SM160508/God's Plan for the Family

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org my message today is God's plan for the family and of course today is Mother's Day, we are commanded in Scripture and the 10 Commandments to honor our father and our mother.

Any think of all the things we've learned from mom over the years. For instance, our mothers taught us about anticipation when they said to us, just wait until your father gets home right our moms taught us about logic when they said because I said so that's why our mothers taught us about foresight when they reminded us to wear clean underwear every day and keep her in an accident right. Our mothers taught us about genetics, they did when they said you're just like your father. They taught us about ironing ironing when they said keep laughing and I'll give you something to cry about mothers taught us about whether, when they said looks like a tornado swept through your room. I like this one. Mothers taught us about the circle of life when they said I brought you into this world and I'll take you out how many of you moms have said that.

Don't admit it don't evince a good moms also taught us about prayer when they said you better play, this will come out of the carpet and finally moms taught us about justice when they said one day you'll have kids and I hope they turn out just like you. So you'll see what it's like to write seriously.

The mothers play such a vital role in our society.

No lesson president Udo Roosevelt made this statement about moms and I quote when it's all said it is the mother and the mother only, who was a better citizen than the soldier who fights for his country. The successful mother. The mother who does report in rearing the training aright the Boys and Girls Club were to be the men and women of the next generation is of greater use of the community and occupies she would realize that a far more honorable role as well, and more important position than any man in it.

The mother is the one supreme asset of the national life. She's more important by far than the successful statesman or businessman or artist or scientist," and that is true because mothers not only impact their children, but they impact their grandchildren and maybe their great-grandchildren.

But even if they're not around up there already in heaven.

They still impact generations because of the truth they pass on. Paul wrote to young Timothy about the impact on Timothy's life of his grandmother and mother in second Timothy one.

He said he Timothy, I remember your genuine faith and that they first told your grandmother Lois, then your mother you knees and I know that same faith continue strong and you so it started with grandma Lois one over the mother you needs and right through to Timothy and Timothy pass that faith on and it shows us the importance of a godly heritage sometimes is moms you might feel like well you didn't do your job. All that well that you have your should children with you today and in their a project you know and there'll work in progress but just understand you need to keep praying and never give up because your impact is greater then you may realize our first president, George Washington said of his mother. The greatest teacher I ever had was my mother. Abraham Lincoln regarded by many as the greatest president in American history said all that I am her hope to be. I owe it to my Angel mother, Pres. Ronald Reagan said we know he said Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. Note he said that yet, but no. He said from my mother I learned the value of prayer, how to have dreams and believe I can make them come true.

So listen if you been a godly mother you've done your part to raise your children in the way of the Lord. We thank you and we honor you today of the God. That's right with God for that of a godly woman in Proverbs 31 preacher says her children arise and call her blessed her husband as well.

He praises her many women do noble things, but to surpass them all charm is deceptive.

Beauty is fleeting, but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised. So let's recognize some of the moms here let me start with great grandmothers doing many great grandmother's ear would you stand please of your great-grandmother Sanda while God bless you great-grandmothers again stay standing descending great-grandmothers. If you can. I know it's hard not to your also young. I can't believe you great-grandmothers keno grandmothers of your grandmother stand grandmothers while brought to grandma's ear. You're the best looking bunch of grandmas I've ever seen. Okay now finally all mothers do mothers stand all moms there. They are God bless all of you will bless you.

God bless you great-grandmothers grandmothers mother's mother's to be enough. You would stay standing for a moment as an approved I'm sorry. By the way moms is a tribute to you today I would like you to remain standing for the entire sermon. It's my way of honoring you going to be.

You don't have to but I would like to pray for you. So let's pray for all these moms father, thank you for every one of these women what a treasure. They are what a blessing they are and as Scripture says their value was above rubies.

It's above anything in Lord just bless them. Today, this day, that set aside to honor them but we should remember remember the many every day, but many times we don't. So today we thank you for them and ask a special blessing on each one and their families and we ask all of this in Jesus name amen thank you moms you can be seated. God bless.

