us and then neglect us. A quote I thought said a lot is “Worry doesn’t rob tomorrow of its sorrow; It robs today of its strength.” Worry will not totally leave us; we just need not dwell in it long. It’s a momentary phase when we trust God and are anxious for nothing. When we pray and tell God what we need, always with a thankful heart, the peace that surpasses all understanding will be given to us and protect our minds and hearts. When we keep God the center of our lives, we’ll be sheltered from the storms of stress and worry. Don’t dwell on tomorrow’s stress. Jesus told us that tomorrow will take care of itself. God will give us the grace and strength we need for it, but He doesn’t give us tomorrow’s grace today. Each day has its own number, so we live them in the order God arranged them. Everyday we dwell in worry is a day of joy lost-a day not seeing all the wonders God wants us to see. Enjoy the journey on the way to where you are going. Worry about nothing -pray about everything. Use these words to battle the worry giants in your life. Be encouraged. Diane

Response by Jenn on June 17th, 2007 at 7:07 am
Diane,
Between this post and Joe’s post, I sense a SOF post from Linda on this subject. I love it when God has multiple members sharing on the same subject.
Why worry; as my son in Florida told me “Don’t worry, God’s got it covered!”
Praise God that he does.
Thank you for this devotion. It really speaks so loud and clear to me.
Jenn

Response by Christy on June 17th, 2007 at 7:29 am
I’ve spent my whole life watching my grandmother worry every single day over one thing or another, so as an adult, I vowed not to be like her. She was NEVER happy, because all she did was worry, worry, worry! She accused me once of not caring about something, because I wasn’t worried about it. If I start to worry about something, I remind myself of how miserable my grandmother is and tell myself how I don’t want to be like her. Lately, with everything going on with my health and my new house, it’s been hard not to worry although I’ve done fairly well. Thanks for the reminder again about how worry can rob you of so much joy. I also predict a SOF and chat topic!

Response by Maria on June 17th, 2007 at 7:48 am
Diane, what an excellent subject you tackled. Worry was my main occupation for the last 6 months and God showed me that it did not do me any good whatsoever. So now I’ve learned to cast all my worries toward the cross, because Jesus said come all you who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest. It’s such a rest when we give Him the load.
Worry gives us a bit of superiority complex because it boosts our egos to think that we are in charge. Are we exalting ourselves as gods? When it should be that He is the author and finisher of our faith. I am thankful that He is just that and I will look to Him for all my needs. I know I will fail on occasion, but practice makes perfect. Praise His name. Blessings, Diane, and thanks for bringing this up.

Response by Robin on June 17th, 2007 at 8:22 am
Hey Diane, this was right on time! Usually in the summer months, as a teacher, my funds are a little tight. I tend to “worry” about how things will be paid, and how I will generate activities for my children. I usually work at the church camp and it pays okay; it’s not what I am used to, but it is something. I have even been contemplating getting a part-time and weekend gig at the mall, just to supplement my income for the summer. I also sometimes “worry” about what to do with my home - refinance or sell. Then I start eating when I become overwhelmed with things LOL. I recently realized that I was being a worry wart. I had to remind myself that if God is big enough to turn my husband’s heart back to me; He can take care of me financially during the summer and direct me with my home. Thank you for reminding me of Proverbs 3; about trusting, not leaning to my own understanding, and acknowledging God, in all my ways. Please continue to pray for me to use the same faith for restoration in these other areas of my life.

Response by Thursa on June 18th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Thanks Diane!!! I now proudly say I am cured of worry! God is GREAT!!!! This was a huge problem for me, always worrying about my tomorrow as I’ve shared before. I love the quote you mentioned, I hadn’t heard it before and it was good! I learned this thought in church a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been saying it a lot with the “it doesn’t matter” - that tomorrow doesn’t exist. We can’t get to it; and we don’t know if it will ever be here, so why would we waste a second of today “worrying” about it? And our yesterday, well, it’s gone too! It is history and God now has it and will use it for HIS-STORY in our testimonies that He is weaving for His mighty glory. So live NOW; knowing God is with us right now as He “works” (present tense) all things for our good!

