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Charlyne Cares is a free daily devotional from Rejoice Marriage
Ministries, Inc. sent only to subscribers. If these no longer
meet your needs, you can unsubscribe at the end of the message.
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Show Me The Right Road -
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will
make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Are you trusting the Lord for your marriage, for your entire life
and for your children in spite of your circumstances? God is in
control, even when you may feel your life is out of control! He
hears you crying out for help. He knows what you need. Your
Lord is right there with you ready to help you in your most
difficult times regarding your marriage problems, financial
problems or even health problems.
"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are
attentive to their cry...The righteous cry out, and the LORD
hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles."
Psalm 34:15,17
Are you ready to listen for the Lord's directions? When Noah was
told to build the ark, he was given very specific detailed
instructions. Noah built an ark to save his family. Will you
allow the Lord to use you to save your family and future
generations?
How many questions do you have today regarding your husband or
wife? How many times in different conversations, do you bring up
your questions, hoping for the right answers. I know. I took
surveys from family, friends, pastors and my counselor. I
followed all their wise advice as they all said the same thing,
"You must divorce your husband due to his unfaithfulness and
protect your children." I listened and divorced my husband. I
did not listen to my heart or to the tugging of the Holy Spirit
whispering, "Forgive Bob. Give him another chance."
The Lord wanted me to seek His face and follow His will and way.
God will speak to His children. Let me share a powerful
scripture that I hope will be your heart's cry as you kneel down
asking the Lord to speak to you His perfect will regarding your
marriage and all your circumstances. Remember, only God knows
all the details.
"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in
your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope
is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5
Are you allowing the Lord to guide you on His narrow pathway?
Ask the Lord to guide and direct your every step to keep you on
the right pathway to get your marriage rebuilt and restored by
the power of the Holy Spirit. There are times on your spiritual
journey toward marriage restoration, that your Lord God is going
to give you specific thoughts and instructions in how to start
rebuilding your home on the solid rock of Jesus. Are you
listening for His voice of instructions?
Let me share a personal example, I kept hearing my Lord say to my
heart, "Keep your house in order." Bob always loved the house
being cleaned up and organized even when we had three children.
A messy house, at that time, never really bothered me. It would
have been so easy to allow myself to just ignore all the messes
around our home when Bob was gone, but instead the Lord showed me
that I needed to improve. So whenever Bob popped over
unexpectedly, the house always looked presentable. I lived and
acted as if I was married, praying and expecting Bob to come home
at any time! I realize later that the Lord had been changing me
by breaking some bad habits and created me to be the wife that my
husband desired. Are you living and acting married all the
time? You are married in God's eyes! Do not forget your wedding
vows.
You may have made mistakes in your marriage. Ask the Holy Spirit
to reveal different areas that you need to become a better wife
or husband. Never doubt, regardless of your marriage problems in
the past, God can make your path straight. All you need to do is
lean on the Lord. Learn from the greatest Teacher, following His
instructions as you follow Him on the narrow road to the finish
line.
"Teach me your way, O LORD; lead in a straight path because of
my oppressors." Psalm 27:11
"I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6
Are you on the right pathway or are you on a detour road? Have
you become comfortable with your single life? Do you like having
your own independence and freedom? Beware! The enemy may have
you on a detour road of indifference, not fervently praying,
fasting and reading God's Word with the excitement that you once
had. Are you becoming a lukewarm Christian? Stop! Do you seek
the Lord for His divine help or just make your own decisions? Is
the Lord talking to you? Are you following His instructions?
Have you seen signs from the Lord saying: "Stop, Turn Back,
Danger Ahead" or many other signs of warning? You must listen
for His voice, seeking His will and way, not doing everything
your own way!
I have learned from personal experience that you do not want to
live by your emotions, your feelings and keep dwelling on your
circumstances. They can change daily or even hourly. You must
learn to keep your eyes focused on your Lord Jesus Christ. In
the Bible it teaches us to give all your troubles to your Lord,
casting all your burdens on Him. He is the only One who can
change everything.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he
may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him
because he cares for you." I Peter 5:6-7
May you never forget that your spouse was tempted to live by
their emotions, their feelings and then they allowed their mind
to wander from God's truths and moral values. Teach your
children the importance of unconditional love and forgiveness
regardless of someone's behavior. This lesson can impact their
life forever.
Your spouse, at this moment, is only thinking of their own
feelings and emotions. They are not considering the consequences
that their sin is causing their spouse, children and many others
such pain and sorrow. Let us pray for Christian spouses who have
been the pillars of faith, but now will not forgive their spouse
because of their failures who have repented and have become the
standers for their marriage. They have chosen to follow their
Lord Jesus Christ on the narrow road. May you and I truly
understand the powerful principle of forgiveness for everyone.
Have you forgiven your spouse or another person? Unforgiveness
destroys families and also blocks many marriage restorations!
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad
is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through
it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to
life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14
I pray that you will seek the Lord so that you know for certain
that you are on the Lord's road to righteousness and holy
living. That road is narrow as the Lord teaches us, but the wide
road is headed the wrong way and leads your beloved spouse or
loved ones into darkness and a sinful lifestyle. When someone is
on the wrong road, the Lord is going to be calling their name and
giving them His hand to pull them back to the main road over and
over again.
"Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who
love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word; let
no sin rule over me." Psalm 119:132-133
You and I have a choice every day, every hour and every minute,
if we choose to pick up our cross and follow our Lord Jesus
Christ which means going through the gate of true repentance and
denying ourselves to follow God's ways.
Keep your eyes on the Lord. Ask Him questions. Listen for His
soft answers by receiving a "rhema word" or hearing a special
sermon, a special song, or receiving a special scripture that
seems to leap off the page. Remember, God does speak to His
children! Are you on the right road today or do you need to turn
around and get off that detour road?
"I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey
your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself
have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter
than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your
precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a
lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:101-105
God bless,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
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This is wonderful Dana! Thanks for posting it.
Here's a daily devotional from Joel Osteen:
This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
Every day that we are given is a precious gift from Almighty God. We should wake up every morning with a grateful attitude, full of faith and expectancy for what the Lord has in store. Sure, we may be facing some challenges in our every day life, or maybe things aren't going the way we planned, but remember, each new day is a chance to stand strong in the midst of adversity and see the faithfulness of God. Every new day is an opportunity to praise and thank Him; to magnify our God instead of magnifying our problems. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Be glad that God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Be glad that God has given us a sound, healthy mind. Rejoice that He is making a way where there seems to be no way! As we focus on the gift of every day and rejoice in what God has done in our life, we will begin to experience His increase and blessings. We’ll rise up higher and set the course to live in victory all the days of your life!
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, today I choose to rejoice in You. Thank You for this day and for every opportunity that You’ve given me to bless and praise You. I give You everything I am today and always. In Jesus Name’. Amen.
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