Willa

1 Corinthians 6:9b-11 NKJV Do not be decieved. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extertioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God. People who practice sexual sin will not be in God's Kingdom. But people do get delivered from such sin. When they become genuine Christians they repent--turn away from their sinful lifestyles and turn to Christ for help and deliverance. They stop identifying themselves as homosexuals or drunkards, and start identifying themselves as Christians. They take on a new identity. The old lifestyle person dies and the new person grows more and more Christ like. However, the person who continues to practice such sin and calls himself a Christian is to be shunned. 1 Corinthians 5:11 NKJV But now I have written you to not keep company with anyone named a brother [in Christ], who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner---not even tè eat with such a person. However, a person who hates his sin and contually struggles against it is to be treated with compassion. It is the person who boast of their "gay pride" and calls himself a Christian who is to be shunned. Churches that condone sin are blasphamous. I hope this helps to clear things up. I personally have worked with a few guys who were gay and liked 2 out of 3. We also had an acquaintance who was a lesbian. They were not Christians. It is OK to associate with gay people who are not Christian. How else can they come to know the love of God and be delivered from their sin? 1 Cor. 5:10.Yet I did not mean the sexually immoral people of the world--. But it is not best to become close friends with them lest we also be caught up in their sin or even be perceived as condoning it.

Rev. 1:5-6 To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father--- Rev. 4:4 Around the throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones I saw 24 elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. Rev. 5:9b-10 For You were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on earth. NKJV The 24 elders were Christians--only Christians, saved by the blood of Christ, were made both kings and priests to serve the Father. I believe that the seals then began the great tribulation and the one on the white horse was a false Christ or antichrist. Under the fifth seal was the SOULS of the martyrs. 5:11 then white robes were given to them and they were told to wait a little longer till the number of their brethern, who would be killed as they were, was completed. The sixth seal starts THE WRATH OF GOD Rev.6:12--the earthquakes, the sun became black, the moon as blood, the stars fell to the earth. v.15b fall on us and hide us from Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! Christians were to pray that they be counted worthy to escape the wrath of God. Luke 21: 25-27 recounts the same signs in the sun moon and stars and states v28 Now when these things BEGIN to happen, look up and lift us your heads, because your redemption draws near. V.36 watch therefore, and pray always that you may be COUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT WILL COME TO PASS, AND TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN. 1 Thess 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even JESUS WHO DELIVERS US FROM THE WRATH TO COME. 1 Thess 5:9-10 For GOD DID NOT APPOINT US TO WRATH, BUT TO OBTAIN SALVATION THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. NKJV 2 Thess 2:1 NASV with regard to 1. the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and 2. our gathering together to Him, 3b it will not come unless the APOSTASY come first, and the MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS REVEALED. NASV (---v.4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. v.9 That is the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all deception of wickedness FOR THOSE WHO PERISH, because THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH SO AS TO BE SAVED.) From this point on the 144,000 Jews are sealed of the 12 tribes of Israel. They must go through the trib but are sealed and protected by God.--probably sealed as we are with the seal of the Holy Spirit. But seen in heaven are 7:9 a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the Throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes with palm branches in their hands, THIS IS THE CHURCH IN HEAVEN. 7:14 THESE ARE ONES WHO COME OUT OF GREAT TRIBULATION AND HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.. NASV. So in Rev. 4 we see the 24 elders who are Christians in heaven prior to the tribulation. But we don't see the greatest part of the church already in heaven till the very beginning of the wrath. They came OUT OF THE GREAT TRIB. We are preserved from the wrath for sure, A portion of the Jews will be preserved while going through the wrath. The letters to the churches promises to those who overcome: Some will overcome and eat of the tree of life. Some will have trib for 10 days but will receive the crown of life. Some will be given hidden manna, a white stone and a new name. Some will receive authority over the nations. Some He will confess before His Father Some He will keep from the hour of testing which will come on the whole earth and will be made a piller in the temple of God in the new Jeruselem. Some will be granted to sit with Christ on His throne. My churches have taught pre-trib. I see only a promise that the faithful will not endure the wrath. But we are to pray that we are counted worthy to escape ALL THESE THINGS, which probably includes the first part of the great trib as well. Perhaps some will be caught up pre-trib as in the 24 elders and the church at Philadelphia. But many Christians have been martyred and many more shall be during the great trib. The wrath was not intended for faithful Christians. It was intended for those who have rejected Christ and the truth. At the end of the wrath Christ shall return with His Saints, the church, to fight the antichrist with the sword of His mouth. Rev. 19:14 1 Thess 3:13

