The Mothers of Salvation

The Mothers of Salvation             5/9/10 Re 5-14-23    Kelly Durant

Eph 6:2-3

2 "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."   

 

2. The other day a woman applied for her driver’s license and the lady at the window asked her what her profession was. She said that she was a:

Research Participant on the behavior of infants in domestic and communal environments. The woman giving the driver’s test not really understanding exactly what profession that was asked her, can you explain that in plain language please? The woman replied, yes, “I am a mother!”

 

3. God expects mothers to be strong characters that defend what is right and raise their children in the Word of God! They must be influencers and leaders in society. William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army had a strong character, and Catherine, his wife and mother of their children, had a very strong character too! Listen to this example of what happened in a street sermon open air one time.

 

4. A man hearing Catherine Booth’s sermon shouted, “Shut up! You are a woman, you need to keep silent, it says in the Bible for the woman to be silent in the church!”  Being full of the spirit she replied, “Well young man, to begin with I am not in a church, I am on the street, and second Paul wrote that only to the women in the Corinthians, and I am not aCorinthian, and third, in the same chapter Paul, recommends that the men remain single as he was, but I see you have a wife!” It became his turn to keep silent!

 

5. This heckler was not respecting her and the problem in society is that we are not teaching people enough how to respect women, mothers and the word says: 2 "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise- 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."  This implies life will not be good for you if you do not honor both of them! Deuteronomy 5:16

 

6. Did you know when the Salvation Army was founded in 1865 that 60 to 70% of the initial members were young mothers and they were valiant preachers too! And today in this Corps, we expect the mothers to be leaders to their children, and leaders in society too winning many souls to Jesus! It is selfish and boring to just be home, get out and spread Christian family values and salvation in Jesus!

 

7. Paul states that men and women, fathers and mothers, are spiritually the same in Christ. Gal. 3:28. Gal 3:27-28

 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. The sad thing is few churches practice this, only the true ones do!

 

8. Christianity is a liberating and socially just religion because it teaches us to honor and respect all! However, more than 80% of the women today in the entire world are under other religions or communism, and the word woman or mother is virtually synonymous to the word slave! In China today still millions of girls are aborted or abandoned each year because the husband and government want boys! Pagan worshippers, woke fake non-female warriors, never respect women or mothers, and this is a disrespect to God, our creator, who created male & female both with a high value!

 

9. But it should not be that way with Christians! Christians both men and women have been bringing more light and liberation through the centuries. In the Renaissance era of the 1600’s more respect for women and mothers awakened due to the actually reading of God’s word which had not been read by the common people before!

In all cultures, mothers, being more defenseless and weak, are often the oppressed sufferers who need to be defended and helped by those who have the power positions to do so. It is your and my job as husbands, fathers, and sons to honor mothers!  They may be weaker in some areas, but they need our support! They sacrifice everything for you and me!

 

10. It is often the women throughout history that have been the ones to bring about a real change in society, in their homes, and with their children! In the mid 1800’s in England, there was terrible corruption, in particular in the poor areas of town like in East London; even children used to buy liquor at Gin houses where every house in five was a store that sold alcohol. Oppression, exploitation, adultery, thievery and alcohol addiction were the norm! And the women prayed with many to convert these lost dark souls to Jesus, and it worked because they used tears from the heart! 

 

11.The Salvation Army used to march in the streets with their instruments and then preach to the crowds (both men and women preached) but as you can imagine, they soon became not so popular. Those living in sin do not want anyone coming down their street to remind them that they should repent and not make more money selling liquor! Jesus made it clear that, John 15:19 “Because we are not of this world, therefore the world hateth you, John 15. Also, II Tim 3:12, “If any man will live Godly in Christ Jesus, he shall suffer persecution.”

 

12. But why did those women preachers and mother’s have so much success? 700 souls in the street one day, and 500 the next?  It is because they sincerely loved the people they were preaching to! 

If you don’t know the power of water, wait until you experience a woman’s tears! And women are often the first to start serving others in need!

Their sermons were powerful, and as William Booth said, ”When all else fails, try tears!” 

 

The Salvation Army has dozens of thousands of buildings all around the world to prove their love for mothers, children and others that are weak by providing shelters for the homeless where children can stay, safehouses  to escape the danger of leaving the lifestyle of prostitution, drug- alcohol  rehab centers, health clinics, boarding schools, and international causes that contribute to free others from oppression both men and women!

 

12. You have seen the hats the women use in the Army? Before they use to be bonnets, which would protect them from the cold, but do you know what else it protected them from? All the tomatoes and eggs and things the evil people would throw at them while they would preach the gospel on the streets! There are many accounts of their tears being shed for the lost and it touched people’s hearts to know they were being loved by God and by them despite the evil! When there is resistance, it proves a lot of effectiveness is happening!

Only the Holy Spirit can touch hearts to accept Christ, but we all must learn the lesson of letting ourselves get out of the way so Jesus can shine through! The Bible describes the woman as the weaker vessel and also, we know God “chose the weak things of the world to confound the wise.”

 

13. Each person is different, and we must learn to accept and respect each person. We must learn to value who we are in God and be thankful for how God has made us different and find our place in his body. 

 

You are all serving in many ways! And another thing about all the original soldiers of the Salvation Army (the ones I told you were 70% women), did you know they were people from the ordinary working class that worked in factories? And the English were very class discriminatory at that time! 

(Many of them still are!) God uses the foolish things to confound the mighty!

 

I know many of you here may think, I can never do anything big for God because I don’t know much, I am just a worker. Or a mother may think, I cannot do anything with a bunch of little kids at my feet. But history proves the contrary, women, and anyone can change a whole society if they work together! KD

 

14. Jesus will make you and me smarter and braver and, if we will put our pride away and die to our selves, he will use us mightily and give us rewards in heaven! Jesus said to take up your cross and follow Him! I don’t know about you, but I want to live with Jesus forever in Heaven and any family or friend that we lose now cannot compare to what will be ours for eternity! 

 

If we deny Him here on earth, (either by not telling others about Him or by our poor example) He will deny us before His father in heaven. Take a stand today to be bold and courageous like the founders of the Salvation Army! 

 

Because one man and one woman obeyed the calling of God over 150 years ago, today we have the great work of the Salvation Army that saves hundreds of thousands of souls every year! But you must do your part as a soldier of this Army in this community! Have you prayed with someone lately to accept Jesus? Let’s pray for the mothers who teach their kids!