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the house of our God you can turn in your Bibles to Psalm 128 for our call to worship Psalm 128 I'll begin reading in verse 1 a song of a sense blessed it is everyone who fears the Lord who walks in his ways when you eat the labor of your hands you shall be happy and it shall be well with you your wife shall be like a fruitful vine and the very heart of your house your children like olive plants all around your table behold thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord the Lord bless you out of Zion and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life yes may you see your children's children peace be upon Israel amen we'll turn in your Trinity Psalter to salt Psalm 45 Psalm 45 we'll sing the first seven verses along with verse 17 you'll see it as it's indicated there and we'll stand together [Music] [Music] well mr. bolt left a message that mrs. bolt is home now she had been dehydrated and so they were able to look after her she's home resting and so we can give praise to God for that so let us pray our Father in Heaven it's a joy and a privilege to gather again in your house on the Sabbath day we call upon you as the God who hears the prayers of his people and we know that the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much we have no righteousness apart from Jesus but that righteousness is perfect and we thank you that you bend your ear to hear the cries of your people we thank you that you're not only here but you have revealed yourself in the scriptures you are a God who has a mouth that can speak and a God who has ears that can hear and in this we greatly rejoice and we pray tonight that as we gather together as we sing these Psalms and hymns that it would be to you a sweet-smelling sacrifice that you would be well pleased with your people here because of what Christ has accomplished on our behalf how we thank you for him how we thank you for the gospel of our salvation for the reality that he came down for us men and for our salvation that he lived in obedience to the law that he died as a sacrifice on the cross that he was raised that third day and that he sits now and throne at the right hand of the Majesty on high where he ever lives to make intercession for his people god help us to reflect upon this each and every day help us to see the blessedness that is ours in the person and work in the Lord Christ and in the reality that you have blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus help us tonight Lord God to worship you in spirit and in truth we pray we asked you would look with favor upon this congregation she would grant us help and strength and grace to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace help us to be a place kotte a church where the Word of God is central and where the fear of God does permeate and to that end Father we pray that your Holy Spirit would fill each and every one of us that we would come before your throne in a manner that is consistent with what scripture says we would have learned what Moses learned in the sight of a president in the sight of a holy god that we would tremble before you as well we would have that gladness of heart and that joy and Thanksgiving that what you've done for us in the in the gospel of our salvation we ask thee would forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions we consider this idea this doctrine of remaining corruption we know it all too well in our own hearts and lives we know that law is a perfect revelation of who God is and what you require from us and yet father we fall short even as believers in Jesus Christ we would confess that sin now asking for forgiveness because of Christ asking for cleansing in his precious blood and we do pray that many many more people would come to know and understand that forgiveness of sins wrought out by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross we ask our Father in heaven that you had blessed those in our midst that are suffering with physical trials and challenges we thank you that mrs. Boult is home now and we pray that she would rest and recover well from this we pray for others in our midst with ongoing illness and and physical trial and affliction we would pray God in heaven that you would just alleviate these things that you would grant help and strength and peace to your people that father all of us would have that grace necessary to persevere that when these things do hit us we would remember that our God is in the heavens that he does whatever he pleases that he is still for his people even in the midst of such trial and our God in heaven we pray for each and every one of us with reference to the inner man with reference to the spiritual struggles and the difficulties and the trials we each face may you fill us with the spirit and may you give us a commitment to the word of truth give us the grace to hide that word in our hearts that we might not sin against you and give us the grace to navigate through such things with the proper biblical perspective in the midst of these hardships we would pray father that you would be gracious to those in government the Apostle tells us to pray for civil authority we know that this is a position that demands great wisdom and it demands great wisdom from on high and we would pray in the first place that you would put the fear of God the hearts of those that are in high places that you would cause them to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ as david says in Psalm 2 they ought to kiss the son lest he be angry and they perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little if it also says that it's blessed is the man who believes on the Lord it believes in the truth of the gospel so we pray for those in these places of authority she would humble them under your mighty hand she would cause them to govern to legislate to rule according to that righteous standard which is the Word of God and if they do not bow we pray that you would nevertheless restrain them God we live in a nation that is steeped in lawlessness we see with the euthanasia and with abortion the old manner of sexual sin and perversion god this is an affront to us and we're unholy men and women what it must be to a to a holy and a righteous God we do pray that in your wrath you would remember mercy that you would bless the preaching of the gospel and the churches that more and more people would come to know Christ as Lord and Savior and more and more people would come to think your thoughts after you as you've revealed those thoughts in the Word of God both the old and the New Testaments be merciful we pray to the churches send revival be merciful to the to those outside the church send Awakening and God do this for your glory