"Grace Under Fire"

10 May 2009

Mother’s Day 2009

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

Fortress Chapel

Contingency Operation Site (C.O.S.) Sykes

Tall-afar, Iraq

BIG IDEA: Trials (troubles and problems) will cause a believer to passionately pray to God for deliverance.

REFERENCES: Proverbs 18:22 (NKJV) He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord; Proverbs 12:4 (ESV) A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; Proverbs 19:14 (ESV) A prudent wife is from the Lord; 1 Timothy 2:12-15 (ESV) – A Christian woman who marries un unsaved man may be endangering her life in childbirth; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV) Christians must not be unequally yoked together with unsaved mates; 1 Corinthians 7:39 (ESV) A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only jin the Lord;

Spirit of God. Genesis 2:24 (KJV) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh; Proverbs 31: 10-31 (ESV); Luke 18:1-8 ESV (The parable of the persistent widow); Hebrews 11:11 (ESV) By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised; 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11 (A Godly Mother); 2 Corinthian 4:9 (ESV) Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Proverbs 22:6 (ESV); Acts 2:23 (KJV) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them; Exodus 3:2 (KJV) And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him (referring to Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed; Jeremiah 23:29 (KJV) Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?; Exodus 13:21-22): … the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them … and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night; 2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV) I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, swells in you as well; Acts 3:24 (KJV) First of the Prophets; Acts 13:20 (KJV) and the last of the Judges;

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: 1 Samuel 1:3-12 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: 1 Samuel 1:3-12 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: 1 Samuel 1:10-11(ESV) She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.

IV. PURPOSE: To encourage believers who are experiencing extreme troubles and problems to passionately pray to God for deliverance.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “Grace Under Fire”

VI. INTRODUCTION:

Happy Mother’s Day 2009 to all of our mothers today.

I also wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all of your mothers too. In fact, I have a mother’s day card (here) that I would like for as many of you as possible to sign.

A mother, of one of the Soldiers in my unit, has been sending Care Boxes to all of us for quite some time. If you’ve ever come into services, and picked something out of a box to carry with you – it was probably from Ms. Martin and her ladies.

If you were ever asked, what type of items you find difficult to receive out here, and then later – you received the items identified. It was probably from Ms. Martin and her ladies.

If you’ve ever attended a Bible Study, Choir Rehearsal or some other event here (at Fortress Chapel) and picked something out of a box to carry with you – it was probably from Ms. Martin.

So, if you don’t mind, please take a little of your time this morning to “Help Me Say Thanks to Her” (by signing the Mother’s Day Card that will be mailed to her tomorrow after both services have had an opportunity to say thanks – Ms. Martin, a Mother, along with other helping mothers - by her side - that just keep giving.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 1: Now, many of you are already aware of the history regarding “Mother’s Day”.

a. But, for those of you that have forgotten, in 1908 a young lady by the name of Anna Jarvis – of Philadelphia – wanted to celebrate the memory of her late mother, …