October 2020 – If Not For Grace

31 Oct 202025 Oct 2020

Trust God (Part 6)

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. ¹³Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” 2 Timothy 1:12-14 KJV

Hang in there! God is in control and He says it is time. This week I feel God is reminding us to trust Him.

Dear Heavenly Father – please continue to pour out your grace upon us, within us, and show it through us! Thank you for caring about the little things in our life as well as the big things. Help us cling to your plans as you make the way for us. Lead us. You alone are to be glorified! Please open our eyes to see and our understanding to the ways of you. – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Today is Halloween – this is not a Halloween post but I will say this: It’s a ‘holiday’ that many Christians in the United States try to ignore – as if hiding their heads in the sand shall make it go away. Just because you do not believe in something does not make it lose its power – too many intentionally (and many blindly) give power to the evil spirits on this day – therefore it is a day to do battle in the spirit world and a day to pray. Not out of fear, but because we have understanding and authority. We know we are in a spiritual battle and we know how the battle ends. And it is the perfect day to learn more about trusting God – because that does the most damage to the enemy. There is powerful peace in trusting the Lord.

We must also bear in mind that we battle not against flesh and blood – so show mercy and extend God’s grace to those who think it is all just innocent fun. We battle in private on our knees beside our savior.

“³Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: ⁴So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
⁵Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
⁷Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil ⁸It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” Proverbs 3:3-8 KJV

Proverbs is a great source of wisdom – first show mercy, extend God’s love, and be blessed with more grace. If it is God’s grace that gets us through the rough patches (and is sufficient – 2 Corinthians 12:9) then we should definitely do all that we can to get it and obey verse 3.

Verse 7 – depart from evil and if you do, then God will give you health and strong bones. I suppose that is also a good message on Halloween in the midst of a pandemic.

But since we are talking about trusting God all week – let’s focus on verse 5 and 6. If you trust God, follow His ways even if you don’t understand. Acknowledge, or commit, all your ways to Him, then He will direct your path. This is a priceless lesson and the very core of all we have studied this week – Trust God with all your heart and all your ways.

Honestly the first time I did this, I was in a situation where I had to (so it seemed). The pandemic locked us all in. I had enough food and supplies for a couple weeks but then, I had to venture out into the scary world for supplies. With a whole lot of prayer fighting off fear – I entered the grocery store. The shelves were bare. I had heard of this on the internet – but seeing it for myself was surreal. I am very much a person of habit and always eat the same things for breakfast and lunch, then change up dinner based on what is on sale. But nothing was on sale and none of my regular things were available. I felt so lost. I turned to God and said, ok – lead me to what I should buy. I had never shopped with Jesus before. It was a great experience. Since then, I have shopped with Him every time. Supplies are back up a bit, so I am back to buying my usual for many things but I do talk to God about it and make sure it is ok. I would like certain things, but he hasn’t opened the door for them (either unavailable or outside of budget) but I did want a new set of floral sheets, my sheets are old and getting worn, but they are still ok and I don’t need new sheets – just a want. And God brought me to floral sheets that met the specific qualities I wanted. I wasn’t in the bedding section (someone must have moved them). I picked them up and went to the bedding section to see how much they cost and they were the last set, and they were in my bed’s size, cotton, good quality and a great inexpensive price! I wasn’t even going to go to that store but I felt God said to go there. They didn’t even have what I was there to get (sold out). But God leads us to our blessings. I know it seems silly to commit shopping to him (or even to ask Him for floral sheets) – but I have saved money and been held accountable for my spending since He is there with me.

“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him” 2 Timothy 1:12 KJV
He shall keep me – while shopping, while dressing, while deciding what to do or how to spend my day, while working. Commit all your ways to him and he is ABLE to keep it. ‘To keep’ in Greek also means: to guard, preserve, to care for by watching over or protecting. And ‘commit’ in this verse means to entrust with – to trust God with it.

I obviously get it – it is not always easy to trust God with everything. First of all People have breached our trust and looking out from inside our own little broken hearts through a lens of broken trust, it can be hard to trust anyone including God. And then God does things differently than we would – it doesn’t make sense to us (lean not unto our own understanding). But
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8 KJV

God is in control and has a plan for good even when His way seems illogical – He always accomplishes what He set out to. And God is working it out, as we said earlier this week, call upon him and seek Him – you will find a very real and powerful God ready to share in everything in your life.
“¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ¹²Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. ¹³And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 KJV

“But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” John 5:17 NLT
And even when you can’t see it or feel it – they are always working. They are working out every little and big thing. Therefore trust in the Lord with all your heart. He is safe – get to know Him more.

If you don’t already, and today you would like to have a relationship with a God who can communicate with you and be part of your life (and protect you) – one who is full of mighty power and tender love, then please know that I have put the “A, B, C’s of Salvation” in my introduction. Please click here to follow the link.**

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

30 Oct 202025 Oct 2020

Trust God (Part 5)

Hang in there! God is in control and He says it is time. This week I feel God is reminding us to trust Him.

She (a “Christian” acquaintance) said to me: “you think I am liberal? Wait till you meet Jesus!”

Go ahead and be shocked by that for a minute. I was. But instead of explaining all the things that a wrong about her statement and all the things that are right but taken out of context, let’s discuss the larger issue at the source of this. In Hosea 4:6 it says, in the NKJV, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” But let’s look at the full verse in the NLT:

“My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.”

There is so much in there to talk about someday, but not today. Today, I will try to focus only on the point. As soon as I completed yesterday’s post which says we don’t trust God because we trust other things – I was confronted with my acquaintance’s comment (above) and then other things that clearly show the lack of trust in God (and trust instead in other things) comes from not knowing Him.

