Charlyne Cares InJesus Com

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Charlyne Cares inJesus com

FEBRUARY - THE MONTH OF LOVE

"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if Ihave a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."I Corinthians

13:2

"If I do not have love, I am nothing."What a powerful scripture. How would you measureyour love today toward your Lord God? How would you rate your love toward yourspouse today? Yes, be honest, regardless of your husband or wife's present behavior orthe circumstances that you are facing right now. How would you rate your love towardthem?

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."ICorinthians 13:13

First, you and I must have the correct attitude in our own hearts where our God is soloved and esteemed that we truly long for His fellowship and strive to be obedient to Hiswill and way in our daily lives. Next, we must ask the Holy Spirit to pour onunconditional love for our spouses every day. Let us never forget our Lord's instructionsabout the first two commandments.

"Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul andwith all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it:

'Love your neighbor as yourself."Matthew 22:37-39

As you and I go shopping we will be seeing red hearts and all forms of advertisingeverywhere, as they are getting ready for the big day of showing love to others onFebruary 14. I pray that you will measure your love for your Lord this weekend andexamine your heart to see if you are truly loving your spouse unconditionally. You and Imust choose to walk in God's love as we face each day. What an example of Christ-likeness if we will radiate His love in our lives. We can walk in love or walk in our carnalflesh with our sinful nature. We have a choice every day how we will act.

We can point fingers at many people, but as you continue on your Spiritual Journey for

marriage restoration, choose to measure your brotherly love for other believers byreading Romans 12:9-21. It is a very powerful passage of scripture. As you read it, youmay say, "Ouch!" If we are to love our brothers in Christ as taught by Jesus on theSermon our the Mount, how should we be treating our spouse and children? Let us thismonth choose to do some soul- searching on how we are loving others.

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one

another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal,


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SATURDAY TESTIMONIES

"Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and

my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will givethanks to him in song. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for

his anointed one."Psalm 28:6-8

Each Saturday in Charlyne Cares we share, with permission, excerpts from some of theemail and letters received by us in the past week. These are not to be used as examples ofhow God wants you to stand, but to cement in your heart the biblical truth that God healshurting marriages. Submit your testimony by following the guidelines at -https://rejoiceministries.org/testimony.php

"After morning service, I went to pick up my offering envelopes, but did not see themafter checking the alphabetically arranged pile. There they were, but labeled as 'Mrs.(husband's name).' I have used checks from my personal account which bear only my

name. My husband attended that church only once so no one would recall his name, andwhen I signed up for the envelopes, I clearly put my first and last name and not as theenvelopes appeared. For a couple of weeks I tried to put reason behind this, but in theend, God was telling me to believe in His Power, and I do." (New Jersey)

"I received a phone call from my wife yesterday about a bill that was cancelled and paidmonths ago. I called the company and they said that they had a glitch in their system andaccidently sent a bill to her. Because of this, my wife and I talked about three times andshe told me that she still cares for me and thinks about me. The Lord is at work and Ithank and praise Him for the glitch." (Iowa)

"At the beginning of our separation, my husband told me he didn't want anything to dowith God. I've rededicated my life to Christ and I have a strong relationship with God

now. I read my Bible daily and go to church. God has told me that our marriage will berestored. My prodigal has told me that he wants God back in his life and he wants to belead by Him. My husband told me that he does not want a divorce. Praise the Lord."(Missouri) - - - - "Yesterday my husband moved away from the other woman. Today heis back with her. Instead of despairing, I am fighting back with prayer and praise. It is noteasy, but I remember that this has happened to others and victory will come in the end if Ido not give up. I am praising God for this small false start home." (Minnesota)

"I know God wants me to stand for the restoration of my marriage and family, and for thesalvation of my spouse. Sometimes I get discouraged, so Sunday at church I asked Godfor a word of encouragement from Him. During praise and worship time, the worshipteam sang a song called 'The Stand.' Then the minister preached about home." (Alabama)

"Sunday our church had a potluck dinner after services. The menu was stew. I wasserving in the kitchen, so I did not get to eat until later, and then I did not get much on myplate. The stew tasted so good to me. As I was driving home, I told the kids I wish wehad more of that stew and that we should make some more. We came into the housesmelling these awesome smells. Our returned prodigal had filled the crock pot with, youguessed it, stew, for supper. We serve a might God who makes us one with our spouses."(Wisconsin)
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"My prodigal married another woman. Devastated, I questioned God whether or not Ishould continue to stand. To me it seemed hopeless now, but God whispered to me, 'Thatdoesn't change anything.' Therefore, I continued to believe for marriage restoration eventhough it looked impossible. My prodigal now calls me, telling me how much he lovesand misses me and that he wants to work on our relationship. Glory be to God. Not only

did He give me what I needed to stand that weekend, but he also turned what was meantfor bad into something good." (Texas)

"Praise the Lord, my husband called me, asking if he could store his things at my housebecause he was leaving the other woman. When he arrived, he put some things away andfilled the cupboards and fridge with food. I thought, 'Thank You God.' The Lord isactively moving those mountains I thought were going nowhere. He is faithful to Hispromises." (Minnesota)

"Thank you for Kristy's devotional, 'No One To Come Home To.' I have been asking theLord, 'What did the prodigal

"I know that if our son had not been taken from us I would have missed out on so many

blessings and lessons the Lord wanted to teach me."(Read more from our daughter, LoriSteinkamp Lassen, below.)

IS THIS REALLY A BLESSING?

I wrote in a previous devotional that our church was preparing for a two week revival thatstarted last Sunday. I must tell you, I really wasn't sure about a two week revival. Wehave four small children and the idea of being out every night of the week, even forchurch, was less than appealing. The Lord has really used these services to expose areas

in my life where I need to depend on Him.

Each night our speaker has been talking about repairing the altar. The altar of grace iswhat we talked about one night. You have probably heard the acronym forGRACE -God's Riches At Christ's Expense. What does that really mean to me and my walk withHim?

The dictionary defines Grace as: "The influence or spirit of God operating in humans toregenerate or strengthen them; favor or good will."Our speaker explained that grace is"... the desire and power to obey God."

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations,there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times

I pleaded with the Lord to takeit away from me. But he said to me, "My grace issufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all

the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is

why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in

difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."2 Corinthians 12:7-10


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What if I obey God and I am not delivered from "the thorn in my side?" Have you everthought about that? We do not need the Lord to remove our "thorn", we need His grace toget us through it. What if that thorn is actually a blessing?

The Lord didn't promise us that if we obeyed, we would gain fame, fortune and

everything we want would be given to us. He promised us that He would never leave usand never forsake us. His strength is sufficient! His grace is enough to get us through.

Thiursday night our Pastor was talking about the previous sermon on grace. His commentwas that "The blessing of God is not just going to manifest itself in material ways.Blessings can be things that don't seem good on the surface." Wow! Do you understandthat?

My mind instantly went to the recent death of our infant son. The very day it happenedmy husband and I prayed that the Lord would use this situation. We prayed that wewould draw close to Him through this, and not grow apart as commonly happens to

marriages when the couple suffer such a loss, or when there is infertility. I never thoughtof our trial with Tyler's death as a blessing.

I have drawn so close to the Lord in the past year. In the beginning, I had days where Iwould just cry and ask the Lord "Why?"

I really feel that He hears my prayers, and each time I have a down day, He sends me areminder that I have been transformed in Him through this tragedy.

What about your stand? Do you see the blessing in your trials? Have you grown closer tothe Lord? Are you relying fully on Him to meet your needs? Have you been able to show

your spouse Christ's love even, in the bad situations? Can you see any of those thorns as ablessing?

