A Short Summary of Ruth for 22 Nov 09

For my purposes at home, I use an outline that doesn't do well on blogger even in html, so I just combine the points as seen, but they can easily be expanded.

Ruth

A1 Some things

B1 She was a nobody C1 About her D1 Moabite--descendants of Lot D2 Non-royality C2 We can learn D1 We might be a nobody D2 Unknown to the world, only known to a small group D3 What about David, Gideon, Deborah? D4 We may wake up one day as a nobody but that is the day the Lord uses us

B2 She didn't think her future would be what it turned out to be C1 When she was 12 or so did she think that she would be a great-grandma to the greatest king of Israel? Did she think she would be in line of Messiah? C2 We may be in the same situation. Who knows God's plans for us? C3 We need to be ready C4 Have it settled, "I am ready to do your will, my Father." C5 We never know when or what it will be. D1 It may be hard or easy E1 Sickness F1 Man at the pool that Jesus healed:

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. (John 5:5-9)

F2 Ruth lost her husband after only a little time of marriage E2 Poverty F1 Widow that Elijah went to, who had food until the famine was over

"Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink." And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." So she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.' " So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. (1 Kings 17:9-15)

D2 It may be long or short E1 Noah preached for 120 years with no effect for only his family went on the art with him. E2 Jonah preached for maybe 5 minutes and the whole town repented.

B3 The decisions we make might seem small but are eternally powerful C1 She turned TO God

And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:15-17) C2 Her sister-in-law turned back.

B4 Bitterness like Naomi experienced is horrible, but God knows how to turn it around for great blessing. C1 We need to patient. C2 What are the pains you are feeling?

Chapter 2 Boaz

B1 May be same as Ibzan as according to some Jewish commenters.

After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons. And he gave away thirty daughters in marriage, and brought in thirty daughters from elsewhere for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem. After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years. (Judges 12:8-11)

B2 No need for bias. Most Jews had little to do with foreigners, but Boaz feared God and was kind to strangers. We need to treat all the same. We are all created by God to serve and lobe him.

So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." (Ruth 2:10-12)

B3 Note Ruth's humility. She would do despised work to help others and cause them to praise God. Our work and life might be very obscure, but if God may be praised by those who we help, then it is a good work.

Chapter 3

B1 Ruth was virtuous.

And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. (Ruth 3:11) C1 Virtuous means D1 Strength D2 Strength of E1 Character E2 Action E3 How we dress E4 How we talk C2 In this day of ignoring God's rules of virtue, we need to take a stand to do things God's way. God will help us. D1 Remember virtue means strength; it is not weakness.

B2 Boaz likewise was honorable.

Chapter 4

B1 There is a redeemer C1 Boaz was a redeemer for Naomi. She could have all her ancestral land returned. Boaz was willing. C2 The Lord Jesus is our redeemer. He, too, paid a price, a sacrifice of Himself, that we could have forgiveness of sins, a relationship with Him, and an eternity of peace, love, life serving the God and Creator.Is He your redeemer? Is He still my redeemer in every occassion?

B2 Boaz was a man of action. C1 He had a plan--this was according to God's law for the redemption of poor relatives. C2 When he knew what to do, he did it. C3 So us, when we know what God has revealed in the Bible, do we obey it? For us it is it "All for Jesus"?

Weak Preachers and Christians

On a post about Nidal Malik Hasan and a fear to report aberrant behavior, David Cloud writes:

That exposes the foolish “political correctness” that has taken over the U.S. military, which is more zealous to please the feminists, environmentalists, Muslims, and lawyers, than it is to fulfill its obligation to protect America from all enemies. The root problem, though, is not the weakness of the military; the root problem is the apostasy and cowardliness of the nation’s preachers, which refuse to proclaim the fear of God boldly and without compromise. As a result, the nation has been robbed of its wisdom and power. The solution, therefore, from the Bible believer’s side is not to focus on politics and immerse himself in conservative talk radio; the solution is to focus on godliness, in our individual lives and in our churches. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).[Emphasis is mine]

Too many Christians want to immerse themselves in politics which leads us away from our God given duties as Christians. If you want politics, fine, but when you spend much time in politics, you are a failure as a Christian.

A Problem for Darwin

Getting Over Our Love for Darwin

Getting Over Our Love for Darwin by William Dembski

A good article.

A Christian's Word

It should never occur to anyone to doubt our [Christian--ed] word either. The Christian's word should be inviolate. Some years ago, I heart Paul Little, at the time head of InterVarsity Fellowship, tell of a conversation that he once had with a college principal. A young woman had come to an agreement with him to be on the faculty for the coming year. She was a professing Christian, and he had taken her word for it. She was to sign the contract upon her arrival on campus. Shortly before the beginning of the semester, he received a letter from the woman. She had been offered a better-paying position and had decided to take it. She had prayed about it, she said, and had peace about it. Said the college principal bitterly, looking at the gap in his faculty and the problem he would now have in finding a replacement at that late date, "Great! She had the peace; I had the pieces." This young woman knew nothing of even common integrity, much less Christian character. "Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?" David asked the Lord. "He that sweareth to his won hurt, and changeth not" (Ps. 15:1, 4). When a Christian gives his word, he should do what he says for the simple reason that he would not dream of doing anything else. He should be completely dependable. It is a fruit of the Spirit." Exploring Galations: An Expository Commentary by John Phillips page 194. Found on Google 5 November 09.

From John Wesley

Quote: "Servants, as they must do their Master's work, so they must be for any work their Master has for them to do: they must not pick and choose, this I will do, and that I will not do; they must not say this is too hard, or this is too mean, or this may be well enough let alone; good servants, when they have chosen their Master, will let their Master choose their work, and will not dispute His will"
-----John Wesley's Covenant Service