"A Praying Mother"

Hi there this is on Solomon and I'd like to welcome you to our program today. You know it's a tremendous honor that God is given us to be on stations all around the nation bringing the truths of God's word as it is uncompromising and straightforward and I'm so glad you tuned in to listen and be part of that. Thanks again for your support and your generosity that keeps us on the radio and now let's get to the word of God.

Now you know every Mother's Day we talk about motherhood and I want to do that again today and begin with a statement that I totally believe in. This is my statement that the greatest power anywhere on this earth is a praying up mother and that's what I want us to talk about your mother here today or grandmother or foster mother then what were going to talk about today is right in your wheelhouse. Ladies, but if you're a woman here today that doesn't have children yet what were going to talk about today is still right in your wheelhouse because most of the lessons that have been learned that I'm going to share with you today.

Mothers have learned as they been raising their children and and that's okay to learn a little bit lighter by trial and error like that but how much better is it if we knew all of this stuff going in from day want of being a mother and so when God gives you children if he does, and I hope you will if you want them. How great is it if you know all of this from the very start. So listen up because this is in your wheelhouse to and for us gentlemen, this is in our wheelhouse as well because there's a lot of great lessons in here for us as dad and future day so are you ready this Dragon are you ready, here we go. To start with James chapter 5 verse 16. The prayer James says of a righteous man or woman can accomplish much. And then James goes on to actually give us an example in real life. He said Elijah was a man with a nature just like ours and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it did not rain for 3 1/2 years, and he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its crops. I mean just look at what Elijah accomplished through prayer. Isaiah 57 verse 15 God says I dwell on in a high and holy place that's good, but also with him or her. Who is contrite and humble in spirit.

Psalm 34 the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. And there is not a person on this earth more humble, more brokenhearted, more contrite, more desperate and more crushed in spirit than I godly mother crying out to God on behalf of her children in need and so the bottom line. Moms is when you get on your knees for your children. The Bible is clear that the doors of God's heart are wide open to you. Now, in light of that, what are some of the things you should be praying for for your children.

As a mother. Well, I mean there are lots but I picked out five to suggest to us today and let me tell you what they are.

Suggestion number one.

I suggest that as moms we pray for God to incline the heart of our child to him, even when that trial is still in the womb. See, the Bible tells us that the soul of your child does not begin at birth.

Jeremiah chapter 1 verse five God says to Jeremiah before I formed you in the womb I knew you and I love Luke chapter 1 where Mary was pregnant with the Lord Jesus goes to see her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Watch what happens. Verse 41, and when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth will and Elizabeth said, why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me for soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears. The baby in my womb, John the Baptist leapt for joy friends.

The point is that little baby John in Elizabeth moon had a living soul that responded spiritually to coming into the presence of the cries, the Messiah, the son of God Mondo today are under estimate what is in your womb, it is not just a bunch of sales. It is a living person with a living soul, a soul that can be praying for a soul that can be touched by Christ long before that soul never comes down the birth canal. I remember when Brenda was carrying our children that I used to lay down on the bed and put my hands on her tummy and we used to pray for this child in her womb, and what would we pray. Well, we would pray that God would give this child a tender heart to the things of God. We would pray that God would give this child a heart to accept Christ at an early age and are analog for the word of God and a love for prayer and a desire to tell people about Christ. All the days of their life. Now, Brendan Meyer, Don. You know I'm saying but I've daughter-in-law's now who are having grandchildren and I don't put my hands on their tummies because that's just not would be not appropriate, but I still pray for them the very same way. My daughter-in-law Kristin is expecting our sixth grandchild next month and right now I'm actively praying when I talked to Kristin on the phone and every day for her for that child in her womb for these very same things. Number two suggestion number two is that as a mom. We pray for God to set our child apart for his glory and to make a difference in the world for Christ through this trial, you know, God set Jeremiah apart like this when he was a child. Jeremiah chapter 1 verse five God said before you were born I set you apart and appointed you to be a prophet to the nations. God set Samson apart as a trial judge's 13 then the angel of the Lord appeared to Samson's mother, who was childless and said your child was now, but you are going to have a sauna number to use them for. He will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

I set them apart to using mom hey God set Samuel apart to be used as a child he did it. Hannah if you remember Samuel's mother for Samuel Juan Prato, Lord of hosts, if you will look kindly on my misery and remember me and give me a son that I will give him back to the Lord all the days of his life.

So God gave her that son Samuel watch and Hannah said for this boy. I pray in the Lord is granted me what I asked. So now I dedicated him to the Lord as long as he lives.

He is given to the Lord and God went on to appoint this trial as the great prophet of Israel. For Samuel 320 and all Israel knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord and we could go back and talk about how God took David and Solomon and Esther and Moses and Jacob and Joseph and Daniel when they were all children and consecrated their lives to him and then use them to impact their world for Christ and as a mom. This should be our daily prayer for each of our children. Lord, I dedicate this child to you as long as they live. They are given to you. Please set their life apart and use their life to make a difference for Christ in our world. And when you pray for your children like this mom you better buckle your seatbelt because I'm telling you you're going to be shocked to see what God does with your children.

As a result of this, prayer, number three suggestion number three is that as a mom.

We should pray for our child's future spouse. See, I believe something with all of my heart.

