Mother's Day

Man, again, thank you so much for being here today. There's something that's really special about moments like this, and it's right for us to recognize this as a nation and culture, but the truth is, there's something about the mark of mom that makes a home, makes a church, makes a culture in such a way that God uniquely designed. When embodied, hear me now, when embodied, even imperfectly, leaves a lasting legacy. So let me tell you what my hopes are for the next few moments. I really sense that God was very clear to me this week, even in preparation. I wanna encourage all the women that are here today, all the ladies, not merely the moms. In general, I wanna speak some things to you that I hope you lay hold of, but to the moms and grandmoms and spiritual moms in the room to give you some specific encouragement. So all the dudes in the house, you don't get to check out, okay? What I wanna do, hopefully, is equip you in such a way that you might be a constant encouragement to the ladies that God has placed in your life. So you take really good notes, though, that you might take these things to heart, and when they're needed, you might rightly apply them to the hearts of the ladies that God has placed in your life. Now, I'm not a very good topical preacher,

to be honest with you. Most of the time, I like to lean into the text of Scripture, but today, I really am gonna give you five truths that's found in several different places in the Bible. So if you're a note taker, this is my gift to you, ladies, all right? Because I'm gonna give you five different principles and several different texts of Scripture. So here's the first thing that I would like to say, and honestly, I feel like God would like to say to everyone, but specifically to the ladies in this house, and if you'll believe this rightly, it'll bring about a comfort and joy that you can't imagine or fathom. Here's the first thing I would give you this Mother's Day. God sees you. God sees you in every season of your life. Every woman that is in this room, you will experience a myriad of seasons in life. To every mom, you'll experience several different seasons of motherhood. There'll be moments that you might think, I was made for this, and then there'll be moments that you'll say, I'm not gonna make it through this, right? Seasons of blessings that are received, others that brokenness is experienced. You're not the first woman that arrives at seasons like that. Hagar had a moment like this when she was coming unraveled.

You read the Scripture. I love the brutal honesty of the Bible, that she had no sense of security. You see in Genesis 16, it seemed like this season would cost her, even ultimately, her child. And what Hagar learned that we can learn and be reminded of this morning, is that when she felt unseen, she was fully seen. Listen to what it says in Genesis 16, 13. So she called the name of the Lord. After this moment where God's seen her in her desperate situation, she had been sent away, exiled, all by her own. It looks like death and destruction is all that lies ahead of her family line. Yet God meets her, speaks to her, gives her a promise, not just for her, but for her child. She declares on the other side of that moment. So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her. You are a God of seeing. For she said, truly, I have seen him who looks after me. Hagar's response in her hardest season of life. Something you might need right now, or you will for sure need one day, is this. Our God, somebody say hallelujah, is a God of seeing. Our God is a God that, listen, doesn't turn a blind eye. There's not a moment where you ever, and I say this specifically to the women of this house, and take that application as a mom or a grandmom, that God sees you.

Her response is this. I have seen him who is looking after me. This morning, ladies in general, hear this. Moms, specifically grandmoms, your strong, caring God sees you. In the hard seasons you wish that you could skip, he sees you. In the seasons where things are riding smooth, he sees you. The whole Bible confirms this principle. 2 Chronicles 16, nine says this. The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. There's a principle, and listen to me, there's a condition, and I would encourage you, and I am encouraging you, be the kind of woman, listen to me, whose eyes are on the Lord, who is continually seeking him. Listen, and the heart that's turned toward him. he sees. When the heart imperfectly is at least positioned practically, God sees you. I really think, listen to me, can I tell you what I've, the more I get to know God, this is part of why our vision is what it is, helping people find hope. Let me tell you what I think God is doing right now, He's helping people. Anybody grateful for that? That when God looks at the brokenness of humanity, He's not shocked or surprised by how messed up we are. Come on. But He's looking towards those that He might help. And I would just say this specifically to the ladies of this house, specifically to those that are in the throes of motherhood, or even in a new season of life where you've launched children, or maybe you're a, man, maybe you're a grandmother that's struggling with the adult decisions your kids are making. Somebody wants to say amen, right? God sees you. He sees exactly where you are, what you're dealing with, and listen to me, and even though we

