Mother

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. The telephones throughout the land will ring, as sons and daughters call their mothers to express their appreciation for the one who gave them birth. Washington Irving wrote, Your mother is your truest friend when trials heavy and sudden fall upon you, when adversity takes the place of prosperity, when friends who rejoice with you in your sunshine desert you, when trouble thickens around you, she will cling to you and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness and cause peace to return to your hearts. An anonymous author writes, No painter's brush nor poet's pen, Injustice to her fame, Has ever reached half high enough to write a mother's name.

Let's take the anachronym, make it into an anachronym, Mother, M-O-T-H-E-R.

Of course, in today's world, so many children, some people call their mother mama, some call them mum. In England, the word is mum, m-u-m, the way you would spell it, the way they pronounce it, but I always call my mother mother, and most of the people, when I grew up, call their mother's mama. But anyhow, mother, M-O-T-H-E-R. M is for the mercy she extends in the darkest times. O is for the ointment of love that soothes the soul. T is for the tears she sheds to save us. H is for the heart of purest gold.

E is for our eyes of kindness and understanding. R is for right, steering us with the right path of life. And here's a poem titled, Mother's Love. Her love is like an island in life's ocean, vast and wide, a peaceful, kind, quiet shelter from the wind, the rain, the tide.

Tis bound on the north by hope, by patience on the west, by tender counsel on the south and on the east by rest. Above it, like a beacon light, shine faith and truth and prayer, and through the changing scenes of life, I find a haven there.

In 1908, Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother. This was instrumental in beginning Mother's Day. It was held in Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which was attended by 407 children and mothers. The church has now become an international Mother's Day shrine. It is a tribute to all mothers and has been designated as a national historic landmark. She then began a campaign to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in the United States. It took six years. In 1914, Congress and the President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day an official day of commemoration on the second Sunday in May. Now, various observances had been resonated through the land at the local level before then. Julia Ward Howe was Samuel Ward's daughter who nominated Washington to serve as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

She is the one that wrote about, my eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. Julia Ward Howe attempts in the 1870 to establish a Mother's Day for peace. And then there were others who tried to establish a Mother's Day, but it only lasted for a while.

In the 1920s, Anna Jarvis was so disgusted by the commercialization of Mother's Day that she spent the rest of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. And of course, just about everything today, you know, is so commercialized. And with Mother having such an emotional string and attachment to everyone's heart, it's easy to exploit it.

But I don't think there's anything wrong with doing something special for mothers on Mother's Day. The importance of the role of our mothers in our lives is beyond our ability to describe and appreciate. There is a father's love and there is a mother's love. The love of both parents is vital and necessary, but the importance of the mother's love in the first years of life will, to a large degree, determine the future of every child. Let's say in the first six years of your life, 80 percent of your attitude toward learning and toward the culture is established.

So those first six years are so vital and so important. Fathers can be close to their children, but in some ways they will never be as close to their children as the mothers are. Even though the child inherits the genes and chromosomes of both parents, both father and mother, and in one sense we all come out of the loins of our parents because out of the father's loins comes the sperm and from the mother, the ovum, and they unite to engender that precious new life.

But it is the mother who carries that baby for nine months in her very body and from her body through the placenta the baby is nourished and cared for for that nine months. The mother is the first one to really love and care for the child, provide the kind of psychological feedback that the child needs.

I'll tell you recently about the fact that the early, well, the late 1800s, early 1900s, they found in these foundling homes that children were dying. The foundling homes were established mainly for the illegitimate children of the elite. It was quite, quite unaccepted for unwed mothers to bear children in this country, the 1800s, early 1900s, and many of them quietly gave their children up for adoption through foundling homes.

Those foundling homes, several of the children died, and they began to try to determine why. And they found out that in those homes where the children were not given the kind of love, care, and attention, especially human contact, those were the children that were dying. So it is today when that child is born, if they do the right thing, they immediately place that child on the mother's stomach, and they begin to have contact. And of course, I know different books will say different things.

I taught child growth and development at the college for quite a while. I've studied the subject for many years. It's been a few years since I've really studied it, but anyhow, as quickly as possible, then the child may be nursing and being held. And that child, of course, cannot really see clearly at first, but is what he sees first, for the most part, is that mother's face, that mother holds.