Response by Joe on June 19th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
This was also a good post for me to hear. I thank you for the reminder. God Bless.

There are many things we can do as we stand for our marriages to be restored, so I believe God wants us to take our position and remain there - like Elijah. God used the story of Elijah this week to convey to me how He wants me to stand for my marriage.

The story of Elijah begins during a severe drought of three years, when God told Elijah to tell King Ahab that it was going to rain. But there was absolutely no sign of rain or any reason to believe that the drought was even near ending. Yet, in obedience to God, Elijah went and told the king to get prepared for the coming rain. Elijah took a stand and made his position clear; he knew that he knew that God had promised rain and it was going to rain. And he was not going to give up, regardless of what the circumstances appeared to be. Can anyone relate to this?

Day after day, Elijah sat and anticipated the promised rain. Every day, he continued sending his servant to look for clouds or any sign of rain. Even when there was not a cloud in the sky and the sun was shining brightly, Elijah kept his position and watched for the rain God said was on the way. And he never changed his position or stand when he received a negative report; he just kept looking ahead. He continued in faith, believing that God was able to bring the rain and knowing in his heart that God would do what He said He would do.

Finally, the servant reported a cloud in the sky; a cloud the size of a man’s hand. Can you imagine even spotting such a tiny cloud in the sky? On hearing the report, Elijah was bold enough to announce that the rain God had promised was on the way. He ran home shouting and exclaiming the rain was coming - because of that teeny, tiny little cloud!! How silly and crazy others must have thought Elijah.

Of course we know the rains came and Elijah was not the fool everyone thought him to be. Elijah outlasted his enemy and endured the time of testing in his faith and obedience to His God. He stood strong in his position and worshiped God throughout his trials.

God brought Elijah’s story to me last week in two different readings, so I knew He had something to reveal to me. My stand for marriage restoration is not unlike Elijah’s stand for rain. It isn’t necessarily about the situation, as much as it is about believing God’s promises. I believe God wants us to take a stand, get in position and wait until our marriages are restored and healed. During lengthy trials, we tend to grow weary and become double-minded in our thinking. God wants us to be like Elijah; we cannot change positions when our situation doesn’t change as quickly as we want it to, and try to take matters into our own hands. We must remember that trusting the flesh will bring defeat, but putting trust in God will never bring disappointment or make us ashamed. We must be like Elijah, keeping our eyes on the hand of God moving even if it looks as though nothing is happening. We must know that we know that God is going to answer our prayers and keep His promises!!

The scriptures from the chat Friday night certainly and overwhelmingly support God’s desire and promise for marriage restoration. We can set our minds and take our position to allow Him to follow through on his plans, while we worship and wait, or we can give up and go with the flesh. If we are double-minded, we will never receive what we ask for.

Like Elijah, we need to get excited about what we can see, no matter how small it may be, rather than being depressed about what we don’t see. Surely we all can find hope the size of a man’s hand; God’s Word should at least provide us with that much hope! We need God to rain down restoration of our marriages. He has promised it, so look into the sky and anticipate seeing that rain cloud! Speak as if it is already happening, because in the spiritual realm, it is already taking place. We are simply waiting for it to manifest; to come out in the open where we can see it.

God has said it is going to rain, and it is!! Be blessed, blessed, blessed. Things are going to continue to burst forth in this ministry!!

2 Chronicles 20:17 (NLT)
But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”

1 Kings 18 (NLT)
41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!”
42 So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.
43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.
44 Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”
45 And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.
46 Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt[f] and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.

