Missions Paul

It’s never as bad as all that! – Ruth 1: 19 – 22

There was a change of her circumstance
‘Can this be Naomi?’ shatters Naomi. It brings her face to face with her circumstance. Her circumstance has dramatically changed, because she has lost so much. She wants to change her name from Naomi, meaning pleasant to Mara, meaning bitterness. She was once living a full life but now it is empty.
“Don’t call me Naomi anymore. That’s what I once had, but my circumstances have changed.”
Her life has gone so far off course that her very identity has changed. “Call me bitter.”
At some point we all will experience loss. Great hopes and dreams can be blown away. You know what could have been, what should have been or even what was had this or that never happened to you. You and others were on the verge but today things are different. This bitterness can even be tasted:
He has filled me with bitter herbs. Lamentations 3:15

And yet at times being empty can be a good position to be in.
• Before creation the earth was empty.
• The widow’s poverty only came to an end because she had empty jars. 2 Kings 4.
• The disciples fishing boats only began to sink under the weight of the catch because they had gone out to fish with empty boats. Luke 5:7
• The disciples were baptised in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost because they were not already filled. They were empty vessels. Acts 2:4

It’s never as bad as all that! – Ruth 1: 19 – 22

Naomi arrives back in Bethlehem and she is in quite a poor state, things have changed but they are about to change again.
There was a change of her condition.
Ten years previously Naomi had left the town she lived in. She left ‘full’, she wasn’t poor, this was a fairly wealthy family. But now she returns home. The whole town are stirred, shaken and unsettled. The women of the town look a bit closer and exclaim ‘ Can this be Naomi?’ They looked at her condition, her appearance and said ‘You’ve lost some weight, you look pale, have you stopped using conditioner, are those grey hairs natural or have you added them – is this really you Naomi?’

Naomi’s appearance is a reflection of all the hardship that she has faced.
‘Can this be Naomi?’ is a question that cuts deep into her, for she has changed so much.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
The Message says “And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.”

But the reverse is also true.
The diminishing of the glory of God can be seen on a person as well as the ever-increasing glory. Everyone has the opportunity to turn around, turn away for an easier life, more comfortable life, less passionate about Christ and His Church. People won’t even have to hear your sad story. They will see it on your face.

It’s never as bad as all that! – Ruth 1: 19 – 22

When disaster strikes the ability to not run ahead is so important.
If faith is being certain of what you do not see then faith is also refusing to see what is certain.

Remember Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego? A furnace was heated 7 times hotter than usual. They refused to bow down in worship to the king and were thrown into the furnace.
Remember Daniel and the lion’s den? Daniel was caught praying to God and although the king tried to save him, Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions. The Bible says a royal signet ring sealed the stone over the den “so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed”

Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego’s faith caused them to see something other than the fiery furnace. The result? The Son of God entered the furnace as a 4th man and they were brought out alive. Daniel’s faith caused him to see something other than the lion’s mouths. The result? An angel joined Daniel in the lions den and closed the mouths of each lion.

These situations speak because they have positive endings. But what if you face a situation “so that (your name) situation might not be changed” and in the end it doesn’t change?
What if the certainty is that you face the pain of public flogging, the isolation and cruelty of prison? What if the certainty is being stoned to death, or sawn in two, or killed by a sword and it actually happens? These incidents are recorded in the greatest chapter of faith in the Bible, in Hebrews 11. They were commended for their faith because they refused to look at the certainty of the starvation, the stones, the sword, the flogging, the pain, the humiliation.
Faith causes a looking and a longing for something better. Faith says it’s never as bad as all that.

Silence the voice of discouragement – Ruth 1: 14 – 19a

She was determined , v16-18
Verse 16 is one of the most classic statements of faithfulness, loving commitment and overall determination in the Bible.
Your determination will silence the voice of discouragement.
How can discouragement beat me when I am determined in my purpose of life?
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

How can discouragement beat me when I am determined in my service?
Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24: 15

How can discouragement beat me when I am determined in my status as a Christian?
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Its never too late to become determined again.
You may have experienced failure, you may have been overwhelmed with discouragement and you may have quit from everything in your life, but TODAY you can receive His touch on your life and rise in a new level of determination. When you think its all over God comes in and says we haven’t begun yet.
Its never too late.
One day you will meet Christ face to face and I think we all will say:
“Jesus thank you for enduring so much. Thank you for being so determined to go to the cross. Because you remained in that place, you purchased my freedom, my sins were forgiven, my life transformed, you changed my world and guaranteed my eternity.”

Silence the voice of discouragement – Ruth 1: 14 – 19a

She wasn’t affected by the actions of others, v15.
Orpah went back home, to her parents, to their home and a future of waiting for a new husband and the prospects of children. She went back to what she knew. She tasted the dream, but discouragement caused her to leave her destiny. She may have ended up in the genealogy of Christ, as Ruth did. She may have moved from obscurity to significance, but she was what might have been. She became a yesterday’s woman.
Naomi urges Ruth to look at Orpah and to follow her back to Moab.
That is exactly what Ruth didn’t do:
a. She didn’t look.
She didn’t look at what Orpah would have:
As for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. Why? For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Psalm 73:3
Be careful what gets your attention.
She didn’t look at what she wouldn’t have:
Discouragement will try and get you to look at other people and by doing so will ultimately get you to look at what you do not have and are not experiencing.
You have chosen a life where on many, many occasions it may appear that you have nothing.
b. She didn’t follow
Who speaks into your life the most and what do they say?
Ruth chose Naomi over Orpah.
The wrong friend can do much more harm to you than your worst enemy. For we can spend half our lives following friends whose influence upon us will drain us of the energy and passion we need.

