MOTHERHOOD 5-11-08AM
Text; Gen 3:20 “And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
Intro: today is the day we honor our mother’s. We are here because of them. We didn’t ask to be born, but aren’t we glad we were? Think of all we would have missed had we been unwanted and then aborted? Think of all the pleasures of motherhood our mom’s would have missed and all the tender loves of a mother we would not have experienced, if we had not been born.

Author unknown: Before I was a Mom I made and ate hot meals. I had unstained clothing. I had quiet conversations on the phone.
Before I was a Mom I slept as late as I wanted And never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth every single day.
Before I was a Mom I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies. Before I was a Mom I had never been Puked on, Pooped on, Spit on, Chewed on, Peed on. Or pinched by tiny fingers.
Before I was a Mom I had complete control of: My thoughts, My body, My mind. And I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom I never looked into Teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping Baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million Pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small Could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having
my heart walk around outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to Feed a hungry baby.
Before I was a Mom I didn't know that bond between a Mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small Could make me feel so important.
Before I was a Mom I had never gotten up in the middle
Of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known: The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment, Or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much...
BEFORE I was a Mom.

I. RESPONSIBILITY. As with most things, parenthood comes with great responsibility. Some mothers are equal to the challenges, others selfishly are not. Just bearing a child does not automatically make a woman a good mother. BUT, A good mother will begat daughters who will also become good mothers. It is generally true that like begats like, amen? What we learn in our homes as children will mold what we become as adults. Of course there are other things that also influence what we become, i.e. our relatives, education or lack of it, pier pressures, our environment, economic situation, and the influence of the Christian faith starting in childhood. It is urged therefore to:
Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Who is it that is most accountable for bringing up children properly? Is it the government? No, they do a lousy job in this area of teaching responsible citizenship. Why so, because they tell us we are not smart enough to manage ourselves and we need to let government do it for us. Congress is made up of lawyers whose job it is to support our constitution and pass laws upon the citizenry. The real reason that they won’t allow the Ten Commandments to be posted in a courthouse is this: You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians... It creates a
hostile work environment!
Is it our school system that is appointed to take over parental responsibility in teaching our children? No, public education now days for the most part takes in the lions share of local tax money for education of our children, but have failing grades for doing an acceptable job. Many teachers care not if kids get educated, what concerns them is only the salaries they receive. It does not take more money to educate our children well, but it takes more motivation on the part of our teachers cause children to want to learn!II. COMMITMENT. In committing to parents the training of their children, God has, in a very important sense, committed to them the formation of their future character, and he will hold the parents responsible for the influence they exert. There is no acceptable alternative to what CHILDREN LEARN from living is a GOOD HOME environment.
Other influences may add to that, or they may detract from it. But the MAJOR JOB of raising our KIDS falls on MOM AND DAD. Both parents contribute important things to their children. A single parent household is not as good as both male and female input. Studies have proved this absolutely true.
In today’s society far too much selfish parenting is spreading. Modern parents are increasingly becoming interested in one thing, themselves, and not doing what is BEST FOR THE CHILDREN! For proof, just consider all of the parents whom you know and see if there isn’t a pattern of pushing the kids off on someone or something else to raise them.
III. JOB DESCRIPTION. Parenting is a difficult and daunting job. What if we don’t do it right? Do we want a “can’t fail” solution to this fear? Here it is, Eph 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Col 3:21 “Fathers, provoke not your children [to anger], lest they be discouraged.”
Parent’s teach your children about the good things they won’t learn in the public education system. Namely: manners, morals, and motivation. Parents are expected to exhibit some maturity and better judgment because of having learned things the hard way. Perhaps we can spare our kids from making the same mistakes. Speaking of the aged women, we read Tit 2:4 “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,”
There are mother’s and dad’s out there who merely tolerate their children, they don’t love them. Paul describes to young preacher Timothy that in the last days perilous times will come. What he said was that people would be, 2Ti 3:3 “Without natural affection,... despisers of those that are good, 4 .....highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” This is where society lives today isn’t it?
What is this “natural affection?” It is that love of a man for a woman. A boy for a girl. Unnatural affection is love for the same sex.
It is also that built in genetic link to our offspring. The overwhelming desire to nurture them, care for their needs, and seek their good. But why then do some parents abdicate this genetic trait? Because of selfishness. Because it ties them down and doesn’t allow them to do other things which they lust for. Mothers have left their children at home alone while they visit the local bar. Some have had adulterous relationship right in the home while their children slept. When cornered they say, “Mommy isn’t doing anything wrong!”
