June 18, 2007 8:23 PM The Truth About Divorce
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October 1999 No Holds Barred I was invited to be interviewed on a radio program called, “No Holds Barred”. The co-hosts were husband and wife who were both attorneys. It was a stimulating hour where I had many opportunities to answer their critical questions concerning marriage/divorce and the present state of our nation. When it was completed the hosts said that there was not nearly enough time to answer their many questions and they hoped to have me back on again in the near future. This was a secular station but they were very open to biblical answers. The hosts have mailed me a tape of that interview with a note saying “thanks for the terrific interview, we enjoyed it, and we got good feedback about it afterwards.” Thank you for your prayer support in this vital area of outreach. For those who send us a minimum gift ($5) to cover costs, requesting the tape, we will send it to you postage paid. This tape will help you to understand how to answer many of the questions that are thrown at you whenever you speak to others on the subject of marriage and divorce. We would encourage you to order several of these tapes to share with others you may be trying to influence concerning the biblical teaching on marriage and divorce. ................................................................................. Praise Report In the 1999 Newsletter/Prayer Requests we ask you to pray for the necessary finances to complete a recording studio and at the same time keep our finances current. Praise God for answer to prayer. We are now completing this studio because you were obedient when the Lord spoke to you about it. We also want to thank the Lord for the coming seminars in Minnesota and Tennessee, and for the one we conducted last week in Bradenton, Florida. We praise the Lord also for giving us favor with many radio hosts and for the positive responses from their audiences. These were also answers to the prayer requests that we sent to you in our Spring and Summer 1999 Newsletters. We thank the Lord for helping us to complete the revising of our third edition of Till Death Do Us Part? The fourth edition is being printed! ................................................................................... Thank You Bradenton! We praise the Lord for our faithful support group in the Bradenton /Sarasota, Florida area, where we held another two day seminar on October 1-2 at the Comfort Inn. It was a time of renewing old acquaintances and meeting new friends. The Bradenton/Sarasota group have been long standing faithful support group of this ministry. We have been holding annual seminars in that area to help reinforce and encourage those who are committed to their marriage covenants. Attendees have stated that these seminars are a help in strengthening them in their biblical convictions and enables them to share their convictions in a more concise way with others ................................................................................. Critical Choices for Crucial Times We have had a heavy response to our latest booklet, with many of you requesting additional copies (some have sent a love offering requesting 40-50 copies). If you could use additional copies, please know they are now available. Our total cost for producing the booklet was approximately $1.50 each. We will make them available to you upon request. ................................................................................... ? FAQ : QUESTION What should I do if my marriage partner commits adultery? ANSWER If you had lived in Old Testament times, the answer to this question would have been to stone them. To know the answer to this question today, however, one need only ask what Jesus Christ did with our transgressions and failures. Does He remind us of them over and over? Does He tell us He’s going to leave us or forsake us, no matter how we feel about our sins? In Matthew, chapter 18, Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive another person. Matthew 18:21-22 ...seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Again in Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus said: Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. You might say, “God, that’s not fair! I have been faithful to my partner, and he/she was unfaithful to me.” Could not the Lord say the same of you and me, in our unfaithfulness to Him? We must see that God’s method of bookkeeping is unique. If your husband or wife has been unfaithful to you, and you’ve been the husband or wife God tells you you should be, then that sin is on your spouse’s record, and your record is unblemished. This is made clear in the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. If your husband or wife is unfaithful to you, and you do not forgive, if you allow bitterness, hurt, resentment, hatred, or retaliation to lodge in your heart, that is on your record, and you will suffer for it also. Just remember, you do not have to get revenge. Just completely forgive him or her in Jesus’ name, and let God do as He sees fit. I have known of instances where partners have committed an act of adultery in a weak moment, only to repent completely and see healing and future fruitfulness come following that dark moment. I have seen other situations where wives have known of their husband’s infidelity and have forgiven them, loved them, and cared for them as though it were not happening. These women knew how to “cast all their care on him, for he cares for you [them]” (1 Peter 5:7). I watched as years went by and the infidelity went on. Did God not see? Oh yes! I have watched and have seen these same unrepentant adulterers come to a horrible end. The forgiving partner was then “loosed” by God, and his/her disposition manifested a beautiful Christlikeness, because of the years of having to trust Christ for strength each day. In contrast, I’ve seen other “innocent partners” become immersed in self-pity and complaining. I’ve seen a sweet disposition become hard and untrusting. One can almost watch as these poor people dig their own graves. By allowing themselves the “privilege” of unforgiveness and resentment, they begin to deteriorate from within and lose the peace of knowing their sins are forgiven. In Matthew 18:21-35, and in Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus describes the price one pays for failure to forgive others. Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. As soon as I quote this verse, I hear some say, “Oh, I’ve forgiven my former partner completely.” Have you? Are you loving them and showing affection to them, as you did before the offense? If not, you’ve only agreed to detente. You’ve forgiven, but you want nothing more to do with them—you don’t want them around. Let me say to you, that isn’t forgiveness as the Word of God speaks of forgiveness. Paul the Apostle said in Ephesians, chapter 4, our forgiveness must be Christlike. Ephesians 4:32 ...forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. “Even as!” This speaks not only of the deed of forgiveness, but the degreeof forgiveness. Completely! Most persons have “buried the hatchet” with the handle sticking out of the ground. This makes it convenient to pull it out again later to use as an excuse for their un-Christlike attitudes and actions. When Christ forgives, He forgives completely, forgets completely, restores completely, loves completely, and never separates from us or reminds us of our past—if we repent of our sins. Remember now, the Word says that we may “live separately,” but that does not grant permission to marry a second spouse or to harbor resentment, bitterness, hatred, or retaliation in our hearts, under any circumstances. Amen, Joe Webb (From Till Death Do Us Part) |
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