WHO ME? WORSE THAN AN INFIDEL? WELL…

Ah, the refreshment that comes from repentance…

The first words that come to my mind to express my sentiments of how I was affected by the 2010 Operation Save America National Event are, “Thank you Jesus!”  Why?  Because he smashed me with the truth of His Word, I confessed my sin, repented, and now I’m free.  Hallelujah!

Now, please allow me to explain.

On the last night of the event, Rev. Flip Benham gave an altar call to anyone who had not been faithful to be in God’s Word every single day.  Of course, I arrogantly looked around the room at all the “sinners.”  Then, I saw my wife stand up.  Oh, I knew that she had struggles with being in the Word everyday.  After all, she has to take care of two kids all day.

So I watched my wife respond to the altar call and God busted me, big time.  It’s almost as if he said, “Look buddy, you think you’re doing such a good job by being in the Word everyday, but you’re a failure.  Who do you think is responsible for your wife being in the Word everyday?”  Then, all of the sudden, two verses were brought to my remembrance.

First, it was 1 Timothy 5:8, which says: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

I remembered that verse because God had just showed it to me through an article written by Dr. Patrick Johnston dealing with ways in which we, as husbands, can do a better job of loving our wives.  “Wow!” I said.  I was busted.

I realized that Paige was not the one that should be at the altar.  I should!  So, then, being the prideful man that I am I thought, “Well, if I go down there, everyone will think that I’m not in my Bible everyday.”  (Yes, I repented of that, too.)  So, I walked down to my wife, put my arm around her and told her that this was my responsibility and apologized.

As I was down there, I started to think some things over.  I have always taught young men I disciple that, before they can pursue the opposite sex, they should be 100% prepared to provide for their wife physically, financially and spiritually.  So I realized that, because of 1 Timothy 5:8, I had become “worse than an infidel.”

The other scripture that the Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance was Ephesians 5:25-28, which says: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”

There have been times that I have washed my wife’s feet to show my love and devotion to serve her.  Oh, my wife thinks I am the greatest husband ever.  Well, I know better.  I realized this night, that despite the emotional, physical and financial support that I show to Paige, if I do not wash her with the Word of God, I have completely failed as a husband.  I have become worse than an infidel.

Well, throughout the week, God had showed me several areas in my Christian walk that needed to be improved upon.  The biggest things were my not being a good husband and father.  I remember feeling horrible all day Tuesday.  I tried to put this stuff before the Lord, but it seemed that it didn’t do any good.  Then, I recall someone saying, “No one has ever come to God in repentance and been turned away.”  So, I realized there was hope.  The reason I felt so sorrowful was because it truly was godly sorrow and God just wasn’t done dealing with me.

So, praise the Lord!  On Friday night, I was finally confronted with the very specific sin that I was committing.  I was not fulfilling the responsibilities of being a godly husband. On Sunday, I was able to confess it to my church and ask them to hold me accountable.

I am just so thankful for God’s tender mercies.  And I am so thankful for the men of God in OSA who took the time to talk to me about how to become a better husband and father.  I thanked Doc Johnston for his booklet that I read (I’ll include a link to it at the bottom of this page).  I explained that I had to repent and he told me something like, “If you don’t get it right with your wife, you won’t get it right with your kids.”

God showed me so many things.

I had a critical spirit.  Believe it or not, even though I was completely failing at my job as a husband and father, I had the nerve to criticize Paige when the house was not as clean as I thought it should be.  What a hypocrite I was!

I already talked about my failure in not teaching the Word to my wife, but I was also failing in the area of training my children in the fear of the Lord.  I am so thankful that Frank Campana and Rusty Thomas took the time to show me how to do better in this area.  Their practical pieces of advice have already paid off, tremendously.

Praise God for his grace and forgiveness!

Now that the log’s been removed from my eye, I wonder if I could encourage some of you to examine yourselves to see if there are areas where you need to repent.  I’ll just give you some simple questions and admonishments for fathers and husbands, for mothers and wives, and for young men and young women.

Questions for husbands and fathers: Are you providing for your wife and children financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  I’ve already explained how to provide spiritually.  If you would like to understand more about the others, please ask me and I’d be glad to help you on this.  Remember this, God has entrusted you with your wife.  He has entrusted you with your children.  You better not forget that.  You better love your wife and treat her as the gift from God that she is.  Likewise with your children.  And you better not forget that your children are eternal souls.  They are future mothers and fathers, missionaries and martyrs for Christ!  Don’t forget the value of those whom God has entrusted to you.

Questions for mothers and wives: Are you submitted to your husbands as unto to the Lord?  Are you committed to the call on your life to raise godly children and to come along side your husband as a help meet?

Questions for young men: Are you prepared to provide for your future wife financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually?  Are you prepared to leave and to cleave?  Are you committed to study God’s Word?

Questions for young women: Are you willing to trust God and wait for Him to send you a husband?  Are you committed to surrender all to your calling to raise children and submit to your future husband?

Just so you know, God might call some of you young men and women to celibacy.  That’s fine.  But, if you were my children I would still raise you to be good husbands and fathers and good mothers and wives.  That’s what biblical manhood and biblical femininity is all about.

I hope this has been encouraging and provoking.  Remember, there is only One that can deliver you from sin.  His name is Jesus!

For His Glory,

Adam Tennant

Here is a the link to Dr. Patrick Johnston’s article:  http://rightremedy.org/articles/305