Let's grab our Bibles and turn to Ephesians 6 were in a series called home sweet home and this just happened to be the time I was speaking on parenting that fell coincidentally, but I believe providentially on mother's day. By the way next Sunday is the last message in this series. My final message of my home sweet home series has the title, how to divorce proof your marriage. So if you would like to divorce proof your marriage will share some truth from Scripture that will help you do that that's next time. But here in Ephesians 6 verse one we read these words children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 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. Honor your father and your mother. Now I know moms and dads are not always honorable people. I know they fall short. I know that Mother's Day is a hard day for some people because maybe maybe your mother is dying and you miss her so upset. Or maybe your mom wasn't a very good mom. So it's kind of strain or maybe there's other issues.

Maybe you're a mom and you had a child die and so it's painful because you miss hearing from them. There's all kinds of things connected to days like Mother's Day and Father's Day right so here's what I'm saying to you. We should honor our moms that they deserve the honor or not know most of them do, but not all of them do, but we should still honor them and offer respect to them and if you have a mother called her today. She's not here with you in church are in town.

Make sure you call her Kelly, a lover and honor her in this take is recommended Scripture to honor fathers and mothers and altering something kids need their parents.

They need mom and dad and here's a thought. Kids don't need mom and dad to be their best friend. They neither mom and dad to be there parents through your sort of a popular trend today. Moms want to be best friends with their daughters and sometimes you read about these young celebrity girls in mom goes out and parties with the daughter that is so absurd be apparent be an example because friends come and go but parents are there for life and you as a parent have a very important purpose in the life of your child get there to teach them right from wrong, you're there to provide for them. You're there to protect them in your there to lay a foundation on the life and most importantly your job as a mother and I would add fathers to this is to lead your child to Jesus Christ and what a gift. Children are what I give. Children are, you know, some 2127 three says children are a heritage from the Lord. Children are reward from him like arrows in the hands of a warrior.

Our sons born and once you blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Nordic heritage could be translated gift.

So another way to say this. Children are a gift from heaven there a gift to us from God they're not ours to possess. They're not ours to mold their ours to unfold enter nurture and point to Christ and what a great privilege. It is they have children, you know sometimes people say what our kids are perfect.

We've never had problems with their kids and you have the never rebelled. They've never been disrespectful also will hold are your kids three and four and the like. Shut up you don't know what you're talking about, you know nothing about parenting yet not talk to me after you survived the teenage years. Maybe I'll listen to you Wednesday of the advice of a Mark Twain who said years ago.

Things run along pretty smoothly until your kid reaches 13 that's the time you need to stick him in a barrel and hammer down the lid license not and freedom for the knothole.

Then Twain writes about the time he turned 16. Plug up the knothole.

That's not literal advice by the winky someone thinks it is. So we need God's help to be moms to be dads and just as we need help with our marriages.

We need God's help as parents because we live in a culture that's largely hostile to the family and it certainly does not support the role of mother and father affected many ways culture.

By that I mean music, movies, television, and other things tend to undermine the role of the parent. But first of all, Paul directs his remarks to children, he says, obey your parents in the Lord. Verse one.

Honor your father or mother. This is the commandment with promise a means to giving weight to your parents. It's hard to be apparent today. This is why we read in the Gospels that the mothers brought their children to Jesus.

And if you're a smart mom you'll keep bringing your child to Jesus.

I love that story because the moms see Jesus. They bring their kids to other disciples like person back there like doing security all of a sudden you know I don't bother the monster right now is busy's tired and in Jesus a hold on now, let those little children come on to me and don't forbid them for of such is the kingdom of heaven, London, the kids came to Christ and loved him and he loved them and the mothers but in the original language can be translated.

The mothers Bringing their children to Jesus. I like the fact that even though they were reported by the disciples the moms were persistently not were bringing our kids to Christ and you keep doing the same with your children as well say a few words about having a prodigal child toward the end of the message.

If that's what you're dealing with right now.

Remember during the one of these riots a while back.

The story of this mother that came and drug her boy home. This mom turns on the TV. She sees her boy out and some riot in the streets she runs in filming this this woman's name is Toya Graham.

She grabs her son Ransome home now listen, she should use some vulgarity, some profanity that we do not endorse.

You gotta love what she did. She drug her boy home what you tell, that's the way I raise you only concern was what our pastor was going to do when he found out what word to use. Okay so we want to be careful there but at the same time, we expect mothers to do that. We expect moms to step up to the plate. We depend on moms to do that.

