Re: [FamilyofGod] "How Did We Get To This Point?"
satan will be loosed for a little season, My question is when will the christians stand up and tell satan to back off.
wandaGOD IS LOVE
From: D. A. Truesdell <truesdell67@
To: Prayer Requests <PrayerBurden@
Sent: Tue, October 13, 2009 11:58:24 AM
Subject: [FamilyofGod] "How Did We Get To This Point?"
"How Did We Get To This Point?" -
"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to
his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us
all." Isaiah 53:6
Even though the ministry office is only half a mile away, each
time one of our children married and moved away from home, their
former bedroom was drafted into ministry service. As a result,
Charlyne and I often work at home in two offices that are in
opposite ends of our house.
One evening, after dinner, we each had work and agreed to meet
back in the family room at 9:00 P.M. We had spent our evening
reading and hearing about prodigal spouses.
Do you know the primary question that many of these prodigals are
asking themselves? "How did we get to this point?" No man or
woman suddenly wakes up and states, "Good morning. This might be
a great day to dump my family, along with my faith." No, Satan
is far more subtle than that. The evil one planted a seed of
temptation, watered it with opportunity, and fertilized it with
selfishness. That thing continued to grow until it took over a
family, and has someone asking, "How did we get to this point?"
After our "quitting time" that evening, the television came on.
A news report was being given on a fourteen-year old from foster
care who had been shot and killed late at night while driving a
stolen car. The report was followed by an ad for a new
television program that depicted virginity as a joke. The ad was
nothing short of vulgar. The second ad that followed was for an
engine oil, but a locker room phrase had been carefully woven
into it. That was more than I could take, so I paused the
television and turned to Charlyne and asked, "How did we get to
this point?"
What has happened to society, much less to the church, that we
joke about what is sacred, and gloss over family tragedy? How
did we get to this point?
I awoke several times that night, thinking about that question.
How did society get to the point that we can't even decide what
is right and what is wrong? How did we get to the point that men
of God are suggesting divorce to hurting couples? How did we get
to the point that serial marriages are acceptable, being married
to several people, but only one at a time? How did we get to the
point that the child abuse called divorce is being inflicted on
children by the courts?
Giving thought to the question, I discovered the answer to how we
got to this point. It was because of me. As a former prodigal
husband, I need to accept responsibility for things being in the
shape they are in today.
When I walked out on my family, I damaged far more than just our
family. Foremost, I hurt myself. One link in a local church was
taken out by our divorce. That weakened church also weakens
society. Sadly, things are like they are today because of me and
my decisions. Television networks can make a mockery of
virginity, marriage, Christmas, Christians and so much more
because of what I, as an individual, allowed, by example, to be
set into place.
When a prodigal spouse asks their spouse, "How did we get to this
point?" they already know the answer. They are really
asking, "How do we get back to where we should be?"
Once individuals become what we should be, with Jesus Christ
central, our families can become what they should be. When our
families are all they should be, can't you see how our churches
will be strengthened? Strong churches have always been the basis
of a strong society.
"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become
slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the
result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:22-23
"How do we get back to where we should be?" It matters not if it
is an individual, a family, a church or a society posing the
question, the answer remains the same; by turning back to the
Lord God, our Creator. If we continue on the slide of self-
destruction, family destruction and church destruction, we will
witness society's destruction. Someone needs to put on the
brakes, and that someone is me and you.
What is the starting point of restoration of families, of
churches, and of society? By each of us turning to our Lord God,
and allowing Him to make us personally to be all He wants us to
be. Once we learn how to listen and to follow Him, in every way,
the dominos we have knocked down will start to stand up, in
succession, once again.
May I ask you a hard question? Where are you today? Are you
sold out to Jesus Christ, ready to serve Him and to follow Him,
at any cost, or are you just along for the ride? Too often
our "This is too hard so I quit" mail comes from people who are
mis-using the term "stander," and possibly even the
name "Christian." A real stander is never a quitter, because
they realize the eternal destiny (Heaven or Hell) of a prodigal
spouse could be at stake.
May you make this a time to get serious about standing so much
that your prodigal will discover the answer to their "How do we
get back to where we should be?" question by looking at you.
On the evening of July 7, 1987, as I sat on the edge of our bed,
having just remarried Charlyne a few hours before, I asked
myself, "How did we get to this point?" My answer over two
decades ago was about the same as my answer today. We got there
because I had a praying wife, serious about standing and willing
to follow Jesus at any cost, until He healed our marriage.
There is a lot at stake. May you and I follow Jesus as He
rebuilds people, families, churches and society according to His
master plan.
"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ"
I Corinthians 11:1
Following Jesus with you,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc
Post Office Box 10548
Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA
Finding The Way Home -
Bob knows from experience how your prodigal husband or wife
feel. That is why he wrote a book addressed to the prodigal
spouse. "Finding The Way Home" is book not about prodigal
spouses, but for prodigals. You can read this book and it will
greatly help you to understand how prodigals reason and what they
go through. But most of all, have it ready for when the Lord
opens the door for you to give it to your husband/wife when they
start expressing the desire to find the way home, but do not know
how they can. Bob shares strong truths from his heart.
