Faith of a Mother: Shaping Destiny and Legacy

Devotional

Sermon Summary

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

THE MOST POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL FORCE ON EARTH TODAY IS THE FAITH OF A GODLY MOTHER. THE MOST POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL FORCE ON EARTH TODAY IS THE FAITH OF A GODLY MOTHER. AND I WANT YOU TO GET THAT IN YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR SOUL AS WE THINK ABOUT THE “VICTORY OF A MOTHER’S FAITH.” IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11, GOD LISTS ALL THE HEROES OF THE FAITH, AND IN THAT LIST IS A WOMAN WHOSE NAME IS JOCHEBED. NOW, YOU DON’T READ IT HERE; SHE’S JUST CALLED THE MOTHER OF MOSES. HER NAME IS JOCHEBED. IT LITERALLY MEANS, I LOOKED UP THE NAME. IT MEANS JEHOVAH IS GLORIOUS, AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME AND WHAT A WONDERFUL WOMAN WAS THE MOTHER, JOCHEBED. NOW, IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD SHE WAS JUST A HOPELESS, HELPLESS, HEBREW SLAVE DOWN IN EGYPT, BUT HER CLAIM TO FAME IS THAT SHE RAISED UP A SON WHO SHOOK THE WORLD. HER SON’S NAME WAS MOSES, AND THE BIBLE SAYS SHE DID IT BY FAITH. [00:04:02]

WHEN GOD HAS A BIG JOB TO DO, FAITH GETS THE ORDER. GOD SAYS IN HIS WORD, “ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH BE IT UNTO YOU.” NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FAME, NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FEELING, NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FORTUNE, NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FRIENDS, BUT ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH BE IT UNTO YOU. AND IF YOU’RE A MOTHER HERE TODAY, I WANT YOU TO LISTEN WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, AND I WANT THE PRAYER TO GOD TO RISE UP FROM YOUR HEART THIS WAY. [00:05:27]

NOW, THE WORD OF GOD IS FULL OF PROMISES TO MOTHERS. THE BIBLE SAYS IN VERSE 23 THAT, “MOSES’ PARENTS SAW THAT HE WAS A GOODLY CHILD.” NOW, SOME TRANSLATE THAT A BEAUTIFUL CHILD, A FAIR CHILD, A PROPER CHILD. AH, IT ALL MEANS THAT HE WAS A VERY FITTING AND A VERY SPECIAL CHILD, AND WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THEIR CHILD THEY DID NOT SEE HIM WITH ORDINARY EYES. EVERY MOTHER THINKS HER BABY IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT THIS GOES BEYOND THAT. IT, IT, UH, TAYLOR’S TRANSLATION, “THAT GOD HAD GIVEN THEM AN UNUSUAL CHILD.” THAT IS, THEY SAW THEIR CHILD THROUGH THE EYE OF FAITH AND THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD. [00:06:10]

NOW, NOBODY CAN HAVE FAITH APART FROM THE WORD OF GOD BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS, “FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.” AND SO, SOMEHOW, AS THEY SAW MOSES, AND AS THEY TOOK THE WORD OF GOD, GOD PUT THESE THINGS TOGETHER IN THE CRUCIBLE OF HIS LOVE AND, AND THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, AND GOD SAID THIS CHILD IS SPECIAL. YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE HAD PROPHESIED, AH, THAT THEY WOULD BE IN THE LAND FOR, THE LAND OF EGYPT, FOR 400 YEARS AND THEN GOD WOULD RAISE UP A LEADER TO LEAD THEM OUT. AND I BELIEVE WHEN THEY SAW THIS LITTLE BABY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD TOOK THE WORD OF GOD AND SAID, "HE IS THE ONE, HE’S THE ONE. HE IS SPECIAL. HE IS A BEAUTIFUL CHILD, A PROPER CHILD, A SPECIAL CHILD.” BUT NOW, LET ME SAY THIS ABOUT YOUR CHILD. EVERY CHILD OF GOD IS SPECIAL. EVERY CHILD OF GOD HAS A VERY WONDERFUL PLAN LAID OUT BY THE WILL AND THE PURPOSE OF GOD. NOT JUST MOSES, BUT EVERY CHILD. [00:07:05]