It literally says not knowing Him leads to our destruction! I have to concur based on experience. I was raised in church. I had so much of the Bible memorized, which means I was a bit ahead of the power curve. Another person who grew up with me, was raised in church, but did not memorize the Bible. Both of us had experiences with God – enough to claim for ourselves that this is the truth. I don’t know about her, but I tried to study my Bible regularly – but mostly if I was in the Bible, I wasn’t studying, I was memorizing. And I wasn’t good at praying unless I wanted or needed something. And even then, my prayers reflected the degree in which I wanted it. I did NOT have a real relationship with God. I did try – but never really understood what it meant. And never was I told that I needed to get to know God.
She and I both walked away. I returned and she says it is a bunch of fear propaganda to force children to comply. For both of us we were destroyed because we did not know who we believed in.
In my low, desperate hour – I called out to God and told Him MY terms and conditions for my return. If you are real, if you are almighty, fair and just as well as merciful and generous with grace, then I will commit to you and surrender my all – BUT I need a powerful God, a life changing God, a God of restoration and transformation – I NEED a God who performs miracles, heals, delivers, and raises from the dead. I NEED a God who has authority of demons and situation and I NEED to know someone with the power of creation is in control. I did not hear a response, but I felt comforted. Looking back I see His answer was clearly – seek me, get to know me, and all these things shall follow.

The opening verse all week says: “for I know whom I have believed”. Do we know Him?

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3 ESV

God wants a personal relationship – He wants us to seek Him and get to know Him – wait on Him. He will reveal Himself. The Bible is His word, read it – this is the foundation of how He speaks to us. Pray, worship, praise, sing, and dance with Him. Get to know Him like you would get to know a sweetheart. Just know you have to be raw and honest with Him, cause He already knows.

“Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” Psalm 25:5-9 ESV

We must study the Bible so we know how He has acted before in the past – so we know how He will act in the present. God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So, we can read and trust what we read can be applied today. Yes, God is pure, holy and righteous – which means that out of all fairness He can, and has, opened the earth to swallow people or struck them dead. But as you STUDY, not just read the word, you see that the main theme of every single Old Testament book was mercy and grace. God warned people and gave them abundance opportunity to be saved from the wrath. And the foundation for the New Testament is mercy and grace – extended to all people through Christ’s work of the cross, with an opportunity to for all of us to, not only, be saved from the wrath (like the Old Testament) but also to be able to commune with God through Jesus – to have a personal relationship. To have two way conversation, to curl up in the arms of our Father, to grieve with Him, to love what He loves, to have a transforming encounter with grace which is so much more than an experience with God – but God manifested in your life.

Yes it is possible to miss the mark and be ever so slightly off – and have it lead you astray. All of us, no matter where you are in your relationship with God, must be diligent in our relationship and disciplined in actively working on knowing God better and knowing Him more. And to know God, means to know grace.

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

29 Oct 202025 Oct 2020

Trust God (Part 4)

Hang in there! God is in control and He says it is time. This week I feel God is reminding us to trust Him.

Fever pitch – it is a term coined to describe the worst point in an illness that is accompanied by a fever. In that scenario, the fever can actually cause more damage than the illness, killing the body’s healthy cells and organs. A person could die. It is also usually the turning point in the sickness, where it all starts to get better (even though it still has a bumpy road and can get bad again. Fever pitch has come to mean a state of extreme excitement (usually at a sporting event).
In the United States of America, in this election season, with the beginning of another wave (an increasing trend) of Covid-19 cases, in the midst of fear and chaos, and with the exposure of truths happening regularly and more frequently, and with the increase in evil activities due to the coming of Halloween (and how they have claimed the full moon on that day to be an evil sign) – fever pitch is all I can call this time period. Not exciting like a sporting event – but the highest fever point in an illness.

And do you know what all this negative excitement boils down to? Who do you trust? (I am starting to understand why God has placed this so heavily on my heart. He loves you and is here for you – but it is time to surrender it all.

Do you trust your job will provide for you or is God your provider? Do you trust money will ease your worries or is God the giver of peace? Do you trust sex to heal your relationships or is God the healer and the teacher of how to have right relationships? Do you trust manipulation, or your plans, will get your dreams accomplished – or maybe those dreams should be committed to God and he shall accomplish them with His power and strength? Do you trust drinking and drugs to solve and heal your problems or do you know God is asking you to take responsibility and trust Him with the outcomes, the healing, and the help?

“God can be trusted, and he chose you to be partners with his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:9 CEV

We know God can be trusted – if He is the One True Living Almighty Father God as He says He is, then of course we can trust Him.

God chose you – say this out loud: “GOD CHOSE ME!” Yes, he did!

So where do we fall short?
I trust God with helping me at work, helping me do a good job and glorifying Him with my service, but at the thought of losing my job I sadly have a moment of panic. I once lost my Job suddenly (24 years ago) when I learned I was pregnant and at the same moment put on partial bed rest, followed by being kicked out of the house where I lived. I lost my Job, because I literally misplaced it with shuffling all those things and moving an hour away to be near family. (They were very understanding.) And when I arrived in the city where my family lived – I had very little except clothing which my pregnant belly was quickly outgrowing. So I really had nothing. Nothing but God. I turned to Him and He provided: goodness, mercy, redemption and all my needs. I know how to live with every meal a mystery for God to reveal. I know how to survive on prayer. Yet, still, I panic now at the thought of having to do it again – such a silly thing. I tell you – things have risen up and become idols despite us knowing better!

