Latest / CCC West Covina / The X Factor in Motherhood

Transcript

The X Factor in Motherhood · CCC West Covina

0:00
120 years ago this month at a small church in Grafton, WV, in
0:07
an Episcopal Church, was a celebration of the very first
0:15
memorial to mothers. The woman who started everything
0:24
is named Anna Jarvis. She'd had a conversation with
0:30
her mother before she died and her mother said to her daughter
0:36
Anna, wouldn't it be nice if there was some memorial to
0:42
celebrate mothers every year? Three years after her mother
0:50
died in 19 O 5, Anna Jarvis had this celebration in the church
0:59
where her mother taught study school for for 20 years.
1:08
In 1910, W Virginia was the first state to celebrate
1:17
Mother's Day. In 1914, Woodrow Wilson declared
1:26
that the second Sunday in May should be deemed Mother's Day.
1:34
And so over 50 countries around the world are celebrating
1:41
mothers on this day simply because one woman and a Jarvis,
1:49
who, by the way never married and never had any children,
1:55
wanted to inaugurate a celebration on behalf of her
2:01
mother. But over the years, Anna Jarvis
2:08
became irritated at the amount of money that was spent on this
2:17
holiday, whether it be for cards, flowers or gifts.
2:26
In fact, before she died in 1948, she was arrested in New
2:34
York City for disturbing the peace because she was against
2:39
the Mother's Day celebration going on at that time.
2:47
She said these words. She said that she became
2:55
increasingly disturbed as a celebration turned into a reason
3:01
to sell greeting cards and other items.
3:04
She became known for berating people who purchased cards,
3:11
saying they were too lazy to write personal letters to the
3:15
woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world.
3:21
So if you bought a card for your mother and haven't given it to
3:24
her yet, you can go home and throw it away.
3:31
Cindy Mason, who is the director of the shrine in Grafton, WV,
3:38
said that Jarvis wished she would have never started the day
3:44
because it became so out of control.
3:50
Today, there's approximately $35 billion spent on mothers to
4:02
celebrate this day as compared to Father's Day where there's
4:07
only $22 billion spent. Not that we're getting gypped.
4:13
It's still in the billions, not millions, so that's a good
4:16
thing. But unfortunately, she and a
4:21
Jarvis became so upset because of the amount of money that was
4:28
spent to celebrate mothers. I I would like to inaugurate the
4:34
second Sunday of every month as Mother's Day, because I think
4:39
that Mother's Day is always a reminder of #1 the sovereignty
4:44
of God. That God and His sovereignty
4:49
designed specifically the womb in which you were conceived and
4:59
therefore gave you the mother He wanted you to have.
5:04
Think about that. My mom was not the perfect mom,
5:10
but my mom was the perfect mom for me because in God's
5:15
sovereignty, He designed her to nurture and to raise me.
5:21
And I'm so glad that He did. I truly am a a blessed son.
5:31
But when you think about Isaiah 66 and God says that I open and
5:36
close the womb, he tells Jeremiah and Jeremiah chapter
5:39
one verse #5 that in your mother's womb I formed you.
5:43
I designed you. I created you for a specific
5:46
purpose. Everything about what God does
5:49
has a purpose. And God designed your mom for
5:57
you. So every Mother's Day is a
5:59
reminder of the sovereignty of God.
6:03
It's a reminder of, of the joy of children.
6:08
For the Bible says in Psalm 127 that that children are a gift
6:13
from the Lord. Your children are a gift.
6:19
They're a blessing, not a burden.
6:22
And therefore Mother's Day is a reminder of the of the joy of
6:26
children. Mother's Day is, is a reminder
6:32
of the ministry of husbands, that they are to to nurture and
6:38
to care for your wives, that they are to be treated as your
6:41
most precious, as their most precious possession.
6:44
First, Peter 37 that every man is to look at his wife who is
6:49
heirs of the grace of God as the most prized possession that he
6:54
has. And so Mother's Day is a
6:57
reminder of the ministry of husbands to their wives who are
7:03
mothers, the joy of children, the sovereignty of God to
7:11
reminder of the responsibility of motherhood.
