{"id":2793,"date":"2020-08-30T08:00:18","date_gmt":"2020-08-30T15:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/?p=2793"},"modified":"2020-09-03T14:23:25","modified_gmt":"2020-09-03T21:23:25","slug":"ruth-16-12-two-rays-of-hope-repentance-and-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/08\/30\/ruth-16-12-two-rays-of-hope-repentance-and-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruth 1:6-12 Two Rays of Hope; Repentance and Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sunday Service at Mountain Valley Church of God-Ruth 1:6-12 Two Rays of Hope; Repentance and Prayer\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0KPzAHlgWvI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ruth-1vs6-12.pdf\">Ruth-1vs6-12<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ruth-1vs6-12.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button\" download>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong><sup>&nbsp;6&nbsp;<\/sup>Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;had&nbsp;visited His people in&nbsp;giving them food.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>That she might return<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The word shoob doesn\u2019t mean \u201cto leave\u201d it means \u201cto <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">return<\/span>, to turn back, to restore, revive, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">repent<\/span>\u201d.&nbsp; And this is how it\u2019s used throughout the Old Testament.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>for she had heard in the land of Moab that the&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Lord<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;had&nbsp;visited His people in&nbsp;giving them food.<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>God visited Bethlehem to bless His people, but Naomi wasn\u2019t in Bethlehem to be blessed; she only <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">heard<\/span> about the blessing, and did not <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">experience<\/span> it herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of just asking God to bless us and bless what we do, sometimes we should be asking God to \u201cmake us <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">bless-able<\/span>\u201d.&nbsp; That He would <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">change<\/span> our <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">hearts<\/span> to line up with His will for our lives, and put us in a place where He can bless us without causing us harm by the way that we react to His blessing.&nbsp; We must return, turn back, repent,\u2014come back to the place of God\u2019s blessing in our lives, by returning to His will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Example:&nbsp; Jacob <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">returned<\/span> to the place where he had first encountered God, in Bethel, and heard God speak to Him, renewing the promise that He\u2019d given to Abraham; promising to take care of Him; where he had seen that vision of Jacob\u2019s ladder, and when he did this, he was blessed.&nbsp; In John 1 verse 51, Jesus Identifies <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Himself<\/span> as this ladder that bridges the gap between God and man, and it\u2019s by coming to Him, on His terms, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">repenting<\/span>, believing in Him as Lord and Savior, and that God has raised Him from the Dead, that we are saved .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>&nbsp;<sup>8&nbsp;<\/sup>And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, \u201cGo, return each of you to her mother\u2019s house.&nbsp;May the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This word, describing how the Lord treats people is Hesed.&nbsp; It\u2019s a difficult word to translate, because it encapsulates so many ideas\u2014mercy, compassion, love, grace and faithfulness. It speaks of how God <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">treats<\/span> us\u2014with mercy, compassion, love, grace, faithfulness.&nbsp; When it\u2019s used of a human being, then it means that they\u2019re acting toward others, like God acts toward His people.&nbsp; It\u2019s the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">witness<\/span> that we all should have, and the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">way<\/span> that we should act as Christians.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Naomi keeps insisting that she\u2019s in a hopeless situation, and that she\u2019s empty and bereft of everything, somewhere within her it is her faith in who <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">God<\/span> is that causes her to pray this prayer.&nbsp; Implicit in her prayer is the knowledge that God <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">knows<\/span> what we\u2019re going through, and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">rewards<\/span> those who act with lovingkindness; caring and compassion and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">love<\/span> toward others.&nbsp; She says that she thinks God has forgotten her, but deep inside she knows enough about who God is to know to pray to Him for lovingkindess\u2014and if that\u2019s not hope, I don\u2019t know what is!&nbsp; Every prayer in the book of Ruth is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">answered<\/span> by God.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<strong><sup>9&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong><strong>May the&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Lord<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.\u201d <\/strong>We\u2019re going to get a lot of details in the book of Ruth about just how God helped Ruth find a good husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><sup>10&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong><strong>And they said to her, \u201c<em>No<\/em>, but we will surely return with you to your people.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re giving up their own happiness and the chance for new husbands and children to help Naomi, and sacrifice their futures to take care of her.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;<sup>11&nbsp;<\/sup>But Naomi said, \u201cReturn, my daughters. Why should you go with me?