I have struggled out with God, regarding my hold on some semblance of control in my current life. That is what it is. It is not that God has ever failed us that causes us to not trust. It is this modern concept that we have control over things we really have no control over. There is a pandemic and all this other crazy stuff going on. Don’t we want at least one thing we can have control over?!
Well, that spirit entered the church in the late 1980s or 90s – that desire to hold one thing, just one, and keep it for our selves, put the body of Christ into a deep sleep. You don’t believe me? Where are the signs that followed the believers? Were demons cast out every Sunday?! Lame walking? Deaf hearing? Words of knowledge and prophesies? Dead risen? I am sorry – but the church fell asleep as everyone held one thing back (and everyone held back something different and everyone overlooked it in each other and feared it being pointed out in their own life). And while they all hid – the fruits withered and died.

But IT IS TIME to wake up – It is time to move in power – It is time for the signs and wonders to return
IT IS TIME TO GIVE IT ALL AND TRUST HIM!

Be persuaded that He is ABLE to keep your all. Get to know whom it is that you believe in. Take the things you have control over and the things you trust (more than God) and give them to Him.

You do not have healing because you did not trust Him with healing. You do not have deliverance because you keep taking it back, not trusting Him to complete the work He started in you even though the Bible says it:
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 ESV

It is time for God to do what He is famous for – let go and let Him. He wants to start deep inside you – giving you peace and healing – but do not stop there! Let Him sanctify (clean) you and then let Him keep you and take care of you.

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NIV

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

28 Oct 202025 Oct 2020

Trust God (Part 3)

Hang in there! God is in control and He says it is time. This week I feel God is reminding us to trust Him.

We started the week, trusting that God is near us and guiding us. Yesterday, we discussed trusting God when he speaks to us. Today, I saw a post on the internet that I feel leads us down the lines of keeping our trust in God and in that trust finding rest, refreshing and endurance.
The post, was posed by a family member of mine, who apparently doesn’t like the current president of the United States of America. My flesh is tired of her constant negativity in all her posts (including her political posts). It is exhausting to watch or read her railing against everything. And today’s posts was a darkened image of the president and the bottom said to vote for his opponent and over the image was this: “I am tired of it. I am tired of the lies. I am tired of the issues. I am tired of the division and hate. I am so very tired.”
My first thought was I am tired of your posts too – go take a nap. BUT, woe is me! God instantly corrected me and brought me to my knees in prayer. First to repent of my fleshly curse and I rebuked it! This is my family member and I want life for her, I want peace for her, I want her awake – to wake up to God and His grace and salvation! Oh Lord, forgive me and save her! In the name of Jesus!

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Romans 13:11 KJV
Dear Heavenly Father, please wake her up! I lift her to you – her salvation is in your hands! In Jesus name, Amen!

I also am tired. But I must guard myself from the temptation to take a nap of fall asleep. But we are in the heat of battle – in the midst of war. This is not a good time or place for slumber.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 KJV
We are to be battling in prayer against spiritual wickedness in high places. Here in the USA that means praying for the current president as well as praying for the outcome of the election. All over the earth we are to be praying for the leaders. Praying against the corruption, the theft of religious freedoms, the death and the destruction of people!
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 KJV
And unfortunately the thief often corrupts the leadership. Time to pray for life – abundant life!

The negative post says it is tired of the lies. Oh me too. But instead of speaking about which candidate has told more lies – let us talk about overcoming and not letting lies wear us down! We have authority over lies in prayer – we have authority to shine light – we have authority to pray the truth is revealed!
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44 KJV

Yes, both candidates have lied and both have accomplished the will of the devil. There is not good versus evil in the USA election. There is only prayer and voting as God tells us to vote (we discussed hearing from God yesterday). God places rulers in their place.
“And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” Daniel 2:21 KJV

We cannot overcome the exhaustion of this fight by railing against the internet on social media, or by trolling other people’s posts, or by fighting people who are just as out of control as you are. Only God is in control. And we battle NOT against people – love them, share peace with them and teach them joy, because they are lost, tired and scared. And pick up the fight and the battle on your knees in prayer.

The enemy has been given dominion on earth – he is the ‘prince of the power of the air’ and ‘works in the sons of disobedience’ (Ephesians 2:2). But he is still subject to God in relation to what he can and cannot do to those who are the children of God. Are you a child of God?

Jesus said:
“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, ³¹but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.” John 14:30-31 ESV
Jesus, The Son of God, our example to follow as we learn to be children of God – shows us here that being obedient children to God the Father prohibits the enemy’s claim on us. We are saved and protected by God.

So, like in the book of Job, the enemy goes to God and asks: can I try them, can I afflict them, can I touch them? IT ALL PASSES THROUGH GOD’S Authority. Why? So God can prune us, grow us, shape us –
So God can be glorified. This election looks hopeless – BUT it is in the absence of hope in what is seen, that faith (the essence of things unseen and hoped for) grows. And in the growth of faith, comes glory to God!

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

So, while in this war, the enemy tries to wear us out – we may grow tired. You all know I have, I have posted it before when I am tired and studied to refresh myself. Let us remember to pray to Him who is able to keep what we have committed to Him (2 Tim. 1:12). Pray to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think!!! If it isn’t yet exceedingly abundantly, then He isn’t done yet – keep praying!!! It is all according to His power transferred to us, working in us – powerful authority over the enemy!
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 NKJV

And if you think you have been hurt – climb back into God’s will and see the truth! God is still in control!

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:20 NKJV

Nothing happens that surprises God – He already knows and has made a way and He has permitted it! He is still in control – for those of us who are in a relationship with Him.

