Coming Home The Hard Way Pt 1

[Music] open your Bibles with me to the Book of Ruth in Chapter number one roof at chapter 1 commencing in verse number 14 [Music] and they lifted up their voice and wept again and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law but Ruth Cleve under her and she said behold thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her people and unto her guards returned thou after thy sister-in-law and Ruth said entreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will Lodge by people shall be my people and thy God my god without Dyess will I die and there will I be buried the Lord do so to me and more also if aught but death Part V and me when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her then she left speaking under her so they too went until they came to Bethlehem and it came to pass when they were come to Bethlehem that all the city was moved about them and they said is this Naomi and she said on the building called me not Naomi call me Mara for the almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me I went out fool Lord has brought me home again empty why then call you mean Naomi seeing the Lord has testified against me and the almighty has afflicted me so Naomi returned and ruth the moabite is her daughter-in-law with her which returned out of the country of Moab and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest thank you you may be seated the grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our God shall stand forever war talk to us this woman's day about coming home the hard way come on coming home the hard way the Book of Ruth is a story of tragedy and triumph of death and love the dominant image pattern is the tension between emptiness and fullness moving from the emptiness on the natural level of famine in Bethlehem to the emptiness of the domestic level of the death of eliminate the father Mellon and Killian his two sons to the emptiness on the personal level of Naomi's inner depression for how is she going to make it in this world when all the men in her life are gone she's in trouble socio legally she's in trouble economically she has nobody to protect her she has nobody to look after her for everything and everybody that she knows is gone the story is told from the viewpoint of women for whom home and heart are preeminent may all my brothers and sisters is miles away from where the Lord wanted her to be but eventually as she finds her way home to Bethlehem and the blessings of God the text begins in the middle of Naomi's remonstrance with her two daughters-in-law Oprah and Ruth there's been a famine in Bethlehem and everything that happens from this point forward the old man has no control eliminate decides that the family ought to move from Bethlehem to Moria because there's a famine in Bethlehem and they migrate to Moab looking for a better life and naomi has no control when they get to Moab life is going well for a moment but then life crashes the situation turns dye eliminate dyes and Naomi has no control her two sons married boy white girls over which she has no control and then her two sons melon and Killian die and the army still has no control everything that has happened thus far in her life has been taken out of her hands and now she went to Moab looking for a better life but life has turned on her all support all visible means of help is gone and she's left now with her two daughters-in-law Orpah and ruth both of them love naomi and both of them fall on that old woman's neck and the embrace and the army says to the two of them go back to my way go back to your land find some young men to marry I'm too old to have children and if I did have children by the time they got old enough to marry you would be on in years go back to Moab and find a life for yourself Oprah is the first in the sad series of those who are not far from the kingdom of God but they turn back Oprah is one who shuts herself out from the Covenant and sings back to the world that she has not totally turned her back on there are some operas in Miller Grove this morning the least sign of difficulty the least sign of trouble the least sign of setback and heartbreak you go back to which you never turn your back on brothers and sisters Ruth that young boy by girl Ruth Ruth passionate outburst of tenderness is immortalized in description she has put into fitting words for all generations the deepest thoughts of a loving heart and she comes the rustle of all these centuries between now and then with a perennial freshness from a heart that's been broken barely in life there is no beauty like the beauty of a woman who has no soul early in life when God visits you early in life with pain they put something in your smile they put something in your demeanor beauty is not about lips and hips it is not about breasts and legs it's not about hands and half is about God touching your life early to let you know that beauty is the secret but a woman who fears the law I wish I had a witness there's something about a woman that God has sent sorrow to barely it put something in your voice you put something in your eyes you put something in your testimony that you sing with new meaning you've got to test them on it you've got a appraise that has been different and touched by heartbreak Ruth's eloquent refusing her eloquent refusal to leave her mother-in-law and the corresponding loyal are etched in our memories as an unsurpassed expression of fealty and devotion her love for Naomi melted into her love for Naomi's God they were run dead by the one more time her love for Naomi melted into her love for Naomi's God did Ruth see something in that a woman with life turned on does she see a strength and a courage in that old warrior that when when the when the rug was pulled out from under her when life caved in on her did did Ruth see something in Naomi that's made her say to her and treatment I wish I had one or two witnesses to leave you know to cease from following after