Saints, will you please pray for me and my wife as we continue on in our struggle with our finances and difficulties in our marriage? We are GOD fearing people who could use some encouragement and prayers.This has been a very rough year for us,especially these last 2 days.Just when you think it can only get better,it gets worse.
Thanks and GOD Bless
John
When bad things happen remember this:
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Also:
1 Peter 4:12: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
2nd Chronicles 20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
And:
If you can just put those verses on 3 x 5 cards and have them handy, you will see there is no reason to worry. Keep a diary, and every time something bad happens wait and see the good that comes from it. Sometimes it takes a while but you will eventually see it is all for God's glory.
I will pray for you but don't forget when you both join hands and pray, He is there with you. Focus on Him and not on the troubles.
white stone
done...will continue :)
Hang in there! Be frugal, be faithful (to God and to one another), and seek Him first (Matt. 6:33). He promised to be with you.
Hey Brother John, I was born in Jersey.
Brother, your post touched my heart deeply.
I agree with White_Stone's Scriptures - most especially Romans 8:28 and add 29 to that, because 29 is what "all things" are working toward in our lives.
It's not chastisement Brother - it's just the more fruit you produce, the more He'll prune, so that you're becoming more and more conformed to His Image and not what the world would describe as "successful".
Success can only be measured from His perspective or in His Eyes.
If you and your wife LOVE each other - there's nothing on earth that can condemn you. Trials just test, prove and increase Love, if we can see "all things" are working toward that Good - "for GOD 'is' Love."
You and your dear wife have my prayers and I pray that Joy that is our Strength enrich your lives and His-Peace that passes all understanding. Once we reach toward "His-Peace" then we've "conquered the world".
Rest in HIM & His Love for you both and for each other, and all these things will be added onto you.
Bless ya's ~ real good!
I have prayed....There is probably not a married person on here who doesn't know what you are experiencing to one degree or another. There is a book I read some years back called "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas - Its premise is "What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?" Romans 8:28 certainly fits well with that thought.
And also, Job 23:10 "But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."
God bless you both!
You touched my heart as well. I have no advise except to trust and believe God. Sometimes easier said than done. But you will be glad you did. "I believe Lord, but help my unbelief." No one alive, I dont think, is without hardships at one time or another. Just think of the great testimony you will have someday to share with others who are hurting on how the Lord took you through. God bless you both abundantly. I will pray with the others as well.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus look full to His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His and glory & grace.
I have to sing this to myself a lot.
Your both loved so much.
mama27, your book suggestion is "right on!"
One of the best ever written on the topic.
Bless you!
Hello Brother John, I do no what it means to be right down to nothing. And there is not a word that I can give you that would help. You know yourself that Jesus will take care of you. Today is just 24 hours and we sleep about 8 of those hours. When we get the news today that they are going to take the house if we don't make payment. Brother, they may end up taking the house, but that doesn't mean it's the end. There are other houses out there and trusting in the Lord is hard work. My prayer for you is that you don't drown in your despair, but that you simply trust that God is working on your behalf.
Trusting is hard when the cupboards are bare and there is no gas in the car to get to work. We have heard the stories of faith how that God supplied that great man of God milk to feed his orphanage when a milk truck broke down and he had to get rid of the milk or it would go bad.
My Pastor in his early days of preaching when the offering plate offered very little trusting God to feed his 7 children. Their faith stretched to the limit, a knock came at the door, a business man stood there crying asking him to forgive him. He said, "I am two days late, I kept hearing this voice to buy groceries and take them to this house and I kept putting it off until I couldn't stand it anymore." The wait paid off and he brought in box after box of food to fill the cupboard.
1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
It's not life's bad blows, it's not bad luck, it's the trying of your faith. Even when it looks like all hell is against you, even when hell seems to be victorious, suddenly there is a resurrection.
Father, I can only ask that you supply this couple with the needs they need. If John is out of job, open up a door that he is able to work.
With all your strength, keep trusting Him, it will pay off.
I will be praying for you both.
Keep your mind on his promises, and love one another.
May God bless you brother.
Yes, well.....reading it and recommending it are one thing....living it out is another....still in the crucible....
Who isn't mama. When I think of Eph 5 being "Christ and His Church" and we look at ourselves and the state of His Church - I see myself in those fires of the crucible as well, as the rest of His Church. Be-ing refined, until He Comes.
The good thing about fellowship here, is that we're all in it together and wouldn't want it any other way.
Strange that we 'can' feel safest 'in' the fire. Means there's still hope for us and that He hasn't given up His work on us.... I've thought that a number of times per week when seeing where I fall short. Thank GOD for the purifying fire of the Gold-smith.
Thanks Again!
You are right, of course. But sometimes when the heat of the fire is so intense, it is hard to thank God for the pain. Perhaps that is where this brother is who wrote the original post. Yes, I too, am very thankful for the saints on this forum who are passionate in their zeal for God. And I am so thankful to be a part of His Church - most of the time - except for those brief moments when the heat is turned up so high that like the Apostle Paul, I despair even of life.
Keith Daniel has a wonderful message called "Persecution, Affliction, and Tribulation" (sorry for the rabbit trail - I suppose this should start a new thread on affliction), but maybe it would be a blessing to this husband and wife who are going thru a very difficult time. May we all continue to press toward the mark....
Mama27:
But sometimes when the heat of the fire is so intense, it is hard to thank God for the pain.
Consider this modern parable of The Silversmith:
Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse:
"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." (Malachi 3:3)
One lady proposed to visit a silversmith, and report to them on what he said about the subject. She went accordingly, and without telling the object of her errand, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver.
After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "But Sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh, yes madam," replied the silversmith; "I must sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."
The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." God sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.
Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "When do you know the process is complete?" "Why, that is quite simple," replied the silversmith.. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished."
All the more reason to praise the heat of the fire!!
white stone
This is why I love this board;
the encouragement, the alliance of believers, the hope that comes from unity, the show of support and the amont of experience that helps to propel each one of us from faith to faith, and from His glory to glory.
My wife and I are also suffering from diasagreements and broken promises and any other thing that can possibly come in the middle. A lot of it is my fault because of my unhappiness and pain from my dysfunctional childhood.
I am dealing with it, but taking the lead, with my mouth? NO, with God and only God in prayer.
A songwriter made a song a while back called "trouble doesn't last always", but when we encounter trouble, we feel as though it will never end. That is a lie!
U both will make it, brother, keep trusting God, continue to cultivate a simple one on one with Christ and your lovely wife.
God is a very present help in the timeof trouble, if only we could get scriptures like this in our hearts, like we believe bills will come every month. God is even more constant than that, but it takes time for us to stop trusting in the methods of the world, n wholly lean on God and His Christ. I am speaking to myself and anyone else that needs that encouragement.
Thank you for this reminder. I had read this in the past, but had forgotten it. I think I need to print it out and put it in my Bible. And yes, I HAVE prayed to be made into the image of Christ. But sometimes I have brief moments where I renig - don't you? I am one who asked for prayer back in January (thru a friend) for 2 prodigal sons.....I have to say I have NEVER experienced such intense pain. I was only posting to possibly relate to what this brother might be experiencing. Thankfully God knows our frame, and yes - He knows when the heat is too much...Thank you so much for sharing this story! I am sure that many here will be blessed by it as I am.
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