Silence the voice of discouragement – Ruth 1: 14 – 19a

She clung on to her dream, v14.
In order to cling on to your dream, the dream needs to be value-led.
If your dream consists of goals and plans, a better house, car, career, money, popularity, a better ministry, a bigger church, lead more people to Christ, see more people healed then at some point you will become discouraged and want to give up. Why? Because at times no matter how wonderful the goals are the future looks hopeless.
Naomi had pointed out to Ruth that the future looked bleak. But Ruth clung on, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” (v16-17).
Ruth’s dream was to be with Naomi. Naomi was the most important person in her life and so we can say Naomi was her value in life.
One of our personal values is this:
Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.Matthew 6:33
Values take you further than your goals will. Your goals will either be fulfilled or fade away and when they do your values are still there. Values will keep you on the right road.
When your dream is value-led then the journey becomes more exciting than the destination. Having Naomi with Ruth every day was more than anything a goal-led life could bring. Knowing Jesus every day, entering into the secret place, pursuing Him, putting Him first and allowing Him freedom to enter every area of your life then every day with Jesus is better than the day before.

Silence the voice of discouragement – Ruth 1: 14 – 19a

She clung on to her dream, v14.
To Cling means to fasten together with glue or cement.
Naomi was Ruth’s dream, her destiny.
Her future would be through Naomi.
There was no way she was going to stay when Naomi was leaving.
In order to cling on to your dream, you need to let go of your reality.
If your reality is more important than your dream then that is all you’re going to have.
If your reality is all you think about and speak about then that is all that will remain.
We are told in 2:11 that Ruth’s parents were still alive, in 1:8 we can see that their home was still available to Ruth, all that Ruth knew was in Moab, it was her world. But it wasn’t her dream.
I believe some need to let go of the tough time they are in by not complaining about their reality anymore.
To be able to say ‘My reality is not more important than my dream.’
Once you have let go of your reality you will be able to cling on to your dream.

Silence the voice of discouragement – Ruth 1: 14 – 19a

Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th c. preacher wrote about himself and his colleagues
Fits of depression come over the most of us … The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy …
…Such was my experience when I first became a pastor in London. My success appalled me; and the thought of the career which it seemed to open up, so far from elating me, cast me into the lowest depth … Who was I that I should continue to lead so great a multitude?
General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army found himself on more than one occasion with feelings of hopelessness. Writing to his wife, Catherine, he said:
I wonder whether I could not get something to do in London of some kind, some secretaryship or something respectable that would keep us going. I know how things are to obtain without friends or influence, as I am fixed. But we must hope against hope, I suppose.

It seems that every person who ever achieved anything battled at some point with discouragement.

Discouragement is on this path of destiny, of getting to your ‘there’ in God. You will meet it and when you do you need to know how to silence it so that it does not overwhelm you.
Naomi had said “Go back home ..” v8
All three of them cried openly and loudly. Naomi then says “Return home …” v11 and again in v12 “Return home …” They all weep again and Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye.
Ruth is being discouraged by Naomi. She is feeling pain and loss. Over the next few days we will see how Ruth silenced the voice of discouragement?

How to return to there from here, part 7

Ruth 1: 6-14

V14 “Orpah kissed her mother in law goodbye”

In my earlier years of being a pastor I recall spending long hours with members who wanted to attend a different church and not mine. I would do all I could to keep hold of them. I wanted to see a church being built and losing people was not the right way to go about it. They would always tell me not to take it personally, that this had nothing to do with me, I think they thought they were bringing me some comfort. It was like going to the butchers and saying “I won’t be shopping here anymore but don’t take it personally, its not you, its your meat.”

7. But what I really hadn’t grasped at that stage was the truth that some people will only be with you for part of your journey.
There are those that you have to walk away from. 1 Samuel 15:35 and 16:1. There are times when you have to say this:
“I cannot stand around here waiting for you. I cannot stand around mourning my losses, reliving my past and what we could have had. I’ve got to return home. I’m becoming all that I can become and I can’t do that by regretting the past and wishing I had what I once had.”
There are those who will have to walk away from you. John 6:66-67. At these times you have to say this:
“This is who I am, and this is where I am. I’m becoming all that I can become and if you walk away from me then that’s fine. If you don’t like me anymore, if I no longer fit into your personal agenda of what you want. If I am not being the person you want me to be and you don’t want my friendship then I release you to go. I realise you were only there for part of my journey”.
This is all good, because it leads to returning to there from here!

How to return to there from here, part 6

Ruth 1: 6-14

V11-13 “But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for m if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has gone out against me!”

6. Returning isn’t a pleasure trip.
Naomi battled with her bitter state. She had nothing to offer, no more sons and she was too old. There was no hope.
The widow faced loneliness, abandonment and helplessness. Naomi wasn’t just grumbling, this was the truth, her life and the future was bleak. This wasn’t a return of victory. Her life from now on was going to be a struggle.
When you decide to become all that you can become you will at some point of that journey enter into a great struggle. It will be then when you will know whether you desire a pleasure –seeking trip or a problem – solving one.