Life Between Relationships

(NKJV) 16 But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For between a man and a woman people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me."

Introduction

Today I’m going to be sharing a message that has broad implications. I want to be setting it up for you because I think it’s important to know that I’m not just talking about relationships between a man and a woman, and I am, but I’m also talking about careers, destiny, critical decisions in your life. And today I want to deal with “life between relationships.”

You ever wonder how some people end up in messed up relationships? I know I have. When I see extraordinary people who are brilliant in every area of their life. The top 2% when it comes to their vocation; their career, but then they make the dumbest mistakes in terms of personal relationships. These are people who have high IQ, but low EQ.

When you serious about being a part of something that is sustainable, then you recognize that it takes a great deal of intentionality. What is often not discussed is how do you navigate through the tough terrain in between relationship. These are the moments that you have to be very keenly aware of the devil’s attempts to exploit your emotions. Between relationships can often times create a great deal of emotional response. Often times the devil uses these times as a result you end up making hasty decisions that end up in long term have to take.

God has a plan for your life. In (NKJV) 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

This word today is really designed to give you some instructions for you moving into the next season of your life. How to walk through this season call between relationship. I need to understand what I’m dealing with today, one door has been clothes, it has been closed, it is not cracked, it is closed. And there’s another door that has not opened, you are literally in the proverbial hallway of life. One career has ended, and one has not begun. One relationship has ended, and one relationship has not begun. And now you just send this space wondering what do I do next. What I’m going to share which you today, regardless of your marriage trying to rekindle. Regardless of your widow. Regardless of your coming out of a bad relationship. Whatever your status is, I won’t you to understand today that there are some real strategies that I’m going to share with you that are going to save you years of pain and sorrow.

Text Transition

(u)Story about Ruth (powerful story). In essence we discovered that Naomi is really the thread that keeps the book together. Naomi, was an elder woman was aware her husband has passed. And now Naomi and set with these two women who are now her daughter-in-law, Oprah and Ruth. They were married to Naomi sons, and Naomi knew that they were from a place called Moab. The Moabite people. They were people that did not worship the God of Naomi. They were women “over there.” But Naomi signs who were bethelemits love Moabite women. And as a result, they married these Moabite women. All of us go through seasons where we are attracted to that which is in contradiction to our convictions. We all have those seasons in which we like what we should not like.

They married these boys, and as a result these boys died. So now Naomi has lost both of her sons, and now as a result her daughter-in-law’s are clinging to her in a place called Moab. They are there because of famine has happened in the place called Bethlehem and they are now in Moab. And where ever Naomi goes Oprah and Ruth follows.

And then there comes word from Bethlehem famine is over. The famine is over. And Naomi decides I’m going back home. She begins her trek back as was the custom, and she begins going back towards Bethlehem, she discovers that Ruth and Naomi are right there with her. Midway through the journey Naomi decides, I want to let you go back to Moab where there’s husband that you can take on. Young women…. There’s no reason for you to be where old. You can start over….. You can take on a husband…. You can have children back in Moab…. Go back to your father’s house. If you go with me there’s no guarantee that you actually have husbands there. And I’m so old that even if I have a child you have to wait until you’ve grown. To be another 15 to 20 years. And so, why go with me on an uncertainty when you can go back to a fact. And note that you can get you a man in Moab.

Oprah says, “Good enough for me. I’m out.” And Oprah goes back because Oprah is like I’m not gonna miss out on this opportunity. A man, a real, I’m going back.

But Ruth says, “wherever you go I’m going. Your people can be my people. Your guy going be my God. I’m not leaving you. My destiny’s tie to you. Wherever you go.” And I can hear Naomi saying, “you’re young girl you….” – No, my destiny is tied to this connection..

And there some fundamental lessons were going to learn today about connections. Want to learn about destiny. And were going to find it out in Ruth’s response and Oprah’s response.

Lessons from Ruth’s and Oprah’s Reponses (between relationships). Have to Have Wisdom to Wait

I. Wisdom to wait ()

a. We live in a day when everyone wants what they want right now. I get it, if the social media age you are able to get whatever you want right now where quick. And as a result, people don’t like to wait on anything anymore. Instant coffee, instant tea, instant marriage. I get it….. We just want everything right now.

b. But this is critical now for Ruth because when the sisters presented with the choice to go back, she goes back. But Ruth was that they would Naomi. WHY? Because she wants what Naomi has. She won’t wisdom.

c. She’s willing to wait rather than go back to what she’s used to.

d. You cannot progress to your promise if you are constantly regressing to your past.

1. Just because it’s convenient doesn’t mean it’s conducive.

There’s some things that seems so right.

i. But you gotta be careful that you don’t miss God.

