Men of God wives...

Try not to be too disheartened about the condition of a man of Gods wife and how it reflects upon the man.

Hosea had an adultress wife. God also spoke of Israel as an adultress people. And dare I say the even the Church at times has waffled between to lovers. Her Lord, and the world and its enticements. I would not say that these brides reflect anything negative about their husbands.

Sometimes a wifes condition can be directly related to the husbands life and other times the wifes condition is a result of her own life choices whether good or bad.

I would like to give Tozer the benefit of the doubt.

A thorough Puritan book on the subject would be "Domestical Duties" by William Gouge.

Brian,

I appreciate your concern on this issue. It is a tough one to deal with: how is it that a person can be so used by God and yet have such serious personal problems with others/spouse? (And there are many more, other then Tozer, unfortunately.)

Many years ago I was stunned that my preacher-grandfather was not perfect! This revelation was helpful to me - I had put the fellow on a pedestal and this was not right, so God allowed me to see something which knocked him clean off of that honored position. In any case, it did teach me to not revere people so highly and leave these things to God, let him judge. This belongs in the category of unanswered questions that baffle the mind.

Now in the meantime, you be the best husband you can be to your wife. While the husband has a greater responsibility for his wife's spiritual life then the wife does for the husband, each person will still have to stand before God and give an account, can't blame your failings on another person because God's grace is always available there to assist one to live faithfully.

My understanding on this issue...

ginnyrose

Brian,

I would like to continue my thoughts on this issue. The longer I think about it the more it awakens within me the issues I have had to deal with in my younger years. So, I will proceed to share insights and how they were acquired.

When I was a young woman, I attended a Bible School. One day as I was studying Anabaptist History, realization dawned on me of an idea that lurked in the deepest recesses of my brain and how history proved the validity of this scripture in Eccle. 7:10: "Do not say, 'Why is it that the former days were better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this." (NASB) You see, I used to think if one lived back then, there would be a whole lots less issues to deal with. Suddenly I became aware that I am glad I was living in 1967 instead of the 1500s because of the problems - other then persecution - that stalked the Christians.

Another incident: my grandfather was a preacher and well loved by his congregation, young and old alike - even the children and their parents called him "grandfather". But grandmother....she never was a real 'spiritual' lady. She believed females who were Biblical scholars were usurping the male authority in life. Later, I learned she was skilled in dowsing for water! At the same time my grandfather took a special interest in me and taught me much scripture and its meaning, something none of the other grandchildren experienced, to my puzzlement. Anyhow, does this all make sense? NO! Did the Holy Spirit not convict them about how wrong dowsing is? Questions and more questions....

Let's see, what did Solomon say? "Do not say, 'Why is it that the former days were better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this." (NASB)This still applies today and it comforts me when I want to know the answers to questions whose answers will never be forthcoming in this life. So, I will leave it to God and continue on....

Brother, the longer you look at important people in church history, the more you will learn that some things will never make sense.

Hope this helps...

ginnyrose

I belive it is Gods will to save the whole household, men and wifes and children. Some good recomendations here, but i think we often miss an important thing, a man can be truly a man of God and his wife be the very opposite, and the other way around also, i think of wesley and of william carey.

I think many times if one, the man or wife seek God with all their hearts the spouse becomes a target for satans attacks more. Also we may judge a man in ministry for his children may be very wordly annd ungodly, but we do not know the presure and attack from the enemy on his family members for if possibly get to the man or woman through their family.

The quote from tozers wife we can only speculate about, not so wise to do so, but Tozer was a man with Gods message, this would require great sacrifice from the family to allow him to spend so much time from them and serving God, on the other hand we must make sure we dont leave our familys behind. Our familys are also our responsibility and our work for the Lord, we must all seek for wisdom and balance in these things.

Don't know much about them, but I thought maybe you could read something on Elizabeth Elliot and Jim Elliot.

~Lina