If we literally gave anyone standing for marriage restoration a key and told them it unlocks the door to the restoration of their marriage, I can’t help wondering how many wouldn’t take that key and run to open that door immediately! Yet, even though one marriage restoration ministry after another does just that, it’s amazing to see how few standers take the key and open the door! Because the key to getting God to move supernaturally on our behalf in ANY situation is studying, understanding, and speaking and living in accordance with the word of God. It REALLY is that simple, and it’s obvious when standers do that, because we know them by the fruit they bear! Yet so few standers actually discipline themselves and MAKE the time to get SERIOUS about studying and meditating on God’s word, and understanding how vitally important it is to us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages.

We continually get repeated (from the same people) impassioned pleas for prayers for the Lord to change their husbands, to keep them from doing this or that, to make the pain go away, etc., and that’s undeniably frustrating when such pleas tend to come from the very same people who rarely, if ever, use the tools provided by marriage restoration ministries and others that the Lord has called to help in our time of need. No plan works unless we work the plan, so one of the saddest aspects of this ministry is seeing how many aren’t willing to do the HARD work marriage restoration requires. And no one ever said it would be easy. In fact, Jesus told us that we’d have to pick up our cross daily to follow Him, and it doesn’t get much harder or worse than daily crucifixion of our flesh! So everyone standing for marriage restoration needs to seriously ask whether or not we’re willing to do what it takes to win the spiritual battle to save our marriages. And for those who ARE willing to do what it takes, the GOOD news is that there are ministries anointed by the Lord to help us understand HOW to do that! For instance, the following message from Creflo Dollar from Tuesday is an EXCELLENT place to start. And here are the AWESOME scripture references used in this message:

Joshua 1:1-9
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 1:2-3 (AMP)
But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

Psalm 63:6

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

Psalm 77:12
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Proverbs 4:20-22 AMP)
My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.

You can listen to the first part of Dr. Dollar’s message, The Combination for Prosperity, here for Audio and here for Video. This is one of those messages we need to save and listen to often, because it’s SO good!

And the following is a message from Bob Steinkamp earlier this week, titled “Monday News”, which I totally agree with, and which contains links to a lot of additional support for anyone standing for marriage restoration.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the
man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Sunday evening, listening to a sermon on the radio, the Lord revealed to me what Charlyne and I are attempting to do in your life. We want to equip you to stand for your marriage. In fact, everything we do through Rejoice Marriage Ministries is designed to equip you to fight the spiritual battle for your marriage. This is a spiritual battle, one that we cannot fight for you, but we can certainly equip you to stand God’s way.
With football season just starting, let’s look at a team’s coach and his relationship to players. Every day, in many different ways, the coaching staff work to equip each team member with the skills and tools he needs to win the game. Once the kickoff takes place, each player must be able to make decisions for himself out on the field.
The coach may send in plays, or he may shout a word of guidance from the sideline, but that player is on his own at each play to not jump offsides, and to carry out the task assigned to him, be it offensive or defensive.
Our role in the restoration of your marriage is much the same. We can “send in plays” each day through Charlyne Cares devotionals, but once the ball of daily life is snapped, you, not us, must decide what action to take, where to go, and where not to go. Neither the coach, nor a marriage ministry, can direct your every step on the playing field of life. Hopefully you have been successfully equipped so that you, listening to the Holy Spirit, will know how to respond in every situation, and that your decisions are always based on what you have been taught from the Word of God, along with what God is revealing to you.
Back on the football field, let’s look at one scenario. The ball has been snapped and is about to be passed to a player far down field. The player guarding the received is right on top of the play, Instead of reacting, he goes running to the sidelines to ask the coach what he should do. Meanwhile, the pass is caught and a touchdown scored, all because a player was not equipped to break up a passing play.
Most of the emergency “HELP! email and phone calls we receive from people wanting direct advice for their situation are from standers who have not equipped themselves for every aspect of standing.
Charlyne and I pray that you are making use of every tool God has provided to equip you to stand strong for His best in your marriage.
We want to highlight a few of the Rejoice tools available for you:
God Heals Hurting Marriages - A daily five minute pep talk for your stand. Monday Charlyne is instructing to “Stop and Seek the Lord” -
GodHeals Hurting Marriages
Fight For Your Family - Just like being at Rejoice Pompano on a Monday night to hear Charlyne teach, this is a weekly 30 minute Bible study on marriage restoration. You can access up to 20 past programs in the archives. Free MP3 downloads are also available -
God Heals Hurting Marriages
Rejoice Ministries web site - Where over 3,000 pages of material are available for you. We suggest the site’s search engine to find help for your specific needs. New this week is a blog entry and also a new CyberPoll question. By the way, our site has a new look -
Rejoice Marriage Ministries
Stop Divorce Christian Bookstore - There you can find over 100 teaching tapes and CD’s and also all 20 Rejoice books to help you stand God’s way. Audio clips are available for many of Charlyne’s teachings -
Stop Divorce
Above all else, your time spent in the Word of God, along with a daily time of prayer, you alone with God, can equip you for whatever the Enemy might throw your way this week. Let’s get you equipped!
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24
May you find yourself equipped,
Bob (and Charlyne) Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.®
Post Office Box 10548
Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA
How To Stand
P.S. In a few hours you will be receiving Tuesday’s Charlyne Cares, where I share thoughts about flu season for standers. Watch for it.
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Rejoice Ministries Online Bookstore
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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quoted by permission and are from
the Holy Bible; New International Version® Copyright© 1973, 1978,
1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan
Publishing House. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked
(AMP) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958,
1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by
permission.
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Copyright© 2006 Rejoice Marriage Ministries Inc®.
Pompano Beach, Florida

Posted Thursday, August 24th, 2006 at 11:49 am in Seeds Of Faith.