Missions Paul

Wait for it! – Ruth 3: 18 – 4: 2
I’m not sure about you, but I hate waiting. Yet there is much that is so painful to bear.
The waiting of a single person who so hopes that God will one day open the day for marriage can be a heavy burden. Think of the couple longing for their first child but with little success. The waiting of a child who already is feeling isolated and wants just one good friend to come along and like them. The waiting of an elderly person in a nursing home wanting to die but is waiting for that last breath. Waiting can be the hardest thing we do in life.
• God has to wait
Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. 4:1.
Boaz waited.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
Genesis 2:2
If God had to take time out, to rest, to wait, then we should also.
Then again why did God take six days to create the world? Surely He could have done it one. Why did God take so much time before He sent His Son? Why is it taking so much time for Jesus to come again? God also has to wait. God restricts Himself to that which he created – time. Only heaven will show us why.
We therefore see throughout the Bible God’s people having to wait sometimes a lot longer than others.
Abraham received a promise when he was 75 years of age, but it wasn’t fulfilled for another 25 years. At 100 years of age Abraham received his son, Isaac, and a nation was birthed, (Genesis 12:1-4). Moses spent 40 years learning to wait on God, when he 80 years old God felt his preparation was complete. When Apostle Paul first became a Christian he spent 3 years in Arabia before joining the church.
If you are having to wait on something then maybe God is too.

Trust an old-fashioned word a present-day need
Ruth 3:10-17
“And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid.” V11
Boaz was asking Ruth to put her trust in him that he would fulfil her request. Ruth had to step back now and let Boaz do only what he could do. There are times when we simply need to take our hands off situations and stand back and trust.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”Psalm 20:7
Whatever God starts, He finishes. What He does, He does well. He can be trusted.
Trusting is easy when there’s nothing to have to trust God for.
Trusting is easier to sing. It is easier to have trusted than it is to begin to trust.
We do become anxious, we do become uncertain as to the way ahead. We do get feelings of insecurity. One moment we can be God’s man of faith and then we can be empty. We can even have times when we question whether we are a Christian at all. We know its possible to defect from Christianity. We know of many who have done this very thing. We read in the Bible of people like Hymenaeus and Alexander who shipwrecked their faith. So it’s very possible. How do I know that I haven’t already shipwrecked my faith? When one problem after another comes, when the clouds of depression gather its easy for anyone to question whether they have fallen from the faith.
What we forget is that we are not unusual. Every person of faith is a sinner and a doubter.
Our security never depends on how sure we are of ourselves, but because we trust in the name of the Lord our God who is sure for us. We cannot put our trust in our performance, in our health, in our righteousness, in chariots and horses. But God is trustworthy. He can be trusted.
The aim of fear is to try and get you to blow your destiny. Trusting in God and His Word will prevent that happening.

You are worth more than that! – Ruth 3: 1-9
Go v3
Everyone needs someone who will lean up close and say, ‘Don’t be average, don’t settle for mediocrity, don’t think like the status quo, aim far higher than what is expected of you, and go for it!’
• Go and risk being criticised.
V9 reveals that Ruth was not trying to seduce him but to request his hand in marriage.
“Boaz had a good time, eating and drinking his fill – he felt great. Then he went off to get some sleep, lying down at the end of a stack of barley. Ruth quietly followed; she lay down to signal her availability for marriage. In the middle of the night the man was suddenly startled and sat up. Surprise! This woman asleep at his feet! He said, “And who are you?” She said, “I am Ruth, your maiden; take me under your protecting wing. You’re my close relative, you know, in the circle of covenant redeemers – you have the right to marry me.” V7-9. The Message.
Her intentions were honourable. However, there may have been some who wouldn’t see it like that. She’s washed, perfumed and has her best clothes on and in she walks. Ruth is risking being criticised from the other harvesters and gleaners of seducing a sugar-daddy for the promise of wealth. Criticism is part and parcel of becoming all that you can become. To move from insignificance to your destiny will mean risking the critics who are either jealous or misunderstand your motivation. If you stop at every turn to explain your actions to everyone, you may never get started and the desire to please people will prove to be a snare.

You are worth more than that! – Ruth 3: 1-9
V1. My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you where you will be well provided for?NIV
My daughter shall I not seek rest or a home for you, that you may prosper? Amplified.
My dear daughter, isn’t it about time I arranged a good home for you so you can have a happy life? Message
At this time it was normal practice that parents arranged their children’s marriage and so Naomi was just fulfilling her duty. She is trying to tell Ruth – Now is the time Ruth for changes around here. Your purpose in life is not to stay single with a poor widow to look after. You are worth more than this!
There comes a time with everyone of God’s people when hope is awakened by the precious name of Jesus, His kindness and His redemption and we begin to hear the Spirit’s prompting – You are worth more than that! You have not been put on this earth to go under, to be overwhelmed and eaten away at the predicament you have found yourself to be in. You were created for something much better.
Not that you should be free of problems and the many difficulties of this life, for your time on earth can have many challenges. But you are worth more than what those challenges can cause in you. You are worth more than just accepting that your life consists of isolation, rejection, defeat, disillusionment, anxiety, frustration, lack of self-worth, loss of identity, and the list goes on. You are worth more than these things. We all need to begin to believe that God has a purpose for our life and its not to wallow in self-pity no matter how hard our life is.
One day Naomi said to Ruth it’s time! Everyone needs someone to jolt them out of mundane Christianity and up a level. To be able to say there is so much wasted potential here, you are worth more than this.