and for your honor we ask now that you would continue with us and our worship receive it through the Lord Jesus Christ and it's in his blessed name that we pray amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnals to number 27 hymn number 27 will stand as we sing together [Music] for our scripture reading he can turn to the Prophet Zechariah we're in Zechariah chapter 10 Zechariah chapter 10 I'll begin reading in verse 1 asked the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain the Lord will make flashing clouds he will give them showers of rain grass in the field for everyone for the idols speak delusion the diviners envision lies and tell false dreams they comfort in vain therefore the people wend their way like sheep they are in trouble because there is no Shepherd my anger is kindled against the shepherds and I will punish the goat herds for the Lord of hosts will visit his flock the house of Judah and will make them as his royal horse in the battle from him comes the Cornerstone from him the tent peg from him the battle bow from him every ruler together they shall be like mighty men who tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle they shall fight because the Lord is with them and the riders on horses shall be put to shame I will strengthen the house of Judah and I will save the house of Joseph I will bring them back because I have mercy on them they shall be as though I had not cast them aside for I am the Lord their God and I will hear them those of ephraim shall be like a mighty man and their heart shall rejoice as if with wine yes their children shall see it and be glad their heart shall rejoice in the Lord I will whistle for them and gather them for I will redeem them and they shall increase as they once increased I will sow them among the peoples and they shall remember me in far countries they shall live together with their children and they shall return I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon until no more room is found for them he shall pass through the sea with affliction and strike the waves of the sea all the depths of the river shall dry up then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the scepter of Egypt shall depart so I will strengthen them in the Lord and they shall walk up and down in his name says the Lord amen will let us pray our Father we thank you for the written word we thank you that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God that all Scripture is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness we thank you that you are a God who speaks to his creatures a God who has taken his word and put them in put that word into a book and given it to us for our benefit and for our help and we would pray Lord God that we would be students of this book that we would love this word and that we would glorify the god of the word and we bless you now through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me to again in your Trinity hymnal - number 585 8-0 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] we could turn with me in your Bibles to proverbs chapter 31 so I was looking at the document with the sermons on proverbs I noticed that we dealt with the Christian husband and man but not with the Christian mother we've dealt with this material in the past this is by way of review and hopefully encouragement to the mothers among us encouragement to the fathers among us to be thankful for the mothers among us and for any and all who are aspiring to marriage if you're a young man this is the kind of woman you ought to be looking for if you're a young woman this is the kind of woman you ought to be so I want to read beginning in Proverbs 31 at verse 10 who can find a virtuous wife for her worth is far above rubies the heart of her husband safely trusts her so he will have no lack of gain she does him good and not evil all the days of her life she seeks wool and flax and willingly works with her hands she is like the merchant ships she brings her food from afar she also rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and a portion for her maid servants she considers a field and buys it from her profits she plants a vineyard she Gerdes herself with strength and strengthens her arms she perceives that her merchandise is good and her lamp does not go out by night she stretches out her hands to the distaff and her hand holds the spindle she extends her hand to the poor yes she reaches out her hands to the needy she is not afraid of snow for her household for all her household is clothed with scarlet she makes tapestry for herself her clothing is fine linen and purple her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land she makes linen garments and sells them and supplies sashes for the merchants strength and honor or her clothing she shall rejoice in time to come she opens her mouth with wisdom and honor tongue is the law of kindness she watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness her children rise up and call her blessed her husband also and he praises her many daughters have done well but you excel them all charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates Amen will let us pray father in heaven we thank you for the written word of God we thank you that it speaks to all areas of faith and practice we thank you Lord God for the fact that you've ordained the family that you've given specific responsibilities and duties that you've ordered that this is the way it ought to be in society and all around us we see attacks on the family we see it through sexual perversion we see it through divorce or unlawful divorce we see it in a whole scale a revolt against God's ordained institution we would pray that in our church among us we would seek to have what scripture says concerning these things I pray for the mothers and our congregation that you would encourage and strengthen them she would help them to persevere fighting the good fight and bringing glory and honor and praise unto you again fill us with your Holy Spirit as we investigate Holy Scripture and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen I saw recently an article entitled ranking the nine toughest leadership roles it's in a Forbes magazine not that I read Forbes I actually saw it on Twitter but I popped on there to see so the ranking the top nine toughest leadership roles number five was interesting pastor Rabbi mola or other holy leader who goes by holy leader I just don't know but number five was interesting but it's number one that was the concern for me it's called stay-at-home parent and I would argue that that is the most difficult task a mother a woman in the home is called upon to do just about everything to do it well and very often it's a thankless job and so I want to bring this by