EVERY CHILD OF GOD IS SPECIAL. LET ME GIVE YOU MOTHERS A VERSE THAT MEANS MUCH TO JOYCE AND MYSELF. IT’S PSALM 112 VERSES ONE AND TWO, “PRAISE YE THE LORD. BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT FEARETH THE LORD, THAT DELIGHTETH GREATLY IN HIS COMMANDMENTS. HIS SEED,” THAT IS, HIS CHILDREN, HIS DESCENDANTS, “SHALL BE MIGHTY UPON EARTH; THE GENERATION OF THE UPRIGHT SHALL BE BLESSED.” I WANT TO BE UPRIGHT SO THAT MY CHILDREN WILL BE BLESSED. JOYCE IS A GODLY MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN ARE BLESSED. AND, AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WHEN GOD GIVES US THESE LITTLE CHILDREN, IS TO LOOK AT THOSE CHILDREN AND SAY, “GOD, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL, THEY ARE WONDERFUL, THEY ARE A GIFT FROM GOD.” [00:08:58]

FOLKS, THEY ARE A GIFT FROM GOD AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THEM AS A GREAT BUNDLE OF POTENTIALITY. THAT’S WHAT MOSES’ MOTHER AND FATHER DID. THEY SAW HE WAS A GOODLY CHILD, A PROPER CHILD. BUT THEY HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED. YOU KNOW, THERE’S AN OLD STORY OF A MAN WHO CAME TO A LITTLE VILLAGE. HE DROVE UP AND FOUND ONE OF THE VILLAGERS THERE AND HE SAID, “THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE VILLAGE. ANY GREAT MEN BORN HERE?” THE MAN SAID, “NO, JUST BABIES.” HA, HA, HA. NOBODY IS BORN A GREAT MAN; HE HAS TO BE MADE A GREAT MAN BY MAMA’S PRAYERS AND DADDY’S FAITH AND INSTRUCTION. [00:10:05]

NOT ONLY FAITH’S VISION, THEY SAW THAT HE WAS A GOODLY CHILD, A PROPER CHILD, BUT FAITH’S VENTURE THAT TURNS THE PROMISE INTO ACTION. THIS IS SO VERY IMPORTANT. IT’S NOT JUST ENOUGH FOR YOU TO SAY, “WELL, I’M GOING TO TRUST MY CHILD TO JESUS, AND I’M JUST GOING TO PRAY A PRAYER OVER MY BABY, AND THEN ALL WILL BE ALL RIGHT.” LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURE, “BY,” VERSE 23, “BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE WAS BORN, WAS HID THREE MONTHS OF HIS PARENTS.” NOW, I’M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE MORE OF THE BACKGROUND OF THAT IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT LOOK AT THE VERB, “HE WAS HID,” THAT IS, WHEN THEY HAD FAITH, THEY DID SOMETHING ABOUT THAT FAITH. TRUE FAITH, TRUE FAITH, LISTEN CAREFULLY, MUST HAVE ACTION IN IT OR IT IS NOT FAITH AT ALL. [00:10:54]

FOLKS, THAT IS NOT, THAT’S NOT FAITH, THAT’S FATALISM. THAT’S THE SAME THING AS SAYING, “WELL, I’M SICK. IF GOD WANTS TO HEAL ME, HE CAN HEAL ME. I’M NOT GOING TO THE DOCTOR.” YOU OUGHT TO GO TO THE DOCTOR UNLESS GOD TELLS YOU NOT TO. JESUS SAID, “THOSE WHO ARE SICK NEED A DOCTOR.” THAT’S WHAT JESUS SAID. AH, NOT THE WELL PEOPLE, SICK PEOPLE NEED A DOCTOR. YOU SAY, “WELL, I’M JUST GOING TO TRUST GOD TO FEED ME.” WELL, FINE. PRAY EVERY DAY; “GIVE ME TODAY MY DAILY BREAD.” BUT THE SAME BIBLE SAYS, “IF A MAN WON’T WORK, NEITHER SHOULD HE EAT.” THAT’S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. [00:13:04]

IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO BE MIGHTY FOR GOD YOU HAD BETTER GO TO WORK. MOSES’ MOTHER AND FATHER DID SOMETHING ABOUT LITTLE MOSES. LET ME GIVE YOU A VERSE. PROVERBS, CHAPTER 22 AND VERSE SIX, “TRAIN UP A CHILD, TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY THAT HE SHOULD GO AND, WHEN HE IS OLD, HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT.” IF YOU WERE TO LOOK UP TRAINING IN THE DICTIONARY YOU WOULD FIND IT, EH, TO BE, AH, DESCRIBED AS SOMETHING LIKE THIS: TRAINING IS TO PREPARE FOR A CONTEST, TO INSTRUCT BY EXERCISE, TO DRILL, TO FORM TO A PROPER SHAPE, TO DISCIPLINE FOR USE. NOW, THAT’S WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO WITH OUR CHILDREN. WE TRAIN THEM. [00:15:01]

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AND TEACHING. LISTEN, YOU CAN TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WHAT IS RIGHT, BUT IF YOU NEGLECT TO TRAIN YOUR CHILDREN, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL COME ALONE AND TEACH THEM SOMETHING ELSE. A CHILD, WHO IS TAUGHT THE WAY HE CAN GO, OR SHOULD GO, CAN HEAR OTHER TEACHING AND HE’LL DEPART. AND THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS A LOT OF TIMES. PEOPLE SAY, “WELL, I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT’S WRONG. WE’VE TOLD THEM RIGHT AND WRONG. WE’VE HAD THEM IN SUNDAY SCHOOL. WE TAUGHT THEM IN OUR HOME AND THEN THEY WENT OFF TO THE UNIVERSITY AND THEY JUST SEEMED TO REBEL AGAINST EVERYTHING.” YOU KNOW THAT WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU TAUGHT THEM, BUT YOU DID NOT TRAIN THEM. [00:17:03]

NOW, HERE’S THE THIRD THING. FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS FAITH’S, AH, VISION; IT GETS A WORD FROM GOD. IT GETS A PROMISE FROM GOD. IT GETS, IT, IT SEES THE CHILD AS A GIFT FROM GOD. IT STANDS ON THE WORD OF GOD THAT SAYS, “THE GENERATION OF THE UPRIGHT SHALL BE BLESSED.” AND THEN THAT, THAT, THAT, AH, VISION IS TURNED TO A VENTURE. YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. YOU PUT THAT FAITH INTO ACTION, MOMS AND DADS. AND THEN I LOVE THIS, FAITH’S VISION AND FAITH’S VENTURE RESULTS IN FAITH’S VALOR; THEY WERE NOT AFRAID. LOOK AT IT, LOOK AT IT IN VERSE 23, “BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE WAS BORN, WAS HID THREE MONTHS OF HIS PARENTS, BECAUSE THEY SAW HE WAS A PROPER CHILD, AND THEY WERE NOT AFRAID OF THE KING’S COMMANDMENT.” [00:18:20]