Dear Lord, we come before your throne of mercy and grace, and ask for your mercy and grace to be poured out on all the husbands and fathers who are not living in accordance with your will on this special day when we honor our earthly fathers. According to your plan, we know men are to be the spiritual heads of their households, Lord, but so many have fallen far from that Holy purpose and plan, which has caused such devastation and destruction in their families and most particularly in the lives of their children, who you sent for them to cherish and protect. We know that grieves your heart as well, Lord, and we know that we are indeed praying in accordance with your will when we ask for their deliverance from anything that keeps husbands and fathers from being all you created them to be. So we ask for a mighty move of your Holy spirit today, for ears, eyes, hearts, minds and souls to be open as you pour out your heart and make your thoughts known to men everywhere today. There is no name in all of heaven and earth greater or more powerful than the name of Jesus Christ, so it is in that name and by the authority given to us by Jesus when He gave us the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that we send forth the power of the Holy Spirit and your Word, and the angels that do your bidding, to deliver our earthly husbands and fathers from all unrighteousness; the lustful spirits that control them, the pride and vanity that destroys them, the selfishness and self indulgence that leads them astray, and the deception that blinds them. Only you, our heavenly Father, have the power and ability to demolish and tear down the obstacles and walls of resistance that keep men from returning to their wives and children. And it is only by the power of your Holy Spirit that men can be drawn into right relationship with you, our almighty and loving Father. And your Word tells us that we have not because we ask not. So we come now to boldly and confidently ask for those walls to be torn down, for those obstacles to be demolished and for the power of your Holy Spirit to draw all men unto you, just as your Word proclaims it is your will to do.We stand in agreement with you, our almighty God, with your Word, and with each other for a mighty move of your Spirit and power to heal our land and deliver it from the scourge of divorce and adultery. We know you hate divorce and that adultery is an abomination to you, Lord, so we ask for your intervention in the lives of all who are being harmed by the treachery of divorce and the death and destruction caused by adultery.

We thank you now for the awesome miracles of restoration brought about today in response to our heartfelt prayers, because your Word also promises that whatever we ask in your name and believe, you will do it. And Matthew 18:19 promises “if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” You, our heavenly Father, are the creator of all things and in control of all things, so we humble ourselves before you as we ask for our hearts’ desires; the salvation and deliverance of our husbands as they come to walk in right relationship with you and return to the wives of their youth; their one flesh covenant wives.

And, Dear Heavenly Father, we ask for very special blessings on the fathers who have been denied their rightful place in the lives of their wives and children because of the disobedience and waywardness of their wives. Lord, we know how heart broken they are on this day, so we pray for a special measure of mercy and grace for them today. Mend their broken hearts and soothe their wounded souls today, Lord. Give them peace that passes all understanding, and give them the strength and anointing they need to continue to stand for their marriages and the complete healing and restoration of their families. Give them your wisdom so that they can find ways to be a significant presence in the lives of their children, even under the most difficult of circumstances. And continue to fill them with unconditional love for their wives, showing them how to demonstrate it even now. And we ask you to bring their wives to repentance and back to their husbands.

And, Lord, we especially pray for the husbands and fathers who are the primary or sole provider and care giver for their children. We thank yu and praise you for these men, Lord, and ask for an extra measure of grace in their lives and that you will bless them in a mighty way. Father, we thank you for these men and others who have not gone astray; the ones who are being the fathers and husbands you created them to be. Bless them with your glorious riches from heaven above, Lord, because they are so dear and precious in your sight, and making a real difference in the lives of their children and for the glory of your kingdom. We thank you for them, Lord.

And, Lord, we pray for your comfort for the children who suffer so much, because their fathers are not in the home or because their fathers are not the godly men you created them to be. We know that you especially love the little children, Lord, so we ask for your love to surround them and that they wil be blessed by the presence of other godly men in their lives. Lord, you know it breaks my heart to hear the little ones cry for their daddies, and I just wish there were some way I could make their fathers see and FEEL the pain and broken hearts they cause their children. But I know I can’t; yet, you can. So I ask that for the sake of the children you love so particularly, that you will grant them a Father’s Day miracle today, and bring their daddies home by the thousands on this very day! And, Lord, for those children who have been totally abandoned or forsaken by their earthly fathers, I pray for your love and goodness to fill that void and to heal the scars it causes. And, Lord, even if they have never considered it before, I pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will move in the hearts of their fathers today and bring conviction to them, Lord. Break through their stony hearts, Lord, and cause them to love and be concerned for their children. We know that is not impossible with you, God, so we thank you for every father’s heart you will touch and change today.

