WHAT WILL HAPPEN TODAY?
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,†he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.†Acts 9:5(b)
I left our church when we separated for the final time and started attending a church with a large (forgive me, Lord) singles' ministry. Although we were months away from divorce, I was also soon attending divorce recovery. No one told me that I was being sinful, not single, in my lifestyle.
Charlyne would send messages about upcoming events for our children at our home church. My standard answer was that I would “never darken the door†of that church again. I remarried Charlyne with the stipulation that we find another church. We were remarried on Wednesday. After our cruise ship honeymoon our first weekend, the following Sunday morning, I suggested that we attend our home church. I suspect that Charlyne was silently saying, “Thank You, Lord, for answering another prayer for me!†On that Sunday morning, at the church that I thought had failed us, I discovered the number of people who had been praying for me while I was out in the far country.
As an aside, my path back to the church door that I had promised never to darken again, was made possible because Charlyne had scores of church friends praying for me, and they did not know all the garbage.
What will happen at your church today? Will you request, “Please pray for my spouse,†or will you share your mate's sinful week with anyone who will listen? Many details need to be told to God, and not to other people.
On the third Sunday after our remarriage, our pastor, in the middle of the service, felt led to open the service up for anyone who wanted to share a testimony. I stood up from my pew and thanked the church for praying for me. I repented to approximately 350 people, our church family, on that day. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit had not told me until that moment what I was to do.
What will happen in your church today? Not only in your church, but in churches all across the land. I pray there are scores of “Bobs†repenting for having walked out on their families. Lord, may hundreds or thousands of abandoned spouses make a decision any day of the week to stand with You for the restoration of seemingly hopeless marriages.
A better title for this might be, “You do not know what will happen today.†Will your prodigal be in church? Will the one you love flip on the TV and find a Sunday program that touches them? Will that other person decide to leave your spouse alone? Will someone come to Christ because they have been observing your walk with Him? Will a Pastor be touched by the silent message from your pew? Will someone decide not to leave home this week? Will a teenager ask God to help them to say no to drugs and sex, after observing your faithful stand with Him? You can make a difference every day.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. Psalm 51:17
Because He lives,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,†he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.†Acts 9:5(b)
I left our church when we separated for the final time and started attending a church with a large (forgive me, Lord) singles' ministry. Although we were months away from divorce, I was also soon attending divorce recovery. No one told me that I was being sinful, not single, in my lifestyle.
Charlyne would send messages about upcoming events for our children at our home church. My standard answer was that I would “never darken the door†of that church again. I remarried Charlyne with the stipulation that we find another church. We were remarried on Wednesday. After our cruise ship honeymoon our first weekend, the following Sunday morning, I suggested that we attend our home church. I suspect that Charlyne was silently saying, “Thank You, Lord, for answering another prayer for me!†On that Sunday morning, at the church that I thought had failed us, I discovered the number of people who had been praying for me while I was out in the far country.
As an aside, my path back to the church door that I had promised never to darken again, was made possible because Charlyne had scores of church friends praying for me, and they did not know all the garbage.
What will happen at your church today? Will you request, “Please pray for my spouse,†or will you share your mate's sinful week with anyone who will listen? Many details need to be told to God, and not to other people.
On the third Sunday after our remarriage, our pastor, in the middle of the service, felt led to open the service up for anyone who wanted to share a testimony. I stood up from my pew and thanked the church for praying for me. I repented to approximately 350 people, our church family, on that day. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit had not told me until that moment what I was to do.
What will happen in your church today? Not only in your church, but in churches all across the land. I pray there are scores of “Bobs†repenting for having walked out on their families. Lord, may hundreds or thousands of abandoned spouses make a decision any day of the week to stand with You for the restoration of seemingly hopeless marriages.
A better title for this might be, “You do not know what will happen today.†Will your prodigal be in church? Will the one you love flip on the TV and find a Sunday program that touches them? Will that other person decide to leave your spouse alone? Will someone come to Christ because they have been observing your walk with Him? Will a Pastor be touched by the silent message from your pew? Will someone decide not to leave home this week? Will a teenager ask God to help them to say no to drugs and sex, after observing your faithful stand with Him? You can make a difference every day.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. Psalm 51:17
Because He lives,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