can't skip hard seasons, God sees us in our hard seasons. He looks towards us and our brokenness, and He believes for us. So moms, again, in the throes of motherhood that are wearing the badge of food stains, right? Again, to those that maybe are in other seasons where you've launched children into life, and that's a whole nother feeling and sensation. Maybe for spiritual moms in this moment that you're a little discouraged about the disciples you made and the decisions that they're making, listen to me, He sees you. Rest in that, right? Step back and listen. Embrace this morning that you're seen by God. Second thing I would tell you, God sees you, and hallelujah, God hears you. God hears you. There's nothing like a praying person, like, period. And there's something that catches, there's something that catches the ear of the Father when He hears the prayers of His daughters. I'm just telling you, there's something about it. You let my sons cry out to me for help, and I'm gonna come running. You let my sons cry out to me, and they need someone to fight for them or with them in light of what they're facing, I'm gonna come and hear their cry. But you let Katie or Joy cry out, and I'm coming in a different manner. And what that doesn't reflect is something about me, it reflects something about God. And I would just say to the daughters of this house, no matter what age or season of life that you're in, listen to me, God hears you. He loves the tone and the tenor of your voice. He loves it. And there's something wildly attractive to God to the cries of His kids in general, but in specific, His daughters. That He hears you today. The Lord literally made many, many of you moms because of a cry that came from your heart. I want to speak specific to some here. Some here today are praying to become a mom. Some are not here today, but you're watching online because it's too hard to be here, been there. My wife would come up here and take the mic and tell you about those hard days. And I guess if I could say anything on behalf of the Father, I'll get me crying now, I would let you know that He hears you. He hears your cries. He sees your tears. You're not the first. You won't be the last that finds themselves in this season of your life. Matter of fact, Hannah gives us a picture in 1 Samuel chapter 1 verses 10

through 12, and I'll skip to verse 20. When she, it says of her, she was deeply distressed. And what did she do? She prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember and not forget your servant but will give to your servant a son. It's interesting how specific she got. Then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life and no razor shall touch his head. And as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth and Hannah was speaking in her heart, only her lips moved and her voice was not heard. She didn't have words anymore. You ever been that place in prayer where I got no words? Just barely get it out. Hannah was in that distraught, distressed place and she was coming before God and listen to me, in her Eyes were showing, listen to me, the reality of her prayers. She was weeping, she was wailing so much, so I'm skipping it. Eli thought she was drunk in the house of God. Pretty funny moment when he's like, girl, get out of here. Why have you come in here drunk? She goes, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not intoxicated, listen to me, I'm broken hearted. I'm letting out my guttural cry before God and Eli says, God, let me tell you, in that moment, Eli got it right. There's many moments Eli got it wrong. With his own sons, he got it wrong. But in this moment, he got it right and made a promise to her in light of the father's great ability to hear her that she would have a son.

And it says in verse 20, and in due time, Lord, let this be so for some ladies in this house. And in due time, Hannah conceived and bore a son and she called his name Samuel, for she said, I have asked for him from the Lord. It's awesome. I've asked for him, for Samuel, from the Lord. God heard Hannah's cry. She prayed for him and she also surrendered him to the Lord before he was even conceived. I'm gonna let you, here's a secret about prayer. God loves the kind of prayers that come with built in surrender. Hey, like God, this is from you and ultimately, this is for you. That's true. Listen, that should be the heart cry of every family. God, this whole family is from you and this whole family is for you. And I would just say to the ladies in the house that might have a hard time believing and the enemy is sure lying to you, I just wanna remind you, he hears you. To our praying mamas, grandmamas, don't just stop at conception, pray through to completion. God hears the prayers of his daughters for their children, for their future families. God hears you, in light of him hearing you, give him no rest. Here's some good news, women,

