Motherhood and the Church

We'll call this a Mother's Day sermon. Tomorrow is Mother's Day, as you may have heard. There is virtually no word as near and dear to our hearts as the word mother. You may call her Mama, you may call her Mom, or you may call her Mother. My mother taught us to call her Mother. The community that I grew up in, and the culture generally across the South, is that you would call your mother Mama, Mama or Mother. Wanda's mother also taught her to call her Mother, Mother. I love the word Mother and all the implications that go with it.

Our mothers carry us in our bodies, their wombs for nine months, and bring us to birth. Then our mothers nurse us, nurture us, take care of us, respond to our needs day and night. Mothers have the greatest socializing influence on us for the first few years of our lives. They hold our hands for a short time and hold us in their hearts forever. How thankful are we for all of our mothers? I know for me one of the greatest motivating forces for seeking the kingdom of God is to see my mother again, to be with her, to be reunited, to rejoice with her. And I'm sure that all of you basically feel the same way. My mother was not in the church. Wanda's mother was not in the church, but they were what I would call virtuous women.

When the kings of Israel are listed in the Bible in virtually every case, the name of their mothers are listed. We'll look at two examples here. First of all, in 1 Kings 11.26, 1 Kings 11.26, and that would be Ahaz. Ahaz, 1 Kings 11 and verse 26. 1 And Jeroboam, the son of Nebat and Ephrathite, of Zerida, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zerua, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.

So, so often in the Bible, the mother of the king is listed. Now we go to 1 Kings 14.21. 1 Kings 14.21. Remember that Jeroboam was the first king of the northern kingdom after the kingdom was divided. So in 1 Kings 14 and verse 21, and Reoboam, the son of Solomon, reigned in Judah. Reoboam was 40 and one years old when he began to reign. He reigned 17 years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there, and his mother's name was Nehemah, an Amorites. Remember that Solomon had many strange wives, and his mother was an Amorites. Of course, Reoboam's reign was not successful, and neither was Jeroboam's. I just use that there as an example. In the Bible, you see the mother identified. It's not in every case, but in many cases in the Bible, the mother is identified of the king because the mother has such an influence on the first years of life. I've said many times that children learn methodology more rapidly than they do content or teaching and instructions. In other words, they learn to do things the way that their parents did things. They learn their methodology. If their parents were attentive, loving, and caring, then they will probably be loving and caring. If their parents kept a messy home, if the mother kept a messy home, they will probably keep a messy home. If their mothers were clean freaks, they would probably be clean freaks. If either of their parents was an alcoholic, there's a high probability that at least one of the children would be an alcoholic. Children tend to learn methodology the way we do things. My mother was not perfect. No human is, but she was, in the physical sense, the embodiment of a Proverbs 31 woman.

I thought I could never do my mother's funeral, but I did with God's help. The message was centered on Proverbs 31.10. Who can find a virtuous woman for her price as far above Rufus? My wife, Wanda, is the embodiment of the Proverbs 31 woman. And she has said that if she goes before I do, she wants me to do her funeral. I've also asked her to do my funeral if I go first.

And she has declined.

Her mother was a kind and loving person, so her daughters are the same way.

All mothers should take heed. Your children are learning to do things the way that they did things. Learning to do things the way that their mothers did. How have the mothers of the nation come to the point that they have come to? Regarding their willingness to abort the precious fruit of the womb.

Motherhood is such a high calling, as we shall see. It's virtually, it is in the top five, at least, callings of all callings to fulfill the role of mother. As we heard Roger say in the sermonette, her mother imparted a lot of wisdom to him. If it weren't for mothers, you wouldn't be here. Now, of course, they have invert and have mastered to some degree fertilizing a woman's ovum apart from the usual way, the way that God ordained in the Bible. Some people are having children by surrogates. One of the big news items this morning was one of the celebrities that they had just given, she and her husband had just received a new child from their surrogate mother, Kardashian.

So how the mothers of the nation come to the point they have come to regarding their willingness to abort the precious fruit of the womb? Ancient Israel oftentimes followed satanically-inspired paganism and sacrificed their children to pagan gods, which are no gods. So let's look at two examples here. In 2 Kings 16, if you're in 1 Kings still, go to 2 Kings 16 and verse 1.