Oh my goodness of mom just took a day off collectively from the responsibilities. It seems like our culture would collapse overnight, but unfortunately men are not stepping up to the plate. Like mother's usually do, there's exceptions, there's wayward moms in a horribly neglectful, but by and large, mothers are there for the children. We expect them to be there but a lot of dad so they're missing in action. So as we read the Scriptures here today. They're not just directed to women there directed to men because right now in our culture were losing fathers at an unprecedented rate. One expert said were in danger of becoming a fatherless society.

I know some your judge of the goodwill of a great hold up backup.

It's Mother's Day now I'm here today because my wife asked me to be here and I thought I'm in a dodge a bullet you won't talk to dad and now you're talking to dad's funeral. I just realized there's probably more fathers in church on Mother's Day than there are on Father's Day is true and you know why because next to Christmas and Easter, Mother's Day is the best attended day at church and you know it. One of the lowest attended these churches yes Father's Day.

Of course son is our during the home Mother's Day mom. We want to do.

I want to go to church and I want everyone to come them of God and have a nice lunch. Okay mom love you mom. So, here's mom of the family.

Thoughts Father's Day dad's Father's Day. We want to do. I want to sleep on my lazy boy and not go to church or something going on there so is a good opportunity to talk to mothers and fathers, and I am speaking on the topic of parenting you want to directly to Mother's Day and Father's Day, I think one little boy got it right this is Father's Day is just like Mother's Day, only you don't spend as much on the gift not true Jenna true estimate so I got you guys, take advantage of it.

Whatever support you fathers notice it's directed to you. You fathers don't provoke your children to wrath, bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Of course, the statement is assuming that the father is there was unheard of in first century culture for a father to abandon his responsibilities in this home. Nowadays it seems to be almost the norm.

I know little about this. I was raised in a fatherless omen to be completely candid. I was raised in effect in a motherless home. My mom didn't really raise me at all. I was just sort of left ear and left there and mostly left to myself and so this can be a problem for many people today, but here's why a debt is so important. I know it's pretty loud person. You guys, but this is the truth to a large degree a child's view of God is based on their view of their father. You're an earthly representative of the women done the gone their estimate. Further, sorry but you'll see a lot of times people sort of transfer their relationship with her earthly father to their heavenly father.

So their earthly father was mean and harsh or maybe even abusive.

They view God. That way if their earthly father was aloof and distant and none communicative, then they think God's that way because we need to know God is like that at all. God is loving God is caring God is nurturing but God at the same time is just and righteous and holy.

But you're a representative of God.

Do your kids. That's why your role is so vital in the home. It's funny how kids view their debts of the passing of time.

Read a magic magazine article that sorta showed how a child abuser father when a child is four years old Isaac my daddy can do anything when the child is seven they say my daddy knows a lot all whole lot when the child is a they say. Well, my father doesn't know everything.

When a child's 12 will naturally dad doesn't know about that either. At 14 oh man, that's old school.

He doesn't know that either a 21 that is so lame at 25 you know dad knows a little about that.

Not that much at 30, that's fine with that thinks about that 35 years before we decide let's get dad's idea. First had 50. What would data thought about that at 60 you know what my dad knew literally everything that 65 I wish I could talk it over with dad so you know what happens is you realize what it is to be a parent.

Usually when you become apparent.

Another quote from Mark Twain to in one message, no extra charge. He said when I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I can hardly standing on the old man around when I got to be 21. I was astonished at how much the old man is learned in seven years.

Now, so your parts important to be faithful and it here's what were to do and not to do as parents verse four.

Don't provoke your children to wrath. Don't provoke your children rub brother verse four. Excuse me. The word provoke means to anger that affect the word provoke means a repeated pattern of treatment that causes the child to have anger and resentment that boils over to outright hostility again the word provoke means of repeated pattern of treatment that causes a child to have anger and resentment that boils over to outright hostility. How would we provoke our children.

One way we anger our children are provoke them is by showing favoritism to one child over another.

Experts say the effects of parental favoritism. Left unchecked can be long lasting. A study was done that from sibling to since her mom consistently favored or rejected.

One child over another are far more likely to exhibit depression in mid-to-late the less favored kids. Also, what ill will toward their parent or favored sibling is matters is a perfect example in the Bible of Jacob.

