The Book of RUTH at a glance

I am readng about Ruth and am thinking: Where are all these characters today? The Ruth of today that stick to their guns and say: Your God will be my God, Your People will be my people. And I cannot quite seem to find them in my mind. Women that will not choose the easy way out. I mean : Ruth could have opted to stay with her other sister Orpah and go to a place that she is familiar with. She had a choice of resting it all out; Go back to her peoples and let them sort her out, But she did not. She instead chose to go and keep with her mother in law: Even when clearly there was no hope of getting re-married or any other companion then.


Where is the Naomi of today. I would honestly want a woman that has been there, through it all, Marriage, child birth, dating, courting; The whole bunch of it all, that says hey that is a good man: Now behave like this so as to get his attention. I mean experience is the best teacher. Someone who will give their all, and want to lead the way in my life....A woman of God, a woman that does not fear the world and what it has thrown onto her....Where are those women?

I am sure any little girl today will care to have a woman in their lives thatwill listen to their story, understand them, pray fpr and with them and then urge them forward; pointing them to the way of the cross....Woooah: WHERE ARE THOSE WOMEN?

I want to be one of them. I do not know if I have so far managed to take on Ruth's charcacter: even while I have the name. She I believe was a woman of character that chose to not to act as everyone thought she would, but to follow God's way and have God through Naomi direct her to a one Boaz.

I do not know if I can be a Naomi in my old age : which starts even now: have a heart for the girls that are growing up in this day and age....Be a shoulder to cry on: Share my hurts, joys, truimphs and pain: and let them know that there is never an easy out......

I want to be one of these women; I need to be like one of these women: So help Me God.

Wow

Just finished reading through today's text: Gen 32-35. A few things do
stand out for me:

First is that time heals. Whoever thought that Jacob and Esau would
ever be friends after what gone down between them? Whatever it is,
give it time. You will be made whole.

Second: is the idea of dowry. It existed then, so no reason guys to
fret about it. A well-kept woman is worth even much more: but dowry is
and has always been there.

And lastly is what Jacob went through to be called Israel. Wrestled
from dusk till dawn. And everywhere he went, he built an altar. Now
that is a character to emulate.

Cheers.

--
*Ruth Aine*
**
*The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.*

As I am busy trying to catch with the reading, Guess what I come
across. One of the most amazing verses of all time: according to me.

« But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them.» Now that is some scripture up there. It is life. Now: I know
that this may be cliche to some of us: we say or have heard this text
over & over again. I guess what makes it better for me is the Bible
version am reading it in.

So, Eye hath not seen: which means: it has not yet become a reality,
not tangible, does not exist.

nor ear heard:::okay, it has not yet hit any airwaves. You know how
sound / word travels so fast. No one has picked wave of it.

Now here is the best part: neither have entered in to the heart of
man::: so no-one has yet been inspired to that effect. There has not
been a revelation nor an imagination or rather a thought. None
whatsover.

The things which God hath prepared for them that love him

--
*Ruth Aine*
**
*The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.*

Miserable Comforters?

I have heard many things like these;

 you are miserable comforters, all of you! 

Job 16:2

Jobs friends came to grieve with him. They came with the common social understanding that Job has either sinned against God or has contemplated sin until these tests are a warning. They urge Job to "fess up" and allow a contrite spirit to relieve him of this present distress.

God considered Job a blameless and upright man, a man who feared Him & shunned evil. It must have been hurtful for him to have friends who were not encouraging him through those hard times, and i don't blame him for calling his friends miserable comforters, well...they were miserable comforters. They questioned Jobs spirituality and integrity when they were meant to encourage, sympathise and at least try to understand him.

We have been there one way or another. When we expected our closest friends to understand us and comfort us but we instead got a sermon on confession and repentance.Or, we have been such miserable comforters to others...

