Saintly role model

Ruth 4:14-15 (NLT)

Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family!  May this child be famous in Israel.  May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age.  For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”

The book/story of Ruth, tucked between the books of Judges and I Samuel, is one of those books of the Bible that are rarely preached about or taught in Bible classes so most people know little to nothing about this book.  My paternal grandmother was named Ruth so when I first started reading the Bible in my late 20s, I was attracted to this little book and its story.  It is a story of unconditional love, dedicated faith, and steadfast loyalty, e.g. read Ruth 1:16-17.   It is also a story of redemption and how a Gentile became part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.   

  

Ruth was from the country of Moab.  Moab was the grandson of Lot, but a product of incest between Lot and his eldest daughter (Genesis 19:30-38).  Moab migrated to the region southeast of the Dead Sea, now part of the country Jordan.  The Moabites were cursed by God because of their paganism (e.g. Amos 2:1-3).  The story of Balaam, the diviner who represents a hypocritical teacher attempting to lead God’s people astray and his talking donkey took place in Moab (Numbers 22-24).

Ruth was the widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi.  Naomi lived in Bethlehem, moved to Moab due to a famine in Israel, then after her married sons died, there, Naomi moved back to Bethlehem with Ruth.  While in Bethlehem, Ruth met Boaz, eventually married him, they had a child, Obed, and Obed was the grandfather of David.  David, of course, was a key ancestor of Jesus. 

Boaz represents Jesus Christ in that he was Ruth’s redeemer.  Titus 2:14 describes Jesus as our redeemer in that He “redeemed us from every lawless deed……”  Boaz represents the sovereignty of God in that God provided him to His faithful servant, Ruth, to take care of her just like Jesus Christ takes care of those who are faithful to Him.

Ruth represents a saintly role model of a person who is virtuous (like the woman described in Proverbs 31) and faithful.  Ruth remained with Naomi while Naomi’s other daughter-in-law left her (Ruth 1:15).  The book and story of Ruth teaches us that genuine love and loyalty requires sacrifice and such sacrifice will be rewarded.

The book of Ruth has been described by some scholars as the most beautiful love story in the Bible.  Have you ever read the book of Ruth?  Have you ever seen God act providentially and redemptively in your life as He did with Ruth’s life?  Have you seen what happens when you put your trust in Him?  Read the story of Ruth and be inspired what God can and will do in your life if/when you choose to put your trust in Him.  
 

Dealing with uncertainty

Isaiah 41:10 (GN)

Do not be afraid—I am with you! I am your God—let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you.

Many things, situations, and people in life terrify us.  Think of all the “phobias” in life; there are various websites that list phobias and they amount to over 400.  The most common phobias that terrify the most people are fear of snakes and/or other animals like insects and rodents, height, darkness, confined spaces, flying, public speaking, illness, storms, and dying and death.  There are always new things that terrify people, one of the newest related to cell phones, either not having one or being in places where you cannot use one. 

There is another kind of phobia or situation that causes great fear and terror—waiting for news.  I’m talking about waiting to hear the results of medical tests.  Waiting to find out news about something you need to know about (e.g. new job, new position, sale of a home, decision someone else has to make, etc.), but are helpless to do anything but wait.  Waiting means uncertainty.  Uncertainty produces all kinds of problems—depression, anxiety, negativism, worry, and, of course, fear even to the point of terror.  Many reading this know exactly what I am referring to.  You or a loved one have developed a growth somewhere in your body and have had samples taken for testing.  You have had to wait for the test results and the waiting and all its uncertainty have been terrifying.  Indeed our human nature compels us to fear the worst.

Uncertainties are part of life.  I read a quote by John Allen Paulos (Temple University mathematics professor) that sort of sums up this fact—“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security”.  The Bible consistently teaches the importance of not fearing or worrying, but instead turning over your fears and worries to God.  When the disciples were scared to death during a storm on the Sea of Galilee and Jesus suddenly appeared, what did He say to them?  --- “Do not be afraid, take courage, for I am here” (Matthew 14:27).  As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, He was not afraid and was able to walk on the water, but as soon as he looked away from Jesus, he became terrified and would have drowned had Jesus not saved him. 