Jacob had two sons are choosing Isaac brother Isaac had two sons Jacob and Esau and Isaac favored Jacob because it was kind of outdoorsy like to hunt and Isaac especially love the fresh venison that Jacob touches me that I Esau I got this all messed up.

Let's start over. And that's only me. I know there's a gamma start over. All right, let's begin again started the very beginning. A very good place to start. All right I sick and Rebecca had two sons Jacob and Esau asked you to mark this day. That was a D grade was losing his mind in front of his room in the so Isaac favored Esau, because Esau was an outdoorsy hunter type kid and of course his father really loved his barbecue venison, but wife Rebecca. She favored Jacob. Jacob like to hang around the house. You know, help mom out a little bit. So this caused a division among the boys that went well into their adult years. That was favoritism that you would think that Jacob would've learned from this when he got his own family. But no, he goes and favors one of his sons over the others. He favored Joseph so much. So we gave him a special little coat.

We notice the coat of many colors right but actually what that was, was a longsleeved tunic which basically said to the brothers. Joseph doesn't have to work in the fields in the hot sun like you, he's my favored son and you know certainly Joseph made things worse by tattling on his brothers telling on his brothers so they paid it back by selling him to slave traders when you know you've ticked off your siblings.

When that happens, but really there was a responsibility here on the part of his father Jacob and favoring him don't favor one child over another child. By the way, kids know it when you have a favorite. You're not as clever as you think you are know what I want to buy a gift for one of my granddaughters Allstate to get this for this granddaughter. My wife is a Dell everything you buy. You have to buy five of them. You have five grandchildren.

So I do the math. Isaac she doesn't need much the way you provoke your children is by never complementing them you provoke them by never complement many of them or affirming them. I grew up in the home of the word no complement. There was no affirmation. There was no out avoidance. It just wasn't done.

No hugs, no kisses, no I love you said by anyone to anyone. So when I became a dad I think I over compensated.

I agree with the statement of Dr. Dobson when he said every parent owes her first child, an apology is probably true because we all made mistakes with the first kids in my right.

I did so I think I over disciplined I/O, I was overly generous. I didn't understand those were not good things and so I mean I'm sure this example before, but I would just take my son Christopher, my only boy at that point Jonathan had not yet been born. We just go to a toy store not just find a toy for no reason and not just a thought. A big toy that's he want to go the toy structure yes until we went to Toys "R" Us and this is when Star Wars was out the first time is long time ago. I wish I kept those figures in their original packaging. Their valuable now.

So we would go nuts okay Christopher you can pick up a little figure become the Star Wars character so you look very carefully and think about it, and pull different ones off-road princes lay outside it and what that is looking for. You know, Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader or Hansel or someone like that and he says that I want on solo. Meanwhile what he was looking at the little characters.

I was looking at the Star Wars hardware on the top shelf that I have my eye and different ones of these that I want Han Solo. That's it. Okay great will get it about the millennium falcon to go with that and I think this giant box off the shelf and we bought it. We came home because they were looking.

His role arises. So what are you doing today so we can over do things for sure so one problem is never affirming our child. Another problem is over affirming our child. This may be a problem or an culture today in the way a lot of younger parents are raising their children. They are to come up with a term for its called helicopter parenting. In an article said quote when praising children goes too far. She is to worry about spoiling their kids and so they criticize lavishly and withheld praise. Now they worry about self-esteem, so they withheld criticism and praise lavishly and the problem with this is its produce a lot of narcissistic self centered kids and I see it all the time.

Kids that have no respect and I was taught my boys respect you known adult walks in the room you stand up and you shake your hand and you look them in the eye and you're respectful to people to teach these things to kids. They don't do it naturally. When I look at disrespectful kids. That's the fault of the parents because the parents haven't done their job of parenting and helping the children know what are we to do or to bring them up. It says in the training and admonition of the Lord bring them up. This could also be translated nourished and fee.

Another translation says let them be. Kindly cherish it says bring them up and does not say knock them down. Nor does it say leave them to themselves because Proverbs 2915 says a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. That's a problem in many homes in America today.