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

27 Oct 202025 Oct 2020

Trust God (Part 2)

Hang in there! God is in control and He says it is time. This week I feel God is reminding us to trust Him.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 ESV

As we get to know God, because we have asked Him to dwell with us and in us – we hear from Him. Mostly we hear through His written word, the Bible. We can also hear through just knowing – a thought or idea or something just clicks and we understand: these are words from the Lord to us. We can also hear a voice, either in our heads or audible. When we hear from God pay close attention – The Most Holy has spoken and therefore with thanksgiving and reverence we should dwell on it, and explore it.
First, ensure it lines up and is confirmed with the word of God, in context. God doesn’t speak out of order. Second, we can ask for another confirmation – we cannot trust that our own mind or external influences will not lead us astray. God understands that it is not doubt which makes us ask, but that we long for truth and the Holy Spirit, also called the Spirit of Truth, will gladly continue the conversation through confirmations.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 ESV

A week ago on Sunday, as I worshiped in my car on my way to church, two things happened while I was at a stop light. One, I heard an audible voice say “it’s time”. The second, my transmission sprung a leak and began bleeding out all of its fluid. Are they related?
I did not realize it was MY car smoking. I saw the smoke, but the wind made me think it was coming from another car. My engine light did not come on. God got me to church safely. After church, I saw the puddle, it continued to leak, and was able to get a tow truck, the issue was just a small hole in a line, easy and inexpensive repair. Thank God it happened when and where it did or I may have driven it without fluid and destroyed the transmission. My garage was busy, but on the third day they were able to repair it. At first, yes, I began to worry – but my friend said to me: “Trust God” – and it stuck in me, and so I did.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3 ESV

I was able to catch a ride home from Church with my dear friends and prayer partners. As we rode home I told them that I heard “it’s time”. My friend was excited and thought of all the things this means – it is time for God to move. It is time for my ministry to take off. It is time for our persistent prayers to be answered. It is time for a revival and awakening. It is time for so many things that we have been waiting on the Lord for. It is time for so many things in all of our lives!
And of course (as I always ask everyone else) I asked, ‘what is the verse that goes with the word?’

So, I prayed about it. God lead me back to the Bible studies I had done (before I began posting them here). I did a series on “time”. God kept telling me it was time. Part of those studies, along with His guidance lead me to start posting them here, online. It was time to share my studies. It was time for foundational work in my life. It was time to get serious about those prayers which would become my persistent prayers. It was time for lessons in my life and growth to happen and pruning to happen and learning to hear God and trust God and confirm what God is saying.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13 ESV

A few days later, a preacher I follow, posted a video where he said that God told him that “Now is the time”. That comes from a verse in my old Bible studies. And I have stumbled across many other verses referencing time. I have confirmation.

So I prayed about what God is saying – I also prayed and asked if there was a connection between my car problem and the words “it’s time”. So what is the lesson in all of this? Since it was not a trial at all for me, is God using it to speak to us?

I am not very knowledgeable in cars, but I do know that the transmission should not be run without fluid or it will cost you a lot of money. Therefore I had placed a high value on my transmission without any knowledge of what it does. Then I did an internet search asking a search engine: “what is the function of the transmission in a car?” and the internet answered, telling me, it transfers engine power to the driveshaft and wheels. Great, what is a driveshaft? Another search and I learn it is the mechanical component that is powered to move the wheels – or something like that.
Let me break it down – the engine creates power and there it sits. The wheels need to move and there is this physical thing, a driveshaft, that will move them when it receive the power but the power is trapped in the engine. So the transmission is the intercessor which takes the power from the source and transfers it to the driveshaft to do the work. Wait – let me explain better…

The engine is the power – God is the power. We are the drive shaft – we are to move in power – we make the wheels spin and provide the torque. We are not wheels being propelled by power, no we have the power to move the wheels. Through the transmission of God’s power (infused with authority, grace, love, mercy) – we can receive that power. And this, very important transmission, this in-between, this intercessor, is the vital link – It’s Jesus. Transmission fluid is red like blood – it was emptied and poured out of a wound – and on the third day it was repaired.

My car reenacted the story of the cross – and at the same moment as the fluid began to drain, God said to me: “it’s time”. It is time for a fresh refilling and the power to be transferred to us! It’s time for the signs and wonders to follow those who believe!

It is time for all those things my friend began to praise God about. But moreover, it is time to be in a right relationship with God. Because it is time for the fulfillment of all that the cross means and all that it prophesied. “It is finished”. Yes. It is time to finish what was started at the cross. It is time to learn how to hear what God is saying and obey because we have work to do. It is time to not just put a high value on the transmission, but to also understand the value of God’s power transmitted to us through Christ! This transmission, Christ’s work on the cross that permits God’s power to be transferred to us, is of the highest value known to man.

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” John 8:47 ESV

If you do not hear God, DO NOT FRET! No, instead press in deeper, get into a real relationship with him. Do not be condemned, but rather repent from not doing it right and let God’s love and mercy guide you into a disciplined commitment to your relationship with Him. Read His love letters daily (the Bible) and pray to him daily. Do not forget to ask Him what is He trying to say to you – He will reveal it; it is time for Him to speak. It is time for the revelation of The Living God and His power transferred into us!

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

26 Oct 202025 Oct 2020

Trust God (Part 1)

Hang in there! God is in control and He says it is time. This week I feel God is reminding us to trust Him.

