PURPOSEFUL MOTHERING
Part 2 with Powerful and Positive Mothering

“That ye may know what is the hope of his calling . . .
and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power,
which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead . . .”
(Ephesians 1:18-20).

We continue our Ps of Purposeful mothering.

3. POWERFUL MOTHERING

What is powerful mothering? It’s when we realize we have nothing good in ourselves. That we cannot do it on our own. That we are reliant upon the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within in us.

We have no patience in our own nature, but we have the patience of Christ who dwells in us. Colossians 1:11 tells us that Christ strengthens us with “all might according to his GLORIOUS POWER.” What does He do this for? To enable us to have “patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” It’s all in the same Scripture. He releases His power to us to give us patience! Isn’t that amazing?

Often our strength runs out, but the Word promises that “the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). When we are negative we feel week. When we confess and walk in the joy of the Lord we experience strength.

It’s easy to love when being loved, but when bitterness and hatred stare us in the face, how do we love? Our love can run out, but God’s love never runs out. Ever. His love is agape love which loves in the face of hatred, bitterness, anger, and resistance. This love is “shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:5).

When we become fearful, negative, depressed, and despondent, we don’t have to stayi n those pits. We have the promise of 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Dear mother acknowledge what God has given you—His powerful life living in you. It is dunamis power. That means miraculous, abundant, mighty power! You have God enabling to mother powerfully.

And you have a sound mind. It means you have clear understanding and sound judgment. Your judgment is not according to the fashion of this society, but according to God’s Holy Word. By the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling you, the faculties of your heart and soul are harmonized, regulated, and influenced to think, speak, and act rightly in all situations. God says He has given this sound mind to you. It is a resident, radical, supernatural possession to be manifested through your life.

4. POSITIVE MOTHERING

We mother positively when we lead our children forward. The Good Shepherd goes ahead of his flock, leading them to good pastures. We don’t sit by apathetically and let things happen as they will. We lead the way by our example, by our enthusiasm, by our teaching. We lead them into good pastures spiritually, emotionally, and educationally.

We mother positively when we encourage our children. Encouragement is the rich soil in which we grow our children to their full development. They thrive on genuine encouragement and affirmation.

We mother our children positively when we lead them to God’s infallible Word. His Word is our blue print for life. It is the light to guide our way. True positive mothering does not rely on our own good ideas, but what God says, for what God says is final!

If Jesus said, I believe it,
His Word cannot lie.
If it’s written in the Bible,
I’ll believe it ‘till I die.
Though the mountains be removed,
And cast in to the sea,
God’s Word will last forever,
Throughout eternity.

We mother positively when our children see us trust God even in difficult circumstances. They don’t see us giving in to depression, despondency, or self-pity. They watch our faith grow. We live by confession in God’s promises rather than our feelings. They see us keep on loving when people treat us contemptuously. They see us blessing them rather than being bitter. We live a faith-filled lifestyle before them.

Love from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

“Thank You, dearest Heavenly Father, that I do not need to rely on my own resources. By the power of the Holy Spirit You have given me an anointing of Your power, Your love, and a sound mind to mother and train my children for You. Thank You that I am able for the task because of Your life living in me. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am leading my children forward, onward, and upward in the ways of God.

PURPOSEFUL MOTHERING

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might”
(Ecclesiastes 9:10).

It’ a sad thing to go through life without purpose, isn’t it? We all need purpose to keep is going, to keep us focused, to keep us persevering through difficult times.

It’s the same with our mothering. If we don’t have purpose, we’ll feel useless and insignificant. Many mothers feel this way. The reason is that most mothers have been programmed that motherhood is inferior. They have not been informed of the truth that mothering is the highest career God has given to women. In fact, it’s the one career He mandated. He didn’t mention any others.

He divinely created us for this purpose, both physically and innately. The whole purpose of our creation is for mothering and nurturing the next generation. And it certainly isn’t inconsequential. Without mothers the whole of civilization would die out!

Let’s look at how God wants us to see motherhood. He wants us to be . . .