Your hope can be revived. – Ruth 2: 19-23

Through His community
v22,23 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.” So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean …

• Community amongst believers will do you good.
Who or what you allow to surround you with is what will eventually be in you. If you only surround yourself with a non-believing community, their attitudes, their agendas will be in you before long. Surround yourself with a community of believers and you will be influenced for the good.

• Community amongst believers will safe-guard you.
People who leave churches smiling (ie.They are glad to leave) are generally people who have lost community. People who leave churches weeping (ie. God has called them but they don’t want to go really) are people who are in community.

• Community amongst believers will take work in staying close to them.
It will never be convenient for you stay close to a group of believers. You will at times not feel like meeting them. But if you are going to experience genuine community then regular, frequent contact is needed.

Reviving hope comes through the power of togetherness.

Awakening hope – Ruth 2: 19-23

Through His redemption
v20. That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers.
The Levitical law (Lev 25: 25-34) stated that a near relative could buy the deceased family’s mortgaged property to keep it in the family. Naomi wasn’t wealthy enough to buy Elimelech’s property back, but Boaz was wealthy and could redeem Elimelech’s mortgaged property. But also the wife of the deceased went with the property. The kinsman redeemer would marry the wife, bring up the children and keep the family name. We’re not told the connection Ruth’s husband, Mahlon, had with Elimelech’s property, but there was some, as Ruth became a likely candidate for Boaz, so Naomi thought.
This idea of redemption is not limited to property, but to animals and people. In the New Testament the word refers to Jesus buying back what has been lost. What was used to buy back our sinful lives? The precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1: 19)
Would you be free from your burden of sin?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you over evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the blood
There is power … power, wonder-working power.
In the blood … of the Lamb …
There is power … power, wonder-working power.
In the precious blood of the Lamb.
What can wash away my stain?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus:
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

I am working in a job that is hugely rewarding but is increasingly frustrating. Today I heard how one of our missionaries has been presenting 9 x 30 minute gospel presentations on the television in a muslim-majority country. Today I heard of 7 new churches being planted. Day after day it is the same, stories of new churches, stories of helping the poor, sponsoring children, reaching the trafficked woman, taking the good news to those who don’t have any, crossing borders, going into places that have never heard of good news, birthing new Churches amongst the new Christians, training their leaders.

So why am I frustrated? Well actually I am choosing to be confident.

I am confidently asking you for some money. Specifically one pound a week.

If you are my friend or know me, please give me a £1 per week.

If I have helped you in anyway, made you laugh, made you cry, please give me a £1 per week.

If I have pastored you, preached to you, hatched, matched or despatched you (yes even that), please give me a £1 per week.

If you are a past friend, present friend or would like to be a friend, please give me a £1 per week.

Like this, comment on this, share this, copy this, above all please give me a £1 per week.

I wish all you need do is click a button but my work is also set in the dark ages. So here is what you need to do, copy and paste this: http://www.elimmissions.co.uk/poundbypound

and do whatever you need to do no matter how long and laborious it is but PLEASE GIVE ME a £1 PER WEEK.

3,000 people isn’t much is it?

I feel like I am begging, but I just need you to give me a £1 per week.

I am not running a marathon or getting water thrown at me.

I am just saying to you please give me a £1 per week.

Thank you

Paul

£1 in the UK probably won’t get you very far: a small cup of tea, a pack of doughnuts, maybe a bunch of bananas? But around the world your £1 could be someone else’s lifeline. We want to encourage you to give just £1 a week, in fact less, just £4 a month to Elim Missions and see the huge impact that this small amount will have on others. With Pound by Pound we want to not only help those who have so much less, but also give everyone the opportunity to make a difference!
Find out more and give today http://elim.im/poundbypound

#BeChurch As we come to the end of our mission’s month we look back on everything we have prayed for so far and ask for the Holy Spirit to guide and bring His power to our faithful, obedient steps. We pray that church planters and leaders will be filled once again with Your spirit so that they may carry out Your work with the spirit leading them. As we leap with excitement into the coming week, may we stand out from the crowd because of your revolutionary love. We ask that not only our neighbour’s lives can be changed but that our towns, cities and nations can be transformed by You at work in us. Start a work in the lives of those who don’t know you Father and who may be struggling, we pray that your hand will be upon them and they will feel your touch on their lives. As we seek You first we invite Your Holy Spirit to reign down on us and to minister to us in new ways. http://elim.im/prayerline

Awakening hope – Ruth 2: 19-23

Through his kindness
v20. He has not stopped showing kindness…
Kindness comes from the word hesed.
It is the sense of loyal love, commitment and totally faithful no matter what. It has no claim on it so that you cannot earn this kindness.
Kindness came on Naomi’s loss. She had lost her husband and two sons, her credibility, her identity and her future.
Kindness came on Naomi’s suffering. There was deep pain in her heart.
Kindness came on Naomi’s guilt. She had moved away from the ‘House of bread’ it turned out to be the wrong decision.
Everyone of us will experience grief, and there will be times of personal grief when a special loved one dies.
Is there pain in your heart? Are you experiencing unfair treatment? There are always breaks in the cloud when kindness falls from heaven like soft rain, washing away sadness and discouragement.
Kindness is falling today.