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She turns to a rational approach, asking them why, on earth would thy consider going with her?&nbsp; What do they hope is going to happen?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>&nbsp;Have I yet sons in my womb, that&nbsp;they may be your husbands?&nbsp;<sup>12&nbsp;<\/sup>Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons,&nbsp;<sup>13&nbsp;<\/sup>would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying?<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if she said that she had hope of having a husband and having more <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sons<\/span>, Ruth and Orpah would be too old to marry them by the time they were grown up, and that would leave both Ruth and Orpah with no hope, just like Ruth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>&nbsp;No, my daughters; for it is&nbsp;harder for me than for you, for&nbsp;the hand of the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;has gone forth against me.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>She\u2019s saying don\u2019t let the tragedy that has happened to me take you two down too.&nbsp; You have a way of escape, I don\u2019t.&nbsp; Ruth didn\u2019t see any <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">hope<\/span> left for herself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s always hope in God, no matter what your circumstances.&nbsp; But you have to turn and seek Him.&nbsp; Isaiah 55:6-7 6<strong> Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.&nbsp; <\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;There\u2019s no-one who has sinned so much that God is not willing to forgive them.&nbsp; He sent His one and only son to die on the cross for this very purpose\u2014to seek those who are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">lost<\/span> and to save sinners.&nbsp; Looking down through the ages, He saw You, right where you are, in the circumstances that you\u2019re in, with all the things that you\u2019ve done, and HE said\u2014\u201cif you are willing, then come to me, and I will give you rest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;6&nbsp;Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;had&nbsp;visited His people in&nbsp;giving them&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-services"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2786,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/08\/23\/ruth-11-5-when-all-seems-lost\/","url_meta":{"origin":2793,"position":0},"title":"Ruth 1:1-5 When all Seems Lost","author":"Robert","date":"August 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zTfZT7kr144 Ruth-1vs-1-5-outlineDownload 1\u00a0Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. 1\u00a0Now it came about in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/zTfZT7kr144\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2777,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/08\/16\/the-book-of-ruth-introduction\/","url_meta":{"origin":2793,"position":1},"title":"The Book of Ruth&#8211;Introduction","author":"Robert","date":"August 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/XDsTYyqHizY Ruth-Introduction-OutlineDownload In the book of Ruth, we\u2019re going to see how God provides for us in hard times and in good times, how He can take bleak circumstances and turn them to joy.\u00a0 The book of Ruth is a story of love and redemption, which points, over and over\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/XDsTYyqHizY\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2808,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/09\/13\/ruth-21-7-firstfruits-of-faithfulness\/","url_meta":{"origin":2793,"position":2},"title":"Ruth 2:1-7 Firstfruits of Faithfulness","author":"Robert","date":"September 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/GzWmBEWak0I Ruth-2-vs-1-7-OutlineDownload 22\u00a0So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. God uses the ___________________ of Ruth to __________ hope in Naomi\u2019s heart and life.\u00a0 Naomi returned with Ruth, arriving\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/GzWmBEWak0I\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2201,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2018\/12\/30\/relatively-speaking\/","url_meta":{"origin":2793,"position":3},"title":"Relatively Speaking","author":"Robert","date":"December 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 The Book of Ruth \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Cast of Characters: \u00a0 Elimelech = God is KingNaomi = Pleasant \/ Mara = BitterMahlon \/ Chilion = Sons of ElimelechOrpah = NeckRuth = Companion, friendBoaz = StrengthObed = Worshipper \u00a0 Setting: Bethlehem, Judah, and Moab \u00a0 \u00a0 Key Verses: \"Don't urge\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2800,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/09\/06\/ruth-114-21-choose-hope-not-despair\/","url_meta":{"origin":2793,"position":4},"title":"Ruth 1:14-21 Choose Hope, not Despair","author":"Robert","date":"September 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fuUp1zg002c Ruth-1-13-21-outlineDownload 14\u00a0And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. At this point that Orpah agrees with Naomi, that the best course of action is for her to return to her people What Ruth does, goes above and beyond\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/fuUp1zg002c\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2871,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/11\/08\/ruth-41-8-eligible-able-and-willing\/","url_meta":{"origin":2793,"position":5},"title":"Ruth 4:1-8  Eligible, Able and Willing","author":"Robert","date":"November 8, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/IzgrS0avHbY Ruth-4-vs-1-8-OutlineDownload 4\u00a01Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold,\u00a0the redeemer of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, \u201cCome over here, friend, sit down here.\u201d And he came over and sat down.\u00a0 Boaz didn\u2019t waste any time, and started immediately about the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/IzgrS0avHbY\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2793"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2793\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}