you for for where you go I will go your people shall be my people here it is y'all coward shall be mega hold on to somebody because what I'm about to say you tell you my anguish grab somebody's hand because you might need some support right here if we had more old women like Naomi we would have no young women like Ruth [Applause] if we had more old women like Naomi we'd have more young women like Ruth all women who dress that age thank God the 265 praise God bet you 50 that's a 70 some folk didn't live that long we need some old women like me home tour three women around here get offended when I talk about older women the Bible said all women ought to teach the young women I wish I had a witness you ought to live so that some young woman some some young Ruth is looking at your Naomi and Ruth don't be too hard on Naomi because you don't know what the army went through to beat Naomi you don't know how many bruises Naomi hands you don't know how many scars never on my hands you don't know how much pain Naomi's been through that roof needs a meal that way young woman needs a season all the woman to tell the hunter slow down stop trying to live two weeks in one day I used to be fine like you my hair used to be black my eyes used to be sharp my hearing used to be clear slow down Ruth let me tell you something after a while you're gonna wish you to talk back those days that you're wasting and foolish pursuits no topic Naomi call me Mara because I went out home if [Applause] Naomi means present Nora means bitter so help me testify that the life sometimes is pleasant life sometimes is you up sometime town sometime feel good sometimes can't hardly make it sometimes laughing sometimes crying sometimes I wish I had one or two witnesses here Naomi got a ride for Ruth this morning there are man wants to say the Ruth if you beat hardware and we'll do in due season you will reap if you faint now yeah as a way to say the Ruth this phone we know that all things work together for them that love God and those who are the called according to his purpose I wish I had a Naomi in here this morning we can look at a young Ruth and tell you girl I know what you're going through I've been mad but God brought me out God saw me through dawn help me raise my children by myself God made a way for me you need Ruth Ruth and Naomi gotta work together because there's no men are they I wish I had time to stay right there [Applause] slim pickins up in [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I'm the last one [Applause] Ruth stay with Naomi custody halt man can't lose with the stuff she you I'm not talking about hips and lips I'm not on my breasts and hands I'm not on my hair and let our God with life burns on me [Applause] altered him am i doing alright I want you the him the trip from Moab to Bethlehem would have taken seven to ten days it would have required them to cross the Jordan and climb the 2,000 or more feet in elevation required to reach Bethlehem bit could have stopped along the way but they continued until they were where they were supposed to be the journey seven to ten days crossing the Jordan going up two thousand and more feet in elevation by themselves and when you read the text the Bible says after Naomi saw that Ruth was steadfastly minded after the army saw that Ruth wasn't going back to the club Ruth was not gonna compromise the principles to get along when the army saw that she was steadfastly minded the trip that took seven to ten days crossed the Jordan up to thousand feet the Bible says Naomi stopped speaking to her when she saw that she was steadfastly minded they walked seven to ten days not speaking to each other be not man they're not upset with God or each other here's the point Noel is down here Bethlehem is up there morale is down here Bethlehem is for bad and to get up man you got to leave down here on their way they got leave morale cross the Jordan seven to ten days go up 2,000 or more feet in elevation and for seven to ten days they don't talk to each other that's what repentance is like because Ruth don't know what in the arm is mind and the army don't know what's in Ruth's mine because repentance is a personal thing and for you to get from down there to up here it's a journey this elevation is distance and I want to ask you this morning Millie grow what's the distance between Moab and Bethlehem in other words what's the difference between your sin and your repentance because it takes longer to get back to where you came from and once you get down there is harder to get back up here somehow to help me preach others needed you remember we're now here when Jesus was in the temple questionin doctors and lawyers his his parents his mother and father thought that he was with his kin folks and acquaintances but Jesus is not always where you think he is and he's not always in whom you think he is but if you go back you can always find him where you left it now it took them one day to realize he wasn't with them and three days to go back and find them that's the way the devil will do you the devil will take you on this high-speed train and take you away from God and it'll just take a moment for you to lose your reputation but it'll take you the next 30 years to get back what you lost in five days you can buy integrity for a dollar and all the money in the world can't buy it back when you lose it we stop speaking to each other because something's on roots man something's on the only mine what are we gonna do no man no Social Security no welfare no aid for dependent children no SNAP benefits no come out of the cheese no powdered milk how we gonna make that's what they're thinking about but why women are moaning God is moving why are you trying to figure it out God is already a good TV I wish I had one or two witnesses they've got to make their way watch me back to Bethlehem of Judah which is the place of breeze when they left Bethlehem to go to Moab they left their praise and blessings can't fall to