If you happen to read the daily newspaper, or turn on the local news; you will either read or hear just how bad things are in this country or the nations around the world. It seems everywhere you turn someone is promoting dreary news about something these days. And let me just say that it is not limited to just outside the church walls either; but in fact, it is more often heard being echoed by the very ones that ought to have a different perspective of things pertaining to life. These folks that I am speaking of is obviously those who should have better news since they are believers in Jesus Christ. But lets face it, bad news is infectious and it spreads very quickly, especially through a people who are uncertain about life and what it holds for the future. And there are many believers in Christ who are just as confused as the people of this world. Sunday morning the Lord had me share these words to my congregation and I hope it will impact you beyond just reading it as another devotional.

 

Psalm 92:13-15 (AMP)
13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment].
15 [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 

I have found as a believer that the best place to be in all the world is in the right environment that is conducive for spiritual growth. There are many places that a person can choose to spend his or her time, however, if these places promote bad influences or they distract from God they can never add anything worth while to our lives. If you hang out with unbelievers you will always learn their ways and become just as distracted as they are despite what you may think otherwise. Therefore, as the Scripture we just read above explains; being planted in the house of the Lord is a sure way to receive and flourish in all the promises of God. If you were to transplant a tree from one spot to another you would have to be very careful not to kill it in the process of relocating it. And if you did this procedure often enough to this same tree, the chances of killing it would obviously increase. And if you were successful in replanting it many times, you would most likely affect how it produced fruit thereafter. Look with me at Psalms chapter one.

 

Psalm 1:1-3 (AMP)
1 BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.
2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.
3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. 

I think this pretty much establishes the point I was making on the importance of where you hang out and with whom. If we plant ourselves around the church and meditate in the Word of God then we will be successful in all we do. Life will be full for that person who esteems God's Word as the road map for their future. And it doesn't matter what may be going on all around you that may have everyone else worried sick, you will be at peace. God promised to take care of those who are called by His name and He never lies. He will do exactly what He says He will do! Believers who worry all the time do not look into the Word of God regularly. That is why they worry, because they are listening and hanging out in places that promotes the fear that they are experiencing. God did not give us a spirit of fear, He gave us a spirit of love, power and a sound mind. Therefore, there is nothing that the believer in Christ Jesus should ever be anxious over. Unfortunately though, there are way too many Christians today that are unaware of exactly what Jesus did for them on Calvary. There are wonderful promises in that book called the Bible, and yet there are so many people that neglect reading it, therefore, they just settle for whatever unfolds in their life because they don't understand what they have in Christ. Let's look at the book of Ruth and learn some things.

 

In the first chapter of Ruth it starts out with noting a great famine was in the land. Sounds like the many reports that we are hearing of our economy today, right? Many are painting a picture that we are in a great recession and it doesn't look like we will come out of it anytime soon. Loss of jobs are at an all-time high in many, many years. Our story in the book of Ruth tells us that it was bad for Naomi in her days too! But let me show you a few things that I hope will put your eyes on the right thing if you are believer in Jesus Christ. Naomi had lost her husband and after some ten years later her two sons had died also. Naomi instructed her two daughter-in-laws to go back to their family and be reunited with them that they may be able to re-marry at some point in their life before they became old. However, Ruth resisted the instruction from Naomi and expressed her strong desire to go wherever Naomi would go that she may remain with her even if it were during these harsh times. In other words, Ruth was willing to leave her homeland and her own family to stay with Naomi and move to her country and to learn of her God. So Naomi and Ruth set out until they came to Bethlehem, and the people were greatly moved with compassion to learn about the death of Naomi's family. The Scripture tells us that when the neighbors of her home town called her by her own name, that she said unto them, "Don't call me Naomi, call me Mara: because God has dealt bitterly with me." The meaning of Naomi is, "Pleasant," whereas, Mara means: "bitter." In verse 21 we find out exactly how Naomi really felt about her situation.

 

Ruth 1:21-22 (KJV)
21 I 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?
22 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. 

 

This so reminds me of how I have witnessed many Christians over the years who started out professing of just how blessed they are, and thankful to God for all He has done for them. Only to later show disdain towards God when hardship came against them and caused much grief in their life. Naomi was obviously grieved about her situation and most of us would be sympathetic and agree that she had a right to feel this way. However, God was not the culprit of this difficult time in her life. In most cases people will sing praises to God when everything is going their way. But when hard times hit, we find that many will recant their testimony, simply because of the pressure the enemy is bringing upon them and then they blame God for the negative results. This is exactly where Naomi was within her personal view of God, which was based on what she had assumed He had allowed to happen to her family.

