Evangelist Dea Warford

1/ Mothers nurture, guide and protect children: (And spiritual mothers nurture, guide and protect their fellow Christians and especially new converts)

Bearing children is one of the most difficult jobs on earth. It takes a special kind of person to do so. A nurse once told me, “If the men had the children, every family would only have one child.” The only “special person” big enough for the difficult task of bearing children is a mother. A mother’s love is the greatest love in the world; excelled only by God’s love. Because love (scriptural “agape” love) “thinks only of the highest good of the object of its affection”, mothers are willing to bear pain, even great pain, to help birth and nurture their children.

As an example of a mother’s love, when I was a freshman in college, I didn’t have a car, so I would hitchhike to work at a hamburger shop in Hollywood. A cop gave me a ticket for not having at least one foot on the curb while I hitchhiked. So, my mother, sensing it was time for me to have my own transportation, gave me her 1965 Volkswagen and rode the bus to work until she could afford or find another car.

My dad was an alcoholic and often out of work, but somehow mom figured a way to get me the telescope I wanted for Christmas in 61’ and the $2000 Hammond B-3 organ I needed to play in the “Vestels” R & R band in 1965.

After the Tsunami that struck Sri Lanka a few years ago, a mother and young child were found dead: drowned. When discovered, though their bodies were frozen in death, the mother’s arms were still wrapped tightly around her baby’s body.

The story is told of a woman who always wore gloves. As her young child began to grow older and realized that his mother was the only woman around constantly wearing gloves, he inquired “why she always wore gloves.” Feeling it was probably time to give reason, she at last explained that when he was very young, there was a fire in the house, and as she went to save him from the flames, she was badly burned in her hands. She took off her gloves to show him the scars. She embarrassedly said, “I didn’t want you to see these ugly scars”. He reached over and kissed her hands and said, “But mother, These are beautiful hands!” A mother’s hands symbolize beauty indeed!

When pastoring in LA county years back, I used to do a lot of funerals for people who didn’t have a home church. Burying so many mothers inspired me to write the following poem:   It’s called . . .

                                A Mother’s Hands
        My earliest recollections ,    are of playing in the sand,
Of being hurt and crying out, and finding comfort. . . In mother’s hands.
         Those hands just kept on giving, through sickness and disease, It’s a mother’s way, her heart’s devotion . . . Her only thought, to please.
          Her hands were always special to me, though weather worn or covered by glove. And now, at last, I know the reason, . . . Her gentle hands were filled with love.
           Those tired hands at last are folded, they’re finally at their rest, If they could talk, they’d tell the story . . . This mother’s done her best.
          And now my hope, my great desire, is to arrive also at the fairest of lands, And there to greet me, hold me, love me. . . My mother’s tender, outstretched hands.

        I thank God for the “best mother in the world”. Did you have one of those too? Or are you now one? Mothers nurture, protect, feed and help guide. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:14: “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house” (KJV). Mothers should ”Guide the home”:   Every Christian, married to Christ, should help guide the home (their home church).

We do this if we . . .

        Love like a mother: 1 Cor. 13:7: “Love believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”   Loving Mothers endure a lot of dirty diapers and sleepless nights. Mothers don’t easily forsake their children. And loving Christians won’t easily criticize, judge, get mad and or leave their church family.   When we see others in their “dirty diapers”, we love them and “endure” them. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” (Gal 6:1).

        Accept like a mother: (There’s a reason they have a saying, “a face only a mother could love”) Gal. 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”.   Eph. 1;6 says “He made us accepted in the Beloved.”    Don’t have a double standard: If you expect us to accept you the way you are and put up with your weaknesses, then accept everybody else around you and learn to put up with theirs.

        Provide like a mother: My mom rode the bus so I could drive a car:   Pay your tithes. And give to missionaries to Africa (or Ontario!).

        Serve like a mother: Every one of you has a job, a ministry or a service you can do for their church and needy people outside the church. It’s the way of a mother. And, don’t do this because you get a slap on the back. Motherhood is the most unthankful, unappreciated, and unpaid job in the world. Some of you know this, so you prefer to just take birth control pills (metaphorically speaking)! Let’s choose to be fertile, ready to serve, ready to help, ready to carry a “little baby” (or little, struggling Christians).