7:15
In Titus chapter 2, it says that that older women are to teach
7:19
younger women to love their husbands, to love their
7:22
children. Why?
7:25
Because they are lovers of God and the great responsibility of
7:29
the mother is to is to love God so she can love her husband and
7:34
love her children. But unfortunately, Mother's Day
7:39
is also a reminder of the depravity and the iniquity of
7:44
man. For the Bible says these words
7:47
in the book of Proverbs, the 30th chapter, 11th verse, there
7:53
there is a generation who curses their father and does not bless
8:01
their mother. That's a generation that that we
8:06
live in. We know that because Paul tells
8:10
us the second Timothy chapter 3, that in the last days men will
8:14
be lovers of themselves, not lovers of of God, lovers of
8:20
pleasure, and those men will be disobedient to parents.
8:25
I find it interesting that it's the men who are disobedient to
8:30
the parents. It doesn't say the children are,
8:32
it says the men are. And then in Romans chapter 1, it
8:39
says when God gives man over to his own sinful nature and his
8:43
own depravity, he gives them a reprobate mind.
8:49
And the men, not the children, but the men with the reprobate
8:53
mind are disobedient to their parents.
8:56
Do you know that the Bible emphasizes men being more
9:00
disobedient to their parents than children being disobedient
9:05
to their parents? We got that all mixed up today
9:09
in America. We think, well, you turned 18,
9:12
you're an adult, you're on your own, you can do whatever you
9:14
want no matter what your parents say.
9:16
Really, that's what your friends say, but that's not what your
9:20
Father in heaven says. Children ought to honor their
9:24
mother and father. That's why it's the 5th
9:26
commandment with the promise, and that's why it's the first
9:29
commandment given after the first four that determine your
9:34
relationship with the living God.
9:36
The very first place that is evidenced is how you honor and
9:40
esteem your mother and father. The very first evidence of your
9:46
love for God is your love for your mother and your father.
9:51
That's what the Lord says. Forget about what society says.
9:56
Forget about what your friends say.
9:57
What does the Bible say? And we live in an age where
10:01
there's a generation who curses their father and does not bless
10:06
their mother. Remember, it was the Lord who
10:10
condemned the Pharisees, the religious elite, because they
10:15
would not honor their mother and father.
10:20
It goes on to say in Proverbs chapter 30, these words, there
10:23
is a generation who is pure in their own eyes, yet is not
10:27
washed from their filthiness. What generation that is that?
10:30
That's the same generation that curses their father and does not
10:34
bless their mother. Then he says, and there is a
10:38
generation, oh, how lofty are their eyes, and their eyelids
10:45
are raised in arrogance. What generation is that?
10:49
Same generation he's characterizing the generation
10:53
that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
10:57
It's the foolish generation. And the fool of the book of
11:01
Proverbs is the unbeliever. It's the unbeliever who curses
11:05
their father. It's the unbeliever who does not
11:08
bless his mother. It's the unbeliever who lives in
11:10
disobedience to their parents, not the believer.
11:14
That's what the Bible says. And I kind of stick with what
11:18
the Bible says. I don't kind of stick.
11:21
I wholeheartedly stick to with what the Bible says.
11:25
And we all should do that in the Bible says these words.
11:30
In the book of Proverbs, Proverbs chapter 10 verse #1A
11:35
foolish son is grief to his mother.
11:42
In Proverbs 15 verse #20 it says a foolish man, not child.
11:52
A foolish man despises his mother.
12:00
That is, the fool has said in his heart, there is no God.
12:07
The fool says no to God. The fool in the book of Proverbs
12:12
is the unbeliever, not the believer.
12:15
And the fool despises his mother.
12:19
And the fool curses his father and does not bless his mother.
12:24
Proverbs 17 verse #25 says a foolish son is bitterness to her
12:35
who bore him. How's that?
12:41
And so on this Mother's Day celebrated in over 50, two
12:45
countries around the world, there's a lot of heartache in
12:51
the lives of mothers, a lot of pain in the lives of mothers
12:58
because of the depravity and iniquity of man.