And whether you're feeding from the breast or feeding from the bottle, the child is gazing into your eyes, and you're gazing into his or hers, as the case may be. So it is the cues from another person, especially our mother, that gives us the sense of wanting to live and wanting to learn how to love. So one of the first things that mothers do for children is to provide the desire to live and to love. Child growth and development experts now know that the first thing that should happen as soon as the child is born is to provide the newborn with human contact.

And as I've already said, the child is placed on the mother's stomach, and as soon as possible, then as soon as the mother holds the baby, and able to nurse it, and so it goes. And no one can take the place of mother.

Not only do mothers bring us into the world, they are the first and foremost teachers, and they teach us the desire to live and to love and how to love. Let's go to 1 Kings chapter 14.

1 Kings chapter 14. When the kings of the Bible are listed, the names of the mothers are given, because the mothers play such a vital role in the shaping of that child's life, as we have noted in the first few years. I'm only going to read a couple of these. In 1 Kings 14 and verse 31. So often the mother of the child is noted. And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Nehemah and Ammonitis.

You remember that Solomon had the many wives and concubines, a total of a thousand, and no telling how many children he engendered. And it was Israelite and non-Israelite.

And Abadjum, his son, reigned in his stead. So here's a king of Judah who is Ammonite and Israelite. In chapter 15 and verse 20, chapter 15, no verse 2. Let's look at verse 2.

Three years reigned he in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Makah, the daughter of Abishalom. So there are many other places that list the name of the mother with regard to the various kings of Israel. The mother's name and reputation in Israel was reflected by the lives of their children. There's no greater responsibility than to be laid upon a person than to be the first teacher of potential sons and daughters of God in the kingdom of God.

Now we go to Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 8. Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 8.

In Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 8, Proverbs chapter 6 and verse 20. Proverbs chapter 6 and verse 20.

Proverbs chapter 6 and verse 20. Of course, the book of Proverbs is filled with various exhortations and admonitions with regard to our relationship with one another and especially with our children. In Proverbs chapter 6 and verse 20. My son, keep your father's commandment and forsake not the law of your mother. Mothers tend to worry. Fathers have a different kind of emotional makeup, and they don't seem to worry as much as mothers do. How many mothers have stayed up at night and waited for the son or daughter to return? How many mothers have offered up prayers and tears for sons and daughters throughout the centuries? If you were to be able to collect all the tears, I wonder how much it would fill. What containers it would fill?

So many tears have been shed, so much worry and concern. Look at Proverbs chapter 10.

In Proverbs chapter 10 and verse 1, the Proverbs of Solomon, a wise son makes a glad father, and a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. It's no matter how you want to word it or what you want to say, unless there's something wrong. You know, it says it talks about in 2 Timothy chapter 3, where it talks about in the latter times these various behaviors will be extant. One is without natural affection. We have seen in our time, especially the past generation and the present generation, we've seen mothers killing their children. We've seen children killing their mothers without that natural affection. But unless something goes awry in the minds of the mothers or the children, there will be this deep, deep bond. Let's go to Proverbs 15 and verse 20.

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother. If you want to cause your mother grief and stress, and one of the reasons why we have some of the diseases that we have and some of the illnesses that we have, and some of the, and they say that one out of ten Americans are on some kind of antidepressant, if we could just remove the stress from our mothers with regard to the behavior of the children, what a different world it would be. And the drug companies would make a lot less money. In Proverbs 19 and verse 26, he that wastes his father and chases away his mother is a son that causes shame and brings reproach. So to all of you young people out there, and I don't care what age you are, you may be three years old sitting here today, the admonition is ever to honor your father and mother that your days may be long upon the earth. There's a special blessing for honoring your parents. And what a wonderful thing it is. I believe it's a wonderful thing. Now, some want to talk about, well, they used to honor mothers way back in pagan times, sabbalia or whatever.

There's nothing wrong according to the Bible of honoring your father and your mother.

In Titus chapter 2, we see that women have a grave responsibility in teaching.