I believe that God has someone special and specific picked out for your child to Mary. Now that is assuming God wants in the very God doesn't necessarily lead everybody to get married but if your child is to get married. I believe God has a perfect match for your child, and a perfect match for the one is going to match up with your child know a lot of theologians don't agree with this.

A lot of commentators don't agree with this but they're wrong. It's just that simple. They're wrong as moms. I'm telling you that from day one of our child's life. We should be praying for their future spouse that this person would have a vibrant walk with God that this person would have a Christlike lifestyle that this person would have every godly virtue that are child needs to be a partner in life and that when their paths crossed.

Sparks will fly you stay out of that. But pray for you understand what I'm saying now. I gotta tell you, Brendan. I did this with our boys and I want to stand here and say publicly and without apology that all three of my boys married exponentially above their head exponentially above their head.

Praise the Lord and praise the Lord for the women they got my bad idea. I married exponentially above my head to I might add that but I would watch these guys growing up and I would say who in the world is going to want to marry you yet. I mean, you think that's I know these, but I know these people. I know these people and I would say oh my gosh man so I have two theories about how they married the incredible women. They did my first theory is that God sent a spirit of stupor on these women and by the time they figured out what happened. It was too late already married is my first theory. My second theory, which I really think the right one is that Brenda and I prayed not for years, but for decades for these women. Decades and I'm telling you, don't you dare underestimate the power of praying for that spouse there out there and we need to be praying for them is Avalon. How does all this fit in with the sovereignty of God and the free will of man, and how that all works in choosing a mate and meeting.

I don't know and I don't care makes no difference to me.

All I know is that as a parent I should be praying for the spouse in the future from my child and it's up to God to figure out the rest. A man I don't even know how to God that he does it all okay there. Just bring those great women to our boys and for you have daughters will God help you, pray for those great men out there. Yeah I am at all right so number four.

Let me suggest that when we pray as moms we pray for God to protect our child from corrupting influences first Corinthians 1533 says do not be deceived.

Bad company corrupts good morals.

You say one is that Mina means friends if you hang around with appealed onion long enough, you'll start to smell like one.

That's what it means. And you know there are a lot of peeled onions out there friends who would love the Lord our children into ungodly and destructive behavior, girlfriends and boyfriends who would love to tempt our children into compromising their walks with God. Ungodly professors who would love to undermine and shipwreck our children's faith and as moms we need to pray that God will put a hedge of protection offense of protection around our children like he did Job check it out. Job chapter 1 verse 10 into which he does not allow Satan to bring these corrupting influences and you know what I don't care how old our children get. They still need their mom's praying this forum because Satan is not a respecter of age, he will just as happily take down a 59-year-old as a nine-year-old. He doesn't care. So I don't care whether your children are grown with children of their own as moms are prayer has got to continue to be for their protection. Amen. And finally number five.

Let me suggest number five that as moms we pray for ourselves, the God would help us to be the kind of godly example we need to be so our children can imitate that, you know, one of the I think one of the most challenging versus anywhere in the Bible is found in Philippians chapter 4 verse nine here's what Paul said. He said the things you've learned are and received and heard and seen in me practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

How can anybody say that I can anybody say just look at me and everything you've seen me do everything you've heard me say every attitude you've seen me display every response to every situation that you've seen me. Exhibit copy that God will be with you. Holy smokes, who can say something like you say well. Paula never driven on the Beltway when you know know, even if he had, I still think he could've said this while that is an amazing thing. And since we know with children more things are caught than taught man moms.

We need to be prayer that what we say and what we do in the way we react and the attitudes that we project that they are the kind of things that our children if they copy them, the God of peace will be with them.

I love this poet entitled when you thought I wasn't looking for me read it to you when you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that little things can be special in life when you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick and I learned that God wants us to help take care of each other when you thought I wasn't looking I felt you kiss me good night and I felt loved and safe when you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come to your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's okay to cry when you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you pray and I learned that there is a God.

I can always talk to trust you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a healthy and productive person when I grow up. When you thought I was looking I looked at you and wanted to say thanks mom for all the things you taught me when you thought I wasn't looking.

Listen, mom matter how bad your child's friends are, no matter how rotten the neighborhood is, no matter how corrupt the school environment is, no matter how ungodly or spiritually dis-interested dad may be mom, your godly example can overcome it all. And this is why we need to be praying for ourselves that the Lord will help us live as moms in such a way that we can turn to our children authentically say to them honey sweetheart the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. So let's conclude as a mom. The most powerful legacy we can leave our trial. Well it's not carpools and it's not great meals and it's not a beautifully decorated home and it's not spick-and-span floors. It's not a living room with color-coordinated chairs or toilet bowl that sanitized they don't care about any of that.

You know they care about what you'll never get over your prayer life.

They will never get over that they will never forget that and they will never recover from your prayer life. What should we be praying. Five suggestions number one praying for them in the womb. But God will turn their heart to him, praying for them as children that God will set them apart unto himself and consecrate their lives to be used for Christ praying for their future spouse and praying for their personal protection from harmful influences and praying for ourselves to be Christlike examples for one more thing I want to say before were done and that is that many times and we need to know this. A godly mother's prayer for her children may not get answered until she's already gone over to be with the Lord. See sometimes we think that when we leave this earth.

Our prayers go with us but they don't they stay here, and God continues to answer the prayers of godly mothers even after the mothers are with him in heaven. I'm reminded of the story of John Newton, the man who wrote that grade hymn amazing Grace.

When he was a young man