I read an article they had like a new generation of latchkey kids has emerged a latchkey kid is a kid that goes to school and they come home with her alone for hours until mom or dad get home. This article said it jumps to 15 million every day. A 6% increase since 2004 who's influencing these kits.

In many cases their paired pair appears are training them or the public school system. God help us so that our media would listen if your job mom and dad your job to train your children to bring them up in the way of the Lord not tell you what to bring them up because their sinful nature brings them down. I don't think I have to tell you that your child is a sinner just like you're a sinner.

David said in sin did my mother conceive me. I never had to teach my boys how to send never dissented out boys. I would teach out of sin, slow to start with this work. My note I didn't have to teach them.

They came naturally to them just like you came naturally to me like it will come naturally to every person know what we need to do is help our children come to Jesus and develop their own relationship with God. Listen to this.

Nothing can really happen through us until this first happened to us. And Paul writes in Philippians 49 the things that you've learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things.

Listen, some things are caught in some things are taught and what your children need to see is your faith in action. You know when I first became a Christian I can from his grace broken home. You all know that and so I mean I was converted my life was changed I would meet some kids that were kind of rebelling against God, and they would tell me how they came from homes of hypocrisy and I would think men you have no idea what about home. Looks like I came from the worst home ever. Why would you not walk with God and later I began to realize what hypocrisy does, in some ways it's almost better, almost, not really, but in some ways it's almost better to come from a home of complete nonbelief than the come from a home where mom and dad see their Christians and they don't live it and I'll tell you why. When you raise the kind of home. I was raised in, which was godless. Multiple father's alcoholism.

All that stuff you know that's not good and I Kennesaw the world up close and personal. I said I don't want that. There has to be something better. So at least I knew this is not the example to follow when you come from a home where mom and dad see their Christians and they contradicted in their fighting and their screaming and they're getting drunk or doing whatever they do or even breaking up. This is the worst thing you could do to your kid because now you've given them an excuse for their unbelief. So live a godly life. Best thing you can do for your kids man love your wife. Best thing you can do for your kids mom. Love your husband shown what love looks like Joan what a good marriage. Looks like I know you want to clap, clap, even if you didn't want to.

You should because that's the truth.

And then as we teach our children. It's a daily thing. It's a lifestyle of Moses gives some great insights into this in Deuteronomy 6 versus 4 to 7. He says these words I'm commanding you today will be in your heart.

Teach them diligently to your sons and your daughters talk to them when you sit down in your house when you walk together.

When you live down you rise Moses the same and just do it all the time doing to get up in the morning before they go to bed at night till when you're just out and about. I find some of the greatest spiritual moments with my children that there were just out doing things and you look for a teaching moment.

You know, sometimes Christian parents want to have their children live in a bubble when it can allow any cockiness influences indoor home.

We won't even have a television set with nothing, no media, no Internet, just copy and in this house we wanted without furniture so just sit in the house and a read Bible verses to them all day long yeah that's I can work real well is theirs is going to happen your sweet little children are going to CTV at a friends house or walking down the aisle in a mall or so look prepare them to live in the real world, someone I love and with my kids I do with my grandkids to his young they want to watch a cartoon, a water with them until I cartoon Jen I was going to be a cartoonist before I became a pastor so I've always liked cartoons but I've also noticed there's a lot of subliminal and sometimes not so subliminal messages in those cartoon and certainly in those little sitcoms and those preteen sitcoms you know that you see a lot of now there's messages or conveying messages will want to with the kids, and afterwards I'll ask them questions and I'll try to help them interpret it. See what I'm trying to help them develop as a biblical worldview for themselves and see things as God wants them to see them. That's a constant process but sometimes children go astray. Yes, sometimes they go astray, and then we feel that we have somehow failed. You know my own sons both had prodigal times in their life. Both Christopher my oldest and Jonathan. My youngest for a time when astray from their faith, but we never gave up on them and both of them came back to Christ.

So here's just some closing thoughts now number one, even when raising godly homes.

Sometimes kids rebel it when raising godly homes. This doesn't mean you failed as a parent here's a perfect example. Jesus told a story we call the parable of the prodigal son.

The Bible doesn't call it that, but we call it that. So you know the story. Jesus said there was a dad with two sons and the youngest son came to his father now loosely paraphrase.

Now if you don't mind that I'm sick of living in this house with you I think your rules I'm sick you your regulations.