2 Kings 16 and verse 1. You might think, well, this is so abominable, so cruel. But of course, as you know, I have in the notes later that we've come to the point now that they're talking about after an infant is born, for the mother and the doctor to jointly make a decision whether or not that child will live. In 2 Kings 16 verse 1, in the 17th year of Pecha, the son of Ramallah, Ahaz, the son of Jotham, king of Judah, began to reign. 20 years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem. And he did that, which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father. 21 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son, made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abomination of the nations, when the Lord cast out from whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.

Even Israel started practicing the way of the heathen that were around them. So go to 2 Chronicles 33 and verse 1. Here we see Manasseh. Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah. Remember the righteous reign of Hezekiah, the one who restored true worship in Jerusalem, his son. In 2 Chronicles 33 and verse 1, Manasseh was 20 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 55 years in Jerusalem. But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, likened to the abomination of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. Verse 6, and he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. Also he observed times and enchantments and witchcraft and dealt with a familiar spirit of demon and with wizards. He wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger. So you see, both in Israel and in Judah, that they even sacrifice the fruit of the womb to pagan gods. Millions of mothers have aborted the fruit of the womb for all kinds of personal desires. They did it so called to appease the gods. Now it seems that it is done as a matter of convenience or a matter of hiding shame or sin, as a matter of just not wanting the responsibility. We could go on and on with the reasons why a mother today might seek abortion and has been made into a political football, motherhood, the precious gift and role that God ordained from the creation that mothers would play such a vital role in the great transcendental purpose of God. And as I mentioned earlier, they are now discussing whether or not they would let a baby that has been born live or die.

They wrap their language in the false argument of a mother's reproductive right.

God and Christ are the authors of life in all forms, from the tiniest microscopic organism to human beings. They created humans in their own image for the great transcendental purpose of bringing sons and daughters to glory in the family of God. So God is the author of marriage. God is the author of family. God created us male and female, created he them. He ordained the reproductive process through the union of male and female. Very few women, perhaps none, who abort their fetuses know that they carry a potential son, daughter of God, in their womb. A potential son or daughter of God. Look at Psalm 127. Psalm 127. We get a glimpse here of how God views children because it is through human beings that God is bringing sons and daughters to glory. You see, especially in Old Testament times, women that were barren were like a disgrace. They sought earnestly to have a child, Abraham and Sarah, even though they had been given the promise, it seemed like they would not be able to have children. Eventually, Sarah was able to conceive, and Isaac was born. You know the story of Hannah, who was barren, and she dedicated the son. She said, I'll dedicate this son to you, O God, if you will give me a child. Samuel was born.

In Psalm 127 verse 2, well, I want to start in verse 3. Lo children are in heritage of the Lord. Heritage has to do with what you leave behind, what you can offer, and to see it as a heritage of the Lord. Having a child is counted as a great blessing, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. It is a great blessing. It is a reward from God that you can have children.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is a man that has his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gates. Blessed is everyone that fears the eternal that walks in his ways, for they shall eat the labor of their hands. Happy shall you be and shall be well with you. Your wife shall be a fruitful vine by the sides of your house. Your children, like olive plants, round about your table. Behold that thus shall the man be blessed that fears the Lord. Children are a great blessing from God. The apostle Paul, through the Holy Spirit, prophesied of the time that people would become lovers of themselves and lose natural affection. Let's notice those verses once again in 2 Timothy chapter 3. There's hardly any 2 Timothy chapter 3. There's hardly any verses in the Bible that more graphically describe our society today than these verses. If you were one of the great journalists of the land writing for the Washington Post, New York Times, the Washington Times, or any other newspaper on the face of the earth, you would hardly come up with a more graphic and more apt description of what is going on in this nation today, and for that matter, the Western world, than the words that are given here. In 2 Timothy 3.1, this note that in the last days perilous times shall come, and men shall be lovers of their own selves. And of course, when it says men, the Bible is basically written in the male gender, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't apply aptly to men and women, to mothers and fathers. For men shall be lovers of their own selves. Covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection. Just imagine that you're carrying precious life in your very body, and that you make a decision that you will end that life without natural affection. Truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despiser to those who are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such, turn away. That is a graphic description of what this nation has come to.