We all have been called to the Ministry of Comfort. This is because all of us have gone through some painful experiences in our lives and through Gods help, we came out strong. ( Well, if you haven't gone through such an experience in your life, don't worry, don't be discouraged, the day will come and you will go through a painful experience...am i being a miserable comforter?). We go through this experiences so that sometime in future, we may take the role of a comforter in someone else's life who at that time will be going through the same thing that you went through and God got you out- these things are common to man and there is nothing new under the sun right? 2 Corinthians 1:3-5;

 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Once we understand that we have been called into this Ministry, we will allow the Holy Spirit to teach us in being good comforters other than miserable comforters. Friends who will be there to encourage and not to discourage or criticize or judge the people who we are called to minister to. Friends who will be there and sometimes say nothing, as we have seen, our words can be meaningless. Even words like " God cares" do not make sense to a person who is grieving. Sometimes, all we will be needed to say is, " I understand" and leave it at that. To hold their hand and offer your shoulder for them to cry on...and even cry with them.

Above all, let us seek to find comfort in Christ Jesus who is the comforter of ALL. To find comfort in His Words. We are human beings living on earth(of course) :), and hard times will always be there. Let's not be discouraged when this times check in but lets allow the Holy Spirit to comfort us, lets be reminded that, even if we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for He is with us, His rod and His staff they comfort us...and as He does this may our comfort overflow into other people's lives.

I choose to be a comforter!!!

Never Changing

I am in love with God. I love so much about Him, and one of the things i love about Him is His Consistency. He cannot tell you one thing today and then come back tomorrow to tell you, hey, by the way, about what we talked about, I changed my mind...He says something and thats it. So, he is reliable.

As i was going through Isaiah 33( Yeah, still lagging behind on Isaiah but working on catching up), i couldn't help but notice verses 15 and 16.

• Those who walk righteously and speak what is right
• Who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes
• Who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil

They are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied and water will not fail them.

On a previous post, we looked at Psalm 15. So, what's stands out for you when you read this two passages?

The Stuff EPICS Are Made Off

Reading through some of the incidences especially in the History books, I couldn't help but think that most epics have borrowed heavily or have been inspired by some of this stuff - If we just took a graphic image of what we read!!!

Sample this:

- giving your maidservant to your husband

- conning off birth-rights

- mother conniving with favorite son

- the enormous death scenes akin to genocide. I was especially 'appalled' by the ethnic cleansing as depicted on Judges 12:4-6!!

I could go on and on!!

There could be a lot to make of this, including??

Psalm 18-20

David is estatic, grateful, amazed and in awe of who God is and what he can do: therefore he bursts into song.

You are my rock, my deliverer, my strength: Adoring God. You can not call a friend a friend unless they have been there for you. David thus could not call God his fortress out of the blue. He must have experienced him: which is a good thing. So out of the abundance of David’s heart: we see him testifying of God’s Goodness.

You know even before Jesus said that even if you do not praise, the stones will do so: David had seen it. David is amazed, and observant I must say thus he burst into song. And deep it was for him to get to a point where he understands God at work and his creation. He got to that place where even words were not enough..Ever been there and most importantly also worshipped the Lord: where all you do is stand in awe of him? Well if not?

Ask the Lord: and he will take you there.
The Law of the Lord :
• is perfect:
• Is refreshing
• Trustworthy : dependable
• Makes wise the simple;
• More precious than gold
• Sweeter than honey
• Radiant:
His statutes: trustworthy: dependable
And as he ends Chapter 19: he realise that in the end the knowledge learned and heard and seen is not that important but what is:
Is what comes out of us: May the thoughts of my mind and meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight Oh lord: Indeed David was a man after the Lord God’s own heart.

Verses 1-5 of chapter 20 remind me of saying good bye: My mentor uses them alot everywhere blessing couples, after deliverance and on Sundays when he is leading service: Greta man of God that one.

I do not know why David used them and why it is Psalm 20 not the last..but anyhow: we learn alot from it too: Leave the blessing of God wherever you go and when ever.

Its amazing though: it is may the Lord do all those things: then verse6: He gives us kinda evidence: of I have been there, and God has been this God, and I know for sure: And so the next time you are doubting:::::
Well David has been there and gives you reason to trust and obey....

Mercy Said No

Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And He could bear Israel's misery no longer.

(Judges 10:6)

Sin, punishment, repentance and salvation are the major themes in the book of Judges. The stories in this book play out like a recurring bad dream: Israel does wrong; God delivers them into the hand s of their oppressors; Israel cries out to the Delivering God, Yahweh shows up and acts out on their behalf through a divinely appointed leader; deliverance comes; the people are faithful for a while; the land has rest and yields its increase; Israel forgets God; Israel does wrong; and well...the nightmare continues...

