“For the Joy of the Lord is your Strength” Nehemiah 8:10

“ Mother's Are A Gift From God” by Pastor Fee Soliven Acts 2:16-17 Sunday Morning May 12, 2013

Acts 2: But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy...

Luke 1: Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in

my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."

46 And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.

50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever."

Proverbs 31: Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

Proverbs 31: Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: 29 "Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all." 30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

John 2: On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine.”

4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.

7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that

was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior.

You have kept the good wine until now!" 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

1. Eve

Genesis 2:18 18 And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

Genesis 2: And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

2. Sarah

Hebrews 11:11-12 (New Living Translation) 11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed* that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as

dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

Genesis 18:14 "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

3. Rebekah

Genesis 25: Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.

23 And the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger."

4. Eunice and Lois

2 Timothy 1:5-6 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 4:11 "I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths."

5. Hannah

1 Samuel 1: Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said,

"O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD." So they worshiped the LORD there.

Psalm 90: Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children. 17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Titus 2:3-5 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Psalm 126:5-6 (New Living Translation) 5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

1. They read and teach the Bible to their children the importance of God's Word to apply it in daily life!

2. They teach their children to pray by talking to the Lord with them.

3. They teach their children to trust God for every need.

4. They teach their children to obey God. Children first learn about obeying God by honoring their parents.

5. They teach their children to be forgiving. Through Christ forgiving us all at the cross.

6. They teach their children to be persistent. Mothers should say to their children over and over, "Don't give up. Don't quit, no matter what." Unless God gives you clear direction, don't leave a position or abandon a goal.

7. They teach their children to live by principle, not feelings. Since emotions are unreliable, they shouldn't let them dictate their actions or hinder them from doing God's will.

8. They teach their children to have a servant spirit. Teaching them to be a blessing to other's.

9. They teach their children to live an orderly life. "Remembering to look your best, do your best, and be your best

10. They teach their children to be an encourager. By encouraging and edifying others God will be glorified!

11. They teach their children to love unconditionally. Teaching them that God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life! John 3:16

“For the Joy of the Lord is your Strength” Nehemiah 8:10