Little Faith Series, Part 2- "A Mother's Little Faith"

Introduction

Illustration: I’m Every Woman by Chaka Khan

I'm every woman, it's all in me Anything you want done, baby, I'll do it naturally I'm every woman, it's all in me I can read your thoughts right now, every one from A to Z Whoa, whoa (whoa, whoa) Whoa, whoa, whoa

Oh, I can cast a spell With secrets you can't tell Mix a special brew Put fire inside of you But anytime you feel danger or fear Instantly I will appear 'Cause

I'm every woman, it's all in me Anything you want done, baby, I'll do it naturally Whoa, whoa (whoa, whoa) Whoa, whoa, whoa

I can sense your needs Like rain on to the seeds I can make a rhyme Of confusion in your mind And when it comes down to some good old fashioned love That's what I've got

I'm every woman, it's all in me Anything you want done, baby, I'll do it naturally Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoah, yeah-yeah-yeah I'm every woman, it's all in me I can read your thoughts right now, every one from A to Z Whoa, whoa (whoa, whoa) Whoa, whoa, whoa

I ain't braggin' 'cause I'm the one You just ask me, and it shall be done And don't bother to compare 'Cause I've got it Whoa, whoa, whoa (yeah!) Whoa, whoa, whoa (yeah-yeah!) Whoa, whoa, whoa (whoa-whoa) Aah, aah

I'm every woman, I'm every woman I'm every woman, I'm every woman I'm every woman, I'm every woman I'm every woman, I'm every woman I'm every woman, I'm every woman I'm every woman, I'm every woman Whoa, whoa, whoa Whoa, whoa, whoa Whoa, whoa, whoa Whoa, whoa, whoa I'm every woman, I'm every woman I'm every woman, I'm every woman I'm every woman, I'm every woman

This song is about a strong woman who takes very good care of her man, supporting him and making him a better person.

It was written by the husband and wife team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the lyrics were written by Nick.

Whitney Houston recorded the song in 1993, taking it to #4 in the US and introducing the song to a new audience. Houston pays tribute by yelling "Chaka" a few times near the end.

A 14-year-old Whitney sang backing vocals on Chaka Khan's original version, together with her mother Cissy Houston.

But I want to deal with your humanity today...

Illustration: Anxious mothers expected to do everything

Seen on a church sign: IF EVOLUTION IS TRUE, HOW COME MOTHERS STILL HAVE ONLY TWO HANDS?

Illustration: Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou

Mom & Me & Mom (2013) is the seventh and final book in author Maya Angelou's series of autobiographies. The book was published shortly before Mother's Day and Angelou's 85th birthday. It focuses, for the first time in her books, on Angelou's relationship with her mother, Vivian Baxter. The book explains Baxter's behavior, especially Baxter's abandonment of Angelou and Angelou's older brother when they were young children, and fills in "what are possibly the final blanks in Angelou's eventful life". The book also chronicles Angelou's reunion and reconciliation with Baxter.

“My grandmother stayed in California, watching me and everything that happened around me. And when she decided that everything was all right, she was happy. I was not. She began to talk about going home, and wondering aloud how her crippled son was getting along. I was afraid to let her leave me, but she said, ‘You are with your mother now and your brother will be coming soon. Trust me, but more than that trust the Lord. He will look after you.’”

That’s a mother’s a little faith

For some of you in here today, a little faith has gone a long way in your life as a mother and/or your experiences with your mother...

Transition To Body- Jesus’ teaching concerning anxiousness

Anxious- to be apprehensive, have anxiety, be anxious, be (unduly) concerned

Matthew 6:9–13 ESV

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Body- We get anxious when we do not

Consider Humanity’s Preciousness To God (Matt. 6:25-26)

Matthew 6:25–26 ESV

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Value- differ to one’s advantage fr. someone or someth., be worth more than, be superior to

Image-bearers of the LORD God

Genesis 1:26–28 ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and 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. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Illustration: Mother’s carry baby image bearers of God

Examine Anxiety’s Uselessness To Us (Matt. 6:27-30)

Matthew 6:27–30 ESV

27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Consider the lilies

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament καταμανθάνω

in the sense “to examine closely,” “to learn,” “to grasp,” “to note,”

unprofitability- not profitable : producing no gain, good, or result

Vanity- the quality or fact of being vain

Vain- marked by futility or ineffectualness : UNSUCCESSFUL, USELESS

Unless the LORD builds the house

Psalm 127:1–5 ESV

1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Illustration: Mothers dealing with anxiety of feeling inadequate

Obediently Prioritize Faithfulness Over Materialism (Matt. 6:31-33)

Matthew 6:31–33 ESV

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Illustration: Material Girl by Madonna

“They can beg and they can plead But they can't see the light (that's right) 'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash Is always Mister Right”

"Material Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album Like a Virgin(1984).

She elaborated, "I'm very career-oriented. You are attracted to people who are ambitious that way, too, like in the song 'Material Girl'. You are attracted to men who have material things because that's what pays the rents and buys you furs. That's the security. That lasts longer than emotions."

Illustration: Materialism

a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestationsor results of matter

a doctrine that the only or the highest values or objectives lie in material well-being and in the furtherance of material progress

a preoccupation with or stress upon material rather than intellectual or spiritual things

Seek- to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective, strive for, aim (at), try to obtain, desire, wish (for)

ⓐ desire to possess

Seek With All Your Heart

Jeremiah 29:11–13 ESV

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Pray Diligently

Matthew 7:7–8 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Kingdom Priority In Prayer

Matthew 6:9–11 ESV

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,

First (proton)- of degree in the first place, above all, especially

to prominence, first, foremost, most important, most prominent

Kingdom of God- of God’s rule the royal reign of God (usually rendered ‘kingdom of God’, and oft. understood as royal realm but with dilution of the primary component of reigning activity), a chiefly eschatological concept, beginning to appear in the prophets, elaborated in apocalyptic passages

Righteousness- quality of being upright

Matthew 5:10 ESV

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Micah 6:8 ESV

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Our Righteousness Must Exceed Our Bible Teaching & Rituals

Matthew 5:20 ESV

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Righteousness Of A Living Faith

James 2:15–17 ESV

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Righteousness of Pure Religion

James 1:27 ESV

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

The Righteous Do Not Grow Weary Doing Good

Galatians 6:9–10 ESV

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Added- to add as a benefit, provide, give, grant, do

Transition To Close- Seek First His Kingdom & His Righteousness Mothers (& Everyone Else)

Within the sound of my voice

Close

Illustration: On her blog “Celebrate Motherhood”, Ana Willis provides “10 Habits of a Highly Encouraged Mom”

1. A Highly Encouraged Mom Is grateful

2. A Highly Encouraged Mom Speaks Life Intentionally

3. A Highly Encouraged Mom Reads Encouraging Books

4. A Highly Encouraged Mom Constantly Encourage Others

5. A Highly Encouraged Mom Looks For Positive Lessons in Every Situation

6. A Highly Encouraged Mom Practices Quiet Time

7. A Highly Encouraged Mom Hangs Around Encouraging People & Cultivates Positive Friendships

8. A Highly Encouraged Mom Knows Her Whys

9. A Highly Encouraged Mom Listens To Encouraging and Uplifting Music

10. A Highly Encouraged Mom Does More What She Loves

That’s why I like the story in the Bible of the relationship by Elizabeth, John the Baptist mother, and Mary, the mother of Jesus...

Luke 1:38 ESV

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:41–45 ESV

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

John 3:16–21 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Psalm 136:1–4 ESV

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Psalm 136:23–26 ESV

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; 24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; 25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.