2/ Mothers plan and sacrifice for the future of their kids (And spiritual mothers plan and sacrifice for the future of the lost by praying for them):

        If it hadn't been for women (and most of them mothers), the church would have died long ago! Ps. 68:11 says, “The Lord gave the word; Great was the company of those who proclaimed it.” The word translated “company” in Hebrew is in the feminine and actually is translated “women” in some translations. Many churches have been carried and kept alive by praying women. The same thing that makes a woman a good mother, also makes her a good “mother in Israel” (like Deborah in Judges 5:7) who prayerfully watches over and carries the burden for the people of God. The world makes fun of the church; so filled with women.    It doesn’t even take notice of what it sees as the “namby-pamby” women’s prayer meetings throughout the week around America. But, oh, I guarantee you the devil takes note of them! In fact, women praying make him tremble!

        Once I was preaching at a downtown church in my hometown in Ontario, California. I was talking about spiritual warfare, and in my message made reference to the nearby “Ritz Theater”.   As a boy, I’d attended movies there (for 35 cents!). I remember seeing Frank Sinatra in “The Devil at 4 O’clock” there. But, decades later, it had become a porno theater.   So, I said from the pulpit, “If God’s people had really prayed, that Ritz theater would’ve burned down long ago.” Just then, The Spirit spoke to my heart and said, “Pray now!” But, to be honest, I really didn’t have faith for that; it had just seemed like a good thing to say, I suppose. So, I put it out of my mind and went on to other things. That same week, at that church's weekly women’s prayer meeting, one of the ladies (apparently taking my suggestion) said, “Let’s pray against the Ritz theater; that it will either burn down or close down”. That very next weekend, a fire began in the projection room (they never determined how) and a conflagration resulted that completely consumed the theater. Today, decades later, there is not one brick left standing on another. It’s a parking lot!   There is no greater force in the universe than praying women: “mothers in Zion”.

        And every man and woman in the church should be a “mother in Zion” as Isa. 66:8 says, “For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.” Paul was a birthing-mother in Gal. 4:19: “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.”

        I was planting a church in Bellingham, Washington in the 70’s. While attending a Full Gospel Business Men’s banquet, I sat by a young man named Perry. He was backslidden and living with a women outside of marriage. God gave me a burden for his soul. So, I began to earnestly intercede for his salvation. I remember driving out into the country, getting out of my car and walking around the thick brush waging warfare for his soul. Before long, God laid it on my heart to go confront him about his salvation. (At times, God will reveal to you that you are the answer to your own prayer). So, I soon visited his house. His girlfriend was there, so I suggested that he and I take a walk. As we walked together around the block,   I reminded him of what salvation was all about. I shared the scriptural warnings to the backslider. Convicted by mothering prayer and motherly sharing of the gospel, he repented and rededicated his life to the Lord. I explained to him, “Now, we have to go back and explain to your girlfriend that you can’t sleep with her anymore until you get married.” He explained what had happened and I explained what had happened. After hearing the gospel, she too accepted Christ. A few weeks later, we had a marriage ceremony. I had the joy of being a mother in Zion to that young couple.

        Become a spiritual block-mother through intercessory prayer. Intercede for the lost in your family, your neighborhood, at work or at school. Like any mother would, plan and sacrifice in your prayer closet so that lost souls will have a “future and a hope”.

Wisdom: Mothers birth new children into the world (and spiritual mothers help bring sinners to a new birth)

        The greatest miracle in life is the birth of a child.   God chose mothers to be the instrument of that miracle. When you help lead a soul to Christ; you are like a mother to them as you help them to be birthed into the kingdom: “Born again” as John 3:3 says.   Every Human who is born on earth needs a mother to make it happen. And, every sinner who is born again needs a Christian “mother” to help make it happen.

        My wife and I were married 15 years without children. When she finally became pregnant it was a most wonderful time in our life. I wanted a girl so badly. If ever there was a man who wanted a little baby girl, it was this man. When Kathy had her sonograms to check on the progress of the babe in her womb, we insisted that the nurse not divulge the sex of our coming child. We wanted it to be a total surprise. When Carissa was born and I realized my long-held dream had come true, I shouted, “It’s a girl!” Without a doubt, the happiest moment of my life!

