Summary: - God's heart for the orphan (Ps. 68:5-6, Prov. 31:8-9, Isa. 1:17, James 1:27) - greek for "fatherless" means "orphan" - the hebrew word for orphan appears over 40 times in the old testament where God gives numerous instructions concerning their care. - open your heart to orphans (Ps. 10:14,17-18) - caring about orphans is a way to define your faith (James 1:27) - recognize your responsibility (Jeremiah 7:6-7, Matt 10:8, Ps. 68:5) - prevent children from becoming orphans (Isa. 1:17) - help them in practical ways (Deut. 10:18) - relieve their hurts (Matt. 25:35-36) - defend their rights (Deut. 24:17-18) - provide long-term solutions - accept orphans into families (Ps. 68:5-6) - Eph. 1:4-6 - never forget the church - Every orphan needs three things: they need a family, a church, and resources (Prov. 24:12, James 4:17) - pray for them, speak up for them, provide for their needs, support those who support them, protect them from harm, visit them where they are, give sacrificially to them, adopt them into your family