However, the cycle breaks in Chapter 10...in the going back to God to ask for forgiveness stage of the cycle, they say there usual prayer...of course looking sorrowful and pitiful(Ok, the Bible does not say that), " We  have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals"...and the answer this time round was not as expected. God answered,"...But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!" :CRINGE: How would you feel if God told you that? I would probably like Job say..."If only you would hide me in the grave & conceal me till your anger has passed! If only yo would set me a time and then remember me!" Coz, honestly, how will i live knowing God wants nothing to do with me? How does even thinking about that make you feel? I don't know about you but there is no way I can make it through this life without God.

...and He could bear their misery no longer. Verse 16 of Judges 10, however, introduces us to the heart of God. A heart of mercy. He cannot just watch us suffer. He is a forgiving Father, the only one capable of forgiving and forgetting. Israel went back to God and asked to be forgiven and be rescued from the hands of their oppressors. They did not stop at asking for forgiveness, they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served God...and God could not bear their misery no longer.

Thats the kind of heart our Father has. He cannot bear seeing us suffer. If only we could get rid of the gods that we have chosen to worship other than Him, the things that we have put before Him. the things that we have worshiped, the things that act as barriers between Him and us...we know what they are, may be not...and He will deliver us from the hand of the enemy who is oppressing us day and night.  

We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but He is faithful and just and will forgive us from all unrighteousness only if we confess...Gods forgiveness is complete, it is everlasting and it is always available. What joy it is to know that God willingly and gladly release us from the debt of sin and restores our fellowship with Him.

We are shaped in iniquity(Psalm 51:5) and our greatness need therefore is that of forgiveness. God forgives our sin, removes it completely and forgets it forever. He is merciful in deed. Thanks to Him that Jesus Christ has met this need and has restored our fellowship with our heavenly Father!!

Rebekah: A Woman Of Passion[For Women Only]

Genesis 24-27- Our reading yesterday and we all know the story of Rebekah and Isaac. I personally loved where the two met...ahem.

So, what kind of person was Rebekah?

Rebekah was a daughter, a wife and a mother. She mothered two sons Esau and Jacob after being barren for about 20 years. Esau was the eldest son and was entitled to his father's inheritance but Rebekah favored her younger son Jacob and desired that he gain his father's wealth. When the opportunity arose, Rebekah helped her son deceive his father. Isaac, who had become old, feeble and blind bestowed upon Jacob the family inheritance that was intended for Esau. Rebekah later protected Jacob from Esau's wrath by sending him to stay with his brother Laban.

Well, it is instinctive and proper for a woman- a wife and a mother- to live so passionately but as we can see, Rebekah's love for Jacob became a selfish jealous love, which led to favoritism of one child over another. Her love for Jacob also led her to compromise her love and loyalty to her husband. She was determined to do what she thought would help Jacob gain the family inheritance.

How often have we heard of crimes of passion? Unlike Rebekah's case some have ultimately led to the death of innocent people. As mothers and spouses, (Aleluia), we must take care that our love for our children and our spouses does not become an obsessive love- a love that would allow us to succumb to the temptation of Satan, to betray moral ethics, covenant relationships and spiritual commitments. As women of God,our love should always be pure and subject to the spirit of God.

Gods love for us serves as the ultimate, true example of a pure love, a love that is unconditional, showing no bias or favoritism- a love that is not jealous or boastful. Unselfish motives or desires define pure love: it bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things and above all never fails.

The story of Rebeka makes it clear that women can feel ambition, love greatly, deceive, and be self-sacrificing. 

Happy Women's Day Girlfriends!!

Man's Duty To God & His Fellowman- Psalm 15

Lord, who may dwell in your Sanctuary? Who may live on your Holy hill?

• He whose walk is blameless
• He who does what is righteous
• Who speaks the truth from his heart
• Who has no slander on his tongue
• Who does his neighbor no wrong
• Who casts no slur on his fellowmen
• Who despises a vile man but honors those fear the Lord
• Who Keeps his oath even when it hurts
• Who lends his money without usury
• Who does not accept a bribe against the innocent

He who does these things will never be shaken.

God’s standards must be met if we are to dwell with Him in eternity. Our life must conform to our profession. It is important not only for us to know God’s will but also to do it.

Deep stuff. Lemme digest this. 

BRB!!!!