My husband and I took our kids to Chuck E Cheese one day to play games. We told thekids that they would only get a certain number of tokens and when those were gone, therewere no more. As we approached the counter to purchase our tokens, we were informedthat the registers at the token counters were down. I figured the girl would just count outour small number of tokens, but instead she handed me about 200 tokens. The kidsthought they had hit the Chuck E Cheese jackpot when they saw all the tokens. Iexplained what happened and we told them that it was a blessing from the Lord.

What the kids did not know is that on the way there my husband and I carefullycalculated how much money we were going to spend and how many tokens each childwould receive. I felt like the Lord showed me once again that He is always with us. I feltlike He smiled down on us and said "See, I am able." I will always make sure our kidsknow that blessings do not always come wrapped up in fancy packages and stuffed withtokens. Sometimes those thorns can be a blessing.


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Our goal needs to be that each day is spent drawing closer to the Lord and becomingmore like Him. I know that if our son had not been taken from us I would have missedout on so many blessings and lessons that the Lord wanted to teach me. He has shown metime and time again that just like the verse says, "... When I am weak, then I am strong."

When I got home last night I started thinking about the "thorns" in my life and askedmyself if I could find the blessings in any of them. Hindsight is 20/20 and I did find a lotof blessings. I thought of many situations where my husband and I stood at the Y in theroad and needed to lean on the Lord for His direction. The direction He took us may nothave seemed what I wanted at the time, but He has proved faithful in each situation.

Our Lord is able to sustain us. He is able to heal your broken heart and give you a freshnew love for Him and His Word. Start today. Thank the Lord for the blessings He hasgiven you. I am certain that you and I can find His blessings all around us. Some mayseem great, while others may be hard to count as blessings, but wait and see how you aregoing to be made holy through this trial.

Count your blessings,Lori Steinkamp LassenRejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.Post Office Box 10548Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USAhttp://rejoiceministries.org

May this Lord's Day you seek God's grace to get you through your difficult days, as wellas the days that your Lord blesses you. Please pray that thousands of spouses will seek

God's grace for the forgiveness of their sins, repent, and then turning their heart towardhome. You can read Bob's tribute to his randson, Tyler, written on the day of Tyler'sdeath from - http://rejoiceministries.org/armsofjesus/ - C.A.S.

Each Monday in Charlyne Cares we share a devotional written by a fellow stander. Youcan submit an original devotional from - http://rejoiceministries.org/ccsubmit.html

INVITE GOD'S HELP

Have you ever noticed how often we have heard that when we are in troubled waters, weneed to pray? We hear stories of persons crying out to God for deliverance during times

of personal crisis. We ourselves have had that experience of crying out to God in times ofour own need. We often forget about praising God during the good times and only seekHis face when we find ourselves in troubled waters. That is just human nature, our lack ofunderstanding of our awesome God and of His boundless love for us.

What we need to do is to invite God to walk with us at all times, both in the good timesand in the bad times, not just through the valley of our troubles, our crumbling marriages,and our broken relationships. When we invite God to wipe away our tears of anguish, we
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invite Him to point us in the direction of healing, and to share in the glory of victory overour problems.

Second Chronicles 20:15b reads: "For the battle is not ours, but God's." We need to inviteGod's intervention, His help. Let us look at several familiar scriptures that reaffirm God's

love for us when we invite His help.

"A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie

down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guidesme in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,

they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You

anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me allthe days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23

This is probably the one scripture most quoted in times of need, in times of sorrow, in

times of anguish. Here David invites God to walk with him during troubled times. I knowpersonally that when my first wife was ill and later died, this was one of the scriptures Ilooked to for comfort. For it says "The LORD is my shepherd..." which means that Helooks after me and cares about me. He has my personal well- being upper most on Hismind. He loves me!

Notice that next statement; "I shall not be in want."God fills my needs, my every need, atthe time of my trials, at all times. What does He do next? "He makes me lie down ingreen pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me inpaths of righteousness for his name's sake."

When I invite God into my situation, He brings comfort and revives me; He calms myrestless spirit. He directs my footsteps in ways that conform to His moral will, thusbringing honor to His name. Then with God walking with me, He will lead me throughthe dark times of my life.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you

are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."Oh, how comforting it is to knowthat God is there with me, fighting my battles, protecting me, binding up my wounds. AsHe triumphs over my adversaries, He brings me to that place of quiet rest.

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with

oil; my cup overflows."When I realize how much God loves and cares for me, He directsmy thoughts.

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in thehouse of the LORD forever."God offers me peace, a perfect peace, a place of quiet rest. Ineed only to invite God's help.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we find another scripture of reassurance:


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"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are

possible.'"Matthew 19:26

Here we just need to realize that God is God. He is all powerful, all knowing; He is purelove. He is in control. He can do things (modern day miracles) in our lives and in our

spouses' lives that you and I cannot even begin to do. He can also work miracles in ourother relationships as well. We just need to invite God's help.

So how do we invite God's help? We need only to seek His face through prayer. FromThe Message, we read;

"Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray long and hard."Ephesians 6:18

Brothers and Sisters, we are in a war! A war for our souls and the souls of our loved ones.Satan is our enemy. His schemes and methods are simple. He comes to kill, steal, ordestroy. So we need help. When we invite God's help through prayer, He becomes our

defender, and the battle becomes His, not ours. We by ourselves cannot win the battlebecause Satan is more powerful than us.

We, however, have a trump card, the Cross. We have prayer and we invite our HolyFather, His son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to take our side. Satan was defeated at Calvaryand we, as professing Christians, are covered by the Blood of Jesus. Through prayer, were- affirm the faith relationship and seek God's intervention in our lives. We need only toput our total trust in Him and His promises.

"[God] will keep in perfect peace all who trust in [God], whose thoughts are fixed on

[God]."Isaiah 26:3 NLT

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me...Peace I leave with

you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heartsbe troubled and do not be afraid."John 14:1,27

So dear Brothers and Sisters, when we trust in God and invite His help, we will havepeace in our hearts and victory over our adversary, Satan. The battle for our marriagesand our relationships is not ours, but God's.

May God bless each of you in your stand.Ben,standing in Texas, until parted by death.

Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.Post Office Box 10548Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USAhttp://rejoiceministries.org

Each Tuesday Bob shares from the prodigal's perspective, over 19 years after he and

Charlyne remarried.
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TEN THINGS ABOUT STANDING

"So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to

the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you,so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will

possess."Deuteronomy 5:32-33

My wife, Charlyne, and I thought that July 7, 1987 was the end of the story of ourmarriage restoration. At 2:00 P.M. that day we were remarried to each other. When weawoke that morning, living 100 miles apart, neither of us had any idea that would be theday for which Charlyne had prayed, fasted, and stood so earnestly. The Holy Spiritmoved mightily that day, and that evening we went to bed as "newlyweds."

Little did we know what God had in store for us, just as you do not know what God hasin store for you and your returned and redeemed spouse. If God had revealed to us on theday of our remarriage that in 20 years He would be entrusting us to minister to tens of

thousands of people, also with marriage problems, Charlyne and I would have probablybeen under the bed, instead of in the bed that night.

I want to share with you ten things about standing. This could also be titled, "WhyStand?" These insights into standing with God and praying for marriage restoration Hisway are not a complete list, but they are, in my book, the top ten:

1. Your prodigal spouse can repent and gain life eternal through a personal

knowledge of Jesus Christ.