13:03
But there's good news. And the good news is, is found
13:10
in in the excellent woman. And this morning I want to talk
13:17
to you about The X Factor in motherhood.
13:23
What is The X Factor? What, what is the, the, the
13:28
uniqueness about motherhood? What is it that makes motherhood
13:33
stand out? What is it that makes motherhood
13:38
so special? And through that grand
13:43
encouragement to every mother, every woman, and even every man
13:49
in the room, because you'll see where we all play a part in this
13:55
process. So if your Bible turn with me to
13:58
Proverbs chapter 31, Proverbs chapter 31, I'm not going to
14:03
read all the verses that deal with the virtuous woman.
14:08
I'm just going to read the last 7 verses, OK?
14:12
I don't have time in one service to cover all the verses, OK?
14:17
And I didn't want to drag it out over weeks and months, so I'm
14:21
going to put it all in one sermon.
14:24
Verse 25 Proverbs chapter 31 reads as follows.
14:32
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the
14:37
future. She opens her mouth and wisdom
14:40
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
14:44
She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat
14:48
the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless
14:52
her. Her husband also and he praises
14:55
her, saying Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them
14:58
all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is
15:02
vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
15:11
Give her the product of her hands and let her works praise
15:15
her in the gates. What is The X Factor in
15:25
motherhood? First of all, her character.
15:33
Her character is excellent. Verse 10, a promise 31 says an
15:42
excellent wife. Who can find?
15:45
That's the question. King Lemuel, excuse me, some
15:52
would say is just another name for King Solomon.
15:57
That might be true. If not, we don't necessarily
16:00
know who the king is. But when he writes this, he he
16:05
says that an excellent wife who can find?
16:09
Who can find a a virtuous woman, a unique and special wife.
16:15
And the word excellent in the Hebrew is the word that means
16:18
strong, spiritually strong. Who can find a spiritually
16:23
strong wife? He goes on to say this.
16:27
He says, for her worth is far above jewels.
16:39
The worth of a excellent wife goes way beyond any kind of
16:43
earthly possession. Excuse me?
16:47
You find a virtuous woman. You find an excellent wife.
16:56
You find someone who is unique, who is special.
17:02
And when you find her, she's more valuable to you than
17:06
anything you can buy on the planet.
17:10
She's more valuable to you than anything you can have on the
17:15
planet. She is far more valuable than
17:21
any earthly possession. So gentlemen, when you're, when
17:25
you're looking for a wife, you're looking for a spiritually
17:28
strong wife. Women, when you want to become a
17:32
wife, make sure you're spiritually strong.
17:37
You're right with the Lord because the Bible says who can
17:41
find this kind of woman? And then he goes on to describe
17:43
her. But her character is excellent.
17:47
Why? Because the Bible says she is.
17:51
Her strength and dignity are her clothing.
17:55
She's a spiritually strong woman.
17:59
She lives a life of integrity. And she wraps herself in this.
18:05
This is who she is. This is her character from the
18:09
inside out. She is a spiritually strong
18:12
woman who lives the life of integrity and she smiles at the
18:17
future that that's a, that's a unique woman who does that.
18:25
This is why her her character is so excellent.
18:30
It's because she trusts in the Providence of God.
18:34
She relies on the sovereignty of God.
18:38
She knows that as she in engages her family, as she raises her
18:43
children, as she loves her husband, that the future is in
18:48
God's hands, that her children are in God's hands.
18:54
So many times as mothers, we, we want to smother our our children
18:57
and, and we want to want to guide them and direct them and,
19:00
and rightly when they're in their house, you should do that.
19:02
But when they, they go off to college and they, and they get
19:05
married, you know, you got to trust the Lord to, to do a work
19:09
in their lives. You have no guarantee how
19:12
they're going to turn out, but you smile at the future because
19:18
you know the one who holds the future, that's the living God.
19:22
So you trust him and this, this excellent wife, this excellent
19:27
woman, this virtuous woman clothes herself in spiritual
19:34
strength and dignity, and she smiles at the future.
