OK.....I was really down this week and I must confess I almost didn't do this weeks thread because for some reason I was down on God. I was at a point where I asked him how much more can I bear. I had a disagreement over some money stuff with my former wife and it really got me down.
The very next day one of the verses in my bible study was
Psalm 69:13 But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor, in your great love , O God, answer me with sure salvation. At the bottom of my bible it says this about this verse:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> When you are completely beaten down, we are tempted to turn from God, give up, and quit trusting him. When your situation seems hopeless, determine that no matter how bad things become you will continue to pray.God will hear your prayer, and he will rescue you. When others reject us, we need God most. Don't turn from your most faithful friend. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">WOW.....what another timely smack in the head. After reading this I knew I needed to do this weeks thread and when I got the "Experiencing God" book out and opened it I turned right to this weeks devotional. Again I said, "Thanks God for showing me I can't stop believing till she is married". Even then I will still believe that God can do it but I will have to see what He wants me to do.
Then I got this in my mail today and I thought it was so cool that we already have our huge prayer group on wednesdays and we will have more people praying for us.
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 12:45:55 -0400
Subject: SPECIAL WEDNESDAY EDITION: Standing Firm - April 23, 2003
From: dennis@rejoiceministries.org | This is spam | Add to Address Book
To: cajunky@yahoo.com
PRAYER AND FASTING
This special Wednesday edition of Standing Firm is coming to you early
this week in place of the normal Saturday devotional. God has put a
burden on my heart and I felt that I needed to get this message out to
you early so that you can join me in the fight for the healing of
homes and marriages!
"When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd
around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon
as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and
ran to greet him. 'What are you arguing with them about?' he asked.
A man in the crowd answered, 'Teacher, I brought you my son, who is
possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it
seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth,
gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to
drive out the spirit, but they could not.' 'O unbelieving gener-
ation,' Jesus replied, 'how long shall I stay with you? How long
shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.' So they brought him.
When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a con-
vulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the
mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, 'How long has he been like
this?' 'From childhood,' he answered. 'It has often thrown him into
fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on
us and help us' 'If you can?' said Jesus. 'Everything is possible
for him who believes.' Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I
do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!' When Jesus saw that a
crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. 'You
deaf and mute spirit,' he said, 'I command you, come out of him and
never enter him again.' The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violent-
ly and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many
said, 'He's dead.' But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to
his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his dis-
ciples asked him privately, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?' He re-
plied, 'This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.'"
Mark 9:14-29
The story of the healing of the boy with an evil spirit has many mes-
sages for us. Jesus had empowered His disciples to do many miracles
just as He had performed. Yet when they encountered this boy, they
were unable to drive out the evil spirit. Jesus rebuked them for their
lack of faith exclaiming, "Everything is possible for him who be-
lieves" (Mark 9:23).
Do you have the faith necessary to drive out the evil spirits that
have attacked your home and marriage? Is your faith lacking to accom-
plish the impossible in healing your home? If you lack faith, do as
the father of the boy in this story did, ask Jesus..."I do believe;
help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). No matter how much faith
we have, it never hurts to ask Jesus for more!
Later, when the disciples were alone with Jesus, they asked Him why
they had not been able to drive out the evil spirit. Jesus replied,
"This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29). Not
only is faith necessary to accomplish the impossible, it is also nec-
essary for us to enter into a life of prayer and fasting for the driv-
ing out of evil spirits that have come against us.
In recognition of Jesus' command for "prayer and fasting," I will be
dedicating every Wednesday as a day of personal prayer and fasting for
you, your spouse and the healing of your marriages. If you would like
to join me in this endeavor, please send me an email stating your in-
tentions to pray and fast every Wednesday for your spouse. In doing
so, you will be fulfilling the command given to husbands on how they
are to love their wives.
"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave
himself up for her."
Ephesians 5:25
As a resource in helping you in this task, there is an organization
called e5 Men comprised of over 4,000 men that have already made a
commitment to pray and fast for their wives on the first Wednesday of
every month. The website for e5 Men is...
http://www.e5men.orgAn extraordinary group of men have joined the e5 Men Special Forces,
praying and fasting not only the first Wednesday of every month but
every Wednesday throughout the year. This Standing Firm devotional
goes out weekly to over 1,000 men and it would be a wonderful sac-
rifice to God for the healing of marriages if every one of you would
join in this fight for families. Great things will be accomplished
when holy men of God commit themselves to the Lord in prayer and fast-
ing!
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves
and pray and seek my face...then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin 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
Lord, we dedicate ourselves to prayer and fasting every Wednesday for
the healing of marriages throughout the world. May you accept our sac-
rifice as a fragrant offering lifted to heaven for those whom are
hurting from destructiveness of separation and divorce. Hear our cries
and see our tears for broken families, restoring marriages to all that
God intended for them to be. All praise, glory and honor are yours,
Almighty God and Father. Amen!
Dennis Wingfield
dennis@rejoiceministries.org
Love in Christ
cajunky
<small>[ April 23, 2003, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: cajunky ]</small>