"For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to

death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit ofGod are sons of God."Romans 8:13-14

Neither you or I can judge whether your spouse is/was a Christian. Nevertheless, walkingout on a wife and family to pursue selfish desires is a sin. You spouse needs to deal withtheir sin, and the only way to do that is through a relationship with our Savior, JesusChrist. If you give up and stop praying for your mate, who will?

2. You, personally, can develop a closer walk with Jesus than you have ever

experienced.

"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not liveby the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with oneanother, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."I John 1:6

During a marriage crisis, no one remains the same spiritually. They either turn their backon God, or draw closer to Him, learning to trust Him fully for each day. We know ofscores of people who had never stopped to consider a relationship with Jesus Christ untiltheir marriage crisis struck. We also know of scores and scores of people, including my


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wife, who can say, "Having my spouse walk out is the best thing that ever happened tome, because it brought me so much closer to Jesus, and He is all that really matters."

3. You will have the direction of God for the hard choices (and hard places) in your

life.

"Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for

the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise

is for you and your children and for all who are far offfor all whom the Lord our Godwill call."Acts 2:38-39

It has been said that peoples biggest questions in life deal with location and vocation."Where do I live and what do I do?" Beyond that, we each face thousands of choicesevery day. God has given us a brain to use to make those choices, but even better, He hasgiven to every Christian His Holy Spirit, to dwell in us, and to guide us, through everydecision we make. Standing with God and praying for marriage restoration, during this

crisis, will fine-tune your ability to be guided by the Holy Spirit in all of your tomorrows.

4. You will know without any doubt that God answers prayer.

"My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call on you, O God, foryou will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of your great

love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes."

Psalm 17:5-7

My wife learned to pray while standing. Not simply grace at mealtime, but prayers thatcaused God to move. I cannot imagine how many times Charlyne has handled a family

crisis with her prayers. After 11 years of major illnesses, when the doctors said I wasdying, I can appreciate Charlyne knowing how to pray. The effective praying that you arelearning as a stander will be yours for a lifetime.

5. You will learn that God can be trusted.

"Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to

those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you havedone. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell

of them, they would be too many to declare."Psalm 40:4-5

As you see the hand of God intervening in your life, in areas beyond your marriage, youwill start to see that the Heart of God is for your very best. God answers small prayers foryou on a daily basis, you will learn for a lifetime that He can be trusted with every aspectof your life.

6. The dilemma of divorced and dating can be disastrous, but can be detoured.


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"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature

desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the

Spirit desires."Romans 8:5

If you are standing, God considers you to be married. By wearing your wedding rings,

(and by the way you act) the world considers you to be married. The Lord is there toguide you, but there are no dating situation, nor finding another spouse scenarios. (Yes,you deserve "someone better," but you must give God time to create that new person inyour marriage partner.)

7. You will have a witness for Jesus Christ that can touch thousands of other people.

"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you

to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and allon account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up

your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves."Luke 21:12-14

I have said previously that the message from the pew is often louder than the messagefrom the pulpit. A comment that many standers report hearing from church friends is, "Iwish I had your faith." Today, people all around you are looking for someone to be theirexample. There are no more John Wayne-type heros. Super athletes fail us. People inministry fail us. World leaders fail us. Regardless of what they say, your family, co-workers, church friends, and neighbors may be attempting to discourage you, but they arestill looking for a flesh and blood example of a hero. By standing strong, you will be thathero of faith to more people than you can imagine.

8. The generational curse of divorce in your family can be broken.

"The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet hedoes not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to

the third and fourth generation.'Numbers 14:18

Charlyne and I know of too many families where children are in rebellion, because oneparent walked out on them. It is frightening to think what society will be like a generationfrom now, if Jesus does not come for us all, as second and third generation children ofdivorce grow up and attempt to make their own marriages work.

9. You will be leaving your family a legacy.

"A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth isstored up for the righteous."Proverbs 13:22

Our daughter, Lori, has written two Charlyne Cares devotionals recently. We did notknow about either of these until they arrived by email. My wife and I both wept wheneach one arrived. Lori was a young teen-aged girl when we were divorced. She, like ourother two children, went through things back then that we will never share. Today, Lori is


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a Christian wife and mother of four small children. She is on the board at the kidsChristian school. When reading each of the devotionals, I had to ask myself what Loriwould have been like today if Charlyne had not taken a stand for our marriage.

We may not be leaving our three kids a lot of stock and property to squabble over, but my

wife has already given them, and our grandchildren, a legacy of a faith that is worth morethat the largest trust fund. Regardless of your financial state right now, you have thissame opportunity to leave a legacy for your children, nieces and nephews, that is beyondmeasure.

10. You can enjoy all the benefits and blessings of God with a marriage restored.

"Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one?

Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do notbreak faith with the wife of your youth."Malachi 2:15

Why is the one thing that you desire the most in last place? If your spouse came hometoday, how many years could you enjoy together before one of your deaths separated youagain? Fifty? Twenty? Two? Can you see that even your marriage, measured by eternity,is only a flash? On the other hand, your prodigal reaching Heaven, your faith, yourwitness, your legacy, will all have benefits long after all of us have gone to glory.

It has been said that if we take care of the small things, the big things will take care ofthemselves. If you can keep the first nine items, as given above, in proper perspective,number ten, the "big thing' for you right now will be taken care of, not by itself, but byour Mighty God.

Keep standing strong,Bob SteinkampRejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.Post Office Box 10548Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USAhttp://rejoiceministries.org (Ministry site)http://rejoiceministries.org/store.html (Bookstore)http://rejoiceministries.org/questions.php (Q&A)

GOOD MORNING

It is no secret that our weather is less than perfect, after half the world saw the SuperBowl being played in a rainstorm last evening. Nevertheless, this is a great place to callhome, and through the Internet, God allows us to be like next door neighbors to people inevery country on earth.

If you also live in South Florida, we pray that you will brave the 60 degree weather andscattered showers Monday evening to attend Rejoice Pompano. We invite standersaround the world to join us in prayer from 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM (Eastern Time) every
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Monday evening, praying for marriages, families, and special needs. Please picture yourfellow standers, who, after being taught from the Word by Charlyne, move into a hugecircles of chairs to pray. Can we count on your praying with us? You can read more aboutRejoice Pompano from - http://rejoiceministries.org/monday.html

Have you read "The Greatest Lover,"Bobs Christian fiction about marriage restoration.There is also a feature for you to print out this 17 page story of marriage restoration toread at your convenience, or to share with someone else. The story can be found at -http://rejoiceministries.org:80/greatlov2006.html

This week on "Fight For Your Marriage,"Charlyne continues her teaching titled "TheAnswer to Your Financial Crisis."Our audio material is also "shareable," through freeMP3 downloads - http://oneplace.com/ministries/fight_for_your_marriage/

When you go online, where does your web browser start? We invite you to make asimple change to have your browser open with our start page. You can find a scripture

that Charlyne updates every few days, ministry news, scores of helpful Christian links,Christian news and more. You can find simple instructions for changing on the bottom ofthe page - http://rejoiceministries.org/start/

Have you visited our Bookstore? There are 135 items for standers, each created to helpyou stand strong with God for His healing of your marriage. You can listen to audio clipsfrom many tapes and CD, and read sample pages from our 19 books on marriagerestoration - http://stopdivorce.org

While in the Bookstore, please look at the three front license plates that are available.

Prodigals DO Come Home

One Man + One Woman MARRIED For A Lifetime

God Can

We each have a "God Can" plate on the front of our vans, and countless times peoplehave commented to us about it.

Bob is at work on "Ten Things About Standing"for tomorrows Charlyne Cares. Watchfor it in a few hours.

