As foster parents, we have been charged with the care of infants awaiting adoption. It has changed our perspective of "adoption" process. In scripture, Jesus has told us that as Christians we have been adopted into the family of God. Jesus actually being a joint heir with us in the inheritance that is eternal life.
Foster parents' role in the adoption process is simply to care for and shepherd over these children while the adoption papers are finalized. Then we have the great joy of being a part of introducing the child to their adoptive families. We love them, then pass them on to their final and permanent destination.
For the first time, we are seeing these moments of great joy in life from His perspective. God celebrates with us, each one of these special times in life.
Like Him, we love these babies from the moment we meet them. We love them well while they are in our family. Then they are placed in their forever families; their adoptive homes. What a joy that day is for these adoptive families. Seeing them receive their long awaited child. What a day of rejoicing! I imagine it to be how God feels when He is in the labor and delivery room with every new mother and father as they see their brand new baby.
Every moment in life you experience with your Lord. He is there to cheer, love, comfort, or greive with you. You are His and He is yours. You are family and His adopted one. "...you have received a Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..."Romans 8:15-16
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Graduation and Promotion
This is the season for graduation. We've attended on consecutive weekends the graduation of our neice and nephew, one from Birmingham Southern and the other from Sewanee. That led us to thinking in terms of spiritual promotion. In the natural, there is this intense period of academic study and then graduation where you begin to apply those things you have learned.
In the spiritual, there is a parallel with the natural after an intense period of studying the Word we begin to apply what we have learned into life. Then God brings promotion. Psalms 75:6-7 says: For promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor form the South. But God is the judge; He putteth down one, and setteth up another.
That led us to wonder just how does God decide who to promote and who to put down? That decision is in large part our choice. Psalms 106:3-5 is the key: How blessed are those who promote justice, and do what is right all the time! Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory in Your inheritance.
Who would not want to receive what He is talking about here? Even as our culture becomes more wicked and corrupt we see in this youngest generation the seeds of justice and righteousness spoken of in Psalms 106 that will lead to God's favor and deliverance from our evil ways.
One of the greatest blessings that God is referring to here is a great marriage. Those that walk in justice and righteousness will enjoy all the blessings that God has to give.
In the spiritual, there is a parallel with the natural after an intense period of studying the Word we begin to apply what we have learned into life. Then God brings promotion. Psalms 75:6-7 says: For promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor form the South. But God is the judge; He putteth down one, and setteth up another.
That led us to wonder just how does God decide who to promote and who to put down? That decision is in large part our choice. Psalms 106:3-5 is the key: How blessed are those who promote justice, and do what is right all the time! Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory in Your inheritance.
Who would not want to receive what He is talking about here? Even as our culture becomes more wicked and corrupt we see in this youngest generation the seeds of justice and righteousness spoken of in Psalms 106 that will lead to God's favor and deliverance from our evil ways.
One of the greatest blessings that God is referring to here is a great marriage. Those that walk in justice and righteousness will enjoy all the blessings that God has to give.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Our church has a Wednesday night service. Part of each Wednesday night we take time to pray for people. Jamie and I are part of the prayer team that does that. It must be a God thing but most of the people we pray for are having issues with their marriage. God seems to direct people to us for prayer. It's humbling to be able to interceed for people going through such heartache and trouble.
Almost always we are impressed to invite people to come before the throne of
God as Hebrews states. In fact it says to approach the throne of God with boldness so that we may receive help in our time of need. Most people think that God is a mean angry
god ready to take a bible and knock them on the head and punish them for the stupid mistakes they've made.
Nothing could be further from the truth. God so desires to help His kids that He is willing to go to great lengths to communicate and demonstrate His love and compassion for us. We are simply the mail carriers bringing the good news that God wants to help and is ready to work a miracle in their lives if they will only allow His Holy Spirit in to do the work.
Jamie and I met with a couple a few years ago who were on the verge of divorce. Lots of stuff going on. We simply prayed for them and directed them to what God's word had to say about their situation. she was dealing with some very serious emotional issues and both had messed up.
But God did'nt remind them of how bad they were and how screwed up they had made things. He simply went to work through the power of the Holy Spirit. And their lives began to change for the better. She actually got healed of her emotional issues. No more medications and they both had their relationship healed. They have a wonderful marriage today and getting stronger.
So often we play the blame game where God comes in and helps straigthen out the mess. I thank God we have such a wonderful heavenly Father who loves us enough to get involved in our mess and help us clean it up.
Blessings!!
Almost always we are impressed to invite people to come before the throne of
God as Hebrews states. In fact it says to approach the throne of God with boldness so that we may receive help in our time of need. Most people think that God is a mean angry
god ready to take a bible and knock them on the head and punish them for the stupid mistakes they've made.
Nothing could be further from the truth. God so desires to help His kids that He is willing to go to great lengths to communicate and demonstrate His love and compassion for us. We are simply the mail carriers bringing the good news that God wants to help and is ready to work a miracle in their lives if they will only allow His Holy Spirit in to do the work.