19:43
And you know that you are clothed in spiritual strength
19:46
and dignity when you can smile at the future.
19:49
In other words, she doesn't live a life of anxiety.
19:53
She she doesn't live a life of, of fear and trepidation, but she
19:58
lives a life of security because she smiles at the future.
20:03
She can't see the future. She doesn't know the future, but
20:09
she smiles at the future. Many of you know that when I was
20:13
growing up, my, my mother used to tell me, she goes, son, you
20:16
can play all the sports you want.
20:19
You can memorize all the statistics you want.
20:23
You can be the best coach around, but you're still going
20:27
to be a preacher. And I said, you got it all
20:32
wrong, mom. You have no hotline to God.
20:37
And she said to me one day, she says, you know, son, I am your
20:40
mother. And I said, yes, mom, I do know
20:44
that. And I do believe that God's
20:46
called you to preach. And although you don't know it
20:49
yet, one day you will know. And I had no idea how my mom
20:56
knew that she could not see the future.
20:59
She had no crystal ball to look into and say, I see my son
21:03
standing at Christ Community Church preaching the gospel
21:06
every week. She had no crystal ball, but she
21:09
just smiled at the future because she knew that God had a
21:13
plan for her son. She had only one son.
21:16
She had one right and she used to tell me I got one son, I'm
21:20
not going to mess him up. I only got 1.
21:25
And so she just trusted the Lord and believed in what God would
21:29
do. And you know what?
21:34
My mom was right. She was right.
21:38
She knew. She used to tell me when I
21:41
brought a young lady home from college one time she goes yet
21:44
that she's not the one. What?
21:47
How do you know that? That she's not the one.
21:50
All right, sure enough, she wasn't the one.
21:53
So a year later, about another, another young lady home from
21:56
from from college, she goes. Yeah, she's not the one either.
22:00
How do you how do you know that you know?
22:02
I don't even know that mom. How do you know that she goes?
22:05
I just know. Why?
22:07
Because she's your mom. She just knows.
22:12
I had to learn to, to trust my mom's instincts.
22:15
Intuition, call it whatever you want to call it.
22:19
Mother's intuition, I don't know.
22:21
But but she just knew. And I learned early on in
22:26
college and out of college that man, my mom was, was a lot wiser
22:31
than me, a lot brighter than me. She had life experience that I
22:35
didn't have. She had insight that I didn't
22:38
have. I had to learn to to trust my
22:42
mom. There's something about an
22:47
excellent wife, her character, it is excellent.
22:53
It's strong. But notice number 2, not just
22:57
her, her character, but her conversation.
23:02
Her conversation. If her character is excellent,
23:06
her conversation is exemplary. The X Factor in motherhood.
23:12
Listen to what it says. She opens her mouth in wisdom
23:17
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
23:22
Wow, what a what a statement. She has wisdom, she instructs
23:28
wisely. And wisdom, of course, is the
23:31
application of truth to life. And so she's she knows the truth
23:35
in order to grant wisdom to her children and to teach them.
23:42
And I know that the the father is the is the prophet and priest
23:46
of his home. But but mom, let me tell you
23:48
something. You become the major teacher in
23:52
your home. You do like my mom was like my
23:57
wife was to to our children because you're around them so
24:00
much. You become the impetus by which
24:02
you you teach and train your children.
24:06
That's why the Bible says over in in Proverbs, Proverbs chapter
24:12
chapter 6. These words chapter chapter 6
24:17
verse #20 My son, observe the commandment of your father and
24:20
do not forsake the teaching of your mother, your mother,
24:26
because your mother is a teacher.
24:29
Proverbs chapter 1, verse 8. Here my son, your father's
24:33
instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
24:37
Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and
24:41
ornaments about your neck. As a mother, you become such an
24:48
influence in the lives of your children, more so than than the
24:52
father, because the father's off to work.
24:55
He's he's providing for his home, he's protecting his home.
24:58
But as a mother, you are, you are home with your children.
25:01
You're invested into the life of your children.
25:03
You're teaching your children every single day.
25:05
You're building character into their lives.
