February, 2000
Don’t Give Up!
By Marilyn Conrad
God has big plans for each of us this year and a wonderful future. Jeremiah 29:11
says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts
of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Recently, God has also
encouraged me with Ezekiel 12:28, "...Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none
of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith
the Lord God."
We determine defeat not the devil. We must make up our minds to not be moved by
circumstances or by what we feel, hear or see. We must determine to be moved only by God's
Word and not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not be weary in well
doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." We have more to lose
than to gain when we give up.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To everything there is a season and a time to every
purpose under the heaven." Habakkuk 2:3 says, "For the vision is yet
for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait
for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."
Hebrews 10:35 says we are not to cast away our confidence, which has great recompense of
reward. In verse 36 we are told that we have need of patience so that we might receive the
promise of God.
Encouragement
Have you read the book of Isaiah recently? It is chuck full of encouragement! Chapter 10
verse 27 says, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be
taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be
destroyed because of the anointing."
His promise in chapter 26 is, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
Chapter 35 verses 3-5 says, "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble
knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will
come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Then the eyes
of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped."
And of course, the wonderful promise in chapter 40 verses 29 - 31! "He giveth
power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths
shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon
the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall
run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
A New Thing
And how many of us have claimed Isaiah 43:18-19? "Remember ye not the former
things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall
spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in
the desert."
Verse For Children
Chapter 49, verse 25 was a scripture that God gave me when my son, was away from his wife
and children. "But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be
taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him
that contendeth with thee, AND I WILL SAVE THY CHILDREN."
Another well known promise is chapter 54 verse 17. "No weapon that is formed
against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou
shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness
is of me, saith the Lord."
Another favorite is chapter 55:11, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of
my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
God's Chosen Fast
Chapter 58 tells of God's way of fasting and His promise to us is found in verse 12, "And
they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the
foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, the repairer of the breach, the
restorer of paths to dwell in."
Isaiah 58:19 gives us this wonderful promise, "…When the enemy shall come in
like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him."
One of the first scriptures the Lord gave me for my marriage is found in chapter 62 verse
4. "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be
termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord
delighteth in thee, and thy land SHALL BE MARRIED."
God's Word contains the encouragement we need as this year unfolds. Remember when we are
ready to give up, our miracle is just around the corner. God is not a man that He should
lie and His promises are true. Isaiah 66:9 says it this way. "Shall I bring to
the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth and
shut the womb? saith thy God."
Encourage yourself in the Lord, as David did, and let's expect much from God this year.
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Do’s and Don’ts of Standing
By Dennis Wingfield
DO'S
1) BE OBEDIENT TO GOD
"In everything you do, put God first and He will direct you and crown your efforts
with success." Proverbs 3:6
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:4
2) PRAY INCESSANTLY
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2
"And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and
night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and
quickly." Luke 18:7-8
3) LOVE YOUR WIFE UNCONDITIONALLY
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up
for her to make her holy." Ephesians 5:25-26
"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 does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians
13:4-8
DON'TS
1) DON'T GRUMBLE, FAULT FIND OR COMPLAIN
Why did it take the Israelites 40 years to make an 11 day trip across the desert?
Grumbling, fault finding and complaining! Take your issues to the Lord in prayer, not to
family, friends or any one who will listen.
2) DON'T BAD-MOUTH YOUR SPOUSE
Don't bad-mouth your spouse to any one, especially your children. Pray edifying
scriptures with your spouses name placed in them. Your wife will be saved by the
intercessory prayer of a believing husband.
3) DON'T GIVE UP!
"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to
persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has
promised." Hebrews 10:35-36
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
I am impressed by your willingness to stand for the healing of your marriage! God will
bless your obedience to your marriage vows. I hope you find these tips of some use to you.
From the book "Standing for God's Best" by Dennis
Wingfield
Unpublished copyright 2000
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
Used by Permission
Dennis Wingfield is on the board of directors of Rejoice Marriage Ministries and has a
healed marriage himself. Check out the Men's Newsletter at http://www.standingfirm.net or the Rejoice
Ministries Website at http://www.rejoiceministries.org
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