March 12, 2010
George Müller
Psalm 81:10

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES•BY GOD• For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

Raising children is hard work and when we hear of people having 20 or 30 foster and adopted children it’s impressive.

So it’s downright awe inspiring to hear the story of Prussia’s George Müller who from 1835 until 1898 cared for more than two thousand children.

Müller’s story is legendary, his organization grew so large he needed seven full-time employees just to answer his daily mail.

But what Müller accomplished pales in comparison to how he did it.

George Müller raised millions of dollars to house, feed, and teach the Bible to thousands of England’s orphans without ever asking another human being for money.

In this day and age of fundraising and marketing where every non-profit has a development director, George Müller took all of his material needs to one source: God.

Müller knew that God is the Father to the fatherless, and He would provide for His children. Whether it be for daily bread or construction costs –Müller trusted Psalm 81:10 “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

If You have an awe inspiring story of adoption; won’t you please share it with our listeners. To do so, simply visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org and click on “Stories” in the main menu. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

March 11, 2010
Stories
Ephesians 1:4-5

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES•BY GOD• For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

Everybody loves a story: and history is full of them. Whether the teller be the native American griotes or Hollywood’s Speilberg, Reiner or Scorsese, we the people are more than happy to spend many hours and many dollars to learn people’s stories.

Truth or fiction, legacy or legend, stories help us to see ourselves, share ourselves, and even shape ourselves.

So it shouldn’t surprise us the efficacy of stories in our lives is ordained by none other than God Himself – who first created us and then told us all about it. The book of Acts is simply a book of short stories. The entire Bible is simply one big story – about Jesus – who happened to be history’s greatest story-teller.

Now please take note, many of Scriptures most notable tales, focus on adoption.

Moses, who saved his people, was himself saved as a baby in the bulrushes by the daughter of the man trying to kill him. Esther, who was placed in the kingdom for a time such as this, was placed there by Mordecai her adoptive Dad. What great stories!

How important are stories of adoption to God? Critical: He predestined adoption as the method of salvation before He created the Universe (look it up in Ephesians 1, verses four and five). He illuminates that salvation through stories of adoption all throughout the Bible. Caleb the scout; Mephiboseth the survivor; Jesus, the Savior. All adopted. All great stories. All to God’s glory

If you have a great adoption story, and don’t mind sharing it please visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org and click on Stories. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

March 10, 2010
Helen Stam
Bible

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES•BY GOD• For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

In 1934 John and Betty Stam served as Christian missionaries to China. On a cold December day terrorists invaded their village near the Yangtze River kidnapping the young couple and their 3 month old daughter Helen.

A day’s walk through the forest earned the Stam’s a mud hut hotel for the night. As dawn broke, John and Betty joined the ranks of Christian martyrs, but Helen although an orphan, was miraculously spared.

As her captors left the infant alive but alone, a desperate search for her ensued. The media coverage was intense. Her rescue took forty days to secure, but when she landed back in the States publicity was so fevered that hundreds of adoption offers poured in.

Helen Stam was eventually adopted by her maternal aunt and uncle, which is correct. What was also correct was the outpouring of offers to adopt.

My question is: why does it take media coverage for most people to hear the cry of the child?

The Bible – the only media we really need heed – mentions orphans over 60 times. God defines Himself as the defender of the fatherless. James tells us true religion is their care. Why do we need the media before we have ears to hear God?

If the Lord is talking to you about adoption, won’t you please visit our website at
FAMILIESBYGOD.org. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

March 8, 2010
Correctional Facilities
Ezekiel 36

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES•BY GOD• For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

America is in deep trouble and no one is talking about it.

Sure we’ll discuss the current conflict in Iraq or we’ll compare the dollar to the Euro and shake our heads in both surprise and shame, but our crisis is not military nor economic.

We’ll complain about medical care and health insurance and long for the good ole days when all’s you needed was a family doctor to tend to both, but the lack of health care doesn’t even compare.

No the real catastrophe is the close to three million kids in America whose moms and dads are in prison. It’s a critical problem because it will end up costing many of those children their lives too, close to 70 percent of kids who grow up with a parent in prison will end up in prison.

It’s a critical problem because it will end up costing taxpayers more than all the military, economic, and health care crises combined.

But it’s a critical problem mostly because it’s breaking our Lord’s heart. He made us for his glory. Disobedience creating the fatherless is a double hit. The answer isn’t in our corrections facilities, if they were correcting anything we wouldn’t have a five-fold increase in our prison population since 1970.

No the answer is in God’s correction of our facilities. “Return unto me”, He says in Ezekiel 36 and “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you”. The only correction necessary is getting right with God.

If you have EARS to HEAR God’s heart for all of His children, please visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

March 4, 2010
Raise A Child Up…
Proverbs 22:6

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES•BY GOD• For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

Scripture tells us to train children up in the way that they should go and they will not depart from it when they are old. It’s not a suggestion, but a command. And that’s a promise, not a possibility. But it is a lot of hard work.

Training a child up in the way they should go is not about how they want to go: as a two year old, or as a 15 year old. It’s about where God wants them to go.

Training a child up shouldn’t be left to teachers or coaches: or friends or peers for that matter. It’s a parents job; given to them exclusively by God.

Training a child up isn’t about raising kids, it’s about raising adults: warriors for Christ, culture changers just like Joshua. It’s God’s design from the start, we’re made in His image.

But just like with any type of training, from horses to marathons, child training takes time in the saddle. Teaching children that everything they do is subject to God – EVERYTHING – is under His authority is by design exhaustive: not exhausting as in the physical sense, but exhaustive as in the sense of completion.

But it’s worth it to avoid watching a child fall into sin. It’s worth it to escape generational sin. It’s worth it to watch God bless them … and you!

