"Children's
children are the crown of old
men; and the glory of children
are their fathers," (Prov. 17:6).
"And he
shall turn the heart of the fathers
to the children, and the heart
of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the
earth with a curse," (Malachi 4:6).
“Children, obey your parents in the
Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with promise; That
it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth,” (Eph.
6:1-3).
“Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a
father; and the younger men as brethren;
The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters,
with all purity,” (I Tim. 5:1,2).
The first love given to bless a newborn is that of its parents. An infant will know its parents long before it knows God. The love given through family will be foundational and a frame of reference for every love the child will encounter in life. The care and nurture of a baby is all about unselfish love in action just because he or she belongs. Babies don't have a care in the world. They are fed, washed, played with, comforted, protected and provided for just because they belong and the parents lovingly assume responsibility for the precious soul they brought into this world.
The baby gets to watch how Mom and Dad express love to one another in the context of holy matrimony. A son will learn what a husband is and what a husband does by the example of his father. He will learn by example how to one day father his own children. Likewise the daughter will learn from her mother how to be a wife and mother. The children's first blessings are through family. A good man will leave an inheritance, not only for his children, but for his children's children (Prov. 13:22). Siblings may vie for the parents love and attention and may not seem to get along when they are young, but they learn to love brothers and sisters because they are "blood". They will be there for one another because they are family.
Family loves you even when you do wrong. They can't help but to love you even when they're angry with you. Storge love goes deep. Family will do for you when no one else will. There's no prayers for you more powerful than a mother's prayer, or a father's intercession. Nothing touches the heart of God more than family. Even in eternity we will forever be members of the household of faith... one big, happy family! Everyone's needs will be met. There may not be any marrying or giving in marriage in heaven, but we will all be brothers and sisters and have one everlasting Father.
My brother is home after several years of incarceration. When he knew he would be released, he wrote to tell me he was getting out. He knew that my husband and I would make preparations to receive him into our home because he is a member of our family. We cleared out a room where the treadmill and bowflex machines and other exercise equipment had been kept. We dusted and cleaned, bought window coverings and set up a bed and made a list of all the things that would make the room comfortable for my brother: a radio rather than a television set because we know that's what he likes; a bookshelf with certain books and magazines because we know he is a reader; a picture of his dad because they had a close relationship, etc. That was storge in action. Love for a family member. Would we have done these things for a stranger? Would we have taken someone in and tried to make it special to them? Perhaps. We've had a number of people live with us over the course of our marriage; but always, we embraced whoever lived with us as if they were family, because in the Body of Christ, that is what we are.
“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith,” (Gal. 6:10).
The meaning of family is being perverted and confused in our culture. The trend away from the traditional family will eventually unravel our society. With the proliferation of propaganda in support of homosexuality, lesbianism and gay "marriages" we are witnessing a major shift as the general population is being brainwashed into accepting, embracing and even celebrating that which is an abomination in the sight of a holy God. Girls and boys are increasing becoming confused about their gender. Transgender operations and procedures are being performed on children now. There is a day care in Charlotte, North Carolina in which children are not allowed to be addressed by gender at all. Christians are increasingly being ridiculed and persecuted for speaking out against these things. You don't agree with homosexuality? You will quickly be labeled as being homophobic or a bigot. According to a newsletter recently received from the Christian Action Network, our Department of Justice is requiring all of its employees to verbally embrace the homosexual agenda, even putting out a memo stating that "silence will be interpreted as disapproval".
So, children who are raised in a perverted family environment are in spiritual trouble. Who wants to believe something is wrong with having two daddies or two mommies who are loving them, treating them with kindness and meeting all their needs? This is not storge as God intended. Perhaps people are vulnerable to the spirit of perversion because they lacked the natural love of family, or storge.
Romans 1:31 and 2 Timothy 3:3 speak of a people who are "without natural affection". Please catch that. To be without natural affection is to be without the natural love of a mother or father, sister or brother. It's not the same as being with unnatural affection. Without NATURAL affection. In other words, there is a natural affection a mother should have for her unborn child. When that natural affection isn't there, a mother can abort her baby because the love that protects the child is absent. There's a natural affection we're to have for our family. When that is absent from a person's life, it leaves room for UNNATURAL affection to step in.
What is the root of so much gender confusion these days? One possible reason may be the disappointment a parent feels in the gender of their child. Perhaps a father was hoping for a son, but a daughter was born instead. What if the mother had been wanting a particular gender and was disappointed in the sex of her child? What we must realize is that spirits are real and they influence the spirit and soul of the unborn and the newborn. If the spirit of that child receives the message that they were the "wrong gender", they may instinctively begin to embrace that lie and reject their gender because they don't want to be a disappointment to its parents.
Satan's agenda against humanity is real. His time is short and he's out to destroy as many souls as he can. When God created man in His image and likeness, He did not make man homosexual because God is not homosexual. He made male and female because only a man and woman can be fruitful and multiply. Satan knows that two men or two women cannot reproduce. If everyone was "gay" the human race would cease to exist. Seeing that Satan wants to destroy human life, it would appear that his agenda is also to stop human life from coming into existence.
Do not be deceived. Hold fast to the Word of God as the plumb-line by which truth is measured and every lie uncovered. Although many families are dysfunctional and many people do not receive the love they need to be whole, God has adopted you into His family and He gives spiritual parents and spiritual brothers and sisters so that you can form bonds of relationships that will heal the wounds and fill the emptiness in your soul. You do not have to turn to perversion. If you have done so, you can repent and turn to God. He has the answer and longs for you to be delivered and for you to discover who He really created you to be. It's not too late. We have ministered to and seen God bring souls out of a perverted lifestyle. They are now living sanctified and satisfied lives. That can be your testimony too.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father,
I pray for the one reading this blog and who stands in need of your salvation, healing and deliverance. I pray that he or she will not justify their sin, but rather, will repent and ask for and receive Your mercy. May all the lies they have heard about You be exposed and may they know You for the loving God you truly are. May they come boldly before Your throne of grace and receive the help they need to become all that you've created them to be. Give them a personal experience with you whereby they learn how real and how close You are to them. Give them a thirst and hunger for truth that motivates them to read your Holy Bible every day and be nourished by the Words that proceed out of Your mouth. I pray for their life, both natural and spiritual. I pray that true love is poured out upon them and that they position their heart, mind and soul to receive that love and also to release true love to others. Dear Father, bless those who are desperately seeking and searching for You and who are open to being transformed into Your image and likeness. Restore them completely from the ravishes of a sinful lifestyle. Show them Your mighty power to change them into a new creation in Christ Jesus. Take away perverted lusts, desires and actions. Give them strength to sever relationships that have been unhealthy and that will lead their soul to eternal damnation and separation from You and all that is good. Cause their ears to be open to hear You when You speak. May they rightfully distinguish good from evil, right from wrong, truth from lies. And may they always choose that which is pleasing to You and liberating to them. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