· It can be a good thing but not be a God thing.

ii. Would’ve been so convenient (easy) for Ruth to go back to Moab.

· As a matter of fact it’s a home country (comfortable

· It would’ve been easier; she could of gotten a man

· like some of you (comfortable place)

o You can go back to that place.

o You could’ve gotten a job;

o you knew people; it was comfortable.

iii. BUT: she refused to take the easy path because she already knows what comes with that man in Moab.

1. So many people still stirred a pot hoping that something new will come out…. But it’s the same old pot and old water… You gotta go after something new…. Something fresh..TALK

e. You see Oprah wasn’t willing to wait because she needed a quick fix right now. She made a terminal decision in an acute situation.

i. REMEMBER:

· her husband had just died.

· She was still dealing with raw emotions.

· She got caught up because she was still in her feelings. And she let her emotions guide her decision.

ii. That’s why when you find yourself in that position of weakness, that’s why you have to find the power of ability to what and strength.

iii. That’s why you hear-- (NKJV) 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.— see, “The move that is convenient is not always conducive!”

While in between relationship…. You must be willing to work

II. Willing To Work (coming hard at you now!!)

· Ruth is willing to roll up our sleeves and work. She didn’t come back to ride Naomi’s coattail. She comes back with the work ethic.

· It’s significant because it speaks of her character.

What Ruth was saying to someone today is,

1. Make your own cheese instead of relying on the gravy train.

iv. Bethlehem = house of bread. (famine is over)They had return. The famine is over. Now things have changed. Now it has shifted from a place of disorder; now things are back in order. So now is a place of peace and prosperity.

So now in contrast to her sister Oprah,

A. Ruth did not follow custom trying to wait for a man to take care of her. She became an entrepreneur.

NOTICE: Ruth did not go to the field and asked to be hired as one of his reapers. (pause) she had her own sense of business. And came her own business plan

a. (NKJV) 7 And she said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house."—She went into the situation in an elevated status.

B. She didn’t go to Boaz field asking for a job. She went to the field looking for partnership. ( I’m coming for you).

*** NOTICE: not concentrating on someone to talk care of her…..****

1. Ruth allowed Boaz to find her. He didn’t find her being thirsty. He found her working. (pause)

2. Bible saying he found a good thing — (NKJV) 22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD.—

“Good thing” (Hebrew) = means ______ (24:00 left)

** adj. mean pleasant, rich, agreeable, valuable, appropriate, better, prospers, understanding, and ethical

a. I’m looking at their and audience wondering are there any good things in the house today.

3. PROFOUND LESSON: so many people today sitting back waiting on somebody to take care of you.

Now something powerful at work in Ruth that was determined to put in the work. She was willing to go to the field herself. It’s one thing when your husband are your wife say yes to you, “Honey, you no longer have to work. I got you.”-- That’s a wonderful thing. I’m talking about you. I’m talking about those trifling people sitting at home I just don’t want to work. (DON”T TWIST IT). I’m talking about you stay-at-home parents because I understand that’s a full-time job. (TALK FUNNY)

v. “A strong woman build home world. She is one who is wise enough to know that it will attract the man she will gladly share it with..”

— Ellen Barrier in her book “how to trust God when all the resources have failed.”

C. Ruth did not attract a field hand. She attracted the owner of the field. (pause) Boaz took notice of her work ethic and how she cares for the people. Upon the 1st conversation with Ruth, Boaz lets her know “you’re fateful up in here.” Because he saw how she took care of her mother-in-law. See, Ruth came to Bethlehem without being well known outside of her association with Naomi. Guess what? She didn’t have any remaining life insurance policy. She didn’t have any money. Guess what? She rolled up a sleeves and refused to look broke and act thirsty.

1. I don’t care they laid you off, don’t look like what they did to me. Shine your shoes; puts you address own; puts you a suit on; and walk out the house and act like you on your way somewhere.

vi. Ruth kept to herself. She wasn’t trying to find identity in other people. In this season, when you between stuff, you gotta be careful about connections. Taking to the field work (I’m not trying to be in your low click. I got a mission)….. While she’s in the field, Boaz was intrigued by her. (See, gotta put you in the right place at the right time to be connected to the right people) see, Boa and z is not attracted to trifling. Boaz is attracted to work.(You literally attract from the level you are) she didn’t have to say anything.(When you do a God tells you to do stuff a chase you….. you never have to chase it)… She just went to work, got in position…

vii. says “your gifts will make room for you and will bring you before great men.”

Final point

III. Are you worthy to wed? (a lot of ways of looking at this)(Ch 2:11-12)

· Are you worthy to be wedded

· Are you worth someone’s investment…

· Are you worthy somebody’s risk (SLOW)

· Can someone hire you and you really do it

· whatever relationship you put that in….. Are you really worth it?

viii. Let’s find out… See, Ruth was an outsider from Moab, but God was with her.

ix. Say this with me, “I’m an outsider, but God’s with me.”