 

Now we have not forgotten our subject which is the favor of God within this devotional. But these things said thus far had to be addressed in order to get the proper perspective of what this story really tells us; especially in light of how we may be viewing our own difficult circumstances and God's involvement within them at present. It was now time for the barley harvest and Ruth asked Naomi if she may go out and attempt to reap some leftovers in the nearby fields that they may have something to eat. Our story tells us that Ruth happened upon a field that was owned by Naomi's near kin. I must add something here if I may. With God, nothing happens by luck, chance or any other means of rolling the dice. Our future is predicted from the beginning to the end and it is with unbelievable favor in Christ! We have that promise from a God who cannot lie. So Ruth found herself in the field of Boaz, Naomi's kin, which is a type and shadow of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. When Boaz inquired from his lead reaper about Ruth, he was told that she was the handmaiden of Naomi and had begged that she may pick from among the leftovers in the fields.

 

After these things were shared with Boaz he went to Ruth and told her that she should not go into any other fields around. But to stay close to his personal handmaidens that Ruth may glean from his fields only. Otherwise, she might be molested and taken advantage of by the young men hired by other owners in other fields. So it was that Ruth had found favor which protected her and ensured that she could glean from the harvest of another's field without fear. Ruth was even allowed to drink whenever she became thirsty from the vessels that were only set for the reapers. When Ruth heard the words of favor that was being bestowed upon her by Boaz, she inquired why it was that he would be so kind to her. And this is what he told her.

 

Ruth 2:11-12 (AMP)
11 And Boaz said to her, I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to a people unknown to you before.
12 The Lord recompense you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under Whose wings you have come to take refuge! 

This is so descriptive of exactly what Jesus has done for you and me. When we accept Jesus as our Savior we leave our old life behind and follow Him. And from that point on we are allowed to eat from His plenteous fields, and drink from His cup that never runs dry. Now I want you to look at how this unfolded for Ruth and then reflect on how God does the very same for you and me.

 

Ruth 2:15-18 (AMP)
15 And when she got up to glean, Boaz ordered his young men, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.
16 And let fall some handfuls for her on purpose and let them lie there for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.
17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned. It was about an ephah of barley.
18 And she took it up and went into the town; she showed her mother-in-law what she had gleaned, and she also brought forth and gave her the food she had reserved after she was satisfied. 

Boaz had instructed his reapers to drop on purpose handfuls of grain on the ground for Ruth to glean for herself. When she did this throughout the day she had accumulated the equivalent of ten days worth of food to take back home to Naomi her mother-in-law. Our story in the book of Ruth reveals the undisputable and marvelous mercy and grace of God for all those who trust themselves to the Lord. Naomi (represents God's chosen people, Israel) who thought she had been abandoned by God found that He who keeps His promises had everything under control to make sure she was provided for. And Ruth, (who represents the Gentiles) for her obedience and willingness to leave her homeland and family to follow after the true God would find favor in every place of life though she was a foreigner.

 

My dear friends in Christ! We are highly favored of God. According to Galatians 3:13, we have been delivered from the curse of the Law of Moses through what Jesus did on the cross. Whereas, the Law declares the blessings of God over our lives if it is kept entirely without fail. Unfortunately, we could not keep it. The good news is, Jesus did! Therefore, the curses for not keeping the Law faithfully on our part, fell on Jesus, who kept the Law without breaking it. By doing so, Jesus was able to take our sins away because He kept the Law perfectly; therefore, He could legally pardon us from its penalty for being a transgressor of it. How awesome and wonderful is this God who so loved the world that He would spare nothing to bless us, even at the expense of His very own perfect Son. Jesus took away the curses, but left the blessings intact! I will choose therefore, to let the promises of God conclude this devotional today. Rejoice in light of this truth, it was Jesus who kept all the commands of God the Father, therefore, He received all of its benefits for being obedient to it faithfully. Which is why He can give you and me these blessings if He so chooses to. Therefore, because He owns it all legally, according to Scripture, He chose to bestow His favor on us without us doing anything but accepting it. So, receive it in Jesus name!

 

Deuteronomy 28:2-13 (AMP)
2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the Lord your God.
3 Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your beasts, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock.
5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading trough.
6 Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.
7 The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouse and in all that you undertake. And He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
9 The Lord will establish you as a people holy to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name [and in the presence of] the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.
11 And the Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of your body, of your livestock, and of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.
12 The Lord shall open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
13 And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day and are watchful to do them.