The virtuous woman, the virtuous mother, would readily lay down her life for her child. Children readily know, by our example, our methodology, whether you love them or not. Look at Hebrews chapter 6, and this might say, well, this is not the best example that you want to hear of, but really, because of failure to do this is one of the reasons why we have what we have in our nation today. In Hebrews chapter 6 verse 6, I said it wrong, it's Hebrews 12 verse 6.

I thought I corrected that last night, even wrote it down wrong, but in Hebrews 12 verse 6, For whom the Lord loves, he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives. Every son, not just son. And as I said, the Bible is written in masculine form, but it applies also to the female gender equally. Every daughter, if you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons and daughters. For what son or daughter is he whom the father chastens not?

If you are without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, everybody has needed it at one time or another, then are you illegitimate and not sons? And in the words, you're not loved the way you need to be loved. Remember that we follow methodology more than we do content, teaching, and instruction. Furthermore, we have had fathers of the flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much more be in subjection and the father of spirits and live? See, if you're without chastisement, then you are illegitimate. If God deals with his children in that way, are we more righteous than God? Do we have more wisdom than God? I don't think so. And so, as I said earlier, one of the reasons why we are where we are, because of the failure of mothers and fathers to discipline their children as they should. God loved the potential sons of God so much that he gave his only begotten son. And even people who care little about religion or God can quote John 3 16, The Son so loved us, He loved us so much that He gave His life to redeem us, so we could live forever. Let's look at Acts 20 and verse 28. I love the way that this verse is written and the all-encompassing nature of this verse in Acts 20 and verse 28.

Acts 20 and verse 28, Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, the church of God, as we shall talk about a little later, is figuratively our mother, to feed the church of God, whom he hath purchased with his own blood. The father gave all he could give, the son gave all that he could give. We are purchased with the very blood of Christ. Now Galatians chapter 6, I said that wrong too, in Galatians chapter 4 and verse 22. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 22, For it is written that Abraham had two sons, and of course those two sons, one by bondmaid, was Ishmael, when Abraham and Sarah was not able right off after the promise God had given them to have a son, they decided to work it out according to the flesh, and Abraham went along with Sarah's plan, the other by a free woman, and of course that is Sarah, that he who was of a bond woman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise. It was by promise and it was by faith, because Abraham and Sarah were passed away of childbearing, which things are an allegory for there are two covenants. So they represent the old and the new covenant. The one from the Mount Sinai, and of course God gave them the law, then they entered into the what we call the old covenant, which genders to bondage, which is Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, representing the old covenant. And this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, answers to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. Of course, they're in bondage. They have denied Jesus Christ, and to this day they are still looking for a Messiah to come. Jesus said, in his preaching and teaching, in his earthly ministry, that when one comes of his own name, him you will receive. But Jerusalem, which above, is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. Jerusalem above. Jerusalem and Zion are often equated in Scripture, as in Isaiah 2 and verse 4. For it is written, Rejoice, you barren, that bear not. Of course, Sarah was without a child for quite a long time before God permitted Abraham and Sarah to have a child conceived, and she brought forth Isaac. Break forth and cry then, that travails not. For the desolate, that is, the one that was barren, has many more children than she which has in husband, the earthly Jerusalem. The Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, is used figuratively for the church. Figuratively, we are nourished and nursed in the womb of the church until we are brought to birth. Let's look at Isaiah 66 and verse 7. Isaiah 66 and verse 7. In Isaiah 66 verse 7, before she travails, she brought forth. That's Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, the church of God, the Zion of God. You remember the Hebrews 12, for you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the church and general assembly of the firstborn. Before she travail, she brought forth. Before the pain came, she was delivered of a man-child who has heard of such a thing, who has seen such a thing. Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be born at once? See, we will be the holy nation. We're called the holy nation now in 1 Peter 2 verse 9.

For as soon as Zion travailed, see sometimes, as I said, Jerusalem and Zion are used interchangeably. As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause it to bring forth? says the Eternal. Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb? says the Eternal. Well, of course not. Rejoice you with Jerusalem, and be glad with her. All you that love her, rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her. Yes, that time is coming. The church will be in mourning, but the church will be born. Look at Psalm 87. What if God were to say, I am going to abort some of you, and I'm going to keep others. See, after we are begotten and in the womb of the church, God never aborts himself. We bring about the abortion. If we decide that we're going to go the other way, if we decide, as long as we are faithful and doing following God's way, he never aborts. But if we go the other way, you have aborted, in essence, yourself.