YES! YES! THE PEOPLE WHO OUGHT TO BE HAVING CHILDREN ABOVE ALL ARE GODLY PEOPLE. WE OUGHT TO BE RAISING UP IN THIS DAY AND IN THIS AGE A GODLY SEED, A GODLY GENERATION, TO STAND FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AND MOMS AND DADS, LISTEN TO YOUR PASTOR. DO NOT BE AFRAID. TAKE A POSITION OF FAITH FOR YOUR BOYS AND GIRLS. NOW, YOU CANNOT IMAGINE. YOU SAY, “BUT PASTOR, THESE ARE SUCH DESPERATE DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE.” WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DAYS WERE IN, WHEN LITTLE MOSES WAS BORN? THEY WERE SLAVES DOWN IN EGYPT. PHARAOH HAD SAID ALL THE LITTLE BOY BABIES ARE GOING TO BE KILLED. THEY WERE SEEMINGLY HELPLESS SLAVES. THOSE WERE DANGEROUS DAYS AND THESE ARE DANGEROUS DAYS. [00:19:25]

IT WOULD BE FAR BETTER FOR A CHILD NOT TO GO TO CHURCH AT ALL THAN TO GO TO A BIBLE-DOUBTING, CHRIST-DENYING, SO-CALLED CHRISTIAN CHURCH. THEY OUGHT NOT TO EVEN GO. AND I’M AMAZED AT, AT SOME PARENTS WHO DON’T EVEN WANT THEIR CHILDREN IN A BIBLE-PREACHING, CHRIST-HONORING, CONSERVATIVE, AND I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT POLITICALLY CONSERVATIVE, I’M TALKING ABOUT BIBLICALLY CONSERVATIVE CHURCH THAT TAKES A STAND FOR THE FAITH THAT WAS ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS. THERE ARE PARENTS WHO WILL SEND THEIR CHILDREN ACROSS THE NATION TO GET A GOOD EDUCATION, AND WILL NOT DRIVE ACROSS TOWN TO GET THEM IN A GOOD CHURCH. [00:21:11]

LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING. I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHY IS IT PERMISSIBLE TODAY TO HAVE EAR-SPLITTING ROCK MUSIC PLAYED DURING THE LUNCH HOUR IN THE CAFETERIA, BUT STUDENTS ARE NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO BOW THEIR HEAD VOLUNTARILY AND THANK GOD, AH, OVER THE P.A., AH, FOR THE FOOD? WHY IS IT THAT EVOLUTION CAN BE TAUGHT WHILE CREATIONISM CANNOT EVEN BE TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS? WELL, THEY SAY CREATIONISM IS RELIGION. WELL, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT EVOLUTION IS RELIGION IN REVERSE. IT IS TRYING TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING APART FROM GOD. WHY IS IT THAT AMORAL SEX EDUCATION CAN BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS? [00:23:06]

I’M TALKING ABOUT THESE DANGEROUS DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE. OUR SOCIETY IS PLEASURE MAD. LOOK AT WHAT THE BEVERAGE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY IS DOING. YOU JUST HAVE TO BACK OFF AND TAKE OFF YOUR HAT AND GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE. THEY’RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB OF SEDUCING OUR CHILDREN. THEY SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR ADVERTISING, AND THAT ADVERTISING, THOUGH THEY DENY IT, IS AIMED AT THE YOUTH, ESPECIALLY AT THE COLLEGE-AGE STUDENT. I READ SOMETHING THAT BROKE MY HEART. 95% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS DRINK BEER; 95%. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE BEER BARON SAYS? “WELL, THAT’S, THAT’S OKAY. TEACH THEM TO DRINK IN MODERATION.” [00:24:44]

MOSES’ PARENTS LOOKED PAST THE KING OF EGYPT TO THE KING OF KINGS. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] AND THE BIBLE SAYS, “AND THEY WERE [TAP] NOT [TAP] AFRAID OF THE KING’S COMMANDMENTS.” THERE WERE PERILOUS TIMES IN MOSES’ DAY. THESE ARE PERILOUS TIMES, BUT THANK GOD FOR MOTHERS AND FATHERS OF FAITH. FAITH’S VISION GETS A PROMISE FROM GOD. FAITH’S VENTURE BEGINS TO ACT UPON THAT. BUT, FAITH IS BELIEF WITH LEGS ON IT. FAITH’S VALOR; THEY WERE NOT AFRAID OF THE KING’S COMMANDMENT. [00:27:34]