We cannot make doctrine of that which is not stated in scripture. We know that Adam and eve sinned. They became aware that they were naked and hid from God. God provided animal skins for them for tunics. They were kicked out of the garden and had to survive in harsher conditions. We get into trouble when we assume what we do not know. Able's blood sacrefice of a sheep was accepted. Cain''s grain sacrifice was not. A pattern starts to emerge.

I have had several pastors who admittedly were not called by God. An Episcopal priest said he had taken an aptitude test which showed him to be either a good lawyer or a good preacher. He chose the priesthood. Another was the top of his class in seminary and was elected to be the pastor of our Lutheran church. He became a pastor because his mother wanted him to. There were lots of books of freud on his shelves but no Bible commentaries or versions. He did not believe in a hell (the garbage dump) and had us recite his revised version of the apostles creed. He could not understand born again Christians and called each of us into his office to"get under our skin". Hummm. The rest of my pastors loved the Lord and truly cared for their flocks. All were imperfect but sincerely were believers and recounted how God had called them to the ministry. However, some of my churches subscribed to the small group style with lay pastors overseeing those in their groups. These did not try to controll, but there were many errors made by them because they were not called of God. In one a member tried to take over the group and threatened damnation to those who did not follow him. I reported him to our pastor and it was dealt with. One used his position to try to sell me gummie vitamins in his pyramid job. Another decided that my husband was not saved! (He had chosen not to join that church due to its requirement that we vow to tithe.) A few were godly people. So while these small groups created close fellowship, they were often not led by undershepherds who were called by God to do this. So far I have not seen this in my current church. Our pastor believes that we are to submit to each other and he submits to his board of elders which is not composed of "yes men". They do not procede with something unless they are in total prayerful agreement. He teaches that leaders should be servents. These last few years have been hard for him with a bad physical accident that still weighs on him and multiple personal attacks that were hurtful. I waited outside his office once while someone railed, shouted and accused him falsely of just wanting money. (He never asks for money for the church and rarely even teaches on tithing.) It is not easy to be a pastor and the true ones do need our prayers and support.

We used to sing Psm 63:3-4 . Thy loving kindness is better than life. To me it is also saying that life is not worth living without God's loving kindness, which is also part of the definition of grace. We love Him because He first loved us and sent His Son to die for us. My lips shall praise thee, thus will I bless thee----, I will lift up my hands in Thy Name. This reminds me of Moses raising his staff, and as long as he held it up, the Israelites were winning the battle, but when his arms grew weary they would start to lose. So others came along side him to hold up his arms. We so often need the prayers and support of others when we grow weary and weak. Even Jesus asked for the disciples' prayers when he fought the battle within Himself on Gesthemane, but they fell asleep. Praising and blessing the Lord is a powerful form of spiritual battle as well. I used to have an obscene phone caller. As soon as I heard him I would start praising and blessing the Lord on the phone till he would hang up on me. Once this strategy was a part of God's battle plans as well. God also used this in 2 Chron 20:21-22. The armies of Jehoshaphat were to stand still while singers praised the beauty of God's holiness. The opposing armies fought among themselves and destroyed each other. So stand and see the salvation of God! And having done all, to stand (firmly in place, holding your ground.) Eph 6:13 AMP 63:5 God's word is meat indeed. It is rich and flavorful. 63:7 I once watched a mama Mallard lead her ducklings accross a Walmart parking lot toward a golf course on the other side. Her wings were outspread with the ducklings hiding beneath from scorching sun and predators. 63:8 follow hard. Amp Bible also gives adhere to as a definition of believe--to trust in, adhere to and rely upon are certainly not passive. Saving faith is an active trusting faith. John 1:12 We trust in Christ's character as revealed in the Gospels, and He came to reveal the Father to us. They are trustworthy. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Acts 16:31 Thank you Jady

