God's Grace For The Harvest: Ruth 4

Sometimes hard times fall on us all. Sometimes we walk through difficult seasons in life times in which we wonder if we will ever pull out of. This past week as I helped my wife's family lay her grandfather to rest I had the opportunity to spend time with her family and see God bring a new sense of hope and purpose. Only God is able to bring purpose to pain. Only God is able to empower the broken. This week I walked through one of the lowest, hardest valleys with them as well as for myself. Yet at the same time experienced one of the most rewarding and healing times. For the follower of Christ the deeper the valley the greater the victory. Through the death of my wife's grandfather her entire family was able to spend time together all in one place for a weekend for one of the first times in decades. Though the hard times God brought healing, joy, and fellowship. Only God can do that. 

As I spent time with them at there family getaway in the hills of the Ozarks I had the chance to do one of my favorite past times, hiking. I spent a good 3-4 hours out in the woods praying and talking with God. As I climbed up those steep, rocky Ozark mountains, I was reminded of the passage of scripture I had read one day earlier at the funeral. The Lord is my shepherd. "Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death i will fear no evil." It was rugged terrain. As a climbed the final peak, known as inspiration point the path grew steeper, more difficult, and at points hard to follow. There was no turning back once you set out though. Yet as difficult a climb as it was the view from the top made the journey all the more worth it. 

In the same way, as we go though seasons in our life of hardship we can find strength in knowing that, though suffering may last the night Joy comes with the morning. Even through the difficult seemingly impassable moments in life God is greater. Do not give up in the hard times for we will enjoy a great harvest if we do not give up.

Are we willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel? Are you willing to sacrifice your hopes, dreams, and fears to follow after Christ? Jesus calls out to us to follow Him. We are not given a crystal ball into the future that predicts every detail of our lives. Yet we are given a precious promise that God will be our source of refuge and if we trust Him he will save us from our fate.

The message of the gospel is clear. Jesus and the apostles w clear in their message: You are all sinner, for you have fallen short of God’s standards, no one is righteous and able to rely on their good works to get them to Heaven. Truth is truth it is not relative. Just like Elemilech and his Sons, because of foolish pride and wrong decisions we have ended up in a land of famine, and if we remain it will destroy us. Do not remain in sin and disobedience to God. Confess your sins, declare Jesus as Lord! Repent, and be Baptized because of what God has done for you.

There is a time to be silent, it is not enough to believe these things to be true you must speak it out. There is a time to take action because the harvest is coming to an end. Soon it will be too late. If you have not publicly made it know your relationship with Christ you need to do so. Jesus said if you are ashamed of me among men I will be ashamed of you before my Father. If we will not publicly follow Christ through confessing him as our Lord and following that action with Baptist you are not saved.

God has prepared a place for those who love him and publicly follow him in paradise; yet if we do not confess Him as our Lord our fate is secured in the Lake of Fire. What will you choose? Life and death are before you this day you might not get another. Choose wisely do not put this off. The harvest is drawing near the day of judgment is fast approaching are you ready? Will your life end with new life or death?

Review of God's at war by Kyle Idleman

Jesus said the greatest commandment is this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength. He called His followers to a deeper level of sacrifice and commitment than required of any other leader. When he invites us to follow him he does not do so flippantly or casually. This is an invitation to start over. He calls followers to denial of self and whole hearted commitment.  Devotion to Christ is not about adopting a moralistic self-improvement program; in fact it’s not about us at all, it’s about God the creator, savior, and Lord of all.

In god’s at war, Kyle Idleman provides a profound and convicting commentary on the internal struggle of mankind. As he brings out in his book idolatry is not an issue--It is THE issue. Kyle takes readers on a revealing journey helping Christ followers identify the false gods which wage a diabolical war for our hearts. Through a series of probing questions, and biblical explanations Idleman provides a valuable reminder of the false gods we allow to have control of our heart. What do you sacrifice for? What makes you mad? What do you worry most about? What controls your life? By honestly answering these questions we begin to get a brutal look at the condition of our heart.