In Titus chapter 2, beginning in verse 1, But speak to things which become sound doctrine, that the aged men be sober, grave-temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in love, agape, in patience. The aged women likewise that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husband, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Now, if you were to read that today on the floor of name the convention or in congress or wherever else, what would happen? I mean, all the world would be up in arms.

What do you mean to be discreet, chaste keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands?

That the word of God be not blasphemed. So Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us some very specific instruction.

Let's go now to 1 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 9. We'll see more about this instruction.

In 1 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 9, in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel. Modest means well-orrained, seemly, modest. Modest has to do with being discreet. Modest has to do with understanding.

Apparently, people don't understand really what they're doing or doing what they're doing. They're not doing what they're doing. They're doing what they're doing. Apparently, people don't understand really what they're doing or, yet, on the other hand, yeah, they do. You see, when it comes to sexuality, women are more drawn to deeper affection with a man or with emotional ties, with chalk, with comforting. A lot of them say, well, I like a person that has a good sense of humor or whatever. To a large degree, a man is drawn sexually by sight and especially sight of the female body.

We have now a sex-saturated culture. You look at even these sitcoms that are aired in prime time on television. The underlying sort of innuendo in all of it is sex.

Those who control the fashion world, those who put the clothes on the racks in the department stores, and on and on it goes. It's very difficult, I know, to buy things that are modest, especially for the younger people. But the admonition from the Bible says in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel. And if you really respect and love the opposite sex, you will understand this. Now, the old King James says, with shame-facingness, and shame-facingness means a sense of shame or honor, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect. Realize what you're doing. Well, of course, some want it that way, as we'll see later. With shame-facingness and sobriety, not with braided hair or gold or perils or costly array, but which becomes women professing godliness with good works.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection, but I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. Now, one thing that was decided there is a study paper on the member's website about women's, the biblical roles of women. That paper was remanded to the Doctrine Committee for further study, and that will be one of the first priorities. Of course, with the Doctrine Committee, the former chairman, Mr. Barrett, he went off the council by choice, and so there will be a the committees will be reconstituted, there'll be a new chairman of the Doctrine Committee. For Adam was first formed, then Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Now, there is a difference in the psychological, emotional makeup between men and women with regard to what they are very strong at with regard to discernment and various other things.

Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith and charity and holiness and sobriety.

So mothers should teach their daughters how to dress modestly, help them understand and respect and regard others. The spirit of the times is directed toward appealing to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

If you go now to Proverbs chapter 30, we had a presentation at the GCE on the generations, the various differences between generations. And generations are different based on the spirit of the times and the culture of the times. They talk about the baby boomers.

They talk about ex-generation. Ex-generation are basically those that are born from somewhere around 1960 to about 1980, and then the millennials, the generation born from the 1980s up to 2000. And the differences between them and then trying to be able to understand the generations and how to tailor messages that might especially be relevant to various generations so you can reach them. I placed some stock in this, but basically human nature has not changed from the Garden of Eden to the present time.

It even writes, the Bible even talks about Elijah. It says, Elijah was subject to like passions as we are. This is in James, and he prayed, and the heavens were shut for three years.

Human nature. See, Elijah had the great showdown with the priest of Baal, and God performed a great miracle where fire consumed the offerings there.

And immediately, Elijah was fleeing for his life because he had heard Jezebel was out to kill him.

So human nature has not changed from the time that humans were created to the present time. They're subject to sin and death.

But there are various cultures and there are various mediums.

The world has never faced what we're facing today with regard to culture.

The mass media. The media has changed this nation, has corrupted this nation, because the media and the educational systems in the public schools, including the universities and all the way down through kindergarten, has taught a different agenda.

I read in a recent study that now in America, and I don't know how many studies are along these lines, that 49 percent of Americans now believe that homosexual marriage is okay.

And only 45 percent say that it's not okay. And of course, you've got that percentage out there that's non-committal. In Proverbs 30 verse 11, there's a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother. A generation that curses their father does not bless their mother.