25:09
So as you do that, you become the, the main teacher of their
25:14
lives because they're, they're catching what you do.
25:17
They're they're hearing what you say and you instruct them in
25:22
wisdom. It also says these words and the
25:27
teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
25:32
She's a kind teacher, a kind teacher.
25:37
She's the embodiment of Ephesians 429.
25:40
She doesn't let her wholesome words proceed out of her mouth.
25:42
She's the embodiment of Colossians 4 verse #6 her her,
25:45
her speeches is graceful, seasoned with salt.
25:50
It says over in the book of Proverbs chapter 23, these
25:57
words, Proverbs 23 it talks about, that's not the verse I
26:04
want. What is the verse I do want?
26:09
Ah, Proverbs chapter 15, verse 24.
26:12
Pleasant words are honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to
26:16
the bones. How delightful?
26:20
Verse 23 is a timely word. Verse 26 Pleasant words are pure
26:28
words. This is the the virtuous woman.
26:32
This is the The X Factor in motherhood.
26:35
Her conversation is exemplary. You want to model your
26:41
conversation after your mother's conversation because she speaks
26:45
wisely and teaches kindly #3 Her character is excellent, her
26:57
conversation exemplary, her concerns are extensive and
27:03
exhaustive. Extensive and exhaustive.
27:08
Look what it says in verse #27 she looks well to the ways of
27:13
her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
27:19
She's not lazy. The excellent woman, The X
27:23
Factor in in motherhood is the fact that she is not lazy.
27:28
Everything about her life is exhaustive, extensive, far
27:33
reaching. All.
27:34
All you have to do is read what this woman does.
27:38
I read it and I was exhausted. It says in verse 13 she looks
27:43
for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight.
27:48
It says that she brings her food from afar.
27:51
Verse 14 That means she has to travel far to the market to to
27:54
bring it back. Verse 15, she rises also while
27:58
it is still night. So before anybody else gets up,
28:02
the sun's not even up. She is up.
28:06
Verse 16 she considers the field and buys it from her earnings.
28:11
She plants a vineyard it says. Verse 17 she girds herself with
28:16
strength and makes her arm strong.
28:20
This is 1 beast of a woman. Think about it.
28:24
She makes her arm strong. I mean she doesn't have to go to
28:27
24 hour fitness. She doesn't have to go to any
28:29
kind of workout placement. She is working so hard, her arms
28:33
are strong and and then it says she senses that her gain is
28:38
good. Verse 18 and her lamp does not
28:41
go out at night. That that means she's she's
28:45
always in tune with what's happening.
28:47
Have you ever noticed that that when your kids wake up at night
28:50
and they and they they make a sound that the father wakes up
28:54
the next day and says, I didn't hear anything.
28:56
But the mother says you didn't hear, hear him.
28:58
You didn't see him when they came to the room.
29:00
No, man, I was I was fast asleep.
29:03
I didn't hear hear a thing. But the woman, Oh no, now she's
29:08
always on edge. She's always listening.
29:11
She's always aware of what's happening.
29:14
That's what makes them so unique, so unique.
29:18
And my, my kids, when they used to come into our room at night
29:21
because they would awake, they, they never went to my side of
29:23
the bed. They went to mom's side of the
29:26
bed. And today when my kids call,
29:29
they never call and ask for dad. They call and ask for mom.
29:33
They call mom's cell phone, right?
29:35
They'll call Dad's cell phone. They call Mom.
29:37
Why? Because Mom cares, that's why.
29:41
Mom listens. She's in tune, right?
29:46
That's because she is. Her light never goes out at
29:49
night. It says in verse 20.
29:50
She extends her hand to the poor.
29:52
She stretched out her hands to the needy.
29:54
Verse 21, she is not afraid of the snow for her household, for
29:59
all our household, our clothes, the scarlet.
30:00
Think about that. She's not afraid of the snow.
30:04
That is just so weird because they live in Israel.
30:10
When does it snow in the land of Israel?
30:12
As often as it snows in Southern California.
30:15
But see, this is what makes her so exceptional, so unique.
30:22
It snows all the time on top of Mount Hermon.