Tracing the damage trail caused by sin throughout scripture and human history, Kyle get to the  heart of the human plight. Our society obsesses over treating our symptoms; yet all to often are not willing to treat the source problem. The first and original sin was not Adams sin od disobedience but Lucifer’s prideful idolatry and thus he filled man with this same idolatry. This is a central theme in Kyles book. Kyle charges believers to not put a fresh coat of paint on the deep issues that we face, rather to take a brutally honest inventory of our heart and lives. All too often we say we have a problem with lying, lust, anger, ect. Yet these are symptoms of a much deeper issue. It’s a matter of the heart.

Jesus said from the abundance of the heart the man speaks. The question we must ask ourselves is to whom have we pledged our allegiance? What god reigns supreme in our hearts. Is it the god of pleasure, power, love, or the one true God? What are we thirsty for? Are you craving attention, companionship, family, more money, more power, and more attention? Serving false gods relentlessly calls us to chase after many things to find fulfillment, they demand more than we can bear, and provide far lee than we hoped. Though they all promised satisfaction they leave us more thirsty more empty than before.

Jesus calls us to come to him for he is the only one who truly satisfies. He said, “Drink from me and you’ll never thirst again” As the noted British apologist once said. That if I find in myself a desire which nothing in this world can satisfy the only logical conclusion is that I was made for another world.”

No matter  where you are in your walk I strongly recommend god’s at war to any Christian. It is a book that should be in every Christians library. After reading this book you will not look at life and the faith the same way.

Check out more and order your copy here

God’s Grace In Our Risks. Redeeming Ruth Chapter 3

God shows us great love despite our failings, in the middle of our suffering, and in the times of blessing. God’s love is amazing and undeniable. The story of Ruth demonstrates the extent of God’s love and masterfully depicts the love of God in a human story. We see that there is one quality that is unfailing and unceasing: LOVE.
                1 Corinthians 13 explains how a relationship is made manifest in our lives.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.”

The love of God is the most powerful, most dynamic, and rewarding force known to mankind. Love is unfailing, undying, and unmistakable. God’s love is a divine invitation. God’s has extended an invitation to come and follow him to eternal life. From the wellspring of God’s love comes the question will you follow me. This is a question which demands an answer!

For us today God is asking us a question that demands an answer. He is calling us as a church to follow him to new territories. Sometimes faith is like scary uncharted waters. We are required to do and say things that make us uncomfortable. God stretches us outside our comfort zone.

It’s not enough to remain the way we started out. We have to take an uncomfortable step from time to time.  The Christian life requires us to abandon thinking about money from a business perspective, give up our selfish views of physical intimacy, and personal ambitions. We must walk by faith and not by sight! Why? Because on this earth we only see part of the picture. But one day our faith will be made sight. God’s love never fails:

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

God’s love demands an answer! It demands our devotion, faith and commitment. It requires us to step out in faith and take a risk. If you never take a chance, never take a risk how can you ever hope to find success. It is one thing to talk a good talk and carry on but there comes a time to take action.

In Ruth Chapter 3 That is exactly what Naomi instructs Ruth to do, take a risk and put her faith in God’s provision. Though her actions may seem provocative and not what I would suggest to someone as the best way to find a husband. This is one of those descriptive portions and is not a biblical mandate to how to find a spouse. What we see is that she was exposing herself and taking a major risk.

RUTH 3:8,9

"And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

"And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman."

Boaz was startled by something, so he turned, or bent over, and saw Ruth lying at his feet. In reply to Boaz' question, Ruth identifies herself as a maidservant, again taking a lowly position. She acts toward Boaz in humility. And she looks for Boaz to take action because of who she is.

Ruth uses a very expressive metaphor here in asking him to spread his skirt over her. The word "skirt" here is in the plural, and in such a case it more often means "wings" than part of a garment. It may be that Ruth was saying "spread thy wings over thy handmaid", a very beautiful and delicate way for Ruth to express her wish.