In Psalm 87, his foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than the dwellings of Jacob. Jacob usually represents the flesh. Zion, the spiritual side of things, glorious things of thee are spoken, O City of God. That is Zion. I will mention a Rahab and Babylon to them that know me. Behold, Philistea and Tyre with Ethiopia. This man was born there. Where? And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her, and the highest himself shall establish her. Of course, we have people that have been buried. Some have been burned. Some have been ashes have been scattered. Some have drowned at sea. And God knows those who are His, and the faithful will be born into the family of God. God the Father is the source of the Holy Spirit, and it is shed on us through Christ. Look at John 15. In John 15, we see this, that the Holy Spirit is that the Father is the source of the Holy Spirit. The great split in the Catholic Church, the reason why you have the Greek Orthodox Church and the Western Church or the Latin Church, was over this debate of the procession of the Holy Spirit.

The Catholic Church, the Latin Church, the one headquartered in Rome, argued that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, whereas the Greek Orthodox argued that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father.

Here we have the answer in John 15.26, but when the comforter has come, and in John 14.26, the comforter is identified as the Holy Spirit, but when the comforter of the Holy Spirit has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, it shall testify of me. Now you look at Acts 2 and verse 32. Now Christ plays some role in this. You see, if you use the analogy of the humans, the father engenders, then the child is in the womb of the mother, from which the fetus gains its nourishment through the placenta in Acts 2 and verse 32. Acts 2 and verse 32. Of course, here is Peter preaching his inspired sermon on the day of Pentecost.

I'll get there eventually.

In Acts 2 and verse 32. Then Jesus, this Jesus, hath God raised up whereunto you are all witnesses, therefore being by the right hand of God, exalted, having received of the Father, the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has shed forth this which you now see and hear. For David has not ascended unto the heavens, but he said himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit you on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus whom you sacrifice both Lord and Christ. Now go to Titus chapter 3. See, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. Jesus Christ plays a role in it, and just as in the human realm, both the Father and the Mother have a role to play, from engendering to being in the womb to bringing forth to nourishing and bringing up a child in the fear and admonition of God.

So in Titus chapter 3 and verse 4, we see this once again of being shed on us through Christ. But after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He shed, He God the Father shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Our spiritual lifeline is the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Of course, with a fetus in the womb, that lifeline is connected to the Mother via the placenta, and food and nourishment comes into the child. We are in our Mother, the Jerusalem above, the Mother of us all, and we are to be connected to the source of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. So let's go to John 15 and see if the Scripture bears this out. We're to be connected to Jesus Christ and to the Father. In John 15 verse 1, I am the true vine, and my Father is the husband. Every branch in me that bears not fruit, He takes away, and every branch that brings forth fruit, He purges it that it may bring forth more fruit. Now we are clean through the Word which I've spoken unto you.

Abide in me, and I in you, as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine. No more can you accept you abide in me. I am the vine, you're the branches. He that abides in me, and I in him. The same brings forth much fruit, for without you can do nothing. If a man abides not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit. If you do, you shall be my disciples. As a Father's love me, so I have loved you, continue you in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things have spoken unto you that you might have, that my joy might remain in you, and your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love have no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatsoever, I have commanded you. In the figurative sense, Christ is the placenta, it connects us to the Father, who is the source of the Holy Spirit. The ministry is admonished to feed Christ's limbs. Jesus admonished Peter three times in John 21, first of all asking the question, do you love me, Peter? You know, Lord, that I love you. Jesus' response, then feed my lambs. Peter admonishes the elders to feed the church of God, the Jerusalem above, the mother of us all. We would now go to 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 1. The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ. Of course, he was there as Christ went through the mock trial and the crucifixion, you know, even denying Christ three times before the cock crew.