way of encouragement as I said to the mothers to the father's to all of us because we ought to be prayerful that these kinds of women are brought up these kinds of women are functioning in society Napoleon was once asked what would benefit or what would help France and he said give us stronger mothers now when we look at proverbs chapter 31 it's a very intriguing passage this section concerning the virtuous wife it is an acrostic that means that each verse begins with a letter of the alphabet and runs the way through the Hebrew alphabet interestingly as well in the Hebrew Canon the book of Proverbs follows the Book of Ruth and so in many respects proverbs chapter 31 is a commentary upon Ruth or at least an amplification or an explanation of that particularly godly woman in ruth 3:11 we read for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman so as I said the Hebrew Canon is structured it's the same books but the order of the books differs from what we have in the English Canon and as I said proverbs follows ruth and i don't think that's accidental as i said we're gonna focus primarily on the christian mother but in terms of the christian woman you'll notice in proverbs that she's very diligent she's not lazy she doesn't waste time in fact if you look specifically at verse 27 B it says she does not eat the bread of idleness it shows us that she is a diligent woman as well as a wife she is trustworthy to her husband notice in verse 11 the heart of her husband safely trusts her so he will have no lack of gain she does good for her husband according to verse 12 she does him good and not evil all the days of her life now that should be self-evident if you are covenant another person till death do us part you ought to be engaged you ought to be involved you ought to be committed to doing good for the other person that to me seems like a no-brainer you should never pursue marriage if you're not involved or not a committed to giving to that person so that they can be everything they need to be if you are simply a taker in a marriage relationship you have misread the Bible completely and you need to repent so in terms of her being a woman she's diligent she's spiritually minded she's self controlled with reference to her as a wife she's trustworthy she does good for her husband but as I said I want to focus primarily on verses 28 to 31 with reference to the Christian mother and there are four observations I want to make this evening first her condition before God secondly her influence over her children thirdly her authority over her children and then fourthly and finally her responsibility toward her children she is to function the way God says she is to function not the way Facebook says not the way Twitter says not the way Instagram says but rather she is to take her marching orders from the Word of God but note in the first place her condition before God verse 28 tells us her children rise up and call her blessed her husband also and he praises her he says many daughters have done well but you excel them all charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but notice a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised I don't care who you are I don't care how handsome you are as a man or how gorgeous you are as a woman that's going to change the law of entropy is a reality aging is a reality and you don't always have the same appearance later on in life that you have previous and that's what Solomon a rather King Lemuel highlights here with reference to that lasting and abiding virtue and fruit but a woman who fears Yahweh she shall be praised charm is deceitful beauty is passing but the thing that stays the thing that is constant the thing that is most sought-after by godly people is the fear of Yahweh so she is a woman who is saved by grace this morning we considered the fall of man into sin we considered the punishment consistent with that fall into sin and one tax that came up or at least it was mentioned was in Romans chapter 3 and in Romans chapter 3 the Apostle Paul highlights the problem with mankind romans 1:18 he says the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness and then he makes his case all the way up to chapter 3 at verse 20 well in that section in chapter 3 beginning in around verse 9 he reaches into the Old Testament to corroborate his argument and one of the texts that he appeals to says there is no fear of God before their eyes now a woman who fears the Lord she was taught the fear of the Lord by the Lord Himself the Prophet Jeremiah envisioning the the New Covenant era God through that prophet says I will put my fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from me so we can conclude with reference to this Christian mother she has known the gracious provision of God in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ when we look in the New Testament document we see this close connection between a gracious salvation and then the fruit with reference to that is godliness in the sight of the Lord notice in Titus 2 a very specific and concrete example with reference to Christian motherhood Titus chapter 2 you can turn there Titus 2 beginning in verse 1 asks for you speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine that the older men be sober reverent temperate sound and faith and love and patience the older women likewise that they be reverent and behavior not slanderers not given to much wine teachers of good things that they admonished the young women to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet chaste homemakers good obedient to their own husbands now notice that the Word of God may not be blasphemed aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing the Word of God is blaspheme we can extend that and say men aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing the Word of God may be blaspheme so this practical Christianity this practical outworking of the grace of God in our lives is connected to the gospel in other words it's not that we're saved because we're good mothers it's that we're good mothers because we're saved that's the connection notice in verse 11 he says for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present age looking for the Blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works the types of good works that Paul's already mentioned previously to Timothy that husbands be this way that fathers be this way that men be this way that women be this way it is connected to the gospel in the rossette in the sense that it's a consequence of us having been saved and that's the reality for this Christian mother now notice back in the text she not only has been saved by grace but she walks with the Lord she walks with the Lord this idea that a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised notice in the book of Proverbs this emphasis upon walking with the Lord you can turn to proverbs chapter 3 proverbs chapter 3 excuse me verse 7 do not be wise in your own eyes fear the Lord and depart from evil it will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones same thing in proverbs 8:13 since the fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogance in the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate so she fears the Lord which indicates she's been conquered by the grace of God but she also walks with the Lord and that indicates or that is with respect to her conduct err her conversation her orientation the way that she lives her life turn over to proverbs 14 and verse 26 in the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence that his children will have a place of refuge the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to turn one away from the snares of death in other words their conduct their conversation their orientation will be dictated by this commitment to fearing God and then again in proverbs 19 at verse 23 the fear of the Lord leads to life and he who has it will abide in satisfaction he will not be visited with evil it's not just men who need to study the Bible and theology it's not just men who need to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ every single woman whether you're a mother or not no matter if you are old or young or whatever your situation is you are called on specifically to grow in the Grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this Saturday morning meanings not for men it's not just a man's mating women are welcome to come Wednesday night it's not just for men women are more than that invited to come you need to avail yourselves of the means that God has ordained for the growth of your soul a woman who fears the Lord has been conquered by the grace of God and she walks or conducts herself in that particular way each and every day growing maturing understanding scripture learning the connections understanding the doctrine of the Trinity learning justification by faith alone it's unfortunate that this even needs to be emphasized but there seems to be at least within the reformed world this idea that the man is the head of the household is the only one who has to grow in grace and knowledge and then he'll just permeate that down to everybody now the man as the head of household does have a particular responsibility but that does not negate the responsibility for you ladies picking up your Bibles and reading for you ladies coming to church and listening to preaching you ladies making time out of your busy day or week to listen to sermons and to grow and to understand the connection with reference to God's truth now secondly she has a particular influence over her children that is given to her by the law of God that is given to her by the law of God obviously the Decalogue the Ten Commandments both Exodus and Exodus and Deuteronomy but look specifically at Leviticus chapter 19 Leviticus chapter 19 very imperative that you see this ladies you have influence over your children because you have been given it by God Most High the fifth commandment demands that the children honor respect and obey not just their father but father and mother and intriguingly in Pro Leviticus 19 at verse 3 every one of you shall Revere notice mother comes first every one of you shall Revere his mother and his father and keep my Sabbath's I am the Lord your God turn over to Deuteronomy 21 Deuteronomy chapter 21 again just highlighting the influence given by God to mothers over their children Deuteronomy 21 beginning in verse 18 this is an instance of what's called the rebellious or incorrigible son and in verse 18 we read if a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother you see there's these ideas out there that the Bible does not treat women with respect and with equality and with dignity well those ideas are false they are incorrect they're unholy and ungodly we see that the Bible does afford respect to the mother along with the father and just by way of a real practical observation this is not your two-year-old who doesn't eat his Peas the Bible is not telling you to execute your rebel two-year-old notice the description of this incorrigible son if a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and who when they have chastened him will not heat them then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his City to the gate of his City and they shall say to the elders of this city this son of ours is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a glutton and a drunkard suzan a two-year-old this isn't the terrible twos take him to the elders of the city and have him stoned no absolutely positively not this is an adult son who is a rebel and that rebellion is seen in his gluttony and in his drunkenness and he has been impressed upon by his parents they have chastened him they have disciplined him they have sought to correct as his attitude and his and his way of life and yet to no avail so as the final straw you deliver him over to the elders and this son is ultimately capitally punished as a result of his waywardness and his sinfulness and then in the Proverbs themselves you see that influence given by God to mothers over their children that proverbs chapter 1 verse 8 my son hear the instruction of your father and do not forsake the law of your mother proverbs chapter 6 and verse 20 my son keep your father's command and do not forsake the law of your mother and then in proverbs 31 1 the words of King Lemuel the utterance which his mother taught him it's a beautiful thing isn't it we have incorporated in the Word of God things that King Lemuel mother taught him CH Spurgeon speaks to the influence of parents over their children he says fathers and mothers are the most natural agents for God to use in the salvation of their children it's a beautiful idea beautiful concept if you have not arrived at that concept as a parent you need to you need to establish a family halter you need to have family worship you need to teach your children the Word of God and you need to bring your children to the house of God that is your responsibility you have a great deal of influence over these little ones he says I am sure that in my early youth no teaching ever made such an impression upon my mind as the instruction of my mother neither can I conceive that to any child there can be there can be one who will have such influence over the young heart as the mother who has so tenderly cared for her offspring a man with a soul so dead as not to be moved by the sacred name of mother his creations blood never could it be possible for any man to estimate what he owes to a godly mother how