Lessons from My Mother

I'm profoundly thankful that I was raised in a home with godly parents.

My mother, who will be 92 next month was an only child.

She was raised in a very small fishing village in the northeast of of Scotland's my grandfather John hay, after whom I'm called full name is John the Monroe was a fisherman. All of his life. My grandfather didn't come to Christ until it was a young man in his early 20s. At that time, a spiritual revival was impacting the fishing villages and towns in the Northeast of Scotland under the leadership of a young Salvation Army live tenants and the Salvation Army had preached in one of the neighboring towns to the village where my grandfather lived and made it no-nonsense in such a day. There were going to come to this village and I preach and they had open their meetings and there were going to meet at the particular point right of the harbor.

It was a point where my grandfather who was home from C at the time would stand with these friends I talked about fishing talk about sports talk and smoke and sand and that the young men of the village were very concerned that this Salvation Army preacher that they have held in very poor regard that they were going to come to their village and to preach a strange message of most of the young man said to my grandfather Welborn are going to stand and listen to that nonsense.

So when he comes, we won't be there. My grandfather said this is our village. Why should we allow this Salvation Army preacher to push aside of our spots. We were there first and so when the Salvation Army preacher came and started preaching in the open air at their my grandfather stood with a few others in the miracle of God's grace in this and salvation was a miracle, a young man. My grandfather, who up to that point was opposed to the gospel, fell under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the God himself came down and touched his heart and my grandfather as a young fisherman cried out to Christ for salvation and was certainly saved by the grace of God. His life then by all accounts was totally transformed. This was not just a mental assent to some doctrine but was a divine transformation in his being and for all of his life. He faithfully followed Jesus Christ.

Sometime later he married my grandmother, who came from the same village who was already a follower of Jesus Christ and then on 5 June 1925 God graciously bless the union with the gift of a beautiful wee girl even more beautiful. I think than the little girls we saw today if I can say that my mother Ruth Kate was born on the on 5 June 1925.

By all accounts it was an easy child to raise from childhood. She was taught the Scriptures from childhood to the way of salvation was explained to her and that she unclenching unquestionably was a person of high moral standards and sought to please her parents and do what was right. My grandparents, although very very poor were extremely hospitable. Their home was always open and the visiting preachers find a warm welcome in the small home at the top of the harbor, just a few yards from the small harbor and as a result of speaking to one of these itinerant evangelists who were staying in the home of my grandparents my mother when she was about 18 Years Old Pl. of faith in Jesus.

Christ and from that moment Christ was first in her life and essentially never look back should come to Christ known the gospel all of her life, but for some unknown reason had always resisted Christ until this evangelist spoke to it in their own home and she opened her heart and to the Lord. This evangelist knew Mike my father's family and in the course of time, my father Thomas Monroe met this young woman of romance quickly blossomed. Apparently, and that Rupe and Thomas Monroe were united in holy matrimony and my mother made a huge move in our global world. It doesn't sound very much but you move from the northeast of Scotland from a small fishing village. The central Scotland's where my father lived a very different culture in the small village she knew everyone many of the villagers were have relatives and no she came being the only child to met to meet my father's family was one of six brothers and one sister. My mother all of her life has been a quiet retiring individual is very strong person, but rather quiets and that she found that she has told us often find it rather difficult. Coming into this rather noisy Monroe family where they all wanted to talk.

Needless to say I come full of my mother's example in them quite and retiring and so was difficult for this young woman, but she quickly adapted. She said her parents give a very wise advice and said to Ruth. You've decided to marry Tom and that when you leave when you go there. Don't come back with some device and so even though it took a while. She was homesick, difficult to adapt to a new culture, a new family shall of my father shall of Christ because my father was also a committed follower of Christ. So right from the beginning that marriage and their home were founded on Jesus Christ or God graciously bless this union of my parents and did you course, not all of the same time, six sons were born and raised in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

I think most of you know I'm one of six boys and throws her life. My mother has provided an example of unselfish living of always putting Christ first of putting others before her own needs and I tell you little bit about my mother's story to prove the lessons I'm going to mention I for lessons. I want us to think about in some context as she taught me these lessons weren't always easy lessons to learn. As she says of the six. I was one of the toughest arrays but there we were, she taught us these lessons in life is not been easy for my mother. 40 years ago my father died very suddenly very unexpectedly. My mother is never remarried. Two of my brothers and I with the Lord, having died from brain tumor.