I want to go out and live my own life and I want my inheritance I don't wait to you.your living too long, so just give me my inheritance. Now single have some fun. Amazingly, the father acquiescence.

He gives us on this portion of the inheritance. It's not long until the boy is blown.

The family fortune on prostitutes and drunkenness in all kinds of stupid things and he came to nothing. But you know that father love that son and never forgot about that son, and prayed about that son as shown by his reaction when his son came home. So one day the sun came to his senses and said you know what the guys that work for my dad have a better than me. I was going to go home and say father I know I've blown it as your son I would never expect you to see me that way anymore. But can you give me a job so I can have food in my stomach while the boy was a great way off the father some sort like the camera switches Joan once he were looking at the prodigal living with pigs literally starving to death. Miserable broke and so he makes is legal now the camera shifts and it's another scene were back home with dad at the estate and dancer on the porch. Maybe in his rocker, looking on the long road. The boy walked away.

On some years ago and the father sees the son and Jesus says the father saw the sun and begin to run toward him and threw his arms around the sun. The sun start to speech that no longer worthy to be called your son. Just make you hard to yell what ever get out the fatted calf. Let's have a barbecue put a ring in his finger. This my son was dead is alive again. He was lost is found. Here's the point I want to bring up this point was raised in a loving home, but he still rebuilt and so this can happen, so don't feel you're a failure as a parent, if your children rebel let me take it a step further. If you are a failure as a parent because your children have gone prodigal that God the father is a failure as a heavenly father because does not God have a lot of particles if he does he's not a failure.

By the way, it's just that we have a free will and God lets us utilize in support of the father do. He welcomed us on this point number two if you have a child that goes prodigal. Stay true to your beliefs. The father never compromise the father stood his ground, and you need to do the same. Hold your course lovingly teach the word and continue on doing it. Listen. Both my boys knew that when they lived under my roof that have bite my rules. These are the rules and that you live by my rules and you always show respect your mom and me if you have a disagreement, that's fine.

We want to hear your disagreement but don't disrespect us and I in. Here's what we believe this is what we do. Just we go to church on Sunday and that means you come to church with us on Sunday to and these are the standards we all by the way, I reserve the right to go anywhere in my house.

I wanted to go, including my kids rooms because sometimes people so know that that's your privates. Please don't invade their space. I'm invading any stinking space I want okay what are you snooping, you better believe I'm still being goodbye find something that's destructive to the child, to bring it to their attention so they don't go the wrong way. That's part of my job as a parent. Like I said earlier they don't need need me to be their best friend they need me to be there. Dad and they need you to be there. Mom number three.

We should never give up on our kids don't give up. Maybe it's a hard day for you today for some your mothers because your children are not here and maybe you won't even hear from them today.

They may not call and you haven't talked to them for a while. They've they don't want your faith. They don't want your life and it's it's a tough day. Don't give up.

Just don't give up keep praying.

Listen to this.

Your children can escape your presence but they can never escape your prayers. Keep praying for that employee number four always keep the door open. Always keep the door open. Will my son Christopher was in his little prodigal phase, which went on quite a few years.

He always knew I loved him. He always knew I cared and I kept communication open. Even if you didn't communicate with me. I communicated with him and said let's get together for lunch. Let's do this.

Let's do that. My son Christopher told Levi Lesko his friend. You know I Kenneth can measure my relationship with God. Based on my relationship with my father speaking to be said when I'm right with God. I'm right with my dad when I'm not right with God.

There's tension between my dad and myself. But then he also told Levi the thing that brought me back to Christ was knowing that my father love me unconditionally and I could all always go home and he did. And now he's home in heaven because I was I to know that one day would be as lasting but I'm just so thankful that he was right with God and walking with God and as David said he cannot come to me, but I will go to him some you moms today dads to have a child that's gone on to be with the Lord.