But yet, on the day of Pentecost, preached that powerful message that we just read verses from in Acts chapter 2, and made a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed. Now that refers to he, Peter, James, and John were taken up to the mount of transfiguration, and they saw Jesus Christ coming in his glory. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for money, but of a ready mind. Neither as being lords over God's heritage, his children, children are in the heritage of the Lord, whereas God's children are potentially spirit-born children, taking the oversight over God's heritage, not as overlords, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away. Just as a side point here, Jesus Christ is the good shepherd. He says that in John 10, I give my life for the flock. He is the great shepherd, as in Psalm 23, who leads us to green pastures. God the Father is the chief shepherd who rewards us with a crown of life. He is the one that resurrected Jesus from the dead. He is the one that will quicken our mortal bodies, as it says in Romans 8-11. You shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away. Likewise, you younger submit yourselves unto the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

The above is what we've just covered here about being connected to Jesus Christ, being nourished and fed in the womb of the church, Jerusalem above, the mother of us all. It's one of the main reasons we say that the church is a spiritual organism and not just a physical organization.

In like manner as God and Christ love the church, parents, mothers, and fathers are admonished to bring up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Let's go now to Ephesians chapter 6. We quoted there in the scripture of the day the first two verses here we're going to read at least through verse 4 of Ephesians 6 and verse 1. Children obey your parents. Children obey your parents.

Of course, I was not perfect growing up, but I did strive basically in most everything to obey my parents. As I recall it, my mother only switched me. We didn't paddle. We didn't use the belt. We didn't use the whip, but we'd break off branches from trees. My mother switched me one time, and that was when I went, slipped off from the house. I was five years old, slipped off from the house and went to visit the neighbor. See, the first four and a half years of my life, it was just I was the only child for four and a half years, and I desperately wanted someone to play with. When you are out in the country and neighbors are, of course, some were near, but all of them were usually grandparents or aunts and uncles whose children had already left home, desperately wanted someone to play with, and I wanted somebody to play with. So when they told me that my brother had been born, I was thrilled. And at that time, generally, I was born at home on a cold, windy March night at the end of a dusty dirt road down in the cotton patch. A doctor did attend. How in the world have you got the word to the doctor? I don't know. I was a seven-dollar baby. That's what it cost to be delivery. Then, when my brother came along four and a half years later, Mother was taken to the clinic in town, and she was brought home in an ambulance.

Not because anything unusual happened, but that's just the way they started doing things. But I remember the morning after my brother was born, it was born on a Saturday, and I went over there on Sunday morning. They took me over there, and I was expecting, you know, a playmate.

And so they brought me into this room, and here was this little baby in this bassinet, and I was sorely disappointed. But my brother and I are still, of course, we had our ups and downs growing up, but we are very close even at this time.

Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

And you fathers, provoke not your children, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And of course, that applies equally to mothers. I want to focus on this word, nurture. Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Nurture is the Greek word pahidea, spell p-a-i-d-e-i-a, pahidea. Some just say padia, but it's pahidea. The whole training and education of children, which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose commands and admonitions, reprove and punishment. It also includes the training and care of the body. It includes correcting mistakes and curbing passions, instruction which aims at increasing virtue. So really, it is the training, the whole person, and mind, body, and spirit. The future of humankind resides in the minds and hearts of the mothers and fathers of the land.

You know the direction that the nation is going. You hear it. You see it every day. You see it. You hear it. You read about it. You know that it's there, and you hear all of the sad stories. Occasionally, you hear a heartwarming story. The future of humankind resides in the minds and hearts of the mothers and fathers of the land. Sadly, most will not heed. They will, or they already have, forsaken God and have forsaken the God-ordained role of perhaps one of the highest callings of all. Not perhaps, but it is one of the highest callings of all. That is, to bring forth children, prepare them to become sons and daughters of God. Let's note one of the most graphic prophecies in Scripture. Of course, in the land and time that we live in, if you were to read what I'm about to read, it's from the Bible. I didn't make it up. You would be severely castigated. You almost never hear this read in the Church of God, but what it focuses on, though it is written in one sense in a negative way, but it is in an exhortive way, an admonition, instead of doing this, do the right thing.

It is surely an end-time prophecy. And as Isaiah 3 will begin in verse 12.

As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. Why are women having to rule over the children? It is because, to a large degree, the fathers have forsaken their God-ordained role and sought greener pastors. Either that doesn't mean they've necessarily left home or are unfaithful. It is because they are not fulfilling their role that they are supposed to be the spiritual leaders of the household.