I doubt that the elect can be deceived either because Christ keeps His own. "For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, IF POSSIBLE, the elect. Mark 13:22 NASV. ALT 3 continues with v. 23 But you, be watching out! Listen! I have told you all things in advance. This is clearly a warning to wake up and to continually be on guard. I see people being deceived every day that I believe are strong Christians. They are of every denomination and most are not new in the faith. If there is anything that they have in common it is that they do not judge all things by Scripture, or they have not put on the mind of Christ and evaluate from an eternal perspective. But it is not that cut and dried either. So I do think we should all take the warning very seriously.

I also agree with Onelight. The way that the angel is speaking to its Master and God does not ring true. God knows everything and Jesus has no need of an angel informing Him of anything. The person had a nightmare or is herself a false prophet, in my opinion. Even the elect can/will be deceived. A school for demons? Really!

I don't follow, what are you trying to say. im not following what you said, neither is anyone else. you asked if anyone other then Paul, was called to be a prophet after the resurrection, and you have yet to show that paul was a prophet, even though you have been asked, multiple times. Your only answer was acts 9. Where does scripture show Paul being called as a prophet? chapter and verse please. And willow-where, did Paul discuss the rapture? 1 Thess 4:13-17 tells that we shall be caught up (rapturo) to meet that Lord in the air. John was definitely a prophet as he wrote the Revelation of Christ.

God is all knowing. He is outside of our idea of time because He created time itself. He created all things. He planned everything as well. But to me it is saying that God foreknew Jeremiah's genetics and what he would become because He planned it all. This verse goes a long way to indicate that we become a person in the womb and not at birth, as some believe. He also says that we are elect (chosen) according to the foreknowledge of God for obedience. 1Peter 1:2 And that He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him--. Eph 1:4 This applies to all who are IN CHRIST. This whole passage refers to the blessings that are for those who are in Christ and have Christ in them. We are also predestined to be adopted as sons, and the guarentee given us is His Holy Spirit.

The term prophecy(to speak forth God's words), as a gift may be an inspired sermon that produces fruit in peoples lives. I believe a lot of people have this gift, but that does not make them a prophet. I have yet to know of a true prophet of God today who claims to be one.. But Billy Graham might come close to actually being one. Corrie ten Boom also made a few predictions about America that have already come to pass that at the time seemed improbable, such as the rise of the occult. Neither persons claimed they were prophets that I know of. I totally agree that signs and wonders are not to be used to authenticate that a person is from God. We are to be prepared for the coming deception and the deceiver of the the brethern. Usually the true people of God by which miracles are done are totally in awe and know for a fact that they had very little to do with it. The miracles themselves give God glory and reveal His character. The repairing of a marriage demonstrates that God has ordained marriage and uses it to reveal His love for the church. On the other hand, providing gold fillings such as in the "Toronto Experience" does nothing to reveal God's character. In fact it seems materialistic. As said, the Bible shows no such miracle. It is certainly not a greater miracle than the salvation of souls according to God's value system of treasures in heaven. (I have heard people use the verse that "greater things than these shall you do" in defense of the changing teeth fillings to gold thing.) We have to evaluate these things with God's value system, not the world's.

I heard the quarterback of the Seahawks first give credit to God on several occasions and in several interviews. Perhaps it was edited out of what you saw. He said it when handed the trophy as well as in several personal interviews after the game, but he was the only person I heard do so.. I was watching on the Fox channel. Blessings, Willa

Silvia, the things you quoted stated that David Ben Gurion was a close FRIEND of Buddists. If you look at the same article's list of well known buddists Ben Gurion's name is not on it. He is in fact listed as an admitted athiest if you click on his name. About half of the Jews are very secular and are athiests. Ben Gurion did seem to believe in the coming of a Messiah, which is a bit contradictory. He also believed in miracles, it would seem, and he saw God work many on behalf of the nation of Israel. You read something into the article that was not there due to the other person's remarks. Don't believe everything you hear or even read.

No, the devil will be 'destroyed' when the time is right - until then he merely serves God purposes! AMEN!