30:24
It's covered with snow 12 months a year, but the land of Israel
30:30
very rarely ever gets snow. The one year on our trip to
30:34
Israel, there was snow in Jerusalem.
30:36
Not a lot, but there was snow in Jerusalem.
30:39
But that's very, very rare. And that's what makes this mom
30:44
so unique is because she see she expects the unexpected.
30:49
That's what moms do. They live in expectation of that
30:54
which is unexpected. So when the unexpected comes,
30:59
she's already taking care of that which no one thought was
31:03
coming because she's not idle, she's not lazy, she's always on
31:10
guard, she's always awake, she's always alert.
31:15
That's what makes her so unique. That's what makes The X Factor
31:21
The X Factor. It's simply is because her
31:25
concerns are extensive and exhaustive.
31:32
It goes on to say these words in Proverbs 31, verse 24.
31:36
She makes linen garments and she sells them and supplies belts to
31:42
the tradesmen. When does this woman ever sleep?
31:46
When does she rest? She doesn't because she relishes
31:53
motherhood. She relishes being a wife, she
31:59
relishes her call and that's why she is so unique.
32:04
So her character excellent, her conversation exemplary, her
32:12
concerns extensive and exhaustive, her children
32:19
expressive. Look what it says, verse 28.
32:25
Her children rise up and bless her.
32:30
They rise up and bless her. Her husband also, and he praises
32:36
her. But her children, they rise up
32:42
and they bless her that they stand up and they honor their
32:49
mother. Her children are expressive.
32:54
I mean, after all, look at all the things she does for them.
32:57
She, she, she gives, she gives sacrificially of her life to
33:00
them. It's no wonder they rise up and
33:03
bless her. It says over in, in Proverbs 23
33:07
verse #22 these words, Proverbs 23 verse #22 Listen to your
33:15
father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is
33:21
old. Verse 25 let your father and
33:25
your mother be glad and let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
33:31
And then this is how the children respond to their
33:36
mother. I don't know where you are at
33:39
today and in your relationship with your mom, but but you need
33:42
to rise up and bless your mother, need to honor your
33:46
mother. You need to express gratitude to
33:48
your mother. Why?
33:50
Because in the sovereignty of God, she was the one God
33:55
designed for you. And some would say, well, you
33:59
know, you don't know my mom, but but think about it, reverse that
34:02
around you. You as a gift were designed for
34:06
her right? And her attitude towards you is
34:11
well, you gave me that kid. You could have give me another
34:13
kid, but no, as as a child, you should rise up and and bless
34:19
your mother, honor your mother and dads.
34:24
If if your children are not doing that, a lot of that falls
34:29
on you because you see you lead by example and you treat her as
34:36
a precious vessel in your home and you honor her as your wife
34:41
and you love her as your wife and your children.
34:44
Then then get a hold of that and realize my dad is doing this to
34:48
my mom. I need to rise up and bless her
34:50
as well. So if your children are not
34:53
doing that with your, your wife, look at your own life and ask
34:56
yourself, am I blessing her? Am I honoring her?
34:59
Am I praising her? Because that's the very next
35:04
phrase. Her husband also he praises her.
35:12
Her children expressive, Her concerns extensive and
35:19
exhaustive, her conversation exemplary.
35:24
Her character excellent. This is The X Factor in
35:31
motherhood. Her commendation.
35:35
Her commendation is exuberance. Listen to what it says.
35:40
Verse #29 Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them
35:45
all. You're the best.
35:47
You're queen of the mountain. You taught them all.
35:52
Now it says, I know it says that says her husband saying the word
35:55
saying is an italics because it's not necessarily her husband
35:59
who says this, but it's the children and the husband who
36:02
together commend her and say, many daughters have done nobody
36:07
but you, mom, you excel them all.
36:10
Many daughters have done nobody but you, my dear.
36:12
You excel them all. You're the best of the best.
36:15
It's exuberant, it's thrilling. I mean, we ought to be able to
36:22
yell with gratitude and, and, and grace and, and, and, and
36:26
great joy for the mother that God has given to us and say,
36:33
man, Mom, you excel them all. You're the best because God gave
36:37
you to me. You're the best.
