Hello, Brothers, Sisters, and Heartdwellers Family.
May the Lord give us the grace to know what is most important in our lives especially those who are called to the service of the Lord.
Many times ministry can become your everything as you sacrifice those closest to you on the altar. Before you know it your family, your marriage, and your children will be in shambles as you are focused so much on loving others, helping others, and building up your ministry for the kingdom of God, all the while your family and even your marriage suffer in the process. How common this is with those who are called to ministry if they are not careful. Satan is cunning and he knows the fastest way to take down a minister is to attack his family. He does it so subtly like chipping at a rock until a big crack forms and then the rock breaks in half.
This message was given to a pastor who was really struggling in his marriage and thought his wife was a stumbling block to him because she wasn’t willing to help in the ministry or be as attentive to his needs or submissive to his desires. The enemy made him so unhappy that he was considering leaving his wife to marry someone else. He was known in the community for helping so many, loving so many well, and being a father to many orphan children yet neglecting to really father his own children at home. I was burdened in my heart concerning this and the Lord gave me this beautiful message in prayer calling him higher and encouraging him not to leave his wife.
I smelled the enemy’s fingerprints all over this after meeting the couple in Zambia and realizing there was some amazing fruit underneath the surface if he would only look and see the gift that she was to him. And she just needed to be built up with love, words of encouragement, and affirmation because she wasn’t as educated as [he] and she grew up an orphan just like he did so they both never really learned how to love well. The Lord never said marriage would be easy and many times we don’t realize a marriage can make or break when either the couple chooses to build one another up into all that God has called them to be or they can throw stones at one another which is destroying their very own foundation.
Satan knows this very well and hates families but especially Pastor’s families. He knows if he can bring a pastor’s family down then his congregation will fall and, those who follow him go down with him. So he tries especially hard with various tactics attacking marriages and the children of ministers to steal their witnesses and cause others to be scandalized by the brokenness of their families.
However, there is a dynamic where the Lord has called all men in marriage to play a great part in the forming of their wives and even leading them into their destinies.
Ephesians 5:26-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
A husband is supposed to deny himself, giving himself up for his wife to make her holy, to cleanse her body, soul, and spirit by watering her with God’s word which is truth, and it washes her clean. Then he is to present her to the Lord on that final day as she stands a woman without stain or wrinkle or blemish but holy and blameless because he gave himself for her, he washed her and cleansed her with the way he loved and by actively teaching her and living out God’s word in their marriage and in their family.
Jesus began,
“To My beloved Son, Charity begins at home. I am calling you much higher in this season and to go much deeper with me. I am calling you into My bridal chambers that you may know me as your bridegroom and heal your childhood wounds, that you may know me as your father. I am calling you to be a Father of fathers here in your community and one cannot do that unless you have experienced the Father’s love deeply. To be a Father means not only to be a caretaker and provider but a. Lover. A man that loves deeply, feels deeply, and is available to the physical and emotional needs of his children. You have done wonderfully — to love so many and help so many within the community — but I want you to begin at home.
Your family is your first ministry, it is by your example alone as a husband and father that you will even touch many and cause other men to change. Do not despise the gift I have given you in your wife. Although unlearned she stands at your side and she has shied away from helping you in ministry or supporting you because she doesn’t feel good enough, that is the true reason.
She can keenly feel your disapproval at times, of the way she does and says things thereby causing insecurity so she would rather stay away. Have you built her up? Have you encouraged her good traits and virtues? Have you said thank you for all she does? Have you watered her with My word and with your love? If your answer is no to any of these questions that has to change, My son. When you stand before Me you will be accountable for her. I gave her to you like a gift. She is a rare gem, a beautiful flower in My garden that I entrusted to you to water, and she is shriveling from the lack of sun, from your attention and your love.
Please don’t conform to your culture and the ways of men. Marriage is called to mirror that of My love for the Church, and how I have loved her unconditionally, abundantly, and selflessly and I want you to do the same with your wife and family.
I don’t want another minister whose life is filled with much ministry and works for Me while their family suffers, and their home life is in shambles. Your family is the easiest target for the enemy so strengthen your ministry here first. Love here first, give of your time here first, teach and support here first and I will continue to bless all you do. Thank me for her and your little ones every day. Ask me for the grace of how to be a true Father and a good husband to your wife. Ask me for My heart and My Love to love them, raise them and build them up, and you will be the man spoken of in Psalm 128 as your children and wife will become olives at your table, anointed to do much good because you have feared me and loved them well.“
Psalm 128: 1-5
Blessed are all who fear theLORD, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the LORD. May the LORD bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. May you live to see your children’s children — peace be on Israel. Amen
Such a touching message and beautiful perspective from the Lord to encourage any man who is considering divorce, who has not loved his wife selflessly as Christ loved the church. Don’t give up, don’t leave, the Lord has a plan and needs your cooperation to heal and restore your marriage.
Please, family, our donations are very low this month, and we are unable to help support and donate to the ministries we are committed to and even give to our volunteers. Whatever you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much, Heartdwellers, for your continuous prayers, words of encouragement, and generosity in giving.
God bless you, family, until the next message.
Published by