can I ever forget her tearful eye when she warned me to escape from the wrath to come I thought her lip eloquent others might not think so but they certainly were eloquent to me how can I ever forget when she bowed her knee and with her arms about my neck prayed oh that my son might live before thee you have a great deal of influence over your children that influence can be exercised for ill but it can certainly be exercised for good and obviously this woman in proverbs 31 who fears the Lord is exercising it for good now notice thirdly she not only has influence but she has authority over her children she has influence because she has this authority again the fifth commandment but then notice in Ephesians chapter 6 Ephesians chapter 6 the Apostle Paul engaging in sort of a household code the way that the people of God ought to conduct themselves and their various relationships in life speak specifically to father and or two children with reference to father and mother Ephesians 6:1 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right again not just your father but your parents your father and your mother honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth and then there's a particular word to fathers and you fathers do not provoke your children to wrath but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord the emphasis of Scripture is this we are saved by the grace of God when we are saved by the grace of God we receive the forgiveness of sins we receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ we are now called to conduct ourselves in the various aspects of our lives as godly men and women as those who fear Yahweh and children are told to respect and to honor both father and mother there's a particular fellow named Alma that has a book on the 10 commandments it's published by PNR from the most part it's pretty good and one of the things that he mentions here with reference to the fifth word he says mentioning the mother is no afterthought for she deserves to be treated with as much respect as the father practice demonstrates the children can miss use the fact that a mother's physical condition often renders her less able to enforce her word now that concept I saw played out in my youth not my mom she was always taller than me but I had a particular friend that had a very short mother and this particular friend was a bit of an incorrigible son and there would be those instances or times where you could just see she was seething mad but he was taller when also it would kind of intimidate her and I that always stuck in my head like dude you shouldn't do that and that wasn't coming from a commitment to the fifth commandment it wasn't coming from any sort of evangelical obedience to the Word of God it just didn't seem right it just didn't seem right that a man exercise a sort of an intimidation factor over his own mother that's just not the way it's supposed to be but all that to say that can happen and I think that's what DOMA is speaking to again back to his quote practice demonstrates that children can misuse the fact that a mother's physical condition often renders her less able to enforce her word she is physically the weaker parent but the fitnah now I'm assuming that everybody's not going to lose it that everybody's not gonna you know freak out the Bible says that the women are the weaker vessel I assume you all accept that I mean the strongest woman in here and the the weakest man if they bench press it would probably be the case that the weakest man would beat the strongest woman that that's just physiology they out there want to tell us that physiology doesn't matter but everybody knows that it does everybody knows that it does they are trying to cut against the grain they're trying to do something is absolutely insane and the insanity at some point has to stop and it certainly should never be given fat in the Church of Jesus Christ the woman is the weaker vessel Peter says that under inspiration of the Holy Spirit that doesn't mean they're bad it doesn't mean they're terrible it doesn't mean they're wicked it just means that in God's design out of the two he made one to be a bit stronger that's his prerogative as creator we don't have the right to try to change that we don't have the right to try to usurp that we only have the responsibility to accept that that's where we're at as the people of God so back to Delma he says she is physically the weaker parent but the fifth commandment clearly requires respect for both father and mother children must honor their mother even when she is physically and physiologically declining do not despise your mother when she is old proverbs 23 22 the Bible presents a relationship of authority between husband and wife where the husband takes the lead but children must show equal honor to both mother and father absolutely positively crucial and men by your example you better teach this to your kids respect her fear her love her even when she is old if you treat your wives like garbage don't ever come down on your sons for treating their mother like garbage if that's what they've witnessed if that's what they have seen displayed shame on you as men you Revere her you esteem her you prize her so that your sons rise up and they cherish their mother they love and esteem their mother and they would never think about intimidating their mother men we have a great responsibility to teach this in our homes and then finally with reference to this woman who fears the Lord she has a responsibility toward her children her responsibility is not just keeping them alive just making sure they get food and water just making sure they have a coat just making sure they have warmth it goes beyond that certainly that's part of it you have to keep them alive you have to give them water you have to give them food you have to make sure they're warm you have to do those sorts of things but your responsibility goes beyond that and this is what Salomon addresses throughout the book of Proverbs in the first place she's supposed to instruct them already highlighted proverbs 1:8 and proverbs 6 20 what is she doing she's teaching the law of God to her children she is teaching them she's instructing them she's bringing Scripture to bear on their hearts again it's the husband the father's primary responsibility but typically in normal situations he's gone 5060 hours out of the week the mother has the direct impact upon the children and she ought not to be lazy she ought to be teaching that word of God secondly she needs to set an example for her children set an example look at proverbs 22 but verse set a very familiar passage to all of us proverbs 22 verse sex train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it listen to bridges on this passage he