“So 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Mountain Preacher's comment on 2021-08-19 02:30:55:
When they left Israel and went to a pagan land it was because they no longer trusted God to provide for them. Thus God brought judgement upon the entire family because of their unbelief. However there is redemption in this story.
Luke thompson's comment on 2021-07-15 04:48:49:
the Book of Ruth is the is to me the loveliest in H GOD,s Bible!! May HE bless each and every one of us!!! Amen and amen. Luke L. Thompson, Jr, . Amen and Amen!!
lakia reeves's comment on 2020-08-24 23:14:09:
Wow a powerful word
Chris's comment on 2020-06-04 04:43:25:
That, Carlos, is a great introspective question for every believer & it is indeed the time for its careful consideration. I would hope, nay, believe, that every lover of the Lord is actively awaiting the Lord's Return. Even leaving the sequence of eschatological events aside to which we are at odds with, the glorious hope & expectation for the Lord's Return ought to be our longing, & from all that we do on this Earth, it should reflect this joyous hope.
I think the leaving behind of material possessions & affiliations will be relatively easy for most; but the leaving behind of loved ones who have not heard the Gospel or accepted the salvation offer from the Lord, will be the pain in our hearts both now & at that time. This is another reason that should urge us to be looking out for their souls by sharing of the Word, in testimony & in much prayer.
CARLOS RAMIREZ TREVINO's comment on 2020-06-03 02:03:49:
I had this thought recently, and wanted to share it with everyone for comments, that I feel God has been impressing on me about His Return. Matthew 24, 25 were not just written to give us information about when Christ will return and what conditions will be like. It was written also to warn us to Prepare for His Return.
The example of Lot's wife is very clear. She had a strong emotional attachment to what she was leaving behind. She didn't want to be separated from them. Her yearning, her longing was so great, she didn't want to leave them behind. She was, perhaps, having second thoughts. In fact, was she a reluctant follower?
So, when we hear the Trumpet Call, the Shout of the Archangel, and we see Jesus in the Clouds as He starts gathering His Elect (Christians) from one side of the sky to the other, and the Heavens begin to fill with the rumble of those that were dead being raised with us who are alive, praising and magnifying God, and the thunderous sound of swords clanging as they slip out of their sheaths in preparation for battle, and the Word of God is held high to lead the charge; will we be emotionally ready to leave everything behind. Will we be able to release the emotional grip we have on our spouse and answer the call, as Jesus announces with a loud voice to "Come up Here"? Will we be able to let go of the hand of the mother we love, as Jesus appears in the sky? Will we be able to leave our children behind without looking back with a strong desire to take them with us? Will we be able to let go and rise to the Heavens without hesitation?
Two will be in the field, Jesus told us. One will be taken. Pray we won't be like Lot's wife, whose emotional attachment to her material possessions, friends, family, social life, were greater than her desire to obey and follow God's instructions Gen 19:17.
Perhaps this is something most need not worry about, but are we ready emotionally to let go of everything we hold dear, to answer the Call? Lk 17:32.
CARLOS RAMIREZ TREVINO's comment on 2020-05-26 02:48:20:
I don't think anyone would argue that the God of the Bible, Jehovah, is a God of Order and Purpose, Ephesians 3:11. We see how when He created the Universe, He organized it and set everything in motion, by carefully coordinating the composition and orbits of Galaxies, Stars, and Planets, Isaiah 60:20-22. He also established Physical Laws to regulate the interaction of all matter. Even the smallest Atoms are regulated. Everything adheres to His Principles for order, Psalm 8:3. That is also true of Humanity and Social interaction, John 1:17. There are set rules and standards everything must meet to function. There is even a cycle in the Earth that allows things to decompose and regenerate. Leaves fall in the forest. They decompose. Then they act as nutrients for the soil. Those nutrients feed the seeds that grow into more trees.
The Bible tells us that in the Beginning of Time, God created the Heavens and the Earth. He also created vegetation, animals and mankind. The Bible also tells us the name of the Creator is Jehovah. In the New Testament we find Christ with God at the beginning. And Christ created all things. So we find that:
1. God is a God of Order
2. He created all things that exist, visible and invisible
3. God created with a Plan and Purpose
4. That Purpose is found in Christ
5. Without Christ, nothing was made that was made
6. All things were created For Christ
7. Before Adam and Eve were created, God had a Plan
8. That Plan is called His Eternal Plan of Creation
9. It is also called His Plan of Redemption or Salvation
10. Christ, as the Sacrificial Lamb, existed before Abraham
11. Christ as the Sacrificial Lamb existed before Adam and Eve Sinned
12. Our Salvation through Christ was decided before The Fall
13. When Adam and Eve fell, God's Plan for Creation was already working
14. We are part of God's Plan of Creation as the Redeemed by His Love and Grace
15. We can love God, because He first loved us
CARLOS RAMIREZ TREVINO's comment on 2020-05-22 02:31:16:
Thank you for your response, Chris. That was Really enlightening! You've pointed out a truth that gives us a lot to think about. I couldn't agree more. Love is one, if not the most significant characteristic or attribute of God. Were it not for His love, where would we be. I don't mean to diminish the fact God deserves and gets Glory, Exaltation, Recognition, Praise, Thanks, Appreciation for whom He is and what He has done. Ephe 2:4-10 says:
"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."