36:40
And we ought to be rejoicing in the mother that God knows grace
36:48
has given us. Because if you don't, in
36:51
essence, you're saying to God, you didn't do your best.
36:54
God, you gave me kind of a little bit of a leftover.
36:59
She really wasn't that excellent.
37:03
And God never gives cheap gifts or bad gifts or weak gifts.
37:07
He just gives the best gifts. And He gave you your mom for
37:14
specifically for you and maybe for the only reason that you
37:19
would rise up and bless her and that you would say mom.
37:25
Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.
37:31
You're the best. That's her commendation, her
37:39
consecration. Her consecration is exalting and
37:43
extolling, for it says in verse #30 these words, Charm is
37:50
deceitful and beauty is vain. But a woman who fears the Lord,
37:56
she shall be praised. Her consecration, her commitment
38:02
is exalting. She exalts the Lord because she
38:07
lives in the fear of the Lord all day long.
38:10
That's that's why she can smile at the future.
38:14
That's why she can do all the things she does.
38:17
Just lives in the fear of the Lord, which is a which is a
38:20
synonym for salvation in the book of Proverbs.
38:24
She honors the Lord, she she glorifies the name, she worships
38:26
the Lord, she reveres the Lord. That's why she's praised,
38:32
because God is her number one, not her children, not her
38:36
husband, her God is #1 She realizes that all the outward
38:43
beauty comes and goes, but the fear of the Lord not staying
38:49
strong forever. And she lives in the fear of the
38:53
Lord all day long. The Bible says over in Proverbs
39:01
19 verse #23 these words, 19 verse #23 the fear of the Lord
39:12
leads to life, that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by
39:21
evil. That's why she can stay up late
39:25
at night and rise before the sun comes up and get all the sleep
39:31
she needs. Because she sleeps satisfied,
39:35
untouched by evil. Because she lives in the fear of
39:41
the Lord. The X Factor in motherhood, her
39:48
character exempt? Excellent, her conversation
39:54
exemplary, her concerns extensive and exhaustive.
39:58
Her children expressive, her commendation exuberant, her
40:04
consecration exalting and extolling.
40:10
Are you ready for this last one? Her compensation?
40:16
Chelsea's laughing at me because she typed it up.
40:20
Her compensation is extra terrestrial.
40:26
It's out of this world. It's beyond anything the world
40:31
can offer her. It's extraterrestrial.
40:36
That's her compensation. It says these words in verse 31.
40:42
Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise
40:46
her in the gates, the city gates and the celestial gates.
40:54
Remember Proverbs, Revelation 1413.
40:58
Blessed are those who die in the Lord, for they rest from their
41:03
laborers. And then it says, and their
41:07
deeds follow after them in the glory.
41:13
And here's this this this excellent wife, this one that's
41:17
hard to find her, her, her compensation is a glory.
41:24
She's not doing what she does for the love of her husband.
41:27
She's not doing what she does for the love of her children.
41:30
If they love her back, that's great, but she's not doing it
41:33
for that. She's doing it to honor the Lord
41:36
and glorify His name. She's doing it to hear those
41:38
words. Well done, thou good and
41:39
faithful servant. She does it to please the Lord,
41:41
to glorify His name. That's her motive.
41:43
That's her, her drive, that's her passion.
41:46
That's why her compensation is extraterrestrial.
41:50
It's out of this world. It's in glory.
41:53
That's why Hebrew 610 that says that the Lord is not unjust so
41:57
as to forget your work and your labor of love, which you do in
42:01
His name. God never forgets.
42:05
Romans 2, First Corinthians 4 tell us that one day God will
42:08
praise his own. She lives for that.
42:16
The X Factor Hey, let me give you a bonus one, OK?
42:21
It's an extra 1 you can take with you.
42:22
And then it's her companion, OK? Her companion is exhilarating,
42:31
thrilling companions. Her husband.
42:35
Look what it says. It says in verse #11 the heart
42:39
of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of
42:45
gain. He trusts her.