you if you lose your willingness to pray I know it looks bad I know it's dark I know it doesn't seem like things are gonna turn in your favor but I believe in the Bible bears me out that if you praise God in the midst of it if you raise your hands in the midst of it if you shout even when you're broke if you tell God thank you even before the answer come I'll have a strange way of delivering you through your previous the praises of this music when praises go up blessings come down we don't have anything just keep on praising God when you're getting laid off there's people on fries and done when the doctors say we're gonna try something new just keep on praising gum when you become the parents because your parents have gotten old and you have to take care of them you get tired sometimes but keep praising god I wish I had one or two with this in it when it looks like old age is about to pull you down you can just get your hand up just a little bit I know you got arthritis but just get your hand up just a little bit I know you don't feel good but just praise God a little bit and the more you praise Him I wish I had a witness the more you call him the better you feel Jesus in the morning Jesus at noon day Jesus in the midnight hour if you praise God you listen [Applause] and enough Bethlehem Bethlehem Judah they left God's praise sisters don't lose your praise lose your man don't lose your grow lose some weight but don't lose your pray lose some friends on Facebook but don't lose your dreams don't ever let folks know that you're down just shout like you've got money in your purse let's praise God like everything is going well but if you let your enemy know where you're hiding they'll hit you there every time well if you give God glory hallelujah someone oughta help me testify God will bless you cuz even habits he lives in you breathe they left Bethlehem left their praise but when they left Bethlehem as a hurry they left God's presence Psalm 16 and verse 11 says that will show me the paths of life for him thy presence is fullness of joy at your right hand there are blessings for ever more flavor in my god visited Bethlehem stay with me wow they are in my God has turned it around in Bethlehem don't leave Bethlehem too quickly don't run in my lab too quickly cuz why you are in my lab God is dressing in Bethlehem you can fool around with the devil and be in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people [Applause] God is blessing in Bethlehem what you're doing it more God is opening doors in Bethlehem why are you hanging around in Moy stop asking God to bless what you are doing and learn how to do what God is blessing and when you do what God is blessing he'll show with his presence when enough Bethlehem they left their friend when she left Bethlehem she left God's presence and when she left Bethlehem she left God's provision because you know what Bethlehem means the name Bethlehem means House of bread that's provision that's daily bread that's Jehovah Jireh that's blessing that's brave that's God showering down bread and you hanging around in Moy let me talk to some more bite in here this morning when the sermon is over you better run down the aisle because there's blessings in the house of bread there's joy at the house of Brie that's deliverance and rescue at the house of bread don't let the devil fool you into believing that you can get God's best away from God's blessing here we are now here we are now the left Bethlehem to go to Moab but they're coming home the hard way they've got to walk seven to ten days they've got to cross the Jordan by themselves go up 2,000 feet elevation to get back to where they should have stayed but the army had no control it was a patriarchal society where men made all the decisions and following her husband she left God's provision she left God's presence she left God's praise I've often heard this passage of scripture read at weddings and used in wedding ceremonies the words that Ruth's sister Naomi entreat me not to leave you nor to cease from following after you for where you Lodge I will Lodge and where you go I will go and your people will be my people your God will be my god what have you getting married to a Muslim [Applause] what if your Mariner Jehovah's Witness no no that's one sweet words well my god ain't your God if you don't know the God of peace the god of patience the god of salvation the god of deliverance I don't want to follow your God if your God can't pick me up when I fall down I don't want to follow your God if your God can he save me when I'm on my way to hell he left Bethlehem she left God's praise now she's going back to give God praise she left God's presence now she's going back to God's presence she left God's provision now she's going back to God's provision but now she gets around finally God's people now that's good and be there with me I'm almost finished because the text says when they get close to Bethlehem they come out to meet them and the scripture says they say is this Naomi I'm not making it up I studied this or I could be right they said is feminine it's a feminine word they say it's women gossipy [Applause] is women sneering is women looking down there sanctimonious music is women who act like they ain't never been empty it's women who trying to pretend that they all that cuz they're not in trouble it's women looking down their nose at to other women and the most hurtful people in the world a women after church we mess it the gossip they criticize they pull one another die they laugh at each other they sneer they pretend they're hypocrites they say one thing in your face and something else behind your back you mean it this is Naomi [Applause] yeah what happened to you [Applause] and what my home is saying sounds like she's complaining what Naomi says sounds like a complaint and she lays that complaint at God's feet and the only reason God puts up with her complaint is because God knows that she takes him seriously [Applause] and