Author: barbaramcox

I am the author of The Step-Father’s Step-Son. The book is available through Family Matters Publishing at www.stepfathersstepson.com and Amazon.com. The book covers subjects such as: adultery, family, relationships, and parenting. The book is written primarily for the first family and the children of the parents of the first family.

First adultery, then iniquity

“For the son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:56)

Many men probably believe that if they put their family back together that their life will be destroyed. In actuality, they have destroyed their life by moving in with their second spouse and becoming doers of iniquity. (Matthew 13:41-42) Adultery separates – it does not unite.

“There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” (Luke 13:28)

 

 

Joseph, Jesus’ step-father

“And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,…which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham…” (Luke 3:23-38)

So, Joseph was a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and he was chosen to be Jesus’ step-father for a very important purpose.

“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” (Luke 16:18)

“For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

“And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:33)

 

Power

Jesus said in Matthew 20:25-28, “Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Our leaders’ purpose is not to rule over the people, but instead to serve the people.

Jesus is calling…Jesus is waiting

Jesus was a step-father’s step-son himself. He knows all about the confusion that adultery causes within families. He knows that many children from the first family receive little to nothing when their parents die. He knows what it is like to have brothers and sisters from the second family that do not love their brothers and sisters from the first family – especially after they have inherited everything that belonged to the parents of the first family.

He tried hard to change this reverse perception of family, but the adulterers won. Today, more people than ever before are adulterers and adulteresses. As, the matter of fact, adultery is so prevelent that it has become our new normal. The first family is discarded like trash to make room for the second wife and her children. How can a parent walk away from their own children?  This is not love!

“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:50)

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

Are you willing to take up your cross and make your first family first again? If you are divorced and remarried, in most cases the second spouse knows that there is a first family. Surely they did not expect you to just walk away from your first family! If they did, I doubt that they really truly love you!

Love your children of the first family! Do not mistake selfishness for love! Save your first family!

God will bring Joseph back to the land of his fathers

Jesus tried during his life to describe the lost children of the house of Israel. (Matthew 15:24) Of the twelve sons of Jacob and their successive tribes, we can know that Joseph’s tribe is the most blessed of them all. Jacob said, “…They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.” (Genesis 49:21) Jacob also said to Joseph, “Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and again bring you again unto the land of your fathers.” (Genesis 48:21) It is time that the lost children of the house of Israel let Joseph’s tribe come home. It is time for us to put our first family first and our second family second!

Jesus said in Matthew 23:5-11, “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But  be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Titles such as Rabbi, Master, Father, Pastor, President, etc. encourage us to follow men and not Christ. Jesus is saying that we are all brothers and sisters – all equal. We are to serve each other with love. When we do serve each other with love, we will introduce ourselves by our name. We are to be ministers to each other.