Dear Heavenly Father – please continue to pour out your grace upon us, within us, and show it through us! Thank you for caring about the little things in our life as well as the big things. Help us cling to your plans as you make the way for us. You alone are to be glorified! Please open our eyes to see and our understanding to the ways of you. – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

First of all, God loves you. Second of all, He has put a love for you in my heart – I love you. He sees you and has shown you to me. This blog hasn’t been shared much, I have not added any metadata or made it easily searchable, and if you are stumbling upon it – it is God who is leading you here. This is by God’s design and through my prayers and the prayers for those who are praying for this ministry. God is showing me that everyone reading has a different situation and lives in a different country on this globe, yet we are all connected through our shared human struggles. Moreover, connected through Him as we seek Him. You are reading this because you have a hunger for God and God has seen you and has come close to you to love you and intervene. God is speaking very clearly and He is here for you with love; it’s time.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 NKJV

I try to start and end each day with a spiritual health check. As the Lord’s Prayer (found in Matthew 6 and Luke 11) says – when you pray make sure you have forgiven other, then ask for forgiveness. Asking for forgiveness for all the sins (even the ones we feel are small) is how we wash our hand spiritually. With a global pandemic and so much focus on hand washing in the physical world, let us not forget to wash our hands spiritually. Covid-19 is small and we cannot even see it – yet we wash to remove it if by chance it is there. Should we treat small sins and sins we do not even realize are there the same way? Wash – therefore – wash.
We are to scrub our hands for 20 seconds (in accordance with the global recommendations – and they suggest singing a song that is about 20 seconds long). Let me propose that we spend those 20 seconds repenting – washing our spiritual hands and heart as we clean our physical ones.
Repentance is asking for forgiveness and making the choice to not continue in sin. This is how we purify our hearts and take control over our minds. No longer doubleminded but with firm unwavering choice to stay on a single path – working it through over and over until our minds are in submission to Christ.

Yes – we have free will. Our minds are completely ours to decide how and what and when. But then, when we say “here I am Lord, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8), God will respond saying that He tried to send us, but He couldn’t get through as we are double minded and not submitted fully to His will and submitted to let Him work through us. Dear Lord, please do not let us find ourselves in this position. Lord, when you say move, let us move because we have submitted to your ways. Oh Lord, when you say, turn here for your blessing, for your deliverance from that problem, for your safety, for whatever it is you have for us – let us not be found doubleminded and miss out on what you have for us. And also Lord, Thank you for your grace and mercy that overflows in your love! As we learn to submit and learn to obey we may miss those turns or those commands from you – yet as we learn, you teach us with tender mercy and keep us bathed in grace. You are a God of restoration and will help guide us back to those things which you want to restore to us when we miss the turn. Thank you Lord! You are good and gentle and merciful. Thank you for your lessons. – Amen

We are already seeking Him (Do not doubt it. You are here and have read this much of this post, therefore it is true. You are seeking Him) –AND He has already come near to us. If we are not seeing it, feeling it, and experiencing God with us – maybe we have not finished that verse in James 4:8? Maybe we need a spirit check? Maybe. A check will either find us out of line so we can fix it or it will find us in line. When we are found in line with the scripture, then we can have peace in that knowledge.

Some days, I am going along with the tasks that I have to do throughout the day and I pause and I am not feeling God with me. I do a quick spirit check: Am I seeking Him and His will, check. Am I washing in repentance, check. Am I keeping my mind submitted, check.
And if I cannot answer yes to each of these things, then I quickly make it right – and God, who is loving, kind and generous, pours out His grace (NOT CONDEMNATION, or WRATH, or JUDGEMENT). He pour love and mercy and grace into and onto me, overflowing!
And if I answered yes to all of these – then no matter what I feel, I know (because it is written here in James) that God is near and I must then be comfortably in His arms. I know – because I believe what His word says to me.
This – is walking by faith, not by sight!

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 ESV

If the One True Living God is with us (regardless of what we see or feel), we are in the safest place in the world. Like Ruth, in last week’s studies, let us learn to hide (and abide) there, in Him and in His will – committed. Commit yourself and your all to Him, because (as our opening verse says) we know whom we believe and He is ABLE to keep all that we have committed to Him, including us (as we are committed to Him).

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

24 Oct 202019 Oct 2020

God’s Redeeming Grace (Part 6)

“He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Ruth 3:9 ESV

We are studying the book of Ruth – a redemption story with a genealogy that birth’s the Messiah and redeems the world. Anyone interested in hearing a few odd and random thought on the book of Ruth??

Dear Heavenly Father – you are The Redeemer! Thank you for caring about the little things in our life and using them for your greater plans. You alone restore. You alone redeem. You alone are to be glorified! Please open our eyes to see and our understanding to the ways of you. – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Well – all week we have taken a look at the book of Ruth. Granted this was less of a study for you all as it was my thoughts on what I was studying. I don’t usually do it that way – but it was something new and how God was leading me. You can go back and read them if you missed it – I think they were fun posts.

The book of Ruth lead me on a few different paths of thought – good character, complete trust in God, being true to who he made us to be, and others (including how NOT to pick up men – although it did work for Ruth).

Today – let me jot down other random thoughts I had while studying the book, because I think it will be fun as well.

First – She ate until she was full. This is essential her first date with Boaz and she didn’t order a salad and pick at it like a bird – Nope – she ate until she was full. All the more I want to be more like Ruth! Be true to who we are – we are human and need food. Besides, Ruth and Naomi were broke and in need to food – hungry!

“And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over.” Ruth 2:14 ESV

“And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied.” Ruth 2:18 ESV

Another thought on this – So Ruth ate until she was full and brought the leftovers to her starving old mother in law?! Really, Ruth?? I would have expected her to eat only half of it then bring home the other half as poor Naomi is home starving! It was just a thought. She was so selfless and kind – it felt off character when I read it. But she was also doing manual labor all day and hungry as well. Obviously, it is not noted as a flaw in her character. Just something I noticed.