as some people in here like me who's God to God's feet and complain how come you left me in the world without my mama and daddy why did you take my child why did you break my heart why am I the only one left in my entire family we pray that to God and he doesn't get upset cuz when you complain God knows you taking him seriously Jacob said I ain't gonna let you go job said though he slay me yet will not put my trusty all the days of my appointed time I'm away so much Rebecca I'd say though that be no fruit on the vine well that'd be no cattle in the stall yeah will I rejoice in the God of my salvation which says Naomi said doc common milk that's not who I am anymore when I left here I was young and good-looking my hair was black and wavy I was thirty six twenty eight thirty six and I live here I was a brick house and [Applause] I'm coming home hardly you can help me close is watching she's out complaining she's testifying [Applause] she's not grumbling she's witnessing she's not mad she's giving God glory she said I went out true and I'm coming home empty God everything you put in me I already gave it up everything you did positive in my life I emptied it out my husband is gone my bars are gone my youth is gone my joy is gone I'm empty and the only reason I'm back is because I know where to come to get raphy fill my cup let it overflow bread of heaven bread of heaven feed me till I want no more you gonna help me clothes if you're serving water she said I gave you got everything you gave me I've given it back to you I have nothing left I went out of here fool but I'm coming home now empty I have nothing left God but this little pagan girl this little boy by girl and I all that's left of what you made a deposit in you gave me a husband I'm giving him back to you you gave me my two children I'm giving them back to you and parents if you want to be blessed you ought to give your children to the one who gave them to you never got a witness here she said Lord I love here fool but I'm coming home empty there's nobody left with me and this little girl roof I'm giving roof to you now I need you God to do what only you God can do I understand now that there are blessings in Bethlehem I understand now that's bread in your house and I left here looking for a better life because I thought the grass was greener on the other side but I'm back home now and there's nobody left but me and this little girl roots you gonna help me close this wanted and brothers and sisters when you trust God when you put your future in God's hand God will never look disappoint you when you put your hand in the Lord's hand God will never let you down because while they are coming seven to ten days while they are traveling across the Jordan by themselves while they are going up to 2000 feet elevation by themselves while they are walking and not talking to each other by themselves God already has a boys Breton ready to handle what they need in their life you gonna help or just won't you when we come to chapter 2 Ruth is now in the field and while in the field let's boys get a look at this young boy but good people help me close this launcher and borass tells the reapers saved some harvest in the corner of the field and take care of this little girl Ruth and then Ruth goes home and she tells Naomi got a good-looking man named Boaz let some grain in the field now all missiles come here girl let me tell you how you get that man put some perfume on some makeup on your face go to Victoria's Secret come back with a pretty fine outfit and when that man lays down tonight you go help the cause is watching in chapter 2 Ruth is in the field but in chapter 3 at his feet if you trust God and put you at his feet and by the time we get to chapter 4 she's no longer in the field is no longer at his feet but now she's in his family and the reason she's in his family and no longer had his feet and no longer in the field because of their on his face when you trust a little woman like Naomi she can help you see something it's not ending there are men in here this book is there any godly woman in here this morning who watch God make away I don't know wait give God's been good come on help me shouting minute if God made a way to show is a pagan woman Ruth is a Moabite girl but she listened to that old woman Naomi she left the field got in his family because of me on his face she married beware and why hasn't Ruth had a bar named open and all that never born in Jesse and Jesse and David is the hands of Jesus Christ if you stay with God here break away [Applause] God will see you through God will bring you out God will write your name in the Lamb's Book of Life if you say and you're not ashamed the test of look if he brought you and you don't shake somebody's head in the field I used to be at the devil's feet [Applause] Wow cigarettes already knew what they did the same women who said is this Naomi reach out to for is the same women who helped plan the wedding don't you pay no attention to the gossiping don't you pay no attention to me I'm trying to pull you down you bigger than that you taller they man you stronger than that fret not your simple because of some evildoer don't be envious against the workers of iniquity they shall see they shall wither Donnie actor greener and you said they almond been there by themselves it look like God turned the battle in their favor and Ruth married Boaz and Obed was born they brought the babe with the Bible says and put the baby in Naomi's lamp sits in the Army by doing that here is your future here is your project name here is your destiny Jesus Christ when he laid in his mother's lap it was God saying to me and you here is your future you can face tomorrow you can make it now as a bright side somewhere that's a better day ahead just stay around see what the hands gonna be see you through [Music]

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Id: 9_VEt2CCXA4

Length: 50min 48sec (3048 seconds)

Published: Mon Aug 19 2019