Do marriages really work? It is working for us, and for billions of other people. Dr. JohnRawlings, former Pastor of Landmark Baptist Temple in Cincinnati, had his wife calledhome on Saturday. In ten days, they would have been married for 75 years!

Have a blessed week,Bob and Charlyne Steinkamp
http://rejoiceministries.org/monday.htmlhttp://rejoiceministries.org/greatlov2006.htmlhttp://oneplace.com/ministries/fight_for_your_marriage/http://rejoiceministries.org/start/http://rejoiceministries.org/start/http://stopdivorce.org/http://rejoiceministries.org/monday.htmlhttp://rejoiceministries.org/greatlov2006.htmlhttp://oneplace.com/ministries/fight_for_your_marriage/http://rejoiceministries.org/start/http://stopdivorce.org/


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GOD'S PURPOSE WILL STAND!

"Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things,

those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. Imake known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say:

My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please."Isaiah 46:8-10

Do you believe in the sovereignty of God? As I was preparing this devotional, I lookedup the word "purpose" and suddenly, the Lord reminded me of a scripture that he gaveme twenty years ago. Oh, I hope you are keeping a journal of all the special scriptures,songs, and signs that your Lord has given you. Those are nuggets of gold from yourHeavenly Father that will be treasures of your family for life! I remind you of this,because I wish I had written down more than I did. The Lord will often bring me back toa scripture, but then I wished I had written more about that particular day of mycircumstance and be able to remember about my heart condition with my Lord.

When Bob was gone, he was forever saying he was never coming home, even when theLord was speaking to me the complete opposite. I had to make some plans. I had to thinkabout what I personally was going to do with the rest of my life. I had taken on theresponsibility of paying all the bills and raising three children, ages six to sixteen bymyelf. The Lord did not wait very long to tell me that I had been disobedient and rebelledagainst His will and way by divorcing Bob and giving up on my marriage and on myGod.

What were my options? Did I want to start dating? Did I want to bring another man intoour home and with my children who were already hurting trying to blend another family.That is what Bob was doing and I did not agree or approve, so why would I do likewise?

I cried out to my Lord for His help, His plan and purpose for the rest of my life. That iswhen the Lord gave me this scripture in Isaiah Chapter 46. I must admit that the Lordgave me many scriptures during my stand from Isaiah. Have you ever read the book ofIsaiah. Do so some time, and you will be blessed.

"From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.

What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. Listen tome, you stubborn- hearted, you who are far from righteousness. I am bringing my

righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant

salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel."Isaiah 46:11-13

What is the meaning of purpose? Purpose means: "object or end; propose as an aim.Purpose of God means God's goals or intentions." What is your purpose in life? Are youseeking God's purpose in your life or are you choosing to live your life as you want? As Ilooked up the word, "purpose" I was surprised of all the scriptures that states so verystrongly, "What I have planned and purposed, it will happen." What a powerfulstatement. All you and I have to do is, "Believe." Twenty years ago, I did not believe inmy Lord's power, plan or purpose. Today I am teaching, encouraging and pleading with


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standers around the world to believe, have faith, trust in your Lord God for His plan andpurpose for your marriage regardless of your circumstances.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who havebeen called according to his purpose."Romans 8:28

Remember how many times Pharaoh hardened his heart, but after each plague, he stillwould not let the Israelites go. Do not let your own heart become hardened in notbelieving in the power of your Lord God.

"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and sayto him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that

they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and

against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me inall the earth. For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your

people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up

for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might beproclaimed in all theearth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let themgo. Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen

on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now."Exodus 9:13-18

As you read about all the plagues in Exodus, you find that after Moses stopped eachplague because Pharaoh said he would let the Israelites go, then Pharaoh would changehis mind and hardened his heart just as the Lord told Moses. How many plagues orcircumstances do you or your spouse have to go through before you or your spousebecome obedient to your Lord's plan and purpose for your life and marriage? Today,examine your own heart, and do not harden your heart because of marriage

circumstances. Trust in your Lord's deliverance in His perfect timing.

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures foreverdo notabandon the works of your hands."Psalm 138:8

You need to understand in your heart that your spouse looks as if they have succeeded inaccomplishing everything they wanted. They fell into the trap of sin. They may havealready separated and are living in sin with many exciting plans with the other person asthey get their divorce and then they plan a wedding, attempting to legalize their adultery.You are sitting on the sideline, wounded, hurting, feeling the rejection of theirunfaithfulness. What are you to do? Fall into the same trap as they have? No! Seek your

Lord and believe in His plan and purpose for your marriage. Just stand firm believing inyour Lord God to part the Red Sea to show you His mighty power. It does not matterwhat your spouse does, it matters what your Lord has promised, planned and purposedfor your family.

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Proverbs 19:21


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I pray that as you seek the Lord for His will and way in your life, that you will choose tobelieve that your Lord God can touch and change anyone's heart, including Pharaoh's to"Let my people go." May that be your prayer today to your Lord and every day for yourspouse, "Lord, heal and restore our marriage." God hates divorce, and wants mothers andfathers to be good parents teaching their children about their Lord God. God has a plan

and purpose for your life and marriage. You can run from God's plan, but you will neverhave peace in your life unless you follow your Lord's will and way. Today, will youmake the commitment, and have the perseverance to follow God's purpose for your lifeand marriage?

God bless,Charlyne SteinkampRejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.Post Office Box 10548Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA

ADD A CUP OF FLOWERS

"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the

LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant."Psalm

25:9-10

The advertisers are wasting no effort to remind us that Valentine's Day is less than aweek away. Someone's study revealed that the average American will be spending around$100 for Valentine's Day. My wife and I must be far below average.

Charlyne and I know that February 14 is often one of the difficult days of the year for

standers. The absence of a mate, the absence of a gift, and the absence of any contactwith their beloved, drives home to many the circumstances they are presently facing.

Even though it is the love of your spouse that you crave, be reminded during this seasonof your marriage just how much God loves you. He is at work, preparing the way homefor your prodigal spouse.

You have no idea what God is doing, even this week, to touch the heart of the one youlove. Remember, He loves your spouse also. In fact He loves them too much to allowthem to continue living in sin.

I want to share my favorite Valentine's Day experience with you. No, it is not a story ofromance, but it is a story with a happy ending.

On Valentine's Day, 1987, we were divorced and I lived a hundred miles away from myfamily, In my opinion, there was no hope for our reconciliation. An article I had writtenon divorce recovery had just been published nationwide in a denominational single'smagazine. I was making more money than ever before. There was a girlfriend seriously inthe picture. I had it made, but I was miserable.


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On Valentine's Day I had prepared dinner for the other woman. The table was set on mybest hand-me-down tablecloth, and my apartment, decorated in "Early AmericanDivorce," was spotless. This was going to be some romantic Valentine's evening. Sad buttrue, in Prodigalese, the language spoken by prodigals, that means "sinful."

Five minutes before my guest was to arrive, there was a knock on the door. Standingthere was not the other woman, but a florist holding a small flower arrangement in a cup.Even while signing for the delivery, I knew they had to be from Charlyne, and not fromthe other woman. The card was signed, "Charlyne, Tim, Tom and Lori." I knew she didnot have money for flowers. She was barely keeping the electricity on. I simply could nottake her gift to the dumpster, yet I knew what would happen if that other person knew my"ex-wife," whom I had been ordered to "get over," was sending me flowers. I removedthe card from the flowers, hid it away, and placed the cup of flowers in the sparebedroom.

