Still Waiting

I don't know what happened to the original post for this date (I'm still learning how to work this Blog). Anyway, we are expecting to hear something either this week (end of May) or the first week of June. It's hard not knowing when we are going to actually GO but if we at least have a picture of Lily we will feel like we're a lot closer to getting her.

Teaching on Orphans

GOD’S HEART TOWARD THE ORPHAN


James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and keep oneself unstained by the world”.

“Visit” does not mean, just go visit them and you have fulfilled God’s desire. It means meeting their needs on an ongoing basis.

If James is summing up true religion, why does he choose caring for orphans and widows to sum it up? BECAUSE IT’S GOD’S HEART!

Remember the context of James, He is exhorting Christians to be doers of the word.

GOD CARES ABOUT THE ORPHAN

DEUT 24:17-22 Read

Vs 18b “therefore, I am commanding you to do this thing

God reveals His heart toward the unfortunate, His people were to act in faith and not take ALL the harvest but purposefully leave some for the alien, the orphan, and for the widow.
In an agricultural society, their crops were their source of sustenance and income, and they were COMMANDED BY THE LORD to set aside some of their “income” for the alien, orphan, and widow.

How does this principle apply to our generation? Do we have a harvest? No, So, are we excused from obeying this principle? I don’t believe so. We can take some of our “income” and use it to care for the unfortunate, the alien, orphan and widow.

Job 29 1-12

Vs 12 is the reason Job was honored in his community

POINT: I believe that each one of us are called, in some way, to help the orphan and the widow. AND there may be someone out there whom The Lord is calling to bring an orphan child into your home and CARE for them.


“I would adopt if I knew I could adequately provide for the child.”

The Challenge

I challenge you to show me in the Bible where we are to obey, based upon God showing us the means of provision prior to the step of faith. And, even if you can, I will show you 10 instances to your one where God called His people to act in faith PRIOR to knowing from whence the provision would PRACTICALLY come.

· The walls of Jerico – did God tell Joshua how?
· Peter walking on water – did Jesus tell him how?

I SAY A RESOUNDING NO!

As these men were OBEDIENT to The Lord, The Lord provided the miraculous!

What is the criteria for our obedience to The Lord?

Is it age ?
· UnBiblical perspective - Lord, I can’t add another child to my family, I’m too old.
· Biblical Perspective - Abraham was 100 years old

Is it means?
UnBiblical Perspective – Lord, when I have the means (money, strength, ability, etc.) to obey you, THEN I will do what you ask me to do.
Biblical Perspective – “Lord, if that is you, bid me to come” Peter; Joshua, marched on Jerico by Faith
·
The Biblical criteria for obedience to The Lord is, if He tells you to do something, DO IT!

The world is never going to see just how great our God is if we do not, through our faith, demonstrate how great and awesome He is! In other words, FROM THE WORLDS PERSPECTIVE, HOW ELSE ARE THEY GOING TO SEE HOW AWSOME AND POWERFUL OUR GOD IS UNLESS IT IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH HIS PEOPLE.