As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.

We haven't seen anything yet. We're at the beginning of a technological revolution. We're also at the beginning of a social revolution and a revolution in morals and a revolution in the conduct of all peoples, especially in the Western world, that we have not seen for a long time.

My people, they which lead you, cause you to err and destroy the way of your paths. And you just think about now, the men and women who are running for president have announced for president on the Democratic ticket and the things that they are saying.

Some of the things that they're saying you wouldn't have heard two years ago.

That's how rapidly it has gone. And then even some of the older people. Can you out-liberal the liberals? It will be quite the challenge. 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. Oh yes, the ultimate day is coming. There's no question about it. How long? I don't know how long. Noah labored on the ark for 120 years. As a result of his ministry, eight people got on the ark.

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof, for you have eaten up the vineyard and spoil of the poor as in your houses.

What mean you that you beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor says the eternal Lord God of hosts. Now on the one hand you hear that we're going to give everybody a guaranteed income, free health care, free college education, and it goes on and on and free. But there's really, you know, the wisdom of the ages. The wisdom of the ages is, according to the old story, there ain't no free lunch. Somebody has to pay. Moreover, the Lord said, because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretchforth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet.

Of course, as we have noted, I noted this in the sermon I gave at the feast this past year, the line about sex is the cash cow of Hollywood. Sex is the cash cow of the advertising world. It is unbelievable what has been done with sexuality, with men and women, and the distortion of their roles and where we are.

And yet here we said we have the opportunity to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Therefore, the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. 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 and the bracelets and the mufflers, the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets and earrings. That might apply to tattoos as well. You sit there and watch people go and come. Walmart or different places. And even the grandmothers, some with walking sticks, have their tattoos on their ankles and so on.

The rings and nose jewels, the changeable suits of apparel, the mantles and the wimples and the crisping pins, the glasses and the fine linen, the hoods and the veils. And it shall come to pass, and instead of a sweet smell there shall be stink. Instead of a girdle, a rent. Instead of well-set hair, baldness. Instead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth and burning instead of beauty. Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war. And her gate shall a-mit and mourn, and she, being desolate, shall sit upon the ground. Yeah, it is unpopular to read this, and you almost never hear it read.

And the reality of the time in which we live, I don't think there should be a chapter break here, and in that day, remember now that that expression in that day introduces a prophetic utterance. In view of that, and in that day, at the beginning of the millennium, seven women shall take hold of one man's saying. See, instead of the roles being reversed as they are being today, instead of the 1 Corinthians chapter 11, where it says that man is the head of woman and so on, and God is the head of Christ, there is a great revolution to reverse those roles.

We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel. We will not try to usurp and try to take on a role that God had not ordained for us. We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel, only let us be called by your name to take away our reproach. One man, one woman, and union together, and the twain shall become one flesh. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and calmly for them that are escaped of Israel, and it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.

When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the mist thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, and the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory shall be a defense.

And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime, from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. This is the Word of God. That's what the Bible says. And of course, in today's world, that is obviously not politically correct.

So God has called each one of us, mothers and fathers, to fulfill our God-ordained roles as mothers and fathers. We must not be among those described in Isaiah 3. If anyone is, you can repent. Hopefully that is not any of us. We want to be of those that are described in Isaiah 4.

And we will be there if we strive to overcome Satan's society and self. We can be more than conquerors. This is what it says in Romans 8. Romans 8, 31, says, of God before us who can be against us. Satan is against us. Society is against us. Continually we war against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, that is, self. But all of that can be overcome. In Romans 8, verse 37, Knowing all these things were more than conquerors through him that loved us, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Can we overcome? Can we fulfill our role as mothers, as fathers? Can you children get the vision and come to understand why you draw breath, why you were created? We are not playing church. This is real. This is the life that we have been called to. We are on every front, Christian soldiers. We are fighting for our very survival. And we all need to be on board. We need to be on fire as never before. We need to have the courage of Jeremiah. We need to be able to cry aloud, spare not, lift up our voice like a trumpet, and show Jacob and Israel their sins and transgressions.

So who can find a virtuous woman? You can read that description of the virtuous woman starting in Proverbs 31 and verse 11. Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above Ruby's. That's Proverbs 31 and 10. So, happy Mother's Day!