But isn't His Love married to Wisdom and Righteousness? In Prov 3:19, we see that, "The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding." And 8:17-23, "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.... The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was."
Prov 8 is generally accepted as a description of Christ. Clearly, everything God does is motivated by Love. But Love with Wisdom and Justice.
What I would like to get at is what the Bible reveals about What God created us for in that Love. There's a persistent question people ask. That is, if God, why evil? Perhaps this is too philosophical, but it is important. Why does evil exist, if God is Love? The notion that we have Choice or Free Will, isn't enough.
Mishael's comment on 2020-05-21 20:10:55:
If you are more comfortable not speaking to God, by all means, make Him into the god who doesn't talk back.
Do you have religion or relationship?
I'm going to go now and enjoy some praise music. Later.
Chris's comment on 2020-05-21 17:54:49:
Carlos, I agree with you on the Self-sufficiency of God: that He needs nothing else to add to His Person or Character, that He is fully content within Himself & His Wisdom requires nothing from an outside source to enlighten Him or to reassess His Purposes for Heaven & the Universe. But He is a God of Love, nay, God is Love (1 Jn 4:8). In His Self-sufficiency, His very Being is essentially both Spirit & Love: without one or both, He is not God & thus non-existent.
If then His Essence is Love, His Actions stem out of that Love, to extend that Love to all, to require that Love in His Creation, & to receive that Love in return; & these are all hallmarks of love (1 Jn 4:16). I see that if one of these requirements of Love is missing, then the "God is Love" Truth equates to 'God has Love within Him but requires no reciprocal response', however weak our love may be. But if a response from us is required, then it must prove that this God, Whose very Essence is Love, also sees our returned love as something He needs to receive & respond to. Is then His Response simply from a judicial position of checking off that a person has done his bit with love, or does God have a 'delight & sense of inward satisfaction & joy' when love is reciprocated?
In a sense, God doesn't need Pleasure from expressed love or even a sense of euphoria in an outstanding act of love or devotion (& some even dare to suggest that He rests back on His Throne & exudes uncontrollable laughter & frivolity over some human act), but His very Nature demonstrates His Great & Perfect Love (in Holiness), & that in seriousness & satisfaction, He receives our Love in return. I believe that our Father delights immensely in the love given to Him, especially when deeply rooted in the reason for that 'agape' love: His Son's Love at the Cross.
"God doesn't need to be glorified". What do we make of Jn 12:28; 13:31,32; 17:1? Do we sense that the Father receives our worship & His need to be glorified in us is paramount?
Adam's comment on 2020-05-21 13:12:43:
I disagree with this of course.
Jesse's comment on 2020-05-21 12:35:04:
Adam,
Until you can differentiate between human love/human faith, and the faith/love that the bible speaks of, we probably are not going to agree with each other on this one. What I am trying to tell you is that the faith and love that the bible speaks of is produced only by God's Spirit. No matter how hard we try, we cannot produce that type of faith or that type of love. So when we are volunteering to love God, or if our faith is voluntary, God will not accept that because it's not of His Spirit, but of our own human effort. You can call it free will if you want, but it doesn't change the fact that it is you doing it out of your own human effort, volunteering to love God. And He will not accept that. I think if my children were to tell me that they were volunteering to love me, that would be heartbreaking. To me, that wouldn't be genuine love. I'm just trying to help you out here!
Adam's comment on 2020-05-21 12:07:06:
Hi Jesse, we don't believe the same things. I believe everyone, including Christians, has freewill and there's lots of Biblical support for that like Joshua 24:15, Psalm 119:30. Freewill = voluntary choice. People have the freewill to choose to follow Jesus or not. So, yes our faith and love to God is voluntary. This is why Jesus gave so many warnings and parables about the gate being narrow going to heaven and wide the gate going to destruction. It's why Jesus kept challenging people to avoid sin, to obey and why he said this: John 14:15. If we were predestined robots with no freewill then Jesus likely wouldn't say all that. Instead he'd say everyone is free to do whatever, because it doesn't matter, sin is ok because everyone is going to heaven anyway, but obviously that's not the message. Satan wants everyone to think they don't need to take any action at all as a Christian, but just do nothing. But a Christian is literally a Christ-follower, and following is an action requiring movement in Jesus's direction. The more I read the Bible and the more I pray to God asking for wisdom and understanding in the scriptures the more He reinforces this truth. I'm already aware that some Christians don't believe this and I'm already aware of the points used for that view and I believe its unbiblical. God bless.