· Because of values.. because of a character.. It made her marriage material.

· May not mean anything until I set the stage for you.

1. How you handle your history, sets the stage for your destiny.

x. How she took care of Naomi. How she left and was doing what she did. She planted good seeds, and she was gonna get harvest. Because if you do good, good will come back to you. Because you do reap what you sow.

xi. She was not histrionic. She could’ve used being a widow; being traumatized by a culture that viewed her negatively; she could have used all of these past issues when she finally got in audience with Boaz. But, she didn’t bring any of that up. Because she wanted a now moment. Remember; she even understood how the people view Moabite women. Gonna bless you. Remember: Naomi comes back home as a bethlemite. But she’s the strange woman whose Naomi’s daughter-in-law who is a Moabite. How do people in Bethlehem view the Moabite?

xii. Duthermathy 23:3 says “ “-- they didn’t want Moabite around even to the 10th generation.

xiii. Watch this: 10 generation… Ruth learned how to live in the moment.. She was concerned with what they said. She had her mind on what God said. If you can get beyond how people view you, and understand that there’s destiny, then you will walk into one of the greatest seasons of your life

2. The blessing of your union is for purposes greater than yourself. (Don’t miss this)

A. The union of Boaz and Ruth was a part of God’s providential plan.

· It wasn’t by accident that Ruth was a woman from Moab who married into a Jewish family. So she literally came into a Jewish bloodline and in the bloodline of the Messiah.

· Ruth became a part of the Jewish family foreshadowing what would happen in the New Testament. When the Gentiles would be engrafted into the family of God.

· Ruth like Boaz mother (Rahab the prostitute), was in the same situation whereas she was brought into the Jewish bloodline because of her faith.

B. So, it doesn’t matter if you are an outsider when God has a plan for your life. He’ll bump you up, put you in and make you a part of history. God will rewrite your narrative.(look at somebody)

· Ruth says, your God will be my God. (no small thing) see, when Boaz finally announced that him marrying a woman, the people said, who you marrying? Boaz said, that girl right over there. So do people said, was her name? Ruth… Where she from? (remember Deutoronomy) Well, she is from Moab.

· And when we get to chapter 4 , and she’s where God wants her to be, doing what God wants her to do, watch what happens— says and all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “we are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; a make you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.” May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the all spring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.” .

· They were like listen, why should I get caught up worrying about 10 generations of curses… When we got an opportunity to participate in 14 generations of blessing. (, Bless you in just a minute)

· don’t let a curse rob you of a blessing

· HERE The BLESSING: Well, and it wasn’t about Ruth and Boaz. It was about what they birth.

o Birth a son name ________ (means worship)

o when I connect you, it should be a blessing that births worship

o if whatever you connect with is not a blessing. It does not birth worship (if hinders worship, never was a blessing)

o Illustration: PIPE Connection

1. If I had 2 pipes, you’d assume that 1of these pipes, if something were to go in it, then something is going to come out of it. That’s what it does, it receives and releases.

§ So whatever God put in it, he comes through and he blesses.

§ So this if you by yourself, God pours into you in you pour out to the world. And you pour back to God (constant flow)

2. NOW: If you choose to connect with somebody, you’ve made a calculation, by me connecting with you, you extend my reach.

a. REMEMBER: I don’t need you because I’m good by myself. BUT: when I connect with you, I connect with you under the assumption that you and I can do more together than I can do by myself.

3. NOW: if you DON”T extend my reach when I connect with you? You know what that pipe is when you get it.

a. If the water is pouring through the pipe and you connected to another pipe that looks like it’s good.

b. Here’s the problem: you have an expectation that it will continue to pour because all your life the water has flowed and came out. Now, stuff being poured into you, but nothing coming out.

c. The PROBLEM: you forgot to investigate. You just saw what was on outside. You did look at that thing totally to realize that on the backside that thing got a cap on it. So now you connected to something that’s blocking your flow. (TALK)

d. CHOICE: disconnect with that that stops your flow or challenge that to take the cap off. (neighbor: I will let nothing stop my flow).

e. HERE IT IS

i. Ruth and Boaz had a son named ______, somebody shout FLOW

ii. Obed had a son named Jesse, somebody shout FLOW

iii. Jesse had a son named David, somebody shout FLOW

f. So if Ruth had gone back with Oprah, we never would’ve had

· The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want

· weeping may endure for night but joy comes in the morning

· the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear

*****There was a King David inside of Ruth’s bloodline. They gave birth to a worshiper, you gift, and a King****