There's a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet is not washed from their filthiness. Self-righteous. There's a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes and how their eyelids are lifted up. Oh, we are smarter. We are more intelligent. We know it all. There's a generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth as knives to devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among men. What you have today, you have all four of those descriptions prevalent in our times. The spirit of the times brings forth all of these characteristics that are described here. And we have the mass culture now through the media to disseminate this influence and this power and project it throughout the world. Our culture is in the midst of a revolution, and it has been for some time now, and by and large it is a sexual revolution in which the roles of men and women are not clearly defined, the difference between the genders are not clearly distinguished, and there's an attack on the family. And when you destroy the family, you destroy the very fabric of the society that which holds it together. We're living in a sex-saturated society in which the advertising world and the world of entertainment, including movies, television, music, print media, pitch their plots, their sick humor, the lyrics of the songs, the pictures, the commercials to sexual seduction, and they know what they are doing. I read a book back when I was teaching general psychology several years ago, 30-40 years ago, titled Sexual Ploitation. Sexploitation. So through sex, people are being exploited, and especially the youth. Now we go to 2 Peter, chapter 2. We'll see how to date the Bible is on that. I gave a little bit of a description there.

Let's see what the Apostle Peter was inspired to write about 2,000 years ago in 2 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9. 2 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9.

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation trials and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government dominion, presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, whereas angels which are greater in power and might having bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these as carnal brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things which they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness as they that counted pleasure to riot in the daytime, spots they are, blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings, while they feast with you. Now we get to the descriptive part that I was talking about that describes the culture of today, and of course it's been going on since the Garden of Eden to the present time. But far more prevalent today, having eyes of, a correct translation would be, the old King James says, having eyes full of adultery, whereas more accurate would be having the eyes of an adulteress. Just you can tell by the look on the face, having the eyes of an adulteress that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls, a heart they have exercised. The word means trained. They've been trained. They've been conditioned with covetous practices, having children of curse, which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bozar, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.

And so we see that prevalent in our culture today. The men used to be the aggressors, the seducers, and many still are. But now the women have been taught to be seductive, and young girls are made to feel like they're a failure if they don't have a boyfriend and engage in heavy petting and some kind of sexual behavior.

We have now a president who endorsed, just last week, over-the-counter morning-after pills to 15-year-old girls. We have schools that are handing out condoms to teenagers at government expense.

We have parents who are saying that it's okay for 14-year-olds to be sexually active.

Brother, I'm telling you, if you don't build that cocoon, that butterfly in the larva stage in the cocoon, you don't build that cocoon to protect precious lives of the precious ones that you're responsible for. You will pay a price. In Isaiah chapter 3, one of the things that we talked about when we were in our discussions with regard to a selection of a new president had to do with various comments, various council members made with regard to declaring the whole counsel of God.

Is there any part of the Bible you want to throw out? Is there any part of the Bible that you would be intimidated to preach, to teach, to bring forth? You might make some people feel uncomfortable.

In Isaiah chapter 3 verse 12, As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them, O my people, they which lead you cause you to err and destroy the way of your paths. The Eternal stands up to plead and stands to judge the people. The Eternal will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, those who are responsible, mothers and fathers. You're supposed to teach right from wrong. I've read from Titus. I've read from Timothy. You know what you're facing. You know that all these generations described in Proverbs 30 are extant in our society today. The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof. That's the leaders. For you have eaten up the vineyards, the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What means you that you beat my people to pieces and grind their faces to the poor, says the Lord God of Hosts. Moreover, the Eternal says, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes. So you read from 2 Peter 2, verse 14. Having the eyes of an adulteress, they walk with wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet.

Therefore the Eternal will smite with the scab, the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. The statistics with regard to what they call STDs in our population is absolutely staggering, sexually transmitted diseases.

In that day, the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their calls and their round tires like the moon, the chains, the bracelets, the mufflers, the bonnets, the ornaments, the rings, the nose jewels, changeable suits of apparel, the glasses, the fine linen, it shall come to pass, and instead of sweet smell there shall be stink. Instead of a girdle of rent, instead of well-set hair, boldness, instead of a stomach or a girding sackcloth and burning instead of beauty, your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty men in war, and her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground. You see, that is coming. Judgment is coming.

Of course, it doesn't have to come to your house if you follow God and do what He says to do.

