DIVORCE

My dad is 77 years old today.  Actually, he is my step-dad but that doesn’t matter.  He has been the male role model in my life for 29 years so step-dad just doesn’t seem to be an appropriate title for the man who helped me become the person I am today. 

 

With so many marriages ending in divorce today and second, third and even fourth marriages on the rise it is important that the children don’t get lost in shuffle.  Our culture today is very accepting of multiple marriages and a his mine and ours extended family.    This isn’t the family that God intended for His children, though.  One man and one woman for life – that was the plan.  With a culture that touts sexuality and immorality at every turn it is no wonder that 50% of marriages end in divorce.  The sad part is that the divorce rate among Christians isn’t much lower. 

 

I am not trying to insult anyone or hurt your feelings if you have been divorced, I have been divorced myself.  I have made poor choices throughout my life and I am sure there are more on the horizon but the one thing I have learned since my divorce and subsequent marriage is this:  If I had been at the spiritual maturity that I am now when I was married the first time I wouldn’t have been married a second time.  I know now what a gift from God a good marriage is.  Marriage is the product of its environment – you get out of it what you put into it.  Of course the grass is always greener on the other side especially if you are not watering your own grass. 

 

I love my husband and I am very happily married.  We will be celebrating our 11^th anniversary in just a couple of months, but the pain that my divorce caused my children will never be erased from my memory.  Even after all this time my divorce affects the lives of my now adult children and it will continue to do so through out their lives.  I pray they have learned from my mistakes and will choose Gods way over the selfishness of a divorce when and if they are ever faced with that choice.

 

If you are having marital problems please take them to the one who created marriage/family – God.  He can help and He knows the answers to all of life’s problems…….after all He wrote the book. 

 

SCRIPTURES

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.   Genesis 2:24

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.  I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."  Matthew 19:8-9

 

 

 

 

Dangerous Prayers - November 2008

We should never give up praying for those we love!  When we believe our prayers are the will of God we should keep praying, seeking, asking until He answers.  The mother from Canaan was persistent in asking Jesus to heal her daughter because she believed what she was asking was the will of God.  I am persistent in my prayers for God to heal Baby Jason’s body and Big Jason’s soul.  I know the desperation this mother felt as she begged Jesus to heal her daughter.  I keep asking, hoping and praying for answers to my prayers.  I have faith that God is going to heal baby Jason and some day he will walk again and what a glorious day that will be!!! 

I also have faith that Jason will return to the Lord and become the man he was meant to be.  To have a child who is influenced by Satan and the ways of the world is so hard.  For the past several years Jason has rejected our influence and was living a life of sin.  I pray daily for God’s hedge of protection around Jason.  I pray that He will keep Jason safe and out of harms way.  I know if the worst-case scenario comes to pass it could be the final step towards bringing him back to the Lord and I pray for the strength to handle whatever it might be. 

Jason has such a good heart and he has always wanted to do the right thing but as the bible says, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”.  I can tell you from first hand experience that this is so very true.  As hard as Jason tries to do the right thing he always falls back into the sinful lifestyle.  After about two weeks he starts hanging out with the people he was hanging out with before and getting drugs and doing drugs become his priority.    He becomes increasingly distant from us and he begins the cycle all over again.  I know he wants a better life for himself but he is not able to change his life because he hasn’t changed his heart. 

Jason has been home for over two weeks now.  He has worked every day, he is going to church with me and he has participated in 3 family activities.  He has made some decisions that have caused me to believe that his heart is changing this time.  When a “friend” called and asked if he wanted to come over and “hang out” he said “no”!  He stayed home and watched a movie instead.  He is considerate of me and my husband and there are just several little things that are different.  Then, last night he watched a documentary on the History channel about God and Satan. I asked him if he learned anything and we discussed God for several minutes.  I told him about the rapture and asked if he would like to read the first book of the Left Behind series.  I am happy to say that I ordered it last nightJ  I see a genuine change happening in my son and it fills my heart with such joy that I can barely contain it!  Prayer is such a powerful thing.  Will you please pray that God will keep that protective hedge up around Jason and not allow the flaming arrows of Satan in? 

If you have been praying for a son, daughter, spouse or someone close to your heart, I encourage you to keep on praying.  God is listening and He does answer prayer.  Remember, He is in control.  Present your requests to the Lord and He will give you peace.  God is our Warrior and our protector; He can protect us from all harm.

SCRIPTURES

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

 

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Ephesians 6:12

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."  Matthew 26:41

"The LORD is a warrior; Yes Jehovah is His name. Exodus 15:3