Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
I pray that, as the Body of Christ, each of us would have our eyes opened to the love that God has for the fatherless and his desire for us to be used in orphan care.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. Psalm 68:5
According to Family Life Today ministries, there are 130 million orphans in the world. From my own research there are over 120,000 available children in the foster care system in the United States.
As we are adopted into the family of God, his desire is to place "the lonely in families" through permanent adoption. Not everyone is able to adopt but there are many ways you, your group or church can be involved in orphan care:
prayer
sponsorship programs
financial support of existing ministries
adoption/ orphan ministry in your church
short term mission trips in orphanages in other countries
helping fund another family's adoption
adoption
opening an orphanage in a needy area
CASA-Court Appointed Special Advocate in your area
open your home to a foster child
If you need to have your heart softened for orphans I suggest taking a trip to an orphanage. Once you see those little faces and realize their need, it is difficult to turn away.
The funny part is when you first start caring for orphans you think about how you are helping them (and you are), but it will really be you that gets the blessing or I should say blessings. Your eyes will be opened to a whole new part of God's heart.
One place you can start is www.familylife.com . They are doing a whole week of broadcasts on adoption. Feel free to pm me and I'd be glad to talk.
As well in your daily life being a good influence. I know kids look forward to the short timings they see those of good stature (even bad). You can partially father a child through the limited contact you may have with them.
__________________ 2 Chronicles
"14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."
Salvation of a country... Does not rest in the hands of politicians. Change is more than a slogan, its a way of life.
in fact, the existence of evil in the world does a lot to disprove the existence of a kind, loving, all powerful god.
B) no such thing as "Pure and Undefiled Religion" by definition
Don't know if you are trying to troll in here, but you haven't taken things into context, nor have you posted any but your opinion. And if you are trying to bait, please go away, unless, of course you have something to contribute then you are more than welcome.
__________________ 2 Chronicles
"14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."
Salvation of a country... Does not rest in the hands of politicians. Change is more than a slogan, its a way of life.
Virtualgirl-
Praise God for your two children. I know they are a blessing to your family and in your community.
LogosRhema-
Thank you for adding. Being a good influence around kids, especially ones without a dad in their life, is a very important way of ministering to youth. It is amazing how the simplest things can mean a lot!!!
you make it sound like you're posting anything other than your opinion.
why is your opinion more valid than mine?
Opinions usually have factual information behind them, otherwise its dust in the wind. I take it your not in college?
Try submitting any essay in to professor (other than creative writing) without sources and you'll find a wonder F.
Try a formal debate class without any sources, guess who will lose? Even a good speaker without sources in a debate class will lose.
And that my opinion is amazing, that's just that, I don't see anyone disagreeing. What I said earlier I was expounded further upon what the original poster posted.
__________________ 2 Chronicles
"14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."
Salvation of a country... Does not rest in the hands of politicians. Change is more than a slogan, its a way of life.
I'm sorry, but is the person who bases their life on faith trying to tell me to base my arguments on proof?
and the entire point of an opinion is that it isn't provable or disprovable. If it had facts to support it, it wouldn't be an opinion, it would be a fact.
My faith isn't based on nothing. Our source is the Bible, been around for quite a while now and has been proven more with the test of time. Those who have tried to disprove have ended up proving it. Of course you don't hear much about that in this little mind society.
You must not know much about Christianity.
Trust me, our faith has sources, we didn't just make it up and here we are collaboratively somehow agreeing in a Christ lol
__________________ 2 Chronicles
"14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."
Salvation of a country... Does not rest in the hands of politicians. Change is more than a slogan, its a way of life.