- - - - -
Copyright© 2009 Rejoice Marriage Ministries Inc®. Charlyne Cares
is sent only to subscribers and is never sent unsolicited.
"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to
his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us
all." Isaiah 53:6
Even though the ministry office is only half a mile away, each
time one of our children married and moved away from home, their
former bedroom was drafted into ministry service. As a result,
Charlyne and I often work at home in two offices that are in
opposite ends of our house.
One evening, after dinner, we each had work and agreed to meet
back in the family room at 9:00 P.M. We had spent our evening
reading and hearing about prodigal spouses.
Do you know the primary question that many of these prodigals are
asking themselves? "How did we get to this point?" No man or
woman suddenly wakes up and states, "Good morning. This might be
a great day to dump my family, along with my faith." No, Satan
is far more subtle than that. The evil one planted a seed of
temptation, watered it with opportunity, and fertilized it with
selfishness. That thing continued to grow until it took over a
family, and has someone asking, "How did we get to this point?"
After our "quitting time" that evening, the television came on.
A news report was being given on a fourteen-year old from foster
care who had been shot and killed late at night while driving a
stolen car. The report was followed by an ad for a new
television program that depicted virginity as a joke. The ad was
nothing short of vulgar. The second ad that followed was for an
engine oil, but a locker room phrase had been carefully woven
into it. That was more than I could take, so I paused the
television and turned to Charlyne and asked, "How did we get to
this point?"
What has happened to society, much less to the church, that we
joke about what is sacred, and gloss over family tragedy? How
did we get to this point?
I awoke several times that night, thinking about that question.
How did society get to the point that we can't even decide what
is right and what is wrong? How did we get to the point that men
of God are suggesting divorce to hurting couples? How did we get
to the point that serial marriages are acceptable, being married
to several people, but only one at a time? How did we get to the
point that the child abuse called divorce is being inflicted on
children by the courts?
Giving thought to the question, I discovered the answer to how we
got to this point. It was because of me. As a former prodigal
husband, I need to accept responsibility for things being in the
shape they are in today.
When I walked out on my family, I damaged far more than just our
family. Foremost, I hurt myself. One link in a local church was
taken out by our divorce. That weakened church also weakens
society. Sadly, things are like they are today because of me and
my decisions. Television networks can make a mockery of
virginity, marriage, Christmas, Christians and so much more
because of what I, as an individual, allowed, by example, to be
set into place.
When a prodigal spouse asks their spouse, "How did we get to this
point?" they already know the answer. They are really
asking, "How do we get back to where we should be?"
Once individuals become what we should be, with Jesus Christ
central, our families can become what they should be. When our
families are all they should be, can't you see how our churches
will be strengthened? Strong churches have always been the basis
of a strong society.
"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become
slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the
result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:22-23
"How do we get back to where we should be?" It matters not if it
is an individual, a family, a church or a society posing the
question, the answer remains the same; by turning back to the
Lord God, our Creator. If we continue on the slide of self-
destruction, family destruction and church destruction, we will
witness society's destruction. Someone needs to put on the
brakes, and that someone is me and you.
What is the starting point of restoration of families, of
churches, and of society? By each of us turning to our Lord God,
and allowing Him to make us personally to be all He wants us to
be. Once we learn how to listen and to follow Him, in every way,
the dominos we have knocked down will start to stand up, in
succession, once again.
May I ask you a hard question? Where are you today? Are you
sold out to Jesus Christ, ready to serve Him and to follow Him,
at any cost, or are you just along for the ride? Too often
our "This is too hard so I quit" mail comes from people who are
mis-using the term "stander," and possibly even the
name "Christian." A real stander is never a quitter, because
they realize the eternal destiny (Heaven or Hell) of a prodigal
spouse could be at stake.
May you make this a time to get serious about standing so much
that your prodigal will discover the answer to their "How do we
get back to where we should be?" question by looking at you.
On the evening of July 7, 1987, as I sat on the edge of our bed,
having just remarried Charlyne a few hours before, I asked
myself, "How did we get to this point?" My answer over two
decades ago was about the same as my answer today. We got there
because I had a praying wife, serious about standing and willing
to follow Jesus at any cost, until He healed our marriage.
There is a lot at stake. May you and I follow Jesus as He
rebuilds people, families, churches and society according to His
master plan.
"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ"
I Corinthians 11:1
Following Jesus with you,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc
Post Office Box 10548
Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA
Finding The Way Home -
Bob knows from experience how your prodigal husband or wife
feel. That is why he wrote a book addressed to the prodigal
spouse. "Finding The Way Home" is book not about prodigal
spouses, but for prodigals. You can read this book and it will
greatly help you to understand how prodigals reason and what they
go through. But most of all, have it ready for when the Lord
opens the door for you to give it to your husband/wife when they
start expressing the desire to find the way home, but do not know
how they can. Bob shares strong truths from his heart.
- - - - -
Copyright© 2009 Rejoice Marriage Ministries Inc®. Charlyne Cares
is sent only to subscribers and is never sent unsolicited.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quoted by permission and are
from the Holy Bible; New International Version® Copyright© 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved..
from the Holy Bible; New International Version® Copyright© 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved..
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