So life has not been easy, but through it. She has provided a wonderful example to me. I think into my brothers and beyond her home to many others of what it means for a woman to follow Jesus Christ. So I thought this Mother's Day I would share for lessons I learned from my mother and I would ask the mother's ear to teach these lessons to their children. The first lesson is to live in the fear of the Lord is there that sends a strange lesson to teach a young boy active exhibit a good lesson if you have your Bible turn to Proverbs chapter 31 Proverbs 31 is this great passage about a woman of excellence, a woman who is to be praised. Proverbs 31 the last chapter in Proverbs.

I'm going to read from verse 26 and the these words certainly are true of my mother and I'm sure many of the mothers here.

Proverbs 3126. She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue is a great mother do her business, one who opens her mouth with wisdom two years ago when my mother was celebrating her 90th birthday and I was over or in Scotland with her family, my brothers, and we were honoring our mother and each of the brothers we said something about your mother.

My youngest brother who is not a follower of Jesus Christ. Successful businessman, but really appears to have turned his back on the Lord when he stood up he rather surprised me by saying that the word that characterize her mother was wise that she was a wise woman. She opens her mouth with wisdom, the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She works well to the ways of her household, and doesn't eat the bread of idleness.

Our children rise up and call her blessed husband also, and he praises her many women have been excellently but you surpassed them all charm is deceitful and beauty is vain notices with a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised Gifford of the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates. Who is this woman who is to be praised as this woman whom God honors. Who is this woman that the defying the divine assessment is that this is a woman of excellence. Solomon tells us phone here in verse 30 it's a woman who fears the Lord, and I can say the first priority of my mother has been to fear the Lord. Look back at verse 10, Proverbs 31%. An excellent wife who can find she's far more precious than jewels.

The heart of her husband transcend her and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not harm, all the days of her life. There is a woman that her husband transcend our children rise up and call her blessed. Why because she's a wise woman and she lives in the field of the Lord.

Solomon is already said in Proverbs 9 verse 10 that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy one is insights. Where does this wisdom come from every single one of us would like to be wise we we realize we've all made in our life. Some foolish decisions. And why is it that some people are wise and why is it that some people may be very intelligent and maybe highly educated, and yet make very foolish decisions. The answer is not walking in the fear of the Lord because they fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom that is I think my mother is a pretty smart person. Nothing God gave it a good brain but not wisdom doesn't come from her brain. I wisdom doesn't come from our education heart wisdom doesn't come from what she's read although she's always been a great reader of wisdom comes from a relationship with the Lord there can be no true wisdom without knowing the Lord, you may be smart, you may be well educated, you may be successful, but apart from living in the fear of the Lord, that you are not wise to fear the Lord is to know the holy one, and to truly know God, not just by singing about that but really knowing God. To know God, the true God is to fear him a W dozer said what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about my mother and she is often told us this was raised in a God-fearing culture even before my mother came to faith in Jesus Christ. She had a fear of God is that of Cornelius in our chapter 10 verse through that before he had the gospel this century in this Gentile regards. In acts 10 verse two that he was a devout man and he fear the Lord with his household, to fear the Lord and asking the fear of the Lord mothers. Is this something you teach your children. We largely lost today, even in our churches a sense of the fear of the Lord. One of the things one of the many things that impressed further. Nine. The resubmission strip in Kazakhstan are the first Sunday that the United Church service.

The place is packed and overflow and I was asked to asked to preach. I preached I finish preaching sat down in the choir sang another man started often and started reading Scripture, and he hadn't said very much. When a woman came forward and knelt right down the man was preaching. I'm for thinking now there's a time to pray but what you doing whenever she got to her knees is remarkable.

The preachers are preaching.

He said to everyone what stands in the parade for that woman right there you could sense the fear of the Lord. Afterwards, a woman came to me and and that said through the interpreter, but as I was preaching. She was convicted of sin, and she had to get right with the Lord right there and she came repenting over seven. On another occasion when we were with one of the young ladies that Calvary supports Yana. There was a group of children students ages about from about 11 through early 20s and we were in a circle and sharing talking and then just is as would like to go. Someone said, let's pray there you stand up to pray and right in front of us to little girls 12, 13, knelt in prayer atmosphere you realize you are people living in the fear of the Lord. My mother was God centered on Christ centered in our thinking and living to encourage my brothers and I to center our thinking, our priorities are decision-making on the Lord. She was teaching us to fear the Lord and she was a stickler at Stigler to make sure that we always always would speak respectfully of the Lord of the church of the ordinances that we were to speak with care regarding a regards that he was not our body is Isaiah said, these are high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy.

He is the Almighty God the Creator of the heavens and they are is the one who is from everlasting to everlasting. He's a God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is Almighty God and we are to fear him, and we are to know him and we are to seek above all to please him that he is to be the first priority in our lives to live in the fear of the Lord. That was a good lesson for a little boy to learn a difficult lesson lesson. I didn't always want to hear because I wanted to live my own life but to be reminded over and over again to live in the fear of the of the Lord years. Years ago when I announced to my mother that was leaving my law profession going full-time into Christian ministry leaving Scotland to go to Dallas to study at Dallas theological seminary.

My mother was most surprised which mother once your once her family to go thousands of miles away.

So my mother at one level wasn't very happy about it and then a few days later after we spoke on the phone. She sent a beautiful letter saying my father had died but this time saying that she and my father had only really prayed two things for myself and my brothers number one that we came to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Is that what we prayed for for these little children is not the most important thing that they place their faith in Christ number one that we come to Christ. Number two that we would do God's will for our life. And so she said I can't really all I can say I really understand your decision. John would like us to have stayed in Scotland but she said you have told me that you believe God is calling you and you must follow Christ to live in the fear of the Lord. Isn't there a strong tendency for parents to live out their dreams through their children reminded the parents this morning to dedicated these three beautiful children that your children are gifts from God's and your child is not put on planet to make a reputation for you. Perhaps mother you dreamt of being a belly dancer, but your five-year-old doesn't like walking on the toes. I don't know Bob's man who played quarterback for 10 minutes when Europe middle school and you really would love your son, or when the be great how you could boast about this if he was the star quarterback and some college here in United States would not make you look good son.

That was the starting quarterback for Clemson are I don't follow college football sums good to mention other names were there they are. You know them.

Neither the problem is your son prefers chess rather than being not to done on the ground by 300 Pine plainsman Tennessee is not for you to determine the future of your child that causes pain that causes frustration that causes even anger as your children grow up and I well remember the conversations I had with my parents when somewhat with a concern in my heart. I said to them, mom and dad. I wondered I want to study law.

I want to become a lawyer. My dad just about fell off his chair, son of mine, a lawyer. My dad used to love to tell this Joe cutting of told her before but is still pretty good, man is walking through the cemetery.

He sees the tombstone that says here lies John Smith lawyer and the non-this man commences strange putting two men in the one grave. That's what my father thought about lawyers and that he was my brother in medical school, a nice noble profession of compassion, caring for people rather than the slick moneygrubbing dishonest lawyers. We don't want them to be like that and so they were concerned we talked, we prayed and I said listen, that's believe this is where God is leading me again.

They said and said very wisely.

John, if that's what you believe God is leading you to do you have our blessing was in the Proverbs 3 a good verse for all of us in all of life. But sadly, in raising children. Proverbs 3, 537 trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes. Fear of the Lord that it is and turn away from evil parents who fear the Lord trust the Lord for their children's future. Parents who fear the Lord don't trust on their own understanding in raising their children, but pray for them, so that those who fear the Lord and know this verse seven. Don't be wise in your own eyes. No wisdom begins with this relationship with the Lord the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. The more you fear the Lord, the more you will tighten from evil delays. You fear the Lord more likely you're going to be to commit evil living in the presence of the Lord, seeking each moment to please the Lord in every aspect of your life. So in your decision-making big decisions in small everything is brought brought back to the Lord. When is the Lord in this.

What's the Lord's will for this. Is this going to honor God. Is this consistent with Scripture living in the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. My mother is always been a great admirer of her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. We could make a lot of jokes when you can joke about the Queen. Queen Elizabeth II about the same age and my mother would often draw an analogy between how we would conduct ourselves before the clean and know that I ever met her Majesty the second she doesn't even know I exist, but that we are how we would conduct ourselves before her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and how we should conduct ourselves before his Majesty the Lord Jesus Christ know if you're going to write to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. This is how you and your letter. I have the honor and privilege. I thought we had on the screen.

There may be no. I have the honor and privilege to be your Majesty's most humble and obedient servant noticed the humility of this the respect he is the sovereign humility and respect how much more should we live in the fear of the Lord with humility and with respect. Living in the fear of the Lord is the first lesson. The second lesson I learned from my mother is the love of the Lord not only the fear of the Lord. But the love of the Lord. My mother displayed to us the love of God. We sang about it and can you measure the love of God, and she displayed the love of the Lord to us high-priority mission in life was to be a wife and the mother she was always there to love us and care for us when we came home from school. She was always there yet. I can never remember ones in my life of getting up in the morning and my mother not being there in the kitchen. She didn't work outside the home. I'm not criticizing women work outside the home. Sometimes they need to, but for my mother high-priority was her family and this meant that my brothers and I would raise in a secure, stable and loving environment that what was important was not that we were the wealthiest family in the neighborhood. We weren't, but that would've family who love God, my parents clearly love God. They clearly loved each other and they certainly loved us. So I grew up, never doubting that God love me, never doubting that my parents loved each other, never doubting that my mom and dad love me.

I realize many of you have not had the privilege but what a blessing it is mother's father's to have a home of love we love God for you love each other for you love your children is a great atmosphere to be brought up in the room. I older brother George who passed away three years ago when I was visiting him in England as he knew he was dying with his brain tumor and I will reflecting about life and he said John will move the ring out with all homes were like ours and I said that we didn't do anything different. And then we realized we brought up in a very unusual home where we experience the love of parents and the love of God brotherly love was not always so prevalent before the lot, but it was the home of love and it was exemplified by my mother and my father, my mother not only display the love of the Lord.

She taught us the love of the Lord. She modeled it and she taught it. It was from my mother that I first learned what is still arguably my favorite verse John 316. I was kind of dating here at pre-John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life taught the gospel from my mother taught that God love me, the God not only loved me. He's acted on that love that he's given us this great gift of his son and John if you put your faith and trust in him, you will not perish out you'll receive ever lasting life. I learned first John 410 and 11 and this is love that we loved God but that you love DOS and sent his son to be the propitiation, the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and then John says, beloved of God so loved us, we also ought to love one another it from my mother I learned about the love of the Lord. I learned as Paul says that God demonstrates his love toward us, and not why we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. I knew I was a sinner. My mother often told me I was a sinner accuse me of being a wicked little boy. Quite astonishing really. So I never doubted its that I was a sinner she believed in the total depravity of man having six boys play the evidences that we were not perfect box but you taught us the gospel is true. I was started in the small brethren assembly we attended.

But the gospel, the good news of Jesus, the love of God, the love of the Lord was first taught to me by my mother mother's I trust you're displaying the love of God to your children you teaching them the gospel is a well we bring them to Calvary and you teach them. I trust we do anything we do treat teach the gospel to children. Students without his first your responsibility. What an impact in the home to be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. So it could be said of me as it was said of Timothy member Paul says to Timothy and in second Timothy 315 Timothy from a child you've known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Timothy had a godly mother and a godly grandmother and so what I did.

My grandmother would come and that she also loved Christ with Telus. The great news of the gospel, but I also knew that I started by my mother that I personally had to place my faith in Christ.

I've always believed in God and a sense of always believed that Jesus was the son of God. I was taught that had no reason not to believe it, but I knew that that wasn't sufficient. I knew that for me to be saved of my sins. I personally John Monroe to place my faith in Christ and my parents very very wisely didn't try to get me to repeat a little prayer, then put pressure on me to say the right thing. They left it to the work of the Holy Spirit. So one day when I was 12. No mentor Christian youth camp and had the gospel that had all my life. Holy Spirit open my heart and I received Christ. I was thought that if you love the Lord. We obey his commandments.

So ask your mother's dear children, see the love of God in your you teaching the gospel teaching the love of the Lord to them. Here is the third truth, first the fear of the Lord. Secondly, the love of the Lord.

Third, the truth of the Lord turn with me to second Timothy chapter 3 Everett. He quoted from verse 14 second Timothy chapter 3.

Here is Paul's last letter before he dies.

The truth of the Lord. Second Timothy 314.

As for you Timothy. Continuing what you've learned in the firmly believe knowing from whom you have learned it and have her from childhood. The Greek word is black Foss factors used even of the unborn child. But from infancy from babyhood from childhood you been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to get to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. There can be no salvation apart from knowing and obeying the word of God.

The truth of God. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching foot approved for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. The truth of the Lord. My mother taught me.

The Bible, she taught me the word of God is that my father every night. My father gathered us together.

That was not always easy hope in the Bible, read the holy Scriptures and prayed my dad had a great very good memory. My dad knew the word of God didn't memorize much of it by brothers or I want to know where theirs was in the Bible with the need to go to concordance with as my dad and almost invariably he would know where the verse was how it was that he been brought up in the home where his father knew the word of God.

Every night when my dad came home from work.

He opened his Bible and read his Bible, but is from my mother's thinking about the students we saw my mother that I particularly and specially learn to love the word of God is one thing to know. It's one thing to memorize it. Remember, the psalmist says I love the Lord and I love to meditate on your long day and night.

He delighted in the word of God that my mother really loved the word of God. So did my dad but mine is for my mother. I think I specially learn to love the word of God in a busy household you mothers know this is always work to be done, but in the kitchen Bible was open sins of Greeson by D�rer in Florida. Whatever it was was on before we come down for breakfast. She'd been reading the Scriptures should be meditating on the Scriptures. My mother loved all his strength I gained that love from where all of history as well and you particular biblical history. She spent a lot of time reading first and second Samuel, first and second Kings first and second Chronicles, so she knew the kings of Israel and Judah very very well and with teachers from the lives of these kings particularly like the life of David. All of this to say I grew up in a home with a high regard for the word of God and from an early age. My brothers and I would expect it to listen to preaching, even when we were little boys and expected to interact home.

My mother was teaching us the Bible. The truth of the Lord only that, to the Sunday school teacher. Don't leave that to the youth pastor, mothers, fathers, teach your children the word of God model and its address. You grow in your love for Scripture so that they see this importance of it. She was committed to the truth of the word of God. I don't think she ever use the word the inerrancy of Scripture, but she certainly believe that the Bible was that was without error. The Bible say that my mother believed it and it was written in the Bible we had to follow it, and because of her great love for the truth of God. She was very intolerant of any lying or deception.

It was beaten into us, sometimes literally, that we must never lie. In fact she was she would say to us with the people go who tell lies.

She's referring to Revelation 21 verse eight the big burning fire. But I put fear into you as a six-year-old and that all liars, where do they go the other parts in the lake of fire lying is very very serious.

Scripture tells us that Proverbs is full of it. The lying tongue not to bear false witness against your neighbor. No tolerance for lying. Why, because God was a God of truth, but a mile from our home. Home that I was born with a live for the first eight years of my life.

There was a local cinema called in the Scottish vernacular, the picture whose and we were strictly forbidden to go to the picture, whose within of television on a home and I grew up with this terrible deprivation that I'd never seen a movie in the first two years of my life unthinkable to the sculptures and the picture is in the cinema the picture, whose about seven years old and somebody's in our neighborhood � me and my younger brother Jim, who was a year and 1/2 younger than me to go to the pictures and we said you know we were not like to go to the picture, whose and they said are you know your mom and dad will never know we said no second reason we can't go as we don't have any money and they produce money.

The father was imprisoned and they probably got that money with ill-gotten gains but always seem to have much no problem will pay for your and so myself and my brother Jim.

We made our way to the picture, whose movie was the bells of Sintra and ends if any of you remember that movie it's totally unforgettable one for that was the first movie I ever saw.

Can't remember much about it. I expected the judgment of God to follow me through the roof of that cinema and as we crept home. Jim and I hoped against hope that mom wouldn't ask when we had been, he would be satisfied with saying well will write with some of her friends. She would want to know the particulars of older brother George, the perfect child about your family got the perfect child. George was the perfect child. He had fine diets through his contacts espionage in the neighborhood here. Find out that his two younger brothers, John and Jim had done this terrible terrible wrong and had gone to pictures and he informed mom and as we turn to come into the house that my mother stood mother's only 5'2" same size as good very slightly built, but you seem the Giants.

As I looked, where have you been, we knew better than to lie would bring to the picture, whose head upstairs and your dad will deal with you, as indeed he did this. It was not very harsh while you could look at it and say today's a different culture and was harsh and tall but will be learning. We were learning to be obedient. We were learning, always, always, to tell the truth even if it hurts will learning to respect and to obey.

Caleb talked about law enforcement. One of the problems today of our police officers is that we have a whole culture.

Let's not taught to respect and to be authority. We were taught that we were taught to respect authority. We were taught to obey police officers. We were taught to respect her teachers and certainly to follow the instructions from mom and dad. Mothers are you teaching children the truth of the Lord you telling them I trust your goal was to tell the truth is the final lesson as we conclude this morning. The fear of the Lord, the love of the Lord, the truth of the Lord fifth or the fourth lesson I learned from my mother was the house of the Lord the importance of the house of the Lord.

Some hundred and 22 verse one limited to, is what David says about it.

I was glad when they said to me let us go to the house of the Lord's interview you. Glad when Sunday comes in.

You come to the house of the Lord is a bit of a drag.

You feel you just have to do it. David says I was glad when they said to me let's go to the house of the Lord and then first Timothy first Timothy chapter 3 verse 14 Paul says I hope to come to you soon. But I'm writing these things to you so that if I delay you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God.

A pillar and buttress of truth in our home Sunday was the Sabbath. We observed the Sabbath them in a totally different day from the other six weren't allowed to play outside weren't allowed to do any homework that was not a problem. We were not allowed to buy a new thing that wasn't really a problem because we didn't have much money and we were exhorted to read good books. What was a good book some the books as they were called mother mainly Christian biographies, mainly missionary biographies. That's where my first love came for missionaries to know what was going on in other parts of the world was through reading missionary biographies and never ever claimed to mom that would run out of Sunday books we were gently reminded that there were 66 books that we had not yet mastered. And once we have mastered them, we could come and speak with her so that it was was about when I was 11 years old for it came to Christ.

Soccer was my passion football I love football I played at every opportunity at school in the neighborhood with my brothers every opportunity at a ball at my feet and was out when I was 11 years old. I was invited to join what was called the Lions Club, which was the times professional team, training young boys and young men to become professional footballers, which myself and with my friends thought would be absolutely wonderful and it was a privilege to be invited to join the Lions Club. The practice, however, was Sunday. I remember saying to my dad died, I've been invited to join the Lions Club. We said okay and I then said that their main practice is on Sunday.

Here's my dance response to bad you won't be able to play but was it.

No discussion nor argument, I can be argumentative for some of you know, but not over that I knew that the priority in our home was not a soccer ball that the priority on the Lord's day was to be in the house of the Lord, and I knew that was very, very important to my parents and they taught that they taught it over and over again the importance of the household of God, importance of the church of the living God on Sunday mornings before my father before we leave for church with my father will knew that my father went into his bedroom down on his knees and prayed as one of my vivid memories of my dad on the Lord's day was he praying for engineers praying for us, but he was praying for his heart to be ready as he would go and worship God.

How then could I say to my father. I can go to church for the following Sundays because I want to kick a ball that was on thinkable. I was taught the high appreciation of the Lord's house, the church of the living God. There we learned to sit quietly relearn the fear of God we learn to listen to prayers. Relearn the word of God we learn to saying we learn to speak to people before and after the services we learn hospitality because my father if there was anyone your church invariably he would invite them over for Sunday lunch. Short Sunday tea is a well I was a different generation that was a gender different generation. I understand that but I want to say mothers, fathers, make Sunday worship your priority now the beach going for a trip to the mountains, not the traveling team for support. Not family gatherings but the house of the Lord, you decide that depends what you want in life. Doesn't it depends what kind of family you want. You make decisions as a family we make decisions as a family. My parents made that decision for us and I'm glad that they did because left to myself. I would've been tempted to kick that ball with that of Dunn to my spiritual life. I praise God for the strong conviction of my parents that they modeled it to her that this was not applied in a legalistic way, but it was applied because I knew they were seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, that they were answerable to God as the home, my brothers and I were raised out of love for God out of a love for his word and of great love for us. They wanted the very best for us and they believe that the very best for us was to follow Jesus Christ's Proverbs 1 verse eight I think we have it on the screen, children, students that hear my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teacher. Some of you children students you think your parents are pretty tough. Surely when the stuff is mine you think it must might be nice to have no restraints in your home that you can do what you want, like some of your friends.

Thank God for moms and dads who teach you the word of God and God's word to you. This Mother's Day is known. Forsake your mother's teaching in here your father's instruction annexes 29 verse 29. The Scripture says that the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons after him. Aaron by priest and have homes that have money, then of cattle for goodie leaving sons.

What was his legacy talk today about legacy. What's he going to leave. What do you want your children to remember about you. What do you want to leave them. My parents were not wealthy.

My father died I didn't receive a penny anything that he had went to my mother, and rightly so. When the Lord takes my mother and on. Things will be much money for me that does mean anything. I have something far, far better. I have a spiritual investment that is the legacy that was given by my parents.

To me, to my mother who continued faithfully even after my father died never remarrying a few weeks ago when the Geddes were here.

Remember that Keith Gaddy asked him he said the you related to George Monroe as well as her brother and I said yes my brother because Keith Gaddy went to university in Durham universe in England went to the same church as my brother and was often in their home for Sunday lunch where my brother learn hospitality for my parents and Keith said to me he said John you know I remember about your brother I thought was going to say he was a car enthusiast, my brother loved Formula One like to drive nice, fast cars, is going to say scarves are. He was a compassionate physician or something and I said I don't know Keith.

He says I remember as I remember your brother. I thought about that but in my brother learn how to pray. He learned it in the in the home that is a heritage that was passed on to him.

What shall he leave his sons document of law school, I worked with his lawyer James Tates who was a brilliant lawyer, great man, and he writes these verses from this verse the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons after him.

This fall shall he leave his sons silver nor gold nor heritage has seen or heard no fold. Not these can he bequeath but this Econ. The holy raiment of a saintly man, the fair example of a life well spent of daily tendons in the sacred tent that the tabernacle of ever praise full heart and reverent mind what nobler gift could father could mother leave behind that song that daughter who drawing near to the throne of grace can say how well my father knew this place, how oft I heard his voice and verb in prayer. Happy that son that richly the Lord, may we have father's and mother's who come to the throne of grace, who love Christ, love his word, who live in the field of the Lord and one of the reasons I stand before you today and preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, is because of these lessons I learned from my mother would say they were powerful lessons can I say learn these lessons well, mothers, fathers, teach them to your children charm is deceitful and beauty is vain with a woman who fears the Lord is to be praise can ask all of the girls all of the women to stand as I pray for them. Mother's grandmother's sisters, whoever you are young and old stands. We thank you for your example. We thank you for the hard work for your patience for your forgiveness for your godly example of father in regard to high thank you for these sisters in Christ for mothers or grandmothers four sisters four daughters.

Certainly thank you for my one mother and we know that none of us are perfect father. All of us and failed. We come short were slow to learn these lessons. Sometimes I certainly was and were slow to teach them but I pray for these women father that you will encourage them that they will stand strong that they will leave this godly heritage.

I thank you for the many wives and mothers we have at Calvary who loves you who love Christ loved your word and I pray father that of children and their grandchildren will rise up and call these women blessed because they live in the fear of the Lord.

Some here may not know Christ father I pray that the love of God will overwhelm them that the loop in their hearts to Christ and trust the Savior. We ask it in his name. Amen