42:48
He believes in her. He supports her.
42:53
He, he, he motivates her as she buys the field and she sells the
42:57
field. As she works with her hands, her
42:59
arms become strong and, and probably she's stronger than he
43:02
is, but he's not intimidated by her strength.
43:05
He's he's exhilarated by her strength.
43:08
And, and she, he's known in the gates because of her.
43:13
His popularity is because of her.
43:15
He's not jealous of her. He's not sitting back saying
43:19
well you know what, you're getting all the glory.
43:20
I'm getting none of it. No, no, no.
43:21
He's behind her. He's supporting her.
43:24
He is there to be her number one fan.
43:28
Her companion is exhilarating. He is supporting her.
43:31
He is praying for her. He's encouraging her.
43:34
He is motivating her. She is.
43:36
He is behind her 100%. Goes on to say that she does him
43:42
good and not evil all the days of her life.
43:46
Wow, what a what a statement. She does him good and not evil
43:51
all the days of her life. That means she says good things
43:55
about him. She treats him well every day.
44:00
Says in verse 23 her husband is known in the gates when he sits
44:04
among the others of the land. Verse 28 her husband also, and
44:08
he praises her as her children praise her.
44:13
Her companion is exhilarating. Gentlemen, this is for you.
44:22
Is your wife motivated, moved along because of your support
44:31
and because of your encouragement in her life?
44:34
Are you, are you the one that, that that lifts her up and
44:38
praises her? Are you the one that, that that
44:42
helps her down her path of whatever way she may be going
44:47
that the Lord has LED her? When you come home from work,
44:50
are you saying, babe, you did a great job today with the kids?
44:53
Oh man, many daughters are have done nobody but babe, you excel
44:57
them all. You're the best.
45:01
And you come home and, and the house is a mess and, and the
45:04
kids are in disarray. And you come home and say, babe,
45:07
I'm here for you. I'm here to help clean up the
45:09
house. I'm here to help you take care
45:11
of the hey, let me bring in reservation or bring in dinner
45:14
for us tonight. Let's, let's do that.
45:16
Let me, let me take a load off. Babe, sit down.
45:18
I'll handle this because I'm here as your companion, as your
45:23
husband support you and to stimulate you and to motivate
45:25
you. And babe, I am here for you
45:28
100%. Or do you go home and say,
45:32
where's my hot meal? Why aren't the kids in order?
45:38
Why wasn't the schooling done? Who took him to practice today?
45:41
Why were you late? We can be those kind of guys.
45:46
That's not the kind of guy you need to be.
45:49
You need to be the husband that bears his wife, lifts her above
45:57
himself, esteems her. Because you see as you do that
46:05
your children are watching and they see dad is steaming, mom
46:13
protecting and providing for mom.
46:17
And they come along and they join in in the praise of their
46:23
mother because they realize what their father has done.
46:29
That is The X Factor in motherhood and that is the
46:35
reason you are so glad you came today.
46:39
Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for today.
46:42
We thank you for the joy of motherhood.
46:46
We thank you that as as fathers, we have our wives who are
46:53
mothers. We thank you as sons and
46:58
daughters, we have our mother. And we thank you, Lord, for your
47:04
provision. You are a great provider.
47:07
Lord, We thank you so very, very much.
47:12
Our prayer, Lord, today is that every mother in the room would
47:16
know you personally and live in the fear of the Lord all day
47:21
long, knowing that you are the God who controls the future so
47:25
that she can smile at the future.
47:30
We pray that the women of our church would be clothed with
47:35
strength and dignity and that Lord, they would be excellent
47:41
wives, and that Lord, you'd lead them each and every day.
47:46
And that as husbands, we would come alongside and we would lift
47:50
them, love them, esteem them, care for them, protect them as
47:58
only we can, and provide an example for our children so our
48:05
daughters will know this is the kind of wife I need to be.
48:10
This is the kind of man I need to marry.
48:13
And every son will know I need to marry that kind of woman.
48:18
And I need to be like my dad. We love you, Lord, we thank you
48:22
for today. In your name, Amen.