The Importance of Mothers

 The vital importance of motherhood needs no confirmation because the very existence of each of us and any progress we may have made toward physical or emotional maturity is a living testimony to the essential nature of motherhood. Most of us could personally attest to and endorse old sayings such as, "God couldn't be everywhere, so he gave us mothers". Or, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." Or again, "Behind every great man stands a great woman." Down through the ages responsible Godly mothers have served mankind and have fulfilled God's eternal purpose for man as well.  Since all good is a gift that comes down to man from the Father in heaven, these qualities could also be described as divine qualities; especially those particular characteristics that obviously emulate the divine attributes of God.

It would seem significant that God's plan involves responsible mothers who have a primary responsibly in bringing up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The importance and influence of a mother's role as a primary care giver and loving guide of the children God entrusts to the home cannot be overstated. Many studies have confirmed that mothers  who take this responsibility seriously are by far the primary influence that can determine the direction of a child's life. The same studies reveal that a large percentage of this influence is exerted before the child is six years old. The mother often creates the environment and teaches the standards and values that ultimately determine a child's personality, character traits and future value judgements.

Of course, this is not recent news. Someone said long ago, "Virtues are learned at mother's knee - vices at some other joint." God inspired the wise man to say, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." History confirms the importance of responsible mothers in the formative years of a child. Sir Walter Scott's mother was well educated and a lover or poetry. George Washington's mother was a pure and good woman. The mother of Patrick Henry was very eloquent of speech. John and Charles Wesley's mother was intelligent, pious and full of organisational ability. Napoleon Bonaparte's mother was energetic and full of ambition. When asked what France needed most, Napoleon replied, "Godly mothers." Lord Bryon, the great infidel and agnostic poet, had a mother who was ill-tempered, proud and violent.

A mother's ministry of help includes a baby's first steps, first words, the mystery of shoe strings, and the magical world of pretend. There is a story told of a mother asking a pastor when she should begin teach her five year old about God. He replied, "Hurry home, you've lost five years already!"  

-Pastor John White

The Real Purpose of Life

 What is it to learn the humility of Christ? Perhaps it is to share not only His Cross and His Mission, but His world view as well. His "other worldly" outlook.

Our life should be Christ. He who made the universe and spoke the earth into existence, laid no claim to continuing temporal possessions while he lived in the flesh. He owned no bed upon which to lay His head. We may have a house, but only as a necessity and not as a desire to possess. It is said that birds from the arctic caged in the zoo always look northward. So we look heavenward, to our true home.

This world is not our home we're just passing through. We are only sojourners. Wayfaring pilgrims on a trek to a better land. We have a city whose builder and maker is God. Paul in his letter to the Philippians church compared our residence on planet earth to colonists whose citizenship is in heaven. Just as early colonists always had a deep longing for the motherland, so we who are eternal children of the eternal God long for our eternal home. He also spoke of our life here as heavenly ambassadors and as living letters of the love of God. Not until we live our life in light of this other world reality, will we have a sense of the humility our Saviour spoke of and possessed.

It was Paul who said, "For me to live is Christ." Real humility always entails a oneness of priority and purpose. This is why the analogy of being yoke-fellows with Christ is so apt. Those who have had the experience, as I have, of trying to get a team of unequally yoked horses to work together, know how frustrating and futile the effort can be. Normally they are of different temperament and lack unity of purpose. In order for them to work in tandem one of them must sublimate his will to the other. So it is with children of God who would labour together in humility and submission with Christ.

"ONLY ONE LIFE, 'TWILL SOON BE PAST,

ONLY WHAT'S DONE FOR CHRIST, WILL LAST!"

What Is Freedom’s Price?

On this weekend as Americans honour those who paid the supreme price for their freedoms, it is appropriate to remember that freedom never comes cheaply. Perhaps we should remember some of the immortal words spoken by patriots on the subject. One said, “Give me liberty, or give me death” Another said, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” Someone else stated. “It is better to die a free man on your feet, than to live as a slave on your knees.” Mann said, “No man escapes when freedom fails, the best men rot in filthy jails, and those who cried, ‘Appease! Appease!’ are killed by those they tried to please.”

I read a time back that over 200,000 Christian clergymen were killed for their faith in the former Soviet Union between 1917 and 1988. In addition, tens of millions of simple Christians died during this era as well. Let us never forget our forefathers who paid the ultimate price that we might be free of such religious repression and persecution. Let us also remember there is a continuing price to be paid in each generation if these precious freedoms purchased at such a high price are to be maintained and passed on.

But there is another sort of freedom that is even more precious and costly. It is the freedom our Savior spoke of when He said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free - If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.”

The price of this freedom has already been paid. It was purchased by the Father and Son at the most terrible cost. The ultimate sacrifice made by the Father and Son to procure our spiritual freedom is beyond the comprehension of the mortal mind. Yet, this incomprehensible freedom is offered to mankind absolutely free. Paul said:  “For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The spiritual freedom God offers to those who will repent and believe upon His Son is more than momentary and historical. It is eternal. When we are born again of His Spirit and become new creatures in Christ Jesus, we are justified by faith.

We are saved from:

The penalty of sin

The power of sin

The presence of sin

We are given eternal freedom from sin. We are  immediately saved from the penalty of sin. Daily we are being freed from the power of sin in our lives. When we are ushered into His presence eternally, we will be freed forever from the very presence of sin!

What does such spiritual liberty mean in a practical sense? God enjoined His Old Testament people to, “Proclaim liberty throughout the land.” Paul said to God’s New Testament people, “Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free...” And, “For brethren, ye have been called to liberty; only use not that liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”