Brothers, I’d like to thank all of you for your words of support and encouragement. Two days ago I had no idea what to do. Now, with your help, I have some ideas that look like a plan. I just need God’s grace.
I also want to thank the brother who sent me this private message, along with his kind permission to post it here. I believe his advice will be helpful for everyone who is in my shoes.
Quote:
I would suggest one simple 'operating instruction' from the mouth of Jesus himself: "What God has put together, let no man tear apart." God put you and your wife together. Just be simple and love her. Don't stress about the Local Church thing. Just be a simple, grateful redeemed sinner who has been rescued by the love of God in Christ Jesus. And God in His wisdom put you with your wife. So my advice is to respect that, and respect that for now anyway God has allowed her to be in the Local Church.
My point is don't focus on your wife's relationship with the Local Church, but rather focus on what you can control, which is your relationship with your wife. If you work at it every day it will be "heaven" to you, even if she is in the Local Church. If she is there, then you are there. Why? Because you are with her, and God gave you an unbreakable love for her. God put you together. Nothing will break this.
If your wife sees, every day, evidence of your great love for her in Christ Jesus then she will be happy. Let God deal with the Local Church situation. God put her, or allowed her anyway, to be there. God put you together. So just seek God there and he'll bless you.
Peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
p.s. As far as prayer I find that we too often ask for 'our' things, instead of asking what does God want. If we find ourselves seeking what God wants ("seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness") then God can easily deal with our needs and our situations. If your prayers begin to echo the prayers of the interceding Jesus in heaven, then you will begin to see the earth move around you. Note the impact Jesus had on the earth. Anyone can can have that impact if they simply seek the Father's will. Forget about you, your wife, the Local Church. Seek God's kingdom. You will be astonished at what happens. God will surprise you. He loves to bless His children!
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God bless you all.
InChristAlone