says the mere talk to a child about religion without bringing it to bear upon his loose habits and self-willed tempers is utterly ineffective none of us lives to himself alone we're all spreading around us an influence whether for good or for evil here therefore in our families lies the responsibility of Christian consistency if the child hears of godliness and sees but wickedness this is bringing him bread with one hand and poison with the other beckoning with the hand to heaven and at the same time taking him by the hand and leading him in the way to destruction who would receive even the choicest food from a leprous and that's a great point who would receive even the choices food from a lapras hand you'd say no thank you I'm not hungry anymore well that's the way it is with reference to our instruction devoid of any example he says a child learns more by the eye than by the ear imitation is far more powerful principle than memory a well trained child gladly looks to his parents godliness as his model picture to copy after a wayward child eagerly seats for the excuse of his own delinquency and this discovery in parental example will harden him in infidelity and ungodliness now that was a long quote you may not have got it all email me I'd be happy to send it to you better yet by proverbs by Charles bridges and read it read every passage in that book concerning child rearing by Charles bridges it is brilliant it is excellent it is wonderful that's what God requires sir not by bridges but the whole idea of growing in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ it might mean spending twenty dollars on a book it might mean 20 minutes a day reading a book it might mean that little bit of personal discipline so that you're able to do what what God calls you to do with reference to your children you have a responsibility to that beyond getting them a coat thirdly with reference to responsibility she is to discipline her children she is to discipline her children there is a necessity to verbally reprove sinful children it's not belittling it's not shouting it's not screaming them down it's not throwing things at them but brethren you know as well as I do if you have children discipline is a vital component in rearing them you do not want bedlam in your homes you don't want mayhem in your homes you don't want chaos in your homes well God's given you recourse God's given you authority God's given you a plan and God's given you an entire book in the book of Proverbs on how to deal with your children so please take it and read it and pray it in and do what God commands with reference to rearing these precious little ones I mean is there anything more encouraging and to see all these babies I mean come on what a blessing it comes up in prayer meeting from time to time on the one hand we're praying that God would deal with our society and it's and it's madness with reference to aborting babies killing murdering babies I mean that that it happens you know conception is is reprehensible now it's happening outside the womb in terms of infanticide but we always have that blessed privilege of praying for a handful ladies that are pregnant we have the blessed privilege to see these little little ones come in these baskets you know these new carriers at all fancy just click them into the car they bring them in they're gorgeous they're wonderful they smell good they feel good you just want to roll around on the floor when they're a little bit older I mean everything about children is is fantastic that's we're done in a manner that is consistent with God's Holy Word brethren you don't just let them lie and hopefully they figure it out on their own you know this this this madness again the pole gender thing well we're gonna just let him let it take its gender come on let's just stop now it's not even funny anymore no one ever saw this coming it's just madness what what we're gonna race it and let it pick its gender and then the church doesn't want to speak out against this stuff come on it's madness out there but in here we love babies in here we kiss them in here we coddle them in here we hold them and in here we reared them the way God says which means that if they get out of line God's provided a means by which to restrain those unholy passions if you are not using those means then repent if you are not using those means then start using them you're not doing anybody any favors least of all the kid but then anybody unfortunate enough to be in their lives when they're adults if they have not been reared faithfully if they are not been taught discipline if they have not been taught self-control they're gonna be a pain to potential spouses and and others in their lives I think we have a responsibility not just to receive these gifts from God but to put to do with these gifts what God says imagine handing your kid a gift and you know it's a beautiful thing and he goes and he breaks and I didn't I didn't give it to you to break it I gave it to you to play with well God gives us these beautiful gifts we don't just leave them there and hopefully they figure everything out we teach them we discipline that we exhort them we encourage and we bring them to church we we expose them to the means of grace that's our job at least for the 18 20 25 years that we have those kids at our home anything beyond that everybody needs to repent I'm sorry yeah it's not funny when your kids are little you can never envision the day oh I don't ever want my kids to leave I remember saying you know I don't ever want my daughters to get married man 18 19 20 have you met a guy yet it's just a natural phase of life sort of thing God's designed it a beautiful way because you're supposed to take those arrows out of your quiver and you're supposed to launch them into the enemy territory and let them do their damage they're not supposed to just huddle around hearth and home they're supposed to be trained and mobilised and sent out to go out and do what God calls them to do it's a beautiful and a wonderful thing and brethren we need to accept the responsibility there's ours and quit shirking it if that is our custom and embrace what God's Word says and I mean this in the most encouraging way to you dear mothers out there so please take it that way well in conclusion just some thoughts and then we'll close first of all there is a need for such women but there is a need for such women Martin Luther which was a very intriguing interesting fellow if you don't know a whole lot about Martin Luther he had been a papist obviously a papist priest so he never got married and then you know he started getting the truth about Christianity and about doctrine of justification and about marriage and he married a woman Katie Katie Vaughn Bora I think was her