Today I chose a special devotional from Bob about what you can be sure of in this new year. Bob who was a prodigal who returned home and was remarried to me for an additional 23 years before the Lord took him home to Heaven. Bob wrote 19 books from the prodigal's perspective for more than two decades after our divorce and remarriage. - Charlyne
TOP TEN "FOR SURE"
THIS NEW YEAR
Can you look at the arrival of 2014 not as another year of standing, but as another year of promise, another year for you to serve the Lord and another year for Him to answer your prayers?
We fully understand that we all are living in precarious predicaments in unsettled times. Trouble seems to abound on every side, from the political arena to the job market; from an uncertain economy to wars and rumors of wars. Did you realize that God’s people have already been forewarned about everything that is happening?
The media has taken these past few days to focus on the top events in 2013. Many reports also speculate on what 2014 will bring. Each of us must know that which is really important will never change, because of what took place on Calvary over 2,000 years ago. Here are the top ten "for sure" happenings that will take place in 2014:
10. The Bible will still have the answers.
9. Prayer will still work when we call on Jesus.
8. The Holy Spirit will still touch even the hardest heart.
7. God will still inhabit our praise.
6. There will still be anointed preaching.
5. God will still pour out blessings on His people.
4. God will still call and woo sinners to repent and turn their hearts to go home.
3. There will still be room at the cross for His children.
2. Jesus will still love you and forgive you when you ask.
1. And number one, Jesus will still save and is coming again.
We need to add one more "for sure." God will still be healing hurting families and restoring marriages. He will reclaim our prodigals, regardless of the circumstances. How do we know? Because we hear those grand reports every week of the year.
Are you closer to victory or to giving up? Do not email us the answer, but consider it in your heart. The nay-sayers will remind you of your prodigal's free will, but is not the God who created the world and all that is still able to work? If He numbers the hairs on our head, can His Holy Spirit not sweep down that street where your mate is living and touch their heart?
"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:45
You have a choice to believe or not to believe. What have you decided to do? Who do you choose to believe? The Lord or the devil? If the Lord was to walk in to your home and tell you His entire plan for your life, would that make a difference? He wants each of us to trust Him and to follow Him one step at a time.
"And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time." Luke 1:20
If you choose to follow and listen to our Lord, you will have a peace that is beyond understanding. If you choose to follow our Lord, you will be blessed. It will happen, it will be accomplished!
Thomas did not believe that Jesus Christ had arisen. He told his friends he would not believe unless he touched Jesus' hand where the nails had been. Have you become a doubting Thomas, regardless of what God has shown you, spoken to you and asked you to do? What did Jesus say to Thomas?
"...Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." John 20:21
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29
Believe in the power of your Lord Jesus Christ. Believe that He loves you and your family more than you do. He will turn all the bad circumstances around to good, if you will walk in faith and believe.
"For nothing is impossible with God.†“I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:37-38
May you become God's faithful one as you stand for your marriage in 2014.
We need to amplify on one "for sure" event that may take place in 2014. Throughout the Bible we read that Jesus is going to return to earth, without warning and at a time known only to God, to take away His children. One such place is in the Gospel of John, Chapter 14:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:1-4
Many of our readers are newer Christians who may not yet know about what many people call the Rapture or the return of Jesus to earth to take away the church to live with Him for all eternity. Charlyne and I encourage you to learn what the Bible says about the end times.
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Matthew 24:36-44
This scripture provides the reason why you should continue to stand strong in 2014. It is not so that you will be comfortable in a restored marriage. It is so that the spouse you love will come to Christ and be ready when Jesus comes for them. What if it were today? May all of our families be ready.
Because He lives,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
TOP TEN "FOR SURE"
THIS NEW YEAR
Can you look at the arrival of 2014 not as another year of standing, but as another year of promise, another year for you to serve the Lord and another year for Him to answer your prayers?
We fully understand that we all are living in precarious predicaments in unsettled times. Trouble seems to abound on every side, from the political arena to the job market; from an uncertain economy to wars and rumors of wars. Did you realize that God’s people have already been forewarned about everything that is happening?
The media has taken these past few days to focus on the top events in 2013. Many reports also speculate on what 2014 will bring. Each of us must know that which is really important will never change, because of what took place on Calvary over 2,000 years ago. Here are the top ten "for sure" happenings that will take place in 2014:
10. The Bible will still have the answers.
9. Prayer will still work when we call on Jesus.
8. The Holy Spirit will still touch even the hardest heart.
7. God will still inhabit our praise.
6. There will still be anointed preaching.
5. God will still pour out blessings on His people.
4. God will still call and woo sinners to repent and turn their hearts to go home.
3. There will still be room at the cross for His children.
2. Jesus will still love you and forgive you when you ask.
1. And number one, Jesus will still save and is coming again.
We need to add one more "for sure." God will still be healing hurting families and restoring marriages. He will reclaim our prodigals, regardless of the circumstances. How do we know? Because we hear those grand reports every week of the year.
Are you closer to victory or to giving up? Do not email us the answer, but consider it in your heart. The nay-sayers will remind you of your prodigal's free will, but is not the God who created the world and all that is still able to work? If He numbers the hairs on our head, can His Holy Spirit not sweep down that street where your mate is living and touch their heart?
"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:45
You have a choice to believe or not to believe. What have you decided to do? Who do you choose to believe? The Lord or the devil? If the Lord was to walk in to your home and tell you His entire plan for your life, would that make a difference? He wants each of us to trust Him and to follow Him one step at a time.
"And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time." Luke 1:20
If you choose to follow and listen to our Lord, you will have a peace that is beyond understanding. If you choose to follow our Lord, you will be blessed. It will happen, it will be accomplished!
Thomas did not believe that Jesus Christ had arisen. He told his friends he would not believe unless he touched Jesus' hand where the nails had been. Have you become a doubting Thomas, regardless of what God has shown you, spoken to you and asked you to do? What did Jesus say to Thomas?
"...Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." John 20:21
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29
Believe in the power of your Lord Jesus Christ. Believe that He loves you and your family more than you do. He will turn all the bad circumstances around to good, if you will walk in faith and believe.
"For nothing is impossible with God.†“I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:37-38
May you become God's faithful one as you stand for your marriage in 2014.
We need to amplify on one "for sure" event that may take place in 2014. Throughout the Bible we read that Jesus is going to return to earth, without warning and at a time known only to God, to take away His children. One such place is in the Gospel of John, Chapter 14:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:1-4
Many of our readers are newer Christians who may not yet know about what many people call the Rapture or the return of Jesus to earth to take away the church to live with Him for all eternity. Charlyne and I encourage you to learn what the Bible says about the end times.
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Matthew 24:36-44
This scripture provides the reason why you should continue to stand strong in 2014. It is not so that you will be comfortable in a restored marriage. It is so that the spouse you love will come to Christ and be ready when Jesus comes for them. What if it were today? May all of our families be ready.
Because He lives,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