There shouldn't be a chapter break, and in that day, in that day is a prophetic utterance that introduces the millennium, that transitional period between this age and the age to come, and in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying we will eat our own bread, wear our own apparel, only let us be called by your name to take away our reproach.

Of course, I know to read these scriptures, it's in the Bible, you know. It makes some want to feel your toes sort of come in like that, sort of curl in and sort of squirm, but it's in the book.

A church member who taught first grade students told me that one of her most difficult discipline problems, now this is first grade, this boy-girl, first graders, just about all of the cell phone texting, and now they call it sexting, and talking that youngsters do is directed toward boy-girl stuff. If you parents don't understand that, you are naive beyond description.

Parents seem to be oblivious to what children are doing, either they are oblivious or naive or both.

Oblivious means lacking awareness. Oblivious means I'm not aware of.

Naive means too willing to believe that someone is telling the truth, that people's intentions in general are good, or that life is simple and fair.

Don't be oblivious. Don't be naive. I believe with many of our parents they are aware they are not naive. They just don't want to fulfill their responsibility, exercise, conviction, commitment, and courage necessary to fulfill the office of that precious title, father, mother.

You know, when you come to services through the years of the Church, and I brought this up in a general session, or question and answer session, on Saturday night at the GCE, one of the ministers came to the podium, recently ordained, and says, as the Council Church given much thought to developing a manual for parents to teach them how to teach their children.

And really, there's no manual, per se, available, though there are various guides for Bible studies and Sabbath school lessons and that kind of thing. But you know, the first time I walked into services in the Field House in 1969, July, up there in the Field House, all these children around on quilts, pallets, boxes of cookies, plate toys, books, all of that stuff. This is 1969.

And what do we have? Is this a church picnic or what?

So you condition the children that church is not really for you. Now, church is for everybody.

For young, for old, for everybody, and everybody needs to be tuned in.

And parents need to teach their children to tune in.

As I've already mentioned, we've come to the point that ministers are intimidated by the people and afraid of being labeled as harsh, uncaring, unloving, self-righteous, and on and on we could go.

And I know in the past there have been many abuses by ministers, unfortunately.

I know that the church to me was plagued by a booklet titled, The Plain Truth About Child Rearing. But hopefully we have grown and understand some of these things more clearly now.

You know, I don't want to offend anyone, but I'm charged with declaring the whole Council of God and all of the ministry is. Paul said, I have not neglected to declare the whole Council of God.

You look at Ezekiel 2, you'll see. Remember that Ezekiel was commissioned to serve as a watchman for the house of Israel? Ezekiel, as a young man, was taken into captivity from Judah into Babylon and God inspired him to prophesy against Israel and Judah and to warn them.

And if prophecy has a dual nature, that is, living Word of God for that time and our time, we note in Ezekiel 2, he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon your feet and I will speak unto you and the Spirit entered into me when he spoke unto me and set me upon my feet that I heard him that spoke unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me unto this very day, for they are impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send you unto them, and you shall say unto them, Thus says the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, they are a rebellious house, yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them. And you, Son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be with you, and you do well among scorpions, be not afraid of their words, nor dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words unto them, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, for they are most rebellious. But you, Son of man, hear what I say unto you, be not you rebellious like that rebellious house, open your mouth, and eat that I give you. And when I look, behold, a hand was sent unto me, and lo, a roll of book was therein. And he spread it before me, and it was written within and with it out, and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and more. More were he said unto me, Son of man, eat that you find. Eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel. I opened him a mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he set him as a watchman to the house of Israel.

Do we have the voices crying out that need to cry out, or are we afraid? Some are afraid to cry out because people in the congregation might get upset. They might call the home office. They might complain about you. I'm not afraid of anybody in my life today. We stand in fear and trembling of one being, including Christ, you could say, two beings, stand in fear and trembling before God, Jesus Christ, and the Word of God.

Let's go now to 1 Samuel chapter 2. 1 Samuel chapter 1 is the most inspiring story of a woman named Hannah, a mother who was childless. She was married to a man named Elkanah. Elkanah had another wife. She had children, but Hannah was childless, and she was grieved over that. She prayed and poured out her heart to God that if she could become a mother, she would dedicate that child to the service of God when he was weaned.