Next – she had to work in the fields from the beginning of harvest until the end as we see in verse 23 of Ruth 2. We do not know how much time had passed from when Ruth became a widow and when she arrived in Bethlehem. But we do know that was the darkest of times for her and Naomi. Once she started working in the fields, they at least had some food coming in – but this was not a big improvement for their lives as it was hard work, little pay and very temporary.
This made me think about the lowest points in my life – I prayed for God to help and intervene and things only improve a little and without much security. But how much it lifts my spirits that He helped! This is the point in time when we should press in harder in prayer and reading our Bibles. It may feel like a reprieve and a rest from stress – but its temporary and the bigger blessing is yet to come! Press in with God and pray it through! If it isn’t exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think – then God isn’t done yet – keep praying!

And my final thoughts are from Chapter 4 –

“Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, ¹²and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.” Ruth 4:11-12 ESV

Ruth was already a woman of loyal character with a servant’s heart. A goal for anyone to want to achieve. But look at the further blessings that the people at the gate and elders spoke upon her, they were actually prophetic.

To be like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel! What a fantastic way for those two to be remembered after the trickery and deception that love triangle came from. But those women put it all aside, and God’s will prevailed for His people, and their husband Jacob became Israel and the nation was born. The elders blessed Ruth with the blessing of building Israel! Which we see fulfilled with David and Jesus coming from her bloodline. And the reference to the House of Perez, is because this was also part of Jesus genealogy – therefore also part of Boaz’s family history.

Jesus’s gift of redemption for all of mankind (first to the Jew then to the gentile) came from the redemption of a women who was not a Jew! Our God is a God of restoration and redemption! Oh the glorious grace of it all!!! Especially in such a time as this as we look up, waiting for our Lord to come back through the sky!

And my final thought was that it was interesting that the neighborhood women named Ruth’s baby in verse 17 of chapter 4. I am not sure that I would trust my neighbors to name my child – they might give him a weird name like Obed! (Well aren’t all my trust issues showing this week?!)

Oh Lord, help us to stay in your will, be generous, caring servants to other as unto you. Help us Lord to understand that our hardships are just for a season and for a reason and to trust you with the little things and the big things. Ruth met her second husband in the field – and Ruth had to lose her first husband in order to have her second husband and the child that would make her David’s great grandmother. Lord help us and heal us through our losses but also help us to hold on, as you are the great restorer and redeemer, and you have blessings on the way for us. Keep us under your wing – we stand on your promises of provisions and care. Thank you Lord for all you have taught us and made us think about this week. In Jesus name we pray – Amen

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

23 Oct 202019 Oct 2020

God’s Redeeming Grace (Part 5)

“He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Ruth 3:9 ESV

We are studying the book of Ruth – a redemption story with a genealogy that birth’s the Messiah and redeems the world. Ruth obtains blessings! Who need some supernatural intervention?! I know I do!!

Ruth – she was a servant. Not because she was born a servant, actually she was born a foreigner. She chose to be a servant – she had a servant’s heart. I could quote all the verses in the Bible about the will of God is to have a servant’s heart. And because she remained in the will of God – She was blessed.

But we see she did another thing that is in God’s will.

This opening verse is Ruth’s future husband asking her who she is. But this verse is parallel to an answer Christians could give to Christ. If Christ asks: Who are you? We should answer, I am your servant. Spread your wings over your servant for you are my Redeemer!

She made the Lord her dwelling place (Psalm 91:9). Just look at Psalm 91 as a whole and see all the promises of protection and provision granted to those who run to God and hide under His wings:
“He will cover you with his pinions [feathers], and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” Psalm 91:4 ESV

Are you like me? Do you need some supernatural intervention in your life?
We can go to God and hide under His wings – this is actually His will. He will provide rest and strength and help.

“How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7 ESV

“For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” Psalm 63:7 ESV

I love how these two verses are so similar and both verse 7 (of chapter 36 and 63) – always love when the Bible does things like this.
Anyway – Taking refuse in God, under His wing is a Parent/child relationship. It is a Protector/vulnerable relationship. It is an In-Control/complete-surrender relationship. It is an “I got you”/”I trust you” relationship. Are you seeing why God wills that we go to him for His plans, protection and provisions?

He’s Got us – He has us in ways we cannot even begin to understand – for our good and for His glory – but are we doing our part of trusting and surrendering? I have to admit. I struggle with trusting in the small details being covered. Proverbs 3:6 says we should trust him in all (ALL) [YES IN EVERY LITTLE DETAIL] things:
“in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” NIV
“Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” NLT
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” ESV
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” NKJV
(It is worth noting it in a few translations.)

I also struggle with worry that I might not obey when told to and miss what God has – Oh how the enemy comes up against my mind in that way! Offering alternatives to God’s plan and trying to veer things off course! But grace – glorious grace has us covered when we try our best and fail!

Even here in Ruth we see a small hiccup – an alternative to God’s plan.

In Jewish law, Naomi and Ruth can be “redeemed” by a close relative to Naomi’s deceased husband. Boaz is a close relative and, because he was sweet on Ruth, he was happy to do the job. But there was another man who what a closer relative who could “purchase” Naomi’s husbands inheritance and marry Ruth. Chapter 4 begins with Boaz informing this closer relative of this opportunity (in front of witnesses).
What if – yeah, I asked it – what if this other person decided to act on his right? He could have neglected Naomi and Ruth and taken the possessions. Leaving the women worse off than before. OR he could have taken his right and married Ruth – Would Jesus’s line then come from Ruth and this other man or would it have come from Boaz and some other woman? God clearly ordained Ruth and Boaz – this was the enemy offering his alternative plan. But God is in control. God is very much in control.

