We've learned a lot about fatherhood already, but what happens if you are fatherless? Or what happens if you know someone who's fatherless? Better yet, shall we not understand how God feels about the fatherless? because God has an agenda for the fatherless, and I want to show it to you. And the shock should be to us today that this is little known truth, but it must become known. I hope you'll share this teaching with as many people as possible, because when a child is without a father, he gets the special attention of God, and I want to show you how. Here we go. Ready? Get your pen and paper and make sure you jot these notes down. First of all, we need to realize that the fatherless are washed out for by God. Why does God wash out for the fatherless? Because their father didn't wash out for them. And the scripture comes along and says, a father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows is God in his holy habitation. We can talk about the widows some other time, but right now notice this, that God claims that if a person is without father, that he will fill in the gap somehow and function as a father to the fatherless. And I want to show you how. So the first thing we understand is that God watches out for the fatherless. The second thing God does in His agenda is He attaches the fatherless to families. Why? Why would God do that? Well, because their father deserted the family, and he deserted his responsibilities to father the children. So God comes along with this fatherless child and says, well, I got to do something. I care about this son or this daughter. So God says he sets the solitary, the single person, in families. Now watch this. Because this is an insight. Not only does God set solitary in families, but at the same time by doing this, look at this, He is bringing out those which are bound with chains. The fatherless have chains that other boys and girls do not have. But if people insist on being rebellious, it's not going to get any better. God attaches the fatherless to families. How else would fatherless children learn family? Only by being consistently placed in a family context. So he sets the single in families, not in singles ministries where a bunch of singles get together with singles. It's not what God does. That may be a human program, but it's not a Bible one. God puts the solitary, the single, in a family. Now, not only are they to be attached to family, but watch this, the followers are to receive special attention from each of us. Special attention from us. you. If you know somebody who's fatherless, God enlists you. He watches over the fatherless. He wants to place them in families and he wants you and I to give them special attention because they didn't get it from their father. Now there are 10 kinds of special attention mandated by the Heavenly Father. 10 kinds of special care that we are to give the fatherless. And in doing so, we're really cooperating with God and helping the fatherless. Because remember this, Jesus has no hands but your hands, as the poet said. If God's going to speak, it's going to be through your lips. If he's gonna hear the call for help, it's gonna be with your ears. Because the Bible teaches that we are workers together with God. God doesn't do it all, we don't do it all. It's a joint effort. And so God wants you and I to participate with him to give special care for the fathers. And there are 10 kinds of special care. Get your pencil, get your paper, jot them down. Number one. We are to defend the fatherless, defend them because they don't have a father who does. Look at this, defend the poor, defend the poor and the fatherless and do justice to the afflicted and the needy. Fatherlessness is an affliction as well as a great need. we must see to it that they are defended, that they get justice, that somebody sticks up for them, that somebody makes sure that they are not taken advantage of because they don't have a father filling that role. So God watches out for them, places them in family, and empowers us to help him defend the fatherless. And then we're to give them special help, I guess because their father didn't. The Lord relieveth the fatherless. This word relieve here just simply means help, helps the fatherless, but he's opposed to the wicked. And so we are to give special help. So whenever you know of somebody who's fatherless, you and I are to give special consideration to them. And then thirdly, we're to give them business protection because their father didn't provide it or didn't give them business instruction, didn't show them how to use their money and how to be financially astute. So he wants us to give business protection to the fatherless. Now, watch the scripture, because this is where we learn everything we need to learn. Enter not into the fields of the fatherless, for the Redeemer is mighty, and he shall plead their cause. Now watch this, because this instruction is given in the context of an agricultural society. And the fatherless were given fields, given fields, made financial provision so they could have produce. And no one was to take, to go into their fields and take the potatoes or the corn or the tomatoes or take any of the produce away from them. Don't enter into the fields. Don't mess with their ability to make money. Notice how God is on the side of the fatherless. Notice. For their Redeemer is mighty, and he shall plead their cause with you. If someone messes with the fatherless, God messes with them. Special care for the fatherless. Give them business protection. And then we're to help them make right decisions. Help them make right, why is that? Because their father didn't do it. Scripture says this, learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge, and