And so God gave her Samuel, Samuel, one of the greatest men that God has ever raised up in the flesh, who served as a judge of Israel. Samuel brought, Hannah brought Samuel to the temple after he was or tabernacle after he was weaned. He was dedicated to the service of God. Now Eli, who was the high priest at that time, the judge of Israel, I misstated not high priest, but judge of Israel at that time, had sons who ministered before God, but his sons, you notice in chapter 2, verse 12, Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, in other words, the devil.

They knew not the eternal, and the priest's custom with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's service came, while the flesh was inseething with the flesh hook of three teeth in his hand.

It talks about what they did and how they corrupted the priesthood and themselves. You look at verse 17, Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the eternal, for men abhorred the offering of the eternal.

I'm having trouble here separating these pages.

Verse 18, But Samuel ministered before the eternal, being a child girded with a linen ephod.

Moreover, his mother made him a little coat and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

And Eli blessed Alkani and his wife, and said, The Lord give you seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord, that Samuel. And they went into their own home, and the Lord visited Hannah so that she conceived and bared three sons and two daughters, five more children.

And the child Samuel grew before the eternal. Now Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he said unto them, Why do you do these things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all of these people. Know, my sons, it is no good report that I hear you make the Lord's people to transgress. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him. But if a man shall sin against the eternal who shall entreat for him notwithstanding, they hearken not unto the voice of their father, because the eternal would slay them. But Eli, all he did was warn them.

He took no action. And then, in verse 29, Wherefore kick you at my sacrifice, my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourself fat with the chief of all the offerings of Israel my people.

Wherefore, the eternal God of Israel says, I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before me forever. But now, the eternal says, Be it far from me, for them that honor me I will honor, and them that despise me shall be likely esteemed.

Behold, the days come that I will cut off your arm in the arm of your father's house, and there shall not be an old man in your house.

You see, when we enter into that baptismal covenant, it says that we'll be able, and we are willing to forsake all, that we will not place any greater affection for anything greater than God. Any greater affection for anything than our affection for God. He who would come to me and be my disciples, to love less his father and mother, yea, even his own life.

And what about our children? As I've already quoted, we'll go to Exodus 20 now. Exodus 20.

Young people, as you sit here today, I read two weeks ago from a news article, this survey by Barna, in which he said, what's the main reason why the children leave the church? Number one was, God and Jesus Christ have not become relevant in their lives. They've not developed a relationship with God and Christ. You know, you need to start reading the Bible.

You need to start praying to God at an early age. Parents need to leave the way and teach them.

Father and mother.

None of us want to fall into the trap of Eli, where we place greater affection for the things of this world or even our own children than that of God. In Exodus chapter 20, that's where God, of course, the one who became Jesus Christ, thunders the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai. In Exodus 20, verse 12, honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Eternal, your God, gives you. And there are many scriptures in the Proverbs, we'll read one or two here, with regard to this Proverbs 20 and verse 20. Proverbs 20 and verse 20.

I just encourage all of you young people, if you have, and I can remember very vividly being three and four years old. I remember the day Pearl Harbor was bombed and it was announced on the radio that Sunday afternoon. And young people know a lot more than we think they know.

They understand a lot more than we think they understand.

And they can comprehend a lot more than some may give them credit for.

But eventually, regardless of your age, you're going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and have to give answer. In Proverbs 20 and verse 20, Whoso curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. There are all kinds of verses like similar to this throughout Proverbs with regard to the responsibility that children have toward their parents. Now we go to Ephesians chapter 6.

Paul is here in Ephesians chapter 6 giving responsibility of children and parents. And there's a like a reciprocal here.

In Ephesians chapter 6 verse 1, Children, obey your parents, and the Lord, for this is right.

Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise we just read from Exodus 20 verse 12. Oh, was the law done away with? No, the law was not done away with.

That it may be well with you that you may live long on the earth, and you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

We definitely need instruction on how to be parents in today's world.

I would imagine that parenting is one of the most experimental ventures that people enter into.