This leads to the interesting topic of God giving humans free will. We must chose to surrender to God and trust Him and we cannot be manipulated or forced into it. However, God is able to raise up kings and tear them down (Daniel 2:21) and He is in control. He is able to control it all without “free will” getting in His way. My personal belief is that “free will” is not greater or stronger or higher than God’s will. So in many a situation I hear people say, “but they have free will” – and my response is usually “pshhh” with a great big eye roll! God is still able – and more powerful than a human’s free will.
So this closer relative to Naomi had the free will to disrupt God’s plan – yes. But God is bigger and so God worked it out so that this man was not interested in Naomi and Ruth. How did God work that out? I do not know. Somethings we must wait to ask in heaven, I suppose. The Bible only says he was interested in Naomi’s husband’s inheritance until he learned that it included marrying Ruth. He excused it saying it would conflict with his interests in his own inheritance. (No time to get into Jewish law of that time, to debate on if this is true or just an excuse because he didn’t want to marry the young foreign widow named Ruth.)

So, we too have free will to do God’s will or not. Will we stand in the way of God’s plan for our own life in disobedience?
Jonah tried to – He even tried to run away. But God has ways that are extremely convincing – at least Jonah thought so when he stood on the beach after being spit-up by a whale. I always want to stay in God’s will – whale vomit seems very unpleasant.

Lord, please help us to commit to you in everything, both the big and little details of life. Help us stay on the path you have for us, so we may be blessed and fulfil your purpose – that You will be glorified in us and through us. As we trust you and hide under your wing – let it be our testimony and reward, as it was Ruth’s when Boaz said to her: “a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:12b). Thank you Lord for all that you are doing to work out our situation for our good and your glory (even when we don’t see it) – in Jesus name we pray – amen

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

22 Oct 202019 Oct 2020

God’s Redeeming Grace (Part 4)

“He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Ruth 3:9 ESV

We are studying the book of Ruth – a redemption story with a genealogy that birth’s the Messiah and redeems the world. Ruth obtains blessings out of a time of despair that restore her and provide for her future and God wants to do the same for us! God has a plan for us.

Did you all read chapter 3 yesterday?!?! (chapter 4 is attached below, like chapter 3 was yesterday)

Let me summarize it. So Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, says to her, I know you are a widow, but get out of those widow clothes and go to Boaz and let him know you are available (wink, wink). OK, she is a young widow – and here is a guy, who has already noticed her, who can by law marry her and provide for her.

But Naomi’s plan is as creepy as creepers can be! Imagine, getting all cleaned up, anointing yourself, looking as pretty as you can make yourself. Then hiding until the guy you are trying to seduce falls asleep in his barn. Once He is asleep, sneaking in and uncovering his feet. So He is passed out tired – snoring from all the dust, and you pull off his shoes to get a nice sniff of his sweaty, dirty feet?!?! Well sweetheart, I suppose if this is the guy you will marry, you might as well know how loud he snores and how bad his feet smell!
Then she tells Ruth to sleep at his feet! On the floor of the barn, all dolled up and looking pretty. Go ahead and ruin that hair and makeup job with the hay on the dirty barn floor next to those smelling feet! I am sorry – but I do not know, if I was Ruth, that I would trust this plan or obey it. But sweet Ruth, goes ahead with it.
Boaz wakes up in the middle of the night and is startled by her – a creepy shadow sleeping at his feet. They have a conversation that is way too deep for a half asleep mind – so he says, go back to sleep (at my feet) and we will talk about this later. Um, how could she sleep? Besides the floor sounding very uncomfortable, was that a rejection or not? My mind would have tormented me all night!
Then they wake up before the sun or others can see – He says, he will see if he can redeem her (marry her) and he gives her grain and says get out of here!!! Can you imagine what people would think seeing this “upstanding Ruth lady” sneaking out of the barn at daybreak?!?! Was this the first ever recorded ‘walk of shame’ (without the shame as nothing promiscuous happened)?!!

Thankfully Boaz did not find it creepy – He thought she was sweet. However, ladies – Do not try this at home! No breaking into some man’s house and seducing him by uncovering his feet and sleeping on the floor at the foot of his bed! This will not work in the year 2020!! Aren’t there enough problems in this year? We do not need to add to it. Beside this being the opposite of avoiding the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22) the lawyer fees for getting you out of trouble will be too high!

But it does remind me –
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8 ESV

So, God had a plan and Naomi was a godly woman and God used her to guide Ruth. God cared about the fact that they had no food – God provided through Ruth becoming a servant in the field for Boaz, but as the harvest ended, God made a new way to provide. God cared about the little mundane daily life stuff and He took care of it.

“The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.” Isaiah 14:24 ESV

The book of Ruth begins with a timeframe – this story happening during a difficult time – a time of famine and during the time of judges. God had bigger things he had to deal with. God was also preparing a way for Jesus to be born and the redemption and salvation of all of mankind! God had everything in all of everywhere, which he had to manage. Yet, a couple of hungry, downtroddened widows needed Him to care for them and make a way for them. He turned their situation into good. He can and will do the same for us, even in a global pandemic and end times.

But then he did more than they could have ever expected.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

God did not just provide for them and feed them and give them a home and give Ruth a husband and a child – But that child was David’s grandfather and from that bloodline, Jesus was born! Ruth was not alive on earth to see how far her blessings reached – but I am sure she saw it from heaven! And the point here is that feeding and caring for you is not only something that God does (and does well) but he can use blessing these daily struggle to fulfill world saving prophesies!

