This Wasn't Suppose To Happen Series

Unlocking Your Life’s Destiny Series

Seven Sermons from the Book of Ruth

(Inspired from Perry Stone’s Book, Lay It On Me)

June 29, 2014 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A This summer there have been some huge movies that have made some major bank; Captain America, (Scripturally inaccurate) Noah, Godzilla, Guardians of The Galaxy, The Expendables III, The Fault of Our Stars, etc.

1 If the story of Ruth was adapted for the silver screen it would contain all the parts necessary for a blockbuster.

a Sudden trouble, tragedy, death, rags-to-riches.

b But what makes Ruth different is not fiction & endured for thousands of years as one of the greatest stories in Scripture.

2 The story in the pages of Ruth gives us hope that no matter what we face in life (famine, death, or want) God has a grand finale/tremendous third act planned for your life.

a Ruth’s story reminds us that God is sovereign/in control, even in death.

b Even when things are as bad as you could possibly imagine, God is planning long term blessing for you.

aa Hebrews 10:9 (NASB) 9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

bb One of the tremendous truths we’ll learn in this series is that God never allows you to lose anything unless He plans to return something better than what you had.

cc Another truth, your reaction to trouble will determine your outcome.

B The spiritual truths and Kingdom keys found in the story of Ruth have carried me, my ministry through low times and into new levels of ministry.

1 The story in Ruth begins with famine & death: A father (Elimelech moves his wife, Naomi, & his two sons out of Judea to Moab because of a famine.)

a While in Moab the two sons marry two local girls (sisters named Orpah & Ruth), before the ink dries on the marriage covenant the brothers and the father die. (Leaving three widows)

aa Clouds of famine, loss, want, separation consumed the three widows that were left to carry on in Moab.

bb Tragedy tends to have one of two affects on people: draws them closer to God or further from Him.

b When Naomi left Judea because of a famine, little did she know that 10 years later she would return home broken, depressed, a bitter.

aa Guess who she blamed? (Ruth 1.20)

Ruth 1:20 (NASB) 20 She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

bb Her tragedy had caused her to lose her vision, her purpose, and her concept of God.

cc Naomi would grow resentful, Ruth would enter the family that would produce the royal lineage of Israel.

2 Famine tests our faith/resolve & too often we blame God for every tragedy/loss/heartache/headache/tear that comes our way.

a Ruth’s story teaches us that . . .

aa Life can change in a heartbeat,

bb victories of today can turn into the sorrows of tomorrow.

b But if we open our hearts to the story of Ruth, we can understand how God plans His long-term purpose in the midst of trouble and how we may better deal with these unexpected turns in life.

3 My prayer is that you hear each of these sermons in this series (seven in all).

a Sermon title review put here (Put sermon titles & dates on overhead screen)

b Today, we’ll begin with a message entitled, “This Wasn’t Suppose to Happen”

c Pray

I Famine Happens in the Weirdest Places

A Bethlehem, where Naomi & Elimelech were from, was known as the “city of bread.” How can a place known for its large fields, barley fields, grains were used to make the bread on the Table of Shewbread in the Temple.

1 How can the “House of Bread” not have bread? Like IHOP being out of pancakes.

a Famines are caused by droughts, which are caused by a lack of rain.

b Spiritual famines are caused by a lack of spiritual rain.

aa When the Holy Spirit is not being poured out in churches, a spiritual famine occurs.

bb I would suggest that there is a famine in the world today–not of brad, but of the Word.

2 When a famine occurs, people will do some pretty strange things.

a Mother’s ate their own children.

2 Kings 6:28-29 (NASB) 28 And the king said to her, "What is the matter with you?" And she answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. ' 29 "So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, 'Give your son, that we may eat him'; but she has hidden her son."