And so this is a hard day a hard day for you. But just remember you left that legacy with them and if they trusted in Christ. You'll see them again guy had a prodigal son. He wanted on other crazy thing. In closing I do prodigal mother to see my mom was raised in the church he went to Little Baptist Church with her family. The McDaniel plan and friendship Arkansas every Sunday morning. Every Sunday night every Wednesday night. My mom had a serious drug problem. They drugged her to church in the morning, drug her to church at night and they drug or church midweek, and so she rebel and she ran away from her fate and lived her crazy line and I went along for Charlene's wild ride that was her name and then of course the last thing she ever thought would happen her own son became a Christian, and worse yet a preacher, but it was always hard to have that conversation with my mom about spiritual things. Whenever I raise the issue should take want to talk about that I don't talk about that.

So one day I was on my way to church and I felt really led by the Lord to go talk with my mother about her soul.

She 70 now. She honestly looks like she's 90. The effects of her lifestyle choices are caught up with her all the drinking and smoking had ravaged her body and she was on dialysis three times a week and I felt very strongly. I should talk to her so I drove her door over to her house. She was alone set down his mom want to talk to you about your soul.

She said I don't want to talk about it. I said today were going to talk about it in a conversation resulted in her recommitting her life to the Lord. Now she's in heaven she's in heaven and I know I'll see her again.

So, of all days on Mother's Day is a possible. We have some prodigal mother's prodigal son. Review of the never midpriced. That's the bottom line not just talking everybody your mother or father son or daughter pretty much covers it doesn't leave anybody out your one of those things where you are.

You need Jesus because you're separated from God by your sin, but 2000 years ago Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and rose again from the dead and always here with us in this place, knocking at the door of your life insane if you hear his voice and open the door to come in. Maybe you came today with your mom to make her happy, because it's Mother's Day. Maybe moms you came to church today with your kids because that's what they wanted you to do dads maybe you came along. You don't usually come to church but here you are hoping IN this sermon soon and I will maybe you're just a kidney come with your mom and dad to church and you're kinda young and you don't understand all the things I'm saying.

Maybe you will understand this, God loves you. God wants to forgive you of your sin he wants to live inside of your heart, and he is a plan for your life, and he want you to know that one day you can have the hope and assurance that you go to heaven but for that to happen. You need to ask Jesus Christ to come into your life. Have you done that yet.

If not, I want to give you an opportunity as we closed on prayer to ask Christ to come in wherever you're at he'll forgive you but you must come, let's put our heads down everybody praying father, thank you for your word to us. Thank you for loving us and I pray for any here now or those that are watching that do not yet know Jesus, help them see their need for you help them to come to you and be forgiven of all of their sin. No other hedge about her eyes are closed. Were all praying.

How many of you would say today Greg, I need Jesus Christ. I want to know that my sin is forgiven.

I made a lot of mistakes. I want to put my past behind me. I need a second chance in life. I want to go to heaven when I die. Pray for me. I want Jesus right now that your desire. If you want Jesus Christ to come in your life. Much of the literature can end up wherever you are. I want to proofread, lift your hand up and I want to pray.

God bless you and God bless you with your hand the pipe you would let me pray for you today.

God bless you, to you, you that are watching the screen. I don't see you, but the Lord sees you, would you raise your hand as well. Just yes I need Christ.

Wherever you are – anybody else raise your hand up if you're a bit raised. You need Jesus. Today God bless all of you when I heads are still about maybe some of you would take up in a prodigal son, daughter, prodigal mother or even a father but you want to come back to Jesus you were raised in the faith or you were walking with Jesus.

At one time but you've wondered often you want to come home again just like the prodigal son did affect your desire. I want you literature can end up.

I want to pray for you today. You want to come back to Christ. Raise your hand. Combustion anybody else raise your hand. No accomplice right arm and ask all of you that just raise your hand if you would please I want to the stand to your feet you the rage again sin you want Jesus in your life or you want to come back to him stand up for McKenna pray together wherever you are, to stand up right now.

God bless you, that are standing anybody else stand up even if you did not reach her again, but you want to make this commitment or recommitment to Christ.

Stand your feet publish to the understanding watching the screen stand up. This is between you and God you'll hear this prayer you're about to pray one more moment anybody else you want Christ to come in your life you want to come back to him because you fallen away stand up to pray together. Anybody else stand. Bless you that understanding cup us around you that are standing want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. This is where you're asking for God to forgive you again as I pray pray this out loud after me right where you are. Pray this now, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross and rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin.

Now I ask you to come into my life and forgive me, I choose to follow you, Jesus. From this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, amen. God bless you that pray that prayer