And we thank you for those who will proclaim your will and plan for marriage and who do not support and condone divorce and adultery. Lord, we pray that you bring even more men and women who are preaching and teaching your Word to that understanding and then give them the boldness to courageously speak out against those things that we know grieve and offend the Holy Spirit so much. Lord, there are so many Christian leaders who have been totally deceived concerning your Word when it comes to marriage, divorce and remarriage, so I pray for you to bring them to the saving knowledge of your Word on these matters and that they will have a change of heart and mind and then the courage to stand with you and not against you for the sanctity of marriage. And, Lord, so many preachers and pastors are the very ones leading fathers all over our land astray with their totally unbiblical counsel, so we ask for their eyes to be opened and that they will stop saying what itching ears want to hear, because they are magnifying the works of the devil instead of glorifying your name and power. So we pray for an awakening of the Holy Spirit in churches across our land, Lord, and that preachers in pulpits everywhere today will proclaim your Word with conviction and power and that many, many hearts will be forever changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, Lord, let this Father’s Day be a mighty, God glorifying day of restoration! And we ask this in the most powerful name in all of heaven and earth, which is Jesus Christ. Amen.

The following prayer was posted near the end of FAM Chat tonight, and I felt led to share it here for anyone who might need it. So I appreciate Dan’s permission to share it here, because I know someone will be blessed and encouraged!

“I want to pray for those who are not with us tonight or who are having trouble being here. I feel like God is weighing it heavily on me tonight to lift those who are just desperate; even though they love the Lord with all their heart, it is just so hard sometimes.

Lord, it is simple, we just need to believe and know that You are God and You will do what You say You will do. I lift up those who are suffering beyond what they probably thought possible. You know how difficult it is for us to look away from our circumstances and believe that You will not give us more than we can handle. I pray that they will get to the point of belief that they “know that they know” that You are the deliverer; that You are the author of all the scriptures that have been shared here tonight. Father, I pray that You would wrap Your comforting arms around those who need the extra encouragement that You are here and always will be. Lord, whatever it takes for them to see You as the mighty, powerful God that You are; I pray that You will do it. Lord, You know it is not easy to be human; You know the mighty work of Satan in our lives. Grant us the humbleness to get on our knees and hand over every part of ourselves to You. We know that You are the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. Heal our hearts, minds, and souls so that we can come to You wholly, with nothing held back, and surrender to You and Your plans for us. God, You know what and who is on my heart and I ask for Your peace to saturate them and give them relief - in the Mighty Name of Jesus – Amen”

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As so often happens in the FAM Fellowship, we’ve had a definite theme running through our midst this week, which was “It doesn’t matter!” And we praise the Lord, because we’ve seen yet another restored marriage proving that!

That came about, because it’s what I’m known to say when someone starts telling me all about this an that; and since it’s all stuff that is totally contrary to the Word and promises of God, it doesn’t matter! IF we truly believe the Word of God and all of the verses of scripture we love to quote; when we encounter situations and circumstances the devil intends to sow seeds of doubt, discouragement and disobedience, we have two choices. We can go down the road with Satan and those thoughts as we focus on the situation or circumstance, or we can take our thoughts captive, which means arresting them, stopping them dead in their tracks. And the quickest and easiest way to do that is to say “It doesn’t matter!” Then once we’ve taken the thoughts captive, we’re able to MAKE them obedient to Christ through the power and promise of His Word. We are in a spiritual battle when we stand for the restoration of our marriages, and we have to fight that battle as instructed in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, which says For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And most, if not ALL, of those things that get us in a tizzy and cause us to get discouraged and doubt the restoration of our marriages are the result of some kind of stronghold in our spouses life, or some kind of argument or pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. So when we REALLY believe God and take Him at HIS Word, no matter what we see and hear, if it’s contrary to the following verses and the rest of God’s Word and His awesome promises, IT DOESN’T MATTER!

Matthew 19:3-6
Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Malachi 2:15-16 (AMP)
And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covers his garment [his wife] with violence. Therefore keep a watch upon your spirit [that it may be controlled by My Spirit], that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly [with your marriage mate].

Matthew 19:9
I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

Mark 10:11-12
He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Malachi 2:13-14 (AMP)
And this you do with double guilt; you cover the altar of the Lord with tears [shed by your unoffending wives, divorced by you that you might take heathen wives], and with [your own] weeping and crying out because the Lord does not regard your offering any more or accept it with favor at your hand. Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows].