Minutes later, my guest arrived, and headed straight for the unmarked cup of flowers. She

knew who had sent them without even asking. Sparing the details, I can tell you thatValentine's evening was a disaster.

Those flowers would not die. I never watered them, but they survived a second visit fromthat other person. That visit, also, was a disaster. When I finally tossed out the flowers, Idiscovered that inside the lip of the cup was printed, "All we need is love." Charlyne hadno idea that statement was there.

Five months later, we were remarried. It took another two months for me to move back,due to employment, but on moving day, that cup came home. It was a sad day, a fewyears ago, when that cup tumbled from the cabinet and shattered. We have been unable to

find a duplicate.

"Should I sent my prodigal spouse something for Valentine's Day?"Please do not sendflowers simply because Charlyne did. You need to follow Charlyne's example in only oneway; by asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you should or should not do. Whenyou follow God's direction, and not man's instruction, you will never be wrong.

Happy Valentine's Day, on behalf of your prodigal spouse. The person for whom youstand may not be able to say that right now, but I can promise that you are on their heartthis week.

God loves you,Bob Steinkamp

WHAT IS THE COST OF TRUE LOVE?

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not

rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love


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does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts,

always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."I Corinthians 13:4-8

What is true love? Imagine if I were able to interview twenty couples who are gettingmarried in the month of February. How would they describe what true love is? In I

Corinthians 13, there is a beautiful explanation of what every spouse should continuouslystrive to show their spouse; true love. How are you doing?

Each day, as Bob and I read email and letters, we hear about the hopelessness of so manymarriages. The person shares all their circumstances, and then questions how their spousecould ever change their heart or mind. We are always wanting to write back and say,"Never give up on your spouse! It does not matter what they are saying and doing!Believe and trust in the power of your Lord God!" Instead, we pray and ask the Lord todirect the stander heart and mind to give them the faith, hope, help and encouragementthat they need to be able to see God's divine plan for their marriage. Never give up onGod's future for your marriage!

"There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."Proverbs 23:18

How much do you love your spouse? Are you willing to pay the price of sacrifice bypraying, fasting and waiting on the Lord's timing in restoring and rebuilding yourmarriage? You may ask, "How do I know the Lord is going to rebuild our marriage? Theanswer is by seeking your Lord's face, asking Him to speak to you in a very special andpowerful way.

Monday night, at Bible study, a new person told us that she had typed "stop divorce" andour Web site came up. A coincidence? No, a God incident! Is there any doubt what her

Lord wants her to do? Can you see how that the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart? Areyou listening and watching out for His special messages of direction for your marriage?

"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches

over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."Psalm 127:1

Bob and I challenge you daily to love your spouse unconditonally. This is how our Lordloves each of us every day, even when we fail to obey His commands. Our Lord isalways right there, trying to get our attention. He is calling our name, wanting us to havea personal relationship with Him.

How often do you talk to your Lord during your day? I am constantly asking my Lord forHis wisdom, His guidance, with other questions, as well as praying for others throughoutmy day while I work.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God'swill for you in Christ Jesus."I Thessalonians 5:16-18


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Are you loving your spouse with tough love or with unconditional love? I know frompersonal experience that I used "tough love" twenty-two years ago. I chose not to listen tomy Lord's soft voice before our divorce. I wanted to retaliate. I was hurting and wounded.I wanted our marriage restored, but I did not believe in my Lord's power, nor did I haveany faith. Where are you today? Choose to believe in the power of your awesome mighty

God!

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."Hebrews 11:1

Instead, I tried to control Bob's sinful nature by giving him ultimatums and boundaries.Little did I know that is exactly what the Enemy wanted me to do in our marriage. Thatgave Bob the perfect opening and reason to pack up and leave, allowing him to falldeeper into Satan's trap of adultery.

I did not understand, nor was I told by anyone that our marriage problems were a spiritual

battle between darkness and light. I reacted and lived by my emotions and feelings. Myown hurt and pain turned into anger and bitterness, wanting to take revenge for Bob'sunfaithfulness.

Due to my lack of knowledge, I chose tough love instead of my Lord's example ofunconditional love that He has for each of us and teaches throughout the New Testament.I did not understand that my Lord would deal with my husband in His way. God wantsboth spouses to turn to the Lord, to be spared from eternal consequences.

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of

everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do

not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mineto avenge; I will repay," says the Lord."Romans 12:17-19

I did not remember the scripture inI Corinthians 13, known to many as the LoveChapter, that was read at our wedding, nor did I choose to love my husband with God'strue love. I did not remember or even realize the importance of our marriage vows andthe covenant that we made before God. Let me share wedding vows that may remind youof your own:

"I, (Name), take thee (Name), to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold, from this dayforward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love

and to cherish, till death do us part, and thereto I pledge thee my faith."

Let me also share a standard civil ceremony wedding vows. Please notice the wordsshowing the permanence of the marriage, even if it was a civil ceremony instead of aChristian ceremony:

"(Name), I take you to be my lawfully wedding(husband/wife). Before these witnesses Ivow to love you and care for you as long as we both shall live. I take you, with all your


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faults and your strengths, as I offer myself to you with my faults and my strengths. I will

help you when you need help, and will turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the

person with whom I will spend my life."

Wow! "I take you with all your faults. I will help you when you need help!" May this be

the time that you fall on your knees and cry out to your Lord realizing that you do loveyour spouse, but you hate the sin that your spouse is living in.

Choose today to die to your own sinful nature and ask the Lord to fill you with the fruitof the Spirit and give You His true unconditional love for your one-flesh spouse.

Yes, you have a choice. What will others say regarding the legacy of your marriage? Didyou show tough love or true unconditional love? There is no greater gift that you can giveyour spouse next week, than loving your spouse unconditionally, waiting on your Lord toheal and resurrect your dead marriage!

"Lord, teach me to know how to help my spouse who has fallen into sin. I am standing,praying and waiting for them to come to their senses. Give me the strength to stand firm

in the Lord. Show me Your will and way to fight for my marriage. Lord, continue to giveme true unconditional love for my spouse every day, regardless of their words and their

lifestyle. Lord, empower me to love them unconditionally andremove every day anyunforgiveness in my heart. Pour on me Your love and forgiveness that only can comefrom the Holy Spirit. Lord, may You give me Your boldness to share with my children,

family and friends, that my marriage is forever! May I never forget my wedding vows and

live them out until You return my spouse home to our family and may we serve You

forever. In Jesus Name I pray.Amen."

God bless,Charlyne Steinkamp

SATURDAY TESTIMONIES

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though

something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in thesufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."I Peter

4:12,13

Each Saturday in Charlyne Cares we share, with permission, excerpts from some of the

email and letters received by us in the past week. These are not to be used as examples ofhow God wants you to stand, but to cement in your heart the biblical truth that God healshurting marriages. Submit your testimony by following the guidelines at -https://rejoiceministries.org/testimony.php

"One evening this weekend, I was a little down and took a prayer walk around theneighborhood. I was frustrated and sad and once again calling out to God to just pleasefix the mess and send my prodigal husband home. I had just walked back into the house
https://rejoiceministries.org/testimony.phphttps://rejoiceministries.org/testimony.php


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when I got a call from my husband asking me if I could do a favor for him. He said hewanted to start moving things, including himself, back home. Of course, I said yes!How's that for an answer to prayer? Thank You Lord." (Virginia)

"I am standing for the restoration of my home despite my wife saying she will continuewith the divorce. I thank all my fellow standers and this ministry for the help and

encouragement I have received many times." (Colorado)"This afternoon my husband told me that his relationship with this other woman is aboutto end. I am not sure if he intends to recommit to our marriage yet, but I see God's handat work and know that God is listening to my prayers." (Maryland)

