FW: [marriagerestoration] Doreen's Daily Delights - May 24 - A Prodigal's Heart CAN Be Changed!!

I wanted to share this,

I know a few are struggling right now due to what they see happening around them

It’s so very hard to see & hear about what our spouses are doing rather than paying proper attention to us & our families

But this is for God to deal with between our spouses & Him

Our job is to Pray it’s God’s job to answer in His way & His time

 

Love Your Sister in Christ & Fellow Stander

Theresa

 

-----Original Message-----
From: marriagerestoration@yahoogroups.com [mailto:marriagerestoration@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of marriagerestoration
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 11:36 AM
To: marriagerestoration@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [marriagerestoration] Doreen's Daily Delights - May 24 - A Prodigal's Heart CAN Be Changed!!

 

	My Groups | marriagerestoration Main Page

A Prodigal's Heart Can Be Changed!!

We have recently heard of prodigals' hearts being changed by God and
because of this change, they have returned to their marriages and have
renewed their vows.  Many have rededicated their lives to the Lord and
their spouse.  Many have returned, broken.

Our heart jumps for joy at these reports and we know that God can
change any heart.  God can do the impossible in your spouse if you
will only wait upon Him and allow Him to do the impossible.

For some of you, your spouse may have been gone for a long time.  He
or she has been deceived by the enemy and his or her heart has been
hardened.  Many of you doubt that God can ever convict these hardened
hearts.

I think this was the case with Joseph's brothers.  Their hearts were
hardened and God used a famine to get their attention.  We heard the
account of the assault of their brother and how they sold him as a
slave.  We read about the deception of their father.  We have heard
the witness in months past of the reckless nature of their lives. 
They were outwardly religious but inwardly lost.

If you read Genesis 42 you will see that the long awaited reunion
between Joseph and his brothers will finally take place.  And in
these chapters you will see God bringing these brothers to faith.  We
will see what it took for these men to truly become children of God. 
And as we do, we will be able to see the process that God generally
uses to awaken those who are spiritually lost and are in disobedience.

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons,
"Why do you just keep looking at each other?"  He continued, "I have
heard that there is grain in Egypt.  Go down there and buy some for
us, so that we may live and not die."

But with this famine God gets their attention.  Now, "life as it
always is" is not enough.  It is easy to avoid God when we feel self-
sufficient.  It is easy to feel that you have no need of God's touch
when everything is running smoothly.  These men were comfortable in
their denial and their deceptions.  As long as the status quo
remained they would never change.  So . . . God provokes a crisis. 
This crisis would either harden them further or wake them up.

I have read many testimonies of prodigals suffering hardship while in
the far country.  Many of them have lost their jobs, finances, health
and their automobile.  Continue to pray and to believe God.  God has
many ways of speaking to your disobedient prodigals.  God has many
ways of getting their attention.

This is the way God often works.  In the book of Amos God tells the
Israelites, "I brought hunger to every city and famine to every town.
But still you wouldn't return to me," says the LORD.  "I kept the
rain from falling when you needed it the most, ruining all your
crops.  I sent rain on one town but withheld it from another.  Rain
fell on one field, while another field withered away.  People
staggered from one town to another for a drink of water, but there
was never enough.  But still you wouldn't return to Me," says the
LORD.  (Amos 4:6-8).

God could have simply washed His hands of these folks.  He could have
said, "Fine, forget it."  But that's not what He did with the
Israelites . . . and that's not what He does with you or your
prodigal.  God loves us too much to let us go without a fight.  So,
at times He exercises "tough love."  He brings a crisis into our
lives that forces us to address ultimate issues.  It may be an
unexpected diagnosis; a financial emergency; an overwhelming
situation or a family crisis.  And in these situations God is often
seeking to awaken us out of our spiritual lethargy.  Is God acting
harshly or is He acting in love?

God lovingly put Jacob and his family in the midst of a famine . . .
in order to draw them to Him.  You can't be treated for a disease
until you are made aware that there is a problem.  God is forcing
these brothers to see that they need help.  He will do the same to
your prodigals.  Trust Him and lean not on your own understanding.

You may not see anything positive happening in your situation but you
MUST continue to trust God to pursue your spouse.  Remember we are
walking by faith and NOT by sight.

Know without a doubt that God will pursue them.  He will do what it
takes to get them.  He will work to get their attention.  He will
haunt them with dreams, torment and convictions.  He will pursue them
with relentless determination.  Not because He is cruel . . . but
because He loves them, and because He knows that until they recognize
that they are sick . . . they can never be made well.

I promise you that when God is ready for them, they may hide from you
but they dare not hide from God.  He will bring them back.  He will
bring them back.  Hear me, trust me.  He will bring them back.

I have heard testimonies of prodigals when they were on their way out
to the far country.  Many swore they would not return.  Many swore
they wanted nothing to do with their grieved spouse.  They swore that
was it; they swore they would rather die than return.  But, but, but
when God made His appearance and convicted them, these same
prodigals, these same prodigals, RETURNED on their knees, begging,
begging for forgiveness.  Begging for a second chance.  Begging never
to leave again.

Will you trust the Lord to do this for you?  Will you trust Him?  Will
you trust Him today by waiting upon Him?  Know and be aware that this
battle belongs to God and He has NEVER, EVER lost a battle.  Will you
trust Him my friends to do the impossible?  Will you?

Be encouraged

Pastor Doreen
2778 NW 193 Terr. Miami, FL 33056

If you are being encouraged by these Daily Devotionals, please
prayerfully consider being a monthly sponsor by supporting this
Ministry with your offering to help offset the monthly expenses.
Remember, God is no man's debtor.  In order to reap, we must sow. 
May God bless you.

---

YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

 

•  Visit your group "marriagerestoration" on the web.
   
•  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
   marriagerestoration-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
   
•  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

 

---