The entertainment world has created a FANTASY life for viewers which distorts the actual realities of life. They depict the life of a swinger as fulfilling and glamourous, but it is neither. However those who follow that life style provide the program material of Jerry Springer, Dr. Phil and such. Society is all messed up with only two places to go... the judgment bar of God or the cross of Calvary.
Wrong is looked upon as right, and right is viewed as wrong. Isaiah warns them but they aren’t listening, Isa 5:20 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
He also concludes the results of their corruption of God’s laws, Isa 5:24 “Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Judgment is not long delayed!
Listen, People will never find a satisfying fulfillment in the worldly practices or at the sinful places where they are seeking it. The gambling casinos, race tracks, bars and lounges, and all dens where iniquity is practiced will destroy souls, lives, families, and futures. Judgment is on the way.
IV. NOW HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
1. People NEED to return to the basic values and morality that we KNOW TO BE RIGHT, and the searching after what is the REAL SOURCE of contentment in this world. That will lead them to a spiritual solution. That will lead them to the redeeming work of Jesus Christ as their Savior. That will lead them to possess the peace of God which passes all understanding. And that my friends will lead them to a good church which will support them in living the right kind of life and in bringing up their families in righteous living and encourage them forward in the faith of a Christian.
2. Here’ more good advice, in Php 2:4 “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” That is, don’t be selfish. Do not let your care and attention be wholly absorbed by your own concerns, but have proper care for the needs of our family. Show a tender interest for their happiness, and let their welfare lie near our heart. Have J-O-Y. Jesus first, others second, and yourselves last.
3. I haven’t forgotten this is mother’s day, but let me say a word to the children. Children do you want to have a better home life and live a long time? Or do you NOT want to reach old age? Here’s how to better yourselves, Eph 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
Even famous children had to be rebuked by their mothers, Thomas Edison's Mother said: "Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb. Now turn it off and get to bed!"
IV. DIVORCE IS A SIGN OF A DISORDERED SOCIETY. Why do homes break up? Many reasons. But in my mind at the root of them all is basically, selfishness and sinfulness.
The goal of a pleasant home life is SELFLESSNESS, AND SINLESSNESS. The family would benefit from this. Unless people start getting it right, there is little hope for the next generation. The basic rule for advancement in the good life is this, Lu 9:23 where Jesus, “said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Do you see it? Self denial.
For those of us who have had a REAL MOTHER and not some false pretense of one, hear this. It suits women to try harder to be what God sees than what man looks upon. (1 Sam. 16:7 “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”)
Mother’s what does God see in you today? Wives, are you an asset to your husband or a liability? Mother’s are you a good example to your offspring? The long list of a good woman’s assets which King Solomon in his Proverbs gives us which I listed alphabetically: She an Asset, Beautiful (inner beauty), Compassionate, Diligent, Entrepreneur, Fears the Lord. Good cook, Homemaker, Industrious, Joyful, Kind, Loyal, Model mother, Noble character, Organizer, Praiseworthy, Queenly, Resourceful, Skillful, Trustworthy, Understanding, Vigilant, Willing worker, eXceptional, Yielding, and Zealous.
The real beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is in the caring that she gives, The passion that she shows, The beauty of a woman with passing years-only grows! The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
If women knew ahead of time what all would be required in becoming a good woman, wife and mother, they may not have applied for the job with the words, “I Do!”
So you think you have a mean mother? ? Is she like
THE MEANEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD?
We of the older generation know what it means to have the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different than other kids had too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the "Child Labor Laws" but making us work around home. We had to wash the dishes, make beds, learn to cook, vacuum, do laundry, and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lay awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds, and life was really tough.
She wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. We never got drunk, took up smoking, stayed out all night, or a million other things other kids did.
Sundays were reserved for church, and we never missed once. We knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays.
Now that we have left home, we are all God-fearing, educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like our mom was.
The world just doesn't have enough mean moms anymore. Thank the Lord for this kind of a mean mom. If your mother is living, thank her for giving you birth.
If she was a good mother praise her for being a person who has earned being honored today. If your mother is deceased, it is too late to honor her, except her memory. Visit her grave site with flowers. Or sit quietly and reflect upon the days long ago when she was your light in the darkness; the strong shoulder you cried upon; the strong lap upon which you sat and felt the arms of love tightly hold you; the only one who could kiss away your hurt; or make a skinned knee all better.
There is only one greater than she. It is JESUS.