Isaiah writes that God’s people must not be afraid simply because God is with you.  Of course, like so much of what is taught as truth in the Bible, it takes faith to believe and to act on what the Bible teaches.  God promises to help you and protect you during your time of waiting, during a life filled with uncertainties.  Indeed, strong faith enables you to be strong period and face whatever you are facing, not just with courage but also with a drive to do something proactive.  There’s a quote in the businessworld “Uncertainty will always be part of the taking charge process” (Harold  S. Geneen, CEO of ITT) that I think applies to the Christian waiting for some kind of result and/or decision.  You can take charge of your situation by determining in your heart that no matter what, God is in control and He will “make you strong and help you, He will protect and save you”. 

Read over the following passages and let them sink deeply in your heart as you are going through a period of uncertainty:

·  Joshua 1:9….This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

·  Psalm 27:14….Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous……

·  Psalm 31:24….So be strong and courageous,
all you who put your hope in the Lord! 

·  Matthew 11:28-30….Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest………and you will find rest for your souls……..

·  II Timothy 1:7….For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

·  Hebrews 13:5-6….I will never leave you nor forsake you…….The Lord is my helper, I will not fear…..

Jesus' three truths from Acts 1

Acts 1:7-8 (NASB)

He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." 

Jesus teaches three very important truths in these two verses…….

1.  No one knows when Jesus will return to earth except God the Father. 

How many people in human history since Jesus’ ascension have predicted and convinced gullible and foolish people to believe them about when Jesus is coming back?  Before the end of each millennium (999 and 1999) people thought the new millennium meant the end of the age.  In 500 AD Church father Hippolytus predicted the world would end based on his analysis of the dimensions of Noah's Ark. In 1501 Christopher Columbus allowed 155 years for all mankind to be converted to Christianity, after which the world would end.  In 1835 Joseph Smith, father of Mormonism, prophesied that the coming of the Lord was 56 years away.  People thought Hitler was the antichrist and the end of the word was happening.  I personally heard Hal Lindsey (author of The Late Great Planet Earth) saying that the world would end in 1988, a generation after the rebirth of Israel in 1948.  In 1993, Harold Camping predicted on Larry King Live that the world would end in 1994 and when he was proved to be wrong, he predicted wrongly twice that the world would end in 2011.  Today people are predicting that the end will occur in 2012.  All of these predictions and prophecies, and so many more unmentioned, were wrong.  No one knows when Jesus will return to earth except God the Father.   

2.  You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

The disciples had asked for knowledge about the end of the age, but instead Jesus promised them power.  The word Jesus used for power was “dunamis” that can be translated as “power”, “strength”, “ability”, and “able to perform miracles”.  Such power was shown in Acts 2:1-4, 10 days after Jesus’ ascension and 50 days after His resurrection.  Power was manifested like wind (2:2) and fire (2:3), two natural forces than no one can deny their power if left uninhibited.  Spiritually, the power given to the disciples and to all who are filled with the Holy Spirit was and is the power to preach the gospel as Peter immediately started doing for the remainder of Acts 2.  The power of the Holy Spirit also enables those filled with the Spirit to have one or more spiritual gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8 and I Corinthians 12:8-10 and to possess the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23.  Such power and abilities are not part of the life of an unbeliever.    

3.  You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

This is part of the Great Commission Jesus left with His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20.  He left responsibility for making disciples of all men to His disciples and to all of us who believe in Him.  The word Jesus used for witnesses was “martus” that has two meanings, one being a willing testifier about who Jesus is; the other being a willing person to die for his/her faith (the word “martyr” comes from the word Jesus used for witness).  All followers of Jesus are expected to be witnesses for Him and to be willing to die, if necessary, for Him.  All followers of Jesus are to be witnesses for Him locally (Jerusalem), nationally (Judea), internationally (Samaria), and everywhere (remotest part of the earth).  This is not just for some followers of Jesus, but all followers. 

