"Adoption"

These are my notes from Apex this morning.
Romans 8: 12-17

This is Orphan Sunday.
Every disciple needs to be involved in orphan care.
Most cultures value widows and widowers but not orphans.
There are orphans all over the world. In the United States we have 150,000.
Nov 15th is a day in Washington to support a bill for legislation to stop Child Trafficking. 30 million children are forced into sex slavery.
Mentoring project...Big brother/Big Sister
SAYF..Special alternatives for youth and family. Apex holds a Christmas Party every year for these kids and it's a great way to become involved.
God has given us the spirit of adoption.

The spirit of adoption transforms our relationship with God by changing our identity toward God.

You are sons/daughters of God or you are an enemy.

The spirit of adoption:

1 Gives God's children a killer instinct toward sin

2 Frees his children from living out of devastating fear

3 Provides his children confidence of who they are. We are loved and honored like Christ is.

4 Infuses his children with blood bought tenacity.

Literal adoption is not for the faint of heart. It's not just the "cool and in thing to do" For some it is a long and expensive process.

Phil and Amber Wing talked about what they went through in order to adopt Silas from Ethiopia. Their testimony is a beautiful story of how when you are obedient to God, it may not be easy but it's a blessing. Phil wrote a song called "To Find You" about that journey..beautiful song..makes me tear up when I hear it.

So many ways to help the orphan,fatherless, and lonely...you just need to go out and get involved.