name wasn't it and Katie had a tough job because Luther was basically an unkempt fellow I don't think he changed his sheets for like years he had you know different physical issues and problems I'm sure the first a Katy stepped foot in that house it was a cleaning job like no other but Luther grew in his love and affection for this woman and she did for him and it was just one of those kind of one of those those marriages that was you know most blessed of God but Luther said the greatest gift of God is a pious amiable spouse who fears God loves his house and with whom one can live in perfect confidence Bruce Walt key more modern a modern commentator says the rhetorical question who can find that's how it starts off proverbs 31:10 who who can find a virtuous wife who can find this what does that indicate what does it imply dudes are looking for it guys want to find this so at walki says the rhetorical question who can find aims to awaken within the audience the desire to find such a wife or to be like her matthew henry says this description of the virtuous woman is designed to show what wives the women should make and what wives the man should choose you young dudes you shouldn't be looking at whatever to find a wife you should be reading this and praying to God to give you this you young women shouldn't be reading whatever you know the magazines are saying on how to prepare for a guy you should have your face and scripture and be praying that God Almighty makes you this guide a woman women pursue this men pursue this if you're not married if you are married encourage your wife to be this particular woman and the way that you encourage is not by belittling her not by upbraiding her not by mocking her not by insulting her but by coming alongside of her and encouraging her don't hear sermons like this and have a you know a night tonight saying you know honey you really aren't like that proverbs 31 woman you're you're pretty terrible I mean you got the giving them food and the giving them drink talk but but you know beyond that it's just terrible dudes if you lead your wives that way I there's no council in the world that's gonna help you that that's just falling try some encouragement try some love try some kindness try some example in your own life that's the way you you bring these things to pass secondly notice in the tax the encouragement given to such women the encouragement given to such women from her husband it says her husband also and he praises her and he says many daughters have done well but but you excel them all he's not suggesting that every other woman out there is terrible but what he is saying is that you're the best honey you are the chief among 10,000 in terms the created realm Christ is only that in terms of every day but as far as women go you excel them all you encourage the wife that's what that's what we see emphasized in this particular passage I remember years ago reading a book by a fellow I can't really recommend now but in this particular instance he said something very perceptive he said you know sometimes a woman has had a hard day she might have little kids she might have had a busy day the kids were you know not the way they should have been dinner isn't on time he comes home from work and the last thing she needs is a lecture she doesn't need a lecture on time management now some of us think that's the way to do it but we're wrong you know honey if you got up earlier you know honey if you didn't have coffee you know honey if you stayed off face book you know honey if you had controlled the kids you know honey if you started she may need that eventually but she doesn't need it right now she needs a hug she needs encouragement she needs you to pick up the phone and order pizza she needs that you see men you are involved in this whole process you know you cannot complain at all my wife is terrible well I'd always ask the question how are you are you the kind of guy that I mean guys that say my wife is terrible typically aren't the kind of guys that that are the godliest of all cuz godly men don't say things like my wife is terrible godly men pray godly men exemplified godly men encouraged godly men exhort godly men helped their wives to not be terrible they don't complain about them being terrible from her children notice what her children did according to verse 28 a her children rise up and call her blessed it's a beautiful thing her children hate her her children don't despise her her children don't say you know when I was four and I wanted something at Walmart and you wouldn't get it to me and you disciplined me how dare no they never do that so that's the intriguing thing about disciplining your children see the prevailing wisdom of the world is if you do that you're gonna crush them and they're gonna hate we discipline our children they don't hate us I don't think they hate us they seem to love us they seem to like us they come around still they've not looked like it you know they got some emotional defects or they they need time to sort of you know unbe debris from the the wretched upbringing that they had it's a lie brethren it's a life from the pit the devil doesn't want you to discipline your children because the devil wants your children to just follow their own hearts well our job is to make them not follow their own hearts because their hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked they need to follow the Lord Jesus Christ from her community the community praises are not probably the way in which we are thinking but it tells us and let her own works praise her in the gates let her own works praise her in the gates if you're familiar with the the the concept in the Old Testament gates were where the business was done gates was the the city hall gates is where the men you know gathered together to do the business of the city and her works are are heard of her works are commanded in the gates in other words the things that she has done are seen as positive contributions not only to her husband not only to her children but to society at large you have often thought that we in our Western world are so wretched when it comes to the stay-at-home mom oh you're just a stay-at-home mom is there a more important job on the face of the earth than to raise human beings there really isn't splitting the atom politic come on if you women are faithful in your task you will do far more for society than every liberal Democrat politician and probably most of the Conservatives out there as well you take one good arrow and you let it fly into society you may have raised a CH Spurgeon you may have raised a George Whitfield you may have raised of John Calvin you may have raised none of those guys but faithful men that do what they're supposed to do and contribute