1 Peter 3:8 (NKJV)
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

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

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

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

Proverbs 16:1
To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

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

Isaiah 46:11
From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

Isaiah 55:8-11
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

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.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

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

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

These are just a few verses that came to my mind, and there are SO many more. But the point is that we have to decide whether or not we REALLY believe the Word of God, no matter what verse the Lord uses to speak to us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. Because if we believe, nothing we see contrary to His Word matters. And if it matters, then we DON’T believe the Word of God, and that would be a very bad place to be according to what Jesus told Satan in Matthew 4:4, which says Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ “ But we can’t live on the Word of God without digesting it and getting it deep down into our inner being; it has to be heart knowledge and not just head knowledge. And when it is, we will truly be blessed and encouraged, because NOTHING else will matter! So we need to stick with the basics, which is God’s Word and not worry or fret about things that don’t matter in the light and power of God’s Word. The following messages and responses were posted earlier this week on the private websites, and I greatly appreciate permission to share them here, because they are very important messages as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. So be blessed and encouraged!

Back to Basics — by Diane
God has been dealing with me and I thought I would share what HE is doing in my life. I was hearing from Him, but I wasn’t really listening. So I have now repented and received forgiveness for not being obedient. It took Linda to point out that I was being disobedient, so I thank God for my FAM family every day. I went back to the basics, and I took out the scriptures I started with and reread them. I have pages of affirmations I used to read, and rereading them, I felt the joy return and I smiled. I had been feeling out of touch in some way and I just needed to get back to basics. I needed to feel on fire for the Word; I had been just “reading” and not feeling it. I had been looking at my husband and not God, and leaning on my own understanding of the circumstances, and God was dealing with me about that. I know I can not “fix” what SNO (spouse name omitted) is going through; only God can do that, so I gave it to HIM again. Satan was definitely trying to steal my peace, so I laughed when I came on today and read Thursa’s post…more confirmation. Thank you Lord you are always faithful to show me your presence in my life. So I write this in hopes of reminding someone else that may need a refresher on Gods promises. Remember what He gave you in the beginning; He has not changed and HE will do what He promised. God never stops working on us or our situation. In listening to Beth Moore today, God was just confirming what I knew last night. I thank you, Lord, that when we are not faithful, You continue to be. We are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us. “It really doesn’t matter…” has been popping up everywhere and it finally sunk into my soul again. God is in control and it doesn’t matter what anyone else says or does, God will get the glory. And I know Our God is bigger than anything or anyone and no devil is going to change HIS mind. So maybe someone else also needs to go back to the basics and reread something God has given you. Another thing that came to me is that I had been “telling God that I wanted to burn those “papers”, and I kept feeling “Get rid of them. Don’t have them in your house.” So I finally threw them in the garbage yesterday. I had a plan, but it wasn’t God’s plan for those papers. HE was saying get rid of them now, and I was trying to change His plan, again being disobedient. I repented all the way to the garbage and I slept better last night. Thank you, God, for showing me Your love and kindness. God is so awesome and He will receive the glory for all these marriages turning from ashes to beauty. Praise Him. He is worthy. Be encouraged. Diane

Response by Maria on June 13th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Diane,
I marvel at your firm stand and not wavering from what God promised to do in your life and ours. You are standing and refuse to budge. You are such an inspiration to all of us in your humbleness, and you are going through the final polishing act so that you may shine brightly for everyone to see God’s brilliant light through you. So I pray, Father, that you keep Diane and SNO safe in your arms and their family, away from the enemy. Just guide them step by step to the newness of life that you are giving them according to your love and kindness. May we give you thanks and glory for ever. Amen

Response by Dan on June 13th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Diane- yea, I think God is probably speaking to several of us. How quickly we forget or give up on Him in our impatience. I agree. Thank God He does not lose faith in us as quickly as we drift from Him. The funny thing is that even when nothing has changed, I can still question if I am doing the right thing. Of course I am; -God doesn’t change His mind. It has been written down for thousands of years; so why would I expect Him to suddenly not want MY marriage to be restored? We know the answer is Satan, but I also know who the victor is. Thanks for the reminder. God is good at that, isn’t HE!!!