you can't wear God out with words. Let him loose. All that's in your heart, let him have them because he actually hears and cares. Nothing quite like the power of a praying mama. And to on behalf, listen to me, on behalf of those that have received the prayers of that praying great-grandmama, I would encourage those of us that know that we stand on the other side of those that have received the blessing of having a praying mama and grandmama, look them in the eyes and say thank you. For every investment they made into the kingdom of God. So listen to me, God sees you, God hears you, and here's some really good news in light of that, God will help you. If you're here today, ladies in the house in general, this is true for anyone, but I'm specifically thinking God just wants to speak and encourage some moms and grandmoms. This is layered and tethered to those first two truths, but needs to be freshly believed. A God that sees and a God that hears, he also longs to help. I wanna encourage you from God's word right now, listen to me, to some young ladies in here that are not yet married, to those that find yourself trying to find your footing in marriage,

to those that are trying to make the most out of being a mom and just barely feel like you're making it, to those that are adjusting to a new season with kids out of the house, listen, to those that are raising grandkids in a way that you didn't expect, hear me on behalf of him, God will help you. From his word, I want you to get this prophetic picture, Isaiah 40, I love this passage of scripture. I found it this week as I was studying. Isaiah 40, verse 11, it says, he, speaking of God, gathers the lambs in his arms and he carries them close to his heart. Is that not awesome? That he carries us, it's a picture to Israel, but this is a picture of who God is in his nature, that he carries them close to his heart and then he gently leads those that have young. I want you to think about it. So what the Bible is telling us specifically, I would encourage moms, grandmoms, is God loves to carry us to carry you as you care for them. That God never sent you out on a solo mission to do it on your own. God says, let me help you as you help them. Let me lead you as you lead them. Now, I do wanna say, just as an encouragement, there's a built-in condition here.

You gotta be willing to receive some help. it's it's hard listen to me to help someone that won't allow themselves to be helped you know one of the most dangerous jobs out there is a lifeguard you know why it's not because you you're dealing with water per se is that you're dealing with people and and one of the things they teach the lifeguards is you almost have to kill them to help them because when somebody's drowned in that they will drown you so they teach the aggressive nature of rescuing then you know if you ever see this play out I hope you don't you but man dude he's up a little bit like no they realize this to me that those that need help don't always recognize it so I asked for a second specifically mama's grandmama's ladies in this house embrace the fact that you need help God loves to care for those listen to me that know they need care God loves to help those that will embrace his help that's the whole premise of the Bible God's not looking for self-made men and women God's not looking for just strong in themselves moms and grandmoms he's looking for those that will be dependent 2nd Corinthians 12 9 says this each time he said my grace is all you need that was a moment where Paul had a physical ailment but it's a principle of the kingdom of God my grace is all you need my power works best in weakness so if you feel weak today man you're in a great position for the power of God to be displayed when you don't know what to do with your kids when you don't know what to say in the situation when you don't know how to make the right spiritual investment when you don't have the wisdom that you need to make it this moment what the Bible says is this when you are weak is the best opportunity for strength the Christian life isn't merely muscling our way through it it's embracing our dependence in whatever season you find yourself in and if a listen if we could slow down long enough to talk and specifically if I could sit with my wife with the ladies that are in this room I bet you we could quickly identify the areas that you need help right don't forget listen to me God does his best work listen to me in our hardest stuff you get to know God in the valley you get to know his nature his character his nearness you get to