"Praise be to our Almighty Lord. My spouse asked if he could come home. He will bemoving in this week. He has shared that he is coming home out of obedience to the Lord.Our children are thrilled at the return of their father." (California)

"After getting up Thursday and spending time with God, I read Loris devotional, 'GodsWill in our Lives'before heading to my job at the radio station Since the new year I hadbeen thinking what God wanted for my life. I loved my job, but felt like God was puttingit on my heart to go to nursing school. After reading Lori's words, "Are we are willing to

really let the Lord do His will in our lives?" I prayed to God that if He wanted me topursue school, to close the doors at the station. That day when I went to work, I was toldthat my position was no longer needed and I received severance pay. Nothing like thathas ever happened with our station before, but since it is listener supported, they have tobe good stewards with God's money and are restructuring the station. Praise His name,He works all things out for good. I am starting school next week." (Florida)

"Recently I was very frustrated with my prodigal for no apparent reason. God showed methat I was still seeking some provision from my prodigal, mostly financial. Until I wasable to look to Jehovah Jireh for every single need, I would continue to be frustrated withmy husband. I was expecting something from him, that only God can provide. I must letGod show me His mighty power and fulfill His promises. He can't bless, until I let go.

Only then, can I be the Hosea to my husband. We serve an awesome God." (NorthCarolina)

"We are separated and my wife has been very cold and distant. My wife is starting to callme, and gave me a hug for the first in a few months. I no longer react to news about theother man, and my wife tells me that I have 'changed.' God has always been merciful inforgiving my doubts and fears and in strengthening my faith, even when I couldn't seeanything happening. Now I can see my wife's heart softening and I am so grateful andfeel so blessed. God will finish what He started." (British Columbia)

"We spent the last week at Cleveland Clinic because my daughter was diagnosed with a

life-threatening spinal condition this past fall. We went to discuss the necessary surgerywith a specialist at the Clinic. Another CT scan and MRI were ordered that revealedabsolutely no sign of the previously diagnosed condition." (South Carolina)

"My husband said that since he couldn't pay our insurance coverage, we lost it. Thatnight, as I lay down on my pillow, I asked God that since He is now our Provider toplease take care of this problem. A week later my boss gave me a present. Healthinsurance. This allowed coverage for my husband and children. This one is even bettercoverage than the one we've had. God does answer prayer. He is so wonderful." (Hawaii)


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"The Lord laid on my heart to post a sign for my prodigal. I was sure the Lord wanted meto do this. I called the sign company and they offered me a rate cheaper than our usualdinner out on Valentines Day. The sign went up yesterday. It reads '(name) HappyValentines Week. We Love You And Miss You.' All Praise goes to God." (Florida)

"My wife called me to talk for a few minutes. She sounds great, thank the Lord. I can feel

Jesus' presence as He slowly, but surely, works His miracle, bringing my wife backhome. This is a miracle by God in progress." (Louisiana)

"Yesterday I was talking with God and asked Him to take over everything in my life. Ialso asked that He clean up the mess my wife and I have made and to please restore ourmarriage. Seconds after I made that request, I met an oncoming delivery van that had onthe side 'Restoration Specialist.' I know in my heart it was a message from God saying, 'Iam in control. I am the specialist in restoration.' I praise God for this inspiring event."(Tennessee)

"My husband informed me that we needed to talk and he hoped I would understand.Immediately fear and disappointed gripped me. I begin to pray and cry out to my Father.Before, I didn't know about praying the Word of God. All morning I've have been

quoting God's Word to Him. My husband may have his plans, but God will be the onewho will direct his steps." (Michigan)

"Today I was blessed with an early Valentine's gift from God that flooded my heart withwarmth. It is snowing and the roads are awful. My husband called me at work and said hewas glad I'd made it safely and that he had been worried about me. I was surprised by therelief I heard in his voice. My tears started the moment I heard his voice, for the greatlove behind his concern. I thank God that He is working and will bring this man home."(Minnesota)

"Praise The Lord. God saw fit to bring my prodigal home suddenly. Thank You Jesus."(Indiana)

"Two years ago my husband came home and repented for everything that he had done.

Today we are still together and he and I minister the Word of God. God is now using myhurt to heal others. Praise God." (Louisiana)

My daughter called to tell me about the song, 'Surprised.'Some of the words are, 'NowI'm free from all these chains...I hope God puts it in your heart that I'll be coming home

to you again.'I cried like a baby. I asked God to give me a sign. This week I received atape where you said how God talked to you through a song." (Pennsylvania)

"Yesterday I had just finished telling a friend how God always provides for my son whenthe doorbell rang. I found my husband on the doorstep with about eight bags of food. Itwas more than we needed, and I felt that I should take particular items to a friend. Itturned out that these were her favorite food and were the ingredients that she needed forthat nights soup. God is always amazing." (England)

"So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their

faithful Creator and continue to do good."I Peter 4:19

God bless,Bob and Charlyne Steinkamp

YOUR LORD KNOWS YOUR PAIN


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"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may

somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."2 Corinthians

11:3

How are you doing with your emotions, feelings and pain this weekend? Are you angry,

jealous and cannot seem to forgive your spouse or the other person for what they aredoing to you, your marriage and your children? The next few days may be difficult foryou, unless, you allow the Lord to defeat the enemy who is trying to steal, kill anddestroy your joy, your strength, your sanity and your peace of mind. Remember, that yourLord loves you so very much and He know your pain and loneliness.

"The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before

you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven."Deuteronomy28:7

"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is

greater than he who is in the world."I John 4:4

Before we celebrate February 14th, may I ask you to examine your own heart. Beware ofthe enemy, for the next several days, is when the enemy is going to try to deceive you bytempting you to exhibit unforgiveness, anger or jealousy in your own heart. Be honestwith yourself. What are you feeling? What are you stuffing down inside?

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by therenewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will ishis

good, pleasing and perfect will."Romans 12:1

Beware of the enemy's firing darts and put on the Armor of God daily. Be sure to put theBlood of Jesus over you and your family, the Hedge of Protection and ask for warriorangels to protect you and your family. You may be concealing sin in your heart whichhas opened an entranceway for the enemy to deceive you by tormenting your mind withmany thoughts of "What they are doing all the time and especially this week?"

Then, with sin in your own heart, you may react as the world would react to marriageproblems instead of walking in unconditional love. Don't fall into Satan's trap to ruin yourlife and marriage.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons

we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine powerto demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up

against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to

Christ."2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."I Peter4:8


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You may need to slay the giant of unforgiveness that has taken root in your heart.Unforgiveness is a sin in God's eyes. Remember the powerful and strong scripture:

"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors...For if you forgive menwhen they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not

forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."Matthew 6:12,14-15

Are you harboring unforgiveness, bitterness or resentment? Ask the Holy Spirit to giveyou the grace and mercy to be able to forgive your spouse daily. Before you forgive yourspouse of the "unforgivable," you must know and understand the biblical concept offorgiveness and Christ's mandate to forgive.

First, you must confess your sins. Ask the Lord to forgive you daily of any sins that youare battling, asking Him to touch and change your heart. Then ask the Lord to give youthe spirit of forgiveness and unconditional love for your spouse daily. Your Lord God cantouch and change your heart of anger and bitterness into a heart of flesh and

unconditional love.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If weconfess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all

unrighteousness."I John 1:8-9

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my

face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive theirsin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the

prayers offered in this place." 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

Now let focus our prayers on all the spouses who are living in sin this Lord's Day. Prayfor the Holy Spirit to speak loudly to all prodigal children, calling their name, where theywill surrender their own will and way, obeying their Heavenly Father, and running fromtheir sinful lifestyle. Never forget Jesus' love for all of us as He died on the cross for allsinners to be saved by shedding His Blood at Calvary.

