Handfuls Of Blessings Series

HANDFULS OF BLESSINGS

Ruth 2:14-16

Have you ever noticed that our Heavenly Father is extravagant in His grace? He often gives us far more than we have asked for and He certainly gives us more than we could have ever deserved! He has shown us mercy... provided us with grace... and secured our salvation. He loves us with unconditional love, He has adopted us into His family, He is our Father and we are His children. He has promised us a Heavenly home and assured us that we will dwell with Him forever.

We could never have asked for any of these things, and there is no way that we would ever be able to deserve the blessings God has bestowed upon us. But because of His love for us He has blessed us immensely!

The Psalmist says in Psalm 103:10 (that God) “has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities”.

The only thing that we deserve is hell. Apart from God's grace... Heaven would be an absolute impossibility. If God had stopped at redemption, that in itself would be far more than we could ever deserve. The fact that He cared enough for us to send His only begotten Son to be the sacrifice for our sins speaks of His great love for us.

David said it best in - Psalms 103:11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

God has truly given us more blessings than we could ask for. In the book of Ruth we see multiple occasions where Boaz lavished Ruth with many great blessings. One such passage is Ruth 2:16.... there Boaz commanded his servants to leave behind some "handfuls of purpose" for Ruth. Much can be said about the "handfuls of purpose" that Boaz gave to Ruth. It is a great picture of the showers of blessings that God has given to His children. I would like to consider this subject for a while and preach on the thought "Handfuls Of Blessings".

- In this message we will see:

I. THE PROVISIONS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR REDEEMER

II. THE PROMISES THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR REDEEMER

III. THE PROTECTION THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR REDEEMER

- Let's begin by considering:

I. THE PROVISIONS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR REDEEMER

- On multiple occasions we see Boaz going to great lengths to bless his beloved. Notice:

Ruth 2:8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. 15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: 16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. 17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

Ruth 3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

It would not be long after this encounter at the threshing floor that Boaz would take Ruth as his wife and they would have a son together. Boaz treasured Ruth and blessed her immensely.

- As Christians we have received countless blessings. Sometimes we fail to realize just how blessed we are. But if we will spend time in God's Word we will be constantly reminded of our great provisions. Let's take a moment and consider:

A. THE SOURCE OF OUR PROVISIONS

God is the source of every blessing that we receive. It is true that He doesn't give us everything we ask for. This is because He knows what is best for us. There are times when He withholds certain things from us in order to protect us. But without fail He provides us with what we need. Everything we have comes as a result of His power.