The Sower Reaps
Last week Bob Steinkamp posted a message in Charlyne Cares - June 15, in which he noted that their ministry, Rejoice Marriage Ministries, is seeing record numbers of restored marriages, while at the same time noticing that a lot of people are giving up too. Even though FAM is very young in terms of the time we’ve had a presence on the internet, I definitely agree with, and applaud, what Bob said. There is a VERY distinct difference in how the ladies who take the time to use the tools provided through this ministry are doing, and those who don’t. It’s always the same excuse, which is “I just don’t have the time>” Well, it sure is a good thing God doesn’t take that attitude with us! We’d all do better to remember and put more effort into practicing the advice and spiritual law set forth in Galatians 6:7, which says Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. That does not just apply to financial seed either. What are we sowing into our spiritual growth and relationship with the Lord? What are we sowing into the lives of others? What are we sowing into marriage restoration ministries. Remember that God calls us to use the word of our testimony to defeat and overcome the works of the devil, and we don’t do that by sitting on what God is doing in our lives, and we have a responsibility to share our praise reports with others. Not just for the glory of the Lord, but to encourage someone else who might be struggling. And when someone shares something that encourages us, we need to encourage them by letting them know that. If we approach any ministry, which God provides for the edification of the body, just for what we can get out of it, with little thought of what we’re putting back into it, we should not be that surprised if we don’t end up getting much out of it. If God can’t trust us to glorify His kingdom with even the little things, why in the world should He trust us with more? And if you doubt that, just read The Parable of the Ten Minas! Here’s Bob’s message from last week, which we ALL need to give a lot of thought and consideration, especially when we’re discouraged and want to give up:
Are you discouraged today? If so, this message is for you. While
Charlyne completes their new book, Bob shares what might be behind the
“… can’t do this any longer…” messages they receive.
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FIVE SUGGESTIONS FOR A STANDING STRONG SUMMER -
“Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say
to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God
will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution
he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be
opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.” Isaiah 35:3-5
May I be real honest with you? In recent weeks, we are hearing from
possibly a record number of restoring couples. On the other hand, we
are also hearing from a number of discouraged and defeated standers,
ready to give up. Most of these people cite circumstances when they
contact us. Can’t you see the spiritual battle that is going on for
families? God is moving, but Satan is still at work, attempting to
convince you that nothing is changing for the better.
“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.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
We have discovered that the vast majority of quitters do not make use of
the free daily resources that we have available for them. Time and time
again, when we hear from a stander who says, “I just can’t do this any
longer,” we will look at that person’s data file and discover they don’t
subscribe to “Charlyne Cares,” nor to “Standing Firm.” They have not
committed to a daily 15 minute time period on Pray 24 when they have
promised God they will pray for families. For many of the people who
contact us, ready to give up, we have not heard from them since the last
time they contacted us, also ready to give up. Have they not seen the
Lord do anything for them in between those two times of discouragement?
If not, they are not looking, for God blesses me every day of my life.
He shows Himself to me daily, through answered prayer.
I have often wondered what “… can’t do this any longer…” means to a
struggling stander. What would they do differently tomorrow if they
give up their stand today? Are they stopping their walk with Christ? Do
they intend to live a sinful lifestyle? What is so hard about praying
to help keep their prodigal out of Hell? Is a non- covenant relationship
with someone else tempting them?
“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions;
stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah
and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to
face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.”
2 Chronicles 20:17-18
Allow me to share a quick time line of what we have seen happen over and
over again. Let’s call our couple Jack and Jill. It could have happened
to either spouse, but let’s imagine that Jack took his eyes off of
Christ and also off of Jill. Some other person, or some addiction,
became his god for a season.
After their marriage fell apart, Jill was introduced to what God could
do for a hurting couple, even when only one spouse took a stand with Him
for marriage restoration. For a period, Jill was the example of a
stander, doing things and living God’s way. She developed a close
relationship with Christ.
One day, when she was tired, Jill skipped her devotional time. Soon she
began to watch television instead of devotions, and her Bible started
collecting dust. From there, it is a short trip to listening to “God
has someone better for you.” Soon, she was telling some marriage
ministry that she “… can’t do this any longer…” without even
thinking about what she was not going to be doing. Mostly, Jill wanted
a release from the conviction that the Holy Spirit was bringing to her.
Meanwhile, Jack was still in sin. Nothing, on the outside, appeared to
be changing. No one except for Jack and his Lord God knew what was
happening in Jack’s heart.
Fast forward for a year or so. Jill met Mr. Right and was assured by
everyone how perfect that relationship would be. She soon became Mrs.
Right, or perhaps Mrs. Wrong would better describe that relationship.
One day Jack’s changes came to the surface. He began to grow and to
walk with Christ. This once-prodigal became the stander for the Jack
and Jill marriage. Sadly, Jill had gone on with her life. The man of
her dreams was now someone other than the man God had created for her in
Jack.
The marriage of Jack and Jill was doomed, not necessarily because of
Jack’s sin, but because Jill gave up.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God
is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can
bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so
that you can stand up under it.” I Corinthians 10:13
If you are giving thought to being in the minority who quit praying for
their marriage, I have five suggestions for you to do for a month, and
see if your viewpoint does not change:
1) Spend time in your Bible and in prayer every day for the next 30
days. Do not just give God your wish list and then say “Amen,” but make
time to listen for God’s individual instructions to you a part of your
devotional time.
2) Number one alone would be enough, but if you want encouragement, read
“Charlyne Cares” every day. Do not open and delete, but look up
scripture references and allow God to use those messages to speak to
you.
3) Find five minutes each day to listen to Charlyne’s message for you
for that day on “God Heals Hurting Marriages.” Time and time again, you
will discover that her daily topic are used by God to meet the needs of
your heart.
4) Some time each week, find 30 minutes to study God’s Word with
Charlyne on “Fight For Your Marriage.” Find a time with minimal
interruptions, have your Bible, pen, and paper at hand. If you do, you
will be encouraged and God will speak to you individually.
5) Live as though married. Wear the rings. Do not play the flirtation
games, or consider what kind of spouse someone else would make. Become
active in your local church. Commit, as did my wife, to being in this
stand for marriage until God brings your spouse home- and then some.
(For us, the “then some” is headed for 20 years, and Charlyne still
considers herself a stander.)
My friend, Charlyne and I are aware that it is make it or break it time
for many marriages, and that may be up to no one other than you. Become
too busy for the things of God, take the rings off, forget all you
learned as a stander, start listening to the world, instead of God, and
we will expect your “… can’t do this any longer…” message shortly.
I encourage you to get on board with us in this five point program and
watch how you mature, both as a Christian and as a stander. It is no
secret what God can do, what he’s done for others, he’ll do for
you.
“Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait
for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong
to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son
Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Corinthians 1:7-9
Praying that you stand strong this summer, Bob (and Charlyne) Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.(r) Post Office Box 10548 Pompano
Beach, FL 33061 USA
http://rejoiceministries.org
http://stopdivorce.org
The new Stop Divorce Christian Bookstore -
http://stopdivorce.org/
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Have you registered for Covenant Keepers Conference, July 21-23, 2006 in
Tulsa? Learn more from -
http://www.covenantkeepersinc.org
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Scripture quoted by permission and are from the Holy Bible; New
International Version(r) Copyright(c) 1973, 1978, 1984 International
Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
All rights reserved.
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Copyright(c) 2006 Rejoice Marriage Ministries Inc(r). For reprint
permission please see -
http://rejoiceministries.org/reprint.html
Contact us from -
http://www.rejoiceministries.org/contacts.html