here it is, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. It means to adjudicate for them. Teach them how to adjudicate. Teach them the basis for making wise decisions. They need to know the truth, they need knowledge, they need understanding, they need prudence. Teach adjudication skills for every area of life to the fatherless. Help them make right decisions. And then we're not to oppress the fatherless. They've already suffered enough oppression. Imagine, they've been deserted by a father. If you oppress not the fatherless, neither walk after other gods to your hurt, then will I cause you to dwell in this place. Now, I want you to catch the truth here. To oppress means to deceive, to cheat, to take advantage of. Don't use them. Don't take unfair advantage of them. They are vulnerable because they had no father, no protector. Now what's interesting about this, and it's significant, that our success and stability is related to whether or not we care for the fatherless. Look at the scripture. Then I will cause you to dwell. If you don't walk after other gods, if you don't oppress them, then I'll watch out for you, God saying. So it affects our relationship with God when we join him to make sure the fathers are not oppressed. Then we are to visit them. Visit, I love that word, visit. It's a warm word, isn't it? Visit. It means to spend meaningful time with them, probably because their father didn't. In fact, for sure he didn't because he's not there. Now, if you really want to know what religion, true, pure religion is, look at this. Pure religion and undefiled before God. Now, do you understand that religion can become defiled? It's become, I call it the industrialized church. It's a business. It's become defiled. But pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this. Now watch here now. to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Now, notice that they are afflicted. Fatherlessness is an affliction. Don't treat them the way the world treats them, that is, without care. Visit them. And this is really interesting because there are really three elements in this scripture. Notice God's priorities. Number one, the fatherless. Number two, the widows. And number three, he wants us to live a clean life, stay unspotted. Don't let the world influence how we treat the widows and how we treat the fatherless. So visit the fatherless. Then, do not depress or look down on the fatherless. Their father did enough of that, failing to respect and honor them. Imagine the hole in the heart of those whose fathers despised them, despised them enough to desert them. Oh, I know deserting fathers come up with all kinds of arguments to justify desertion. Don't believe them. By their absence, they have caused serious affliction on the children in spite of token appearances to clear their consciences or convince judges that they care." Imagine the affliction on children when their children are used even to get back at the mother. They become the battleground. What an affliction. Scripture says, you shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. No looking down on them. and then have good, clean fun with them. They didn't get a chance to have fun with a father. No playing catch, no trips to the beach. Scripture says, Thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God. Now watch this. Thou and thy son and thy daughter and the fatherless. Notice, the fatherless here are to be brought into the family context with our sons and daughters. So when you get together with your son and daughter, bring in a fatherless boy or girl. Make them part of the fun. And then give them good counsel, because their father didn't. Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger. Don't pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless. Don't mislead them. Don't allow them to be misled. One reason God established parents, and particularly fathers, is that they would have a prime advisor, one, that would be counseling them without some conflict of interest, trying to get something back. And then lastly, give them financial benefits. Now, when thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thy increase, the third year, which is the year of tithing. Now, I want you to notice a couple things here. I don't know how much you know about tithing. There's a plurality here. Now, when you finish this third year, I'll explain it in a minute, and you've given it to the Levite and to the stranger and to the fatherless, that they may eat within thy gates. Now, watch here now, because Israel had three tithes. There's a tithe that went to the synagogue or the temple, the tabernacle, that made for the operation of the church. The second tithe, you didn't bring it to the church or the tabernacle, the temple. You saved it in an account. And once a year, it paid for your trip to Israel, rather to Jerusalem, where you had a celebration for a whole week. The third tithe was only collected once every three years. Tithe means 10%. So it's like three and a third percent per year. And that is a tithe that's talking about here. It's a tithe that's used to feed the poor, help the fatherless, stranger. Notice now that when we do this, we use this money that they may eat. Now look where they're doing the eating. within thy gates, within thy gates. Now what we want to learn is how to break the fatherless cycle. When you know why you were born, you'll have a new appreciation for your true self. You will know your true purpose in life, and you'll know why you matter. Then you'll be equipped to choose a life path full of meaning and joy. Uncover the truth about you. Author David L. 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