Ask the Lord how you can celebrate February 14th with the people who are around you.May you be a blessing that day to someone else (of the same sex) who needs to be loved.May you make this the best Valentine's day for your children by doing something specialand different. Be creative. Ask the Lord for ideas. Now open your heart and let your Lordshower you with His love for you every day this coming week.

"Love never fails."I Corinthians 13:8

God bless,Charlyne Steinkamp

Dennis Wingfield writes a weeklyStanding Firm devotional for male standers. His

message from this weekend was so timely that we were led to share it with


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everyone. Even though Dennis writes for men, everyone is blessed by his messages.Subscribe toStanding Firm from - http://rejoiceministries.org/standingfirm.php

CURE FOR LONELINESS

"This is what the Lord says: 'Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on fleshfor his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the

wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places

of the desert, in a salt land where no onelives. But blessed is the man who trusts in theLord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends

out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.'"Jeremiah 17:5-8

With the world focusing on love during the upcoming week, Valentine's Day can be atime of severe loneliness. Everyone is talking of love with that someone special and it

seems like you are the only one that is alone. When I experienced these lonely times inmy life, I turned where I have turned so many times, to the Lord and His Word. Thoughyou dwell in the parched places, being firmly rooted in the Lord will get you throughthese dry spells. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord...he will be like a tree plantedby the water that sends out its roots by the stream...its leaves are always green...and

never fails to bear fruit."

The Lord has used my lonely times to remind me of the pain of separation from a lovedone. The Lord does not want me to forget what it is like to have a prodigal away fromhome. God is using the pain that I have experienced in my life to help others like yourselfthrough your struggles with loneliness.

"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one

I praise. They keep saying to me, 'Where is the word of the Lord? Let it now be fulfilled.'"

Jeremiah 17:14-15

I am amazed by the cruelty of people during this time of year. The first Valentine's Dayafter my wife died, I thought that I would catch an early dinner before the crowds ofcouples hit the restaurants. I was greeted with, "Only one?" as if there was somethingwoefully wrong with me for being alone. Service at this typically good restaurant wasterrible as the staff's attention was centered on more deserving couples and families. I atemy dinner as quickly as possible and scurried home to an empty house. If these folks only

could have seen how I stood for a broken marriage for ten years, having a waywardspouse return, only to be taken away again by a premature death. Maybe their attitudeswould have changed towards a lonely, hurting man sitting over in the corner booth.

May we all be attentive to the needs of the less fortunate among us as we go through ourbusy days. Thankfully, the Lord views you in a completely different light. You are Hisbeloved child. He understands your pain and suffering. His only Son suffered a criminal'sdeath on the cross so that you might have eternal life. God loves you right were you are.
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He does not require perfection on your part to receive His love. He loves you in spite ofany shortcomings you may have.

"You understand, O Lord; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors.You are long-suffering - do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your

sake."Jeremiah 15:15

God is always there for you, especially during the lonely times. I hope that you are ableto use this week to spend "alone" time with the Lord. You see, this time alone is a periodof training. The Lord is putting a burden on your heart for those suffering from theunfairness of life. There will come a time when your wayward spouse will be at the endof their rope. A life of disobedience and self- seeking will come crashing down aroundthem. May your love for your spouse be the beacon that leads them home.

"The Lord said, 'Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your

enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress.'"Jeremiah 15:11

My time as a widower was a lot like standing. Well-meaning people will offer the curefor your loneliness and grief. "Hey, I can set you up with a friend..."is offered as thesolution to your pain. Little do they know that their solutions do nothing but to deepenyour sense of loss for the one that the Lord has chosen for you "until death separates."The Lord uses these times to mold you into His image. He is changing you day by dayinto the person He wants you to be. You need to stand firm in your conviction to dothings God's way. He will lead you and protect you from the evil ways of this world.

"Therefore this is what the Lord says: 'If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve

me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people

turn to you, but you must not turn to them. I will make you a wall to this people, afortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am

with you to rescue and save you,' declares the Lord. 'I will save you from the hands of thewicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel.'"Jeremiah 15:19-21

Here is a Valentine's Day card straight from God for you. He cares for you more than youcan ever imagine. Trust in Him and He will do this for you.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to

harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and find mewhen you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will

bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where Ihave banished you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back to the place from which Icarried you into exile.'"Jeremiah 29:11-14

God is here to release you from the captivity of your loneliness. Call out to Him in yourtime of need. Rest and find comfort in His loving arms. He will not fail you!


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Standing in agreement with you for the healing of your home,Dennis L. Wingfield

A VALENTINE FROM GOD

"I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine: I haveloved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine.

"Seek the face of the Lord and long for him. He will bring you his care and his love."

(Copyright-GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission CCLI #1273562)

These lines from a church hymn written by Michael Joncas speak of an eternal love; aneverlasting love; an unchanging love. They speak of God's love for us.

February is Valentine month; the month of flowers and candy and hearts; the month of

sweet words and beautiful promises. As this special day approaches, and we findourselves alone, we may be asking, "Where is my Valentine? Is there anybody out therewho loves me?"

God's answer can be found inJeremiah 31:3. "The LORD appeared to us in the past,saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-

kindness."

More than anything else, God is love. This verse from Jeremiah is His Valentine to us. Ilove you. I always have and I always will. Nothing you can do will ever take my lovefrom you. My love is never- ending and unchanging. When the things of this world hurt

you and cause you to despair, remember, I love you. When circumstances leave youbattle-weary and defeated, remember, I love you. When you feel you have no one to turnto, remember,I love you. I have called you and you are Mine.

Many of us have been looking for love in all the wrong places. We have placed our hopesand our dreams in the things of this world - our spouses, our children, our families. Butthe things of this world are ever-changing and often not what they seem. When the onewe love walks away or rejects us, when we feel unwanted and worthless, when we feellike there is nobody who loves us, we can find comfort in God's amazing love and knowthat it will never be taken from us. It is our place of safety in a world that has been turnedupside down by circumstances. Unlike people, God does not lie or change His words. He

has promised to love us - always.

God's love is our refuge when the enemy attacks and circumstances Leave us reeling."The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will driveout your enemy before you, saying, 'Destroy him!'"Deuteronomy 33:27

God's love is a healing love when our hearts are broken and our hopes are dashed. "Heheals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."Psalm 147:3


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God's love is unconditional. Regardless of what we have done or said, regardless ofwhere we are in our lives, He loves us. "But I will not take my love from him, nor will Iever betray my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips haveuttered."Psalm 89:33-34

God's love is eternal. "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love enduresforever."1 Chronicles 16:34

God's love for us is from before we were born. "For you created my inmost being; youknit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and

wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."Psalm 139:13-14

God's love is sacrificial. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."John 3:16

The Lord God is with you always; loving you unconditionally; loving you eternally;

loving you before you were even born. You don't have to do or be anything special toreceive this love. He gives it to you without question and without reservation. His love isbeyond measure and without boundaries. It flows from the heart of His Son to your heartand invades your whole being. When the love of others fails us, we can always depend onGod's unending love. In the heart of our troubles, God shows His heart to us.