know God intimately in the hard stuff of life so hear me God longs to help you and in that humility of asking God for help comes the confidence that you need no matter what can come and this is what we're praying for and so I'm not giving you another Proverbs 31 message on Mother's Day even though they're always good I want to give you one passage though for this because if you listen if you will embrace the help that God has for you you can sense this not just say this you can actually experience this Proverbs 31 25 26 says this she is clothed with strength and dignity she can laugh at the days to come she speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue don't you ladies in this house don't you long to have that kind of upright spirit don't you and what the Proverbs 31 is not saying that this is a woman that went to some kind of school for being a mom and figured it all out no she's one that is tethered to a God who is life that she didn't make it to this moment she's been empowered for this moment so hear me ladies in the house if you want to be able to stand in the seasons to come to be able to when you look out I'm saying Katie I've had plenty of these moments I'm sure more to come than we would desire there's some moments where you look at and you go man I don't know how we gonna make it through this that's that crazy laugh I call it you ain't ever been a you've been a parent you know exactly we're talking about like come here but let me tell you that's just fun I don't care what you say that's the kind of laugh that comes with confidence that no matter what lies ahead I know who I'm walking into it with that you look at me you're not alone and God not only sees God don't only hears God actually helps at the gospel of Jesus Christ tells us through the completed work that he accomplished on our behalf we were made children of God and the Spirit of God came to take residence inside of us to strengthen us and our weakness to give us wisdom for whatever lies ahead to give us strength to endure man to give us instruction to know what to do so ladies in the house you're not alone mom's grandma moms, spiritual mothers in the house, God has for you everything you need

to make a difference in every season that he's given. That's the third thing. God sees you, God hears you, God will help you, and here's a great truth that I hope you'll believe. Even now, no matter where you are, God is using you. God is using you. Let me tell you what I, one of the things I hate worst about the enemy is the ways that he lies. I'm telling you this, if you could sit down with most moms specifically, you could probably give me a laundry list of the ways in which you think you're blowing it. But very rarely would you be able to tell me the ways that you can sense God is using you. And I just wanna say, seriously, to moms in every different expression, man, moms that are staying at home, working moms, man, different seasons of life, I just wanna tell you this on behalf of the Father, in light of being a part of cooperating with being fruitful and multiplying, and I know there's growth in every season and stage, and you need to continue to grow in your godliness and maturity and the ways that you're making a spiritual impact, but could you just hear this from the Father? God is using you. He's using you. That God is using you to make a difference in the lives of future generations. Be encouraged that God made you for this moment.

Psalm 128, three says, your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house, your children will be like olive shoots around your table. That God's life in a special way pours through wives, moms, grandmoms, in such a way, listen to me, that it literally anchors future generations. That you, look at me, I'm telling you, for some ladies in the house who believe this, that God is using you to build a forest for the kingdom of God, oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. That long after you leave this earth, you're gonna leave something, come on now, that will make a difference for generation to come. God is using you. Thank you for being usable to the master, prepared for every good work. To so many in our house, and I wanna say this specifically, that are not just merely moms physically, but your spiritual mothers, meaning those that you are pouring the gospel into other women that you're making disciples, that you're serving, that you're mentoring, God is using you and we're gonna help you learn how to do this even more effectively in the years to come, but God is using many of you in the Titus 2 kind of way. Titus 2, three through five, older women, likewise, are to be reverent in behavior, not slanders or slaves to much wine.

They are to teach what is good and to so train young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. To those that are in our house, listen to me, that are being intentional to the greatest degree you know how with yet more to come, listen to me, if you're making disciples, you're making a difference. You're making a difference as you pour into children, you pour into other moms, man, that you're just a good, faithful part of the family of God here, and I'm telling you, we're gonna get more and more effective in that. If you don't know what that looks like yet, we're gonna help you, but most of you are doing it more than you can only imagine. God is using you, and I got a special shout out here, okay? A special shout out to the foster and adoptive moms in the room. God is using you in a special way to bring about generational blessing. Psalm 68, six says this, God places the lonely in families. He sets prisoners free and gives them joy. To some in this, and listen, and some others that are discerning, God might even use this moment to help you decide. God is entrusting you to a special part in his redemptive work, to the kind of work, listen to me, that makes the gospel known

in panoramic 3D. So look at me, to those that are in the house that you're in that group, way to go. God is using you, and then the fifth point. Before you get too excited and think we're done, we got something at the end. I just wanna make you aware, okay, so, to the fifth point, and Ms. Laura, you can go ahead and come play. Then our invitation time's gonna be a little bit different today. We're gonna all stand in a moment and just say, Lord, I need you. That's it, now come forward, Lord, I need you. And then my wife and some ladies are gonna come and do a special blessing in a second, this is gonna be awesome. But as Ms. Laura comes, the last thing I'll tell you is this, and I really mean this, this is what I felt like the Lord downloaded, and I needed it this week, to be honest with you. I had a lot of ministry going on, preaching, ministering to people, things going on, and God made this very clear to me, because I think he just wanted to say to you and say, Kyle, please don't mess this up. But I hope you hear this, the last thing, because there's just something about knowing this from him. Ladies, women, moms, grandmoms,

