Sunday, February 3, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
No Grapes on the Vines
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19
Depression and oppression are one of the enemy's favorite tricks. He loves it when we start doubting that we have heard from God with regard to our marriages and families. He has circumstances come against us that tell us it is impossible. But we serve the God of the impossible and nothing is too big for Him.
There is comfort in the name of Jesus. Sometimes that's the only word we can get out but it's the only name we need. Repeat it over and over if you have to and let His comfort wash over your soul. It will work! Go to sleep speaking His name. Do not spend time talking about all of the negative. Speak His Name. Things happen when His Name is spoken. Demons tremble when His Name is spoken. Knees bow at His name. Speak His Name. Over and over and over.
Memorize this verse:
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name." Psalm 147:304
This God who is so great that He numbers the stars and calls them each by name is the same God who wants to heal your broken heart and bind up your wounds.
We would even recommend that you keep a bunch of note cards with verses that mean something to you in regards to your marriage. Serena still has hers. Sometimes circumstances have us bowed down in defeat and ready to quit; doubting that this is God's will for us. You found this website, not because you stumbled across it but because God lead you here. You decided to take up this stand because God placed it upon your heart. Do not give up now! Many people are depending on you - your children, your family, your friends and most of all, your spouse. They need your prayers now more than ever. Don't let the enemy tell you otherwise. The enemy didn't put this on your heart, which means that he is the one going to try and convince you to give up.
Sometimes the circumstances get to us and we just want to stop hurting. In order to do that, we have to stop caring. But apathy, like many other hurting emotions, is a tool of the enemy. He wants us to stop caring; he wants us to stop praying; he wants us to give up. Don't let the enemy's fiery darts dictate your stand. Getting depressed and giving up will destroy you.
Ask God today--ask Him to renew and refresh your commitment. Ask Him to make your footing for your stance sure and stable. Ask Him to place His peace in Your heart and make His Word real to you. Remember the promises He has made.
We must continue to stand and continue to pray so that God may be glorified.
The enemy is always ready to use whatever weapon he feels will defeat us completely. Apathy is one of his favorite. It isn't a direct attack that is easy to speak against. Instead, he sneaks in the back door with his apathy and whispers, "If you quit caring, you won't hurt anymore." It may sound like he is telling you the truth. But the truth is if you quit caring you will hurt worse and for longer.
Don't be a quitter. As difficult as this is, especially when a stand has been long, it is something we are called to do. Our stories may be a different time frame, but I assure you the pain is real no matter the time.
Remember that God is on your side, especially when circumstances want to drown you and the enemy wants to deceive you. Let Him refresh you with His Holy Spirit and restore you with His Word. Hold tight to His hand and don't let complacency rob you of the joy that He promises. The best is yet to come.
May God refresh and renew your spirit today. May He give you new insight into the circumstances you face. May He shine His light in your dark places and help you to shine like the child of God that you are.
"The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:39
Josh and Serena
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Covenant Trumps Everything
It is always so great when you read something in the Word of God that encourages you to keep focused on Him instead of your circumstances. Recently, as we were reading with our kids in the book of Exodus, for school, we ran across some Scripture that reinforced the fact that God sides with the Covenant. If you have a Bible, you should get it out to follow along and read for yourself.
As you may well know by now, we believe and take great comfort in the fact that God always sides with the Covenant. It does not matter what the Covenant references. He always will support, honor, defend, and remember His Covenant. When God makes a Covenant with His people He does so knowing the full ramifications of His doing so. He knows that we may fall short of upholding the Covenant. He knows that we will forsake the terms of the Covenant. He knows that we may not always honor the Covenant. But He ALWAYS will remember His Covenant. Even if it seems to us that it would be easier to negate the full terms of it and allow it to be forgotten. He honors His Word that He swore in the Covenant.
Exodus 6 is the beginning of the story of when God has Moses lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. There is some very interesting wording that is used in this passage. In verse 4 it says, "I reaffirmed my Covenant with them." What Covenant was God referring to? The one that He made with Abraham MANY years before. He had sworn in that Covenant that He would give Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan. God did not need reminding of His Covenant. Verse 5 says the He heard the groans of Israel and was well aware of the Covenant. The Covenant was still the foremost thought in the mind of God even though it was over 400 years that Israel had been in Egypt.
Israel could not understand that God had promised them land of Canaan but they were stuck as slaves in Egypt. They could not see the fulfillment of the Covenant because of the situation that they were in. In verse 9 it says that Israel had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery. However, their situation (being slave in Egypt) or the brutality of it did not negate or detract from the terms of the Covenant. God was still going to honor the covenant and bring them into that promised land.
Whats does this mean for us? It means that in spite of the horrible situations that we find ourselves in our marriages that God has not forgotten the Covenant. It means that in the midst of the brutality of our current circumstances that God's marriage Covenant is still His foremost thought towards us. It means that although our marriage may look like Egypt, He is taking us from Egypt into Canaan, the land of promise. Do NOT misread this and think that we are advocating you leaving your spouse in order to find a new relationship to get into or that we are suggesting that your marriage is not the promised land and you need to be waiting for a new marriage. What we are saying is this: God has not forgotten His Covenant between Himself, you, and your spouse! He remembers it in its fullness and is currently working to accomplish all of it. Even though your circumstances may cause you to doubt His ability to accomplish it, He will still do it. Why? Because God CANNOT lie. If He lied even once all of creation would crumble because everything that is was formed by His Word. Therefore, the words that He spoke when the three of you (you, your spouse, and God Almighty) joined into the marital Covenant MUST be accomplished.
What we must realize and what the enemy of our souls (aka the Devil) wants us to forget is this: the Covenant trumps everything! The power of Covenant does not reside with the weakest of participants and, as a result, easily broken. The power of the Covenant comes from the most powerful of participants and, as a result can only be broken by one more powerful that He. All lies are subject to the truth of the Covenant. All disobedience is corrected by the honoring of the Covenant. All other ties are broken by the binding of the Covenant. The Devil knows that the Covenant is binding agreement. He knows that he has no legal ground upon which to stand. He knows all of this and wants you to forget it. However, it does not matter if you forget or have moments of doubt; the Lord is well aware of His Covenant. He remembers it. He honors it. He defends it. Even at our weakest moments, and when we cannot see the Covenant because of the brutality of the situation, He is still powerful and is remembering His sworn Covenant.
You may feel like you are in Egypt: a hopeless house of bondage from which you cannot escape the pain of. It may look like there is nothing good that can come from this situation. But do NOT stop standing. You don't have to advance the Covenant; you just have to hold on to it. He will do bring in the fullness of the Covenant.
It may feel like Pharaoh (the Devil) is not allowing the Covenant to come to pass. But, do not forget what Exodus 6 says. Verse 1 says, "When he (Pharaoh) feels the force of My strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land." And in verse 6 is the promise, "I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue from you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment."
All we have to do is stand, friend. Don't give up. Take comfort in the fact that He remembers the Covenant and is actively working to cause it to happen...even if we can't see it at the moment. The Covenant trumps EVERYTHING!! The Covenant never loses!! The Covenant is never lost!!
Josh and Serena
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