1. PURPOSEFUL MOTHERS

Purposeful mothers not only love their children, but love motherhood. Every mother loves her children. She would die for them. But a good majority of mothers don’t love motherhood. They have never embraced motherhood. They survive it. They do what’s necessary but desert it mentally.

Dear mother, it is a fact that we only come into the joy, anointing, and fullness of motherhood when we embrace it. When we accept it as our mandated career from God. When we love it. Yes, whether we feel like it or not, we confess that we love it. Can you say these words now? “I love motherhood.”

You don’t feel you can say that? Well, say it anyway. Don’t worry about what you feel. As you confess the truth, your feelings and attitudes will line up with your words. You’ll soon get into gear. You’ll get into the middle of the road of motherhood where God wants you to be, rather than standing in the gutter on the side of the road.

Missionaries fulfilling the will of God expect to face challenging times. The don’t give up because it is hard. Nor should we. Just because we face tiredness and overwhelmingness doesn’t mean that we are in the wrong career. Anything worthwhile takes sacrifice!

2. PASSIONATE MOTHERS

When we are purposeful mothers, we become passionate mothers. Not pathetic, but passionate. “Do I have to get this enthusiastic?” you ask. Yes. Aren’t we passionate about whatever we care about? This is the way we are meant to live. Following Jesus’ attitude.

1 John 2:6 says: “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked.” How did Jesus walk? With zeal. We read in Psalm 69:9 “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

Do you remember the time Jesus went into the temple and saw the moneychangers taking over His house? Anger rose within him. He made a whip, ,drove out the moneychangers, the sheep, the oxen, turned over the tables, and cried out: “Get these things out of here.”

The disciples then remembered that it is written about Him, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (John 2:17).

Corinthians 15:58 exhorts to “ABOUND in the work of the Lord.” The work God has given us to do is mother and train the next generation to be godly young men and women who will fill this earth with God’s glory. How do we do this work? The word "abound" is perisseuo and it means “to EXCEL more than, to exceed, to superabound, to be over the top, over and above, overflowing, abundance.”

Don’t stand for the status quo. Go beyond the necessary as you become the greatest wife your husband could ever dream about. As you mother and train your children. As you stand watch over your home and guard it from the sneaky entrances of the enemy. As you manage your home efficiently. As you prepare meals for your family. Do it with passion. Do it with a smile on your face.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“I thank you, Beloved Father, that I do not need to flounder. You have shown my purpose in this life, a mighty purpose that impacts the nation, the generations to come, and eternity. Please help me to mother with passion instead of passivity. Help me to be full of zeal for Your kingdom work of mothering. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

No longer aimless, but purposeful;
No longer passive, but passionate.

WHAT KINGDOM DO YOU BELONG TO?
Part 5

“But the saints of the High shall take the kingdom,
and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever”
(Daniel 7:18).

14. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM OF HEALING

Healing is always associated with God’s kingdom.

Luke 9:11: “And the people . . . followed him; and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.”

Not only did Jesus heal the sick everywhere, but He gave power and authority to heal the sick to His disciples. Luke 9:1, 2, 6 says: “Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick . . . And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.”

Therefore, if we belong to God’s kingdom, we’ll always be ready to pray for those who are sick.. We’ll pray for those in our homes and whenever and wherever we meet sick people.

15. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM THAT WELCOMES THE POOR

a) The poor in spirit
Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

b) The poor in riches
James 2:5: “Hearken my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to those that love him.”

Luke 14:22, 23: “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind . . . and compel them to come in that my house may be filled.”

God wants His kingdom filled. Many who are rich are not interested in coming into the kingdom, but because God wants His home filled, He welcomes all the poor and needy. God is no respecter of persons.

16. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM THAT IS GIVEN TO ME

What an amazing thought. Although this kingdom belongs to the King of kings and Lord of lords, He gives His kingdom to YOU and ME. Most kings lord it over their people. He is king, and the people are his subjects. But God wants to share His kingdom. Romans 8:16, 17 says: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Matthew 25:23: “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Those “on the right” are God’s sheep. Those on the “on the left” are the goats who do not belong to Him and who “go away into everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46).

