The power of a mother is seen in her lifestyle. Motherhood not only changes the mother, but changes generations of family. Allow me a moment to expand on this concept a little further.
M – Model of Selflessness: Mothers hold a special place in the children’s hearts because they go out of their way to serve others and throughout our lives, they have put themselves last in order to put their children first. Consider the mother of 1 Kings 3 who stood before Solomon and choose the best interest over herself.
O – Obedience: From the beginning, Christian mothers uphold a standard of obedience in their teaching of the greatness and the faith their children must have in God. Take the example of the widow in 2 Kings 4 who followed the instruction of Elisha and was able to pay her debts and take care of her children.
T – Thankfulness: Christian mothers are a powerful example of the thankfulness to the Father. From the moment of birth, mothers begin to pray for their children. Consider Hannah, who, having her prayers answered, followed through and dedicated her son to the Lord.
H – Helping: Mothers have a special touch when being patient throughout their children’s lives as they mature. Lois and Eunice both took a helping hand in teaching Timothy about faith in God. (2 Timothy 1:5)
E – Extraordinary Living: Christian mothers set an example for their children to endure throughout generations. Remember the character of Elisabeth who was called “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in the commands and statues of the Lord.” (Luke 1:8)
R- Reflection of God’s Love: Jochabed was a true reflection of God’s love as she choose to protect her son from the hand of Pharaoh and to teach him his spiritual roots. (Exodus 2:1-15; Hebrew 11:25-28)
Just some thoughts,
Are you growing spiritually?
Would you like a calendar for May to help you in your spiritual growth?
This May 2024 “Activity Calendar” is one I put together for our congregation to help them grow spiritually during the month of May. You will notice there are various activities during each day of the month. These activities are a help to you as you are seeking to grow closer to God each day.
Here is a PDF link to the calendar so you can print on for your own study. Click the image to download the PDF file.
Do you check prices when you go grocery shopping? Do you read the sales to be sure the “deal” you are getting is a “deal?”
In 50 Secrets Your Grocer Won’t Tell You, Jeff Weidauer revealed that the 10-for-$10 is one of the most effective promotions. Sales volume takes off when a grocery store offers this option even though it’s not uncommon to charge the consumer more.
He explained how they’ll take 89-cent cans of tuna and flag them with a “10-for-$10” sign to increase sales. Shoppers will unwittingly pay the extra $1.10 because they think it’s a deal. Temptation works the same way. That which seems irresistible is costing us more than we think. (Reader’s Digest, February 2014, p.142)
Satan makes sin look wonderful, but the consequences are eternal punishment. Sin is made to look glamorous, but its wages are death. (Romans 6.23) No one is beyond of scope of being tempted by Satan. He will use every available means to pull you away. (Ephesians 6.11; 1 Peter 5.8)
Each Christian needs to strengthen themselves so we are not pulled away (James 1.14)
How can one continue to strengthen themselves against sin?
Here are a few suggestions on growing in Spiritual Strength:
- Surround yourself with people trying to get to heaven (Hebrews 10.24, 25)
- Spend time in the Bible (God’s words on avoiding sin) (1 Timothy 2.15)
- Communicate with God (Matthew 11.28-30; 1 Peter 5.7)
- Change your life to live for God if you have not (Acts 2.38)
Just some thoughts,
For thousands of years, people have searched for answers. Some are searching for the meaning of life, while others are searching for a simple answer to a simple question.
When we are searching for answers, where do you go? Google? A friend? The Bible?
When you have a Bible question, where do you look?
Dr. Malcolm Kendrick told an Eastern Tale that tells of the search for truth. *
A traveler passing through a village spotted a man on the ground, obviously searching for something. Wanting to help, the stranger stopped and asked what he was trying to find. The man explained he’d lost his key.
Together they searched through the dust and leaves for more than an hour but found nothing. The traveler asked the old man if he was sure the key had been lost in this area. The elder told his new friend, “Oh, no! I lost it in my house.”
Irritated by the waste of time, the traveler demanded, “Then why are we looking out here?” The wise man, who used such opportunities to teach others, replied, “Because out here the light is so much better for looking.”
*The Great Cholesterol Con, Malcolm Kendrick, 2007, p. 206
Many people look where they are comfortable instead of the place to find the genuine answers. God has provided us all things for life and godliness (2 Peter 1.3) and the words of the Bible are written so we may believe (John 20.31).
How much time are you spending searching the Bible for life’s answers?
Are you searching the Bible more than Google?
Just a thought,
The walls of the pit must have seemed higher than a building as it blocked out the sun while his brothers looked down at him. The only thing he had done was to share the dreams he had over the past few nights. His brother became furious at his interpretation of the dreams. His brothers disliked the more he obeyed his father. Now, he is in a pit… just waiting.
The next step would take him farther from home. His brothers ended up selling him to slave traders. He ended up being sold again to the captain of the military guard in Egypt. Now he was a servant in a foreign land far from home. In a short time, he went from being the most loved son of his father to being a servant in a God-less kingdom.
Even though he was in a foreign land, the Lord watched over him and brought him to a place of prominence in the empire. Long story short, he ended up in prison for doing what was right. His choice of the right thing ended up putting him in the wrong place.
How can a man stay true to who he is called to be when, at every height, there is a rocky bottom?
Whether a pit or a foreign prison, he was at the bottom again?
What do you do when everyone turns their back on you?
- Joseph stayed faithful. The Lord blessed Joseph in prison and each blessing brought him success. (Genesis 39.21-23)
- Joseph uses his abilities. Not only was Joseph faithful, but he used his gifts to bless those around him. (Genesis 40.1-15)
- Joseph remembered God. As God remembered Joseph, Joseph remembered the way God had blessed him and he looked into the future. (Genesis 41.50.52)
Just some thoughts,