Jesse's comment on 2020-05-21 11:17:09:
Adam,
Do you think that God will accept our faith and love toward Him if it's voluntary faith and love? If I volunteer to put my faith in God and I volunteer to love God, that's not the faith and love that the bible speaks of. To volunteer to do something takes human effort, and I don't believe that our human effort pleases God at all. Do you know that there are two types of faith, and two types of love? God only accepts one of the two. If we volunteer to love Him and volunteer to put our faith in Him, He's not going to accept that one.
CARLOS RAMIREZ TREVINO's comment on 2020-05-21 09:50:42:
That's fine, Jesse. Thank you.
Adam's comment on 2020-05-21 09:04:43:
Hi Carlos, just because God is self sufficient doesn't mean He can't make stuff if He wants. He also doesn't owe us an explanation for WHY, nor are we entitled to know. However, He already said He made us for his glory in Isaiah 43:7.
In my personal, unproven, and non-biblical opinion, I think we were made for His glory and enjoyment and that when we voluntarily with free will and faith choose to Love God and obey Him that it is a pleasure to Him. Perhaps it's like being a parent and if your kids voluntarily tell you they love you and you 100% know it's real, that you didn't coerce them to say that, and that they're not a puppet or robot under your own control. God didn't make robots. It's more meaningful if people voluntarily choose to love.
Your other point was does God have a need to feel good about Himself? Probably not, but doing something that feels good doesn't automatically mean you're insecure about it or NEED it.
The Bible does indicate God does have human-like emotions/feelings, however, like Deuteronomy 32:16. And we're made in His likeness, which may include feelings.
Jesse's comment on 2020-05-21 08:27:59:
Carlos,
Are you asking this because you honestly do not know the answer? Or, are you asking for a different reason or motive? I have nothing more to add other than He created all things for His glory. That's about as deep as I feel comfortable going.
CARLOS RAMIREZ TREVINO's comment on 2020-05-21 05:28:36:
Adam, good point on Isaiah 43:7. But what does that mean? What is Glory and what is Pleasure? Philosophically and Theologically speaking, God is Self-Sufficient. He doesn't lack anything and He doesn't need anything. He doesn't need love. He doesn't need to be loved. He doesn't need Pleasure? How would you define Pleasure? God also doesn't have a need to be Glorified. We praise Him because of who He is and what He does. But does He need our accolades? Does God have a need to feel good about Himself?
Pleasure and Glory are vague terms. How do you define them? Thanks. Good point.
Adam's comment on 2020-05-20 20:16:17:
God created us for his pleasure and glory. Isaiah 43:7
CARLOS RAMIREZ TREVINO's comment on 2020-05-20 18:17:29:
Jesse, I couldn't agree more. As you say, "everything has been designed by Him, and that He sustains everything, that His Spirit carries out His will, and everything is for His purposes. So I think what Paul was saying is that all things were created for His (Christ's) purposes."
That is exactly what I am getting at. Now, the question is, What is His purpose for creation? Or with creation? More simply stated, what did God create everything for?
Jesse's comment on 2020-05-20 16:34:57:
Carlos,
Okay, here are my thoughts on what Paul may have meant by the words "unto" and "for" Him. Again, these are just my thoughts.
First of all, I see the comparison to Romans 11:36, so I thought I would take that and maybe share something you might be looking for, unless you already know the answer. In Romans 11:36, the words "of Him" is literally "out of Him" as a source. For out of Him, and through Him, He is the sustainer of all things. Everything has come from Him. He is the source of all things.
When I go to Hebrews Chapter 1, it tells me that all things, the epics of history and time are being carried along by the word of God. The word of God is holding all things together, carrying history along, according as God designed it. Romans 11:36 also says, and to Him, which is literally the word EIS with the accusative in the Greek. To Him! He is the significance in everything. Everything is for Him.
And I just sit back and wonder what He is doing with my life because there are things I just don't understand? But when I realize that He has a purpose and will for my life, and He has set me apart for his purposes, even if I don't understand what it is, I am content because I know He is in control. I have to live by faith, and even He is the source of that faith. I don't have to understand. All I know is that everything has been designed by Him, and that He sustains everything, that His Spirit carries out His will, and everything is for His purposes. I might not understand most of all that God does in my life until I go to be with Him, but that's fine with me.
So I think what Paul was saying is that all things were created for His (Christ's) purposes. Maybe that's still not what you are looking for, I don't know. You have a great evening!