God is proud of you, just proud of you. To every lady in this house that knows the Lord Jesus as their Savior, hear me. He's proud of you because you're his daughter. You didn't have to do anything to earn that. He's proud of you because you're his. Now what the enemy comes, he just shames you, shames you, shames you, look at all that you're not, look at all that you're not doing, look at every way that you're missing the mark, and I just, I felt in my spirit what the Father wanted to lean over and say, I am so proud of you. You're my girl. I just feel like the Lord's like literally to the women of this house, but then specifically in ways you might need to hear it in light of being a mom, a grandma, being a spiritual mentor, spiritual mother, he's proud of how you are cooperating and will cooperate to make a difference in the world. Let me tell you how you can know that God feels this. God made sure moments were written in the Bible so that we could see how proud he was. One of my favorite moments, this is a whole nother message for a whole nother Mother's Day, is 2 Timothy 1, 5, when Paul is reminding Timothy of some things,

but he wanted to remind him how he even arrived at faith. Paul writing to Timothy, 2 Timothy 1, 5 says, I'm reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelled first in your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, and now I'm sure dwells in you as well. Isn't that awesome? That God wanted to write in the Bible so that we might read it here in Brandon, Mississippi, Timothy, who's literally gonna be a part of establishing the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, that has ripple effects right now, who had an unbelieving father, a Gentile. And he said, hey, Timothy, let me remind you how you entered into this thing is because you had a grandmama that prayed like crazy. Hallelujah. That you had a mom that made spiritual investments and put the gospel way down deep inside of you. And knew when to hand you off to me so that I might disciple you and help send you into the work of God. But what Paul wanted Timothy to remember, you didn't get here because of me, you got here because God used your grandmother and your mom. And I am so, listen, I think this is God saying in retrospect to Lois and Eunice, way to go. They never got to pick up a bound Bible like this and see their name in it. You ever thought about that?

But boy, they heard it when they got home. Don't you know that as Timothy was fulfilling his ministry, I don't know how this works, I'm not making a theological statement, don't you know the Lord says, look at him. Look at him, look at them. So I'm gonna tell you, look at them. So I just wanna say to you in the throes of hard stuff, in the throes of not knowing if those prayers are being heard or if you're being seen or if you have the help that you need, I want you to know that God is using you. And sure, there are ways that you can more fully cooperate with that and position yourself and you should. But today, would you just hear from the Lord? I'm just proud of you. Proud of you. And let that awaken in you a longing to get help in a whole different kind of way. I'm gonna pray for us for just a second. They're gonna come out, we're gonna stand, sing a few choruses of this song and then end with a blessing. Just bow your head for a moment. Lord, I thank you for your presence in this room right now and that you love to speak. And I just, I pray you would, I pray you would. Hey, hold on, y'all look at me real quick. I left out one part that's too important.

Hey, men, children in the house, let's do our part. Let's do our part. Proverbs 31, 28 says, and her children rise up. Other places say this with husbands as well, and call her blessed. Her husband also, he praises her. I wanna encourage all of us in the house, make sure we take moments to do that today, to rise up and to bless those that have blessed us. Father, I pray even now that you would help us to rightly see our need for you. And I pray in Jesus' name, amen. Hey, let's stand up real quick. We're gonna end a little different today. If you need to be prayed for after the service, we're always here to pray for you. But right now we're just gonna sing a chorus of this and then we'll end with a blessing. Let's sing this from our heart to him.