We must forgive others. God has left us no option about that. But I believe the verse goes beyond that. A person who has forgiven and loves as God loves hardly even notices the shortcomings of others. They dwell on the things that are like Jesus in the other people and look at them with Godly compassion. Perhaps that makes them more endearing to others as well, but an ungodly person might find that quality offensive and would treat them the way Jesus was treated. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2Tim 3:12 NASV Blessings, Willa

Amen to that. I am as you probably know married to an amazing Asian woman who I adore. But even today in South Africa when we walk in a mall we sometimes get racial comments made, mostly in Afrikaans (women), or Zulu (men). Strange being on the other side of a racial comment, especially when you know the person beside you is a true woman of God, who cries when she reads her bible, sings in our worship group at church and when she speaks of Jesus, everyone, my pastor included, stops and listens. What prompts the verbal attacks I wonder? Jesus promised that we would be treated the same way He was treated. Perhaps it is because they can see Christ in her. I am very overweight, and there is a lot of bigotry against that, too. But having men turn around and laugh at me hurts as well, so I have a little bit of compassion for bigotry of other sorts as well. Jesus says we are to count it all as joy, but we rarely consider that they might be seeing Christ in us. Instead we look for a more obvious answer. It just could be that if we had been heathen that the offenders might have ignored us. I would love to meet your wife and give her a big hug. Tell her that.

Fez, the genetics had more to do with refuting Morman claims of the peoples of the Americas being Jewish and things like that. But the genetic make up of Adam and Eve was mentioned. Pastor did mention that the old south east USA taught genetics somehow was an excuse for bigotry, and I don't even remember the excuse since I had never heard it before, but he totally debunked it. Hatred and bigotry are wrong in any form. Then our pastor's sermon took a much different twist. It was about family groups rather than races. God seems to recognize family groups or clans and extended clans. Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated referred to the nations that proceded from those men, for instance. The prophetic references to Gog and Megog are family groups that moved in different directions to the north of Iraq after the fall of the tower of Babel. I also was raised to not be bigoted. In Sunday school we sang a song: Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world. There was a piece of art showing children of all races around a man depicted as Jesus who was light brown skinned. Our church is very interracial where I now live and racially mixed marriages are accepted as well. It is hard for me to love and tollerate people who are hateful and use racial slurrs.. I have to remind myself that God died for them, too. Blessings, Willa

These verses were written to churches rather than individuals. It may be more addressed to the church you attend. While churches are comprised of individuals I would think you should apply it more to a church body. Can fear of persecution be affecting it? Do they lack the zeal and boldness they had when first saved? Do they still hunger for God's Word and for communion with Him as they once did? Perhaps they need to be reminded of the hights and depths of God's love for them.

I agree with Kwik. We pray intensely for years or for however long it takes. We live the life before them and become sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, especially as to when to keep quiet. Not saying anyting was the hardest part for me. But your brother now knows where you stand, so living the life before him is a living testamony. Don't argue with him, preach to him or quote verses to him. Just love him as God does, as he is. But you don't have to approve of his lifestyle and definitely don't participate in it. Make an excuse--I have other plans or even I just don't want to, but thank you. You are not better than him--there but for the grace of God go I. For it while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. Demonstrate the love and joy of the Lord, the peace He has given you, and compassion. Whether or not He will be saved is in God''s hands. It is for us to not be a stumbling block to them and to keep out of God's way. He is in the salvation business. Sometimes I prayed that wherever they turned that they would run into God. Pray that God soften his heart and open his eyes and ears to the truth. Blessings, Willa By the way, he is right when he says he will die. The old man and his sinful deeds will die and he will receive a new and better life through Christ that will not want to sin any longer. But that might scare him until he comes to the end of himself, hits bottom so there is no place to look but up. Right now his rotten life is all he knows and it is scary to give that up.