Jamie and I met with a couple a few years ago who were on the verge of divorce. Lots of stuff going on. We simply prayed for them and directed them to what God's word had to say about their situation. she was dealing with some very serious emotional issues and both had messed up.
But God did'nt remind them of how bad they were and how screwed up they had made things. He simply went to work through the power of the Holy Spirit. And their lives began to change for the better. She actually got healed of her emotional issues. No more medications and they both had their relationship healed. They have a wonderful marriage today and getting stronger.
So often we play the blame game where God comes in and helps straigthen out the mess. I thank God we have such a wonderful heavenly Father who loves us enough to get involved in our mess and help us clean it up.
Blessings!!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Forgiveness
I go to a men's bible study on Saturday mornings at a local coffee shop. I've known most of the guys that attend for years and love all of them. We have a great time discussing and studying biblical concepts. Lately we have been discussing foregiveness and it is fascinating to hear the different perspectives we all have on the subject. We all agree that Jesus was the first foregiver and because of His foregiveness of us, we are empowered to forgive.
We were reading the parable about the servant who owed an enormous amount of money to his master. The master forgave him of his debt however the servant went out and refused to forgive a fellow servant who owed him only a few dollars. When his master found out about it he called the servant before him and dispatched him to the jailers until he paid back the entire debt.
Jesus forgave us that debt we could not pay back so that we would in turn forgive others the small things they do to us. It's true in marriage isin't it that when we choose to forgive our spouse, the forgiveness we have received from Jesus empowers us to pass it on. Just a thought to keep in mind as we go through the day, to pass on the forgiveness we have received to others.
We were reading the parable about the servant who owed an enormous amount of money to his master. The master forgave him of his debt however the servant went out and refused to forgive a fellow servant who owed him only a few dollars. When his master found out about it he called the servant before him and dispatched him to the jailers until he paid back the entire debt.
Jesus forgave us that debt we could not pay back so that we would in turn forgive others the small things they do to us. It's true in marriage isin't it that when we choose to forgive our spouse, the forgiveness we have received from Jesus empowers us to pass it on. Just a thought to keep in mind as we go through the day, to pass on the forgiveness we have received to others.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Family Reunion
I went to a big family reunion today. There I saw people that I hadn't seen in many years; in some cases, not since childhood. There were many more people there that I had never seen before. We were mingling with one another, trying to figure out who belonged to which family. There was one thing we all had in common, we were related.
Our heavenly Father says that we are all children of (God) His. He gives us all His incredible, perfect love that we are counted as His. The world, however does not recognize Him in you. When He comes and is manifested in you, you shall resemble and be like Him. Those that have this hope resting on them, purify themselves. (1John 3:1-3)
We who have fled to Him for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed and set before us. (Hebrews 6:18 b)
The mighty indwelling strenth and strong encouragement comes from the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, we are hopeless. Invite Him into your life and be part of His family!
Our heavenly Father says that we are all children of (God) His. He gives us all His incredible, perfect love that we are counted as His. The world, however does not recognize Him in you. When He comes and is manifested in you, you shall resemble and be like Him. Those that have this hope resting on them, purify themselves. (1John 3:1-3)
We who have fled to Him for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed and set before us. (Hebrews 6:18 b)
The mighty indwelling strenth and strong encouragement comes from the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, we are hopeless. Invite Him into your life and be part of His family!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Hope
It's a wonderful day to make a brand new start. In this time of hopelessness around the world their is one who we can truly place our hope in. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No one is like Him! Jamie and I have seen so many couples lost in their circumstances and without hope in the world.
But I am reminded of a couple we worked with just last year who had no hope, or so they thought. They were near divorce and at a loss as to what to do. In his desperation he turned to Jesus and the miracles began to happen. We watched as the love of Jesus Christ transformed this man into a completely different person. At one time a heavy drinker, he told me "you know I just don't think I want to drink anymore." Wow, what a work of the Holy Spirit in this man's life.
And then his wife began to change. What was once a relationship without love began to blossom into something new and different. It was wonderful to watch it happen. This couple that had no hope now had a new begining, something that was not there before as the Holy Spirit transformed their life.
We get to witness this more and more often now as times are hard and many couples are in crisis. One thing we have never been more sure of, the answer to their problems lies in inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives and allowing Him to transform their lives!
But I am reminded of a couple we worked with just last year who had no hope, or so they thought. They were near divorce and at a loss as to what to do. In his desperation he turned to Jesus and the miracles began to happen. We watched as the love of Jesus Christ transformed this man into a completely different person. At one time a heavy drinker, he told me "you know I just don't think I want to drink anymore." Wow, what a work of the Holy Spirit in this man's life.
And then his wife began to change. What was once a relationship without love began to blossom into something new and different. It was wonderful to watch it happen. This couple that had no hope now had a new begining, something that was not there before as the Holy Spirit transformed their life.
We get to witness this more and more often now as times are hard and many couples are in crisis. One thing we have never been more sure of, the answer to their problems lies in inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives and allowing Him to transform their lives!
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