in this house ...

This past Sunday was Mother’s Day, and as always it is a big day at all of our churches.  I shared a message from Psalm 139 with the understanding that much of what we know or find true about God are characteristics we learned or saw in our mothers. 

God has blessed us.  Know that the foundation of life is God, built on love and the first institution of family.  God continues to build our lives as we seek Him and serve others.  Families are stronger with God in the center and with actions that everything but selfishness.

Here are some of the verses that I shared with our church that strengthen our lives and make the character of God come alive to each of us.

Psalm 4:8  NASB

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.

With the presence of God there is peace and rest!

Jeremiah 31:3  NASB

The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love ; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.

God’s love is real, unquestionable and goes further than any thing we’ve ever known.

Job 34:22  NLT

No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes.

Like what we accused our mom’s of God really does know everything and is everywhere.  We cannot hide from Him.

Jeremiah 29:11  NASB

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

That verse is quoted often.  You see it in pictures, and it gives hope when nothing else seems to get through.  God has a plan for us, each of us.  God has hope settled for our future.

Psalm 119:136  NLT

Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your law.

When we messed up or still mess up, our moms care and cry over our bad choices.  God does the same.  Why do they dry?  It is because they know there is better for us and there is potential inside each and every one of us.  It really is time to believe God.

Psalm 19:12  NLT

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?  Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

By allowing God to search us and deal with our sins we find strength and passion.  By serving God, loving God and serving others we find roads opening and lives being change.  And it all begins inside each of us.

1 Samuel 16:7  NLT

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them.  People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Mom believes in you when no one else does because she knows what is inside your heart and life.  But wait.  Long before mom believed in you or me, God made us and believed in us.  That’s big, and that is true!

Matthew 7:14  NLT

But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.

That’s the last verse I will share with you today, but that is not the last piece of God and of His goodness that you can expect today.  By watching and listening He will share with you some very big things.  But first we have to admit that God has given us chance after chance and has loved us always.

I am grateful for a mom that loves me like that who learned from God about unconditional love.  Our homes and our families need to do the same.  I shared a picture during the message with these words (that I cannot get out of my head or out of my heart).  Here it is, and I pray we will live these out:

IN THIS HOUSE…

WE DO SECOND CHANCES

WE DO GRACE

WE DO REAL

WE DO MISTAKES

WE DO I’M SORRY

WE DO LOUD REALLY WELL

WE DO HUGS

WE DO FAMILY

WE DO LOVE