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.