On the other hand the communion verses in 1 Corinthians 11 do tell us to confess and repent of all "gray areas" that we do not have perfect peace about, because according to your passage they should be considered sin because they are not done in faith. It is here that we are told to judge ourselves to avoid the chastening of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged [by God] , we are chastened by the Lord, THAT WE MAY NOT BE CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD! NKJV Combining these two passages give me new insight. That is why we are not to dispise the chastening of the Lord, too. The fear of the Lord truly is the beginning of wisdom. I knew instinctively that chastening is how God is also keeping me in a state of salvation, but now I have the scriptures. For our souls were saved when we were born again and received the down payment of the Holy Spirit, we are continuing to be saved from sins even by God's chastening when necessary, and eventually our bodies will be saved. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Heb.2:1-3 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away! The drifting away part is insiduous. It occurrs so slowly we don't realize it is happening. Usually it is a little compromise or believing a lie of the enemy and our first love starts to cool. Usually we don't know where we went wrong--what we did or what attitude. Lord awaken us all! Restore unto us the joy of our salvation and rekindle us to again do the works of our first love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

I also think it has to do with drinking alcohol in front of alcoholics, for instance. If we know what we approve would cause our brother to stumble, it is not loving to flaunt our liberty in front of him. I used to beat myself up for things when I fell on my face, too. Though I repented and asked God very earnestly to forgive and cleanse me, I continued to condemn myself.. Then one day God spoke to my heart saying "Who are you to think that your judgements are superior to Mine? I have forgiven you. When you are angry with yourself, are you useful to Me to minister to your Family or be used of Me?". Only when I RECEIVE God's forgiveness for myself can I again filled with the Holy Spirit and be useful to God. I suddenly realized that I had not accepted God's ruling but had gone to a "higher court"--my own opinion. I had let myself down and condemned myself. Do I want to accept my opinion or do I accept God's? Love, Willa

Our pastor preached on this once, with all the genetics. Sadly, I don't remember the details. lol. But my first reaction was Jade's.

Like Rusty, I have been married a long time. 50 years. She told you why she broke off. You are not the man of God, the spiritual leader she wants. Perhaps you have made her your god and have saught her with all your heart instead of seeking God with all your heart, soul, your strength and your mind. If God is not the center of a relationship it will fail. That means your life must revolve around God, and not her. Release her to God. Maybe, if is His will that you be married, He will give you the desire of of your heart. But You must seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. You must be willing to let her go and trust God to bring the right person for you. But most importantly you must completely surrender to God and allow Him to make you into the Christ like person He intends you to be. I am thinking of Abraham whom God promised a son through whom a descendant would come and bless all the nations of the world. Yet when that son, Isaac, was about your age God told Abe to go to a mountain and take his son, and offer him as a human sacrifice! Abe loved and trusted God so much that he set out to obey God. He trusted that even if his son were to die that God could bring him back to life and fulfill His promise. He trusted that perhaps God might at the last minute provide another sacrifice. Not knowing just how God might solve the problem, he and his son Isaac, carrying a load of wood for the fire, climbed the hill and made ready the fire. That hill is now known as Golgotha, the very place where his decendant Jesus was to be sacrifced on the cross as a substitue for us. But at the last minute God did make Abraham aware of another sacrifice for his son Isaac. There was a ram caught in a thicket that Abe killed for the sacrifice. God required that Abe trust Him so much that he was willing to give up his son. That is why I say that you must release her to God. If He takes her away He will have someone even better for you who can be more transparent about her feelings. Meanwhile, you will mature and grow to be the person God wants you to be. A well balanced marriage does not have one person dominant and the other person needing to repress her thoughts and feelings. To be a good helpmeet she will need to be enabled to feel free to express her input as well. Elise was very courageous to break it off. It means she is moving in the right direction of being able to stand up for herself. Now you need to mature as well and learn to submit to her in the Lord, too, as we are to submit to one another. You will have to learn to die to self, and that begins with your giving her to God to work it out for the best interests of both of you. Abraham's faith was accounted to him as righteousness. You also need to be a man of faith. Trust God in this. Give her to God and completely let go of her. Blessings, Willa Let go of her.