        But, let me share a similarly happy birthing experience. I was a youth leader for the Upland Foursquare Church. It was summer of 1969.      We were having a “social” at the Ganesha Park in Pomona. Someone had invited a young man, Grant Hollist, to our social. He drove by in his 1956 Ford and I talked with him awhile. I discovered that he was a Mormon. His dad had been a Bishop in the Mormon Church. He was a senior in high school at the time. I witnessed briefly to him and gave him my card inviting him to call me, “If you ever want me to show you the errors in the Mormon Church and to explain to you the true gospel of Christ.”

        A couple of nights later, he called me and said he’d like to meet with me. I drove up to the gas station where he worked. We sat in the office and I turned from one scripture to another, showing him the warnings against last day false prophets and angels preaching a gospel other than the gospel of Christ, etc. He listened intently to what I had to share. It was time to close the business, so he locked up and we got in my car and finished our conversation. Finally, I turned to him and straightly asked him, “Grant, wouldn’t you like to accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” He said he would. I usually lead sinners in a simple prayer, asking them to follow me phrase by phrase. But, for some reason, that night I told Grant to just pray in his own words and receive the Lord. He began praying out loud, slowly at first, “Father in heaven, I ask you that your son Jesus would come into my heart and forgive me of my sins. (His pace began to quicken) Make me a child of God. (His voice became louder and louder) And, I can feel Him coming into my heart now. He is in my heart! (If ever I saw a dramatic new birth experience, it was his!). He was so thrilled. Though it was past 11 PM, we had a mutual friend, so we went to his house and awakened him and the three of us stood in the kitchen; lifting our hands and praising God for Grant’s salvation.

        Grant had been the president elect at his high school and a quarterback and end on the football team: signs of a bright future. Now, instead of a prestigious secular college, he wanted to go to the small college where I was a senior (LIFE Bible College, Los Angeles). He became a part of my youth group, moved into my and my parent’s home, and started Bible college. He became a wonderful witness for Christ. I was even able to lead two of his sisters to the Lord.

        While attending college together, we shared a double bed at my house.      (Only the older ones reading this can remember the days when no one thought a thing about two men sleeping together!) One night, as we were preparing to fall to sleep, I felt his strong quarterback arm wrap around me as he said, “Thanks Dea, for leading me to Christ.”

        Grant died a few years ago. I hope to see him in heaven. How important are those words now that he is forever in eternity?   My daughter worked with the children this morning at the Foursquare Church of Santa Fe Springs where she serves full time as a Children’s Director. She’s a mother in Zion too, helping lead children to Christ. I led Grant to Christ.   Grant helped lead others to Christ. Birthing children: it is what motherhood and what Christianity is all about. The angels in heaven understand this truth well: “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10).

         “It’s a girl!” (The happiest moment in my life) and “Thanks Dea, for leading me to Christ.” (Perhaps the happiest moment in Grant’s life and certainly one of the most fulfilling in mine.) Surely they are the happiest words and most important words mothers will ever hear: “It’s a girl!”; “It’s a boy!” And, the most important words on earth that spiritual mothers will ever hear are: “Thanks for leading me to Christ.”

        Have you ever heard those words? Have you ever mothered a soul into the new birth? If not, get busy praying for it. Bear down to prepare for a birth! For mothers to get pregnant, they’ve got to get down to business. And, to finally birth that child, they’ve got to really get down to business.   If you aren’t pregnant with the salvation of a loved one, a neighbor, a friend, a workmate: get down to business. Start praying. Start witnessing to them. Start inviting them to church. And, let leading souls to Christ be your most important business.

        Aimee Semple McPherson, the founder of the Foursquare Church in America said “The one big business of the church is evangelism”. The one big business of the church I pastor, The Power Station, is to help the lost get saved. I am trying to help people I lead and teach to see how evangelism should be incorporated into our lifestyles. What can you do to make soul winning more of your business and less of your doctrine? Let’s become a mother in Zion. Let’s birth children into the kingdom. Let’s all have the joy (not once but often) of hearing others say, “Thanks, for leading me to Christ!”