Because basically, unless we are taught differently, we're going to rear our children in the same way that we were reared because people learn method more than they do content. Now, if we look at the church as our mother in the spiritual sense, which the Bible says it is, look at Galatians back a page or two, chapter 4, you see that there is a parallel of what parents should do with their physical children the same kind of parallel exists with the church with regard to what the church should do with begotten sons and daughters. In Galatians chapter 4 and verse 26, "...but Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all.

For it is written to rejoice, you barren, that bear not." And this is a play on words back to the allegory of Hannah, not Hannah, but Hagar and Sarah. Hagar representing the Old Covenant, Sarah representing the New Covenant.

And of course, you remember that Sarah was barren until God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child in their old age. And that child was a child of faith and promise because both were passed for sure Sarah past the age of childbearing.

"...For it is written to rejoice, you barren, that bear not, break forth, and cry, you that travail not, for the desolate hath many more children than she which has a husband.

And you, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Why? Because we're in Christ Jesus and we're in the seed of Abraham through faith in Christ. And we're to be nourished and nurtured in that church. Now notice once again in Hebrews 12 to get that identity of Jerusalem above and Zion in the spiritual sense. Don't get lost here. We've talked about responsibility of parents with regard to their physical children. Now we're talking about, there's an analogy here with regard to the church and spiritual children that we're to nurture and nourish them spiritually.

In Hebrews 12 and verse 22, But you are coming to Mount Zion, under the city of the living God, theCalvinly Jerusalem, we just read in Galatians 4, 26, Jerusalem above the mother of us all, to innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men, made perfect. So our Heavenly Father has provided the church with a loving and self-sacrificing husband, Jesus Christ the righteous. We are espoused to Christ, 2 Corinthians 11, too.

Paul says, I've espoused you to one husband. Let's notice that, 2 Corinthians 11, too.

2 Corinthians 11 and verse 2. 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 2, I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

And we want to be present there for the marriage supper of the Lamb, and have on the right wedding garments. In Ephesians chapter 5, let's notice there, with regard to this husband, how does he behave toward us?

In light men or husbands, should behave toward their wife and the mother of their children, in the way that Christ behaves toward the church. In Ephesians 5 and verse 20, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God, wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husband, and everything husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it sacrificial blood. He gave his very life essence. So God the Father and Jesus Christ have raised up the church and the ministry to provide nourishment for the begotten sons and daughters. Now the begotten sons and daughters who are in the church and know the truth with regard to marriage and family and child rearing are supposed to prepare the minds and hearts of the children so that when the seed is sown in their lives, they'll be able to respond. It will germinate. It will grow.

And you know, as we talked about in the first part here today, the spirit of the times, the challenges that we're facing, the generations that are described in Proverbs chapter 30, and all the things that are extant in our society today.

You know, in John 21, just before Jesus ascended back to heaven, disciples had gone fishing. They thought, well, we'll go fishing. It looks like this thing's not going to work out.

And Jesus Christ appeared to them. They had a meal. Then Christ confronted Peter and said, Peter, do you love me? If you do, feed my sheep three times. Then in 1 Peter chapter 5, when Peter, later on in life, is writing to the elders, he said, I exhort the elders among you to feed the flock. Give them the spiritual nourishment that they need.

Now, brethren, we cannot force feed in the sense. All we can do is stand before you and try to declare the whole counsel of God. And one of the things in our society today, like with the government, is that we're going to give you everything that we possibly can.

And there seems to be no accountability or responsibility on your part. One of the things that happened in the Texas legislature this past week was, and there's a formula, that if this school district meets the criteria of, it's based on the income level of the parents, if it's in a certain bracket, then the school will provide free breakfast for the children.

John Tyler has been doing it in Tyler now for quite a long time.

So you can, we've come to the point to where it's like you're going to take care of every need of people without them having to respond and return.

Now, I know that there are various circumstances in which people are caught in very bad situations, and once you're caught in that cycle of poverty, how hard it is to get out of it, and all of that.

But at the same time, God expects us to respond to the message.

If we look at it in the human realm, if the mother ingests harmful elements into her body, the fetus suffers. For example, if the mother smokes, it disturbs potential oxygen supply to the fetus, and could, and oftentimes does, hinder development. If the mother drinks excessively, supposed to not drink at all, you could injure the nervous system of the child. If she fails to teach the child, it will be left to fend for himself when it comes to learning right from wrong. And virtually all the biological factors that apply to nourishing children in the physical sense apply spiritually. The Church is supposed to provide nourishment and spiritual direction for the little ones that find sanctuary in her womb.

