Pseudo Parent

Pseudo Parent

2 Corinthians 12: ¹⁴ This is now the third time that I am ready to come to visit you—and I will not make any demands on you. It is you I want, not your money. After all, children should not have to provide for their parents, but parents should provide for their children. ¹⁵ I will be glad to spend all I have, and myself as well, in order to help you. Will you love me less because I love you so much?

 

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“Come in and have some dinner” were the words I delighted ti hear. Many households invited me in to eat with them in the community I grew up. What was it about these people who took time out of their busy lives to help us kids? They did it from their heart.

 

• I was blessed to have many pseudo parents who cared for me.
• I was blessed to be watched over by those who had hearts large enough to care for others.
• I was blessed to have so many people who would take me places, feed me, and mostly teach me how to grow up.

 

Pau was about to visit. He explained that he was not coming there for their money. This may have been a selfish concern on their part that he wanted to ease. Instead, he was being a pseudo parent and wanted to show his love.

 

My Observations

• GOD doesn’t mind if I remain a child.
• GOD wants me to grow up to love others the way I can.
• GOD wants me to understand the purpose of having the HOLY SPIRIT live inside me is to stretch my heart to fit others.

 

When life is all about me, my words sound different. I mean, I have more complaints than solutions when I am a child. BUT GOD wants me to grow up and point others to HIM as the only solution to life’s problems.

 

HE allows fiery trials in my life to burn away the things that do not belong. HE then opens my eyes to other people HE wants me to reach. HE provides enough for me and her or him as I encounter each person. I am glad I have had great parents and pseudo parents to grow me in many ways.

 

Challenge

• Do you feel the care of the writer?
• Have you ever been tempted to speak about GOD only for money?
• Will you allow the HOLY SPIRIT to stretch your heart to fit other people and serve them so they can believe in JESUS in a saving way today?

Living Example

Living Example

1 Corinthians 4: ¹⁴ I write this to you, not because I want to make you feel ashamed, but to instruct you as my own dear children. ¹⁵ For even if you have ten thousand guardians in your Christian life, you have only one father. For in your life in union with Christ Jesus I have become your father by bringing the Good News to you. ¹⁶ I beg you, then, to follow my example. ¹⁷ For this purpose I am sending to you Timothy, who is my own dear and faithful son in the Christian life. He will remind you of the principles which I follow in the new life in union with Christ Jesus and which I teach in all the churches everywhere.

 

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“How To” videos were not as accessible at the time. I was trying my hand at making furniture from scratch. I asked my uncle for advice. He had won many contests for making furniture and owned a thriving restoration business. I carefully listened to his advice and completed the furniture.

 

• There have been many people who have given me some great advice.
• There have been many people who have shown me how to do things right.
• There have been many people who have been great examples for what I wanted to do.

 

Paul likens himself to a “Father” who has given birth to those who believe in JESUS as their Savior. He brought the Good News to many people and they believed. They became his children and he urged them to “follow his example” to do the same. Spread the “Good News” and become a living example.

 

• GOD wants me to spread the Good News of JESUS’ resurrection.
• GOD wants me to go and make disciples out of many nations.
• GOD wants me to become a parent to many people who believe in JESUS.

 

Being an example of JESUS is great! I mean, I don’t have to be perfect because HE was and is. HE was the one who died for my sins and all I have to do is point people to HIM for forgiveness. My imperfection, flaws and failures draw people to HIM rather than repel.

 

When I admit I am a sinner versus trying to pretend I do not sin, I end up with children who believe in GOD. I am glad GOD put so many living examples of HIS followers in my life.

 

• Do you have an example of a follower of JESUS?
• Do you admire people because of how he or she follow JESUS?
• Will you become a living example of how to spread the Gospel of JESUS today so you may have many children in the Kingdom of GOD?

Consoled by Your Children’s Actions

Ezekiel 14: ²¹ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to kill its men and their animals! ²² Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. They will come to you, and when you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. ²³ You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

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Raising children is no small task. I mean watching them from infantile frailty all the way to adulthood can be quite tenuous. Every cut, bruise or ailment cuts me to the bone. Sometimes I question GOD as to why they have to go through turmoil.

• Sometimes I wonder “Why the pain?”
• Sometimes I ponder “Why the turmoil?
• Sometimes I contemplate “Why the difficulty in life?”

Even before I had children, I dreaded the thought of bringing a life into the world as it existed. Killing, hatred and disease seemed like a dreadful place to want to have more people grow up. BUT GOD said something different.

• GOD said to me “Your children are MINE and I need them to do something that only they can do.”
• GOD said to me “I will enable them to survive and you will be consoled by their conduct.”
• GOD said to me “I hold all life in MY hand to those who believe in ME, no one can pluck them out of MY hand.”

GOD is the deliverer. Only HE can bring people out of difficulty. No doctor, lawyer, or financial institution can save one soul, BUT GOD can and is willing! HE throws my sins away and saves me from calamity and HE blesses my family with compassionate protection. I can only thank GOD for HIS continual fortification.

• Are your kids going through something>?
• Are you worried about someone else and feel helpless?
• Can you give your worries to the LORD by telling HIM how you feel?
• Will you ask GOD to help the part of you that does not believe?
• Will you praise GOD today in the middle of your thoughts?

Can I have a good relationship with you?

Luke 11: ⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

   ¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

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My parents didn’t know what they were doing at all or so I thought. They didn’t dance my dance, drink my drink, know about my technology or get my friends. How clueless could they be? I wanted out and I figured at seventeen I knew everything I needed to know about life so I didn’t ask many questions.

• I will never have a good relationship with GOD unless I seek HIS heart.
• I will never have a good relationship with my wife and kids unless I seek their needs and desires.
• I will never have a good relationship with my parents, siblings, friends and neighbors unless I seek their problems and try to be there for them.

I never thought about asking for more of the HOLY SPIRIT. I mean didn’t GOD give HIM to me when I believed JESUS is GOD who died for my sins? Isn’t my relationship solid with that action? Yes, but I still have the rest of my life to live and I want to live it fully.

“Asking” according to GOD doesn’t seem to come from a selfish angle. “Asking” seems to be something HE wants me to do to be more like HIM.  Yes I could ask for money and more junk, BUT GOD is pleased when I simply ask HIM for more of HIM to serve others and let HIM do the rest.

HE wants me to ask for better relationships so that HE can be fully glorified and draw many people to HIM.

• Do you have good relationships?
• Have you asked for a better relationship with “that” person?
• Will you seek GOD more in order to have better relationships?
• Is the relationship the other person’s responsibility or is it yours?