“For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV

Lord, we commit our daily struggles, all the little things and big things, we commit our jobs, our governments, and our world to you. You are able to take care of our every need as well as the big picture. Lord, we see here in 2 Timothy, you will keep it until “that Day” – not until we die, no, your providence continues, like Ruth’s blessings – from being a foreigner to being adopted by you and becoming part of the genealogy of Christ. Thank you that your plans for us are for now and for eternity! Help us trust you to do what you do and take care of everything. Help us to stay in your will and honor you in humility with a servant’s heart. In Jesus Name we pray – Amen

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

Ruth Chapter 4 ESV

Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. ²And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. ³Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. ⁴So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if youwill not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” ⁵Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruththe Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” ⁶Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

⁷Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. ⁸So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. ⁹Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. ¹⁰Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” ¹¹Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, ¹²and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

¹³So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. ¹⁴Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! ¹⁵He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” ¹⁶Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. ¹⁷And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

¹⁸Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, ¹⁹Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, ²⁰Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, ²¹Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, ²²Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

21 Oct 202019 Oct 2020

God’s Redeeming Grace (Part 3)

“He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Ruth 3:9 ESV

We are studying the book of Ruth – a redemption story with a genealogy that birth’s the Messiah and redeems the world. Ruth obtains blessings that restore her and provide for her future and God wants to do the same for us!

Ruth, and her mother-in-law, Naomi, find themselves widows and destitute in Bethlehem by the end of chapter 1. In the hard times Ruth make a promise to stay with and take care of Naomi. (Ruth 1 is attached to part 1 of this series, chapter 2 is attached to part 2 and chapter 3 is attached below for your convenience. However I encourage you to read the whole book – it isn’t long.)

“But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where 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. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” Ruth 1:16-17 ESV

Ruth’s commitment carried a curse – if she broke her promise, God should smite her.

Have you ever made a commitment and then try to back out of it?? How different would the story of Ruth be if she tried to back out of this commitment? She cursed herself with death and God would surly honor it. From Ruth came the lineage of Jesus – therefore how different the entire Bible would have been!!! But Ruth was faithful to her commitment and therein came all the blessings.

Furthermore, as we discussed yesterday, Ruth had a servant’s heart. Her character was so well established that everyone in town had been talking about her. Ruth then goes and works in the fields and is such a good hard worker that she gets noticed.

When you are down, depleted and emptied by life’s hard times – and your only solution is taking a job of a servant, way beneath you and your abilities and your accomplishments….. hmmm. It happens. Let me tell you how close to home it happens:
My son has a 4 year college degree. He ended up serving coffee in a coffee shop while he looked for a career. The pandemic hit. Then he lost his job as many others have in this pandemic. He has tried to get a job in his field of secondary study as his field of primary study remains very shut down by the pandemic. Yet, he is unsuccessful. After hard times, he must lower himself more – taking a job shuffling items from point A to B.
I, then, take the opportunity to show him something significant about all of this.
The plans he had for himself, he elevated and thought were above other things – but in a global crisis, it was deemed the most non-essential of all industries! And now he must take a job he thinks is beneath him. But it is in the supply chain industry which has proven to be one of the most essential industries in a time of crisis as well as non-emergent times. What he feels is so low is one of the most valuable of services in our world. If he does it with all his ability and prove to be a worker of character, then God will lift him up.

This is that verse from yesterday (in Matthew 23:11-12) in practice – the greatest is the servant – and the supply chain serves all of our needs.

Just because we never thought we would find ourselves in this job, position, or situation (as Ruth probably thought to herself as she went to the field praying to be able to be accepted as a servant) – even if we view it with our own eyes as low and beneath us – if we work with all the abilities and talents God gave us, then He will bless us!

“But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” Ruth 2:11-12 ESV

Good character opens doors – hard work opens blessings. I suppose it is important to notice that the blessing here is “The Lord REPAY you for what you have done”.
What if someone prayed that blessing over you and into your life?? Would the flood gates of restoration and redemption pour in? I think about this.
Thank the Lord for grace!! All of the evil and all of the things I did outside of God’s will – if you prayed this over me, it might smack me upside the head as an abundant curse – IF NOT FOR GRACE! I have sinned, I bought the lies of the devil and was slowly being destroyed and killed. My character at that time would not have found me consistent. Although I maintained high morals and ethics professionally, my personal life was a contradiction making me not trust worthy.

Dear Lord, I am in a place of needing restoration in my reputation of my character, maybe some of the readers are too – please help us work as unto You. Let us use the talents and skills you have given us to worship and thank You for them. Help us to make the hard ethically correct choices regardless of what everyone else is doing. Help us be like Ruth. Thank you Lord, that with you, it is never too late to turn it all around. We ask for blessings Lord – not to fulfil greed, but to restore us, Lord. We need your power in our lives. – In Jesus name we pray – Amen

As Boaz points out Ruth took refuge under God’s wings – Let us run to God and stay under his wings! Living a life in a relationship with Him – He is our daddy and we can be blessed and safe.

Thank you for reading ~ Grace be with you
Be healthy and blessed ~ I love you and love one another
Watch and Pray ~ Seek God & keep your eyes on Jesus!

Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

Ruth Chapter 3 ESV

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? ²Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. ³Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” ⁵And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”

⁶So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. ⁷And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. ⁸At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! ⁹He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” ¹⁰And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. ¹¹And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. ¹²And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. ¹³Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

¹⁴So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” ¹⁵And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. ¹⁶And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, ¹⁷saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” ¹⁸She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”