June | 2018 | Marriage is a Covenant

Psalms 29:10-11 (NKJV) 10 The LORD sat [enthroned] at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever. 11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.

This tells me that whatever circumstances are going on, God is still God and He sits on His throne. We must make no mistake, God always has been and will always be sovereign. Even when it seems our world is falling apart. BUT He PROMISES that He will give peace and strength to His people.

However, this is what gets most people. They expect the promises when they’re not God’s people. On the day of Pentecost people asked “What must we do (to be saved)?”The answer is simple, yet so profound:

1) Repent (literally to change ur mind from sin to God)

2) Be baptized (this is the dying of the old man and coming to new life in Christ) &

3) Being filled with the Holy Spirit (the empowerment of Christ’s authority)

After these actions the most amazing thing happens: our sinful corrupted DNA gets replaced by God’s holy spiritual DNA! We are made sons and daughters of this Sovereign God!!! That’s when we get the inheritance of Jesus, heaven, and the fulfillment of the wonderful promises we read about!

This beautiful plan is free for all people and brings with it all the freedom from the pain of this fallen world.

His promises are for all…that are His.

We give Him all glory due His name.

God is leading me into an empowering study of all the weapons He gives us to fight the enemy. One of which is “Brethren.” This is the support we are given by God in others. We were never meant to fight alone. God’s army is not an army of one. God gives us prayer warriors to walk alongside of us to support us through the thick of battle. These are not well-wishers or those who only want to see us “happy.” These are other fighters who understand the wisdom gained in warfare and strive to aid you in your growth THROUGH the fight, instead of trying to rescue you from your pain…the very pain God uses to strengthen us!

Let me tell you about Maureen:

I was a school teacher before I quit to come home determined to start a family via the adoption process. We’d been infertile for 10 years and longed for a family. So I quit teaching hoping to start a new chapter. It was then, JW surprised me with the divorce request…not quite the chapter I was expecting. So, here I was, jobless, husbandless, childless, and even friendless due to previous circumstances prior. (I now realize drinking buddies are never true friends!)

Well, one of my high school students whom I dearly love invited me to go to church with her since her mom was out of town. As we’re waiting for church to start, a huge billboard announcement appears informing everyone of an upcoming marriage book study led by none other than my student’s mom! Lol She even wondered if her mom knew they’d signed her up as a study leader! I told her I was sure she knew. 😉 Of course, my student didn’t know about my marital state, but I found it all very interesting and told God that I would go. I admitted to Him I needed all the help I could get!

So that week I met with a small group of ladies, led by Maureen, to discuss marriage and our role as wives. Maureen knew me and JW because we had all just gotten back from a national tournament her daughter had qualified for. When it came time to introduce myself and why I was there, she was so shocked to hear that my husband had asked for a divorce. I laid all my cards out on the table and told those ladies my marriage was falling apart and I needed help. God had sent me Maureen.

From that day, she gave me hope and pointed me to Christ as the Savior of my marriage. Maureen introduced me to Rejoice Marriage Ministries and shared how she stood for her restored marriage. She explained the covenant of marriage and what it means to stand for that covenant. Maureen was the warrior God sent to speak truth to me and not worry about “sparing my feelings.” I turned to God first, but when I was so overwhelmed from so many sucker punches of the enemy, I called up Maureen to pray with me and speak God’s Word to me. She was there every time, because she knew the pain and knew the hardship of the journey.

I barely knew this woman, but I knew God had sent her to me for “such a time as this” and I was more than grateful. Actually, JW and I were so grateful for her after our restoration, we named our first daughter after her: Ariel Maureen!

God doesn’t leave us to fight alone. He fights for us and He gives us warriors to fight with us. This is a weapon we have to fight against the enemy. Don’t seek out people to gripe or whine or complain to. That’s a marriage killer. Seek those who know God’s Word and will call you out on it. Share only with those who are for your marriage. Don’t fight alone. Pray to receive your prayer warriors!

God bless.