Planned or Not, Influence Affects Things
Ruth 1; text 1:19-22
Ruth 1:19 - 22 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Life is seldom as planned - 21
Life is not easy - 1,2
Life is not fair - 1,3,5
Life is not happening - 6-8
Life is stabilized because of good family
Family care given - 1-3
Family influence continues - 4 (10 years)
Family cohesiveness wins - 6-9
Life is promising where godly influence prevails
(Even in the darkest of times)
Familiarity brings confidence (when God is in the picture) - 10
Humility beats selfishness every time - 12, 13, 15
Love conquers all - 14, 16, 18
God honors respect - 21
She was not as empty as she thought
She had Ruth
Ruth had her
Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 012906pm