the way God says to I just oh you know it's almost an embarrassment I I'm a stay at home long the hardest job in the world that should get paid a whole lot more than any CEO of any company that article that Forbes article ladies are gonna love this they there was a I don't know algorithm formula you know most typical mothers that what they should make if they were paid in the work force be about a hundred grand a year that's US dollars this is Forbes the st. Canadian dollars this this is just us this is greenback that that's money right what's the article Forbes magazine recognize it that to raise human beings is a tough job doesn't that just scream obvious we all know that and yet today oh you're you're just a stay-at-home mom don't I don't want to say I want to smack people that say that but I do want to smack people that say that just to stay-at-home mom what's more important than raising humans that there's not there's just not and then finally some specific exhortations to the two ladies in our church first you must constantly maintain dependence upon God his word and prayer both privately and corporately but can I tell you something Psalm 103 is true for you as well he knows your frame and he pities you because he knows your dust it's always intrigued me if I preach a sermon for instance on you know you need to walk be watchful you need to be careful you need to be prayerful you need to make sure that you're not you know faking yourself that you're actually a believer when you're not it's the sensitive Souls that typically are you know they're the ones that are struck the people that you're really going after in serpents like that they don't even hear it it's the sense that if Souls as hello and it's usually moms with you know five to ten little kids and I didn't have a chance to read my Bible you know on Thursday God knows your frame he pities you and he knows your dust he knows when kids have blowouts and their diapers he knows when things burn he when all this stuff happens and you didn't get your requisite 30 minutes to read your Bible and pray I mean that ought to be the goal each and every day set apart time in private it may mean getting up a little early it may mean staying up a little bit late it may mean a bit of self-discipline to get that time but if something happens man breaks out that's the way life is okay may I just encourage you this isn't bondage if you don't read 15 minutes a day you cannot call yourself a woman who fears Yahweh no I'm not saying that secondly you must not force a to forsake God's Word in child-rearing God calls the shots they're ultimately gods the earth is Yahweh's and the fullness thereof he owns them he made them he has given us stewardship of them it's our task to take his words seriously and to put it into practice third I would suggest you must realize that your task is difficult oftentimes thankless and mostly underappreciated by just about everyone I know that sounds pretty negative but if you're a mom here you're probably going that's right that's true in that Forbes article after kind of highlighting you know the various positions the guy says you know and then and then the little ingrates grow up and they move out and leave you all on your own that that's sort of a thing you know it's just the way it is there's not a lot of thanks and appreciation I mean think about it kids when was the last time you actually said your mom thank you for all of the sacrifices you make for me when was the last time mom you had a hot meal what was the last time mom you had any kindness I mean think about it kids I'm not picking on you but just think about it when was the last time you actually said to your mother that's who we're specifically focusing on you should say it to your fathers as well but when was the last time you actually said thank you thank you for getting up before me thank you for staying up after me thank you for making sure I have clothes thank you for making sure I have water thank you for making sure I have food thank you for making sure I have a jacket thank you that I'm not freezing you that all those things are looked after thank you Dad that you take me to church thank you that you open the Scriptures for me thank you that you point me to the Lord Jesus and again you may be that kid that does that all the time and so did you see that your parents are very thankful for that but for the most part it's a thankless job it's just a thankless job and I don't know how to make that any nicer but other than to say God sees your labors and God approves you must ultimately realize that you have to persevere in your calling and understand that it's full-time multifaceted that is of the utmost importance the utmost importance so you can't slack off you can't give up you can't say I'm done I mean there might be times where you get that vibe or that impression or whatever maybe go take a nap or take a walk or tell your husband you need something but you can't give up full-time it's an amazing thing to me we have these babies and we love these babies and then we realize they don't stay babies and it actually requires a great deal of work I've often said they're much easier when they're in diapers than when they're 15 diapers are a whole lot more manageable than Nikes and Reeboks and all that sort of thing it's work it's hard how do you do it you're dependent upon the Lord and you must labor to understand God's truth not only law but gospel so that you can pass that information on to your children well I hope that these things are encouraging I hope that all of you by God's grace will fear the Lord he puts the fear of God in your hearts and then you walk with the Lord whatever your calling if you're a woman who has children if you're a man who has children if you're single as a man you're single as a woman the the circumstances may change in terms of the particulars but the overarching general things do not its conquered by the grace of God it's walking in the things of God well let us close in a word of Prayer father we thank you that your word speaks to such things and I pray that this word would encourage the mothers in our church to persevere and to see the great calling that they are called with and God give them grace to persevere in this give them grace to take seriously their responsibility before God to take seriously what scripture says concerning child-rearing and may they by grace do these things that are pleasing in your sight and again we pray for our children for our young people we know that children are a gift from you God and help us to receive that gift well help us to utilize it properly and help us to bring them up in the training in the admonition of the Lord and we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen you