God's Divine Design for Women

Sayings of bible moms

10. Samson! Get your hand out of that lion. You don't know where it's been! (Judges 14:5-8) 9. David! I told you not to play in the house with that sling! Go practice your harp. We pay good money for those lessons! 8. Abraham! Stop wandering around the countryside and get home for supper! 7. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! I told you never to play with fire! 6. Cain! Get off your brother! You're going to kill him some day! 5. Noah! No, you can't keep them! I told you, don't bring home any more strays! 4. Gideon! Have you been hiding in that wine press again? Look at your clothes! (Judges 6:11) 3. James and John! No more burping contests at the dinner table, please. People are going to call you the sons of thunder! (Mark 3:17) 2. Judas! Have you been in my purse again?! And the number one biblical saying of mothers is: 1. Jesus! Stop working on that old wood and come in and eat! You'd spend your life on that wood, if your father asked ya to!*

Prayer

Oh Heavenly Father, we do thank you for our mothers. We thank you for the lasting impact they have on our lives. Lord, we thank you that you chose the mother uniquely for us in bringing life in us. Thank you for the nurture, the help, the example and love that moms offer. Now let us look at these beginnings that you wrote, your desired plan and help us as men and women, moms and Dads to live out your ideal standard. In Jesus Precious name we pray, Amen.

Message

This morning we celebrate our Mother’s. Thank God for our Mothers. None of us would be here without a mother. When we consider our very Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He would not have come as God Incarnate without the love of a mother in Mary. The angel Gabriel sent word and God divinely ordained Mary to be Jesus’ mother. God has divinely ordained you to be the mother of your children. And, He doesn’t make mistakes. Amen.

Interesting Words about moms:

“Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a mom.”-unknown

“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power”-Maya Angelou

“A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.”-Princess Diana

Great people of God made these statements:

"The mother's heart is a child's classroom." - Henry Ward Beecher

"A mother's love is like the loving care of God in the world." - Karl Barth

This morning in order to address motherhood we must address womanhood. We want to begin at the foundation of beginnings this morning. I want us to look at womanhood and motherhood from a Genesis perspective.

And men and dad’s let’s go back as well as we reflect upon the ideals God planned for His creation.

Co-Creation with God Luke 1:26-27

Look with me on the screen at Genesis 1:26-27

Genesis 1:26–27 NKJV

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The word man in the Hebrew here is the word Adam which means mankind or human beings.

Firstly, its important this morning we realize as God’s children that we reflect the image of God in this world and especially to our children. Mom, the moment your child came into that hospital with those bright lights, God manifest Himself to that little baby at that very moment.

John 1:4 “4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

The birth account is the first miracle that the child sees of the providential hand of God and God chose you to be there to bring His light into your babies life.

Parent’s, men and women, boys and girls, this is for all of us. We are created in the image of God. What does that mean? God chose us to reflect His attributes in this world.

Parent, what does that mean as relating to being a parent? Whether you have children or not, whether your children are grown or gone, men and women, we all have paternal and maternal instinct embedded in our DNA as we were divinely created.

How would the Lord have us represent Him in this world?

Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

That nature is exhibited in us as instilled in us in the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 “4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Let’s recap. Everyone in this room, man or woman, boy or girl, mom or dad, grandparent, anyone in here created male or female is created in the image of God. We are image bearers of the Lord Himself.

I ask you the question-how are you reflecting Him at this time?

Genesis Chapter 3 ruined our ability to perfect this image reflection because of the fact sin was birthed into mom and dad, boy and girl, grandparents, all of us.

Let me just ask you to take a self test this morning. Take an audit of your weekend. How have you reflected Jesus over this weekend? Have there been any outburst? Have you lost your temper? Have you said things you wish you didn’t say? Did you think thoughts you wish you had not thought? Did your children see something or your spouse see something in you that you wish they had not seen?

Listen closely, the most important things you give your children is not a start, not an education, not a foundation of ability to make it on their own even though those are all important things. The greatest offering we have is a reflection of Jesus Christ in everything we say or do. Amen.

Psalm 8:6 “6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,”

Dominion-7287. רָדָה râdâh, to tread down, subjugate; spec. to crumble off:—(come to, make to) have dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule, (-r, over), take. It means to mold, make and shape those about us.

God has appointed you to set the standard by which your children walk. We as a generation want to ask the question based the next generations. You may have read the article in Saturday’s edition of the Montgomery Advertiser.

The number of religious ‘nones’ has soared

Christopher P. Scheitle

and Katie Corcoran

West Virginia University

THE CONVERSATION

The number of individuals in the United States who do not identify as being part of any religion has grown dramatically in recent years, and 'the nones' are now larger than any single religious group.

According to the General Social Survey, religiously unaffiliated people represented only about 5% of the U.S. population in the 1970s. This percentage began to increase in the 1990s and is around 30% today.

Dear man & dear woman, whether a mom or dad or not. God has given you instinctively the ability to have dominion over this world. May we mold, make and shape those people God has placed in our lives to influence.

When we are not molding and making those about us like Christ it may mean we are not allowing Christ to mold and make us.

Story of Hannah

A man of Ephriam-Elkanah

Two wives, Penninah and Hannah. Penninah had children, but Hannah had children.

Elkanah went yearly to worship in Shiloh. He would worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord. Scripture reflects that he would give portions for Penninah and her sons and daughters but he would give a double portion for Hannah. “For he loved Hannah although the Lord had closed her womb.”

The story goes that there was a strain between Penninah and Hannah because Penninah provoked her and Hannah would weep bitterly. Hannah was in close proximity to the tabernacle of the Lord because Scripture states that Eli the Priest was leaning on a post as He heard Hannah utter this prayer:

1 Samuel 1:11–12 “11 Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” 12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth.”

1 Samuel 1:28 “28 Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.”

But notice the end of verse 27:

Genesis 1:27 “27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

God designed both male and female uniquely and we should value who we are.

I must admit in the day in which we live I wanted to look up the word female in the Hebrew to see what it means.

Female means female but from the sexual form.

Terry Brooks reminded us of late as he was sharing the words of Chondra Pierce, Christian comedian when she responds to the day in which we live and identity crisis among male and female counterparts, “look down in your pants and you will know who you are.”

Why is this so basic, yes, foundational, yes, but critical to everything else we discuss this morning?

God created everyone in this room as He chose us to be. We are created in His image. We were created to reflect His likeness in this world and listen closely, He created us uniquely and he got it right. Be proud of being a woman. Be proud of being a man. Be proud that God has given us helpmates in our lives.

“Have dominion”, “be fruitful and multiply”, “subdue”.

Ephesians 4:24 “24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

In those first five days, everything that God created was good, but on the sixth day, the day He created mankind, “it was very good.”

Complement and Companionship Gen. 2:18

Genesis 2:18 NKJV

18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

We see that everyone of us was created for companionship and we were made to help one another, or be a complement to each other.

We know this text to refer to the creating of woman and immediately as we think of the word helper, we think of someone who offers assistance to someone else or is subservient to another through that assistance.

Helper in the Hebrew means Ezer-which means aid, one who complements, one who has different roles and different responsibilities based upon the nature of the role the woman fulfills.

Listen men, very simple-without woman, there is not man.

There can be a misnomer in assuming because man was created first that he is superior. Our dependence on one for the other, man’s dependence on woman and woman’s dependence on man is related to a difference of function, not superiority or at the other extreme not inferiority.

Galatians 3:28 “28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

This idea of submission is only in marriage and only to your husband. Women are not to submit to men, but only to their own husbands. But listen men, if we read the entirety of that text, your wife will have no struggle whatsoever submitting to you if you keep your end of the bargain. Listen to what the text says:

Ephesians 5:22–24 (NKJV)

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

We read again in Ephesians 5:25 “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,”

Men and women, moms and dad’s how you respond to each other carries into the next generation. Wives, your submission teaches the child submission to the lordship of Christ in their lives. Submission to authorities and it teaches those times that authorities are to subdue and provide dominion in those areas called for.

Dad’s when you love your wife as “Christ loved the church and sacrificed Himself for her” you teach that child the emotional connection and support called for. You cause that child to feel safe. You teach a respect and mutual understanding between spouses, you teach undying commitment and devotion to those that you love and you teach that steadfastness in our walk in Christ. If your children are to be kind and thoughtful, and they see you as parents in marriage have shared values and goals they as well will be cooperative in their marriage as well as work cooperatively in the cause of Christ.

Genesis 2:21–23 “21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.””

This verse sets such foundation to the value of mankind as a whole, but the value of creation, the value of womanhood.

Here, Adam is father of the living because woman was taken out of man, but all mankind following was taken out of woman and we have the birth of motherhood.

It is all the more support to value human life, the value of family, this idea of bone of bones and flesh of flesh, the idea that one is of my loins is such a gift of God and should be valued. Husbands, value your wives. Wives value your husbands. Parents, value your children and your grandchildren. Women, value the womanhood God has bestowed on you. For those that do not have children, God has made you a complement to manhood and there are gifts you have, maternal gifts to offer in this life.

The Consequences of the Fall and Redemption Genesis 3:16

Genesis 3:16 “16 To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.””

Oh dearly beloved, because of the fall of man and the fact everyone of us have been birthed into sin, God sentenced the parent to a great responsibility in rearing children. Parenting is not easy. Raising a family does come with its sacrifices.

We see from this text that sin brings about hardships and challenges in this life. Unfortunately for parents we can see our sins and the effects it has on our children. There are pains and struggles with parenting.

Genesis 3:20–22“20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—”

Even though Eve failed, Adam failed and was tempted to sin by the serpent, God in His amazing grace and mercy offered a way of escape from the sin nature we have been birthed with. We can escape our past.

“and now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.”

You might say this morning that the ideal foundation for parenthood sounds just as that. but I have not lived the ideal. I have made mistakes as a parent, I have made mistakes as a spouse, in fact times in my past I got it wrong with the whole relationship scenario.

There is a story in the Bible that offers us hope. Its the story of Ruth.

Husband Elimelech-Bethlehem

Wife-Naomi

Two sons-Mahlon and Chilion

Two Moabite wives-Ruth & Orpah

Naomi stated, “it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”

Do you feel that way today?

Ruth stated this famous text when Naomi told her to go back to her people when Orpah chose to go back to her family.

Ruth 1:16–17 “16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.””

Faithfulness and Loyalty: Ruth's unwavering loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi, is a central theme of the book. Despite facing difficult circumstances and the loss of her husband, Ruth chooses to remain with Naomi, demonstrating her deep love and commitment. Her famous declaration to Naomi, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16), epitomizes her faithfulness and loyalty.

Selflessness and Sacrifice: Ruth's willingness to sacrifice her own comfort and security for the well-being of Naomi exemplifies selflessness. She works tirelessly to provide for Naomi and herself, gleaning in the fields to gather grain for their sustenance (Ruth 2). Ruth's sacrificial love serves as a powerful example of putting others' needs above her own.

Humility and Obedience: Ruth's humility and obedience are evident throughout the story. She humbly accepts Naomi's guidance and follows her instructions without hesitation, even when it means stepping out of her comfort zone (Ruth 3). Ruth's humility and obedience reflect her reverence for God and her trust in His guidance.

Hard Work and Perseverance: Ruth's diligent work ethic and perseverance in the face of adversity are commendable. Despite being a foreigner in a foreign land and facing societal challenges, she remains steadfast in her determination to provide for herself and Naomi. Ruth's perseverance serves as a testament to her strength of character and resilience.

Blessings and Redemption: The culmination of Ruth's story highlights God's faithfulness and provision. Through Ruth's faithfulness and obedience, God orchestrates a beautiful redemption story, ultimately blessing her with a loving husband, Boaz, and becoming a part of the lineage of King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ (Ruth 4).

The story of Ruth is not a story about Naomi, Ruth or Boaz, but a loving and engaged God who found three various personalities that had struggle, hardship, but in the best way they knew how attempted to seek God and listen to His still small voice and follow His will for their lives.

God loves you dear mom, God loves you dear spouse, God loves you dear worker of the workplace, God loves you dear neighbor of family and regardless of our sin, and everyone of us has sin.

1 John 1:8: “8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

Ecclesiastes 7:20 “20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.”

Psalm 14:3 “3 They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.”

The Lord knew that we could not fulfill the duty of mom or dad, husband or wife, man or woman, male of female, child or adult without our failures in sin. He offers us a plan to redeem us from our sins. He offers a new way.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 “8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The story of Ruth is the story of a loving God working in the lives of family to overcome a broken world and make us whole in Him.

Boaz in this story represents Christ who bought our lives as a ransom to redeem us from our sins. Listen to the beautiful ending:

Ruth 4:9–12 NKJV

9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” 11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”

Jesus bought back your life at Calvary’s cross for the taking. He paid the ransom or the price for your sins. Will you accept His gift of life today?