CHOICES? THE HARVEST OF LITTLE BITS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
CHOICES AND DECISION CAN COME WITH HIDDEN AGENDAS.
THE WEAPON OF THE DEADLY KISS.
Luke 22:47 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING?
Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 7:1 (MSG) "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. 2 That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.
There was this small country village that had a struggling, small church. The church had five pastors in five years. The church search committee found a young preacher that had just finished his studies and wanted to pastor. The head deacon called and talked to the young man and invited him to come and speak at the small church.
The deacon had the weekend planned. So when the young preacher arrived on Friday he found that he was staying at the deacon’s house. 4 am the deacon told the preacher we are going fishing. So the deacon’s wife had breakfast ready and they ate breakfast and left for the lake.
The deacon was casting his very best lure line in very deep water and his hook got stuck on something. So the young preacher stood up and stepped out of the boat and started walking on the water until he got over the spot where the line was hung up. The young preacher bent over and pulled the line gently until the expensive lure was freed. Then the young preacher walked back and climbed back into the boat and they finished fishing.
That evening the deacon board had a private meeting after the service. The young man spoke that morning and his lesson was amazing. Seems the young people loved the candidate. The deacon board met after the service to discuss what the head deacon had discovered about the young preacher on the fishing trip
The old deacon said: We had a good morning until my lure became tangled in something and he got out of the boat and walked on the water over to my line.
The negative deacon said: THIS IS NOT OUR MAN, I DO NOT THINK HE CAN SWIM!
THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US.
WE MUST REALIZE OUR CHOICES CAN OPEN OR CLOSE DOORS BEFORE US.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
THE CHOICES ARE CLEAR. IF THERE IS NO CORN, THERE WILL BE NO BREAD.
RUTH LEARNS A LESSON ABOUT LITTLE BITS.
God’s plan can be found in some of the strangest places.
It was a day that JUDGES RULED IN ISRAEL. There were good times and there were bad times.
A little family moved from Israel to MOAB as hard times had befallen the nation.
They were a happy family.
NAOMI and her husband, ELIMELECH left Bethehem, Judah and lived among the MOABITES.
Naomi had two sons: MAHLON and CHILION.
NAOMI’S husband died, but she was still OK as the two sons would care for her.
Her sons married Moabite women: ORPAH and RUTH.
ABOUT TEN YEARS LATER, BOTH SONS DIE. Naomi was hopeless and decided to return to be near family.
ORPAH MADE A CHOICE.
RUTH MADE A CHOICE.
LITTLE DID THEY REALIZE THAT DAY THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THEIR CHOICES.
Ruth 1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
MY FRIEND WE MUST KNOW THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US WILL OPEN SOME DOORS AND CLOSE OTHER DOORS.
I BECOME A SUM TOTAL OF MY DAILY CHOICES.
Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat 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: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
JUST BECAUSE I MADE ONE RIGHT CHOICE I MUST CONTINUE AND STAY THE COURSE.
LAZINESS CAN KILL THE DREAM AND GOD’S PLAN.
Ruth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
The Bible has a plan. The plan was gleaning. At harvest time the law required that the owner of the field had to leave the corners of the harvest for the strangers and the less fortunate.
While others around Ruth were gathering large amounts of harvest
AFTER A HARD DAY OF LABOR RUTH’S EFFORT NETTED A EPHAH
Ruth 2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
Barley was a grain from Egypt and was used for horse, cattle and because it cost less than wheat, it was used by poor people. Barely is the first crop to ripen in the middle east.
The Bible makes a way for those in need. Ear by ear of corn.
Little gains, Search and find, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN and STAY FOCUSED.
WHILE BEINGING FAITHFUL IN THE LITTLE RUTH FOUND A MIRACLE.
THIS LITTLE STUFF CAN LEAD TO A PLAN OF GREATER THAN.
A stiff back makes a BAD GLEANER/ WORKER.
WITH GOD’S BLESSINGS AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS OPPORTUNITY CAN BE ENOUGH…
WITH THIS LABOR WE MIGHT FIND A SPECIAL GIFT.
WE MUST NEVER FORGET GOD MAY HONOR THIS EFFORT WITH DIVINE FAVOR…
WAS THIS OPPORTUNITY AND ACCIDENT? GOD HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE.
Ruth 2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
WE KNOW THE REST OF STORY…
Ruth 4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
Matthew 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
LOOK AT A TRAIL OF TEARS…
ONE CHOICE - ONE CHOICE CAN LEAD TO A LIFE TIME OF TEARS…
MY CHOICES CAN LEAD TO GREATER VICTORIES OR LOWER DEFEATS…
2 Samuel 11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
DEAD OF THE BABY SON?
AMMON?
TAMAR?
ABSALOM?
RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE.
CONCLUSION:
Have you heard Chuck Swindoll’s little lesson from India?
There was a small farmer in northern India that made his money selling quails for a living. One day a week the old man would leave the farm and walk into town to the flea market. There he would sell the quails to make cash to spend on what the family might need. The whole family would capture the quails. The farmer had developed a system that would catch people’s attention at the market.
The farmer would tie a string around the left leg of each of the quails. He had a large ring that he would attach each string. He would then place the ring around a pole in the center. The quails would walk around and around the pole. It was so cool to watch 8 or 9 quails walking around and around the pole. People would watch and pick the quail that they wanted to purchase to take home and cook.
One day there was a big crowd gathered around the quails watching them walk slowly around and around. There was much discussion about how the quail would walk in timing system. That day no one was buying the quails.
There was a holy man, a BRAHMAN came walking by and saw the crowd, so he stopped and watched the 8 quails walking around and around. The BRAHMAN loved animals and respected them. His heart was broken as he felt this was torture to the quail. The holy man asked the poor farmer: HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR ALL 8 OF THE QUAIL?
The farmer made the BRAHMAN a special deal and he purchased all 8 of the quails. As soon as the money exchanged hands the BRAHMAN ORDERED THE FARMER TO UNTIE EACH QUAIL AND SET THEM FREE. One by one the farmer would untie the string. BUT SOMETHING STRANGE WAS HAPPENING. EACH FREED QUAIL CONTINUED MARCHING AROUND AND AROUND THE POLE.
After all eight of the quails were freed they continued their circles. The Brahman stomped his feet and screamed real loud and the quails took off and flew about 10 feet away. To everyone’s amazement the quail returned to the circle formation and started walking around and around in a circle.
WHY? WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE QUAILS THAT TRAPPED THEM TO A CIRCULAR FORMATION?? THERE WERE NOT METAL BARS OR STRONG STRINGS? SEE, THEY HAD BEEN CONDITIONED TO MENTAL BARS OF HABITS.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
DAVID’S SIN BROUGHT JUDGMENT, THE JUDGMENT ESTABLISHED A TRAIL OF TEARS.
RUTH MADE A BETTER CHOICE… SHE IS ONE OF A FEW WOMEN FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Could you help me? Could you tell another of my work?