And, brother, we're going to... I am dedicated to, and I hope we all are, of trying to supply that nourishment, that spiritual nourishment and direction, so that we will be able to try up over and overcome all of the obstacles that lie out there. Jesus Christ said, Be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. Jesus Christ has triumphed over Satan the devil, and he has given us that power.

Remember in the sermon a few weeks or months ago, I said, How many times a day did you just say, I have the power of God abiding in me? So each of us, and especially fathers and mothers, have a responsibility for serving the little ones in the Church of God.

There are some significant differences between a physical fetus and little ones in the Church, however. A physical fetus is totally dependent on the mother for its nourishment and sense of well-being. But each one of us, we have a direct link to the Father, and we can feast on the Word of God. And we're not dependent on anybody if we choose not to be. We all have that link. Through prayer, fasting, study, fellowship, regardless of what our spiritual mother does, our Father, God the Father, our husband, Jesus Christ, will never leave us nor forsake us.

And one of the great hallmarks of great mothers is their undying love and devotion to their children. Basically, mothers never forsake their children. Regardless of what they have done, they will say, I don't agree with what they've done, and I am so terribly sorry for it, but I still love them. And God the Father so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. He made the first move toward us, and we ought to love Him and one another in like manner.

I could sit here, stand here, whatever, this afternoon, and recount all the sacrifices that my precious mother made for our family. There's never been a person who was tougher in any way you want to name than my mother. And you could probably say the same thing about your mother. So we have before us a great responsibility, fathers and mothers. But this weekend, especially, we're focusing on mothers. And all of us can probably tell the stories of what our mothers did for us. Here is a mother's prayer.

A mother's prayer to finally share with you. Lord, govern their lives as You have mine. Touch them with Your sweet divine. Make them happy. Guide their paths. Tickle their funny bones. Let me hear their laughs. Dry the tears sliding down their faces. Hold their hands when the love heart races. Make them stand tall when the burdens are great. Prepare them to carry the loads of fate. Heal the hurts and sufferings of the Spirit. Make them listen until they hear it.

That sweet song of Yours that will touch their soul and carry them forward until they are old. Lord, let them see the meaning of life. Protect them from the evils of strife. Gently guide them in the path of Your ways. I pray, Lord, I pray for them every day. I know, Lord, I fell short many times in my guidance. There were times that I failed to guide them. The beauty that You have bestowed around me.

Take their hands and lead them forward. Give them strength to avoid the coward and evil ones that lurk about waiting to swallow them up and shout. The conquest of their gentle soul. Provide them the coin to pass the toll. Please make things right, Lord, once again to help them to see the meaning of a friend and the ones that hold them close to the heart with a mother that loves them never apart. You know the story in 1 Kings where the two mothers came before Solomon with a child, each one claiming the child was theirs.

And Solomon, in his wisdom, said, Bring me the sword and I'll give each mother a half. And the true mother cried out, Give it to her, give it to her. And Solomon, of course, gave it to the real mother. There can be no greater joy for a parent than to know that my child serves in the sanctuary of our great, loving Heavenly Father.

Hannah brought Samuel to the sanctuary. See, we have come not to a sanctuary made by hands, but we have come to a sanctuary not made by hands and the opportunity for eternal life in the kingdom of God. And just as earthly mothers brought us to birth, God the Father is going to bring us to birth. He's going to raise us from the dead. And we will shine as the stars of the firmament in heaven forever and ever in the kingdom of God. So let's honor our physical and spiritual mothers. We would never have seen the light of day, and we would never live in the light of our Heavenly Father if it had not been for our mothers.

One final scripture. Go to Proverbs 31, the virtuous woman, as they call it, chapter. In Proverbs 31, and notice the admonition here for us in this chapter, Proverbs 31, verse 28, Her children arise up and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but you excel them all. Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain. But a woman that fears the eternal, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates. So I hope all of you mothers have a wonderful Mother's Day.