You Can't Run Away Series

You Can’t Run Away

Ruth 1:1-5

I. Intro:

A. On his book “The Conduct of Life”, the American novelist Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The efforts which we make to escape from our destiny only serve to lead us into it.”

B. If you think about it that is just as true today as it was when the book was published in 1860

1. The reason I think it’s as valid today is because God of choice.

2. We can ignore the will of God, argue with it, disobey it, and even fight against it. But in the end God’s will, shall prevail.

3. Psalm 33:11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.

C. Job even asked Job 9:4

1. Job 9:4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?

2. But Job knew the answer and so do we: nobody.

3. If we obey the will of God, everything in life holds together, but if we disobey, everything starts to fall apart.

4. Nowhere in the bible is this principle better illustrated than in the story of Ruth and Naomi.

5. And here in this Chapter we can find 3 mistakes that you and I must avoid when we deal with the problems and trails of life.

D. Tonight let’s identify the first mistake.

1. Read Ruth 1:1-5

E. First let me bring you up to speed with our story.

II. The Time

A. Life was not is the days of Naomi.

1. It was 1100 BC, it was the time of the Judges, there was no Kings on the throne of Israel.

B. The book of Judges, tells us that it is one the lowest point in Jewish history.

1. It’s a record of the division, apostasy, civil war and national disgrace.

C. Like the Israel of the past there are many of Gods people today that are living in unbelief and disobedience and they are not enjoying the blessings that God offers.

1. So it seems incredible that in the mist of all the chaos of the world that we find this love story.

2. But isn’t that how God works. Where ever we see chaos we can find Gods love and peace.

D. Today our world is in the mist of one the lowest points in history, spiritually speaking.

1. But the one thing that we can rest assured in, is that God still loves the world and wants to save lost folks.

2. And when you know Jesus, Christ as Lord and Savior, no matter how tough times may get, we are part of a beautiful love story.

E. The book of Ruth is also a harvest story.

1. During this dark time in Israel’s history, God was seeking a bride and reaping a harvest.

2. Israel was also reaping a harvest but it was a harvest from their disobedience.

a. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

3. Today the Lord is seeking laborers for the field because the harvest is ready but as we know the laborers are few.

III. The Place

A. When we think of Bethlehem, we think of a time when the world was still, the darkness of the night was shattered by the light of a star and the silence was broken with the choir of angels. All because a baby was born.

1. But at this time Bethlehem which means “house of bread” was in the middle of a famine.

2. A famine in the Old Testament was often evidence of God’s discipline, because His people had sinned against Him.

3. Israel has repeatedly turned from God and worshiped Idols of all kinds.

B. Now the thing that you and I struggle with is the same thing that those faithful few struggled with in those days.

1. Why do those that are faithful to and obedient to God have to suffer because of the ungodly?

C. And that’s where we find the first mistake.

IV. The Decision

A. When trouble comes to our lives, we can do one of 3 things, endure it, escape it, or enlist it.

1. If we only endure our trials, then they become our master.

2. If we try to escape our trials, then we will probably miss the purpose that God wanted us to achieve in us.

3. But if we will enlist our trials then they will work for us not against us.

B. Elimelech made the wrong decision when he decided to leave home, look at verse 1.

C. But why was this decision wrong?

V. He Walked By Sight And Not By Faith.

A. Instead of waiting for God to tell him what to do next he fled.