God’s Love Expressed Through Amazing and Timely Confirmation and Encouragement!
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:
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