She calls Boaz GO-EL, "near kinsman". This makes her request a formal one, and she's looking to him to resolve the legal question of redemption. The word "skirt" refers to the corner of the counterpane, or blanket, which Boaz had over him. A man and wife sleeping together would share this blanket. Therefore, in those times, the act of covering Ruth with part of the blanket would have been symbolic of sealing the redemption and kinsman redemption.  Thus it’s not impure this was the ceremony, the ring, the whole deal.

There are some very interesting and difficult portions of this text. Naomi was giving Ruth some very risky counsel she was banking on the fact that Bo’az was a worthy man. It was a risk, the advice was

Get dressed up nice, bathe, and put her makeup on. Then go to the party where Bo’az is at. She was to stand where Bo’az could see here then go lay at his feet after he went to go lay down after drinking a fermented beverage. For those who grew up Baptist this means he was drinking wine or beer. YET he was a very upright man.

                Naomi was sending a young Moabite woman who grew up in a perverse immoral country, to go to a place that could be dangerous. Naomi told her to lay at his feet and do whatever he says. DANGEROUS??!!!!! Bo’az responds to her actions cautiously, boldly, and with a great question: Who are you? In those days prostitutes would hang out at the threshing floor at the time of harvest because the men were typically drunk, pockets full of cash, and alone.

                Bo’az is a picture of Christ. Although he had no legal obligation to marry Ruth yet he desired to marry her. He could have rejected her, taken advantage of her, or sent her away. Instead he prayed for her and proves his integrity. He is a man who did not go around the law or destroy her reputation. He wanted to marry Ruth not because he had to but because he loved her, just as Christ loves us not out of duty rather out of compassion and mercy.  For it’s by grace we have been saved. Bo’az was a man who fulfilled the law. Someone else had a legal claim to Ruth and her land. He redeems her and assumes the burden of Ruth

As we wrap this up consider this:

The sovereignty of God is working through all of these people: through the counsel of Naomi, though it is risky, to be sure; through the faithfulness of Ruth; and through the trustworthiness of Mr. Boaz. And what we see is that the flip side of the providence of God, which is the theme of the Book of Ruth, is that sometime we have to take calculated risks. I want to be very careful with this. I’m not saying you make foolish decisions. But Ruth and Naomi here take a calculated risk, and I – I agree, it is a big risk. But sometimes, when you’ve done all you can, you have to take a calculated risk, trusting that God is sovereign and good, and he will figure it out.

Ruth, like the church, which is the bride of Jesus, comes to Boaz as we come to Jesus, and what does she ask? “Will you redeem me?” And then who does all of the work?  Boaz, who is a picture of Jesus, who is our glorious Boaz. That as Boaz is like Jesus, so we are to be like Ruth, the church, the bride of Christ. And we come to the Lord Jesus and we ask him for redemption, and he redeems us at a great cost, more than just the money that Boaz spent, but Jesus gives his own blood. He lives, dies, rises, he gives us himself as a gift to redeem us, to enter into a relationship with us. You say, “Why would he do that? He’s not obligated. He doesn’t owe us anything.” That’s grace. That’s love. That’s mercy. Jesus treats us like Boaz treats Ruth.

And Ruth trusts Boaz and just sits there, in faith, that Boaz will redeem her in the same way that we do not participate in any way in our redemption. We simply acknowledge that it is the Lord Jesus, our glorious Boaz, who does all of the work – who has done all of the work of redemption. And we rest in that. We trust in that. And we live our lives under the security that the God, who is for us, is always for us and that enables us to live lives of humility, like Ruth, of boldness, like Ruth, and occasional risk, like Ruth, trusting him to work out the details, because we love him, and we’re not sinning, and we’re in the place that he can bless.

If you don’t know Jesus, you need to know Jesus. He is the God of Ruth and Boaz. Ultimately it is the Lord Jesus who is coming through this family line. It is Jesus who is like Boaz, and it is Jesus who asks us to come to him, like Ruth, simply asking to be redeemed, and then trusting his finished work of death, burial, resurrection, to redeem us. You need to become a Christian tonight, if you’re not. And you do it by confessing your sin to Jesus, and asking him to redeem you.