GOD GAVE A VICTORY. GOD IS SO WONDERFUL. THAT’S THE REASON WE DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF THE DEVIL AND HIS CROWD. LISTEN TO ME, FOLKS. WHEN WE PRAY, WHEN WE BELIEVE GOD. GOD TOOK A LITTLE ARK AND MADE A BATTLESHIP OUT OF IT TO SINK OLD PHARAOH’S KINGDOM. ISN’T GOD WONDERFUL? IT’S FAITH, THOUGH. SHE WAS A WOMAN OF FAITH. THAT’S THE REASON SHE’S LISTED HERE. BY FAITH SHE DID THAT, BY FAITH SHE DID THAT, FOLKS. OH MAMAS, BELIEVE GOD. TRUST GOD. BE MOTHERS OF FAITH, DAY AFTER DAY, HERE A LITTLE, THERE A LITTLE, LINE UPON LINE, PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT. SHE IS TEACHING AND TRAINING THAT LITTLE BOY. [00:30:56]

NOW, NOTICE IN VERSE 24, “BY FAITH MOSES, WHEN HE WAS CALLED, WHEN HE WAS COME TO YEARS, REFUSED TO BE CALLED THE SON OF PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER.” THAT WOULD HAVE MADE HIM THE GRANDSON OF PHARAOH, NEXT IN LINE FOR THE KINGDOM. AH, THE BIBLE SAYS HE CHOOSE, “RATHER TO SUFFER AFFLICTION WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD THAN TO ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF SIN FOR A SEASON. ESTEEMING THE REPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER RICHES THAN THE TREASURES IN EGYPT; FOR HE HAD RESPECT UNTO THE RECOMPENSE OF THE REWARD. BY FAITH HE FORSOOK EGYPT, NOT FEARING THE WRATH OF THE KING.” [00:31:45]

MOSES HAD AN INCREDIBLE VALUE SYSTEM. NOW, HE COULD HAVE BEEN, HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE, THE KING OF ALL EGYPT; LITTLE MOSES. WHEN HE CAME TO YEARS HE WAS STANDING IN LINE TO BE THE NEXT PHARAOH. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS HE REFUSED IT. HE REFUSED POWER, POSSESSION, AND POSITION. WHY? BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO SUFFER AFFLICTION WITH THE CHILDREN OF GOD. WHY DID HE DO THAT? BECAUSE HE ESTEEMED THE REPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER TREASURE THAN ALL THE TREASURES OF EGYPT. NOW, HERE’S, HERE’S HOW HIS VALUE SYSTEM WORKED. NOW LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY. FIRST OF ALL, HE DID SOME ESTEEMING. [00:32:42]

NOW LISTEN TO ME. HIS MAMA PUT SOMETHING IN HIS HEART THAT ALL THOSE PROFESSORS COULD NOT TAKE AWAY. LISTEN TO ME. WHY? WHY? BECAUSE SHE HAD HIM, SHE TAUGHT HIM, SHE WAS A MAMA OF FAITH, AND HE ESTEEMED, HE CHOSE, AND HE REFUSED. YOU KNOW WHAT’S WRONG WITH A LOT OF PARENTS TODAY? YOU’RE SAYING, “NOW SON, DON’T DRINK; DAUGHTER, DON’T FORNICATE, DON’T USE DOPE, DON’T DO THIS, DON’T DO THAT.” WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN THEM THAT’S BETTER? [AUDIENCE: AMEN] WHAT HAVE YOU SHOWN THEM? YOU TRY AND TAKE A NASTY BONE AWAY FROM A DOG YOU’LL GET BIT, BUT YOU LAY A STEAK DOWN ON THE GROUND AND HE’LL DROP THAT BONE, WON’T HE? WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS SHOW THEM THE BEAUTY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. [00:34:51]

Ask a question about this sermon