The 3 questions are really one. To know God we must humble ourselves as if we are toddlers who know next to nothing but that they need help to survive in this world. That is what God wants of us--to depend on Him in everything. First we must acknowledge that we are not perfect and never will be. God demands perfection so we must ask Him to remove our imperfection, our sin, evil or any wrongdoing, bad attitudes, you name it. We confess these to Him and ask for forgiveness. We turn away from known sin and abhore it. Then we ask Him to make us into the kind of person He wants us to be. To enable Him to do this, we must surrender our whole lives to Him, beginning with the problem areas you are aware of. We ask Him to come and live IN us. He promises to make something good and beautiful of us. Next we start to become aware of Him speaking to us with an inner voice and leading us in an intuitive way. We desire to read the Bible, especially the New Testament, to get to know more about Him and learn His character. We learn that Jesus was God, but gave up His state to become both God and Man, so that we might be forgiven through His dying for OUR sins on the cross. It is because of Jesus that we are forgiven. Moreover He took our sin to the cross and in exchange gave us His rightousness in Father God's eyes. We learn that He has given us a new life by His Spirit coming to live in us. We continue to confess and turn from sin as we become aware of it. Somewhere during this time, we have feltl a great weight being taken from us. We have peace. We start praying and seaking answers to our problems in the Bible. And we become aware of His guiding us and drawing us into a friendship with our Creator. This is a growing process as He continues to make us more like Jesus, Who lived a life without any sin in spite of the horrible things He endured. It becomes a deep relationship that started with that first prayer of asking for forgiveness knowing we are helpless to help ourselves, and surrendering our lives to Him to endwell us and make us new. Blessings Willa

You are in grief. Having been there a few times myself, I can assure you that God did not leave you. When going through grief we cry out in desperation and even anger. It is not till we quiet outselves that we can again hear God's still small voice, and receive that comfort of the Holy Spirit. He will walk with you through this, if you will let Him. God does bring good things out of bad situations when we repent of any wrongdoing and trust in Him. I was thinking of David who commited adultry and had Bathsheba's husband killed so he could marry her. His baby by her died as God predicted. He suffered for his sin. But It was not till the prophet pointed out David's sin about a year later that David completely repented. God brought good out of it by using another son of this union to be in the linage of Jesus. But he would not know of this blessing in his lifetime. Because of David's repentance and his heart for God, God called him a man after His own heart. Perhaps there was no wrong done on your part in this marriage. It takes two people for a marriage to work, and just as Eve was tempted and sinned, it could have been mostly your wife's error. But Adam chose to sin as well. It does not really matter. If you read the book of Hosea you will find that God used his marriage to an unfaithful wife to demonstrate His loving forgiveness for the sinful states of Israel and Judah. He forgave her and took her back many times even after the horrible things she had done. It takes time and effort to build a good marriage. Marriage retreats put on by churches are an excellent way to learn to live with a wife according to understanding and give her honor. She also needs to understand how you feel you express love to her, because those things may not be her idea. I once thought working long hours was hubby's way of escaping from me and that he was rejecting me. A retreat showed me that his long hours were an expression of love by providing for me. I don't know if you two had been putting in the extra effort needed. After 7 years of misery and pure stubborness to not give up, I began learning by studying 1 Peter 3. And the first thing God told me was to keep my mouth shut and live the life by giving him admiration, obedience and respect.. Our culture does not teach that kind of perservance and even honor and obey are removed from marriage vows. We have throw away marriages now. Our Asst. pastor tells how his first marriage failed. He and his wife were not Christians. But they remarried each other and first she received Christ, and then he did after seeing the change in her. He was delivered from alcoholism which was also a huge part of their problem. And they learned to build a Christ like marriage according to God's word. God has used this to make them excellent counselors. I do pray that your spirit might be quieted, that your faith may not fail, that God enable you to forgive her, and that you may learn to hear His voice and follow Him more closely through it all. Finally, I pray that God may give you light at the end of the tunnel. Blessings, Willa Luke 22:31 NKJV And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you , that he may sift you as wheat,. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."

We are to seek God's face and pray to Him earnestly from the heart during this time. (Don't just repeat a written prayer.) As you said, it is to humble ourselves so that we can hear God better and be willing to obey. But faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So for strength of faith, I have also heard it even helps to read the Bible out loud to one's self. I always ask God to speak to me through His word, as well. Blessings Willa