I love Jesus’ promise to us in John 14:1-3: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also.” It’s interesting. We will inherit a kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world. And yet Jesus says that he will continue working on it until He comes. I wonder what finishing touches He is preparing for us with all His love. It is impossible for our finite minds to fathom the glory of our eternal kingdom.

17. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM OF MYSTERIES

Matthew 13:10, 11: “And the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? Jesus answered and said unto them, because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

We belong to a mysterious kingdom. We cannot know spiritual things expect by the Spirit of God. We must be born of the to understand divine revelation.

The truths of this kingdom are not on open display for the world. We must search to understand the mysteries. They are only revealed to those who dig and study. We must meditate. Receive illumination from the Spirit of God. Spiritual truths can only be received and understood by the revelation of God’s Spirit dwelling in us.

“THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.”
AMEN!
(Matthew 6:10).

PRAYER:

I thank You, dear Father, that not only have You given me a kingdom, but Your kingdom dwells within me. I ask for Your Spirit of truth that dwells within me to show me more and more of Your divine truths. I want to live in the understanding of Your plan for Your kingdom on earth. I thank You that You want Your heavenly kingdom to be revealed on earth, through me and through my home. Please help me to be a kingdom liver, a kingdom bearer, and a kingdom revealer. In the name of Jesus. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am a kingdom bearer on this earth, revealing the heavenly kingdom.

WHAT KINGDOM DO YOU BELONG TO?
Part 4

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another,
as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”
(Matthew 25:33).

10. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM PREPARED FOR ME BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD

Matthew 25:34: “Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom PREPARED FOR YOU from the foundation of the world.”

How amazing. Not only is this kingdom prepared before the foundation of the world, but it is prepared personally for me. For you. Jesus said in John 14:1-3: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Although this kingdom is prepared before the foundation of the world, Jesus must still be working on it as He says He is continuing to prepare it for us. Our mortal mind will never fathom the glory of the eternal kingdom that we have inherited through Jesus’ death and His precious blood poured out for us.

This kingdom is not prepared for everyone. It is prepared for God’s sheep. Matthew 25:31-33 says: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”

Those who belong to Him will go to the right where Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. The goats, those who do not belong to Him will go to the left to “everlasting punishment” (v. 46).

The sheep inherit the kingdom of God; the goats do not belong to the kingdom. That’s one of the reasons why I don’t like to refer to children as “kids.” Why put them in the goat company that does not belong to God. I want them to be part of the sheep company.

11. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY

Romans 14;17: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

If we belong to God’s kingdom, these attributes should be part of our lives. Joy should be the hallmark of my life. Righteousness should personify my character because the righteousness of Jesus dwells in me. How can we belong to kingdom of righteousness and live an unrighteous life? That does not add up.

Romans 1:8 tells us that righteousness is the scepter for God’s kingdom. Read also Psalm 45:6; 47:8; 97:2; and Isaiah 9:6).

12. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM OF JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT

Psalm 89:14: “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.” Although God is loving and merciful, He is also a God of justice and judgment. He cannot tolerate sin, and yet He waits with patience to bring His judgment. But one day all sin, personally and nationally, will be judged and Jesus Christ will bring all rebellion into subjection to His glorious kingdom.

If we belong to God’s kingdom, we will also understand justice. We will not belong to the “tolerant church” of this society where they tolerate anything and everything. We are commanded to hate sin (Psalm 97:10; Proverbs 8:13; Amos 5;15. To abhor and shudder at sin (Romans 12:9). To reprove sin (Ephesians 5:11 and 1 Timothy 5:20; and Titus 1:13).

For further understanding about justice, go to: http://tinyurl.com/PermissionToJudge and
http://aboverubies.org/JusticeintheHome

13. I BELONG TO A KINGDOM THAT IS EXALTED

Balaam’s prophesy in Numbers 24:7 about Israel says: “And his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be EXALTED.”

Rejoice today that you belong to an exalted kingdom.

Be blessed. Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

“Dear Father in Heaven, I know that Your kingdom is a kingdom of justice and judgment. Please teach me Your justice. Your justice is perfect whereas mine is often biased. Please show how to show mercy and justice in a godly way. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I belong to a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. Therefore I live in righteousness, peace, and joy in every circumstance.