Charlyne Cares

June 12, 2009

The Hedges of Protection and Thornbushes

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith...after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." I Peter 5:7-11 Lori and her family are headed up to Cincinnati, Ohio for Ashley to have another checkup and a special test to see if her bladder has grown. Wednesday, when Lori and the children stopped by, I prayed with all of them for a safe trip and for Ashley's health. As they travel, I will be praying as I did on Wednesday putting a hedge of protection around them, their car, where they stay, the Blood of Jesus over them and then putting on the Armor of God on each of them daily. Bob and I will also be praying for God's divine intervention in giving the doctors the wisdom and knowledge they need to know in how to treat Ashley's rare disease as we continue to pray for God's divine healing. What are you asking the Lord to do for you, your spouse and children? "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 Do you remember the conversation that God had with Satan in Job? The next spiritual weapon that I want to teach about is the Hedge of Protection that is taught in Job Chapters 1 and 2. You may feel like Job because of all your circumstances that you are going through right now. "One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Job 1:6-7 I am certain you and I could share many stories about the miracles of God protecting us or loved ones from destruction. I want you to know that your Lord is with you even if God removes your hedge of protection. Satan cannot touch you unless God has allowed it, for a purpose. God is in control of every circumstance, and He will turn it around to good in His perfect timing. (Romans 8:28-39) God is Sovereign. He has a plan and purpose for you, your marriage and family much bigger than your imagination could ever imagine. "Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." Job 1:8-11 As you continue to read Job Chapters 1 and 2, you will see that God felt He could lift up Job to Satan knowing that Job would have to suffer for a season, yet Job would remain faithful to his God. The truth is that all

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Christians are to love and serve God because He is God, not for earthly or heavenly rewards. Satan thought Job would curse God for all that happened to Job, his children and possessions, but he did not. "At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job 1:20-22 May you never forget the end of the story of Job. What did Job receive after all his pain and suffering? If you have not read Job Chapter 42 recently, read it as part of your devotions at bedtime tonight. "Then Job replied to the LORD : "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted...The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first...After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years." Job 42:1-2,12,16-17 You must learn to listen, to obey, to grow and to be a Christian that is not always walking around with doubt, fear, unbelief, discouragement, oppression and depression when the enemy tries to hit you with his flaming arrows. Learn how to fight the enemy! Do not give up or give in to the devil's tricks and schemes! Worship, praise and pray to God. Another scripture I prayed for my husband regularly is found in Hosea Chapter 2. I pray that you will make time to read all of Hosea, but especially the first three chapters. Hosea was told by God to love his adulteress wife, Gomer, unconditionally. God used obstacles and put thornbushes to wall her in to block Gomer (and the Israelites') to not be able to find their way of sin. God was using the thornbushes to make them to realize it would be better for Gomer and the Israelites to return to God. The hedge of thornbushes was for Gomer and the Israelites to not want to live their lifestyle of sin and idolatry. Bob came home with many stories of how many circumstances happened and relationships never working out and he could only say to me, "Stop praying." I did not pray curses on my husband, but prayed the Word of God on my beloved husband. Will you? "Therefore, I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She shall chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, "I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now." Hosea 2:6-7 What a powerful scripture! God's Word will never return void. Will you choose to stand in the gap for your spouse and loved ones? Only the Lord knows what will be accomplished by your faithful obedience, unconditional love, forgiveness and perseverance. In the future, you will be blessed and thanked many times by your husband or wife. Don't forget to use all your spiritual weapons! God bless, Charlyne Steinkamp Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc Post Office Box 10548 Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA http://rejoiceministries.org (Ministry web site) http://rejoiceministries.org/r.php?num=tizwl (Bookstore) http://rejoiceministries.org/r.php?num=1qrwh (Radio 24/7)

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Devotional Copyright 2009 Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc. Scripture quoted by permission and are from the Holy Bible; New International Version Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Printed from http://rejoiceministries.org/cc/view.php?id=3607 Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc. Post Office Box 10548 Pompano Beach, FL 33061 http://rejoiceministries.org

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