Are you hurting and rejected this Valentine season? Ask Jesus to mend your brokenness.Are you confused and frightened? Ask Him to light your way. Are you feeling alone andlonely? Invite Jesus to your celebration. Are you wandering in the wilderness? Ask Himto set your feet in a spacious place. Are you feeling unloved? Open your Bible and readHis Valentine message to you - the gift of His amazing love. For He has called us and we

are His.

"We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we

put our hope in you."Psalm 33:20-22

God bless,Kim, standing in Nebraska

YOU ARE LOVED

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes inhim shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world tocondemn the world, but to save the world through him."John 3:16-17

Do you feel you are loved today? Your Lord is looking down from Heaven and you havethree people who are saying, "We love you so very much!" Your Heavenly Father whocreated you who has such a powerful plan for your future. Then you have your LordJesus Christ, who is interceding for you daily, and then there is the Holy Spirit who is


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with you all the time. Today may you not allow the enemy to defeat you with yourcircumstances, but may you be sure to radiate and show love to all your loved ones whoaround you.

May I ask you a personal question? Do you have anyone in your immediate family

(mother, father, sister, or brother, etc) who you have a strained relationship with? Ask theLord if this would be the day that you should write them a letter or card, telling them thatyou have thought about them and start speaking forgiveness, healing and restoration inthat relationship.

Our Lord wants us to love our neighbors, and our enemies, so should we not loved ourfamily members? Yes, you may have been wounded or hurt as a child or an adult, butpray and see if your Lord is not asking you to choose to starting forgiving your loved one,who may have turned into a possible enemy for a season in your life. Allow your Lord torestore and reconcile all your broken relationships, while your are praying for restorationof your marriage.

May you use the example of the story of Joseph in the Bible to show you how he forgavehis brothers and how the Lord used Joseph mightily to help his brothers and his fatherwhen their country was in a famine. God restored all their relationships even after Josephendured difficult circumstances for many years.

"When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds

a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?"... His brothers

then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said. But

Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harmme, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of

many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And hereassured them and spoke kindly to them."Genesis 50:15,18-21

Let us pray for all the prodigal spouses around the world who have denied God yetanother day. Pray that all the wayward spouses will feel the Holy Spirit conviction to call,email or communicate a note of positive communication to their faithful, loving spousetoday, February 14th. Pray that the Holy Spirit will reignite and rekindle couples love inmillions of marriages around the world that are hanging by a thread but are still together.

"Lord, I pray for all the prodigal spouses who have come home, but are still battling

emotions, feelings or who are still seeing the other person. Lord, break all soul ties

with all ungodly relationships of any kind. May you open their spiritual eyes, earsand their heart to hear and receive God's truth which will set them free from the

slavery of sin. Lord, crucify their sinful nature. May this special holiday, be the day

that everyprodigal spouse will bend their knee humbling themselves to God askingHim to change their heart and remove all the strongholds in their life. Lord, create

in them a pure heart, renew their body, soul, spirit and mind as You can erase all

the thoughts of the other person from their mind by the Blood of our Lord Jesus

Christ. Lord, I as a prayer warrior am standing in the gap speaking God's Word


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that 'no weapon forged against me or my spouse will prevail. Greater is He that is in

me than he that is in the world.' Thank You that You are able to do immeasurably

more than all I ask or can imagine according to Your power that is at work within

me. Lord, heal my marriage completely. I pray this all in the mighty Name of our

Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."

Bob and I know that for you this day of red hearts, candy and flowers may be difficult foryou. I pray that you will be able to shower your love on other family members.

May you never forget that your spouse has fallen into the trap of sin which leads todestruction and death. God is speaking to them in many different ways to "Go Home."

Monday evening at Rejoice Pompano, David and Becky, a couple who remarried in Junecame from out-of-state to share their testimony. Becky sensed that the Lord told her tocome down this week, to Florida to share for our hurting standers to, "Never give up onyour spouse."She was very transparent and shared of her being in the far country of sin

with wild living. God displayed His grace and mercy. Becky is one of the spouses whohad come home and then listened to the Enemy tempting her to leave again and divorcedDavid. David admitted he had stopped praying as fervently for Becky once she washome.

God never stopped loving Becky, speaking to her heart of being obedient to God's willand way and she returned home in June and remarried David after being gone two moreyears. They both admit they are still in the process of rebuilding their marriage, one brickat a time.

Remember, God loves you! Regardless, of what you have done or what you are doing, He

loves you. Open your arms to allow Him to love you like never before. Turn on praisemusic and thank the Lord for all the love that He gives you each and every day.

Pray that on this special day of love that all prodigal spouses across the land will bereminded of their spouse and their children at home. May every prodigal realize andadmit that they are with a counterfeit. Pray that thousands of spouses will repent andcome home, suddenly right now!

Days such as this one are used by God to help bring prodigals "to their senses," and hometo a loving Heavenly Father and to a praying spouse. The pains of rejection and hurt thatyou might experience today are really labor pains for God's birthing of your restored

marriage, suddenly! Today, receive your Lord's love!

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his

Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And Ipray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all

the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to

know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of allthe fullness of God."Ephesians 3:16-19


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God loves you,Charlyne Steinkamp

DARKNESS VERSUS LIGHT

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full oflight. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light

within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"Matthew 6:22-23

Are you walking in light? Do you know someone that you love very much who iswalking in darkness right now? Your spouse or a loved one is walking in darkness if theyhave opened their life up to the sins of this world.

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever

follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."John 8:12

Our Lord Jesus is the true light and He only can remove the darkness from your spouse'slife or your own life. That is very important for you to understand. Are you praising theLord for your salvation of God's grace and mercy in touching and changing your ownlife?

I want to address spouses coming home today. We hear from standers whose spousestarts to make the return home with many miracles from their Lord God. The prodigalstarts speaking about coming home, often to the extent of telling the children that Momand Dad are going to start the restoration process. The spouse who comes homerepenting, asking for forgiveness, and growing in the Lord will be able to rebuild theirmarriage on the solid rock of Jesus Christ much easier and quicker than a spouse who

does not know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their life.

We know of some spouses who move back home and may stay for a few weeks ormonths. We know of others who are living at home, but the praying spouse thinks theirmate has not totally severed the other relationship. What can you as a stander do? Youcan pray!

We hear of prodigal spouses who want to work on rebuilding their marriage, so theycome home, but have not surrendered their life to the Lord Jesus. What can you as astander do? You can pray!

There are some spouses who have been home for a short time who all of a sudden saythey are leaving again. Others simply disappear. A spouse may stop all communicationand go back to their previous lifestyle. What happened? What did you, the praying andstanding spouse do wrong? Nothing! May we never forget that this is a spiritual battlebetween darkness and light!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against theauthorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil


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in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of

evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to

stand."Ephesians 6:12-13

Bob and I pray that when your beloved spouse comes home that they know that the God

Almighty has brought them back, with a praying spouse waiting for their return. Haveyou explained this to your beloved spouse?

There is going to be an important time in your spiritual journey while your spouse isgone. Your beloved may be living like the Prodigal Son in Luke, Chapter 15. Theyusually split the family's belongings, squander their salary, living a totally differentlifestyle. You will want to proclaim your unconditional love for them. You will want totell your spouse that you are waiting for them and your home is open for them. You willwant to be praying as the Prodigal Son's father did in waiting and expecting his son to"come to their senses"as Jesus said in Luke 15, repenting and asking for forgiveness.

"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am nolonger worthy to be called your son.'"Luke 15:21

Bob always knew that something had happened to my life with my Lord. I had calledBob repenting of my part of the failure of our marriage. I also told him that God hadtouched and spoken to my heart and that I had made the worst mistake in my life bydivorcing him. I repented, asked for forgiv

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