Response by Thursa on June 13th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Thanks so much for sharing, Diane! You mention my post, but yours has sent me encouragement and affirmation as well! Isn’t God awesome in the way He knows what each of us needs and how He will speak to us through all of His children!!! “It Just Doesn’t Matter” is ringing so loudly to me right now as well. Satan so wants us to turn our head to our circumstances, just as he got us to in the beginning. But even then all it did was give us a lot of “supposes” to deal with; “suppose this” or “suppose that”. THEY DON’T MATTER!!! I read that in a devotional recently and it said its the “supposes” that got us where we were at…do we want to go back? NO WAY! Satan would love for that to happen, but it WILL NOT! We have the strong promise from our Dear Heavenly Father that He will NEVER leave or forsake us. As we said in the beginning of standing, do we think we’d be the first promise God has never come through on? NO! He is faithful and will complete all that He has started! Romans 8:28 may seem like such a basic verse, but it is so true and complete. It is the Word of God to always hold on to very strongly! God does ALL things for our good and He WORKS even NOW!

Oy, I could go on and on about the really cool way that all the wonderful gifts God gave me in the beginning, are the very things that are sustaining me even now. The “claiming” of restoration was a suddenly, but just as the road TO restoration is narrow, the road OF restoration is as well! I will persevere, just as you will, and we will ALL receive the many blessings He has in store for us!

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you so very much for all the wonderful gifts and ways you have worked in each and every one of our lives and in the many ways you will continue to work! We thank you for giving your Living Word that we can read, absorb and apply even today. We thank you for each and every promise you have given us and your faithfulness in fulfilling those promises. We thank you for the mighty testimony you have given Diane and SNO through the gift of restoration. We know you are not done; you are still working in both of them and will never stop working. We thank you for your righteous refining touches, which you will make to create in them an even brighter light of Your Glory. Please continue to bless Diane. Continue to speak to her, giving her the love, comfort and peace you have given since the beginning. Continue to speak to SNO, alluring him completely back to You. You are awesome, Lord, and we thank you that you will complete all the wonderful works you have started! Please send an extra blessing to each and every member of FAM over the next few days. Give us that extra blessing of complete joy and peace that we only find when our eyes are on You! Please continue to love, bless and encourage Linda also as she speaks to each and every one of us. Continue to fill her with Your Holy Spirit as she helps each of us to refocus and look only to You! Thank you, Lord, for the family we have in FAM; thank you, Lord, for the family we have in You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Response by Paula on June 13th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Diane, this post was really for me. I have found myself going back to the basics too; taking myself back to where I met Jesus in his word; where I found peace and joy. I tend to focus too much on what SNO is doing or not doing. But, I must remember that IT DOESN”T MATTER! And GOD is in control and he knows what is best for me. But sometimes it is good to have someone remind me to go back to the basics.

Response by Joe on June 13th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Well, thanks for these messages, and posts. I’ve been here for only a short while, and thought something was wrong with me, because Satan has been trying to discourage me also. I know what He has told (promised) me, but when you let go and let God handle it, you don’t get to see behind the scenes, and Satan has a way of telling you it’s all going his way. I trust in the Lord, and know his will will be done, and He is confirming a lot of things in my Christian life. But like I said, when you don’t see behind the scenes, and what you do see doesn’t look promising, it is hard not to listen to Satan and his lies. My strength and love of Jesus is growing so much that Satan is trying to destroy even my faith. It will never work though, because during every battle, and every trial, Jesus is with me. I praise You, Lord, for giving me the Holy Spirit who reveals the truth to me.

Are You Worried? – by Amy

I wanted to ask you all if you are worried, because too many times lately I have found myself “worried”…worried about my husband; worried about his relationship with the NCP; worried about a new woman who seems to be showing up more and more; worried about when we will move; worried about how we will move; and on and on. I realized something tonight, as I sat here at the computer, reading through devotionals. All this worrying is hindering God’s power in my life, in my husband’s life, and in my kids’ lives. What am I doing! And then for some reason I felt the need to come here and ask you all. Are you worried? I know I tend to worry about whether or not SNO will visit; will he call; will he be nice today or not so nice…worry, worry, worry! And what is worse is that I have not worried whether or not he is coming home, because I have always trusted that he is coming home. It was all this in between stuff that kept creeping up on me.