What have you learned from these three truths of Jesus in Acts 1:7-8 that you can share with someone else today?

Forget the past, look forward to what lies ahead

Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

To begin a new year with a fresh start, let’s focus carefully on the action words of these two verses -- focus, forgetting, looking forward, press on, and receive.

Focus

Paul makes is clear that his focus is on one thing—forgetting the past and looking forward to the future.  How much pain and torment would this attitude eliminate in your life if you really practiced it?  The past is over, forget it!  The future holds our hope, reach for it! 

Forgetting

What you are to forget are your past failures, bad choices, heartaches, and injustices.  Living constantly with regrets about your past, grieving over bad choices and failures and not being able to forgive and forget who hurt you, even years ago, unnecessarily punish and handicap you from being who Christ wants you to be now.  For example, how many failed marriages leave people with terrible memories that they seemingly can never get over?  How many people live daily with memories of how they were mistreated in the past by a parent, teacher, boss, friend, acquaintance, or even a stranger?   God’s command here is literally to forget in deference to something else.  There is something more important in your life than your past.  You need to forget and to move on.  How many times have you heard someone say or even you have said it, “I will forgive but never forget”?  Well, not forgetting is violating this edict from Philippians 3:13.  Christ is your model and aren’t you relieved that He forgets your offenses to Him in your past?  You are to do the same.  Not only are you to forget your own past, but you also are to forget past failures of others. Forgetting the past does not mean that you have to forget past good memories (why else then would you take photographs?).  However, for some people, living in the past because of those good memories can also be a detriment.  That is, past good memories sometimes so depress you because they are gone that you cannot bear to move forward.  In this case, Paul’s admonition applies.  

Looking forward

Someone once said, “The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.”  The best of your life is ahead; do you believe this?  If not, you are not yet a spirit-filled person.  A spiritually-dynamic person always believes that the best times and years are coming, not past and gone.  Actually, the original Greek word here is “reaching forth” that conveys the imagery of a sprinter lunging forward at the end of a race.  You are to “reach forth” in this life; you do not “reach forth” for eternity.  You are to run the race to end it triumphantly here on earth before you receive the heavenly prize. 

Press on

"Press on" in the Greek expresses the idea of pursuit after or follow earnestly. The great analogy here is the marathon runner who keeps his/her eye on the finish line and nothing will distract from achieving the goal.  How would you describe your pursuit after the spiritual goal that God has set before you?  You might still be at the starting line because either you have not yet been saved in Christ or you have given your life to Christ, but not yet started the race.  You might be someone who got off to a good start, but have been floundering lately or for a long while.  You might be someone who is walking or jogging and not yet racing.  Or, hopefully, you are running the race as best you can and are experiencing the joys of a person who knows where he/she stands with Christ and knows that you will finish the race in excellent shape.  Anything less that running the race will deflect you from finishing the race of life victoriously.       

Receive

What is received?  The heavenly prize that God through Christ is calling you.  And what is the heavenly prize?  The word “prize” means “wreath or crown”.  The original readers of these words were well aware of the bestowing of a wreath upon the head of the winner of public games.  The wreath also gave the victor not only public affirmation and praise, but also, practically, no longer had to pay taxes. Perhaps the best prize you could receive is to hear from the Lord at the end, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things" (Matthew 25:21).  Those who hear these words are those who have lived their lives centered on the glorification of God through Christ. This prize is received in heaven.  You do not receive the prize anytime prior.  That’s what makes life on earth a little bit harder because we do not see what that prize really is. Yet in faith (the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen) you are to live your life by (1) forgetting the past, (2) looking forward and pressing on and (3) to finish the race victoriously through all you do with your life to love God and love others as yourself.