What risk is God calling you to take? Is it to step out and share your faith, join this body, confess some hidden sin, surrender to ministry service? What risk is God asking you to take? Do you need to feel that redemption of God today? Do you need to find rest under the refuge and comfort for your heartache?

Redeeming Ruth: Grace in Our Luck Ruth Chapter 2

      

      The story of Ruth is a beautiful story of God’s redemption and grace. It started on a very bad note. The story starts with Elimelech (God is my King) and his wife Naomi. They have two sons that sound neat, but mean Sick and dying. But the story gets better. As last week illustrated sometimes life sucks! But as bad as life is God is greater!

      Ruth chapter 2 starts with a conversation. In fact, most of the book is a conversation because it is focused on two lonely women and women talk a lot! Naomi and Ruth are both starving and Ruth request permission from Naomi to go and work.

      They have no food. They’re flat broke. Usually your husband, your father, your sons, are your, sort of, protector, defender, and they have no husband, no father, no son. They’re all by themselves. They’re flat broke. They’re getting hungry. There’s no money in their pocket. There’s no food on the shelves. The fridge is bare. Ruth looks at her mother-in-law, says, “I’m asking your permission to go out in the fields and glean.” And she, in faith, she in faith is trusting, “When I get out there, God’s gonna give someone a heart for me and you, and we’ll find favor in their eyes.” This is faith. She’s saying “I didn’t move all the way from Moab to Bethlehem and give my life to the Lord for the Lord to let me down. I’m gonna go out there and he’s gonna introduce me to somebody who’s gonna take care of us, give me a job, give me dinner, give me something. Do I have your permission to go glean?”

 

      Ruth goes out to glean in the fields in verse 3. Gleaning is the Hebrew Equivalent of Food Stamps, the Hebrew welfare system. It was not intended to be permanent but a means for the impoverished to work their way out of poverty. It was not always a secure position. There was some danger in going out to the field as an attractive, young, foreigner. As a Moabitess she had no rights and the times she lived in where dark.

      It just happened that she was directed to glean in the fields of Boaz. As Christians we don’t believe anything happens by accident. God’s sovereignty is evident in this passage. His hand of providence is evident in the events of Ruth. And if we are willing to see it, God’s providential hand in our circumstances. Suffering is momentary and we must be willing to go out and take actions when God opens a door.

      Boaz was an upstanding member of society. God lead Ruth to Boaz’s field to glean; because he was a worthy man. This phrase is often times describe a man of war, a man of wealth, and a man of wherewithal. Boaz is a man’s man. He was a chivalrous man who was a protector, provider, pastor. He loved and feared God had a job then approached Ruth.  He was a good man and a great boss. He prayed for, blessed, and supported his employees.

      Rich or poor, we should strive to serve like Ruth and give like Boaz. We are like Ruth in our Christian life. We have all been through a period where we were helpless in

our sins and in need of redemption. Boaz portrays a picture of Christ to us. God cares for His people and desires to work things out. There are many people who have a socialistic view of Christianity and have adopted Robin Hood theology; who essentially believe that the rich are sinful and the poor are righteous. But in this story we see two people on two separate ends of the economical spectrum both live very righteous lives. 

Bo'az demonstrates that true charity does not rob from one in order to give to another. Those who work for their money deserve to enjoy the benefit of their labor. The law required that Bo'az provide a portion to assist those in need. But He went above and beyond that and moved from the law to grace. That is true charity and a picture of God's love for us.

      On the other hand there are those who think that financial wealth is an indicator of spiritual blessing. This is what’s called prosperity theology. And it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Rich or poor have nothing to do with the work of God. He uses all of the above. He invites us to be generous people, freely we have received freely we give. God calls us to himself.

      I invited you to Jesus. I invite you to his mission. I invite you to be people of grace and generosity and lavish favor and kindness. I invite you to the kingdom lifestyle of Jesus. If you don’t know him, you need to. He gave salvation as a gift. Just, don’t come to him with hands full. Come to him with hands empty, as Ruth came to Boaz, and he will exceed all expectations. Confess your sin, and the Lord Jesus Christ will forgive you. Trust Him for he works all things out for your good and his glory