If you have EARS to HEAR God’s heart for His children, please visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

March 3, 2010
“Only Luke is With Me”
2 Timothy 4:11

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES.BY GOD. For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

Only Luke is with me.

Paul’s memorable lament from his second letter to Timothy speaks volumes in its brevity. He was alone, and he felt it.

While for most of Paul’s ministry he traveled with great groups, because of persecution at the hands of Nero, Paul’s friends, facing prison or execution, scattered.

Paul was alone, and you could hear it in his words. He needed his friends around, he needed the strength you find in numbers, and he needed it now. He begged Timothy to come to him quickly; he even asked him to bring Mark, whom Paul had shunned years prior at Antioch.

Alone. Desperate. That’s how Paul felt. And that’s how thousands of kids in the child welfare system feel every day. Day after day. Week after week. Year after year. More than a half a million kids right here in the United States.

Kids begging people to pay attention, but having only dysfunction for a voice. Kids begging people for a family but having only disruption as a choice. Kids, alone and desperate with no where to turn.

What can we do? Pray of course. For friends. For parents. For a Savior

If you have EARS to HEAR God’s heart for the fatherless, please visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

March 2, 2010
Defending Our Tents
Deuteronomy 33, Matthew 12

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES.BY GOD. For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

Men of Issachar, the Bible tells us, were Godly men who understood the times and knew what to do.

Descendants of Jacob they were of the twelve tribes of Israel. Defendants of David, they were among his mighty men.

So in David’s victories over the Philistines, in the Kings conquests of the Moabites, the Ammorites, the Syrians and Rabbah, what were the men of Issachar doing?

Tending to the home front of course. Deuteronomy 33 reveals that while their blood brothers of Zebulon were defending the high seas, they of Issachar were assigned to… their tents. Not battlefields abroad but domestic fronts at home.

It’s a lesson we of 21st century America would do well to heed. America’s men are absent from home in record numbers and it’s killing us: literally. 63 percent of youth suicides are fatherless, as are 85 percent of teen prisoners and 90 percent of runaways.

In 1960 5 out of every 100 babies were born to unwed moms, today that number is 36.

Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter 12 that when a strong man is bound the devil marches in and spoils his goods. Strong men are falling prey to the devil’s lies: discipline is old school, adultery is cool, the only rules are there are no rules. And children are dying…on the vine. Dads are absent, fathers are vacating, Men of Issachar, America needs you.

If you have EARS to HEAR God’s heart for His children, please visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

February 25, 2010
The Road to Emmaus
Luke 24

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES.BY GOD.  For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

Adoption is a most daunting task: from paperwork to legal work, background checks to bank checks, if the selection doesn’t discourage you the inspection most certainly will.

Often times a couple’s adoption journey begins to feel much like one’s own private road to Ee-may-is.  Confused and alone two people once so sure it was of the Lord now wondering if they haven’t taken the wrong path.

If that’s you today, please take heart.  Just like those two wondering wanderers depicted in Luke 24: Jesus is always right there with us.  And in our obedience to Him, He’s most ready, willing and able to lighten our load.

Ever the Brother He’ll slow the pace so that we might keep up: Ever the Teacher He’ll explain scripture so that we might brighten up: And ever the Comforter He’ll stay by our side so that we may lighten up.

God is the defender of the Fatherless, He is their rescuer, their sustainer, their Father.  If He’s calling you to adopt, He’ll be right there with you.  And if God is with you, who can be against you?

If you have EARS to HEAR the cry of the child, please visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org.   For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

February 24, 2010
A Fast of God’s Choosing
Isaiah 58: 5

EARS TO HEAR is the radio ministry of FAMILIES.BY GOD. For EARS TO HEAR, here’s Tim Glisson.

For most of us the idea of fasting involves giving something up – usually food and or drink – for a specific amount of time. For Christians the goal is to get close to God; get His attention if you will or listen to Him. That’s the idea we get from Esther before she speaks to the King about purging her people. Same for Daniel as he fasts three weeks before he’s given a vision for his. The list goes on and includes David, Elijah even Jesus as well as many others.

But in Isaiah Chapter 58 God has a different take. Angry with His rebellious children, God tells them they can fast all they want and it won’t matter to Him because of their disobedience.

Instead He challenges them to fast by doing something: for the poor; for the oppressed; for the hungry; for the naked; for the homeless; for the stranger.

In short, God foreshadows what Jesus will teach years later in Matthew chapter 25: that which you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.

Interesting thought isn’t it? Next time you’re led to fast to get close to God: instead of doing without, maybe He’s asking you to do: for Him.

If you have EARS to HEAR the cry of the child, please visit our website at FAMILIESBYGOD.org. For EARS TO HEAR, I’m Tim Glisson.

This year somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 hundred kids will be born in New York State and every United State – who in exactly 18 years will exit out of the Child Welfare System never knowing the unconditional, merciful, grace-filled life of being in a family.

Oh, they may know it from afar – in their dreams; they may even see it up close – in foster care: but for each of those 15 hundred kids , 2028 will be much like 2009, and 2008, and 2007. And the beat goes on.

That’s because on average the numbers don’t change from year to year. For every child who gets adopted out of the system there’s another child who simply ages out; and both unfortunately are replaced in number and space by children entering in.

How do we change this dismal picture?

Two steps really: one, let the church step up and adopt all the fatherless festering in the Child Welfare System. If every church in America adopted one child, just one child, the pool would be empty.

Step two, don’t let at-risk kids in danger of being sucked in to the System achieve that cultural-filling prophecy. If every church in America committed to praying for all the Moms, Dads, Aunt’s, Uncles, and Grand-Parents as well, those who put these kids in danger in the first place; oh, what God would do.

Scripture says the poor we will always have among us: it says no such thing about the fatherless.