When we worry, are we trusting God? Of course, it’s always the things we already know, but just like Diane, I needed a refresher. WHY am I worrying when I already HAVE THE VICTORY! This was one of those slap yourself in the forehead moments for me.

Major things have been happening between my husband and me, and in his life alone, this past month. God has been working in such a mighty way…bringing us closer, even spending a few nights out in public with his friends! SNO is calling me more and more, and leaning on me for support. And finally, the relationship with the NCP has been severed. Because of all this I found it easy to lose focus and start worrying about what would happen next. What I should be focusing on is seeking God, praising Him, loving Him, wanting HIM. And once again I praise you God for knocking me back on track!

It seems that a few of us have been on that same level here and there this week. I say we are smarter than Satan. I mean come on; he has been trying to get a few of us with the exact same game this week. I praise God that Satan isn’t bright enough to switch it out! I praise God that He has given us the wisdom and knowledge we need to fight these battles and win! What a wonderful God we have to step in at just the right time. He will never let us fall further than He can reach us. Isn’t it great to know that our spouses aren’t any different than us? They can never fall too far for God to reach them. What a blessing just to know that!

Response by Diane on June 13th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
I am with you, Amy. When we look too much to our spouse, God brings us back. I thank Him that He is faithful, even when i was not. I too was focused on what was happening, but I received Gods message loud and clear. Keep HIM first and let Him do the work. I see Satan is trying his best to get in this place, but we are having none of it. Stand firm everyone and do not be anxious about anything. Ask God for what you need, always asking with a thankful heart, and the peace that surpasses all understanding will protect your heart and mind. “It doesn’t matter…” is so on my mind and tongue this past few days that I just keep saying it over and over; and “It really doesn’t matter.” God is in control and He has it covered. But this is confirmation that we do seem to find a theme passing through our midst all the time. Satan is a liar and he is defeated, so it doesn’t matter. Be encouraged everyone and just smile God loves ya. Diane

Response by Thursa on June 13th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Thanks for the post, Amy! I have seen worries creep in, but I too have used the “It Doesn’t matter!” God does tell us to cast ALL of our anxieties on Him because He cares for us! We really just have to leave it to Him, He IS in control!!! We all just need to get a little Linda in us and keep saying, “it doesn’t matter!” =)

Response by Paula on June 13th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Amy! I could relate to everything you said! I’ve given too much attention to the “circumstances.” Your post was definitely for me! I thank you for sharing your wisdom and instructing us. God is for us and if He is for us he is greater than the world against us!! Satan is a defeated foe! I have so much peace in the presence of God and that is where I need to stay!! Love you, Amy! God Bless and rejoice in your victory!

Response by Jenn on June 14th, 2007 at 5:54 am
Amy,
this is beautiful! Thank you. It’s a wonderful reminder that no matter what circumstances there are in our marriage or just in our personal lives themselves, worry just means we have taken our eyes off the prize, GOD!

Response by Sharon on June 14th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Amy,
It is amazing that Satan will use the same tricks on all of us. I must also confess that the ‘worry bug’ hit me Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter” also had to be confessed verbally and silently all day, and especially during the night hours. God is faithful, and I thank the Holy Spirit for reminding me of all the teachings of this ministry, which helped to get me through the day. Thanks for sharing! Sharon

Response by Christy on June 14th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Yep, I’ve been there this week. If you read my post from Tuesday, I confessed I am obsessed with moving and what will everyone think and on and on… See, I think we are all close to our restorations, so Satan is working overtime on us, trying to get us to fall away from God and not trust Him. He works overtime on those who are joyous and when he knows something good is getting ready to happen to us. He wants us discouraged. “Worry” is his weapon this week, but no weapon formed against us will prosper! We can trust God’s word that whatever we ask in His name, believing, it will be given to us. So, ladies and gentlemen, no worrying! BELIEVE!